Tehama County
Biographies
VIRGILIUS P. BAKER
Virgilius P. Baker is a pioneer and a worthy citizen of Red Bluff, and to him is much credit due for the share he has taken in the building up and beautifying of the town. A brief sketch of his life is herewith given.
Mr. Baker was born in New York, December 21, 1825, the son of Solomon and Sarah Baker, both natives of New York, he being the youngest in a family of ten children. His educational advantages were limited, as he was sent to school during the winter months only, and he began to earn his living when he was twelve years old. He learned the carpenter's trade, and became a contractor and builder. When he was twenty-two years of age Mr. Baker married Miss Jane Lowrey. He had removed to Cass County, Michigan, when he was thirteen, and his marriage occurred there. He continued working at his trade, carrying on contracting and building there until 1853.
In that year he came to the far West and settled in Red Bluff. When he landed in the embryo town, he had his wife and two little children with him to support, and just one five-dollar gold piece in his pocket. He pitched their tent on the bank of the river, after which he started for the store, which was then kept by a Mr. Bull, intending to purchase some provisions and to make his money go as far as it could in buying flour, pork and other things. When the storekeeper was told what his customer wanted, he weighed a piece of pork and said "That comes to $5. If you don't want that much, you don't want any." Mr. Baker returned to his tent with a feeling of great discouragement. Soon Captain Reed and his good wife, who were keeping the hotel, stepped down to their tent to see and greet the new-comers. When that gentleman learned the family were short of provisions, he said, "You can come to my house and get all the grub you want until you can work and earn money." It was a generous and kind offer, and it filled Mr. Baker and his wife with lasting gratitude, and they have always treasured the highest regard for him who so nobly befriended them in their time of need.
The next day Mr. Baker obtained employment, and began work at $10 per day; and he has never since that time known what it was to be short of provisions. He soon after got the job of building the frame hotel on the ground where the Fremont now stands. An oak tree stood on Main street, opposite, and few rods south of the building. There he moved his tent and his family, and there he lived while he worked on the building.
At this time all the hauling was done by wagon trains; and when the men came down from the North, they stored their money with Mrs. Baker for safekeeping while they were in the town. She buried it under the tent, and at times had as much as $200,000 buried there. When the men called for their money it was nothing unusual for them to give the children $10 or even $20; so Mrs. Baker was the pioneer banker of the town. Money was plenty and not valued very highly; it went as freely as it came.
Mr. Baker continued to work at his trade until 1856. By that time he had saved $3,000 in fifty-dollar gold slugs. He made a trip East going by water, and two months later returned to California. He again took up his business of contracting and building, and worked at it for eighteen years. In 1870 he turned his attention to farming, purchased 400 acres of bottom land, farmed it for five years, and sold it at a handsome profit. He then retired from business. Since that time, however, he has done some contracting. Since his residence at Red Bluff he has erected a greater part of the best buildings in the city. In 1853 he purchased the lots on which his present home is situated. He first built a house costing $2,200, which still stands. In 1881 he built his present residence--one of the finest in the city--and it is a fitting place for the venerable mechanic to spend the evening of his useful life. His family consists of his wife and four children. The two older children were born in Michigan, and the others in Red Bluff. Their names are Stephen, Sarah, Edward and William. Edward was the first male white child born in Red Bluff; and when the Baker family came here there were only two white women in the town.
As in most places in California, there was a strife and litigation over the title of their lands, and it cost Mr. Baker $9,000 to defend his title, in which he finally succeeded. The subject of this sketch now lives on the rent of his buildings and the interest of his money. He is a Republican and a good citizen.
No one need wonder that Red Bluff prospered when he contemplates the class of men who were the founders.
Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California, Lewis Publishing Co., 1891 pages 758-9
Transcribed by: Melody Landon Gregory August 2004
J. F. BURGAR
J. F. Burgar, a member of the firm of Nallman & Company, although a recent acquisition to Red Bluff, has thoroughly identified himself with the best interest of the city. A brief sketch of his life is herewith given.
Mr. Burgar's birth-place is in Ontario, Canada, ten miles from Niagara Falls. His father, Joseph Burgar, was born in New Jersey. Grandfather Burgar, also named Joseph, was a native of Germany. He came to America before the Revolution and was a soldier in that great struggle. He lived to be 102 years old, and his wife, who was of English ancestry, was 101 years of age when she died. Mr. Burgar's father married Miss Anna Coneryman, a native of New Jersey. To them were born five children, two daughters and three sons. The subject of this sketch is the only survivor of the family. He received a common-school education in Canada and, at the age of seventeen years, went to Buffalo, New York. There he learned the carpenter and millwright trades. After living in Buffalo ten years he emigrated to Wisconsin, where he acted as manager for the Fox River Improvement Company, building locks on the canal which connected the Fox and Wisconsin rivers. He was thus employed for two years. Subsequently he engaged in the lumber business, making shipments up the Fox river and down the Mississippi to St. Louis. After that he left Dubuque, Iowa, in a company of twelve men, expecting to join a party of sixty others and go to Idaho. They, however, failed to overtake the larger party. After they had gone some distance, one night while encamped, they were attacked by seventy Indians, and Mr. Burgar's partner was shot and killed. Our subject was treasurer of the company and had $7,000 in his possession. Before setting out on the journey he took a vote as to where the money should be kept, and it was decided to carry it in his trunk. When attacked by the Indians they lost everything they had and were compelled to retreat and fight for their lives as they went. They killed sixteen Indians and succeeded in making their escape. They traced their way back to Omaha, reaching that place exhausted and hungry. Before entering the town they separated, thinking that method would increase their chances for getting food. Their plan did not succeed, for both the hotels and private houses declined to help them. They had been without food for three days and were in a sad dilemma. Mr. Burgar had the good fortune to meet with a friend, George Brown, who at once loaned him money with which to buy a coat and make himself presentable and then invited him to his home. He gave $3 for the coat. Arriving at the home of his friend, a scant amount of food was placed on the table and both Mr. Brown and his wife ate lightly and helped him in the same manner. It appeared to Mr. Burgar that they were starving themselves as well as him. This, the doctor afterward told him, they did to save his life. Had they given him all he wanted at first he would have died. When he recovered he went to Fort Dodge, Iowa, where he worked at his trade a year.
