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 79
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Mr. Bailiff was born on the Isle of Man, St. George's Channel, England, in 1824, a son of Abraham Bailiff, a native of France, and his mother was before her marriage a Miss Curphy, a native of the Isle of Man. Until he was sixteen years of age John Bailiff was a student in the common schools of his native locality, after which he was apprenticed to the trade of carpenter and joiner. At the expiration of his apprenticeship of four years he began work- ing as a journeyman, continuing thus until 1848, when he embarked for the United States as a passenger on the ship Erin's Queen. Nearly half of the ship's passengers had died of plague before the vessel reached New Orleans, but although Mr. Bailiff escaped the disease on shipboard, soon after his ar- rival in New Orleans he was taken ill and confined in a hospital for two months. As soon as he had sufficiently recovered liis strength he began working at his trade, having secured a position in the employ of the United States govern- ment, building hospitals for the returning veterans of the Mexican war. Going to Vera Cruz, Mexico, in the fall of 1848, he was there engaged in carpenter work when he heard the news of the finding of gold in California. With a company of twelve other mechanics he started across Mexico for San Blas, a month's travel bringing him to that point. There they were joined by a num- ber of other immigrants, and together they purchased a schooner and embarked in it for San Francisco. During the first night's voyage a severe electrical storm swept over the sea, the vessel was struck by lightning, shivering the masts and destroying the sails and rigging, and many of the passengers and crew were severely affected by the electrical shocks. Relief came to the dis- tressed vessel the following morning and the passengers were taken back to San Blas. Paradoxical as it may sound, the disaster proved fortunate in that it averted a more serious disaster later on. In fitting up and provisioning the vessel before setting out from San Blas a German had been engaged as super- cargo, he being master of the Spanish language and familiar with the port. He reported the vessel fully provisioned and ready for the voyage, but just be- fore anchor was lifted he was missing. A reason for his sudden disappearance was discovered after the wreck, when it was found that there were provisions
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and water on board sufficient for a few days only. Another vessel was secured from Mazatlan, and from there they embarked for San Francisco, arriving there in August.
On reaching the metropolis Mr. Bailiff found that skilled labor was in great demand and received excellent wages, so he wisely decided to accept the certainties of good wages rather than the uncertainties of mining. Going to Benicia, he entered the employ of the United States government in the con- struction of military barracks. It was there, in November of 1849, that a com- pany was formed, consisting of thirty mechanics and others, to build a mill in Sonoma county, near what is now Freestone. This was known as the Blume- dale sawmill, so named for William Blume, the owner of the site. With Charles McDermott as president and Jolin Bailiff as secretary of the enterprise, they installed a twelve-horse power steam engine which they purchased for $20,000. In the beginning the enterprise proved a tremendous success, lumber selling for $300 a thousand feet, but by the year 1852 the price of lumber had de- preciated so materially that it was unprofitable to continue the business. The mill was therefore sold, the company disbanded, and the engine was taken by the purchasers to the north fork of the American river.
After the disposition of the milling business Mr. Bailiff took up land north of what is now Sebastopol and engaged in stock-raising with James Hayward, the latter taking charge of the ranch, while Mr. Bailiff followed the building business. Many of the buildings which he erected were for Mexicans, from whom he received his pay in cattle, which he sent to the ranch. It is worthy of mention that the first frame house ever erected in Santa Rosa was put up by Mr. Bailiff. Subsequently, in 1859, he increased his holdings by the pur- chase of three hundred and eighty acres of land eight miles west of Santa Rosa, adding to this still later until he owned six hundred and nine acres altogether. Here he planted a vineyard of one hundred and thirty-five acres, fifteen acres of orchard, while the remainder of the land was devoted to stock and grain raising. This property is now in the possession of his son, John D. Bailiff, of whom a sketch will be found elsewhere. Besides the property in Sonoma county Mr. Bailiff owned a large tract of land in Humboldt county, upon which he raised sheep extensively.
During the many years of Mr. Bailiff's residence in Sonoma county he was a stanch supporter of all enterprises that would in any way advance her welfare, and politically he was a Republican, true to his party at all times, but never an aspirant for office. His interest in the welfare of the rising genera- tion was deep and well founded, as was witnessed in the interest which he showed in providing them with good schools, and for many years he served as school trustee. Mr. Bailiff's marriage in 1866 united him with Miss Jeanetta Ladd, a native of Missouri, and the daughter of John and Margaret, natives respectively of Virginia and Illinois, who came to California and became resi- dents of Sonoma county during the infancy of their daughter. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Bailiff, two sons and two daughters. Margaret Geranie was born in Sonoma county, July 23, 1867, and upon reaching woman- hood became the wife of Charles Dillon, of Napa county, and a daughter, Grace, has been born of this union. Evangeline was born June 10, 1874, and died October 28 of the same year. Frank Ladd, born September 6, 1878, died
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November 29. 1882. A sketch of the other son, John D., will be found else- where in this volume.
In 1905 Mrs. Bailiff Sr. took up the study of nursing in the San Francisco National Training School, graduating the following year. She followed the profession for about two years, when she gave it up to become the wife of Edwin Wallis Dyke, in April, 1908. Mr. Dyke is a retired stockman, formerly a resi- dent of Eureka, Humboldt county, but since their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Dyke have resided in Oakland, Cal.
JAMES P. BLINE ..
The measure of a man's success is often the measure of his enthusiastic devotion to the city or county where such success has been made possible. Judged by this standard, sufficient reason will be found for the high opinion Mr. Bline entertains concerning the country around Santa Rosa, which he insists is the best in the entire state without any exception, claiming a soil that will grow the vine to its highest perfection and the various fruits as well. As he has traveled considerably through the state and has been a close observer of climatic conditions and soils, his opinion has not been formed without due considera- tion of the claims of other portions of the state.
Mr. Bline was born in Licking county, Ohio, August 2, 1866, but when he was only one year old his parents removed to Illinois, settling in Crawford county, and there the father has made his home ever since. He is of southern ancestry and parentage, and was born in Virginia in 1831. In early manhood he formed domestic ties which continued until the death of his wife in 1891 ; she was also of southern ancestry, born in North Carolina in 1831. The boy- hood, youth and young manhood of James P. Bline are associated with Craw- ford county, Ill., in the schools of which locality he was educated. This was a farming community, and he early in life became familiar with the duties which the life of the farmer involved, for as the son of a farmer his services were made to count in the maintenance of the home farm. Altogether he remained in this part of the middle-west for twenty-six years, when, in 1893, he came to Cali- fornia and has since been associated with the upbuilding of this commonwealth. From the San Joaquin valley, where he first located, he subsequently went to San Francisco, and was associated with that metropolis and vicinity for about five years, when he came to Sonoma county, and has made this his home con- tinuously ever since. Pleased with the outlook as presenting advantages over any other part of the state which he had visited, he determined to make this his permanent home, and with this idea in mind he cast about to find an available property suited to his purpose. This he found in the property of which he is now the owner, near Santa Rosa, on Rural Route No. 2, and which has been the scene of his activities since 1900. Here he has twenty-six acres of fine land, well suited to the raising of grapes and prunes, to which his ranch is about equally devoted. The last crop which he gathered consisted of thirteen and one-half tons of dried prunes and twenty tons of grapes, all of which brought good prices in the market. He is also interested in the raising of poultry, and as one of the charter members of the Sonoma County Co-operative Poultry
A. Harlook
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Association has been an invaluable factor in his community in sustaining the price of eggs and in other ways benefiting the industry. He served as treasurer of the board of directors of this association until 1911.
. In 1891 Mr. Bline was married to Miss May Vance, a native of Illinois, whose death occurred seven months later. In March, 1900, he married his present wife, who was formerly Miss Emily Connolly, a native of St. Louis, Mo. Five children have been born of this marriage, named in the order of their birth as follows: Dorothy, Grace, Jeannette, Elizabeth and James W., the three eldest children being students in the local schools. In national issues Mr. Bline is a Democrat, but in local matters he does not confine himself to the candidates of this party if the opposing party presents a man better qualified for the posi- tion in question. He has held a number of offices within the gift of his fellow- citizens, having held the office of tax collector for two years, and at the present time is school trustee of Monroe district. Fraternally he is a member of Rose- wood Camp, M. W. A., of Santa Rosa. As one of the live, progressive citi- zens of Santa Rosa, Mr. Bline is counted a distinct advantage to his commun- ity, whose welfare he is at all times willing and anxious to advance in every way possible.
ADOLPHUS HARTSOCK.
Notwithstanding the fact that many years have brought their cycle of changes to Sonoma county since the late Adolphus Hartsock passed from the scene of his manifold activities he has not been forgotten by the surviving associates of his maturity and in their hearts his memory will remain green as long as life shall last. Sturdy principles for which the pioneers were noted formed a part of his nature. The evolution of the country from its primeval wildness to a condition of prosperity and an aspect of beauty constituted the task in the aiding of which his later years were passed. No desire for great wealth had ever laid its burden upon his soul, but in the simple life of the self- reliant pioneer he found his greatest happiness and in the society of family and friends he had his deepest joys. Fortunate indeed is the country founded by such men, the nation fostered by such ideals and the generations inheriting such a heritage of honor.
Born in Marion county, Ind., near the city of Indianapolis, January 12, 1834, Adolphus Hartsock was a son of Isaac and Susan (Ashpoe) Hartsock, natives of Pennsylvania, but residents of Indiana throughout many years of their useful lives. On the completion of the studies of the common schools Adolphus Hartsock began to earn his livelihood. At the age of eighteen years in 1852 he came for the first time to California, making his voyage via Panama. During 1853 he returned to Indiana, but in 1856 he again came to the Pacific coast and for eleven years he engaged in mining in Amador and Placer counties. His first visit to Sonoma county was made as early as 1863, and in 1864 he came permanently to this locality, buying during September of 1876 a tract of land near Geyserville, where he remained until death. At one time the estate consisted of eighty-seven acres, but at his death he left seventy acres to his heirs. Horticulture has been made the chief industry of the place. A
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splendid orchard is given the most assiduous care and cultivation. The im- provements begun by him have been carried forward by his children and the property now ranks high in the list of fruit farms, its location eight miles from Healdsburg being favorable for the markets, while the soil and lay of the land have proved peculiarly favorable for fruit.
The marriage of Mr. Hartsock was solemnized July 31, 1864, and united him with Miss Isabel Maria Freeman, a native of Illinois. The union was one of mutual helpfulness and its happiness was broken only by the death of Mr. Hartsock, which occurred June 16, 1885, his widow surviving him until June 14, 1893. Their eldest daughter, Susan Emily, married George Thayer and the youngest daughter, Bonnie Prentice, is the wife of John W. Rouse. The re- maining daughter, Florence Adelia, acts as housekeeper for her unmarried brother, Freedom Earle, who is manager of the estate and a horticulturist of ability and skill. Mrs. Hartsock was a native of Greene county, Ill., and a daughter of T. W. and Elizabeth (Fort) Freeman, natives respectively of Ste. Genevieve county, Mo., and Kentucky. During the year 1829, when Mr. Free- man was ten years of age, he accompanied his parents to Illinois and settled in Greene county, where he remained until some years subsequent to his marriage. The family crossed the plains in 1857 and settled in Solano county, Cal., where Mrs. Freeman died the following year. Later the family moved to San Joaquin county, where Mr. Freeman resided until his death. The Hartsock ranch lies eight miles from Healdsburg and Mr. Hartsock in his lifetime was well known in that town, where he was an active member of Curtis Lodge, F. & A. M., and an influential local member of the Republican party. To seek prominence in politics was foreign to his tastes and at no time was he willing to accept official honors, yet he gave freely of time and influence to aid friends who became candidates and he generously fostered movements for the party progress in his home county.
CYRUS ALEXANDER.
Very early in the history of our country the Alexander family became identified with the settlement of Pennsylvania and aided in the development of that now prosperous commonwealth, and there the birth of Cyrus Alexander occurred May 15, 1805. When he was a child of six years, however, his father was seized with the western fever, and the year 1811 found him settling with his family in St. Clair county, Ill. There in the wild frontier country the son grew to a sturdy manhood, in the meantime helping his father with the felling of trees and preparing the soil for crops for the maintenance of the family.
