Sutter County
Biographies
FRANKLIN FOLEY MOREHEAD
A retired citizen of Sutter County, whose comfortable, prosperous circumstances, after years of hard and faithful service, are a source of real satisfaction to his many warm friends, is Franklin Foley Morehead, a native of Missouri, where he was born on a farm in Audrain County, on September 7, 1846. His parents were George W. and Eliza (Foley) Morehead, worthy folks who passed away when our subject was a child, leaving him, as part of his inheritance, the imperishable value of an honored name.
After receiving his training in the rural schools of Missouri, Franklin Morehead came out to California in 1865, accompanying a sister and friends overland across the great plains in a train of 150 wagons drawn by teams of oxen, horses and mules. They passed through the Indian country safely; and most of the way Mr. Morehead drove a team and took his turn standing guard. Locating east of Nicolaus, Mr. Morehead there farmed until 1906, when he moved to Yuba City. He had acquired a section and a half of land east of Nicolaus, which he farmed very successfully. He found pleasure in his work, sought to get the highest production by the use of the most up-to-date methods, and as a result had something to show in return for his labor, time and other investments. On disposing of his ranch, Mr. Morehead retired, and now resides in Yuba City. When he began, some fifty-seven years ago, he could not have been greatly cheered by what was then to be seen about him; but he has since been an eye-witness to the wonderful changes wrought in this part of the Golden State.
In 1874, near Nicolaus, Mr. Morehead was married to Miss Hattie E. Lipp, a popular daughter of Placer County; and their happy married life has been blessed in the birth of several children. George Wesley grew to be twenty-five years of age before his promising life was suddenly cut short; Carrie M. became Mrs. John P. Onstott; Albert T. is an orchardist at Yuba City, with his father; Henry C. is deceased, as is also Roy Foley, who had been granted the dental surgery degree, and closed his professional life in 1918, five years after the lamented death of his mother. Two daughters, Irma M., Mrs. R. J. Ford, and Mildred M., Mrs. Sullivan, complete the family circle. Mr. Morehead has always been a home-man. During the years of his active life he has taken an interest in public matters, and has done what he could, as a stanch Democrat, to improve civic and political standards. There are eleven grandchildren in the family circle. Mr. Morehead has long been a member of the Christian Church and was one of the builders of the Christian Church at Fairview, Sutter County, and was a member of the board of deacons. Since residing in Yuba City, he has had his membership in the Marysville Christian Church, in which he is an elder. For twenty-five years he was a trustee of Markham school district.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p 400-403
MRS. ANNIE (WINSHIP) CALDWELL
A worthy representative of an old and interesting family is found in Mrs. Annie (Winship) Caldwell, the widow of William Caldwell. Annie Winship was born on May 16, 1860, in Sutter County, near the Sacramento River, in what is known today as the Winship district, and is a daughter of Isaac A. and Elizabeth (Brock) Winship. Mr. Winship was born on July 4, 1822, at Boston, Mass., and resided there until 1847, when he became a soldier in the Mexican War, serving his country for eighteen months. He returned to Massachusetts and, after remaining there six months, crossed the plains to California in 1849, during the days of the gold fever. He became a cook at the Bell House, at Nicolaus, Sutter County, and in 1853 moved near to the Sacramento River, still in Sutter County, and engaged in farming until 1857, when he moved to Grand Island, Colusa County, and farmed there. In 1854, in California, he married Elizabeth Brock, a native of Missouri. Her father, Mr. Brock, came to California alone during the gold rush, and for some time afterward was not heard from. Accordingly, Elizabeth Brock and her brother, John F. Brock, crossed the plains in the meantime with an immigrant train, and finally located their father in Humboldt. Mrs. Brock died of grief over the loss of her husband and two children. Mr. Winship acquired a ranch of about 112 acres in the Tules, where he farmed until his death at the age of sixty-five years. Mrs. Winship sold the ranch about 1912 and moved to the Bogue district. In 1921, he passed away at the home of her daughter, Mrs. S. Cook, at the age of eighty-two years. Mr. and Mrs. Winship were the parents of eight children: Francis, Mrs. John Ahlf, of Sutter; Charles B., of Grimes, Colusa County; Edwin, of Yuba City; Annie, the subject of this sketch; Ada, Mrs. Tom McDermott, of Stockton; William, deceased; Oliver E., at Oakland; and Mabel, Mrs. S. Cook, of Bogue.
Annie Winship attended the Winship district school; and on December 31, 1878, at her home, she was united in marriage with William Caldwell. William Caldwell was born on the State line between Iowa and Missouri. Inasmuch as the home stood on the line, he was born in a room that was in Iowa, and after he grew up he had his meals in a room that was in Missouri. He was a son of Jeremiah and Polly Caldwell. His mother passed away when he was a baby, and his father soon after. Mr. Caldwell’s two sisters are Mrs. Hutchison and Mrs. Houston. He came to California some time before his marriage, and was engaged as a mechanic, running a harvester. He was working for Reclamation District No. 108 at the time of his marriage, and was employed by them for ten years. He then went to Colusa County and farmed near Grimes until 1913. After he and his family had moved to Sutter City, he passed away, in 1915, and Mrs. Caldwell sold the 112-acre Colusa ranch. Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell were blessed with five children: Bertha E., deceased; Edgar and William, at Grimes; Ethel, Mrs. R. V. McPherrin, of Sutter; and Genevieve, Mrs. Burtis, of Sutter City. Mr. Caldwell was a Grand Army veteran, being a member of the 115th Illinois Infantry. His son William was in the late World War, and served over seas in the 115th Engineer Corps of the United States Army. Before her husband’s death, Mrs. Caldwell was an active member of the Rebekahs, going through all the chairs. She is the owner of ten fine lots in Sutter City. Greatly esteemed by all of her friends and acquaintances, she dispenses the old-time California hospitality in her commodious and attractive home.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p 409-410