Yolo County
Biographies
William Henry Leeman
The man who realizes early in life the value of prudent and economical measures in all lines is certain to reap the reward of his moderation. No one admires a niggardly character, but who does not esteem a man who can in all situations maintain a calm and unbiased judgment, which, in the end, place him far ahead of his more impulsive and indiscreet brother? A man who has ever shown consideration and generosity to his family, yet whose quiet sagacity has enabled him to build a competency which ranks among the foremost in Yolo county, in W. H. Leeman, who was born in Iowa, and who, when but a babe crossed the plains in 1856 with his parents, who settled in Sacramento county.
Following his education in the public schools of that section W. H. Leeman’s first independent step was to secure employment in the Pioneer hop yards of Daniel Flint, the latter residing three miles below Sacramento. In 1882 Mr. Leeman purchased one hundred and eighty acres of swamp land near Washington, Yolo county. He built small levees around part of his land, this being before there was a reclamation district. Here he put into practice on his own account the methods and training which he had acquired on the Pioneer ranch, setting it to hops, and he and Mr. Lovdal were the first to cultivate hops in Yolo county. Still continuing hop culture, Mr. Leeman added to his holdings from time to time until he became the owner of four hundred and twenty acres, one hundred and sixty of which were in hops and the remainder in alfalfa, besides which he conducted a dairy supplied by two hundred cows. The 1911 yield of hops proved so large, producing a ton to the acre, that Mr. Leeman was obliged to erect an additional hop drying shed. Prices were good and the income from this source alone was very material. He was one of the first trustees of reclamation district No. 537 and was active in constructing the levees. Fraternally he was a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, and politically he was a Republican. He passed away at his home, No. 2507 K street, Sacramento, August 24, 1911.
The marriage of Mr. Leeman, in Sacramento, united him with Miss Kate Farley, who was born in this city, and who passed away July 28, 1910, leaving three children, Walter W., Gertrude and Maretta.
Walter W. Leeman was born in Sacramento April 12, 1885. After completing his public school education he entered the University of California at Berkeley, where he continued his studies for one year. Returning home in 1904 he became actively engaged in the duties of the ranch, demonstrating an ability much appreciated by his father. On the death of the latter he became executor of the estate and now has the management of the Leeman ranch. It is located four miles west of Sacramento on the Sacramento & Woodland electric railway, at Leeman station, where a switch is located, providing splendid shipping facilities. The buildings on the ranch comprise a hop house with six kilns, also a cooling room. After leaving this room the hops are pressed into bales of about two hundred pounds each. About two hundred acres of the ranch are in alfalfa and the product of the dairy, supplied by two hundred cows, is sold at wholesale at Sacramento, being shipped by boat direct from the landing on the ranch. Mr. Leeman also breeds draft horses of the Percheron strain. He was married in Sacramento to Miss Irma Kilgore, a native of that city. Fraternally he is identified with Sacramento Lodge No. 6, B. P. O. E.
Transcribed by Bea Barton
Source: “History of Yolo County, California” by Tom Gregory. Published by the Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1913, pages 519 – 520.
Bernal H. Sharp
At Castlewood, S. Dak., Bernal H. Sharp, manager of the Woodland station for the Western Creameries Company, was born July 2, 1885, a son of O. M. Sharp, who brought his family to California in 1903 and is one of the successful farmers in the Woodland district.
At Black River Falls, Wis., where his parents moved when he was quite young, Bernal H. Sharp was educated in the public and high schools. From 1903, when he came to Yolo county, until November, 1909, he busied himself with farming and dairying, acquiring an intimate knowledge of everything pertaining to the manufacture of butter and to the preparation, care and sale of dairy goods generally. At the date last mentioned he was made manager at Woodland for the Western Creameries Company and began buying and shipping cream to the creamery of that company at Benicia, Solano county. Later, in connection with this work, he was also given supervision over the Madison station of the same concern. A young man of fine business ability and of undoubted integrity of purpose, he has won the confidence of all with whom he has had to deal, with the result that the business entrusted to him has been increasingly prosperous.
In Rocklin, Placer county, Mr. Sharp married Miss Lucy Sommer, a native of Morton, Ill., and they have a daughter whom they have named Cora. In his political affiliations he is a Republican. As a citizen he has proven himself helpful to all worthy interests of the community.
