Yolo County
Biographies
S. A. HOWARD
S. A. Howard, a farmer near Woodland, is the son of Edmaer and Mary (Roberson) Howard, natives of Missouri; the father, a farmer by vocation, and an exemplary member of the Baptist Church, died in Cooper County, Missouri, and the mother died at the same place, leaving two sons. S. A., the subject of this notice, and the youngest son, was born in that county in 1831, and in 1857 came across the plains to California, bringing 212 head of cattle, and all the family came with him, and settled in Yolo County, and here Mr. Howard has been engaged in the rearing of and dealing in live-stock, devoting his fine farm to this profitable business. He has a splendid ranch, a mile north of Woodland.
In 1857, in Cooper County, Missouri, Mr. Howard married Elizabeth Stevens, and their children are as follows: Marshall L., born December 14, 1857; Edward S., January 16, 1859; James M., February 10, 1861; Mary L., May 9, 1862; Willie E., born May 3, 1864, died January 3, 1884. Mr. Howard is a member of Woodland Lodge, No. 186, F. & A. M., of Woodland; No. ---, A.O.U.W., and of Woodland Lodge, No. 24, O.C.F.
Memorial & Biographical History of Northern California, The Lewis Publishing Co., 1891
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
PETER LAUENER
Peter Lauener, a farmer near Capay, was born April 26, 1835, in Switzerland, the son of Christian and Ann Lauener, natives also of that country; the father, by occupation a farmer, died there in 1849, at the age of forty-five years. Peter was brought up on a farm in Switzerland until 1851, when he emigrated to America, with his widowed mother and five other children, and came direct to Richland County, Illinois, where he remained until 1859, on a small farm owned by his mother. In 1859 he came overland to California, by way of Pike’s Peak, where he remained two weeks. The ensuing winter he spent at Placerville, and during the following spring he entered Capay Valley, and worked for wages until he purchased his present place in 1887, which he is preparing for a fruit farm. It comprises 300 acres, and is situated three miles from Capay. He has a sister in Yolo County, and a brother at Sonora. He is a member of Lodge No. 242, O.C.F., at Capay.
He was married in 1872, to Miss Nancy Lang, a native of New York, and a sister of J. A. Lang, an old, time-honored pioneer of Yolo County. Mr. Lauener is an energetic and prosperous farmer, with brilliant prospects before him.
Memorial & Biographical History of Northern California, The Lewis Publishing Co., 1891
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
WILLIAM Y. BROWNING
William Y. Browning, a farmer near Woodland, was born March 15, 1829, in Tennessee, a son of Charles and Elizabeth (Crawford) Browning. His father, a native of South Carolina, was a farmer by occupation and moved to Kentucky in early day, locating upon land which he purchased in Monroe County. In 1854 he came overland to California, with ox teams and a small drove of cattle, and settled in Yolo County, where he remained until his death, which occurred in 1861, when he was sixty-two years of age. His surviving wife died in 1882, aged seventy-nine years. They brought up a large family of children. William Y., our subject, left home at the age of twenty years, resided in Missouri a portion of 1849-’50, and in the spring of the latter year came to California, with ox teams; returning to the East, he came again in 1854 and 1856. On his first arrival in this State he followed mining on Dry Creek, near Drytown. In the spring of 1851 he mined at Gibsonville, and ever since 1852 he has been engaged in farming and stock-raising. He now has 540 acres of choice farming land, his residence being two and a half miles from Woodland, on a splendid gravel road. He is a member of Woodland Lodge, No. 156, F. & A. M.
He was married in 1856 to Miss Rowena Howard, a native of Missouri, whose mother is now in California, aged ninety years. Mr. and Mrs. Browning have two sons and four daughters, namely: Zella, wife of Dr. B. F. Clark, of San Francisco; Tillie, now Mrs. W. A. Hall, of the same city; Charles L., William H., Mary and Ida.
Memorial & Biographical History of Northern California, The Lewis Publishing Co., 1891
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler