Trails-to-the-Past-Nevada-Esmeralda-Biographies-pg2

ADAM HERBOLD -----Is a native of Germany, born at Baden, in 1835. At the age of thirteen years he, with his parents, emigrated to America, and settled in Canal Dover, Tuscarawas County, Ohio, and remained in that town about five years. His father was by trade a cooper, and followed that business. In 1853 the family removed to Sabula, Jackson County, Iowa, and for two years the subject of this sketch was trained to the calling of a farmer in connection with his father.

During the year 1855, the elder Mr. Herbold sold his farm and bought a brewery in the same town, and with the assistance of his two sons, Adam and John B., succeeded in building up a good and flourishing business. In 1856 the mother of the family departed this life, and the duties of the household devolved upon her only daughter, a young lady just blooming into womanhood. There is an old adage that says, "misfortunes never come singly," and so it proved in this family, for during the year 1859 the brewery and buildings connected therewith, were consumed by fire, while our present subject was away on a visit to the State of Kansas. Upon learning of this second calamity he came home. His father had already commenced rebuilding, and in a short time thereafter, while boating sand across the Mississippi River, for use in plastering the building, the flat-boat sunk, and before assistance could be rendered our subject was an orphan. He, assuming the management of the property, finished the building and occupied it in a different calling, that of the butcher business.

In 1861 Mr. Herbold sold out his interests in Iowa and came to the Pacific Coast, his objective point being California. In company with Colonel Hester, he crossed the plains, enduring untold hardships. Upon reaching Salt Lake City, Utah; he sold his cattle and purchased horses, and continued the journey as far as Walker Lake, in Nevada, and was obliged to camp for some time to recruit his animals. The Indians refused to allow this little band of worn-out pioneers to graze their stock in that vicinity, except upon condition of payment therefore, to which the travelers were obliged to consent. When they got ready to move on, however, they found themselves minus most of their horses, they having become mired in the mud and died, without the consent or knowledge of their owners. This was a damper on the spirits of the emigrants, as there were only six horses left, and it was impossible to haul their heavily laden wagons over the mountains to California. So Mr. Herbold concluded to winter in Mason Valley, which he did, and has since lived there. His son John Adam, being the first white child born in that valley.

Mr. Herbold was married in 1857 to Louisa Albertine Berger, a native of Prussia, born in 1839, coming to America ten years later. Mrs. Herbold has, like a true wife, followed the fortunes of her husband, until now she can rest in the knowledge that they are beyond want, and can enjoy the fruits of their united labors.

Mr. Herbold is at present engaged in the dairy business and stock-raising, in connection with his farm labors. Eight children have been born to them, only two of whom are living.

O. HERNLEBEN ----The subject of this sketch was born in Bavaria on the tenth day of May, 1838, where he resided until early manhood, emigrating from there to the United States in the year 1859, and soon after located in Missouri, remaining till 1860, when he disposed of his interests there, and, procuring an outfit suitable for the journey, crossed the plains to find a home at Michigan Bar in the southeast corner of Sacramento County, California.

There he remained only one year, going to Nevada in 1861, and engaged in mining at Virginia City for three years but not finding it as remunerative as he had hoped gave up mining and removed to El Dorado Canon, where for two years he was engaged in supplying wood to the people of that vicinity. In 1865 disposing of his interest in the wood business, he turned his hopes towards ranching, and, purchasing a farm in Mason Valley, settled down to the honorable pursuit of farming, and with such success that he has become the possessor of a fine farm and a comfortable home.

In 1869, while residing in Virginia City, he married Wilhelmina Reymers, a native of Hanover, Germany, where she was born on the ninth day of February, 1847. She sailed for the United States in 1868, landing in New York, where after remaining two months, she took passage by ship for San Francisco, California, and soon after went to Virginia City, Nevada, where she resided some seven months, and there remained till her marriage with Mr. Hernleben. In 1872 she visited her native home in Germany, and returned in September, 1873.

Mr. Hernleben has remained industriously employed on his farm since his marriage, though not so closely but that he found the time to visit the Eastern States during the year 1876, and to be present at the Centennial Exhibition at Philadelphia. They have no children of their own, but this disappointment is largely consoled by the presence of an adopted daughter, the child of a sister of Mrs. Hernleben named Birdie Pfeifer, born in Mason Valley, Nevada, on June 27, 1871.

W. R. LEE -----Was born in Covington, Kentucky, in 1831, and during the same year removed with his parents to Oxford, Ohio, where he remained until 1839, when another move was made, this time to Wayne County, Indiana, and that place was the family headquarters until the subject of this sketch reached his majority. In 1852. Mr. Lee, with his father and mother, came to California, and settled in Shasta County.

He having learned the trade of his father, that of a millwright, came to the Territory of Nevada, in 1861, and settling in Dayton, followed that business until 1863, when he went back to California, and in 1865 went to the Owens River country where he remained until 1868. In the last-named year he again anchored in Nevada, settling on the place now called the Wilson Mill property. Mr. Lee built the mill in the same year, and sold to William Wilson in 1871, at which time he located the land where the town of Greenfield now stands.

In 1873 he sold said land to Dennis Higgins, and removed to his present home, two miles north of Greenfield, in Mason Valley. During that year he built his flouring mill, and started it running on the fourteenth of October. These are two thirty-two-inch turbine water-wheels, with a six-foot head of water, and the mill has a capacity of twelve barrels of flour, and fifteen tons of barley per run of twelve hours. Wheat is ground for ten dollars per ton and barley at three dollars. Mr. Lee ships quite extensively to Bodie, Belleville and Candelaria, and has the satisfaction of knowing that he is a public benefactor in establishing an institution of so much value to the community in which he lives. Nearly everything about his establishment is the work of his own hands, he having made everything in connection with the mill except the burrs.

Mr. Lee was married to Miss Sylvia A. Kincaid, a native of Ohio, October 30, 1863. Mrs. Lee came to Dayton, Nevada, in 1862, with her brother Alfred Kincaid. Her union with Mr. Lee has been blessed with eight children, six of whom are now living. The following are their names and ages in 1881: David A., fourteen years; Louisa, twelve years; Schuyler, eight years; Robert E., six years; Eva B., four years; Nettie M., nine months. The names of those deceased, Elmore and Frank.

N. H. A. MASON -----Is a native of Robinson County, Tennessee, and was born May 13, 1830. His parents lived on a farm, and their children were educated and trained to that industry. In 1838 the family moved to Pope County, Arkansas. In 1852 the subject of this sketch crossed the plains to California, where he mined in Tuolumne County, near Sonora, in that State, until 1853. The latter part of this last-named year he returned by way of the Isthmus to Arkansas, and in 1854, accompanied by his two brothers, drove a band of cattle across the plains to Stanislaus County, California, and passing's through Nevada on this trip, he first saw the valley that now bears his name. In the fall of 1859 he located at the place now known as Mason's Ranch, in Esmeralda County. From 1854 until 1862 his exclusive business was dealing in stock, and that which was incidentally connected with it. In 1862 he became interested in the Virginia and Gold Hill Water Works, and became the first President of that company, as well as Superintendent. November, 4, 1869, the "Bonanza" firm purchased the control of the company's interest from him at a cost of $184,000. While he had control the stock of the company paid monthly dividends of $10,000, or $I.00 per share.

In January, after the sale, he removed to San Jose, California, where he purchased a controlling interest in the water-works of that city, and under his management pipes were laid that brought the supply for that place eleven miles, from Los Gatos Creek. Prior to this it had been raised from wells with pumps. In January, 1877, he removed from San Jose to Oakland, California, having sold, the previous fourth of November, all his interest in the water-works, and now his residence is San Francisco. During this time his cattle interest, as well as the ranch property, was retained in Nevada. In 1871 he took up a stock range on Quin River, in Humboldt County, Nevada, that, is on an average thirty miles wide and sixty in length. In 1872 he purchased 8,000 head of stock from R. C. and A. H. Broder, in Tulare County, California, paying therefor $125,000, and drove them to his ranges in Esmeralda and Humboldt Counties. This Quin River range is considered a little above the average of the State in grazing capacity, including only what is classed as grazing land, and it will keep from 6,000 to 7,000 head in good condition the year round. This is 164 acres to the single animal, including mountain foothills, and sandy or alkali flats. In 1877 he purchased of Governor Bradley a range for winter grazing on Marys River, north from Deeth Station, on the Central Pacific Railroad. In extent it is thirty-five miles long and eight miles wide, and along the river is a bottom on an average three-quarters of a mile wide through its entire length. In the summer .stock is driven from there west into Bruno Basin, that is twenty miles long and twelve wide, with Bruno Creek running through it. These two ranges judicially managed would keep 7,000 head of cattle in good condition.

He has acquired since coming to the State, by patent and claims in Mason Valley, about 15,000 acres of land, of which 5,000 has been patented. Add to this the Quin River, the Marys River, and Bruno Basin ranges, with 12,000 head of stock feeding upon the same, and the result includes his possessions in this State. On the twenty-second of October, 1857, he was married to Miss Elizabeth F. Dillon, in San Joaquin County, California, and has three children, all girls, now living, who are named respectively, Ursula, Dixie, and Maud.

HON. ANGUS McLEOD -----Is a native of Arkansas, and was born in 1837 October 23rd. His parents died when he was young, and he was left to seek his own fortune or misfortune as circumstances, ability, and nerve should dictate.

At twenty years of age he started for California, over the plains, with a few cattle, in company with W. C. McCune. They had altogether about 1,000 head of stock, and lost half of it before the Sierra Nevada Mountains were reached. It was the year 1857, when the Government was having trouble with Brigham Young, and the Indians were very troublesome along the route. About 100 head of animals were run off by them, and one man was killed at City Rock, where the Fort Hall and Salt Lake roads come together. At the place where the road passes over the high country, on the north side of the Humboldt River, between Elko and Gravelly Ford, they reburied a man named Nichols who had been killed by Indians in a train that was moving in advance of them. Two days march farther down, on the north side of the river, they came upon seven fresh graves; men killed also by Indians. This was rather a startling and sudden transition from the peaceful pursuits of the Arkansas farmer to that of traveling among hostile tribes in the mountains. That winter he crossed the mountains to California, wintered there, and returned to Carson Valley the next spring, to assist in driving the stock across the Sierra.

In September, 1859, he again visited Nevada, and became a clerk for Moses Job, at the place now known as Sheridan, in Douglas County. In the spring of 1860, he purchased a couple of teams, and became a freighter from California to the mines in Nevada, continuing that business for the next three seasons, each year increasing his transportation facilities. The succeeding two years his trains freighted lumber, etc., to Aurora, in Esmeralda County. In the fall of 1862, McLeod took up the ranch in Mason Valley that he now owns.

In the fall of 1864 he moved on to this land, where he lived until March, 1878, when he returned to Aurora, the county seat. Since removing to the latter place his time has been principally occupied in caring for his houses there, and attending to matters concerning the Carson and Aurora, as well as the Aurora and Sunshine Toll-roads. He is a half-owner in each, and Henry Williams is his partner.

In August, 1880, he commenced taking charge of the Exchange Hotel at Aurora. The property belongs to him. He still continues in the business, in addition to his numerous other affairs. In 1871, Mr. McLeod represented Esmeralda County in the State Legislature; in 1873 and 1874 was a County Commissioner of the same; and at present is its Treasurer. In 1877, July 3rd, he was married to Miss Mary E. Ellis, of Gold Hill, Nevada. They have two children, named, Charles A., born on the twenty-ninth of April, 1878; and Henry S., born on the fourteenth of October, 1879.

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