USA > California > Sonoma County > History of Sonoma County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county, who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present time > Part 66
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Joseph B. Reid has distinct recollections of his boyhood, which was passed in the midst of fields of growing cotton and corn in Alabama until he was eigh- teen years of age, at which time removal was made to the northern part of Arkansas. Judging from the scarcity of schools and crudity of curriculum which exist in the rural districts of those states today, one wonders what possibility there was of obtaining an education there seventy-five years ago! Be that as it may, no one who knows Mr. Reid will doubt the fact that he made much of such opportunities as came his way, for he is a well-informed man, one with whom it is a pleasure to converse. The family remained in Arkansas for three years, and then, in 1857, set out for the far west by the overland route. In due time they reached their destination, Yolo county, where the father purchased land and continued farming throughout the remaining years of his life. There he passed away in 1891, his wife having preceded him several years, her death oc- curring in 1889.
For ten years after coming to California Mr. Reid continued a resident of Yolo county, he as well as his father purchasing land there. However, in 1867, he came to Sonoma county and was so well pleased with the prospects that he
JAMES McCHRISTIAN (The only surviving "Bear Flagger. )
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HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY
purchased land and has continued to make his home here ever since, over forty- three years. His original purchase consisted of ninety-three acres, for which he paid $65 an acre. Wheat-raising was the chief industry of the ranchers at that time, and he continued grain-raising for a number of years after purchasing the property. From time to time he sold off portions of the original acreage, until now none of that land remains in his possession. However, with the pro- ceeds he purchased adjoining land, and now has seventy-five acres one and a- quarter miles from Santa Rosa, all in hay and grain.
In Sacramento, Cal., in 1864, Mr. Reid was united in marriage with Miss Louise Range, the ceremony being performed in the Golden Eagle Hotel. Al- though Mrs. Reid is a native of Tennessee, the greater part of her life has been passed in California, whither she came in 1862. Eleven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Reid. The family are members of the Christian Church of Santa Rosa, and politically Mr. Reid is a Democrat. He has held a number of public offices within the gift of his fellow-citizens, among them school trustee for a number of years, and assessor and collector on a number of occasions.
JAMES McCHRISTIAN.
The history of the pioneer and the conditions which he had to encounter in assisting to bring about the civilization which we of the present day enjoy as a free gift never loses its interest for the reader, whether he himself be a pioneer or a school-boy of the present day. Both may read between the lines and know that "the half was never told," of danger, hardship and heart loneliness, all endured bravely by the noble men and women for the sake of coming genera- tions. One of these noble pioneers is brought to mind in mentioning the name of James McChristian, who is not only a pioneer himself, but is also the son of a pioneer, his father bringing the family to California in 1845, before the days of the gold excitement, and becoming residents of Sonoma county in June, 1846. There is no question in the minds of the present residents that Mr. Mc- Christian has been a resident of this county longer than any other white man now living within its borders.
Mr. McChristian's earliest memories are of a home in New York state, where, in Rochester, he was born November 10, 1827, the son of Patrick and Orpha (Church) McChristian. The father was a native of Ireland, and the mother was born in Vermont, the descendant of New England ancestors and a granddaughter of Col. Benjamin Church, who gained his title through meri- torious service in the French and Indian war. Patrick McChristian at the age of eighteen years had grown discontented with the prospects which he saw as his future if he remained in his native country, and taking his future in his hands he immigrated to the United States, and from Castle Garden, where the ocean vessel landed him, he made his way to Rochester, N. Y., where he found employment at the miller's trade. The year 1843 found him crossing the Mis- sissippi river into Missouri, and for the following two years he made his home in Andrew county. His watchword seemed to be "ever westward," for each removal brought him nearer the setting sun, and the spring of 1845 found him starting out on the journey that was to bring him to the Pacific coast. At St. Joseph he with his family joined a train consisting of one hundred wagons,
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among those in the train being General Kearney, who accompanied them as far as South Pass. It was not until October 1, about six months after they left Missouri, that Mr. McChristian landed in California, the first winter in the state being passed in Younts, Napa county, where, after plowing the land with an ·
implement of his own manufacture, he put in a crop of wheat, this without any doubt being the first ever planted in the state. He is also credited with bring- ing the first wagons in this part of the country.
