Histories

From the Appeal-Democrat, "The Rambler" column
by Lou Eichler, December 11, 1929

Four Generations of Weber Family in Sutter

In 1864, Joseph Weber took his wife and their nine children aboard three prairie schooners and started from Iowa for California across the plains. Joseph drove one of the outfits, Ed Krull drove another and Margaret Weber, eldest child of Joseph, aged 16, drove the third. All the wagons were drawn by good teams of horses.

The plains swarmed with Indians that year, and once the outfit camped three or four days at an Indian village in Nebraska where about 3,000 of the redmen and their families were gathered. At no time were the Webers troubled by the Indians.

Arriving in California, Joseph purchased a part of the Dave Fortna lands, west of Yuba City, and settled down for the rest of his life. That proved to be but a short time, for he died in 1869. The family continued to live on the land, and some members are still there. Mrs. Weber died about 45 years ago.

M. J. Weber, who has his home a mile and a half west of the old family home, was a boy of five when he came with his father across the plains, but he remembers some of the incidents of the trip. It was a great lark for a boy of that age, whose thoughts are all for the enjoyment of the moment, and who is not troubled by forebodings that come to older folk.

He recalls that he and other children of the family were sent to gather "buffalo chips" for the camp fires when stops were made day after day on the plains. The "chips" made a good fire.

Game was scarce. Men of the company went out frequently to kill game for meat, but seldom got any. The buffalo had left the vicinity of the main trails then, the "robe" hunters having slain them promiscuously until the uncountable thousands had been diminished to a few small bands that were able to keep out of sight most of the time. There were a few antelope, but they were hard to approach within shooting distance.

M. J. Weber remained with his mother on the old ranch until 1882, or about three years before her death, when he bought his present place from Christian Bremer, putting on the buildings and later planting trees. He had 240 acres in the beginning, and engaged in grain growing. When he went into fruit, he sold off all but 80 acres. That was about 1905. He has 70 acres in prunes and almonds and the other 10 acres are used for field crops. He kept a few cows until about five years ago, and enough chickens are kept to provide for the wants of the family.

Elmer, a son, is his father's right hand man, and the two do all the routine work on the ranch. By constant effort they are able to handle the job except in harvest time, when additional hands are employed.

Of the children of the original Weber family, it is interesting to note their present whereabouts, as they were for years Sutter county residents, some of them still remaining in the county.

Nick Weber, Yuba City merchant, who started at Fifth and D streets in Marysville, is one of the sons. John, who farmed on the old home place for years, removed to Oakland two years ago. Peter is in San Francisco and has been with the Folger concern for many years. Katie married, but did not change her name. She is now Mrs. Jacob Weber of Chicago. Josephine is Mrs. Carl Doeing of Chicago, Margaret became a nun in Santa Cruz, another of the girls recently celebrated her 50th anniversary as a sister of mercy in the Convent of Notre Dame at Saratoga, near San Jose, and a third one is a sister in the convent at Red Bluff. One of the girls was Mrs. Annie Strief, mother of County Clerk W. M. Strief of Yuba county and Mrs. George Herzog of Marysville. The other member of the family is M. J.

Mrs. M. J. Weber came from Westphalen, Germany, when 17 years of age, her parents locating in Galesburg, Ill. Her brother, Carl Doeing, married Josephine Weber, sister of M. J., and it was on a visit to Mrs. Doeing that she met M. J. She immediately decided that she liked California, and particularly Sutter county, and she has remained here ever since. This is the best country she has ever known, she told the Rambler.

The Webers have 10 children and 14 grandchildren, and are justly proud of them.

A daughter, residing in a cottage on the Franklin road frontage of the farm, is Mrs. H. C. (Sophie) Bohlken, whose husband came here after the war and has a good job on the Coats and Kelly orchards. They have three little daughters, Sophie, Patricia and Helen. Sophie is a pal of the Rambler.

Michael, a son, works for the Republic Steel Co. at Richmond. Franz works for a Ford agency in Oakland. He is married and has one child. Carl was until a few days ago employed on the E. E. Bryan place, north of Franklin Corners, and lived there with his wife and their four young children, but he has left that job and is living in a cottage near the home of his parents.

Christina is a long way from the parental home. She is Mrs. John Farnham now, and lives in Australia, going there a year ago last summer to be married. She has a little child. The Farnhams are expected here on a visit in the near future.

Joseph and his wife and baby live on the Stella place north of Yuba City, where Joe is employed. Louisa and Elmer live at home. Mrs. Chester Hamon lives in Marysville and has two little girls. Mrs. Josie Moran is empoyed at the Dunning garage in Marysville, and has two little boys.