YUBA COUNTY
Biographies
A. J. PERCY
For many years, and by far the most active years of his life, A. J. Percy was identified with farming interests in Sutter County, where he is recalled as a man thoroughly conscientious in the discharge of his obligations, very devoted to his home circle, and faithful to the friends he made along the quiet and unassuming paths of his life. He was born at Bath, Maine, March 14, 1829. At twenty years of age, he crossed the plains to California and prospected for gold in the Yuba foothills. He also teamed from Marysville to the mines; and later he owned and conducted a livery and feed stable in Marysville. Adjacent to Yuba City he purchased a fine ranch of 126 acres, now known as the Percy tract, where the new Union High School is located, and also 440 acres to the southwest, where he raised the grain which he used in his business.
On August 14, 1859, in San Francisco, Mr. Percy was married to Miss Rachel Vandelia Farrin, also born in Bath, Maine, who came to California via Panama in 1859. Mr. Percy passed away on April 19, 1880, survived by his wife and three children: Thomas, who is now deceased; Laura Belle, the wife of George W. Christopherson; and Addie Vandelia, also now deceased. Mrs. Percy passed away on the home ranch on December 25, 1908.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p 348
CHARLES H. METTEER
A prominent and noteworthy retired pioneer agriculturist and horticulturist is Charles H. Metteer. He was born in Wayne County, Pa., October 22, 1831, a son of George and Phoebe (Whittaker) Metteer. His great-grandfather, a native of Ireland, served in the English army. Grandfather Metteer, also a native of Ireland, emigrated to America when he was a young man and engaged in the lumber business. George Metteer, our subject’s father, was born in New York. He worked as a lumberman in that State and also in Pennsylvania until 1838, and then went to Scott County, Iowa, and engaged in farming until 1850. On hearing the wonderful reports of the discovery of gold in the mines of the Golden State, he and his family started to cross the plains by ox-team, going by way of the Santa Fe route, Charles H. driving the ox-team. During their journey, one family in the train was killed by the Indians; but except for this mishap, they arrived safely. The Metteer family were members of the Brewsterites, a branch of Mormon believers. The party was originally made up of this sect; and they emigrated to Colorado, hoping to enjoy religious freedom there. However, they broke up and the Metteer family moved to San Diego in 1851; and from that time on, they gave up this belief. George Metteer first located in San Diego, and conducted a hotel for nine months. In 1852, he moved to Marysville, Yuba County, and again engaged in this enterprise, also conducting a feed and fuel business until 1855. Inasmuch as he was a very liberal man in his business methods, his patrons never paid their bills and he was forced out of business. The same year, he went to Mt. Hood and Yreka, where he engaged in mining and also operated a small dairy for three years. Mr. Metteer then went to Oregon in 1858 and rented a ranch near Salem, where he remained until his death. Mrs. Phoebe (Whittaker) Metteer was born in New York, a daughter of John Whittaker, a native of New York, of English and Welsh descent. Mr. and Mrs. Metteer were blessed with eight sons and four daughters, only two of whom are now living. Mr. Metteer passed away at the age of eighty-seven and Mrs. Metteer died when she was eighty-one years old.
When Charles H. Metteer’s parents moved to Iowa, he was seven years old. After they moved to San Diego, he engaged in driving a six-mule team for the government from San Diego to Fort Yuma, continuing in this work until his family moved to Marysville. Charles then went to Sierra County, where he engaged in prospecting and mining until 1859, being among the first to do hydraulic mining. He rented a farm in Sutter County until 1862 and engaged in farming, and was among the first to take up the fight against hydraulic mining. After returning from the Salmon River, where he mined, he rented the place he now owns, which was part of the Larkins grant. In 1865, Mr. Metteer purchased 540 acres of land at $4.10 per acre. This land was thickly covered with brush and oak timber, and it took some time to clear a portion on which to build a house. In 1885, Mr. Metteer sold 160 acres and built a large two-story brick house on the home place. He also sold forty-four acres to his stepson. He now owns 300 acres of well-improved land, and a prune orchard has been set out on the ranch.
On October 7, 1864, Charles H. Metteer was united in marriage with Mrs. Mary J. (Donaldson) Boynton, a wife of William T. Boynton. He was a native of Canada and came to California in 1849, spending some time in the mines. He finally located on a ranch in Sacramento Valley; and in 1859 he married Miss Mary J. Donaldson. Mr. and Mrs. Boynton were blessed with two children: William Thomas, who died in Oregon, and Edward, who has a ranch and orchard at Live Oak. Mr. Boynton passed away on March 17, 1863. Miss Mary J. Donaldson was born September 27, 1842, in Perry County, Ill., a daughter of A. B. Donaldson. Her father was born in Virginia, on February 15, 1823, and came to Illinois when a young man. Later he went to Wisconsin and engaged in farming until 1860, when he came to California, making the journey across the plains with horse-teams. He purchased a ranch and settled near Chico for a short time, and then went to New Castle, Placer County, where he engaged in farming. Later, he worked several years in the Reese River mines; but finding the venture unsuccessful, he removed to Lake County, where he remained until his death, on October 19, 1873. His wife, formerly Elizabeth Threlkel, was of Welsh and Scotch descent. She was born in Illinois, May 22, 1824, and passed away June 10, 1895, at the age of seventy-one years, while she was residing at the home of Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Metteer.
Mr. and Mrs. Metteer were blessed with five children, two of whom passed away when young. The others are: Marietta, the wife of A. H. Hewitt, of Yuba City; Joseph, who resides in Marysville; and George B., who resides at home. C. H. Metteer has twenty-three grandchildren. Mrs. Metteer passed away on July 28, 1913, greatly mourned by her beloved family. Although at the age of ninety-two, Charles H. Metteer has an unusual amount of interest in the topics of the day, and reads and talks fluently on a great many topics. He has always been an optimist in spite of the many hardships that he has endured through life, and is a genial and jovial man. He still resides at the Metteer home, which he built in 1885 out of red brick burnt on the ranch, and has the distinguished honor of being the oldest pioneer settler at Live Oak, Sutter County. In politics, he is a Republican, and he does his utmost to give his support to the best measures and movements proposed for the benefit of the community.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p 351-352
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