Colusa County
Biographies
JOHN G. BENDER
John Good Bender was born at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, November 6, 1827. He received a common-school education such as those times afforded, and when yet a young man set out in the world to make his way. He spent two years in Rock Island, Illinois, and in March, 1853, he started across the plains for California, arriving at Marysville August 15, 1853. He took up his residence at Marysville, where he followed his trade of contractor and builder for twenty-three years. In 1876 he moved to the Logan farm, southwest of Willows, remaining until 1882, when he moved to Orland, opening a lumber yard. Mr. Bender is a progressive business man, a leading Republican, and a respected citizen. He is a widower and is the father of three daughters and two sons.
“Colusa County” – by Justus H. Rogers – Orland, CA – 1891 – pp 431
J. W. CRUTCHER
James Wilson Crutcher, of Williams, was born in Montgomery County, Missouri, in 1842. He was raised on a farm and received a good common-school education. He came to California in 1863, crossing the plains with an ox-team, by way of Salt Lake. His first employment in the State was as superintendent of a toll-road in Placer County, for Major Jefferson Wilcoxson, where he resided several years. Desirous of fitting himself thoroughly for a business career, for which his subsequent success has proved him to be eminently adapted, he went to San Francisco and took a complete course in a business college. In the session of the Legislature 1869-70 Mr. Crutcher was employed in the Engrossing Clerk’s Department.
Major James Glenn next employed him, in 1870, to keep books for him in Oregon. He continued in this work for four years, when he came to Colusa County as book-keeper for Dr. Glenn. It was during his residence here at Jacinto that he married Miss Anna Houchins. Their family circle is graced with four boys and two girls. In 1876 he came to Williams and opened business for himself. Two years later, he associated A. B. Manor in the same business, moving into their own building, a handsome brick block, a cut of which is given elsewhere. Here he still remains, prospering and popular.
Mr. Crutcher was the first Justice of the Peace elected at Williams and has held a notarial commission since 1875. Mr. Crutcher’s quiet, courteous demeanor, together with the confidence which his integrity and business talents inspire, have caused him to be respected and esteemed wherever he is known. He is one of the solid as well as one of the most useful citizens of Williams.
“Colusa County” – by Justus H. Rogers – Orland, CA – 1891 – pp 431-432
CAPTAIN WILLIAM ASH
William Ash was born in Devonshire, England, in 1826. He comes of several generations of Devonshire farmers. He was the youngest of fifteen children, and passed his infancy and youth in his native place acquiring such educational training as the local schools supplied. He worked on the paternal acres and also acquired a serviceable knowledge of the carpenter’s trade by the time he had reached his eighteenth year. He left England in 1843 and alone and unaided began the struggle of life, first in Philadelphia, where he found employment at his trade. He worked subsequently in Augusta, Georgia, and at other places on the Atlantic seaboard. In 1852 the gold fever lured Mr. Ash and landed him in San Francisco with just two dollars in his pocket. He journeyed to Mendocino County, worked there in a saw-mill and saved his money, at neat sum, and now when he felt that he had sufficient capital to engage in business on his own account, the bank which held his deposits failed and he found himself penniless again. He found work at his trade in Marysville and was a building contractor there till 1859, when he went into the teaming business on an extensive scale, carrying on operations through Northern California, Idaho and Oregon. He and his party were in the Northwest during the Indian outbreak in that region. The difficulty of securing supplies on the Northwestern frontier was fraught with danger, and to Mr. Ash belongs the credit of having made the pioneer trip from Nevada into Idaho.
The railroad having been completed across the continent, Mr Ash turned from the freighting business to become a farmer. He came to Colusa County in the spring of 1869, and, having a large drove of stock, he engaged to farm a piece of land for another party. In 1870 he rented two thousand acres of land and planted part of it to grain. His crop was a failure and as all of his available means were sunk in the undertaking, his plight was not a desirable one. Undismayed, he secured financial assistance, put in another crop and form that time can date the beginning of a prosperous career as a farmer.
Mr. Ash owns three thousand six hundred and eighty-five acres of land, but farms over five thousand acres, over one-half of which is planted in grain. At his home place he resides in a handsome residence, surrounded by magnificent shade trees, where, in the bosom of a happy family, he dispenses unstinted hospitality. He is the father of three children living.
In politics Mr. Ash is a pronounced Republican, and is frequently called upon by his party to permit the use of his name on its ticket. On him seems to rest the honor of leading a forlorn hope in a county so almost hopelessly Democratic, but Mr. Ash accepts the task as a duty, and in every campaign, though defeated, the returns show the preference and high esteem entertained for him all over the county by his friends and neighbors. As a political opponent of his once remarked, “If Captain Ash were only a Democrat, there would not be ten votes in the county cast against him.”
“Colusa County” – by Justus H. Rogers – Orland, CA – 1891 – pp 432-433
DR. W. A. SEHORN
William A. Sehorn, a resident of Willows, is a native of old Virginia, born September 1, 1855. At the age of seventeen years he chose dentistry as his profession and went to Knoxville, Tennessee, to take a course of study therein. In December, 1875, he came to California to practice his profession. For a time he lived in Red Bluff, but later moved to Colusa County. In 1886 he took up his residence in Willows. In May, 1889, he leased the Willows “Journal,” which paper he conducted in addition to his professional work, editing it in an able manner, until September 1, 1890. He enjoys domestic life in his comfortable residence, on the outskirts of Willows, with his accomplished wife, to whom he was married February 1, 1881, at Oroville. He has one son. Dr. Sehorn takes an active interest in politics, is a Democrat, and holds an appointment as Deputy Sheriff. He is one of the positive men in the assertion of a principle, in championing a cause, or in his adherence to friends, and is personally most companionable.
“Colusa County” – by Justus H. Rogers – Orland, CA – 1891 – pp 433-434
C. C. FELTS
Columbus C. Felts was born in Georgia, January 16, 1837, and at the age of six years moved with his parents to Mississippi, where he lived until 1853, when his father decided to once more move westward, to California. Accordingly, with the father, mother and five young brothers and sisters, young Felts turned his steps toward the Pacific Coast. In Missouri the father died, and shortly after his death the mother died, when the care of the orphaned children devolved upon the eldest brother of Columbus. After remaining in Missouri a year after the death of their parents, the young emigrants proceeded on their way to California, shortly after which the elder brother died, when young Columbus piloted his brothers and sisters on, arriving in Colusa County in 1855, taking up their residence on Grand Island. Here young Felts remained for seventeen years, working for wages and farming for himself. In 1872 he moved to his present home five miles northwest of Maxwell, where he has a farm of three hundred and thirty acres. In 1878 Mr. Felts married Miss Emma Hodgen, and is the father of two sons and two daughters. In politics Mr. Felts is a Democrat, and was chosen in 1884 by his party for Supervisor, which position he filled four years. In 1888 he was elected County Treasurer. He took a prominent part in the formation of the Central Irrigation District, and was a director of that district in 1889-90. Mr. Felts takes an especial interest in his twenty-acre vineyard of wine grapes, which he set out in 1883, and reset the following year. There is not a missing vine in the entire vineyard. The leading variety of grape planted is the Zinfandel. He makes annually about six hundred gallons of claret wine, which some of the best judges in the State have examined and pronounced of superior quality. His vineyard the past two years has each year produced over one hundred tons of grapes. What grapes he does not use in making wine are dried and sold to dealers. The profit from this little vineyard during the year 1890, after all expenses were paid, was $1,320. Mr. Felts keeps well posted on the topics of the day, and is an enterprising, progressive citizen.
“Colusa County” – by Justus H. Rogers – Orland, CA – 1891 – pp 434