Yolo County
Biographies
Hezekiah M. MILLER
The civic welfare of Woodland depends upon the patriotic spirit and progressive co-operation of citizens of intelligence and high principles of honor, not the least noteworthy among whom stands H. M. Miller, a pioneer resident of Yolo county and since May of 1910 an incumbent of the office of city trustee. As an extensive land-owner and influential rancher, he has been identified intimately with the agricultural development of the region and has proved an important factor in the development of the stock-raising industry. Since first he arrived in Yolo county, during the year 1871, he has remained here with the exception of a brief period spent at his old eastern home, and while he has met with many discouragements in his agricultural efforts, the final outcome has been most gratifying.
Several generations of the Miller family have lived and labored beneath the flag of the United States. The immigrant, John Miller, came from Germany and settled in Maryland, where he engaged in farming in Frederick county. In his native land he had been confirmed in the Lutheran Church and always he remained faithful to the doctrines of that denomination. Among his children there was a son, Charles, born in Frederick county, and married to Rosanna Myers, a native of Washington county, Md. The home farm of Charles Miller stood two miles from Sharpsburg and near it was fought the famous battle of Antietam, during which the family took refuge in their cellar. The wife and mother had died in 1860 before the beginning of the war, but the father lived until 1868 and spent his last days in Frederick county. The father of Mrs. Miller was Frederick Myers, a native of Washington county, a descendant of Germany ancestry, an adherent of the Lutheran faith and a lifelong farmer, owning a farm near Antietam creek.
In the family of Charles Miller there were four children, of whom Hezekiah M., the third in order of birth, was born in Frederick county, Md., November 13, 1850. After he had received a fair education he secured employment as a clerk. During 1869 he went to Illinois and settled at Mount Morris, Ogle county. From there, November 1, 1870, he started for California, but the near approach of winter forced him to stop temporarily in St. Joseph, Mo., whence in the spring he took up the journey toward the west. Upon his arrival in Yolo county he secured employment as a farm laborer. After two years of hard work and frugal saving he and his brother, Frederick, rented land. Their first efforts were frustrated by a drought, but in the second and third seasons the weather proved more propitious, hence the returns were more encouraging.
Returning east in 1876 Mr. Miller spent nine months in Maryland. At the expiration of the visit he came again to California and with his brother purchased four hundred and eighty acres near Knights Landing. On this place the brothers engaged in farming for about eleven years, but finally in 1888 H. M. sold out to his brother and became connected with Lowe, Myers & Co., (organized in 1868) through the purchase of the interests of E. R. Lowe. The business has since been conducted under the title of N. Myers Co. The concern owns eight thousand acres of land at Cranmore, Sutter county, of which twenty-six hundred is tillable, while the balance is devoted to the raising of sheep and cattle. Mr. Miller owns one-quarter interest in the ranch, Noah Myers, his uncle, owns another quarter, E. Poffenberger also owns a quarter, while the remaining quarter interest is owned in conjunction by Luther Poffenberger and S. C. Deaner. In addition to his interest in the immense ranch, Mr. Miller owns an adjoining ranch of one hundred and sixty-nine acres. After having resided on the ranch from 1888 until 1902, he then removed to Woodland and bought property which he still owns and occupies.
The first marriage of Mr. Miller occurred in Marysville, October 12, 1887, uniting him with Matilda Belle McGrath, who was born in Washington county, Md., and died in Woodland March 31, 1897, leaving three children, Noah Lee, Elizabeth Rose and Sarah Mabel. The second marriage of Mr. Miller took place at Sacramento January 1, 1900 and united him with Miss Abbie Lee McGrath, a sister of his former wife and an earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which for years she has been a prominent local worker. They have one son, Leslie Clyde. The McGrath family was established in Maryland during an early period of our country’s history and became transplanted in California shortly after the American occupancy of this state, where Samuel McGrath, father of Mrs. Miller, long engaged in farm pursuits in Sutter county and accumulated a competency through his untiring industry and excellent judgment.
Mr. Miller was made a Mason in Woodland Lodge No. 156, F. & A. M., in 1872, was exalted to the Royal Arch degree in Woodland Chapter No. 46, R. A. M., in 1874, was created a Knight Templar in Woodland Commandery No. 21 in 1888, and was made a member of Islam Temple, N. M. S., San Francisco, in April, 1911. He has been secretary of the chapter for four years and has been recorder of the commandery for the past eight years. With his wife he is a member of Yolo Chapter No. 60, O. E. S.
