Colusa County
Biographies
JOHN F. KEERAN
This gentleman is a native of the State of Tennessee, born July 20, 1831. He was raised on his father’s farm, where he was early inured to labor, and the duty of self-help, receiving during a portion of the year an opportunity for education in the common schools of his locality. He removed with his parents in 1839 to Cass County, Missouri, and passed the next ten years in doing farm work. In May, 1849, he set out for California by the overland route, and on arriving in the State, followed the life of a miner, with its ups and downs and varying fortunes, but on the whole, with little success, till 1860. In that year he went to Vacaville, Solano County, and remained there some time. He came to Colusa County in 1876, locating on his present place, three miles from Willows, where he cultivates six hundred and forty acres of land.
His sound judgment and business qualifications have so commended him to the people of the community that in 1874 he was chosen Supervisor for the Fourth District, and afterwards twice re-elected, and which position he still holds. During his incumbency of this office he has served two years as chairman of the Board.
Mr. Keeran was married, at Vacaville, in November, 1863, to Miss Rachel Stark, by whom he has five children, three sons and two daughters.
“Colusa County” – by Justus H. Rogers – Orland, CA – 1891 – pp 427-428
ROBERT B. MURDOCH
Robert B. Murdoch was born at Florence, Alabama, October 30, 1862. In youth the public school and Florence Normal College afforded him educational facilities. In 1880 he came to California and engaged as a clerk in San Francisco, and some months afterward he came to Colusa County. He paid a visit to his old home in Alabama, in 1881, and on his return took employment at Willows in the merchandise house of J. A. Patton & Co., as book-keeper. Next he accepted a deputy clerkship in the county clerk’s office. Resigning this place, he was engaged for four years as book-keeper of the large Glenn estate. When the Bank of Orland was incorporated, in March, 1887, Mr. Murdoch was appointed its first cashier, which position he still occupies.
Mr. Murdoch was married, July 10, 1889, to Miss America Hall, daughter of A. L. Hall, residing near Orland, his first wife, nee Miss Maggie Davis, having died, leaving him a son aged five years.
Mr. Murdoch has a pleasant and comfortable home at Orland, and has begun the cultivation of a prune orchard of thirty acres near that town, which he irrigates with water from Stony Creek. He is a stockholder in the Bank of Orland, and intimately associated with every interest and movement for the advancement of his community.
“Colusa County” – by Justus H. Rogers – Orland, CA – 1891 – pp 428
C. R. WICKES
This gentleman is a native of Albany, New York, and has followed the railroad business for a quarter of a century, in various capacities of trust and responsibility. He is now the railroad agent at Willows. He first came to the coast in 1857, and resided at Reno, Nevada, for some time before coming to Willows, in 1881, and has been station agent ever since that time, first at Maxwell and afterwards at Willows. Mr. Wickes, as a citizen, is closely identified with the progress of his town. He is a strong advocate of county division, and thinks that with an increased area of horticultural cultivation, the new county would be one of the richest in the State.
“Colusa County” – by Justus H. Rogers – Orland, CA – 1891 – pp 428
F. G. CRAWFORD
Fredrick Gustavus Crawford was born in Tompkins County, New York, October 28, 1831. The first fourteen years of his life were spent in his native State, when he moved with his parents to Illinois, where he received a common-school education. In 1852 he set out with an ox-team for California, coming via Salt Lake and Carson City, arriving at Placerville August 1. He engaged in mining for one week, panning out $1.08, and paid out $36 for board. He concluded that mining was not his “strong suit,” and he turned his attention to teaming to and from the mines. In 1854 he engaged in the hotel business, to which occupation he has proved himself so adapted, opening the Pleasant Grove House, near Sacramento. From that time to 1868 he kept the hotel, raised stock and did teaming. In 1868 he took a contract from the city of Sacramento to fill in low places in that place. In the fall of that year, after completing his contract, he went to Davisville and built the first house at that place, it being a hotel, and conducted the hotel business therein for twelve years. October 28, 1880, he moved to Colusa County and rented the old Willows Hotel, which was destroyed by fire May 30, 1882. On the ruins, after purchasing the lots, he built the Crawford House, at an expense of $18,500, which is one of the best-appointed hotels in Northern California. He was married to Miss Mary L. Foster, in El Dorado County, November 20, 1860, and is the father of three children, two daughters and a son.
Mr. Crawford’s first vote was cast for Millard Fillmore; he supported Douglas for President, and has ever since been a member of the Democratic party. Colonel Crawford, as he is termed by his admiring friends, takes a great interest in fine horses, of which he has five thoroughbred trotters, and is President of the Willows Agricultural Association. He has the interest of Willows at heart and is not backward in aiding its advancement.
“Colusa County” – by Justus H. Rogers – Orland, CA – 1891 – pp 428-429
JAMES A. SHELTON
Mr. Shelton is a native of Adams County, Ohio, born December 9, 1833. He lived in Adams and Brown Counties till the age of thirteen, when he went to Des Moines, Iowa, where he labored on a farm and attended school when it was possible, in that then new country. In 1850 he crossed the plains by way of Sublett’s Cut-off, and reached Sacramento City in the following August. He thought there was untold wealth for him in the mines, and hence followed that pursuit in Jackson County for one year, with fair success. He tried the stock business for nearly eight years and prospered. Mr. Shelton came to Newville, in Colusa County, in 1859, and settled there permanently, turning his attention to the breeding and training of fast-blooded horses, in which he acquired reputation for judgment and skill. Five years later he engaged in farming on an extensive scale and still continues to conduct that industry. In 1880 he engaged in merchandising at Paskenta, carrying it on for four years. Mr. Shelton has made life a success, and is entitled to the contentment and comforts which make his hospitable home a model of domestic happiness. He was married, June 28, 1860, to Miss Jennie James, and is the father of four children, all of whom are living.
“Colusa County” – by Justus H. Rogers – Orland, CA – 1891 – pp 429-430
WILLIAM N. HERD
On November 10, 1859, William N. Herd came to Colusa County, and went to work at whatsoever his hands found to do that was honorable, in order to earn his daily bread. His honest toil, and close application to his work, earned him more than his daily bread, and three years later he purchased a farm on the east side of the river, near Colusa. In 1870 his neighbors brought this quiet, unassuming, industrious man forward for County Assessor, and he was elected upon the Democratic ticket to that office, serving for six years. William N. Herd is a native of Kentucky, born September 25, 1834. He spent the first nineteen years of his life on his father’s farm. In 1854 he made his way to California, following mining at Placerville, with poor success, up to the time he came to this county. In 1885 he was appointed Supervisor to fill the vacancy caused by the death of C. Kopf, and in 1888 was elected to the same office. He is the father of two sons and three daughters, and he lives happily at his home in Colusa, while he farms his land near Maxwell. He is popular as a Supervisor and is esteemed as a citizen.
“Colusa County” – by Justus H. Rogers – Orland, CA – 1891 – pp 430
E. T. CRANE
Ellis Tarleton Crane was born at Santa Rosa, California, May 17, 1854, and educated at the Pacific Methodist college of the same place. He began teaching a district school in Sonoma County in 1871, and three years later entered the public school at Santa Rosa, where he taught during eight years. In 1882 he came to Colusa and was appointed principal of the Webster High School. Tiring of the duties of the school-room, he, in 1884, formed a partnership with J. B. De Jarnatt in the abstract and real-estate business, in which he continued for five years. In 1889 Mr. Crane entered the office of Richard Bayne to prepare himself for the practice of the law and is now pursuing his studies there. Mr. Crane has served for six years as a member of the Board of Education of Colusa County.
Mr. Crane was married, October 8, 1879, to Miss Josephine A. Bagley, who died March 22, 1890, leaving him two daughters.
“Colusa County” – by Justus H. Rogers – Orland, CA – 1891 – pp 430
C. E. GRUNSKY
Mr. Grunsky is a native son, born at Stockton, April 4, 1855. He is a son of Charles Grunsky, a pioneer of 1849. Young Grunsky spent his early life in Stockton attending the schools of that place, and was graduated from the Stockton High School in 1870. In 1871 he assumed the position of principal of the South School at Stockton. In 1872 Mr. Grunsky went to Europe to continue his studies and after a severe course of study was graduated from the engineering department of the renowned Polytechnic school at Stuttgart, Germany, in the year 1877. Returning to California in December of the same year, he was employed by the State Engineer in gathering data and making estimates relative to irrigation and drainage. From 1882 to 1888 Mr. Grunsky was engaged as chief assistant in the State Engineer’s Department at Sacramento. Since that time he has pursued his profession in various projects requiring the most practical skill. Early in 1888 Mr. Grunksy was employed as chief engineer of the Central Irrigation Canal in Colusa County, which position he still holds. He has also made surveys for the Colusa, Kraft and Orland South Side Irrigation Districts. In July, 1889, his ability was signally complimented in making him a member of the Examining Committee on Rivers and Harbors.
Mr. Grunsky was married, in 1884, to Miss Mattie K. Powers, by whom he has three children.
“Colusa County” – by Justus H. Rogers – Orland, CA – 1891 – pp 431