Yolo County
Biographies
Franklyn G. Schaeffer
One of those who the state of Pennsylvania has contributed to the Golden State is Franklyn G. Schaeffer, who was born in Northumberland county in the year which closed the Civil war, 1865. His father, P. D. Schaeffer, a miller by trade, was also a native of Northumberland county, and his mother, in maidenhood Rebecca Stitzel, was likewise a native of Pennsylvania. When a lad of seventeen years Franklyn Schaeffer accompanied his parents to Three Rivers, St. Joseph county, Mich., where for the ensuing eight years he assisted his father in the maintenance of the farm. In 1902 he carried out a plan which he had long been cherishing and came to the Capay valley, Yolo county, Cal., where soon afterward he purchased that land that is now his bearing orchard. This comprises twenty-one acres of land near Rumsey, all of which, aside from two and one-half acres in alfalfa, is in prune and apricot trees.
For the past ten years Mr. Schaeffer has resided upon his ranch, devoting his best interests to its development, and reaping a profit commensurate with the energy and effort bestowed upon it. Last year, besides the income derived from his alfalfa, which is of high quality, his fruit netted him over $2,000.
Mr. Schaeffer’s wife was formerly Miss Maggie Frymire, also a native of Pennsylvania and one of his schoolmates. In politics Mr. Schaeffer votes the independent ticket, and is deeply interested in the welfare of the community which he has so long been a resident. Members of the Reformed Church, genial and kindly, Mr. and Mrs. Schaeffer enjoy the esteem of a large circle of friends.
Transcribed by Bea Barton
Source: “History of Yolo County, California” by Tom Gregory. Published by the Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1913, pages 430 – 433.
John Comontofski
By virtue of his innate qualities of perseverance and unswerving honor, Mr. Comontofski has succeeded in building up from no capital whatever, saving his own industry and determination, the prosperity which he enjoys today, his beautiful ranch of eighty acres, as well as other tracts near Woodland, ranking among the most valuable in this section.
A native of Germany, Mr. Comontofski occurred in Koenigsberg, Prussia, July 15, 1860, and there he received his education, later following farming until his immigration to America in 1889. Proceeding immediately to Yolo county, Cal., he entered the service of Otto Schluer, upon whose ranch he remained three years, going thence to Webster county, Neb. A year later, however, he returned to Yolo county, strong in the belief that the climate of this section had no equal either in the old country or the new. For a time he rented land near Woodland and engaged in farming and viticulture until he purchased his present home place of eighty acres in 1895. Erecting a comfortable residence, the grounds surrounding which he took great pride in beautifying, he turn his attention to the development of his property, planting thirty-five acres to Zinfindel grapes, the wine variety, his crops approximating eight to ten tons per acre. Thirty acres he put in alfalfa, which averages five cuttings annually, conducting also upon his home place a dairy of eighteen cows. He also owns a ranch of twenty-two acres a quarter mile from his home, nearly all of which is in seedless sultana raisin grapes, besides one hundred and sixty acres of land eight miles southwest of Woodland, devoted to raising grain, cattle, hogs and also furnishing pasture. In addition to his own land he rents land upon which he raises alfalfa.
On January 24, 1884, Mr. Comontofski was married to Miss Minnie Wademan, also a native of Germany, their union being blessed with six children, as follows: August, Lydia, Emma, Edward, Emil and Elsie.
A member of Concordia Lodge No. 20, Herman Sons, Mr. Comontofski maintains a practical interest in all questions of the day, and with his wife and family enjoys active membership in the German Lutheran Church of Woodland.
Transcribed by Bea Barton
Source: “History of Yolo County, California” by Tom Gregory. Published by the Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1913, pages 433 – 434.
Oliver B. Schooling
In 1859, when he was eleven years of age, Oliver B. Schooling came to California across the plains with his parents. Although this is not a very early date as compared with the time of the old pioneers, the family nevertheless had their share of hardships and adventures on the great trans-continental trail before their train was disbanded in Marysville. At the beginning of the journey the company consisted of five families, but it grew larger as it proceeded and overtook other small bands of immigrants, and presently was a twenty wagon train. They met the usual bands of mischievous Indians with eyes on the travelers’ cattle, and it took all their care and watchfulness to prevent trouble and preserve their three hundred head of livestock. Mr. Schooling relates an incident along this line which is unusual and unique. The train seems to have crossed the trail of a general buffalo migration, and these wild animals occasionally were disposed to claim relationship with their kin, the immigrants’ cattle. In quite a sociable way they went through the train and succeeded several times in stampeding the domestic herd. Of course the men used their rifles freely, and not only had plenty of buffalo meat as an article of diet, but captured a number of buffalo calves whose mothers had fallen in the fights.
The family settled on a small farm which was purchased on Horncut creek, where they lived for about five years. Their next venture was the accumulation of one thousand acres at Live Oak, where they engaged in sheep raising for six years. This tract they sold and removed to Lake county, in this state, and securing a fine range on the shores of Clear Lake went into farming and stock-raising. They were there during the water and range troubles, when a dam, built in a watercourse by a company for the purpose of drowning out a number of contesting settlers, was destroyed by a band of four hundred angry farmers living around the lake. This occurred in 1870, and it was partially the cause of the Schoolings selling out after ten years’ residence and removing to Modoc county. There they had some more warm experiences, as the big Modoc war came on during their residence in that wild, rocky, Indian-infested country.
Mr. Schooling was married to Lillias Gordon, a native of Siskiyou county, Cal., and their children are Leonard C., Ervin P., Robert E., Albert and Eva. The eldest child, Leonard C., is deceased. Ervin P. married Miss Maggie Slayter, and they have three children. Robert E. married Miss Bell Charter, and they are the parents of five children. Eva married Fred Hamblet of Dunnigan, and they have three children, Earl, Russell and Mabel. Albert married Miss Fannie Flourney, and resides in British Columbia.
Oliver B. Schooling in 1892 was again on the wing, as it were, as during that year he changed his residence from Modoc to Tehama and then down to Colusa county. Finally he came to Yolo county. This was in 1909¾just a half-century from old Missouri. It was a long time of wandering, but it was ended at last. He was then sixty-one, not old for a man who has lived fifty years in California¾where people grow young as they grow old. True, his wife, to whom he was married years ago, is deceased, but he is settled down, content to pass the remainder of his days in quietude. His home farm consists of one hundred and sixty acres, about eight miles southwest of Dunnigan, besides which he rents adjoining land, devoting it to grain and hay. He is quite successful in sheep-raising, but his specialty is the raising of turkeys. He carefully selects the best breeds and the flocks he produces for market take the highest price. In 1910 and 1911 he sold $1,000 worth each year.
Transcribed by Bea Barton
Source: “History of Yolo County, California” by Tom Gregory. Published by the Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1913, pages 434 – 435.