On June 1, 1846, Patrick McChristian located in Sonoma, Sonoma county, where a few days later, June 10 or II, the famous Bear flag was raised. The materials for the making of this historic flag were furnished by Mrs. Elliott and the wife of a man nick-named Dirty Mathews, the first-mentioned donating some white cloth and the latter a red petticoat. One of Mr. McChristian's fel- low-companions across the plains, William Todd, painted it, while the sewing was done by three sailors, Jack Ranchford, an Englishman; Peter Storm, a Dane; and John Kelly, the latter being the only American. This flag waved in the breeze for a month and then was hauled down by Commander Montgomery of the American forces when he took possession of San Francisco in the name of the United States in 1846. This historic old flag is now the property of the Pioneer Society of San Francisco. In the year 1852 Patrick McChristian started for the east by way of the Isthmus of Panama, but never reached his destination, as he was taken ill and died at Aspinwall, the ocean being his grave. His wife lived to a good old age, passing away in Green valley in 1890. Of the children born to this worthy pioneer couple two are living, James and Sylvester.
James McChristian came to Sonoma county with his parents in 1846, and the following year he was among those chosen to serve on garrison duty in the little settlement. In the fall of that year, however, he left Sonoma and located in Freestone, Analy township, where since that time he has been continuously engaged in ranching. During the early days his efforts were along general lines of farming, growing such crops as were necessary for the household needs, but the change in conditions with the passing of years has made it possible for him to specialize, and for the past twenty-five years he has given his entire attention to the cultivation of the grape. In addition to the home place he also owns a seventeen-acre tract in the limits of Sebastopol.
The marriage of James McChristian in 1876 united him with Miss Rosa Romain, who was born in the French province of Alsace, now a part of Ger- many. When she was a child of one year she was brought to the United States by her parents, who settled in Indiana. Four children have blessed the mar- riage of Mr. and Mrs. McChristian. Delafine, George, Charles and Mamie, the last-mentioned the wife of Frank Middleton. In his political views Mr. Mc- Christian is a Democrat, and his first vote was cast for Zachary Taylor. The two eighteen-pound guns that defended Sonoma from massacre by Spaniards were taken east aboard the Portsmouth and have been in the east ever since.
JOHN RULE.
Suggestive of the carly days in the history of Sonoma county, is the record of the life and accomplishments of John Rule, who though long since passed from the scenes of his earthly labors, is remembered by his contemporaries who are still living as one of the foremost men of his time. A native of England, he was
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·
born in Cornwall February 6, 1818, and continued in his native land until the year 1841, that year witnessing his immigration to the United States. One year was passed in Pennsylvania, after which he went to Missouri and for two years was engaged in various mining interests in the lead and copper mines of that state. In the meantime, on October 25, 1844, he had formed domestic ties by his marriage with Elizabeth Craddock, the daughter of Thomas and Hannalı (Cook) Craddock, their marriage being solemnized in Madison county.
With his family, in 1846 Mr. Rule removed to Grant county, Wis., where he continued his interest in mining, and still later transferred his interest to the lead mines of Galena, Ill., in which he made extensive investments. In the meantime the finding of gold in California had begun to attract people from all parts of the United States to the Pacific coast, and after withstanding its at- tractions for a considerable period Mr. Rule succumbed to the western fever, and the spring of 1852 found him wending his way across the plains. A tire- some journey of five months finally brought him to his destination. Volcano, Amador county, Cal., where he engaged in mining for a year, and the following year was passed in the same line of endeavor in Grass valley. A change of location as well as a change in occupation to some extent followed this last- mentioned experience, for after his removal to Brown's valley, in Yuba county, he combined hotel-keeping with mining. A still later experience took him to Virginia City, Nev., where for five years he carried on a varied and extensive business, carrying on mining, quartz-crushing and teaming. These allied under- takings were wisely entered into and Mr. Rule profited by the venture. Subse- quently he removed with his family to San Francisco, continuing there until he purchased the ranch in Sonoma county which is still in possession of the family. Here he purchased four thousand acres of land, which was well timbered and it was conservatively estimated that it would supply a saw-mill for two decades. He therefore erected an extensive steam saw-mill with a capacity of forty thou- sand feet of lumber per day. With wise foresight he saw the benefit to be derived from the construction of a bridge across the Russian river and had secured a franchise from the state permitting him to undertake the enterprise, but before the plans were matured his hand was stilled by death. Business interests in Vir- ginia City, Nev., necessitated his being there for a time, and it was while there that he passed away, April 15, 1870. His death was a sad loss, not only to his family, but to the entire community, which for a number of years had benefited by his superior and versatile knowledge and had also profited by the many enter- prises inaugurated and carried forward to completion.
