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 69
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In his wife Mr. Bettinelli chose one of his country women in Miss Mar- guerite Pedrelli, who was born in the canton of Ticino in 1870, the daughter of Dominic Pedrelli, who died in Switzerland. Three children have been born to Mr. Bettinelli and his wife, two sons and one daughter, Silvio, Dora and Egidio. The children are being reared in the faith of the Catholic Church, in which their parents before them were reared from childhood, being members of St. Vincents' Church in Petaluma. Politically Mr. Bettinelli is a Republican.
THOMAS WILLIAM HOWELL.
The remarkable changes wrought in California for more than thirty-five years past have been witnessed by Thomas W. Howell, who since his arrival on the western coast in 1874 has spent the greater part of the intervening time in Sonoma county. The descendant of southern ancestry, he was born in La- fayette county, Mo., in 1862, the son of parents who were also natives of that state. The father is still living, but the mother passed away when her son was a small child; after her death he became an inmate of the home of his maternal grandparents, by whom he was reared until able to became self-sup- porting.
When he was twelve years old Mr. Howell's grandparents immigrated to California, settlement being made on the Sacramento river in Colusa county, and this continued to be their home for about eight years. In the meantime Mr. Howell had grown to young manhood, and having had considerable ex- perience as a farm hand he ventured out on his own behalf. For about two years he was not definitely located, working on ranches in various parts of the state until 1884, when he came to Sonoma county. It was some time after lo- cating here, in 1906, that he selected and purchased the ranch on which he has since lived, on Rural Route No. 5 from Santa Rosa. This is an exceptionally choice piece of land, comprising twenty-three acres, besides which he has sev- enty-five acres of leased land. The greater part of the last-mentioned land is in hay, of which his crop for the season of 1909 amounted to one hundred and fifteen tons. Sixteen acres of his own land is in hops, this crop yielding bounti-
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fully also, his returns for the season just mentioned being $1,000. Six acres of prunes upon the leased land brought $600, a very satisfactory return, indeed all of his crops of that season more than met his expectation, and his prospects for the present year are even brighter. He also raises sufficient horses for his own needs.
In 1885 Mr. Howell was united in marriage with Miss Anna Burns, a na- tive of the county in which she still lives, and five children have been born of this marriage. The eldest, May Elizabeth, became the wife of Garrett Nelli- gan, and with her husband and one child is living in Suisun City. Pearl H. is unmarried and engaged in the millinery business in Santa Rosa. The other children, Myrtle L., Ralph I. and Raymond M., are all at home. Mrs. Howell's parents were natives of Ireland, and both are now deceased.
Politically Mr. Howell is a Democrat, and fraternally is identified with a number of orders, among them the Woodmen of the World, the Knights of Columbus and a branch of the Woodcraft. In the best sense of that much abused term Mr. Howell is a self-made man, circumstances depriving him of the natural parental protection, although his grandparents did all in their power to supply this lack. He has always been interested in the welfare of children, especially in providing them with good school facilities, as his work in behalf of education will testify. He has one sister, Mrs. Dexter Tuttle, living in Santa Rosa.
J. W. HORN.
Petaluma is proud to claim Mr. Horn as one of her citizens, and on the other hand Mr. Horn is thankful that kind Fate led him to take up his residence here. Probably few of the citizens in the country round about have been favored with opportunity for travel as has Mr. Horn, but from each trip, whether from abroad or from distant points in our own country, he returns gladly. satisfied that here he finds the greatest incentives for the best that life can give.
A native of Ohio, he was born in Lorain county, June 17, 1865, the son of parents who were in a position to give him every opportunity for obtaining a good education. Unlike many thus fortunately situated, he made the best use of his opportunities, a characteristic which has been noticeable in whatever he has undertaken in his after life and is unquestionably the keynote of the suc- cessful career which he has enjoyed. After attending the public schools near his home and graduating from the high school he took a two-year course in Oberlin College. A desire to employ his talents in business led him to discon- tinue his studies at this time, and he then went to Des Moines, Iowa, and ac- cepted a position as railroad engineer for a company having a road under con- struction, remaining in this capacity for two years. Then, in 1884, he con- tinued west as far as Utah, during the two years he was there being engaged in the library business, establishing and supplying public libraries with books, besides which he bought and sold real estate to some extent.
From Utah Mr. Horn came to the far west in 1886 for the first time, going direct to San Francisco, but after a short stay he returned to Iowa. He was in the middle west at the time the World's Fair was being held in Chicago in
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1893, and he visited that metropolis during this time in the interests of the publishing house with which he was associated. Returning to Iowa once more, he continued in business there for about two years longer, when, in 1895, he came to California for the second time, this time with the idea of making it his . permanent home. Coming direct to Sonoma county, he located in Petaluma on a small ranch of three acres which he stocked with a fine breed of poultry. Subsequently, however, he sold his ranch and stock and engaged in the real- estate and insurance business, and the office which he then established, in 1895, at No. 170 Main street, is still his headquarters, and here have been transacted many of the important real-estate sales and transfers in the town and surround- ing country during the past fifteen years. Mr. Horn is a great traveler, and during the past seven years alone has made ten trips to the east.
The first marriage of Mr. Horn occurred in 1892 in San Francisco and united him with Miss Flora M. Platt, a native of New York, who at her death in 1908 left one son, Hubert J., and a daughter, Azalene, who died a year later. Mr. Horn's second marriage was celebrated June 22, 1910, uniting him with Miss Louise M. White, a native of Detroit, Mich. Their wedding journey consisted of a three-months' tour of Europe. Mr. Horn is counted one of the most enterprising and progressive business men of Petaluma, and for three years he filled the office of secretary of the Board of Trade.
D. LORENZINI.
No small share of the enterprise which is contributing to the maintenance of the prestige of Sonoma county as a grape-growing and wine-making center is vested in the Franceschini & Lorenzini Company, proprietors of the Oliveto Wine Company, of Healdsburg. Under the brand of this well-known firm the finest quality of wines, both red and white. are shipped to all parts of the coun- try, as also are the brandies from their distillery, all of their goods receiving the highest market prices. Some idea of the size of their plant may be gathered from the statement that over two thousand tons of grapes are crushed in the winery annually, the output of their own vineyard as well as grapes purchased from vineyardists in the surrounding country, while ten thousand gallons of brandy are manufactured in their distillery.
D. Lorenzini is a native of Italy, born in that country in 1858, during the time of the war between his native country and Austria. Although born in Italy, his earliest recollections are of a home in Switzerland, whither his parents had removed soon after his birth, owing to the unsettled conditions in Italy. Upon reaching an age when it was desirable and necessary to think of his future course in life he was naturally attracted to the chief industry of the locality in which he had been reared, wine and brandy making, and this he undertook to learn in all of its details. A natural adaptation for the calling enabled him to master it in a remarkably short time, and he had become quite expert at his trade before coming to the United States in 1883. In the same year he came direct to California, where, in the Napa valley, Napa county, he engaged in wine-making for the following two years. His identification with Healdsburg dates from the year 1887. at which time he accepted a position as superintendent
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of a winery, a position which he filled creditably and to the entire satisfaction of his superiors for two years. A desire to become proprietor of a plant of his own led him to resign from his position as superintendent, and with John Gar- dini he established a winery under the name of Lorenzini & Gardini. For some time a very satisfactory business was carried on under this name, but the part- nership was finally dissolved, and since then, 1895, business has been conducted under its present name, Franceschini & Lorenzini Company. The brand of goods turned out by the Oliveto Wine Company, as their plant is known, has no superior in the county, and as a consequence are in great demand and bring the highest prices. In connection with the winery a vineyard of fifty acres is maintained, this, as well as grapes from neighboring vineyards, supplying the two thousand tons of grapes which are crushed in the winery annually. Both men display unusual adaptation and liking for the business, which is bound to assume even greater proportions as the reputation of California wines is en- hanced.
In 1882 Mr. Lorenzini was united in marriage with Miss Mary Jilradi, who accompanied her husband to this country in 1883, the year following their marriage. Three children have been born of this marriage, Ida, Alvesta and Edwin. Politically Mr. Lorenzini has allied his sympathies with the Repub- lican party. He was made a Mason in Sotoyome Lodge No. 123, F. & A. M., of Healdsburg, and he is also a member of the Druids.
ORTON HUBBELL.
It so happens that the historian of Sonoma county is privileged to portray the life-history of this well-known citizen of Petaluma, but so widespread have been his influence and accomplishments elsewhere, both in other portions of this state and in other states of the Union, that each locality that has benefited by his citizenship might give to the world a history of his life in that particular place which to the unsuspecting reader might seem sufficient for an average man to accomplish in a life time. From a number of the sources mentioned the following account of the life of Mr. Hubbell has been compiled. He was born in Delaware county, N. Y., November 27, 1832, into the family of Richard Andrew and Susanah (Babcock) Hubbell. When he was two years old his father died, and immediately after the loss of her husband Mrs. Hubbell re- moved to Washtenaw county, Mich., Orton Hubbell there receiving his edu- cation and a careful and wholesome training by his mother, who faithfully did her part to make up for the loss of the father to the child. When he was six- teen years old he started out to take up life's responsibilities, going at that time to Detroit, where in two years he mastered the brass-founder's trade and was made foreman of the shops in which he was employed. It was while filling this position that he made up his mind to come to California, where he believed he could make more rapid progress than was possible in Michigan. In the spring of 1855 he set sail at New York on a vessel bound for the Isthmus of Panama, from there came on the steamer Sonora, and the following June found him among the immigrants who landed in San Francisco.
Mr. Hubbell had brought with him all that he had been enabled to lay by
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through work at his trade, and this he invested and lost in the mines, so he was compelled to return to San Francisco and find employment. The trip to the metropolis was made in company with a party of eleven other men. All went well until they were met by another party, consisting of Mexicans and one In- dian, in charge of a pack train. Without any apparent reason, a shot was heard and tlie Indian fell, mortally wounded. Pandemonium ensued, but when quiet had in a measure been restored, it was found out that a young man belonging to Mr. Hubbell's party had committed the murder without just cause. Trial im- mediately followed, in which according to border custom, the accused pleaded in self-defense that while crossing the plains his father, mother and infant sis- ter had all been killed by the Indians, and that he had taken this way of aveng- ing their deaths. Mr. Hubbell took the young man's part, "court" being held under a near-by tree, and the accused was released upon his promise never to repeat the offense.
Soon after Mr. Hubbell's return to San Francisco, in 1856, a committee from the southern states came to California for the purpose of winning the southern part of the state to the cause of slavery. One of the representatives of this committee came to Petaluma for the purpose of conferring with represen- tative citizens on the subject. Mr. Hubbell, who had always been a stanch anti-slavery man, was chosen as one of those selected to confer with the south- ern representative; his arguments were convincing, and it was largely through the influence of Mr. Hubbell that the tide was turned in favor of holding the state free and a part of the Union.
Going from San Francisco, Mr. Hubbell next went to San Leandro, Ala- meda county, there renting a ranch from Barton E. Edsall, property which is now owned by Andrew Gaver. Subsequently Mr. Hubbell purchased a part of the Clark ranch in Marin county, but this he sold in 1859 and the following year returned to Michigan. As agent for the McCormick reapers he traveled throughout the state of Michigan, and still later sold hot-air furnaces over this territory. Ever since leaving the far west, however, he had not been content, and the year 1863 found him again westward bound, this time taking with him the bride whom he had married the year previously, Eliza C. (Howard) Hub- bell. She was born in Waltham, Addison county, Vt., June 19, 1832, and died August 31, 1877, leaving three children. Named in order of their birth they are as follows: Orton, of Sebastopol who is married and has one son, Howard; Susan L., the wife of M. T. Hunt, of Freeport, California, and the mother of four children, Ray Orton, Lester Clarence, Grace Mildred and Myrtle Evelyn ; and George R., who is a practicing physician of San Francisco. Mr. Hubbell's second marriage occurred July 3, 1879, and united him with Cynthia Foster, who was born in 1841, in St. Lawrence county, New York, the daughter of Amhrose and Salina ( Persons) Foster. One daughter was born of this marriage, Eliza May, whose birth occurred on the home ranch.
It is well-nigh half a century since Mr. Hubbell settled on the fine ranch of five hundred and fifty acres which he still owns, two and a half miles from Tomales, Marin county. During the early years of his residence there he en- gaged in raising sheep, cattle and horses, besides which he also conducted a dairy. Whatever he turned his hand to proved successful and as a consequence he became one of the well-to-do men of Tomales township. During the early
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history of California disputes over land titles were of common occurrence, but probably none of the controversies in this section of the state gained more notoriety than did that regarding the Blucher ranch, toward the settlement of which Mr. Hubbell as a committee member gave of his time and means for ten years. This was a tract of land containing twenty-six thousand seven hundred and fifty acres of land partly in Marin and partly in Sonoma county, a Spanish grant made over to Juan Vioget December 14, 1844, by Manuel Micheltorena, then governor of California. On December 24, 1847, the land was deeded to Stephen Smith for $1,500. The property had been in litigation ever since the death of Mr. Smith, which occurred November 15, 1855. By the terms of the will it was divided as follows: To his son S. Henry Smith was given one-half of one square league; to his son Giles Smith was given one-half of one square league ; with the stipulation that he could not dispose of it; to one daughter, Mrs. Ellen Morrison, was given one-half of one square league; to another daughter, Mrs. Elvira Pond, was given one-half of one square league; to his ten grandchildren was given one square league; and three square leagues were mortgaged and transferred to James Bowman. On September 30, 1857, Mr. Bowman began to sell the land, but found that he was unable to give a clear title. The court recognized the transfer of but little more than one-half of one league, compelling Bowman to settle with the Smith heirs before any further sales would be considered legal. After the death of Mr. Bowman the settlers who had purchased interests in the large estate, numbering one hundred and twenty-eight, appointed Mr. Hubbell one of a committee of three to call upon Mrs. Bowman and if possible to purchase her interest in the estate. This they were able to do. In order to simplify the complicated matter for adjustment of titles and claims, as well as to protect those who had made payments upon their property, it was Mr. Hubbell's suggestion that the one hundred and twen- ty-eight settlers deed their property to a committee of five men, as follows: Henry Hall, Andrew Mills, Orton Hubbell, Edward C. Henshaw and Thomas McCune. The first step of the committee was to have surveys and appraisals made of the property, each paying his share pro rata and receiving a clear title to the land. . In this adjustment of the long-standing trouble each one paid his right portion of the amount at which the land was valued, besides paying his share of the expenses for final settlement. The period of settlement extended over ten years, from the time of the death of Mr. Bowman until 1876, and the supreme court of California paid those engaged in the matter a worthy com- pliment when it declared that this was the most equitable and amicable settle- ment made in the history of the state where so large an estate was involved. One of Mr. Hubbell's duties was the making out of one hundred and twenty- eight deeds for the purchasers of the property. Of the committee engaged in the settlement of this estate only one is now living, Orton Hubbell.
Politically Mr. Hubbell is a Republican, and it is one of the most satisfac- tory recollections of his life that he was permitted to have such a conspicu- ous part in the election of the Great Emancipator, Abraham Lincoln. Circum- stances did not permit of his participation in the Civil war, but his heart was in full sympathy with the northern cause and he willingly joined the ranks of those who devoted months to campaigning in the effort to bring the question of slavery plainly before the people of the United States before the day of elec-
Mir Jane Smider
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tion. Mr. Hubbell made many eloquent speeches during that campaign, not only in Michigan, but in Missouri and Kansas, and after the election he visited Springfield in order to express his congratulations verbally to the president- elect. Mr. Hubbell has been a delegate to state and county conventions on numerous occasions, and in 1896 was active in campaigns in Marin and Sonoma county. Few citizens have been endowed with the wonderful ability which has formed so large a part of the make-up of Mr. Hubbell, in the use of which he has been enabled to make a marked impress upon events in the locality which has been his home for such a long period.
WILLIAM AYERS.
Though a considerable period has elapsed since the death of William Ayers, he is not forgotten by those with whom he formerly associated. He was born in Ireland in 1826, but was brought to the United States by his parents when he was a young boy, so to all intents and purposes he was a native-born American. Upon landing on these shores the parents went directly to Illinois, where, at Warsaw, Hancock county, William Ayers grew to a stalwart man- hood on his father's farm. During this time he took part in the Mormon war. He was a young man of about twenty-four years when he became interested in California, and the year 1850 found him setting out from the middle west to cross the plains with ox teams.
