Yolo County
Biographies
M. W. MORGAN
M. W. MORGAN, a farmer of Yolo County, was born January 6, 1883, in Trumbull County, Ohio, a son of Ezra and Harriet (Jordan) Morgan, natives of New York State. In 1851 the senior Morgan came to California and in 1853 sent for his two sons M. W. and Emery B., who taught the first school in the Cacheville district. The farmer returned to Ohio in the spring of 1856. Previously, M. W., at the age of sixteen years began sailing on the lakes. At the age of twenty-one years, in 1853, he came to California, as mentioned, landing in San Francisco, and in a short time went to Yolo County, and settled on his father’s farm, until his father returned to Ohio. Then he went to selling goods in the mountains, and followed that business successfully until 1867, when he returned to Yolo County and purchased the place where he now lives. During the same year he went back to Ohio and Iowa; and while East he was married, in Davenport, Iowa, August 18, 1869, to Miss Mary A. Neal, a native of Ohio. He came with his wife to California and settled upon his ranch; but in 1877 his wife died, leaving an only daughter, Clara L., born September 5, 1870. Mr. Morgan has toiled faithfully and honestly for many years in the Golden State, and well deserves the enjoyments of the beautiful home which he has made near the foothills of the Coast mountains. His ranch contains 200 acres.
Memorial & Biographical History of Northern California, The Lewis Publishing Co., 1891
Transcribed by: Wendy Sandino
HENRY A. CLAUSEN
HENRY A. CLAUSEN, following agricultural pursuits near Black’s, Yolo County, is a pioneer who has struggled against the disadvantages of early days, but, being industrious and economical, he is now enjoying the accumulations of many a hard day’s work. He was born February 18, 1826, in Germany, the son of John and Annie (Ahmling) Clausen, natives of Germany, who emigrated in 1854 to Wisconsin, and in 1860 returned to Germany, where they ended their days. In 1850, Mr. Clausen, subject, went by sail to New York city, and worked at his trade of carpenter there for five years, and then he came by water to California, and the first year and a half here he followed mining. He then moved into Yolo County, worked at his trade and bought and sold land until 1863, when he settled upon the ranch where he now resides, of 1,040 acres of finely improved land, about one mile north of Black’s, where he expects to spend the remainder of his days, at this beautiful home.
He was married in 1866, in the house where he now lives, to Miss Catherine Hegelau, a native of Germany and a daughter of Frederick and Maria (Knodler) Hegelau, both natives of Germany. She was born September 4, 1840. Their five children have been: Emma, born January 21, 1867; Ernest, November 30, 1872; and Minnie, April 8, 1875; and the deceased are Charles and Julia. Ernest graduated at Woodland Business College at the age of sixteen years; and Charles died February 10, 1888, while attending Heald’s Business College in San Francisco.
Memorial & Biographical History of Northern California, The Lewis Publishing Co., 1891
Transcribed by: Wendy Sandino
WARREN A. BROWN
WARREN A. BROWN, a farmer on Oat Creek in Yolo County, is a son of James and Mary (Banister) Brown. His father, a native of Rhode Island, removed to New York State, and in 1837 to Lake County, Ohio, where he died in 1840. His oldest brother then took the family to Illinois. Their mother was a native of Vermont. Mr. Brown, of this sketch, began to work for a family about forty-five miles northwest of Cleveland, where he continued four years; he then went to Illinois and remained with his brother one winter and in the spring was employed on the farm for Mr. Wattling, and continued with him three years; then worked one summer season for a neighbor at $16 a month; next he chopped wood on the Mississippi River for the winter, making his home at Galena; in the spring of 1851 he ran a ferry-boat at Tete Desmore for a man by the name of Greer for one season, and in the spring of 1852 came with horses overland to California. He made his home in Pine Grove, Placer County, until 1868, when he went to Yolo County and settled in Cache Creek Canyon, where he rented land until 1888; and finally he purchased 320 acres in Fairview Township, on Oat Creek, where he is now flourishing as a prosperous agriculturist.
He was married in Placer County, in 1857, to Miss Mary E. Towner, who died October 29 of the next year; and for his present wife, Mr. Brown married, January 24, 1867, Miss Elizabeth J. Stanton, a native of Missouri, who was brought to California when six years of age. By the last there are the following children: Mamie L., born May, 1868; Warren A., September, 1870; Caswell C., May 1872; Harry R., May, 1874; and Josie H., August, 1879.
Memorial & Biographical History of Northern California, The Lewis Publishing Co., 1891
Transcribed by: Wendy Sandino