Yolo County
Biographies
JOHN H. EATON
John H. Eaton, a Woodland merchant, who died at his residence in that city January 2, 1890, was born in Rowan County, North Carolina, October 2, 1807, and removed with his parents in 1810 to Middle Tennessee. At the age of twenty-two years he left his parental home and went to Indiana, where he was married, September 27, 1829, to Miss Rebecca A. Simpson, a native of North Carolina, who now survives him. Crossing the plains to this State in 1849, he followed mining at Bidwell’s Bar, on the Feather River, but the next year he returned to Missouri, where he remained until 1862, engaged in mechanical and mercantile pursuits. He then came to Nevada, where he engaged in farming until 1868, and then came on again to California and soon commenced mercantile business at Woodland, as a member of the firm of Eaton, Green & Co. Theirs was the first exclusive grocery house in the place. Their next firm name was Eaton, Lawson & Co., and in November, 1879, it became Eaton & Son, the present style.
Mr. Eaton was religiously inclined from boyhood. At the age of fourteen he joined the Baptist Church, but during life changed his views somewhat and united with the Christian Church, in which he remained during the remainder of his life. He was very zealous in the propagation of the cardinal principles of Christianity. He emphasized the scriptural idea that there is but “one baptism,” while the churches of modern times generally have several modes of baptism, or doors into the church.
Seven of his eleven children survive, namely: Mrs. G. W. Green and A. M. Eaton, of Woodland; J. I. Eaton, of Lake County; G. M. Eaton, of Irvington, Alameda County; Mrs. J. E. Woods, of San Francisco; T. F. Eaton, of Dighton, Kansas; and Mrs. Dr. D. A. Bryant, of Jackson County, Missouri.
A. M. Eaton, the surviving partner in the firm of J. H. Eaton & Sons, was born in Jackson County, Missouri, in May, 1852, where he remained until he came to Nevada and California. He completed his education at the Hesperian College at Woodland. In 1869 he became a partner with his father in the grocery business, when the firm style became J. H. Eaton & Son, under which name the business was carried on till July, 1890, at which time A. M. Eaton purchased the other interest and now conducts the business in his own name, carrying a full stock of everything in the line of a well furnished grocery house. Mr. Eaton deals largely in grain, hay, wood, nursery stock, etc. He is yet unmarried, making his home with his mother, who is now seventy-eight years of age.
Memorial & Biographical History of Northern California, The Lewis Publishing Co., 1891
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
EPHRAIM CLARK
Ephraim Clark, a resident of the vicinity of Woodland, was born April 25, 1832, in Jefferson City, Missouri, a son of M. D. and D. T. (Fowler) Clark. The father was a farmer by occupation, and a brother, J. F., is now the occupant of the homestead in Missouri, which was settled by M. D. Clark in 1829. He died in 1862, at the age of sixty-three years. The subject of this sketch still owns a third interest in 525 acres in that State, a portion of which is the old homestead place. He of course was reared on a farm, and when twenty-two years of age, in 1854, he came to California, driving an ox team across the plains to pay his way, and arrived in Placer County, where he remained until February, 1862. He then visited British Columbia, Idaho and Montana, being one of the first to enter Montana that year. The same year he returned to Placer County and followed mining one year. In 1863 he went to Churchill County, Nevada, where he engaged in making toll-roads, and was the first Democrat elected to represent the county in the Legislature. He was elected four years as Supervisor and two years as Assessor, -- all this while the county generally gave a Republican majority. Remaining there until the last of November, 1880, he sold out his stock and road, returning to California; finally settled near Woodland, a mile and a half from the city, upon a tract of ten acres, of which six are vineyard and four in clover. Mr. Clark has traveled over all the United States and can relate many interesting incidents. He thinks an American should see his native country before going to Europe.
He was married in 1875 to Miss L. W. Severance, a native of Massachusetts. They had one son, who died at the age of three months.
Memorial & Biographical History of Northern California, The Lewis Publishing Co., 1891
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler