Solano County
Biographies
JOSEPH BRUNING
was born in Vichtee, Grand Duchy, Oldenburg, July 18, 1822. When about twelve years old he went to the city of Amsterdam where he was employed as clerk in a general merchandise store for about six years, after which he followed the sea for twelve years. In 1850 he came to this country and landed in San Francisco and immediately went to the mines on Yuba river. He then went to San Francisco and engaged in the hotel business which he followed until 1858, when he came to this county and settled on the Los Ulpinos grant, the present site of Rio Vista, where he has resided ever since, carrying on farming on a large scale. Has also several large and commodious warehouses. Mr. Bruning married Miss Gertrude Blasé April 25, 1855. She was born in Osnabrick, Germany, July 25, 1829.
History of Solano County…. – San Francisco, Cal. - Wood, Alley & Co., East Oakland, pub 1879
pp 469
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
N. C. BUTLER
born in Tennessee, January 16, 1826. When about eighteen months old he moved with his parents to Morgan county, Illinois, where they lived for three years, and then moved to Warren county where they lived until 1839 when they emigrated to Iowa City, Iowa, where his father built the second house ever erected in that city. He died November, 1845. N. C. remained there until 1850 when he crossed the plains to California, arriving at Washington on the Yuba river September 26th of the same year, leaving his mother at Iowa City who is still living at the advanced age of 76. The subject of this sketch mined at Washington for about one month and then went to New Town where he mined until March of the next year. He then went to Bidwell’s Bar on Feather river where he mined for about two months and then engaged in merchandising at little Grass Valley for about three months. He then mined on the Alabama Bar on the Yuba river until September. He then mined for about one year at Sucker Flat. He came to this county in fall of 1852 and settled in Suisun valley, two miles west of Suisun, on 80 acres of land, where he farmed for one year. He then went on to the farm commonly known as the Lewis Winn place, situated in the upper end of Suisun valley, where he farmed for one year. He then bought 80 acres adjoining the first farm that he lived on when he first came to the county, where he farmed until 1856. He then bought 33 acres of R. H. Waterman about two miles north of Fairfield where he lived until the fall of 1859, when he moved to Fairfield where he made a business of training horses, and held the office of Constable for four years. In the fall of 1869 he moved upon the farm where he now lives, about eight miles north-west of Rio Vista. He owns and farms 320 acres of land.
Mr. Butler married Miss Paulina Barker in December, 1853. She was born in Estill county, Kentucky, April 18, 1825. Their children are Mary E., deceased, Arthur W., Henry W., Leathie J., Mary E, Lulu B., and John H.
History of Solano County…. – San Francisco, Cal. - Wood, Alley & Co., East Oakland, pub 1879
pp 469-470
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler