Yolo County
Biographies
William Brinck
One of the most prominent citizens of Winters is William Brinck. This Yolo pioneer was born in Bichweiler, Alsace, France, October 20, 1849, living there until 1869, or until nineteen years of age. With his parents, Henry and Elizabeth (Klem) Brinck, natives of the same place, he came to this country, locating in New York City, and after three years’ sojourn there the subject of this review, in company with his brother, Henry Brinck, struck out for the west. Fortune evidently went with the two young Alsatians, because they landed in one of the garden spots of this garden of the world ¾ Pleasant valley, Solano county. They immediately settled upon a tract of two hundred and ten acres and began to prosper. It was hard work clearing land for cultivation, but that made no difference to them, or to their neighbors, and that is the reason Pleasant valley blossoms as the rose. William married Miss Mary Keene, a native daughter of the Golden West, and from that union was born, thirty-one years ago, a son, William, Jr., whose marriage to Miss Daisy Manning resulted in the birth of two sons, William G. and John M. After the death of his first wife, William Brinck married Josephine Bernier, a native of Kentucky. This even took place sixteen years ago, and the couple have two daughters, Gladys I. and Elizabeth E.
Mr. Brinck, true to his native France, at first planted grapevines, but when his vineyard, with those of his neighbors, became diseased, he grubbed it up and planted the land to peaches, apricots, plums, prunes and pears. In the year 1903 he dissolved with his brother and divided the places. About eighteen years ago he located on his present place and set out an orchard on a tract of grain land, now having one hundred and twenty-five acres in one big orchard of different varieties of fruit. He has sixty acres of peaches and twenty-five acres of almonds. The yields of all his orchards for the year have been enormous. He lives in a splendid ten-room residence, fully modern and up to date, set in the middle of beautiful surrounding grounds planted with orange trees and rare fruits for family use. The ranch is well equipped with suitable packing and drying houses, etc.
Mr. Brinck was made a Mason in Buckeye Lodge No. 195 at Winters, and himself and wife are identified with the Order of the Eastern Star. He has always taken a keen interest in the educational affairs of his neighborhood and has repeatedly served as trustee of the district and of the Winters union high school. For several years he has been vice president and a director of the First National and Savings Bank of Winters, and is also a director in the Winters Canning Association and the Winters Dried Fruit Company. In politics he affiliates with the Republicans, but does not stick close within party lines when the personal character of the candidate is in question. He is closely attached to his family, is a loving father, a helpful neighbor, and, in all, a good citizen of the republic, like the many immigrants the Republic of France has sent to this country.
Transcribed by Bea Barton
Source: “History of Yolo County, California” by Tom Gregory. Published by the Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1913, pages 404 - 407.
Mrs. Bertha Weber
By her innate refinement and breadth of culture Mrs. Weber has greatly endeared herself to her many friends in Woodland, and has also amply proven her business ability in the management of her highly cultivated and productive estate adjacent to the city.
Born in Horn, Gmund, Wurtemberg, Germany, Mrs. Weber was the fourth eldest of seven children and received a thorough public school education in her home community. Her parents, Bernard and Veronica (Klotzbiger) Schuerle, were also natives of Gmund, and her father served as game warden and head forester of a large estate until he died. The Schuerle family comes of very old and noble ancestors of Wurtemberg, Germany. Bertha Schuerle became the wife of Christian Weber, a carpenter and builder, their marriage taking place in Stuttgart, Germany, May 19, 1863. During the succeeding eight years they made their home in Stuttgart, the husband continuing to conduct his trade with increasing success, and by his sterling qualities and good judgment becoming one of the leading citizens of the community. In 1871, however, the plans of the young couple were shattered by the death of Mr. Weber, at the age of thirty-five. In 1876 the bereaved young wife, accompanied by her two little daughters, left the scenes of her happy married life of five years, with her brother, John K. Schuerle, a farmer of Woodland, Cal. In 1901, upon the death of her brother, she became sole owner of the two hundred and thirty-five acre farm which, in innumerable ways, she had assisted in bringing to a state of prosperity, and she continued to reside on her ranch, the affairs of which she had so judiciously conducted. After the marriage of her children, Mary, Mrs. Abele of Dunnigan, and Amelia, Mrs. Bemmerly, who resides in Woodland, Mrs. Weber redoubled her interest in the general welfare of the community, bravely endeavoring to bridge the gap that became apparent upon the departure of those whom she loved best.