Reaching his destination without mishap, Mr. Ayers went immediately to the mines of Placerville, continuing there altogether for one year, and with the proceeds of his efforts during that time he then came to Sonoma county and settled at Stony Point. Purchasing a ranch in that vicinity he settled upon it and continued its cultivation until 1880, when he came to Petaluma to make his home. For a time after coming here he was engaged in the livery business, but at the time of his death, October 14, 1900, he had been living retired from business cares for a number of years. He took a deep interest in the welfare of his home city, and as a member of the board of trustees he rendered valuable assistance in the town's governmental affairs.
The marriage of William Ayers occurred in Plymouth, Ill., uniting him with Miss Martha Wade, a native of Virginia, but at that time a resident of Illinois. Seven children were born of this marriage, as follows : Amelia, the wife of L. H. Vestal, of Stony Point; Edith, the wife of H. E. Chapman, of Napa; Mrs. Rosa Blakely, of Napa; Augusta, the wife of L. E. Hart. of Pinole, Contra Costa county ; Marie and Eugenia, both deceased ; and William D., of Petaluma, of whom a sketch will be found elsewhere. The mother of these children is also deceased, her death occurring in 1890.
MRS. JANE SNIDER.
If Mrs. Snider could be prevailed upon to write a detailed account of her life it would be found interesting reading, for old and young alike, beginning with her voyage across the Atlantic when she was a child, followed by pioneer experiences in the new and undeveloped west, where Indians were the only human beings that she saw for months at a time. The daughter of Thomas and Eliza (Dougherty) Allman, she was born in county Cork, Ireland, June 25,
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1836, and up to the age of twelve years she was reared in her native country. It was in 1848 that the parents set sail from the Emerald Isle with their seven sons and one daughter, the vessel on which they made the voyage landing its freight of passengers in the port of Boston, Mass. There the family remained together for a number of years, or until 1856, when the daughter and one son came west to California, locating in San Francisco.
In San Francisco, in 1858, occurred the marriage of Miss Jane Allman and Jolın Miles, the latter having come to the west in 1854, and the young people began housekeeping on a ranch in Sonoma county, six miles northwest of what is now Healdsburg. Four children were born of this marriage, but only three of the number are now living, and Mr. Miles also passed away a few years after his marriage, his death occurring in 1866. Three years later, in 1869, Mrs. Miles was united in marriage with John Snider, a native of Kentucky, and the three children born of this marriage are all living. Mrs. Snider was left a widow the second time by the death of her husband in 1900, since which time she has continued to make her home on the ranch near Healdsburg, to which she came in young womanhood. In productiveness as well as in point of beauty this is one of the finest ranches in the county, and Mrs. Snider takes a commendable pride in it. Altogether it comprises fifty-eight acres, of which ten acres are in grapes, while the remainder is in fruit and hay, all of which produce excellent crops in return for the care and cultivation bestowed by the owner. In the work of caring for her property Mrs. Snider has the efficient help and co-opera- tion of her son George, who resides on an adjoining ranch, and all of the other children are married and settled in homes of their own.
Mrs. Snider can relate many thrilling stories of pioneer experiences, dating from the time she came as a young woman to the wilds of Sonoma county and settled on her present ranch. Indians were a common sight, in fact were her only neighbors, and it was not until many years after she located here that white people made their home in the settlement.
JUDGE JACKSON TEMPLE.
The name of Temple needs no introduction to the people of Sonoma county, for the strong and admirable characteristics of Judge Temple are rooted in the pioneer upbuilding of the state, and in the legal profession, of which he was a brilliant member, his accomplishments are a part of the history of the common- wealth. The surroundings of his boyhood had much to do with formulating those high principles of honor and uprightness which actuated his every under- taking, no less than did the fine traits of character bequeathed to him by a long line of New England ancestors. He was born in Franklin county, Mass., August II, 1827, and passed away in San Francisco December 24, 1901. While he was quite a small boy the home of the family was removed from Franklin county to Berkshire county, Mass., and it was in the latter locality that he first attended school, there laying the splendid foundation upon which was later built the fine superstructure of his legal and all-around general knowledge. After graduating from the grammar school he completed his gen- eral training in Williams College, which institution he entered at the age of
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