Yolo County
Biographies
Henry HAMEL
Concede to be one of the largest land owners in the Davis section, and ranking among its most able and highly respected citizens as well, was the late Henry Hamel. He was born November 5, 1832, in Hesse-Cassel, Kur-Hessen, Germany, where he received his education, later taking up farming with his father. He continued this until he left the home land for the United States, taking passage on the Harriet in May, 1851. His parents, George and Elizabeth (Schneider) Hamel, were also native Teutons, and among the foremost farmers of their vicinity. Upon arriving in New York Henry Hamel proceeded at once to La Salle, Ill., where his brother John had settled some years before, but in 1852 he came to California as a gold seeker. Joining an ox-team train, he crossed the plains and after five months reached Hangtown, later re-christened Placerville. For a short period he tried his luck in the mines, but meeting with indifferent success left this occupation and established a freighting route embracing several mining camps, Sacramento being the supply station. In 1862 he opened a meat market in Placerville and built up a large business in that village. During his residence there he took an active part in the local fire company, of which he was a charter member. After a residence of five years in Placerville he disposed of his interests there and located in Solano county, where he purchased land which he improved and developed to farming and stock-raising. From time to time he added to the original purchase until he finally had fourteen hundred acres. His home was situated one-quarter mile south of Davis, in Solano county, near the line of division, and his lands were included in both Yolo and Solano counties. Though he devoted a portion of his estate to agriculture, most of his attention was directed toward stock raising, cattle dealers throughout the west considering his Durhams the best of their type. Not without patient labor and keen foresight did he accomplish the miracle which appears to the eye beholding the beauty and fertility of the well-conducted farm, representative of the highest citizenship of our country, and among his wide circle of acquaintances not one stands forth to speak aught of the man who made the best of every opportunity presented to him.
In Sacramento June 29, 1858, Mr. Hamel was united in marriage with Maria Wirtz, who was born in Louisville, Ky., and was brought up and received her education in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1856 she came to California via Panama with her parents, Jacob and Charlotta (Aug) Wirtz, native of Canton Zurich, Switzerland, and Rheinpfalz, Germany, respectively. Mr. Wirtz was a merchant in Cincinnati, and after locating in Placerville he became a pioneer merchant in that place. Of the fourteen children born to Mr. and Mrs. Hamel nine are living: George F., a farmer three miles east of Davis; Henry J., owning and conducting a fine ranch six miles from Winters; Carrie M.; Fred; Alma M.; Charlotta E.; William C., farming a part of the estate and residing five mile southeast of Davis; Edward and Elizabeth. Fred and Edward are farming on the home place. All of the daughters are still under the parental roof, and in the domestic life of this remarkable family is found a beautiful understanding which puts to shame the conditions which exist in many of our homes, and serves as a lesson to those who, searching for happiness, may, if they will, find it at their own firesides.
Mr. Hamel was made a Mason in Placerville Lodge, F. & A. M., and later became a charter member of Athens Lodge No. 228, F & A. M., of which he was mast for four years; St. James Chapter, R. A. M., Placerville, and subsequently he became identified with Woodland Commandery No. 21, K. T. At the time of his death he was one of the oldest Masons in California and the last of the charter members of Athens Lodge. His sons, George, Henry and William are also members of Athens Lodge No. 228, F. & A. M., while his daughters are charter members Ionia Chapter No. 199, O. E. S., at Davis. Mr. Hamel died in San Francisco October 5, 1911, and was buried from his home with Masonic honors. Toward all movements of worth he was ever a generous contributor, and was recognized as a man of exceptional executive ability, his efforts in the interests of his fellow citizens having won their deepest appreciation. For twenty years he served as school trustee, and in educational matters always displayed marked concern, lending his influence to all movements of worth in that connection.
Transcribed by Bea Barton
Source: “History of Yolo County, California” by Tom Gregory. Published by the Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1913, pages 687 – 689.
