Yolo County
Biographies
ELIAS IRELAND
a wagon-maker at Winters, Yolo County, California, was born January 16, 1833, in New Jersey, a son of James and Phoebe (English) Ireland. His mother was of German descent. His father, of Scotch descent and a native of New Jersey, moved to Ohio, and in 1836 to Missouri. He had been a sea captain. In 1850 he came to California, and in 1853 returned to Missouri and died there the same year. Of their four children, Elias is the only one now living. At the age of fifteen years, he and five other boys – neighbors – rigged up a team of five yoke of oxen and came overland to California, arriving at Sutterville September 4, 1850, thereby becoming pioneers. Until the fall of 1851 Mr. Ireland was engaged in digging gold at Mokelumne Hill; then he worked at wagon-making in Stockton for a short time; next he was employed for three years upon S. C. Fugitt’s stock ranch; then he worked at the carpenter’s trade in Liberty seven or eight years; next was employed in a general merchandise store, in which he was head clerk and book-keeper four and a half years; but, his health becoming impaired by confinement in doors, he resorted to his trade of carpenter again for four or five years. Then for a year he was engaged in the butcher business, then in carpentering again at Galt; was car-builder in the passenger car department of the shops at Sacramento; in 1876 he continued his mechanical pursuits at Winters until 1878, when he started a wagon and blacksmith shop there, which he still conducts with signal success. He erected the third building at Winters. He has eighteen acres of land, all in fruit.
He was married May 13, 1862, to Miss Mattie Still, who was born in Missouri, December 11, 1844, the daughter of Joseph F. and Mary B. (Turner) Still. Her father was a native of Kentucky and her mother of Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Ireland have two sons, namely: Charles D., who was born December 8, 1868, and Herbert, born September 26, 1873.
Memorial & Biographical History of Northern California, The Lewis Publishing Co., 1891
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
JESSE CLARK
a retired farmer and an old resident of Woodland, was born December 8, 1821, in Christian County, Kentucky, a son of Henry and Priscilla Clark; his father, a farmer, was a native of Tennessee, and his mother of North Carolina. When a small boy Henry Clark was taken to Kentucky, where he remained a number of years; he then moved to Cole County, Missouri, on the Osage River, and resided there nine years; then moved to Chariton County, Missouri, where he remained until his death in 1861, at the age of eighty-four years. His wife died in 1865. In their family were six sons: Isaac, Benjamin, Henry, Michael and Ephraim, besides the subject of this sketch.
Jesse Clark was brought up on a farm. At the age of eighteen years he left home for two years; at the age of twenty-four he married and commenced farming for himself, and remained in Missouri until April 6, 1852, when he started overland with ox teams to California, in a train of five wagons and about forty persons, arriving in this State August 13. In company with his brother Henry he engaged in mining about a year in Sierra County; then spent a winter in the Sonoma Valley, while his brother continued in charge of the mines in Sierra County. In 1854 he began searching for a ranch where he could make his home, and after hunting around considerably he settled three miles southwest of what is now Woodland, on 160 acres. After a residence there of fifteen years, and making a fine farm, he moved into Woodland, where he now resides, in a beautiful residence on West Main street. He sold his farm in 1884, since which time he has been taking life easy. When he first settled in this county his trading post was Cacheville, and Woodland was unthought of.
In 1845 he married Miss Sarah Sanders, a native of Missouri, and they have had eight children, six daughters and two sons. The daughters are: Mary Jane, Priscilla, Margaret Frances, Usith, Amanda and Pesthania. The first mentioned is dead; the second married S. T. Pendegast; Margaret married A. J. Hall; Amanda became the wife of R. M. Huston; Usith is now Mrs. Hanford Hubbard; and Pesthania married P. J. Flannigan. The two sons – H. C. and R. L. – are married. Henry resides in Lassen County, farming, and R. L. resides in San Francisco.
Memorial & Biographical History of Northern California, The Lewis Publishing Co., 1891
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler