Sutter County
Biographies
JAMES ROBERT COPPIN
Born near Pleasant Grove, Sutter County, July 29, 1876, James Robert Coppin is a son of Samuel M. and Elizabeth (Mitchell) Coppin, early settlers in Sutter County, where they are honored citizens. James Robert Coppin received his schooling at the Cottonwood district school, and soon started in learning the rudiments of agriculture, and when he had reached his majority he started farming on his own account, at the same time helping to run the home ranch. He lives today on the old home place of the Coppin ranch, and leased 500 acres of farming land from his father – two brothers, George and Clarence, being partners with him in the enterprise, which, it goes without saying, is successful, for they are true sons of their sire and expert farmers.
The marriage of Mr. Coppin, at Pleasant Grove, December 15, 1902, united him with Miss Bell Sankey, born in that town and a daughter of Homer and Morning T. (Hudson) Sankey, pioneers and large landholders of Sutter County. Homer Sankey was a native of Terre Haute, Ind., and his wife of Booneville, Missouri; he came to California the first time when nineteen years old, and mined for a time, thereafter making several trips across the plains and finally settled at Pleasant Grove, where he purchased three quarter sections of land. On the ranch at Sankey Station, named for Mr. Sankey when the Northern Electric railway was built, Homer Sankey lived to be seventy-nine years old; his widow still lives, at Roseville, aged eighty years.
Mrs. Coppin was the third in a family of three children born to these pioneers, two now living; the others are: Idella, Mrs. Browning, deceased; and Willy, Mrs. Richmond of Roseville. She attended the Eagle district school of Sutter County and grew to womanhood a member of a well-known family in the county. Three children have come to Mr. and Mrs. Coppin: Hildagard, Elizabeth M., and Virginia Idell. Mr. Coppin is a Republican, and fraternally he belongs to Pleasant Grove Lodge No. 269, I.O.O.F., and is a Past Grand of the order. Both he and his wife are members of the Rebekahs of Pleasant Grove and Mrs. Coppin is a past Noble Grand of that lodge. She inherited 160 acres of the old Sankey ranch from her father and with her husband takes part in all community and civic affairs tending toward the right line of progress for this section of Superior California.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p. 1168-1169
WILLIAM JULIUS KEYS
A veteran agriculturist, William Julius Keys is a worthy representative of the industrious and enterprising men who became farmers from choice, and by dint of unremitting toil, perseverance and skill have attained success. Residing in Sutter County, south of Pleasant Grove, he is the proprietor of a well-improved and well-managed ranch of fifty-three acres, that in its appointments compares favorably with any in the neighborhood. A native of Adams County, Ill., he was born near Quincy, December 11, 1848, a son of William N. and Harriett Elizabeth (Beach) Keys, the former a native of Illinois, the latter of Ohio. The father, William N. Keys, was a tailor by trade. In 1849 he disposed of his business and with his family started across the plains to California with an ox team and prairie schooner. At Salt Lake City, Utah, the men of the party left their families and came on to California and spent the winter in San Francisco. In the spring of 1850, William N. Keys went up the Sacramento River as far as the Feather River, then on up to Bidwell’s Bar, where he constructed a dam of canvas bags, which was about completed when rumor reached him that his family, en route to California over the mountain pass, had been murdered by the Indians. Immediately work was stopped and the men folks started out to investigate, but he met his family and the rumor proved false. Mr. Keys returned to Bidwell’s Bar and found that during his absence his claim had been jumped by a large company. He then gave up the idea of mining and went to a point nine miles below Sacramento, where he bought a squatter’s claim to a piece of land; in 1851 he sold this land and located in Sacramento, where he engaged in the hay business. That year he was ruined by the flood that swept the Sacramento Valley. He then bought a squatter’s claim of 160 acres four miles below Sacramento, on the lower Stockton road, for which he paid twenty dollars (all the money he had) and farmed there for eight years, when he sold it for $1800. He then removed to Dry Creek on the north boundary of Sacramento County and bought 160 acres, which he farmed until he died, aged forty-nine years. Mrs. Keys continued to live on the ranch for many years; she passed away at the age of eighty years. There were seven children in the family, only two now surviving, William Julius and Mrs. George W. Hack, who resides in Sacramento.
William Julius Keys received his education at the Center and Union district schools; he was obliged to leave school when his father died and help support the family. In connection with his farming he learned the blacksmith and wagon-making trades, and later he opened a shop at Pleasant Grove and was in business there until 1889, when he sold out. As early as September, 1873, he purchased a ranch of 240 acres, one and a half miles south of Pleasant Grove, and from time to time he added by purchase until he had 640 acres; the greater portion of this place ahs been sold and he retains fifty-three acres in the home place. Mr. Keys opened a blacksmith shop in Pleasant Grove in 1881, and in 1889 he sold out and built a shop on his ranch, which he has continuously conducted ever since.
On October 25, 1871, at Roseville, Cal., Mr. Keys was married to Miss Laura Kate Foster, a native of Michigan, daughter of E. A. and Adelia (Donaldson) Foster. Mr. and Mrs. Foster came to California via Panama in 1858. Mrs. Foster passed away at Forest Hill in 1860, and Mr. Foster died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Keys, at the age of eighty-four years. Mr. and Mrs. Keys were the parents of eight children: Oscar Edwin, deceased; Berdinia is now Mrs. Pope; William Francis at home; George W. was married at Sacramento in 1909 to Miss Anna McLaughlin, a native of Ireland, who came to California when she was twelve years old and made her home with an aunt, Mary Burns, who willed her 160 acres in the Pleasant Grove district of Sutter County; Nellie is now Mrs. Fifield; Hattie is Mrs. Sandoval; Laura is now Mrs. Hall; Charles Augustus married at Sacramento in 1911, Miss Lucy Lillian Brown, born in Los Angeles, daughter of James and Lucy (Taylor) Brown, both natives of Scotland. James Brown died at the age of fifty-eight years and his wife passed away at the age of thirty-eight years. Charles Augustus Keys resides on his thirty-acre ranch one and one-half miles south of Pleasant Grove; they have two children, Lucile Ellen and James William. Besides farming he engages in the wholesale butcher business. Mrs. Keys, the wife of our subject, passed away in December, 1922. Mr. Keys is liberal in politics and fraternally he is a Past Grand of Pleasant Grove Lodge, I.O.O.F. He is fond of music and plays the violin. When fifteen years old he began to play for dances, continuing up till 1889, when he was too busy and had so much to do he gave it up, but still plays for his own pleasure.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p. 1169-1170