YUBA COUNTY
Biographies
MARSHALL R. SHIELDS
A progressive, successful young rancher, whose eventful life has an appeal to many on account of its patriotic activities, is Marshall R. Shields, now living about four and one-half miles to the east of Meridian. He was born in Jefferson County, Iowa, on October 22, 1887, the son of Robert V. and Esther Ann (Mouch) Shields, the former a native of Ohio, the latter of Pennsylvania. His father, who was a farmer, moved to Iowa, where he took up farming, and in 1903 came out to California and settled at San Jose, where he retired, in company with his devoted wife. Four children made up their family: Anna, Elsie, Marshall, and Lola.
Marshall attended the San Jose High School, and then went to the State Normal at Santa Barbara, after which he taught manual training at Pomona, Cal., and later was at Lindsay for a year. He then came into Sutter County, and in 1920 took up agricultural pursuits three and a half miles east of Meridian.
On May 19, 1918, in response to his country’s call, Marshall Shield entered the United States Navy. For a short time he was stationed at the San Pedro Naval Base for training; and he was then sent to Goat Island, and was shipped on the U.S.S. Vicksburg, on Pacific coastwise duty, serving as a gun-pointer. He was released to the Bremerton, Wash., Navy Yards in 1919, and in 1922 was honorably discharged.
At Sacramento, on August 23, 1919, Mr. Shields was married to Miss Anna Tarke, a native daughter born at West Butte, the daughter of Louis and Nannie (Santee) Tarke, whose interesting life-story is given elsewhere in this historical work. Anna Tarke was reared and educated at West Butte, attending the San Jose Normal School, after which she spent a year at the University of California and a year at the Santa Barbara Normal. After receiving her teacher’s certificate, she taught for two years at the Slough district school, in Sutter County, and also at the Sutter Union High School. One daughter, Elizabeth Louise, has blessed this union. Mr. Shields is a member of Yuba-Sutter Post No., 42, of the American Legion at Marysville; and he is also a Mason of Yuba City. Mr. and Mrs. Shields are favorites in a wide circle of devoted friends.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p 636
CARL KIMERER
For the past fifteen years Carl Kimerer has been successfully engaged in the orchard business in Sutter County, where he has an orchard property consisting of twenty-five acres which he developed to cling peaches, now in full bearing. He was born in Sutter County, Cal., June 19, 1873, a son of Martin and Susan (Snyder) Kimerer, both natives of Ohio. Martin Kimerer was born in Holmes County, Ohio, January 19, 1830, and spent his boyhood on the farm of his father until his parents died. He was left an orphan at nine years of age, when he was thrown upon his own resources for a livelihood. After serving an apprenticeship covering a period of five years in a tailor’s shop, he began working at his trade in Loudonville, Ohio. About two months after locating there, in 1851, a train was made up to come to California, and Mr. Kimerer was one of those who formed the party. He drove a team of horses to Cincinnati, and then took boat to St. Joseph, Mo., from which place he drove an ox team across the plains, having purchased an eighth interest in one of the ox teams of the train. Joseph Smith, a Methodist class-leader and preacher, was captain of the train. At one time a prayer-meeting was being held, on the Platte River, while en route, and a wolf came into camp and broke up the meeting. Reaching this State, Mr. Kimerer came to Goose, Lake County, with the old captain; but after remaining there a short time he went to Marysville. There he sold his outfit, and then went to Parks Bar, on Yuba River, traveling the distance on foot. Here he contracted malaria and was ill for some time. As soon as he could work, he began prospecting for gold, a business which he followed successfully for five years, sometimes taking out as much as $100 per day. In 1855 he came down to Black’s Station, Yolo County, where he took up government land and engaged in farming; but seed was high, and two seasons’ crops failed. This cost him heavy financial losses, and as a result he left that locality and settled in Sutter County, which was at that time a wilderness. In 1864, he returned via Panama to his old home in Ohio, and after his marriage to Caroline Snyder, a native of Holmes County, [in] that State, brought his wife to his western home. Two children were born to them, Daniel S. and Wilson, the latter now deceased. After the death of his first wife, Mr. Kimerer was married to Susan Snyder, who was a cousin of his first wife, and also a native of Holmes County. Five children blessed this union: Lincoln, Carl, Alburtus, Dora, and Lillie. For eighteen years from its establishment in 1886, Mr. Kimerer served as postmaster at Cranmore post-office. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in politics was a Republican. He passed away in 1909.
Carl Kimerer received a good education in the public school at Cranmore, and assisted his father with the ranch work on the home place until he began stock-raising on his own account in 1906. That year he purchased land in the Barry district of the county, which he developed into a vineyard of Thompson Seedless grapes. About 1908 he sold his interest in the Sutter Basin property and devoted his entire time to the development of his home ranch, six miles southwest of Yuba City. He is a member of Barry Center, of the Sutter County Farm Bureau.
Mr. Kimerer’s marriage united him with Miss Nettie Poffenberger, a daughter of Hezekiah and Mary (Carroll) Poffenberger, natives of Maryland and California, respectively, whose life history will be found on another page of this volume. Eight children have blessed the home of Mr. and Mrs. Kimerer: Luella, Henry, Glenn, Dallas, Susan, Edward, Ruby, and Raymond.
During the nineties, Mr. Kimerer spent several years in the mines in Idaho. In 1897 he enlisted in the United States National Guards of Idaho and was put on patrol duty at the mines in western Idaho. When the Spanish-American War broke out, he volunteered in Battery A, Hart’s Brigade, Light Artillery, at Sacramento, in 1898, for service in the war, serving till the close of hostilities, and later receiving his discharge. In 1899 he returned to the mines, where he experienced a cave-in at the Bunker Hill Sullivan mine, in which three miners lost their lives. Mr. Kimerer was so severely injured that it required several months for his convalescence. He then returned to Sutter County, where he has since made his home. Fraternally, he is a member of Enterprise Lodge No. 70, F. & A.M., Yuba City, and in politics he is a Republican. For one term he served as trustee of the Barry school district.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p 639
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