Transcribed by Bea Barton
Source: “History of Yolo County, California” by Tom Gregory. Published by the Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1913, pages 520 – 523.
Alois Henry Abele
The measure of success which has rewarded the painstaking efforts of Mr. Abele is the measure of his ability. Adversity handicapped him in youth. Almost before he was able to lisp the name of “father,” that parent was taken from the home by death. Later the mother married again, but died while still a young woman. Orphaned and hampered by poverty, the young lad began to earn his livelihood at an age when most boys are in school. His education has been obtained almost wholly by self-culture. Experience has been his teacher. The loneliness of his position developed within him self-reliance and perseverance. When he started out for himself he learned to give way to no discouragement however great. As a result of his earnest endeavors he has acquired a finely improved ranch of about fifteen hundred acres, containing three substantial barns and a large granary, attractive shade and ornamental trees and a neat residence for the occupancy of the family. When it is considered that this estate has been secured by the unaided efforts of the owner, it will be realized that he is a man of unusual force of character and energy of will.
The founder of the family in America was John Abele, a native of Wurtemberg, Germany, and by trade a wagon-maker and cooper. During the year 1854 he crossed the ocean to Canada and found employment in the manufacture of wagons. Returning to Germany in a short time he there married Annie Yost, who was born and reared in the same village as himself. Accompanied by his wife he then went again to Canada and resumed work at his trade. While the family were living near Hamilton, Canada, a son, Alois Henry, was born February 7, 1858. The following year the father, in search of a less rigorous climate, came to California and, being pleased with the country, sent back for his family, who joined him in Yolo county in 1860. He opened a shop at Cacheville and undoubtedly would have attained a fair degree of success, had not he died in 1862 at the age of twenty-eight years. After a subsequent marriage his wife died in San Francisco while in that city for medical treatment.
Among four children Alois Henry Abele was third in order of birth. With such meager preparation for life as a brief attendance at country schools afforded, at the age of fourteen years he entered the employ Dave Schindler, remaining with him for ten months, was later in the employ of Mike Bemmerly for two years, and still later was employed as driver of a team and wagon for Schuerle & Miller, brewers, at Woodland, holding the last-mentioned position for five years. October 3, 1882, he was united in marriage in Woodland with Miss Mary E. Weber, who was born at Stuttgart, Germany, and came to this country in 1876 with her mother, Mrs. Bertha Weber, settling at Woodland, where she remained until her union with Mr. Abele. The young people purchased and settled upon three hundred and sixty acres of land near Dunnigan. This he placed under cultivation and improved with a neat set of farm buildings. The residence stands in Yolo county six and one-quarter miles south of Arbuckle and eight and one-quarter miles northwest of Dunnigan. From time to time he has added to the dimensions of the ranch until now he owns fifteen hundred acres in the home place, wheat and barley being the principle products. An excellent grade of stock is kept on the home place. Business methods are utilized in the harvesting and marketing of the crops and in the entire management of the land, so that the returns are gratifying to the owner. Mr. Abele was the first man in his section to set out and raise the spineless cactus for stock food and fruit. To demonstrate their enterprise and interest in all movements that tend to build up the county Mr. and Mrs. Abele, when the company that is planning the electric railroad through the valley asked for a right of way over their ranch, gave it freely.
The family of Mr. and Mrs. Abele numbered eight children, but Annie died in childhood and Clara E., Mrs. Spencer, who was popular in a large circle of acquaintances, passed away in 1906. Bertha M. is the wife of John Keehn, of Woodland. Agnes L., Mrs. W. G. Myers, resides near Arbuckle, while Victoria R., Amelia D., John Shirley and Alois Henry, Jr., still remain at the homestead. Ever since he attained his majority Mr. Abele has voted with the Democratic party in national elections, but in local issues he supports the men whom he considers best qualified to represent the people regardless of their political tenets. Mr. Abele and his family are members of the Catholic Church at Woodland. His interest in educational progress led him to accept the position of director and later he was made clerk of the school district, so that his connection with the public schools has been protracted through a period of some twenty-seven years. At different times he has served on the grand and petit juries. Throughout the county he is honored as a man of broad views, untiring energy and sagacious judgment.
Transcribed by Bea Barton
Source: “History of Yolo County, California” by Tom Gregory. Published by the Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1913, pages 523 – 527.