At that time he went to Monticello and while there met and married Miss Elizabeth Blake, who has since been his faithful helpmate through all his reverses and successes. Mr. Burgar has been a great traveler and has lived in a number of places. After his marriage he returned with his bride to Fort Dodge; from there he went to Sioux Falls, Dakota, and remained two years; next went to Dakota County, Minnesota, and, with his brother, engaged in the dairy business; a year later he sold out and went to Fargo, Dakota. For two years he engaged in the grocery business in Fargo. Then he built a large brick store, 100 feet long, and filled it with general merchandise. He and his brother conducted this store five years, also being interested in grain and lumber. In connection with their other business they shipped the farmers' grain, for one cent per bushel, thereby obtaining the farmers' trade. At this time his brother's failing health caused him to seek a change of climate. They rented their store for three years, for $2,000, and removed to Grafton, on the Manitoba road. There they built a large double store, into which they moved their stock, and conducted the business for three years. They then sold the stock but still retain the property. His brother's health continued to fail and even a trip to California and a sojourn in this balmy climate proved of no avail, and his death occurred soon after his return home. His wife survived him only one month. Mr. Burgar and his wife have taken the children and are rearing them.
In June, 1887, the subject of this sketch came to California and, after traveling all over the State for months, seeking a location, finally settled at Red Bluff. He formed a partnership with Mr. G. Nallman, under the firm name of Nallman & Company. They are dealers in groceries, provisions, flour, feed, lumber, lath, shingles, doors, sash, blinds, etc. The large store they occupy, at the corner of Walnut and Lincoln streets, was built and is owned by them. Each of them has built a good house and owns twenty acres of choice land, on which they have planted a large variety of fruit trees, oranges, olives, almonds, walnuts, apricots, peaches and other fruits
Mrs. Burgar is a member of the Baptist Church. Her husband was reared a Presbyterian. In politics he is Democratic, but always votes for the best man.
Source: Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California, Lewis Publishing Co., 1891 pages 756-7
Transcribed by: Melody Landon Gregory
DR. ALBERT MARK ESTERLE
Dr. Albert Mark Esterle one of the leading dentists of Red Bluff, is a son of Dr. B. M. and Charlotte (Bidwell) Esterle. His father came to California in 1850, and settled at Sacramento. He was the first dentist of that city, and carried on a successful business there. His mother was a daughter of Samuel Bidwell, of Pennsylvania, and a descendant of the noted family of Bidwells, who were of English origin and were pioneers of Philadelphia. The Esterles are of French and German extraction.
The subject of this sketch is the second of a family of three children. He attended school at Santa Clara College, after which he engaged in the photograph business at Sacramento. There he soon attained eminence in his profession, and at the State Fair held in Sacramento he received the silver cup, a prize for the best collection of photographs. After continuing in the business for some time, his health failed, and for three years he traveled throughout the United States with his father, visiting nearly every town of any size in the country. On regaining his health, he decided to become a dentist. He attended the Meadville College, Pennsylvania, and is a graduate of the St. Louis Medical and the Missouri Dental College. For five years he engaged in the practice of his profession in St. Louis, with Dr. Hall. In the meantime his father made a trip to Shasta County, California, to look after some mining interest, and was taken with apoplexy and died there. He was buried by the Masonic fraternity of Red Bluff, of which he had been an honored member. His death brought his son, Dr. Esterle, to this place, and he was induced to locate here. He spent two years practicing his profession in San Francisco, and, with that exception, has been in Red Bluff since 1876. He established himself in a splendid office on Main street, corner of Oak, where he occupied seven rooms and a conservatory, having it all furnished and fitted with the best appliances for his business, and being very successful. In 1882 the building in which his office was located was destroyed by fire. At that time Dr. Esterle was building a house on Washington street, and, after the fire, he converted it into an office, and used it as such for three years. Then he occupied rooms on Main street for two and a half years. This year (1890) he has established his office in the northeast corner of the Cone & Kimball building--the finest building in the city. The Doctor, with his usual taste and ability, has fitted up an office, consisting of a suite of four rooms, in a most elegant and elaborate manner. The rooms are carpeted, and fitted and furnished with the most modern appliances of improved dentistry.
Dr. Esterle is not only a skilled dentist, but he is a refined and cultured gentleman and a worthy citizen. He is identified with the best interests of Red Bluff, and any measure that has for its object the improvement or building up of the city, finds in him a supporter. He has made investment in town property, and at present owns eight residences and places of business. Politically he is a Democrat. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and of the Eastern Star. He adheres to the Episcopal Church.
Source: Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California, Lewis Publishing Co., 1891 page 755
Transcribed by: Melody Landon Gregory