By the time he had reached his twenty-second year, however, Cyrus Alex- ander had become restless and craved adventure, and it was then that he de- termined to seek his fortune in the west. With all the means at his command he purchased ox-teams and mining implements and with these he started on the journey of four hundred miles to the lead mines of Galena, Ill. The venture proved unsuccessful, but still undaunted, he pushed his way on to the far west and there invested in an outfit for trapping and fur trading. Altogether he passed four years in the Rocky Mountain region, from the Yellowstone river to the Gulf of California, and during all this time he had not seen nor heard from any
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of his relatives. It was therefore with considerable joy, many years afterward. when he had given up all expectation of again hearing from his people, that he met two nephews who had come from Illinois in company with General Fremont and were defending the fort of Sonoma in California, during the Mexi- can war. The year 1837 found Mr. Alexander at San Diego, Lower Califor- nia, with little indeed to keep him from starvation. Finally he found employ- ment that brought him $12 per month, and later he engaged in killing sea-lions on the Guadaloupe Islands. All of these various occupations were but stepping stones to the larger duties which were in store for him, and in performing the lesser duties faithfully he was unconsciously preparing himself for the larger opening for which his qualifications fitted him. Circumstances threw him with Capt. H. D. Fitch, who owned a ship and carried on trade between Lower Cali- fornia and Boston, Mass., in hides and tallow. Subsequently he became a partner with Captain Fitch in the cattle business, in the interests of which he traveled hundreds of miles, and after crossing San Francisco Bay, finally reached Sonoma county, where, on the Russian river, near where Healdsburg now stands, he surveyed eleven leagues of land, known as the Sotoyome grant. This Captain Fitch stocked with cattle and Mr. Alexander took charge of the undertaking, subsequently receiving a part of the land and one-half of the stock as his share of the business. Before the division of the land, however, he erected an adobe house on the property, the ncarest settlement being Sonoma, thirty-five miles distant. After the division of the land and the dissolution of the partnership, Mr. Alexander built the first house in the country round about, both brick and adobe entering into its construction. It was into this home that Mr. Alexander brought his wife, formerly Miss Ruphena Lucero, in 1844, the marriage ceremony being performed by Captain Sutter, who was then justice of the peace for the Mexican government.
Here Mr. Alexander engaged in fruit-growing and also built the first grist- mill in northern California. Thus far he had been under Mexican rule, but the coming of the revolution in 1848 placed him under the Stars and Stripes. Close upon the heels of the revolution came the discovery of gold at Sutter's mill, an event which was destined to have a marked effect upon the life and affairs of Mr. Alexander no less than it did upon others of that time and place. Instead of being attracted to the mines as were the majority, he wisely saw that a for- tune could be made in raising and selling produce to supply the demand that must of necessity result from the sudden influx of settlers from all parts of the country. For produce of all kinds which he sold at the mining camps he re- ceived exorbitant prices, two tons of onions netting him $1,200, while lambs brought $16 a head and hogs $50 each.
No one in this part of Sonoma county was more deeply loved and vener- ated by all classes of citizens than was Mr. Alexander, and it was fitting that the locality in which he had lived so long and for which he had done so much should bear the name of its benefactor and Alexander valley was thus named in his honor. His hospitality was proverbial, and until a house of worship was constructed his home was used as a meeting place. Later he himself furnished the means to erect a church edifice and also a school house, besides which he paid the salary of the teacher. He believed firmly in giving the young every opportunity for acquiring an education, and not satisfied with what he had
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already done in furthering the cause of education, he founded Alexander Acad- emy at Healdsburg. In the community in which he had lived and labored for so many years his earth life came to a close on December 27, 1872, and here also his wife died March 16, 1908, at the age of seventy-eight years, she having been born in May, 1830. Nine children were born of the marriage of this pio- neer couple, as follows: William, who was born September 1, 1845, and died at sea August 6, 1867; Margaret, born February 8, 1847; Ellen, who was born August 12, 1848, and died June 28, 1856; Jane, who was born July 2, 1850, and died May 10, 1852; Joseph, born August 12, 1854; Albert, who was born August 15, 1856, died March 12, 1858; Caroline, born March 17, 1860; Thomas, March 3, 1864; and George C., January 4, 1869.
