YUBA COUNTY Biographies
AARON SARGENT WELLMAN
An esteemed and interesting representative of an old-time pioneer family rightly accredited with having done something worth the while to help found the Golden State by a successful development of the natural resources of California, is Aaron Sargent Wellman, the progressive rancher living about seven miles east of Marysville. He was born on the old Wellman ranch, on December 2, 1878, the son of Miles and Ency (Paige) Wellman, and is one of “the Wellman triplets,” – Amy, Amos and Aaron, -- all of whom are still living, in excellent health, and happily married. Miles Wellman was a native of Connecticut, and was born on August 2, 1837, in the State in which his mother died, and in 1850 he crossed the plains with his father, Daniel Wellman, who settled at Smartsville and for a while engaged in mining. Then they came down to a location on the plains about ten miles to the southwest of that town and took up a quarter-section of land; and George Wellman, an older brother of Miles, but having come to California later, also took up a quarter-section. Miles Wellman later bought out his brother and thus he came to have a half-section of land. Miles Wellman married Miss Paige, who was born on March 23, 1841, and came to California by ox-team with her father and mother, and settled with them at Nevada City; and she worked for Senator Aaron Sargent, after whom the subject of our review is named. Miles Wellman died on December 3, 1915, at the age of seventy-eight; while Mrs. Wellman passed away in the spring of 1901, at the age of sixty. Both these worthy folks had such qualifications of character and temperament, and accomplished so much with their lives and work, that they were held in the highest esteem by all who knew them. Eight children were included in their family circle, the eldest being Vera Hoppel, a half sister of Aaron; for Mrs. Wellman had married a Mr. Hoppel, who went into the Civil War and never returned. Sylvia, the first-born of the marriage with Mr. Wellman, entered the family on August 16, 1866, and became Mrs. Rockefellow, of San Francisco; William E., was born October 20, 1869; George E., born on April 1, 1872, died on December 4, 1919; Ella May, born June 25, 1875, became Mrs. Powell, of San Francisco; and Amy S., Amos D. and Aaron S. were born on December 2, 1878.
William Edwin Wellman was fourteen years old when he had to take charge of the home place, for his father was so severely stricken with rheumatism that he could not walk or work. He married on May 10, 1901, Miss Viola Hill, a native of Nevada City, and the daughter of Robert and Olive Hill, whose life-story is very properly given elsewhere in this historical work; and being at Nevada City, she attended the schools there. Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. William E. Wellman: Olive Ency, Pearl Mildred (deceased), Melva Oneida, Walton La Mar, William Robert, Phyllis, and an infant (now deceased). William E. Wellman has served as a trustee of the Elizabeth school district for nine years, being at present a member of the board. He is a member of the Fraternal Brotherhood, of Marysville.
Aaron S. Wellman attended the Elizabeth district school, and remained with his folks on the home ranch until 1900, when he went to Marysville and entered the service of the J. R. Garrett Company with whom he remained for six years. In February, 1906, he went to San Francisco and entered the employ of the Pacific Gas & Electric Co.; and he was working on a generator at the time of the San Francisco fire and earthquake and was hit by a falling scaffold, a deep scar on his head still attesting to his narrow escape from death. He remained with the Gas & Electric Co. for fourteen years. In 1920, Mr. Wellman came back to the farm, and started to raise turkeys. In 1923 he and his brother William leased the Gillette and Bartle ranches, and began growing grain. In politics a Progressive Republican, Mr. Wellman is at all times one of those broad-minded Americans known for their readiness to support the best men and the best measures for the benefit of the community at large, regardless of party ties.
On July 6, 1904, Mr. Wellman was married at Hollister to Miss Angie L. Orr, a native of that city and the daughter of James and Mary (Graham) Orr, both of whom were natives of Prince Edward Island, Canada, born September 30, 1848, and November 6, 1849, respectively. James Orr came to California about 1879, followed two years later by his wife and their six children, all of whom had been born down East. Her father was a carpenter by trade, and eventually built many of the best farm structures in San Benito County; he also ran a dairy, and engaged in general farming for a number of years. He and his wife are still living, retired, at Salinas, in Monterey County. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Orr: Bessie, born May 9, 1871, is now Mrs. James Webb and lives at Bellota; Robert, born March 18, 1873, is an architect at Los Angeles; Florence, born October 3, 1876, is Mrs. Joseph Ogden, of Marysville; James, born October 27, 1877, is living at Pocatello, Idaho; Ada, born November 19, 1878, is Mrs. Bruce, of Watsonville; John, born November 29, 1879, is at Pocatello, Idaho; Angie, born January 5, 1883, is Mrs. A. S. Wellman; Benjamin, born June 18, 1888, lives in Salinas; Virena, born November 11, 1890, is Mrs. Pendergrast of Salinas.
Mr. Wellman is a member of Corinthian Lodge No. 9, F.&A.M., of Marysville, and also a member of the Marysville Court, Foresters of America, and of Marysville Parlor No. 6, N.S.G.W.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p. 1153-1154
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