It was following the death of Mr. Rule that his family located on the Sonoma county ranch, in July, 1870. Mrs. Rule proved herself equal to the task which the management of so large a property involved, and in addition to doing her duty by a large family of children, rearing them to lives of usefulness, she also con- tinued the large dairy and stock-raising business, and also the extensive wood business, all of which had been inaugurated by Mr. Rule. She continued to man- age the extensive business planned by her husband until her children grew to mature years and were able to relieve her of the cares which she assumed and carried forward so nobly. She was a native of Missouri, her birth occurring in Madison county February 22, 1822. Nine children were born of the marriage
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of Mr. and Mrs. Rule, of whom seven are deceased, as follows: Elizabeth Jane, who was born September 5, 1845, and died February 22, 1854; Thomas Johnson, born August 4, 1848, and died June 24, 1853; Thomas Craddock, who was born September 6, 1853. and died November 8, 1853; John Richard, born January 31, 1847, and died in September, 1908; Hannal Josephine, born June 8, 1851, and died in August, 1898; Edward James, born December 25, 1854, and died January 7, 19II ; and William Johnson, born May 24, 1861, and died in April, 1910. Those still living are : Nannie Augustie, born March 27, 1858; and Charles Henry Stone, born October 24, 1863.
The son last mentioned, Charles H. S. Rule, is probably the largest dairy- man in Sonoma county. His ranch of four thousand acres is located at Jenner, upon which he pastures three hundred cows of fine breed, besides one hundred and fifty head of young stock. Some idea of the tremendous business transacted on the ranch may be had from the statement that forty thousand pounds of butter were produced during a recent season of four months, and was sold in the market for $10,000. The ranch is under the immediate supervision of Mr. Rule.
LORD WELLINGTON GREENWOOD.
The building interests of Petaluma are well represented by a great many able men, but none are more worthy or possess more tact and ability than L. W. Greenwood. He was born in Todmorden, Lancashire, England, January 15, 1867, the son of William Greenwood, a prominent plasterer and Sarah Sunder- land. She was the daughter of Lord Wellington Sunderland, who fought under the Duke of Wellington at Waterloo and was descended from the old Wellington family, while his wife was of the family of Fergus O'Connor, the fighters for the freedom of Ireland. In the parental family there were ten children, five of whom are living, L. W. Greenwood being the only one in the United States. His educational advantages were very limited and he is truly a self-made man. He was put to work at the age of seven in his father's casting shop, making himself useful and finding plenty to do, seemingly never idle a moment, and thus he learned the rudiments of the plasterer's trade. Being the oldest son of a plasterer it was not necessary for him to be bound apprentice, but applying himself steadily he learned the trade under his father and when twenty years of age became foreman, a position he filled with credit for different firms for seven years. He then began contract plastering, slate roofing, and tiling and in a few years had a large business extending all over England, his headquarters being at Nelson.
In August. 1903, Mr. Greenwood came to the United States, making the trip through Canada to Montana and on to the Pacific coast, but returned to Boston, Mass., where his wife joined him. He was employed as foreman in Boston until the fall of 1905, when he removed to Detroit and was foreman for the Concrete Steel and Tile Construction Company until August, 1906, when he located in Petaluma, Cal. Here he became foreman of the construction of the large concrete tanks at the Jacobi winery, lining them with glass and was en- gaged here for a period of nine months, when he started contract plastering.
Fireman Parker - aged 90 years, July 5, 1911,
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in which he has been exceptionally successful, and among some of the many buildings he has completed we find the following: Gossage building, Baptist Church, Prince building, Wickersham building, McNear building, Cotati school, Wilson school, Parochial residence at Olema, Odd Fellows Hall in Sonoma, Farreil and Stratton residences in Petaluma and about four hundred other resi- dences. He also built his own residence at No. 406 Eighth street, where he has his business headquarters.
Mr. Greenwood was married, in Burnley, Lancashire, England, July 22, 1895, to Mrs. Emma (Bailey) Shackelton, who was also born in Lancashire, the daughter of James and Margaret (Holland) Bailey, the father being a large general contractor. Her first marriage was to James Shackelton, a capitalist and speculator. Three children were born of this marriage: James, manager of a cotton mill in Rio Janeiro; Margaret, the wife of Fred Nauert, Jr., of Los Angeles ; and Annie, the wife of Park Van Bebber, of Petaluma. Mr. and Mrs. Greenwood have one child, May. They are both Episcopalians in their religious belief and support that denomination. Mrs. Greenwood is a woman of rare ability, having mastered moulding and casting and does all the ornamental work that her husband uses in his business. They both have already gained hosts of friends, whom they delight to welcome to their home.
FREMAN PARKER.
In the town of Orange, Washington county, Vt., near Knox mountain and in view of Camel's Hump, Mr. Parker was born April 5, 1822, his parents being E. P. and Laura (Flanders) Parker. In 1827 he was taken by his parents to Washington, Orange county, where until seventeen years of age, he attended the common schools and diligently applied himself to his studies. He then went to Brownington Academy and afterward taught school for a year, follow- ing this by attending a theological school and pursuing his studies, with the ex- ception of the winter terms, when he was engaged in teaching. At Norwich Military University he finished his school education, but continued teaching several years longer, and after retiring from that profession turned his attention to farming, lumbering and manufacturing starch from potatoes.
On October 14, 1847. Mr. Parker and Cynthia Adaline Roberts were united in marriage by Rev. Ely Ballou, of Montpelier, Vt. Mrs. Parker was also a native of Vermont, being born in Williamstown, June 20, 1821. Their first child, Pitman Wilder, was born October 1, 1848, and the following year Mr. Parker set out for the gold fields of California. After a rough passage on a steamship from New York to Chagres, an exciting trip across the Isthmus and a lingering delay in Panama, he obtained passage on the steamship Senator, which had just rounded the Horn, Charles Minturn being agent. Late in Octo- ber of 1849 Mr. Parker landed in San Francisco, where he found his brother Wilder, who had come to this state a year previous and was at that time keeping a boarding house on Sacramento street. Being afflicted with Panama fever contracted in Panama by lodging in a room with eighteen invalids, Mr. Parker was unable to do much, and so remained in San Francisco until February.
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1850. He then took another trip in the Senator to Sacramento, going to Marys- ville in a row boat and from there to Long's Bar on the Yuba river, where he engaged in mining until June with moderate success. At that time the placer diggings seemed to be exhausted and he returned to San Francisco just in time to see the big fire of 1850, which consumed most of the business part of the city. July, August and September were spent in prospecting on the river Tuolumne, but being dissatisfied with the regular returns of the mines, he again went back to San Francisco, and in December with two parties, Needham and Allen. settled on Joyo Rancho and followed farming and stock-raising for four years.
At the expiration of that time, in December, 1852, Mr. Parker returned to Vermont for his family, and in June of the following year arrived in California with his wife and son Pitman. During the summer, one of his partners, John Allen, was drowned in San Francisco Bay by the sinking of a boat that con- tained four persons; Allen, Knox and an Indian were drowned, and Wheeler was saved. In December, 1853. Mr. Parker purchased his present place and here his other children were born: Gelo Freeman, January 17, 1854; Alma R., February 14, 1856; Laura Ada, January 25, 1858 (died October 6, 1864), and George W., born July 4, 1860. There being no school in the vicinity, Mr. Parker educated his son Pitman mostly at home, having him get his lessons and recite them to him while he was attending to his milk, butter and cheese. He pursued the same plan through all the common branches of study, from the spelling book to geometry, and being an advocate of a practical education, he procured type and a printing-press and established a family newspaper in which all the members of the family took part. Mr. Parker is deeply interested in educational matters, having been a school trustee for many years. His son Pitman was county superintendent of schools in Alpine county, Nevada, and later was proprietor of the daily and weekly Astorian in Oregon. His son Gelo is also in Astoria, Ore., where he has served as county and city surveyor. His daughter Alma became the wife of Hon. James Hynes, now deceased, by whom she had one son, Wildrick Hynes. About two years after the death of Mr. Hynes she became the wife of David Walls, who is also deceased, his death occurring at Haystack Landing. He left one son, B. Walls. His widow now resides in Petaluma. George W. Parker is a resident of Oregon. Twelve years after the death of. Mrs. Parker, which occurred June 4, 1867, Mr. Parker was united in marriage, January 18, 1879, to Mrs. Eliza Jones, a native of Ryegate, Vt., but after one year they agreed to separate, and she has since died.
Mr. Parker is and has been for many years much interested in all true reforms that tend to save time and money and elevate the people to a position of independence and make them honest, just, intelligent and self-reliant. Lit- erature, philosophy, stenography, phonetic printing and spelling reform have received his hearty support for many years. He was educated according to the partial salvation doctrine, but after much thought and consideration on the sub- ject, he became a Universalist and later a Freethinker, now believing that the more superstitious and ignorant we are, the less we are fitted to take care of ourselves and help others, and on the other hand the more we know the better we are prepared to meet and manage all difficulties; facts about this world are important, but "One world at a time" is his motto.
Mr. Parker's ranch is located three miles south of Petaluma on Petaluma
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creek, hunters from San Francisco making it their resort, and a Parker House Club of seven members come here twice a week during the hunting season. This rendezvous with its cheery, interesting host, now in his ninety-first year, is well known to the surrounding country, and many an absorbing hour is spent in listening to the man of much learning and of such strength of character that he is an inspiration to all with whom he comes in contact.
ACHILLE RICIOLI.
The dairy business has been one of the important factors entering into the material development of Sonoma county, with the poultry industry a close sec- ond, scarcely less enormous in volume and not less significant of success in the gratifying amount of its profits. To both of these occupations Mr. Ricioli de- votes considerable time, and from both he is in receipt of large annual returns, representing a fair return for his investment of capital and labor. The ranchi which for years he has occupied consists of five hundred and seventy acres, owned by the different members of his family, a large part of which is in pas- ture, a considerable area in meadow, and the balance in farm crops suited to the soil and climate. Five head of horses are kept on the ranch and used in the cultivation of the soil. One thousand chickens bring in their moneyed returns and seventy head of cows and young cattle are large elements in making the ranch profitable to its proprietor. The land lies six and one-half miles from Petaluma, on Rural Route No. 5 out from that city, which is not only the post- office for the family, but also the market for supplies and for the delivery of the farm products.
Born in canton Ticino, Switzerland, in 1866, Achille Ricioli was one of four children, the others being Joseph. Charles and Olivia. The parents, John and Marie (Zanini) Ricioli, were natives of Switzerland, the former born in 1826 and the latter in 1828. As early as 1852 the father had visited the United States and had landed in San Francisco, from which place he went out into the state, earning a livelihood in mining and farming. On his return to the old country he had married and established a home, devoting his attention to the earning of a fair living for his family. His son Joseph married Irene Selacci and became the father of four children. The daughter, Olivia, Mrs. Victor Lafranchi, had a family of five sons and five daughters, namely : Guildo, Alfoneo, Fredileno, Adolph, Achille, Virginia, Retai, Amelia, Erma and Irene.
A common-school education secured in the schools of his native land pre- pared Achille Ricioli for the intelligent management of business affairs, while under the training of his parents he was prepared for earning a livelihood with thrift, economy and perseverance as helpful agents in the struggle toward suc- cess. At the age of sixteen years he started out to earn his own way, coming direct to America and landing at New York City, whence he traveled by train across the continent to San Francisco. On his arrival in Sonoma county he se- cured employment as a ranch hand and always he has followed farm pursuits, with dairying as a specialty. During the early period of his residence here he devoted some attention to hunting and always found great pleasure in the sport,
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