ABRAM C. SHELTON.
Before the attractions of mining in California had made the overlanc journey such a common occurrence as to cause little comment, Sebert C. Shel- ton set out from his home in the middle west in 1846 going to Mexico and later to Utah, six years altogether being passed in these two sections. With him he brought his wife and son A. C., the latter six years of age, his birth having occurred in McDonough county, Ill., December 8, 1840. The news of the finding of gold in California came to the elder Mr. Shelton when he was in Ogden, Utah, and the attraction proved so alluring that he determined to continue his journey westward and participate in the riches which seemed so easily obtained. The year 1850 found the family wending their way to Cali- fornia, arriving here July Ist of that year, and for two years thereafter the fatlier followed mining at Murder's Bar, on the middle fork of the Ameri- can river. At that time A. C. Shelton was a boy of twelve years, and he dis- tinctly recalls his experience in digging gold from the river bed.
In September of 1852 the family arrived at Stony Point, Sonoma county, where the year previous the father had purchased a squatter's title to one hun- dred and sixty acres. Here the father carried on agricultural pursuits through- out the remainder of his life. This was not long, however, for his death oc- curred in 1857. In the meantime the son, Abram C., had gained a good knowl- edge of agriculture under his father, and upon the death of the latter was well qualified to take his place as manager of the ranch, and for fifty-three years he has continued in this capacity, he now being the sole owner. It con- sists of two hundred and eighty acres of fine farming and cattle land, the cat- tle and dairy business being his chief lines of endeavor. Many fine blooded horses have been raised on Mr. Shelton's ranch, and as a lover of a fine horse 110 one could be happier than he in the work which has claimed his attention for so many years. Although his ranch is in the heart of the fruit-raising sec- tion Mr. Shelton has not given particular attention to this branch of agricul- ture except to supply family needs. This, however, has been done on a large scale, a fine orchard planted to all kinds of fruit and also a vineyard supplying the needs of the household bountifully.
While enjoying the comforts of modern civilization on his fine ranch, Mr. Shelton often calls to mind the days of long ago, when he located in this sec-
y Walker
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tion with his parents. Deer and antelope roamed the hills, and the land was covered with oak timber. No fences separated the ranches, and 110 roads marked the way to Sebastopol, which at that time boasted only one store, of which Dr. Miller was the proprietor, and he also acted in the capacity of post- master. Another contemporary of this period was Israel Brockman, the first sheriff of Sonoma county. Mr. Shelton also well remembers the heated de- bates caused by the change of the county seat from Sonoma to Santa Rosa. Probably no one in this locality would be better able to give authentic descrip- tion of happenings in the past half century than Mr. Shelton, for he has been a continuous resident on his present ranch for even a longer period, not having been away from it during all this time for more than a month at a time. All of the fences now seen were put up after he came into possession of the prop- erty, and the old house put up by his father a half-century ago stood heroically all the battling of the elements until 1902, when it was blown down in a severe wind storm.
In 1870 Mr. Shelton was married to Miss Mary McLeod, a native of the south, whose father, Daniel McLeod, had brought his family to California in the year 1854. Eight children were born of this marriage, but one is deceased, those living being as follows: Rodney, a resident of Seattle, Wash .; Ger- trude, the wife of Carl Bundchu, of Sausalito; Harold, a resident of Dayton, Ohio; Mabel, the wife of Galen Hill, of Oakland; Grace, the wife of Eugene Farmer, of Santa Rosa; and Dorothy and Alfred C., the two latter still at home with their parents. For many years Mr. Shelton was school trustee of Stony Point, and he has a record of the names of the trustees and teachers of the district for the last forty years. When in a reminiscent mood he takes pleas- ure in reading over the names of these pioneer workers and living over again, as it were, the events that have transformed this entire country from a wilderness to one of the garden spots of this whole western slope. Although he started to do a man's work when he was only a boy in years, Mr. Shelton is still hale and robust and takes the same interest in affairs here and elsewhere that he did fifty years ago.
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