YUBA COUNTY Biographies
L. P. HICKESON
No ranchman of the Hallwood District is better known or more highly esteemed than L. P. Hickeson, who represents one of the honored pioneer families of Yuba County, in which his entire life has been passed. He has been an interested witness of its development and upbuilding and an active factor in its progress, rejoicing in what has been accomplished as the years have passed. He was born in Smartsville, this county, July 22, 1882, and is the eldest child in the family of Lewis and Maggie Hickeson. The father, who was one of the pioneer stock-raisers of this region, is now living retired in Marysville in the enjoyment of a comfortable competence, gained through industry and capable business management.
The public schools of Yuba County afforded L. P. Hickeson his educational privileges. On starting out in life independently, he engaged in teaming out of Marysville, being thus occupied for seven years. He was an expert in that line of work, and eighteen years ago hauled the heavy armatures and transformers, and other machinery, into Colgate for the Pacific Gas & Electric Company – a most difficult task, requiring logging trucks and teams, with as many as thirty-six horses on some of the pulls. He was the first to drive a twelve-horse team into Poker Flat, and many times displayed his ability with the reins on his perilous trips to the mines and through the mountain passes.
Several years ago Mr. Hickeson abandoned teaming and turned his attention to ranching, in which field he has been equally successful. In 1917 he purchased a portion of the old Jory ranch, situated five miles north of Marysville, in the Hallwood District, and has made all the improvements on his place, which comprises forty acres of fertile and productive land. He raises large crops of beans, also operates a dairy, and has likewise found wool-growing a profitable source of income. He is a practical farmer, familiar with all the details of his occupation, and the well-kept appearance of his ranch is convincing proof of his careful management and up-to-date methods. He is also a general contractor, having equipment for building roads, excavating, and hauling.
At Marysville, on March 1, 1907, Mr. Hickeson was married to Miss Minnie Dutra, who was born in the Indiana Ranch district at Dobbins, Cal., February 11, 1884, the youngest daughter of Manuel and Minnie (Williams) [Ferrera] Dutra, natives of the Azores, who settled at Frenchtown, Cal., in pioneer times. Her father became widely known during the period of hydraulic mining in that section. He died November 4, 1901, and the mother’s demise occurred in February, 1906. Mrs. Hickeson attended the Dobbins school. By her marriage she has become the mother of three children: Hazel Pearl, Odell E., and Margaret M., who represent the third generation of the Hickeson family born in Yuba County. The word “fail” has not place in Mr. Hickeson’s vocabulary; and the enterprise of the West is manifest for all that he undertakes, either for individual benefit or for the welfare of his community.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p. 1289-1290
[Transcriber’s note: The cemetery headstone for Manuel Dutra (Keystone Cemetery) shows date of death as 8 Feb 1905. Other records indicate Minnie Ferrera Dutra’s death as occurring in 1913.]
FRANK M. DUTRA
The life record of Frank M. Dutra is the story of earnest endeavor and systematic effort, guided and controlled by keen insight and sound judgment; and a valuable ranch in the Hallwood District of Yuba County is the visible result of his labors. The attainment of individual prosperity, however, has not been the sole aim of his existence; for his activities have largely been directed into those channels which have for their object public improvement and the advancement of the general welfare.
Mr. Dutra is one of California’s native sons. He was born January 3, 1875, in the Indiana Ranch district, near Dobbins, in Yuba County, and was the fourth in a family of fourteen children whose parents were Manuel and Minnie (Ferrera) Dutra, natives of Fayal, in the Azores. When a young man of twenty-three years, the father landed from a whaler at New Bedford, Mass., and joined the rush of gold-seekers to California, going to Frenchtown, where he became part-owner of the Keystone hydraulic mine. He continued to follow mining until his death, which occurred in 1902, when he was sixty-two years of age. The mother passed away in 1913, at the age of sixty. They are survived by nine children.
Frank M. Dutra received a common-school education and began life as a miner. For several years he engaged in gold-mining in Plumas and Yuba Counties. In 1904 he turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, and two years later purchased his present ranch, to which he removed with his family in 1912. He has a tract of land of 105 acres, situated six miles from Marysville, and recently set out several hundred peach and prune trees, also planting a vineyard. His land is rich and arable, and he has found bean-growing profitable; but dairying constitutes his chief source of income. He is an exponent of the scientific school of farming, and his place presents a most attractive appearance, being supplied with all modern improvements and accessories.
In Marysville, on April 2, 1901, Mr. Dutra was married to Miss Margaret Sperbeck, a daughter of the late Jacob Sperbeck, a pioneer business man and rancher of Browns Valley, where she was reared and educated. Five children have been born of this union, namely: Irene, the wife of William Ruble, of Marysville; and Melba, Donald, Frances and Eleanor, all of whom are yet at home.
Mr. Dutra is a stanch adherent of the Republican party. He is public-spirited, and his efforts in behalf of his community have been beneficially resultant. He has been a very active member of the board of directors of the Hallwood Irrigation District, on which he is serving his third term, and for six years was clerk of the Hallwood School District. Fraternally, he is a member of Rose Bar Lodge No. 89, F.&A.M., Smartsville; Washington Chapter No. 13, R.A.M.; and Marysville Commandery No. 7, K.T. While he holds to high ideals, he utilizes practical methods in their attainment; and his actions have been characterized by a fidelity of purpose born of the desire to have every duty well done.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p. 1290-1291
[Transcriber’s note: The cemetery headstone for Manuel Dutra (Keystone Cemetery) shows date of death as 8 Feb 1905.]
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