Yolo County
Biographies
Peter PETERSON
That well known and highly esteemed citizen of Yolo county, Peter Peterson, was born in Skaane, Sweden, October 4, 1849, and was a student in the public schools in vogue there from the day he reached school age until he was seventeen years old, when he went to Denmark to become a student in the Gylland Agricultural College. There he was duly graduated, and for a year thereafter he was foreman on a large farm. That position he gave up to take up the study of civil engineering in the Scientific School at Lyngby. When he had mastered a two-and-a-half years’ course, in which he was given much field practice, he was graduated with the degree of C. E. Then he entered definitely upon his professional career and practiced civil engineering in Denmark. In the meantime he took a course in dairying at Aero, Denmark, where he graduated under Professor Pontopidan. During his practice of civil engineering he made several trips to Sweden, professional duties calling him there.
It was in 1884 that Mr. Peterson located at Cedar Falls, Blackhawk county, Iowa, where he engaged in dairying and building creameries. In the latter work he became well and favorably known throughout Blackhawk and Trinity counties. In constructing a milk separator he invented a ball-bearing journal which he patented in 1887. So far as is known that was the first ball-bearing ever invented and was the beginning of a revolution in machinery construction which has spread to machinery in nearly every department of manufacture. That was in March. In the fall of the same year he went to Brookings, S. Dak., where he bought a three hundred acre property and engaged quite extensively in farming and stock raising. There he remained until 1908, gaining a reputation as a successful business man and achieving popularity as a citizen. For some years he was supervisor of Elkton township, Brookings county, and he also filled the offices of school trustee and clerk of his township school board. It was in 1908 that he located at Woodland, Yolo county, and bought a small farm east of that city. He sold the place in 1911, however, to the New Northern Electric Company, and purchased a residence on Elliott street, Woodland, with two acres of land. He also owns a farm of eighty-seven acres at Moore’s Dam, eight miles west of Woodland, which he is improving. Besides his pleasant home at No. 101 Elliott street he owns three other houses in Woodland.
Mr. Peterson’s marriage at Cedar Falls, Iowa, united him with Miss Anna Olsen, a native of Sweden, who has borne him two children: Otto M. has charge of his father’s home farm; Clara Olivia is Mrs. Raffaeta of Woodland. In his political affiliations Mr. Peterson is an independent Republican, and fraternally he is a devoted and helpful member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In his dealings with his fellow men he is not only honest, but liberal, always giving the other party to a transaction as good a show as his own, even preferring to yield a point when there is a chance that the other man needs the benefit of it more than he does himself. Charitable in his aspirations, he is liberal in his views on all questions vital to men and their fortunes.
Transcribed by Bea Barton
Source: “History of Yolo County, California” by Tom Gregory. Published by the Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1913, pages 636 – 637.
Ernest BEMMERLY
A worthy representative of one of the early and prominent pioneer families of Yolo county Ernest Bemmerly is upholding the record for genuine worth and stability borne by his predecessors, and Woodland has no more dependable citizen than “Sam” Bemmerly, as he is known and addressed by his most intimate friends. He was born near Blacks Station, Yolo county, March 10, 1873, the youngest of five children born to his parents, John and Agnes (Wimmer) Bemmerly. Both of the parents were natives of Germany, the father born in Wurtemberg, February 24, 1824, and the mother in Baden, February 2, 1833. From the time that he came to California in 1852, until his death, August 8, 1872, the father was a resident of Yolo county, and here, too, the mother has been a continuous resident since 1859. An interesting sketch of this worthy couple may be found elsewhere in this volume.
As will be seen by the dates above given, Ernest Bemmerly was born after the death of his father, and therefore he has no personal knowledge of that parent. In his mother, however, he had a most sympathetic friend and advisor, who gave him and to the four other children older than himself, every opportunity that lay in her power to make them worthy citizens. Primarily educated in the local schools, Ernest Bemmerly completed his studies in St. Joseph’s Academy, Oakland, and in 1893 he began farming on his own account, making a specialty of stock-raising. His first experience was in farming about two thousand acres of his mother’s land, and in gathering the crops he used a combined harvester and five eight-mule teams. Later he bought land adjoining Dunnigan on the southwest, owning and farming ten hundred and twenty acres until 1911, when he rented the property and removed to Woodland, where he has a fine home and is interested in local affairs. At Corpus Christi, Tex., he was married to Mrs. May West, a native of Refugio, Tex., and they have one daughter, Margaret Edith. In his political affiliations Mr. Bemmerly is a Republican.
Transcribed by Bea Barton
Source: “History of Yolo County, California” by Tom Gregory. Published by the Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1913, pages 637 – 638.
Joel WOOD
One of the wealthiest and most popular ranchers of the Capay valley is Joel Wood, who was born sixteen miles from Nashville, Tenn., January 27, 1827. When but six years of age he and his two brothers, accompanied by their uncle, William Glaze, walked the entire distance between Nashville and Carlton, Mo., near which town Mr. Wood spent his boyhood, receiving a common school education. In 1849, at a time when hundreds of emigrants left their homes in the east for the alluring “land of gold,” Mr. Wood, in company with Edmond Clark, a neighbor residing in Richmond county, Mo., joined a train westward bound, with William Gray as its captain. At this time a large party of Mormons was enroute to Salt Lake and maintained a most unfriendly attitude toward Captain Gray’s company. At Green river the caravan divided, the Mormons striking another trail, while Captain Gray’s party continued in peace. They stopped a short time at Antelope Springs and resumed their journey, knowing nothing of the desert before them but safely crossed it in about two days, though they were obliged to kill most of their cattle owing to fatigue and lack of water. At Bitter creek they rested three days, then pushed ahead to the Red Hills, where their wagons and remaining cattle became mired to such an extent that they were obliged to go on without them. At Marysville, Cal., Mr. Wood purchased a claim from which he and his uncle secured $500 in a short time. In the fall of 1850 he returned to Missouri, but another year found him again in Marysville. He lived for a time in Big valley, Lake county, but owing to the proximity to the Indians took his family to Land valley, where they lived about a year, removing to the Capay valley, where Mr. Wood purchased five hundred and ninety-five acres of land at $6 per acre. Erecting a blacksmith’s shop he carried on his trade for several years.
At the present time Mr. Wood owns six hundred and forty acres, and has also presented his children with land. He has about twenty head of cattle and eighty hogs and conducts a general farming business.
Mr. Wood’s marriage united him with Miss Emmeline Clark, a native of Missouri, and the daughter of Edmond Clark. She died in 1910. The following children were born of their marriage: Albert, of San Bernardino county; George of Lakeport; John, deceased; Lee, of Guinda; Josie, Mrs. Al Schulte, of Folsom; Mary, Mrs. Nourse, of Sacramento; Etta, Mrs. Alfred Richardson, of Capay valley; and Myrtle, Mrs. William Boles, of Capay valley. Mr. Wood is a Democrat and is deeply interested in all movements pertaining to the welfare of the county. For many years he has been a member of the United Brethren Church and can always be relied upon to assist in its cause.
Transcribed by Bea Barton
Source: “History of Yolo County, California” by Tom Gregory. Published by the Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1913, pages 638 – 639.