A. G. BAILEY
A professional career that began with his admission to the bar of the state January 14, 1907, give abundant indication of future successes for Mr. Bailey. Indeed, already he has achieved a position highly creditable to one so young in years and in professional experience. Conscientious endeavor, dating back to early childhood and continued without abatement up to the present time, has brought him to an established position among the able citizens of Yolo county, and he further has the honor of being one of the youngest district attorneys in California. Nature endowed him with qualities well adapting him to public affairs. Conservative in spirit, yet a friend of progress, a logical reasoner and a fluent speaker, he throws himself into professional affairs with an energy that bespeaks success when coupled with the attributes indispensable to the law.
The family represented by Mr. Bailey ranks among the pioneer element of the west. Both of his grandfathers came to California during the memorable era of 1849, and his father, who came, a mere boy, in 1854, settled at French Gulch, Shasta county. The mother came to the state from Missouri in 1862, and she and her husband are now residents of Janesville, Lassen county. In that county occurred the birth of A. G. Bailey May 12, 1883, and from there he was taken to Oregon in early life by his parents, who, however, in a short time returned to California and settled in Shasta county. At the age of fourteen years he accompanied the family back to his native county, where at the age of eighteen years he secured a grammar-grade teacher's certificate. At that time his father became an invalid through rheumatism, and the support of the family devolved upon the youth, obliging him to teach for three years when he had been ambitious to attend college. Meanwhile he labored to secure the establishment of a high school in his home town, and with the aid of several progressive citizens he succeeded in his object, afterward himself attending the school and completing the four years' course in two years. After he came to Woodland in the summer of 1905 he attended the high school of this city.
It would be difficult for Mr. Bailey to recall the time when he first decided to become a lawyer. Toward that profession were directed his childhood studies. Shortly after he came to Woodland he began to read law in the office of A. C. Huston and at the date previously given he passed a very creditable examination which resulted in his admission to the bar. In common with all penniless and briefless young lawyers, he found the early days of professional life disheartening, but with a determination not the least of his attributes he continued to study and fit himself for later emergencies. No matter how formidable the obstacles, he never lost faith in his ability to succeed. Meanwhile he took an active part in political affairs as a stanch Democrat. On the reform platform of that party in 1910 he was chosen district attorney of Yolo county, and since then he has served ably in that capacity. During the year of his election to the office he established a home of his own, being united with Miss Clara Griggs, a native of Woodland. In fraternal relations he is identified with the Masons, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America. For three years he was a member of Company F., Second Regiment, California National Guard, and served with his company in San Francisco during the fire of 1906.
The cases which Mr. Bailey has handled have proved his qualification for professional work. In the Lopez case he defended the man upon the theory that he was the victim of a conspiracy. The jury disagreed in two trials and Judge Gaddis finally dismissed the case. In 1908 Jesse Prince, a Negro, killed an old man named Dopson near Gray’s Bend. The murderer was friendless and penniless and the court appointed Mr. Bailey to defend him. The duty was performed conscientiously and the accused received the light sentence of five years for manslaughter. Persons competent to judge state that Mr. Bailey handled that difficult case with remarkable skill. In a number of cases he has been associated with other counsel. In his position as district attorney he has endeavored to strictly enforce the laws, and in the brief period of his service has ably demonstrated his determination to live up to his oath of office. The results show that he has prosecuted twice as many felony cases as were every handled by any predecessor extending over the same period. The duties of the office becoming so large as to leave little time for his private practice, it became necessary to associate himself with Lawrence H. Wilson, assemblyman for the sixteenth district, under the firm name of A. G. Bailey & L. H. Wilson, since which time he has been enabled to give all his attention to the county’s legal matters. Mr. Bailey’s work shows a persistent study of the law, a wide knowledge of its intricacies and a decided ability for the profession he has chosen as his life calling
Transcribed by Bea Barton
Source: “History of Yolo County, California” by Tom Gregory. Published by the Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1913, pages 689 – 691.