Humboldt County
Biographies
JOHN C. ALBEE
Another of the enterprising and energetic young men engaged in farming and orcharding in the Bull Creek country is John C. Albee, a native of Humboldt County, and descended from one of the oldest and most highly respected pioneer families of the state. His father, Uriah T. Albee, was one of the early settlers, having come to California in 1848, around Cape Horn, landing in San Francisco. In 1849 he came to Humboldt Bay, thus being one of the first white men to view thin beautiful body of water. He was engaged in the logging and lumbering business and did much for the early development of this great industry. The Albee property on Bull Creek consists of two hundred twenty-four acres, some one hundred fifty of which are tillable. About forty acres are bottom land. The son, John C. Albee, is at present engaged extensively in the dairy business, in which he is making a decided success. His orchards are among the best in the valley, and the fruit produced is quite up to standard, even in this region of superior apples and other deciduous fruits. He is located up Bull Creek Road about five and one-half miles from South Fork, the station on the Northwestern Pacific Railroad, and this place has been his home for more than twenty years, having been the property of his father during the latter’s lifetime.
John C. Albee was born in Eureka, Humboldt County, California, March 4, 1879. His father Uriah T., being among the first lumbermen of Humboldt Bay and intimately associated with many of the early lumbermen of Eureka and vicinity. In fact, he furnished the logs which were made into lumber and which served to build up the great redwood industry of Humboldt Bay, and was a man of sterling worth, one of the kind who have left their mark upon the county, and who will ever be gratefully remembered. He was a native of East Machias, Maine, and came to California, as before stated, in 1848, around the Horn. He was one of the first gold seekers at Eureka and later came to Humboldt Bay, which he logged in partnership with David Evans, and later was partner with Dan Newell, at Fortuna. He cut logs where Eureka now stands and logged for William Carson, later going into the Elk River country where he engaged in ranching for a time. He sold his interests there and came into the Bull Creek country about 1890. He died in Eureka in 1894. He was unmarried when he first came to California, but later turned to Maine and there married Miss Cornelia Crosby, also a native of Maine. They returned to California by way of Panama, and she was his helpmeet and companion through all the hard pioneer days. She died in Eureka about twelve years ago.
There were seven children in the father’s family, three daughters and four sons, John C., the subject of this sketch, being the youngest born. He grew up in Eureka where the father owned land and where the family home was until the time of the father’s death. At that time John C. succeeded to the Bull Creek property, where he has since made his home. His education was received in Eureka, where he attended the public schools, and later worked in the woods for the Pacific Lumber Company at Scotia. He followed the woods for six or seven years, and then gave up that occupation for his present one of ranching and dairying.
The marriage of John C. Albee and Miss Alma Beatrice Faulkner, daughter of T. H. Faulkner, of Ferndale, took place in Ferndale, December 22, 1909. They are now the parents of one child, a daughter, Priscilla Beatrice. The Albee family if descended from old English ancestry, the American progenitor coming to America during Colonial days and setting in Massachusetts Bay Colony. They were patriots of a high order, and several members of the family fought in the Revolutionary War with distinction, a paternal ancestor, William Albee, a native of Scarborough, Maine, having served eight years in the Revolutionary War, and having held the rank of Lieutenant.
Both Mr. And Mrs. Albee are popular in the community, where they take a prominent part in local affairs. Mr. Albee is a member of the Odd Fellows, Ferndale Lodge No 379, I.O.O.F and Mrs. Albee is a prominent member of the Rebekahs, and also a member of the Episcopal church at Ferndale. Both she and her husband are members of the Farm Center at Dyerville. Mrs. Albee is a native of Washington, born at Puyallup. Her father, T. H. Faulkner, was born in Toronto, Canada and came to Washington, where he married May Hand, a native of England, who came to Washington on a visit. Mrs. Albee was reared and educated in Ferndale, graduating from the local high school. She was engaged in teaching and educational work, and now teaches in the local schools.
SOURCE: History of Humboldt County, California - Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic Record Co., 1915
Pg. 806-807
Transcribed by: Carole Barker
Proofed by: Betty Vickroy