Lake County Obituaries

Charles Anthony Piner

Submitted by Anita Crabtree

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Clear Lake Press, January 14, 1905

DIED AT HIS HOME NEAR KELSEYVILLE, ON JANUARY 8th, 1905, CHARLES A. PINER, AGED 
77 YEARS  
Charles Anthony Piner was born in Calloway county, Missouri, Dec. 6th, 1827, 
being one of a family of seven brothers and sisters, only one of whom, Stephen 
M. Piner, of this village, is now living. In 1848, at the age of 21, the subject 
of this brief memoir was united in marriage to Miss Sarah A. Hand, who lives to 
mourn his death. In 1849, Mr. Piner crossed the plains with his wife and child 
in an ox wagon, settling first in Napa county, California, in 1850, thence 
removing in 1852 to the present site of Santa Rosa, where he was one of the 
early settlers. In 1858, he removed to Ukiah, in Mendocino county, from which 
place he came to Lake county, locating here in 1861. Ten children were born to 
Mr. and Mrs. Piner, all but one of them being Native sons or daughters, and 
seven of them surviving their father. Named in order of their births, the 
children are given as follows: George W. Piner, Mrs. Jennie Renfro, Mrs. 
Katherine Robison (deceased), Mrs. Mary Williams, Charles S. Piner, Violet Piner 
(deceased), John S. Piner, Mrs. Marilda Rideout, Henry Piner (deceased), and 
Mrs. Rosa Norton. 
Mr. Piner rejoiced in the artless prattle of thirty-five grandchildren, thirty 
of whom are now living, and twenty of them being present at their grandfather’s 
funeral. Of great-grandchildren twenty-one have been born, eighteen surviving 
him, eleven of whom attended his funeral. It has been remarked as a notable fact 
in the known history of Mr. Piner’s family that five times it has occurred that 
there were five generations of the name living. 
Few men have lived through the stressful pioneer days of California as 
blamelessly as Charles Piner. To every resident of this community he was 
affectionately known as “Uncle Charlie.” His funeral was one of the most largely 
attended that has occurred in the history of Kelseyville. 
All the business houses in town closed as the sorrowing friends and relatives 
paced the last solemn journey from the dead man’s late residence to his final 
resting place, and the public schools in town closed for the afternoon on 
Tuesday (the day of the burial). At the house, Elder McCash, of Lakeport, 
delivered an affecting sermon, after Elder J. J. Bruton had uttered a heartfelt 
prayer to the giver of all things over the mortal remains of his life-long 
friend. Ten stalwart grandsons of the dead man bore his body to the grave. More 
than a hundred vehicles were in the funeral procession, fourteen conveyances 
being required for the relatives alone. The last words were spoken committing 
his form to Mother Earth, and the friends dispersed to their several homes, 
truly grieving that his face should be seen no more among us, yet just as truly 
rejoicing that the dead man’s kind words and gentle nature still live and are 
imperishable so long as we have memory. To him, the sweet peace he has earned! 
To us, the strife of the living, but with the advantage of his worthy life as an 
example!