Transcribed by Bea Barton
Source: “History of Yolo County, California” by Tom Gregory. Published by the Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1913, pages 794 – 796.
Charles E. BYRNS
The original association of the Byrns family with the state of California dates back to the memorable year of 1850, when there crossed the plains as driver of a large herd of cattle a young man bearing the name of John Byrns. The discovery of gold in the west had attracted him from the quiet environment of Jefferson City, Mo., where he had been born and reared. With characteristic energy he determined to come to the coast country and to bring with him a drove of stock, which plan he carried to a successful consummation. The cattle were disposed of in Sutter county and during the summer of 1851 he returned to his old Missouri home, only, however, to make immediate preparations for another expedition to the coast. After having brought another large drove of cattle through in safety, in the autumn of 1852 he arrived in Sutter county, where he embarked in the stock industry. At first he was prospered, but the flood of 1862 proved so disastrous that he was led to remove to the northern part of Yolo county. Here in 1864 he lost heavily on account of the severe drought. The succession of floods and droughts had discouraged him in stock-raising and he turned his attention to general farm pursuits on his large tract near Woodland. Establishing his home in Woodland, he embarked in the livery business and finally started to erect a large building for hotel purposes. Unfortunately his death occurred March 25, 1883, before the completion of the building. Later when it was made ready for use, it was called the “Byrns Hotel” in his honor. Always he had been a patriotic citizen, a loyal upbuilder, a man of generous impulses and the sturdy resolution so necessary to successful pioneer effort. For more than a quarter of a century he was survived by his wife, Cornelia (Reynolds) Byrns, who was born in York state and died September 29, 1911, in Eldorado county.
The eldest of four children comprising the family of the late John and Cornelia Byrns was Charles E., whose birth occurred in Sutter county December 12, 1861, and whose loyalty to this part of the state came from a lifelong familiarity with its resources. An excellent education was made possible for him through the zealous oversight of his parents, who were not satisfied to limit his advantages to those offered by the public schools, but in addition sent him to the Hesperian College and also to the Pacific Methodist College at Santa Rosa. Later he took a commercial course in Heald’s Business College. His marriage took place at Woodland June 23, 1882, and united him with Miss Laura Hiatt, a native of Yolo county, being a daughter of George W. and Amanda (Ledford) Hiatt. Early in the 50’s Mr. Hiatt crossed the plains from Missouri to California, where eventually he became one of the most extensive farmers in Sutter and Yolo counties. Both he and his wife died in Woodland. Their daughter, Mrs. Byrns, was educated in Hesperian College and is a woman of broad culture and excellent business ability, co-operating with her husband in his real-estate undertakings and promoting their success by her far-seeing discrimination. Their only child is a son name Elmer E., now living in Woodland.
For years, beginning in 1882, Mr. Byrns engaged in farming at Dunnigan, where at times he operated as many as eight thousand acres. Enormous crops of grain were raised on his vast tracts and at times his profits were large. After he had spent twenty-six seasons on the grain farm he established himself on a dairy farm one-half mile north of Woodland and here he still makes his home. The farm is in alfalfa and has a fine water system which gives excellent irrigation facilities. Besides the raising of cattle, he now makes a specialty of raising mules and Belgian horses. As soon as he had settled on his farm near Woodland he became interested in the real-estate business and during January of 1909 he opened an office here. In a short time he had sold more property than had changed hands in many years, his sales averaging from eighteen thousand to forty thousand acres each year. At his office, centrally located on Main street, he has an exhibit and display of products of the county. Even the old residents, familiar as they are with the advantages offered by this locality, experience a feeling of renewed pride and gratification in the showing depicted by this progressive citizen, who as real-estate agent and as a leading worker in the Chamber of Commerce is promoting the prosperity of the city and county and proving the value of “boosting” to even the most prosperous and settled of old communities. While he has not taken part in public affairs of a political nature, he has given positive views of his own and gives allegiance to the Democratic party in the state and national elections.
Transcribed by Bea Barton
Source: “History of Yolo County, California” by Tom Gregory. Published by the Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1913, pages 796 – 798.