YUBA COUNTY Biographies

EMERY ELLSWORTH KUSTER

Another rancher who has made such good use of his well-situated ranch-land that he deserves credit for having improved the status of agriculture in Yuba County, is Emery Ellsworth Kuster, who was born on the old Kuster ranch seven miles north of Wheatland, on December 7, 1889, the son of Samuel and Mary (Reynolds) Kuster, whose instructive life-story is given elsewhere in this historical work. Emery attended the Elizabeth district school, and then spent the days of his vigorous youth at home with his folks. For the last eight years, however, he has farmed for himself, leasing about 1500 acres of farming land northeast of Wheatland, where he has been successfully raising stock and grain. Just before the death of his esteemed father the estate was divided and each of the three sons received 560 acres; and our subject now lives in the dwelling erected by his father some forty years ago. He engages in raising grain and sheep, and has on hand each season about 700 head. In national politics he is a Republican because of his belief in that party’s favorable attitude toward the protection of American industry. Mr. Kuster also believes in casting aside partisanship when it comes to local issues and whole-heartedly works for what is deemed best for the community at large.

While at Portland, Ore., on December 15, 1910, Mr. Kuster was married to Miss Grace Louise Derrickson, a native of Springfield, Ohio, and the daughter of Daniel and Louise L. (Aubrey) Derrickson–the former a native of New Jersey, the latter of Shelburne Point, Vt. Louise L. Aubrey came to California from New England at the age of fifteen, with her mother, Lavina Aubrey. Albert William Aubrey, her father, came in the gold rush, followed nine years later by his wife and family, and they came to reside at Marysville, and there Louise L. lived until she married Daniel Derrickson. After their marriage they resided with the Derrickson family in Marysville for the following seven years. Mr. Derrickson was a contractor for plastering and interior decorating, and his services were in constant demand, his experience and skill proving exceptionally useful. Mr. and Mrs. Derrickson removed in time to Springfield, Ohio, where they lived for fifteen years, and where Mr. Derrickson died in May, 1895. The following July, Mrs. Derrickson and her family returned to California and Marysville.

Five children were in the Derrickson family: Albert is in Springfield, Ohio; William is deceased; Clara is Mrs. Burnham, of Yuma, Ariz.; Arthur is in San Francisco; and Grace is Mrs. Kuster. Mrs. Derrickson is a member of the Eastern Star, Highland Park Chapter, Los Angeles County. Mrs. Kuster enjoyed both the grammar and high school advantages, attending the Marysville High School, where she was graduated in 1909, after which she entered Heald’s Business College in Oakland, from which she was graduated in 1910. Mr. and Mrs. Kuster have three children, Emery Ellsworth, Jr., Ruth and David. Mr. Kuster is an Odd Fellow, and has been a member of Sutter Lodge No. 100, of Wheatland, since he was twenty-one years old; and he is a member of the Elizabeth-Lone Tree Farm Center.

History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924

p 1231

ANTON DIETRICH ARFSTEN

A self-made man whose success is attributable entirely to his close application and industry is Anton Dietrich Arfsten, whose residence in California embraces a period of a half century. He was born on Föhr Isle, Denmark, December 8, 1857, the eldest son of Peter J. and Gussie (Bohn) Arfsten, both natives of the same country. Peter J. Arfsten was a sailor on the four seas for seven years; then he settled down, married the woman of his choice and engaged in farming. Grandfather Bohn was a surveyor on Föhr Isle and was also engaged in the stock business. Anton Dietrich Arfsten received a public school education up to the age of sixteen; then he left Hamburg, Germany, for America, with seven of his countrymen, and after a voyage of twenty-six days arrived in New York. He came direct to Sacramento, Cal., arriving on May 16, 1874, and soon found work as a ranch hand at one dollar per day. From the first he saved the greater potion of his wages.

In Marysville, on October 7, 1879, Mr. Arfsten married Miss Mary Christiansen, also a native of Föhr Isle, a daughter of Jens Christiansen, born in Jutland and a California pioneer now deceased. Jens Christiansen was born in 1828, came to the United States in 1850, and for three years followed the life of a sailor. In 1853 he came to California, followed mining for the next fifteen years in Amador, Eldorado, Butte, and Nevada Counties, and about 1868 settled in Sutter County. In 1858 he had married Dorothea Bohn, also born on Föhr Isle. Mr. Christiansen acquired a section of land near Nicolaus and became a prosperous grain rancher. Mrs. Arfsten is the eldest of two daughters; her sister Jane is a retired school teacher and owns 320 acres of land, her portion of her father’s estate. Eight children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Arfsten: Grace, educated at Howe’s Business College in Sacramento and also at Miss Wilkins’ private school, Marysville, and now principal of Plumas district, Yuba County; Albert Henry, a rancher; Dorothy; John, who is married and has one daughter, and resides in Oakland, Cal., where for the past fourteen years he has been employed with the Southern Pacific Railroad Company; Alvin residing in Merced County; Jennie, who is the wife of Loyal Potter and resides in Marysville; Edward, associated with his father on the home ranch, who served in the 161^st U.S. Regiment at Camp Lewis and Camp Kearney till discharged; and Ida, a graduate of the State Teachers’ College at Chico, Cal., and principal of the Markham district of Sutter County. Mr. Arfsten first purchased 240 acres and then four years ago added sixty-six acres which he planted to an orchard of prunes and peaches. He has been an extensive grain farmer, leasing from 1200 to 1500 acres of land, but for the past five years he has conducted a dairy of 150 cows on his ranch, where he has eighty acres in alfalfa and his pasture lies in the bottom land along Bear River. In 1919 he built a modern residence on his home place. He has cast his vote for the Republican candidates since receiving his U.S. citizenship. For many years he has been a trustee of the Brown school district.

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