Yuba County
Biographies
DEWITT CLINTON CUDDEBACK
Prominent among the ranchers of Yuba County, and among the native sons of the Golden State, is Dewitt Clinton Cuddeback, who was born near Chico, Butte County, April 25, 1874, a son of Dewitt Clinton and Elizabeth (Daggett) Cuddeback, natives of Illinois. Dewitt Clinton Cuddeback, Sr., came to California with his wife about 1870. They settled and farmed in Butte County for about ten years, and then moved to the Prairie district, Yuba County, nine miles northeast of Marysville, where Mr. Cuddeback purchased a quarter-section of land, and they lived on this ranch for ten years. After selling it, they moved to Brownsville and purchased eighty acres of land used for stock-raising, and there he engaged in freighting out of Marysville to the mountains. After residing there for ten years, they moved back to the old Prairie district and rented a ranch for eight years. They then moved to Chico, where he purchased a small home, in which he resided until his death. Both he and his wife died when they were eighty years old. Mr. and Mrs. Cuddeback were the parents of ten children: Alice, Etta, Flurence, Edson, Peter, Dewitt Clinton, Daisy, Emery, Robert, and Sallie.
Dewitt Clinton Cuddeback was educated in the Prairie school district in Yuba County. When he was twenty years old, he started out for himself and worked on ranches in Butte and Yuba Counties. For five years he was in partnership with his father in the dairy business. He rented the Ruff ranch in Linda Township, and while making his home there he engaged in teaming. He then moved to George Beilby’s ranch, four miles north of Wheatland. This was taken over by George Fleming; and since that time Mr. Cuddeback has been superintendent of this ranch of over 3000 acres, which is being improved to vineyard and orchard. He leased a part of this ranch from year to year, and farmed for himself.
On June 16, 1909, at the Boyer ranch, Yuba County, Dewitt Clinton Cuddeback was united in marriage with Miss Lucille Downey, who was born at Marysville, the daughter of Samuel and Mary (Lane) Downey, natives of the Golden State. Her grandfather Lane was one of the first settlers of Yuba County, and her grandfather Downey was also an early pioneer. Mr. and Mrs. Downy were the parents of two daughters: Lucille, Mrs. Cuddeback, and Mrs. Veda Whiteside. Mr. and Mrs. Cuddeback were blessed with six children: Earl, Lloyd, Veda, Irma, Howard and Harold. Mr. Cuddeback is a Republican in national politics. At the present time he is clerk of the board of trustees of the Virginia school district. Fraternally, he is a member of Sutter Lodge No. 100, I.O.O.F., of Wheatland; and he and his wife are members of the Rebekahs.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p. 1299-1300
THOMAS A. FERGUSON
A man who is widely and favorably known in Yuba County, where his operations as superintendent of the Horst ranch have brought him prominently to the front, is Thomas A. Ferguson. He was born near Brighton, Sacramento County, January 22, 1888, a son of Robert J. and Mary (Painter) Ferguson, natives of Scotland and Ohio, respectively. Robert J. Ferguson came to California in the early days and settled on a large ranch in Sacramento County, farming a small portion and leasing the remainder. He married Mary Painter in the Golden State, and they became the parents of eight children: Pearl, deceased; Nellie, Belle, Rose, and Thomas A., the subject of this sketch; Blanch, deceased; Mary; and Elmer. Mr. Ferguson passed away when he was sixty-two years old; Mrs. Ferguson is residing in Sacramento.
Thomas A. Ferguson attended the public schools in Sacramento County, and when he was about seventeen years old he started out for himself, and since that time has been engaged in ranching. For the last eighteen years he has been employed on the Horst ranches. He first became an employee of Mr. Horst at Perkins, Sacramento County, and was then placed on the Horst ranch at Wheatland, where he remained for three years. After ten years as superintendent of the Horst Eola ranch near Independence, in Willamette Valley, Ore., he returned to Yuba County and in 1922 became superintendent of the 2300-acre ranch at Wheatland. This ranch has 1000 acres devoted to plums, prunes, peaches, pears and apricots, and the remaining portion is in hops, grain and hay.
On July 12, 1911, at San Francisco, Thomas A. Ferguson was united in marriage with Lilly M. Jasper, a native of Yuba County, born on the old Jasper ranch near Wheatland. She attended the Wheatland school and was reared in that community. Her father, Joseph Jasper, was one of the early pioneers who settled in Yuba County; and on his ranch he raised grain and stock. Mr. and Mrs. Jasper were blessed with six children: Minnie, Henry, Ernest, Earl, Lilly, Mrs. Ferguson, and Ruby. Mr. Jasper died in 1906, greatly mourned by his beloved family. Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson have been blessed with one son, Stanley. Mr. Ferguson is a stanch Republican. He is a member of Sutter Lodge No. 100, I.O.O.F., of Wheatland, of which he is a Past Grand. Mrs. Ferguson is a member of the Eastern Star.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p. 1301