Kleiser - James A.
Source:
File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com
February 27, 2006 Posted here with permission
Author:
Alley, Bowen & Co. (1880) History of Sinoma County ....
Kleiser,
J. A. Whose portrait appears in this work, was born in Bourbon county,
Kentucky, July 7, 1818. When sixteen years of age, he moved with his mother and
two brothers (his father being dead) to Montgomery county, Indiana. In August,
1839, he married Miss Nancy Brush, and in 1841, we find him in La Fayette, in
the same State, where he worked at carpentering until 1849, when he emigrated
to California, leaving his wife in Indiana. He arrived at Sacramento August
14th, and immediately commenced mining on the Mokelumne river, at Winter's Bar,
where he remained mining and trading until November, 1850; he then returned to
Indiana via Panama. In 1853, he again crossed the plains, bringing his wife
with him. On his arrival he settled at Humboldt bay, where he engaged in
merchandising, which he pursued for two years. He then went to Hoopa valley, on
lower Trinity river, Klamath county, where he erected a flouring-mill, which he
conducted in conjunction with a farm containing one hundred and sixty-acres,
until 1859, when he came to this county, and settled upon his present estate,
part of which comprises the present site of Cloverdale. In this county he has
been engaged in railroad construction, and the location and construction of the
Cloverdale and Geyser Springs toll road, as well as the Squaw creek toll road
to Lake county. Mr. Kleiser married his second wife, Miss Lizzie Unverfate,
March 18, 1869, by whom he has two children, George W. and James H. Additional
Comments: Cloverdale Township
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Source: History of the State of California and Biographical Record
of Coast Counties, California by James Miller Guinn p 577 (Chapman Publishing
1904 1500 pages) sent to me on 3-3-2004 by Denis P. Edenie Thanks, so much
Denis!! [kz]
It
is but little less than half a century ago in 1859 that James A. Kleiser came
to Sonoma Co. as one of its early pioneers. At that time Russian River Valley
was a wild country with a few straggling settlements here and there, the present
thriving town of Cloverdale being then a small hamlet containing a half dozen
rude structures used as dwelling houses. Purchasing the site of the present
village of which he was the founder, he was for many years its moving
industrial spirti and to his sagacity and enterprise is largely due its present
prosperous condition. In the various beneficial enterprises inaugurated for
developing or advancing the interests of town or county, he has been prominent
and active, assisting in their establishment by a judicious use of his advice,
time and money. A son of George Kleiser, he was b. July 7, 1818 in Bourbon
County, Ky. He comes of thrifty German ancestry, his paternal grandfather,
Joseph Kleiser, a watch and clock maker by trade, having emigrated from the Fatherland
to the US when a young man, taking up his residence in Virginia. George Kleiser
was b. and reared in Va. He subsequently removed to Kentucky, where he married
Elizabeth McLeod, a daughter of George McLeod. A carpenter by trade, Mr.
Kleiser worked as a joiner and builder until his death in 1823, at the age of
46. His widow, with her 3 children, afterwards moved to Montgomery County,
Indiana settling on a farm near the village of Waveland. The eldest of a family
of 3, James A. Kleiser assisted his mother on the home farm during his earlier
years, doing much of the pioneer labor of clearing a homestead from the dense
wilderness. Having much natural mechanical ability, he became proficient as a
carpenter without serving any special apprenticeship and on attaining his
majority took the contract for building the first Presbyterian Church in
Waveland, Ind. Subsequently settling in Lafayette, Ind, he was for a few years
the leading contractor of that place, and erected several large buildings in
that town. Turning his attention then to the Atlantic coast in order to make a
study of the subject, visiting all the principal cities of the New England,
middle and central states. In 1849, inspired by the glorious accounts form the
golden region of the Pacific Coast, he, in partnership with Capt. William
Winter, formed a small company to come to California. Each man putting in $300,
five wagons were purchased, with a sufficient number of mules to draw them and
Feb 22 the little band left Lafayette, driving to St. Louis, where a stock of
provisions was laid in. In April 1849, the party left St. Joseph, Mo, being the
first outfit to leave that city that year. At the foot of the Black Hills the
party had to form a blockade of the wagons for protection against the Indians but
no serious trouble was had with the Crow. Mr. Kleiser formed the friendship of
Chief Red Cloud, of the Sioux tribes, who protected their band while in his
country. The company disbanded before crossing the Sierra Nevada mountains at
which time the property was divided and although each had put in only $300 the
increased value of their goods was such that each man received $600 as his
share. Mr. Kleiser purchased nearly all of the carpenter, blacksmith and
harness-making tools, and he, with five others, continued the journey to
Stockton and theirs were the first three wagons to enter the town, Aug 12,
1849. From there they went to the Mokelumne Hills, and for a time were
successfully engaged in mining at Winters bar. With characteristic enterprise
he started a trading post, going to stockton, where he chartered a small
schooner, which he loaded with provisions and mining supplies, buying at the
wholesale houses in the city and from the vessels in the harbor. Returning to
the hills, he had no trouble in disposing of his entire stock at a good price.
