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I would like to thank Ginger and John Ward of the Elliott area for
spending two hours with me. The information contained in this article is the
result of generations of their diligent work to preserve their family history
and the history of this area. Although space does not permit me to print all of
the invaluable material they shared, it will appear in later articles. Your
efforts will be remembered and the history you have given us will be preserved
in our Rae House Museum as part of the legacy of California history. I
hope our afternoon together was as enjoyable to you as it was to me.
Did you know…
The little village of Elliott was once called Hawk’s Corners and it was on the
route from Sacramento to Mariposa? The little town supported eight buildings. Early pioneers to this territory shoed their horses at the blacksmith’s and wet
their whistles at the local saloon. However, it seems that the general
merchandise store owned by Hickey & Bro. and N. S. Misener, was quite an
important place for the early settlers. There they purchased a well assorted
stock of goods and congregated in the upper story of the building for their Good Templars
and Grangers meetings.
In 1858, the Methodist Episcopal Church South was organized and the first
religious services were held in the school house. According to John Ward of
present day Elliott Road, the school house was originally a tent! It would seem
so. According to the 1968 reprint of the 1879 edition of “The History of San
Joaquin County, California,” the congregation constructed a small church in 1859
– a year after the church was founded. They worshipped there for 17 years before
building a newer one in 1876 for the sum of $ 1,818. Can you recognize the names
of some of the first officers? W. H. Russell, Daniel Boyd, S. Woods? How about
W. M. Winters? Are they your ancestors?
Have you ever thought what life was like before TV, the VCR and Walkmans? What would you do on Saturdays in Elliott in 1878? You would attend a Grange
Meeting on Saturday and a Myrtle Lodge Meeting that evening! It would seem that
these two organizations served as an important social function for these folks. There were 40 members of the Elliott Grange No. 183 and 50 members in the Myrtle
Lodge No. 154, I.O.G.T. organized in 1878. Recognize some of these names? Markle,
Williams, Baldwin, Potter, Harell, Mitchell, Peters, Swett, Campbell, Adams,
Lamb, Wiltse, Ritter, West? Some of these early pioneers are listed on the
registry of Elliott Cemetery.
Some of the descendants of these pioneers are still thriving in Elliott. In
April of 1988, Celia Adams Myers, granddaughter to Henry Adams, submitted a
brief sketch of her grandfather to the grateful Galt Area Historical Society. In
her biographical notes she tells how Henry came to Elliott in 1869 with his
brother, Robert Adams. As many of us, their beginnings in this country were
humble. The brothers found employment cutting wood, clearing land and doing farm
chores. They were soon able to buy land of their own. In 1875 Henry took a wife,
Susan Peck of Galt. Robert never married. Celia comments that long time Galt
residents might be interested to know that Susan was Altana Peck’s sister who
married Stith Pearson of Galt in 1877. The couple were Wilber Pearson’s
grandparents.
On July 27, 1876, Celia’s father, Christopher Nathaniel, became the first
born to Susan and Henry Adams. At that time, the couple lived in a small house
on what is now Liberty Road near the Elliott Cemetery. When Christopher was a
mere two months old, Henry moved his family to a new house he built on land he
purchased on Dry Creek at the north end of what is now Bruella Road. He
raised cattle, horses, pigs, hay, grain, grapes, and some fruits.
Henry also purchased Hermit Valley in the Sierras to pasture his cattle in
summer. Celia recalls the story her father told her. “I remember my father
saying that he helped with driving the cattle to the mountains every summer from
the time he was 9 years old until he was 17. The family usually spent the
summers in the mountains with Henry while brother Robert and hired help managed
the ranch at home.” How breathtaking those summers must have been in the shadow
of the mighty mountains. Cows grazing as sunlight skipped across the peaks of
the mighty Sierras…a canopy of constellations for each night’s sky. But
life was not always so sweet for Henry.
Bessie Adams, a child of 6, died in 1884. A few months after the birth of the
eighth Adams child in 1893, Susan died. Life changed. Henry did not remarry. Though it was difficult being a single parent, he was determined to keep the
children together. Relatives pitched in. Occasionally Henry would hire a woman
to help out until Christopher and William were old enough to take over the
operation of the ranch. When Christy (as he was known to friends and relatives)
married, Henry Adams moved the younger children to Lodi so they could attend
high school. How wise a choice that was! John and Walter became doctors
and Robert became an architectural building estimator for the State of
California! Henry Adams, pioneer who gave so much of himself to his family and
our community, was laid to rest in Elliott Cemetery on May 29, 1909.
What happened to Christy? Well, that spirit of determination prevailed. He
bought out the rest of the heirs and kept the ranch together. He was a dairyman!
Some of you may remember his familiar signature, C. N. Adams. His son,
Christopher Norman Adams, and his family now own the ranch. It was listed
with the California State Fair 100 Year Club.
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