YUBA COUNTY
Biographies
MRS. MARTHA MATILDA (SCOTT) CLARK GRIFFITH
A lifelong resident of Yuba County, Mrs. Martha Matilda Griffith is familiar with many events that have shaped its history, and as one of California’s native daughters she is keenly interested in everything pertaining to the welfare and progress of her State. She is now making her home in Dobbins, and no resident of this district is better known or more highly esteemed. She was born on the New York Star Ranch near Oregon House, on October 31, 1867. Her parents were John S. N. and Katherine Maria (Marquardt) Scott, pioneer settlers of this part of the State, who are represented in this work in the sketch of her brother, Louis N. Scott.
Martha Matilda Scott was the youngest of the children in her parents’ family. Her education was received in the Oregon House school, which was attended at that time by over forty pupils. On May 8, 1887, she married Thesus Clark, familiarly known as “Ford” Clark to his many friends. He was born at Franklin Corners, in Sutter County, on April 12, 1866, a son of Joseph F. and Mary Adelaide (Lester) Clark, the former a native of Iowa and the latter of Michigan. In 1864 they made the long and arduous journey across the plains to California, settling in Butte County, were the father engaged in farming. Afterwards the mother became Mrs. Beecher. Thesus Clark was an enterprising business man, and in the early days engaged in freighting between Marysville and Downieville, also taking supplies into Colgate and to the mines. He was likewise a successful agriculturist. He was a member of the Native Sons of the Golden West. His demise occurred at Live Oak, in January, 1905. Mr. and Mrs. Clark became the parents of seven children: Mrs. Katherine A. Max, of Glendale, Cal., who has two children; Wilmot H., of Oakland, who is married and has two children; Laura, the wife of R. A. Finney, of Yuba City, and the mother of two children; Roy H., of Bullard’s Bar, who is also married and has two children; Alvin B., living in Sutter County; Russell L., of Dobbins; and Grace, now Mrs. Russell Gordon, of Oakland, who has one child. Mrs. Griffith has nine grandchildren, and was presented with her first grandchild on her thirty-ninth birthday. On October 16, 1923, Mrs. Clark was married a second time, at Yuba City, being united with Wesley W. Griffith, born in Sacramento, a carpenter by trade. For many years he was with the Capital Furniture Company, of Sacramento, as a cabinet-maker, until he returned to Dobbins, where he is now a carpenter with the Pacific Gas & Electric Company. In the Indiana Ranch district, Mrs. Griffith owns 240 acres, devoted to stock-raising, and well watered by springs.
For many years Mrs. Griffith has been engaged as a practical nurse. As a nurse he has been very successful, and has had the satisfaction of ushering into the world many native sons and daughters. She has performed many unrecorded acts of kindness and charity, and has always been a devoted mother. Her children and friends have ever found her a safe adviser, one whose counsel is never given through selfish consideration but always in behalf of the best interests of others. She is a strong champion of the cause of education and takes a keen interest in everything pertaining to the history of her county and State, whose advancement and upbuilding are to her matters of deep import. As a member of the Indiana Ranch school board, she did effective service for the general good, and her many admirable qualities have established her high in public regard.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p 521-522
BENJAMIN F. LABADIE
The nature of the activities to which Benjamin F. Labadie has devoted his life has made him an important factor in the upbuilding of Yuba County; and his intelligently directed labors have resulted in the development of a valuable ranch near Dobbins, while he also has made judicious investments in mining property in Yuba County. He is one of California’s native sons, and was born on the Camptonville road, sixteen miles northeast of Marysville, July 2, 1858. His father, Peter Labadie, was born in Montreal, Canada, in 1822, and in 1852, when a young man of thirty, started for California, making the journey with ox teams and wagons. The party was aided by friendly Indians, who furnished them with pontoons on which to cross the streams, and the redskins were liberally rewarded for their services. Of the fourteen children in the family of Mr. and Mrs. Labadie, nine are still living. A brother, Thomas, had come to California in 1849, and returning East, they all came out together in 1852. The mother, Margaret (Meilot) Labadie, was born in Lorraine, France, and emigrated with her parents to Canada, in which country her marriage occurred. In the fifties, Mr. Labadie engaged in general merchandising at Indiana Ranch, and after selling out to a Mr. Newman he entered a homestead on Maple Spring Ranch. He prepared the soil for the planting of crops, and through arduous labor became the owner of 160 acres of arable land, on which he erected a comfortable home for his family. In 1870 he became interested in the lumber industry, building the Maple Spring sawmill, and was very successful in that venture, employing fifty men during the busy season. He also was largely instrumental in securing the fine school building at Indiana Ranch and was numbered among the most progressive and public-spirited men of his community. He passed away on the Maple Spring Ranch in August, 1884, at the age of sixty-two, and the mother’s demise occurred in 1906, when she had reached the ripe old age of eighty years.
Benjamin F. Labadie was the seventh child in their family, and early became familiar with agricultural pursuits through assisting his father with the farm work. During his boyhood he often visited the Digger Indians, who lived near his father’s ranch, deriving much valuable knowledge concerning the customs and habits of that tribe, and has lived to witness its decline. As a young man he followed the trades of blacksmithing and carpentering, in addition to many other lines of activity, and spent several years in the sawmills of Nevada, Butte and Sierra Counties, rising to the position of sawyer. He has also worked as a miner, and for three years ran the Seber Ranch at Browns Valley. He now owns and operates a tract of 160 acres adjoining the Maple Spring Ranch, and finds stock-raising a profitable source of income. His well-tilled fields also yield abundant harvests. He has never been afraid of hard work, and believes in scientific methods of agriculture, keeping abreast of the time in every way.
Mr. Labadie married Miss Henrietta Klenzendorf, a native of Dobbins and a daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Klenzendorf, who settled here in 1862. Of this union the following children have been born: Peter, who died in infancy; Nora, who married Ross Mawer, of Lassen County; Mamie, wife of William Josselyn, of Indiana Ranch; Rose, the wife of G. Monyier, of Sacramento; Mrs. Laura Helman, who resides in Lassen County; Emma, who married L. Glidden, of Sacramento; and Agnes, who is yet at home. There are also nine grandchildren in the family. Mr. Labadie is an active worker for the good of his community, and rendered important public service as road overseer. For fifteen years he acted as school trustee, and during his incumbency in that office the new school building at Indiana Ranch was erected. The spirit of progress has animated him throughout his entire life, manifesting itself in his business career as well as in his connection with public affairs; and Yuba County is proud to claim him as one of her native sons.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p 522-525
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