In addition to raising grain Mrs. Weber devotes sixty acres of her property to the culture of a vineyard, and finds keen pleasure in the many duties which command her attention. She is the owner of valuable real estate in Woodland and maintains an intelligent and personal control over her interests. The grounds surrounding her home are well kept and in excellent taste, a notable feature being a massive and beautiful oak which towers majestically above its fellows.
Mrs. Weber is an active member of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church, to which she devotes much of her time and thought as well as financial assistance, and is widely known as a woman of high intelligence and generous sympathies.
Transcribed by Bea Barton
Source: “History of Yolo County, California” by Tom Gregory. Published by the Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1913, pages 407 - 408.
Mrs. Henry Borden Wood
The late Henry Borden Wood, whose widow, Mrs. Julia T. Wood, is one of the most highly honored of the older citizens of Woodland, Yolo county, Cal., was born at Little Compton, R. I., August 8, 1826, and died November 10, 1906. Mr. Wood was a son of Borden and Harriet (Gray) Wood, natives of Rhode Island. When he was fifteen years old his parents moved to New York City and his father became a captain in the merchant marine service. A few years later the family took up their residence at New Bedford, Mass., and Borden Wood became president of a bank in that city. There the son completed his education and there he was a clerk until 1849, when he and five others chartered a whaling vessel and sailed around Cape Horn for San Francisco and thence up to Benicia. It was on Washington’s birthday that thy left New Bedford and the journey was slow and tiresome. Mr. Wood went to the mines, but soon established himself as a grocery merchant in Sonora. Later he was in the shoe trade until in 1852, when he returned to Massachusetts. After a stay there of five months he returned to California by way of the Isthmus of Panama and opened a shoe store in Marysville. In 1858 he removed to Yolo county and bought and improved and operated a ranch near Charleston and in 1864 he entered upon a two years’ clerkship with Thomas & Laugenour at Knight’s Landing. In 1866 he was appointed deputy sheriff under Sheriff Charles Gray, but soon opened a hardware store on Main street, Woodland which he conducted successfully until his death. After that even his widow continued the business a year and a half, then disposed of it. She still owns a store building on Main street near First, her residence at No. 827 Main street, and other property in the city.
June 8, 1851, at Sacramento, Cal., Mr. Wood married Julia T. Hannon, a native of Kings county, Ireland. When she was two years old she was adopted by her grandparents, James and Elizabeth Prout, of Queens county, and was educated by a tutor. In 1849 she came across the ocean to Boston, Mass., with her aunt, Margaret Prout, who sent her to a young ladies’ seminary at New Bedford. In 1859 she came to California by way of the Isthmus of Panama, landing at San Francisco July 30, thence she went to Sacramento, where she was married about two years later. She bore her husband five children: Harriet E. died at the age of two years and six months; Borden died in San Francisco in 1904 in his thirty-seventh year; Henry died August 15, 1906; Augustine and James live in Woodland. Mrs. Wood is a woman of strong character and ready sympathies, noted alike for her business ability and for her unostentatious help of deserving persons in need. She is a communicant of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church of Woodland. Her later husband was in his political affiliations a Republican; in his religion he was an Episcopalian; as a citizen he was generously public-spirited and helpful to all worthy local interests.
Transcribed by Bea Barton
Source: “History of Yolo County, California” by Tom Gregory. Published by the Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1913, pages 408 - 411.