YUBA COUNTY Biographies
SAMUEL KUSTER, JR.
A rancher who may well be proud of his 460 choice acres is Samuel Kuster, who lives 6 ½ miles north of Wheatland. He was born on the old Kuster ranch on July 20, 1883, the son of Samuel and Mary Elizabeth (Reynolds) Kuster, who sprang from good old Swiss stock, his father having come with his parents when a lad of thirteen from the little Republic to the United States and Ohio. The family did not remain long in the Buckeye State, but in 1854, migrated further West, and at length arrived in California. They settled at Nevada City, and later came into Yuba County, where Mr. Kuster bought 1500 acres, to which he added from time to time. He engaged in general farming and the raising of cattle, and lived to be seventy-eight years of age, passing away in January, 1919, a man highly respected for his common-sense methods, and his word of honor, upon which was founded all those transactions so satisfactory to others as well as to himself. Mrs. Kuster, or Elizabeth Reynolds, was born in Missouri, and came to California when a little girl; and here she and Samuel Kuster were married. She died in July, 1918. Eight children were granted them, five now living: Mamie has become Mrs. Nutt of Arboga; John D. is manager of the Pacific Gas & Electric Co., at San Jose; Martin is at Wheatland, and the youngest two are Samuel, the subject of our interesting review, and Emery E. Kuster.
Samuel went to the Elizabeth Grammar School, but since his youth has been identified with his father and the home-ranch, of which he today possesses 460 acres, where he has had erected a fine modern country home. He devotes his whole attention and acreage to sheep-raising, and has been very successful in this important field of California agriculture. He has become influential in local Republican ranks, but is broadminded in his political outlook, and among the first to support any first-class candidate or tip-top proposition, well-endorsed by his fellow-citizens, for the benefit of the community in which he lives and prospers.
At Sacramento, on April 18, 1907, Mr. Kuster was married to Miss Ethel Winifred Harrison, a native of Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, and the accomplished daughter of R. J. and Sarah Harrison. In 1905, her father moved to Wheatland, and took up farming there; and he has been keenly interested in the development of that region since. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Kuster: Robert, Donald, Frederick, William and Elizabeth Winifred. Mr. Kuster is an Odd Fellow, and for the past eighteen years has been a member of Sutter Lodge No. 100, as well as the Rebekah Lodge, both of Wheatland.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p. 1250-1251
RALPH HUTCHINSON
Among the progressive Yuba County agriculturists, is Ralph Hutchinson, who owns and operates some 2,295 acres about seven miles northeast of Wheatland, where he was born, on the old Hutchinson place, on June 3, 1877. His father, Perkins L. Hutchinson, was a native of Virginia, and he was brought to Missouri, when he was three years old, by his folks, who migrated there and settled in Macomb County. In 1853, Perkins L. Hutchinson crossed the plains to California, and for about ten years mined near Bridgeport and tended the toll bridge there. In 1866, Perkins Hutchinson came into the Elizabeth school district in Yuba County and purchased a half-section of land; and from time to time he added to his holdings until he had 3,700 acres. In 1890, he built an attractive and comfortable home on the place; and there our subject still lives; it is one of those old-fashioned residences, marked by very substantial old time construction. Perkins Hutchinson was born in 1832, and died in 1918, at the ripe old age of eighty-six, while his good wife breathed her last in her fiftieth year.
The worthy couple had seven children: Mrs. Belle Morrison died at Tulare in 1893; Fred died in Sutter County in 1913; Ralph of his review; Ernest is at Marysville; Ray is a rancher in Brophy district; Oscar R. resides on the old Hunt place; and Susie M., Mrs. Clarence Alexander, is the youngest in the group. Ralph attended school in the Elizabeth district and stayed on the home ranch with his father until the latter’s death, and then he began to operate for himself 681 acres that fell to him through his father’s will, whereon he now raises stock and grain. In addition, he has since bought 1606 acres of stock ranch, in the Lone Tree district of Yuba County, and there he has 1200 head of sheep. Mr. Hutchinson is independent in party politics. He is a trustee of the Elizabeth school district.
On September 3, 1903, at Sacramento, Mr. Hutchinson was married to Miss Margaret Stroupe, a native of Louisa County, Iowa, and the daughter of Daniel J. and Rebecca (Stone) Stroupe, both natives of Iowa who came to California about forty years ago, and settled at Wheatland. On January 1, 1884, Mrs. Stroupe arrived with their two children, having been traveling for ten days on the old steam train for emigrants, from Iowa to Wheatland. The family then lived in Wheatland, while Mr. Stroupe was ranching nearby. He is still living, but resides at Shingletown, Cal. Mrs. Stroupe died at Wheatland at the age of fifty-nine. They were very highly thought of, for they took a live interest in the affairs of their locality, and were public-spirited and good neighbors and friends. Mr. and Mrs. Stroupe had three children. Margaret is Mrs. Hutchinson; Jasper lives in Elizabeth, N. J.; and Clement is at Tanana, Alaska. Margaret went to the schools in Wheatland and vicinity. Mr. and Mrs. Hutchinson have four children: Harley, H. Foryst, Ralpha, and Kenneth. Mr. Hutchinson belongs to Sutter Lodge No. 100, I.O.O.F. of Wheatland; and he is a member of Elizabeth-Lone Tree Center of Yuba County Farm Bureau.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p. 1251-1252
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