Yolo County
Biographies
D. R. CLANTON
D. R. Clanton, a retired farmer residing at Woodland, is the son of J. M. and Mary (Griggs) Clanton. His father, a native of Tennessee, was a farmer by occupation and is still living in Woodland. His mother, a native of Kentucky, died in Yolo County in 1867. They had six children, of whom the subject of this sketch is the eldest. He was born in Montgomery County, Missouri, and was two years of age when the family removed to Illinois. In 1850 he came overland to California, followed teaming to different points around Sacramento for several years, mining one year and then farming in Yolo County until 1857. He then entered into the live-stock business up in the hills, and followed it for ten years with marked success. He has now two fine farms, one of 320 acres two miles from Woodland, and one of 176 acres on Cache Creek. He resides at the corner of Cleveland and Pendegraft streets, Woodland, enjoying the earnings of an industrious life-time. He is a member of Woodland Lodge, No. 111, I.O.O.F.
He married Miss Maggie E. Smith, a native of Missouri, and they have five daughters and one son, namely: Ada M., Irene A., Laura U., Elma E., Claudie E. and Clarence D.
Memorial & Biographical History of Northern California, The Lewis Publishing Co., 1891
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
URIAS BITZER
Urias Bitzer, farmer at Woodland, was born March 11, 1826, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a son of John and Elizabeth (Royer) Bitzer, natives of Pennsylvania. The father was a farmer all his life, and died in the same house where he was born, in 1877, at the age of eighty-one years. The subject of this sketch remained at his parental home until he was twenty-six years of age. He then followed farming four years in St. Clair County, Illinois, and then, in 1856, came on to the Pacific coast by the Nicaragua route, sailing from New York April 8, on the steamer Orizaba, and on the Pacific side on the Sierra Nevada. They lay four weeks at Granada, then General Walker’s headquarters. Out of 558 passengers on board, 138 died. Mr. Bitzer landed at San Francisco June 6 and proceeded immediately to the mines at Iowa Hill, but in a few days went on to Grass Valley, and a few days after that to Marysville, near which place he engaged in a harvest field; next he spent a month in Plumas County, then a few days in Nevada City, and then worked during the month of August in a harvest field in Napa County; next chopped wood three months on the Norris grant, near Sacramento; January 27, 1857, he went to Shingle Springs, El Dorado County, where he remained until 1877 engaged in mining and in a vineyard. In mining he was reasonably successful. Then he went to the Black Hills, but in three days started back to Sacramento; and then he set out to find a location and after traveling around a good deal, he settled in July, 1877, in Woodland, near which point he purchased five acres of land, and he is now making that place his home. At present he has twenty acres, just outside the western limits of town, and he has 200 acres of farm land five miles west of Black’s Station. On his ranch he raises principally grain and hay. Twenty acres of the home place is in grapes and clover; seven acres of this vineyard are in Flaming Tokays, nine acres in Zinfandels and one in raisin Muscats. He is a characteristic old-timer who is always found busy, as the character of the improvements upon his premises demonstrate. In 1871 he visited the East, after an absence of about twenty years, and he returned to his California home more contented than ever. He is a member of the O.C.F.
July 31, 1877, he was married to Fianna Palmer, a native of Ohio, and they have one daughter, named Mary.
Memorial & Biographical History of Northern California, The Lewis Publishing Co., 1891
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
W. LAWHEAD
W. Lawhead, liveryman, Woodland, is a son of E. G. and Nancy (Coen) Lawhead. His father, a native of Washington County, Pennsylvania, born in 1799, was a cabinet-maker by trade, and died in San Joaquin County in 1886. His mother, a native of Pennsylvania, died in Ohio. Mr. Lawhead was born in Guernsey County, Ohio, in 1828; married Miss Edith Johnson, a native of Pennsylvania in 1851, came to California in 1853, by way of Panama, and stopped first at Nevada City, where he engaged in mining for five years. He next lived at Central Ferry on the Stanislaus River, where he assisted his uncle in a store for six years; from 1863 to 1866 he followed teaming at Stockton, and the following twelve years he was a farmer of Solano County. Finally he went to Yolo County where he farmed for six years, then raised stock for three years in Solano County again, and at last came to Woodland in the fall of 1887, where he purchased a half interest in the livery business on Main street, in partnership with T. J. Hutchison. Some time afterward he purchased Mr. Hutchison’s interest, but has since taken as a partner Joseph Clemens, their establishment being known as the City Stable.
His wife still lives, and they have two children, both daughters: Rachel, wife of T. P. Emigh, a Solano County grain merchant and capitalist; and Rosamond, a teacher in Solano County.
Memorial & Biographical History of Northern California, The Lewis Publishing Co., 1891
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler