YUBA COUNTY Biographies
ANTONE WILLIAM GOETZ
The owner of a fine ranch property located eight and a half miles south of Yuba City, and developed to alfalfa and young orchard, is Antone William Goetz, who, besides operating his ranch, follows contract hauling, using in his business sixteen head of horses. He was born near Fort Smith, Ark., April 29, 1892, a son of Carl and Elizabeth (Geheb) Goetz, the former a native of Germany and the latter of Arkansas. Carl Goetz learned the baker’s trade in Germany and followed it after coming to the United States, where he was also in the coal and wood business and was later a road contractor. He is still alive at the age of sixty-four, but the mother passed away on February 5, 1924, also sixty-four years old. Nine children were born to them: Carl, deceased; Elizabeth, now Mrs. Troncatty; Joachim and Boniface, both deceased; Antone William, our subject; and Adam, Louis, Frank and Marie.
Antone William Goetz attended grammar school in Fort Smith, Ark., and did two years of college work at Paris, Ark. He started out for himself at the age of sixteen, coming to Sutter County, where he found ranch work in the Tudor section for two years. Then he leased land until 1914, when he bought fifteen acres near Oswald, developed it to peaches, and then sold it in 1918. In 1918 he purchased from James S. Troncatty his present place of eight acres on the Garden highway, on which he has built a good house and other farm buildings, and has installed a ten-inch deep-well turbine electric pump for irrigating purposes.
Mr. Goetz from his boyhood has been a great lover of fine horse-flesh, of which he is a splendid judge. He makes a specialty of breeding and raising black Percheron horses and has some very fine specimens, among them the imported black Percheron stallion “Markis,” a beautifully proportioned animal weighing 2000 pounds, which he has placed at the head of his herd of black Percheron mares. He has some wonderfully well-matched teams; and it is the consensus of opinion that his herd of black Percheron horses is the finest in Northern California.
At the annual Peach Day celebration of Yuba and Sutter Counties, held in both Marysville and Yuba City, Mr. Goetz’s float, credited to the Wilson Farm Center, made a gorgeous sight in the parade. Representing early and present-day agriculture and horticulture, it rested on three wagons trailing together, loaded with wheat, rice and peaches and beautifully decorated, and was drawn by his eight-horse team of matched black Percheron horses in beautiful harness, silver-mounted and specially decorated. Swiss team-bells surmounted to horses’ harness and their hoofs were covered with silver paper. The horses seemed to realized that they were on parade; and as they are so well trained that Mr. Goetz drives them in the fields without a line, since they obey his every word, the team and driver were naturally accorded enthusiastic applause all along the way. Mr. Goetz received the first prize for farm center floats, and was also the recipient of numerous letters from various parts of the State complimenting and congratulating him on his exhibit.
At Marysville, on February 10, 1915, Mr. Goetz was married to Miss Mary Da Cosse, a native of Butte County, daughter of August and Virginia (Lemenager) Da Cosse, natives of Illinois. August Da Cosse came to the Tudor district about 1900, where he leased a ranch and reared a family of five children: Lena, now Mrs. E. Schuler; Edward; Mary, the wife of our subject; Charles; and Chester. August Da Cosse passed away in 1921, and the mother now makes her home in Oakland. Mr. and Mrs. Goetz are the parents of three children: Virginia, Margaret and Charles. Mr. Goetz has always leased, in addition to his home ranch, from seventy-five to 300 acres of land, which he plants to grain. In politics he is a Democrat.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p . 967
EDWARD EUGENE PROPER
What is known as the old Proper ranch, one-half mile south of O’Banion Corners, is the birthplace and the present home of Edward Eugene Proper. His birth occurred on August 10, 1868, a son of Edward and Eunice (Cilley) Proper, natives of Maine, both of Scotch descent. Edward Proper came around the Horn to San Francisco in 1852, and came directly to Sutter County, where he first worked for wages and then went into the sheep business. Later he bought the home ranch at O’Banion Corners. The fine milling wheat commonly known as the “Proper” wheat was discovered by him in 1868, and was later propagated to fine advantage, proving to be fine milling wheat and making most excellent flour. The first quarter-section of land that Edward Proper settled on was claimed on a squatter’s right; later he acquired more land until he owned 480 acres, on which he erected a house that stood until 1891, when it was replaced by a fine two-story residence, where our subject now makes his home. Two children were born to Edward Proper and his wife, Edward Eugene, of this review, and Philena, Mrs. L. J. Farmer, of Tierra Buena. The father passed away on March 16, 1888.
Edward Eugene Proper received his education at the Gaither district school. From a lad he assisted on the farm, so that when his father passed away he took charge of the home place. On his quarter-section of land he now raises grain and also has an orchard of twelve acres of prunes. In Yuba City, October 27, 1895, Mr. Proper was united in marriage with Miss Daisy Mae Schmidt, the ceremony being performed by Rev. Buxton. She was born in Marysville and is a daughter of Erich and Josephine Schmidt, who were the parents of five children: Mrs. Josephine Anderson; Mrs. Lillian Redman, deceased; Arthur, of Yuba City; Frances, deceased; and Daisy Mae, Mrs. Proper. Mr. and Mrs. Proper have three girls. Mattie is Mrs. Jesse C. Harris, of Marysville, and they have one son, Allen Edward; Euna Josephine is a graduate of the State Teachers’ College at Santa Barbara, where she is now doing graduate work; and Eda Eugenia, also a graduate of the State Teachers’ College, is now engaged in teaching school.
Mr. Proper is a Democrat, and has served on the County Central Committee. Fraternally, he is a member of Enterprise Lodge No. 70, F. & A.M., at Yuba City; Washington Chapter No. 13, R.A.M., at Marysville; Marysville Council, R. & S.M.; and Marysville Pyramid No. 23, A.E.O. Sciots; and with his wife he belongs to Fidelia Chapter No. 56, O.E.S., Yuba City. Mrs. Proper is also a member of the Bogue Wednesday Club and the Central Gaither Parent-Teachers’ Association.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p . 968-971
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