Yuba County
Biographies
FRANK BALL
A son of one of the pioneer settlers of California, Frank Ball is a true type of the Westerner. For more than three decades he engaged in the raising of stock, becoming widely known as a successful breeder; and he is now living retired on his ranch near Oregon House, in Yuba County, where he has resided for the past thirty-three years. He was born at Diamond Springs, Cal., on April 21, 1863, and his parents were Farlin Moore and Rachel (Miller) Ball, the former a native of Wisconsin and the latter of Ohio. In 1857 they joined the rush of gold-seekers to California, crossing the plains with an immigrant wagon train. Those who left the party at Salt Lake City, Utah, meet death in the terrible Mountain Meadow massacre; but the Ball family reached California in safety with the remainder of the train. They settled in the Sierra Valley, and there the father followed mining for a time. Later, the family started on the journey to Oregon; but in Tehama County the father was taken ill, and here he died in 1874. His widow afterwards became Mrs. Talbert, and resided on a farm in Tehama County until her death , in 1920, at the venerable age of ninety-four. Mr. and Mrs. Farlin M. Ball were the parents of eight children, six of whom survive as follows: Mrs. Elvie Taylor, the only one born in the East, who lives in Tehama County; Ed, residing in Stockton; Frank, of whom we write; Mrs. Minnie Howard, who died in Tehama County on March 28, 1893; Allie, Mrs. Charles Baylis, who died in Cottonwood, April 3, 1912; Wakeman and Farlin Moore, both of Tehama County; Mrs. Libbie Dickie, of Oakland.
Frank Ball obtained his education in the public schools and acquired a practical knowledge of farming while aiding in caring for the home ranch. In 1890 he came to Yuba County, locating near Oregon House. He is now living on the Flanley ranch, which comprises 480 acres and is situated on the Camptonville road, about twenty-three miles northeast of Marysville, and is now the property of Mr. and Mrs. Ball. Mr. Ball has a comprehensive understanding of the stock-raising business, which he followed for many years in association with his father-in-law, Mr. Flanley. The latter was one of the pioneer stock-raisers of California. He ran his cattle over the forest ranges of the high Sierras long before the Forest Reserve was established. After the death of Mr. Flanley, Mr. Ball continued the business independently, conducting his operations on an extensive scale, and exercising sound judgment, foresight and marked ability in the management of his interests. He recently withdrew from the business, having accumulated a substantial competence, and now leases his ranch to stockmen for a winter range. He added many improvements to the property and materially aided in improving the standards of stock-raising in this part of the State, keeping well abreast of the times in everything relating to his line of work.
On November 9, 1891, in Marysville, Mr. Ball was married to Miss Nellie Flanley, also a native of this State. She was born at Oregon Hill, Yuba County, January 8, 1867. Her parents were Patrick and Annie (Burns) Flanley, the former a native of Ireland and the latter of Edinburgh, Scotland. The mother was born in 1831 and was married in her native city. In 1850 Mr. and Mrs. Flanley emigrated to the United States, taking passage on a sailing vessel; and after reaching Worcester, Mass., Mr. Flanley started for the gold-fields of California, making the dangerous voyage around Cape Horn. He first located at Forest City, in Sierra County, and in 1852 the mother joined him, traversing the same route. Three months after her arrival they moved to the Central Ranch near North San Juan, in Nevada County, where the father engaged in farming and stock-raising. In 1856 he sold the place and made his way to Moonshine, near Bullard’s Bar; and in that locality he became the owner of a sawmill. Four years later he established a similar enterprise near Oregon Hill, also operating a farm in that locality, and in October, 1869, he removed to the old Martin ranch, afterwards always called the Flanley ranch, on the Camptonville road, two miles below Oregon House, where he spent the remainder of his life, specializing in the raising of live stock. He was very successful in his operations, becoming one of the foremost cattlemen of the district. In politics he was a stanch Democrat. He passed away in 1891, at the age of seventy-two, having long survived his wife, who died in 1878, when forty-seven years of age. Four children were born to them, their daughter Nellie being the youngest member of the family. Mrs. Sarah Archambault, the eldest, is living in Biggs, Butte County. Joseph met his death by drowning in Butte Creek on November 18, 1885. He was a valued member of the Native Sons of the Golden West, having membership in Oregon Parlor, No. 51. Lizzie was a well-known resident of Marysville, and was called to her final rest in 1911, when forty-nine years of age. Nellie Flanley came to the Flanley ranch, where she has always resided, in October, 1869, and here grew up, attending the Clark district school. When Mr. Flanley bought the ranch from Mr. Martin, there was a large hotel building; here they kept hotel for the accommodation of travelers, teamsters, stages and pack-trains, and it continued to be a popular stopping place. In June, 1876, the hotel was destroyed by fire. After returning from spending the summer at Forest City, in the fall of 1876, Mr. Flanley rebuilt the hotel, but on a smaller scale, as the travel was not so great as formerly. Mr. and Mrs. Ball continued keeping travelers until August, 1910, when the hotel was again burned to the ground. They then built the residence they now occupy, and have discontinued the hotel business.
Mr. and Mrs. Ball have five children, of whom Farlin H., the eldest, was born August 11, 1896. He entered the service of the Pacific Gas & Electric Company, working together with the construction crew, with headquarters at Yuba City. He enlisted in the United States army and for three years and six months was stationed on the Mexican border, receiving his honorable discharge from the service at San Antonio, Texas. Leah, born December 11, 1897, married Roy F. Sargent, by whom she has two sons, Laverne and John; their home is at Benicia. Joseph was born October 23, 1899, and is living in Sacramento. He is married and has a son, Clayton. Mrs. Hester Stone, born October 7, 1900, is also a resident of that city. Ruth was born December 22, 1903; she is a graduate of Marysville High School and is employed in a clerical capacity in the establishment of Hale Brothers, at Sacramento. Mrs. Ball is a Catholic, having membership in St. Joseph’s Church, Marysville. Both Mr. and Mrs. Ball have served on the board of directors of the Clark district school, the cause of education finding in them strong advocates.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p. 796-797
STANLEY EFKIN WATSON
An experienced dairyman who has advanced an important California industry a peg or two by his successful operations in the North, is Stanley Efkin Watson, the proprietor of the Marysville-Yuba Dairy. He was born at Marysville, on September 10, 1895, the son of John W. and Lena (Efkin) Watson; the former an adventurous soul, who ran away from home as a boy, came out to California and became an expert millwright for the Sperry Flour Company, with his head-quarters in Marysville, where he now conducts the American Café. Both Mr. and Mrs. Watson have done the best they could with their lives to make them of value to the world in which they have lived; and posterity will owe them something for the fruit of their honest labors.
Stanley Watson attended school as long as he was able, and then went to work in the dairy he established, in 1913, when only seventeen years of age. He commenced in a modest way, making $60 the first month, and steadily built up his business. He used to get up at 3:45 a.m., to bottle and deliver the milk, which he first measured and then put up in bottles; and now he has a complete modern plant, operates four busy wagons, and is very successful. He employs nine assistants. The high quality of his dairy products, and the care with which, in scientifically sanitary fashion, they are put up for public consumption, have led the patrons of the dairy to place implicit confidence in all that is supervised and guaranteed by Mr. Watson.
In Marysville occurred the marriage of Mr. Watson and Miss Helen Lightfoot, of Oregon; and they have two children, Elenor Enid, and Bobby June. Mr. Watson belongs to the Natives Sons of the Golden West.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p. 798