Yuba County
Biographies
CYRUS KING DAM
Prominent among the stalwart and progressive citizens of Yuba County, honored and esteemed by all who knew him, the late Cyrus King Dam passed away at his attractive home in Wheatland, October 28, 1907, after a residence in that community of fifty-one years. Born in Cambridge, Mass., February 8, 1843, voyaging with his mother and brother and sister on the steamer Illinois from New York to Aspinwall, crossing the Isthmus of Panama, reaching San Francisco December 1, 1856, on the steamer Golden Age, he rejoined his adventurous father after a separation of nearly seven years. The family came up the Sacramento River on the steamer Antelope as far as Sacramento, then transferred to a light draught steamer up the Feather River, disembarked at Nicolaus and drove by team to the new made farm where Mr. Dam, as well as his father, was destined to spend the remainder of his days.
Cyrus King Dam, Sr., who was born in Newfield, Me., November 5, 1818, sailed from Boston in the bark Callao of 349 tons around Cape Horn. Dismantled in a severe stress of weather, the bark put into Rio de Janeiro for repairs, arriving at San Francisco October 31, 1850, after a perilous voyage of 219 days. He went to the “Southern” mines, but met with no luck. For a time he was engaged in transporting merchandise on small boats up the Feather River while the water was too low for a steamer. Then he kept the accounts for Max and Henry Sparks, who were engaged extensively in farming and stock raising on Bear River. In 1852 he took up a piece of land and sowed the first crop (oats) ever grown on a portion of what was known as the “big field” on Bear River, later known as the Wood Ranch. The next year he settled on a tract of hitherto unoccupied and untilled land, laying claim to 280 acres between Grasshopper Slough and the present site of Wheatland, and cut the oak timber for his outside fence with his own hands. Grasshoppers devastated the crop of 1855, but out of the proceeds of the crop of 1856 he sent East for his family. At times it looked as if there would be bloodshed between the various squatters and the forces of the grant claimants. He perfected title to this land in 1857 by giving back a mortgage of $3000 in exchange for a deed from the holders of the legal title under the United States patent issued that year. This land, homesteaded in 1861, has remained continuously in the possession of this one family for seventy-one years. It has never failed to produce a good crop a single year in all that time. The sturdy pioneer died May 9, 1865. Mr. Dam’s mother, born Charlotte Gould in Boston, November 28, 1819, received a silver medal on graduation from the public schools and afterward taught in the Hancock School, Boston. She became a great worker in the temperance cause and lived to a ripe old age, passing away March 8, 1906.
Mr. Dam is a descendant of Deacon John Dam, a Puritan from Cheshire, England, who settled in Dover, N. H., in 1633. The family name is traced back to Domesday Book in the year 1085, where it is spelled “Dame,” but pronounced Dam. The family were freeholders from the time of Edward IV. Mr. Dam claims descent from a long list of men who served their country either in our early colonial wars or in the war for American independence.
From his entry into the State as a boy, Mr. Dam engaged actively in farming and so continued throughout his life. In the early days oxen were sometimes used. Before the railroad came, he hauled much of his produce of grain, hay and fruit up to Nevada City, driving his own teams. From 1875 to 1878, he was a member of the Board of Supervisors, representing the third district, and effected important improvements on the county highways.
The Wheatland flour mill, erected in 1872, was acquired by the Wheatland Mill Co., organized in 1877 by the following men: F. R. Lofton, C. K. Dam, M. V. Sparks, J. M. C. Jasper and Perkins Hutchinson. Mr. Dam was secretary of the company and in 1880 became superintendent of the mill. Lofton, Dam and I. N. Brock afterward became the principal owners. Originally it was a burr-stone mill, but the new roller process was installed about 1888. The mill property, including two large grain warehouses and a flour warehouse, was acquired by the Sperry Flour Co. in 1892. Mr. Dam was manager of the mill until July, 1896, when it was shut down. He then leased the entire property until it was destroyed by the big fire in the summer of 1898. Subsequently the Sperry Flour Co. offered Mr. Dam the position of manager of one of its largest flour mills, with the privilege of fixing his own salary, but he declined the offer out of preference for Yuba County. After the destruction of the old mill property, Mr. Dam erected two large corrugated iron grain warehouses and engaged in the grain and warehouse business, with some insurance lines, in addition to his farming operations. From time to time Mr. Dam added to his land holdings until he owned 2350 acres of well improved land, clear of debt, sometimes farming 5000 acres, including rented land. His place was well stocked.
June 6, 1867, Mr. Dam was married to Frances Leoni Scott. She was born near Liberty Prairie, Madison County, Illinois, December 27, 1848, a daughter of Samuel Watson and Frances (Belk) Scott. April 9, 1865, the Scott family, including six children of whom Leoni was eldest, left Alton, Illinois, on a boat up the Mississippi River for Keokuk, Iowa, where they equipped themselves with mule teams and emigrant wagons and joined a large emigrant train of thirty four-horse wagons commanded by Colonel Alexander, who was making his seventh trip across the plains. Every night the wagons were driven up so as to form a corral, with the stock all tied inside, and one man stood watch all night. At first they feasted on prairie chickens, but later dried beef and crackers made the noonday meal for three months. The women took their turns at walking. The Indians would come up and beg, but did not molest them. Dreadful electric storms were encountered with torrents of rain, which made it hard to find dry fuel. Their route lay via Omaha, Salt Lake City and Virginia City. Fortunately, they came through without any serious mishap, arriving in the Sacramento Valley August 10 of the same year. The girls then threw away their serviced linsey-woolsey dresses and blossomed forth in brand-new calico costing fifty cents a yard. Mrs. Dam well remembers the hardships and anxieties of the trip and says, “I had all the camping I ever want on that trip, and no more for me.” Samuel Scott engaged in ranching in Yuba County on a section of land halfway between Marysville and Wheatland, where Mr. and Mr. Dam were married. Mr. Dam drove a header up to noon of his wedding day and was married at 3 o’clock. Mr. Scott’s father, Rosamond P., was one of those frontier riflemen in General Jackson’s army in the Battle of New Orleans. Mr. Scott was named after his [great] grandfather, Col. Samuel Watson, who served in the Revolutionary War. Mr. Scott was born in Hardin County, Tenn., August 17, 1824, and died October 28, 1876. Mrs. Scott was born in Heek [Heck], York County, England, October 16, 1829, and came to America a baby in arms. After farming several years she retired to Wheatland and resided there until her death, October 24, 1888.
Mr. Dam left surviving him his widow and seven children, namely: Cyrus Harry, Fannie Charlotte (since deceased), Etta Pearl, Francis Herbert, Arthur King, Carrie Dam Halsey and Cora Dam Ferguson, who have continued his ranch and warehouse business ever since his death under the name of “C. K. Dam Estate.” Mrs. Dam has resided in Berkeley since 1908.
Mr. Dam’s enterprise and public spirit made him foremost among the men of affairs of this county. In all his business, he showed foresight and good judgment; and in all his dealings with his fellows, he evidenced high principles not often found among men. People came to him from all directions to seek his counsel and advice in their own business projects and undertakings. He was a friend and counselor to the entire community and was the first to suggest to the owners of Bear River bottom that their land was suitable for the culture of hops. There was practically no public movement to which he did not lend a hand.
He was a life long Republican, was active in the anti-debris fight until the law prohibiting hydraulic mining was passed; was foreman of many grand juries; was a member and for many years a trustee of the Baptist Church of Wheatland; was a Past Grand of Sutter Lodge No. 100, I.O.O.F., and president of the Odd Fellows’ Building Association. Fond of the homely poems of James Whitcomb Riley, Mr. Dam entertained his fellow lodge members with recitations from the Hoosier poet. Many an eye has moistened from the pathos of his expression.
A voice on the street thus interpreted the popular sentiment of his passing: “If ever a good man lived it was old C. K.” Friends from far and near attested their respect by the largest funeral cortege Wheatland had witnessed. The minister chose as the text of his funeral sermon (Psalms 37:37): “Mark the perfect man and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace.”
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p. 1144-1150