At one time he was alcalde, and as such meted out impartial justice to whites
and Indians. Disposing of his interests in that locality, Mr. Kleiser returned
with his accumulations to Indiana in the Fall of 1850, and soon afterward
purchased a farm of 200 acres in Lafayette where he lived as a farmer and money
broker for two years. In the Spring of 1853, he and his former partner, Captain
Winter, again crossed the plains with their families, coming to the coast with 200
head of cattle and locating on the Sacramento River August 20, 1853. Mr.
Kleiser sent his part of the cattle to Humboldt Co. The following October he
settled with his family in Arcata, Humboldt Co., but subsequently removed to
Hoopa Valley, where he erected a flour mill costing $12,000 which he operated
until 1858. Selling out his milling property, he traveled with his family
through various parts of the state, visiting places of note, and being
especially pleased with Russian River Balley determined to locate here
permanently. Purchasing from Messrs. Markel & Miller 750 acres of land in
July 1859, he moved here with his family the following September and has since
been one of its most esteemed residents. Very soon afterward he surveyed 100
acres, which he later platted as a town site in 1861 sold the hotel which stood
upon the place when he bought it and built a brick residence. Mr. Kleiser
carried on an extensive business as a stock raiser and dealer for a number of
years, and was also interested in mining pursuits, in 1862 mining on the Salmon
River in Idaho and on John Day's River. He was one of the organizers of the
Cloverdale Toll Road and took a contract for building that part of the road
extending to the Geysers, and the branch extending to Clear Lake, and was
practially owner of the roads which he built at a cost of $20,000 the
subscribers failing to pay for their stock. As the road did not pay, the
patronage not being sufficient to pay expenses, it was presented to the county.
He was fortunate in his financial investmenet sin theJohn Day's river mining
district, the 7-mile ditch and flume which he built at a cost of $9000 going in
debt for the same, paying for itself in two years. In 1867, he built bridges
for the Central Pacific RR on the Truckee River and in 1868 erected six miles
of snow sheds for the company at the summit of the Sierra Nevada, inventing and
using a machine for cutting and fitting the timbers. While building the bridges
he fell a distance of 50 feet and was carried unconscious to the camp.
Notwithstanding the fact that five ribs were broken he recovered rapidly. In
1871 he superintended the building of the rr from healdsburg to Cloverdale,
building all the stations and fences from Donahue landing to Cloverdale, and
surveyed the rr form Fulton to Guerneville. He obtained all the rights of way
free except one, and built the road to the satisfaction of all, besides making
money out of the undertaking. He also superintended the location of the survey.
In more recent years, Mr. Kleiser had given his attention tot he care of his
large ranch, having one of the finest olive orchards in this part of the
county. It is within the town limits and here he carries on a profitable
business in the manufacture of olive oil and pickling the olives. He has also 7
or 8 acres of pasture land within the town limits. He has persistently declined
all public office, but is a warm supporter of the principles of the Republican
Party. Fraternally, he is a member of Curstis Lodge No. 140, F&AM of
Cloverdale. March 18, 1869, Mr. Kleiser married Elizabeth Unferfate, a native
of Rochester, NY. 3 children have been born of their union, George W, whose
birth occurred June 25, 1874, is a resident of Portland, Ore; James Henry b.
Jan 28, 1876 and Joseph Albert b. Aug 1, 1881 are dentists by profession and
reside in San Francisco. All 3 sons were made Masons in the Cloverdale Lodge.