Sutter County Biographies

A West Virginian who has more than “made good” in California is Solomon Page Miller, prominent among the progressive ranchers in the Cranmore district. He was born about three miles from Martinsburg on September 13, 1859, the son of Washington and Elizabeth (Davis) Miller, the former a native of West Virginia, while the latter was born in the Old Dominion. Washington Miller was a farmer in West Virginia, and passed away at the age of eighty-seven, leaving an honorable record and an honored name. Eight children were granted to Mr. and Mrs. Miller; and our subject was the fourth in the order of birth.

Solomon P. Miller attended the public schools in his native district and remained at home, assisting his father on the home ranch, until he was twenty-five years old. Then, having decided to strike out for himself, he came out to California and settled at Grand Island, on the Morton Miller ranch. At first he worked for wages; but eight years ago he bought the Hoffman ranch in the Cranmore district, comprising eighty acres devoted to general farming and to the raising of hogs and cattle. In addition, Mr. Miller has been successfully operating 250 acres adjoining.

In August, 1880, Mr. Miller was married to Miss Ada Kretzer, a native of Maryland, and a charming, accomplished woman, by whom he had a family of three children: Brook, who lives at Grimes; Marie, now Mrs. Poffenberger; and Hazel, who is Mrs. Irwin Wilder. Mr. Miller’s second wife was Mrs. Ed. Hart, a widow, and a popular and gifted favorite in her social set. Fraternally, Mr. Miller is an Odd Fellow.

BURWELL B. ADAMS

During a residence of more than half a century in California, Burwell B. Adams witnessed the growth and progress of the northern part of the State, and more especially Sutter County, where he resided most of the time. He was born in Montgomery County, Mo., August 17, 1859, a son of Carter C. and Ann A. (Boone) Adams, both also natives of Missouri, the latter being a grandniece of Daniel Boone. Grandfather B. B. Adams and Carter C. Adams were the only two men who voted for Abraham Lincoln in Danville Precinct in Montgomery County, Mo. Carter C. Adams joined the Union Forces and served three and a half-years in the 49^th Missouri Volunteers. While in the army he contracted a chronic disease which resulted in his death at the age of thirty-seven years. Subsequently Mrs. Adams was married to her brother-in-law, Beverly T. Adams. In 1923, Burwell B. Adams was the only one living of a family of six children, the others being William, Jephtha, Katie, Harriet, and Carter C., all deceased.

Burwell B. Adams received his education in the public schools of Montgomery County, Mo., and at twenty-one years of age came to California and settled in Sutter County. He worked as a farm laborer for three years, and then farmed on shares. Later he leased a ranch of 200 acres in Colusa County, which he farmed for three years, and then returned to Sutter County and farmed a quarter-section of land for eight years. After this he leased the Noyes ranch of 320 acres and farmed that for five years, and then raised stock and grain on the Boyd ranch at North Butte for nine years. His first purchase of land was forty-five acres at Pennington, on which he resided for one year and which he owned until his death.

On December 27, 1882, at her parents’ home near O’Banion Corners, Mr. Adams was married to Miss Katherine B. Coats, born in Antelope Valley, Colusa County, a daughter of William Alexander and Isabelle (Boone) Coats, native of Boone and Montgomery Counties, Mo. William A. Coats was born in 1832, and at twenty years of age, in 1852, crossed the plains to California with ox teams and first settled in Placer County; this time, however, he only remained about six months, and then returned to Missouri. In 1854 he again crossed the plains to California and settled in Sutter County, where he remained until 1861. Returning again to Missouri, he was married to Miss Isabelle G. Boone. The young couple came across the plains to California, where they settled on a half-section of land eight miles southwest of Yuba City, the present home place. Four children were born to them: Katherine B., the wife of our subject; Mattie, now Mrs. Gilpatrick; William K.; and Orva, now Mrs. Trowbridge. Mrs. Adams is a great-grandniece of the famous frontiersman Daniel Boone of Kentucky. She was educated at the Gaither school in Sutter County. Mr. and Mrs. Adams were the parents of nine children: Annabelle, now Mrs. Bert Ullrey of West Butte; William, residing in Pennington; Howard, residing near Gridley; Orva, Mrs. George Forderhase of Sutter City; Warren B., who entered the United States Army on September 24, 1917, serving in the 91^st Division at Camp Lewis until March 12, 1919, when he was honorably discharged at the Presidio, since which time he has assisted in the operation and management of the home ranch; Edna, deceased; Mattie, the wife of W. W. Hixson, a rancher on land adjoining the old Adams home; Catherine, who resides at home; and an infant, deceased.

For the past eleven years the family have made their home on the tract of eighty acres, a portion of the old Coats ranch, inherited by Mrs. Adams. Nine acres of this place have been set to cling peaches, and the balance is devoted to general farming. Mr. Adams voted the Republican ticket and was a strong supporter of temperance and the Eighteenth Amendment. With his wife, he was a consistent member of Grace Methodist Episcopal Church South, at O’Banion Corners.

Since the interview in which the facts for this sketch were gathered, Mr. Adams has passed away, on December 7, 1923. The high esteem in which he was held by the citizens in the county is best stated by quoting from a clipping from the Sutter County Farmer:

“Peacefully leaving this life in the full strength of years, active in his daily duties until the last, Burwell B. Adams, a well-known and highly esteemed citizen of O’Banion Corners, died suddenly last Friday morning. Mr. Adams was afflicted with heart trouble, but his condition was not known either to himself or his family, as to its serious nature. The day previous he was in town on business and had several teeth removed by a dentist, and it is thought that the shock might have had something to do with affecting his heart action. He retired for the night, feeling apparently all right, but early in the morning was stricken.

“Mr. Adams was one of the substantial farmers and citizens of the county, active in public affairs and always doing his part in any movement for the building up of the community. He took much interest in the church and school of his district, and was looked up to and respected by all. His genial disposition and straightforward, earnest manner on all occasions, made him friends wherever he was known; and his passing will be learned with sincere regret. To his family he was always a devoted husband and loving father, and they have the sympathy of the community in this sad loss.”