Alameda
County
Biographies
DANIEL CULP
In the annals of Alameda county no more worthy name can be found than that of Daniel
Culp, an honored pioneer of California, and a prosperous farmer and
stock-raiser of Eden township, his ranch being located about a mile from
Haywards. (sic) During the half century that has
elapsed since he first made his advent into this section of the state, Mr. Culp
has witnessed wonderful transformations in the face of the country, and may
well be classed as one who has contributed his full share towards its growth
and improvement. He is a man of sterling character, possessing in a high degree
those traits that command respect and gain esteem, and his life record is such
as to reflect credit on the community in which he resides. Beginning life for
himself with a limited capital, he has been the architect of his own fortunes,
and, although he has met with reverses as well as with good fortune, he has
achieved success in his business career, by industry, frugality and judicious
management accumulating a competency. A son of Daniel Culp, Sr., he was born in
1833 in Butler county, Pa., of German ancestry.
Born and reared in Wurtemberg, Germany, Daniel Culp, Sr., remained in the
Fatherland until after his marriage. Immigrating then to the United States, he
purchased land in Butler county, Pa., and was there engaged in farming until
1840. Removing in that year to Warren county, Mo., he
bought one hundred and sixty acres of land, after which he entered government
land, increasing the size of his farm to three hundred and eighty acres. A part
of his estate was in its primitive condition, being covered with a heavy growth
of timber, which was the hunting ground of the Indians. By dint of hard labor
he cleared a large part of the tract, and was there employed in agricultural
pursuits until his death, at the age of fifty years. He was a man of versatile
talents, a good mechanic, and in addition to farming ran a blacksmith’s shop.
He made a specialty of raising tobacco, at that time a profitable crop,
marketing it in St. Louis. His wife was also born in Wurtemberg,
Germany. She died when her son Daniel, the subject of this sketch was about
seven years old.
One of a family of nine children,
Daniel Culp was quite young when he accompanied his parents to Missouri. Leaving home when fourteen years old, he accepted a position to
drive oxen and cattle across the plains from the Missouri river to Grand
Island, Neb., receiving $18 a month wages. The following winter he was
employed by the government at the fort near there, after which he was engaged
in hauling wood to Ft. Leavenworth. For three years thereafter Mr. Culp worked
for a contractor, freighting across the plains during the summers, and living
at home during the winter months. Traveling at that time was dangerous and
filled with thrilling adventures with the Indians. Mr. Culp was compelled to
kill many of them in self defense. Experienced plainsmen had often told him
that the Indians would kill him at some time in his career, but he always
succeeded in escaping from them, generally, however, after hard fighting.
In 1852, as assistant wagon-master
for Perry & Brothers, owners of a train consisting of twenty-two wagons,
each wagon drawn by six oxen, Mr. Culp started from Leavenworth, Kans., for
California, and at Carson, Nev., was promoted to wagon-master. Desiring to try
his luck as a gold hunter, he worked in the mines a short time, but not being
particularly successful soon returned to the Suisun valley, where he found
employment during the season as a harvest hand. In the fall of 1853, riding a
team of mules, he came to Haywards, (sic) where he had a brother-in-law living,
with a view to settling permanently in this locality.
Buying a squatter’s title to eighty
acres of land, Mr. Culp sowed barley on the tract, and as the land was new,
having never been ploughed, he raised a very large crop. The second year he
rented out a part of his land, and for the next two years worked by the month.
Going to Iowa in the fall of 1855, he spent the winter in Fremont county, and while there was married. The following spring,
investing the $1600 that he had previously saved in cattle, he returned to
California, coming overland and driving his cattle across the plains. The party
consisted of nine men and three or four women, with but five wagons. Persons
more familiar with the journey tried to persuade them not to go, as they
thought it dangerous to travel with so small a number. They nevertheless
accomplished the journey in safety. With his bride, Mr. Culp settled on a claim
that he had before taken up in the hills, and having erected a small house and
barn, began life as a farmer and stock-raiser, putting in forty acres of grain,
and having an open country for grazing purposes. Selling out at the end of four
years, he rented a house in Haywards, (sic) and about ten miles from the
village, in the foothills, he purchased a farm, on which he put one hundred
head of cattle. In this venture Mr. Culp was unsuccessful, nearly all his stock
perishing the following winter.
Not discouraged by his heavy loss,
however, he located in the valley, renting a ranch of one hundred and
twenty-six acres, at $6 an acre. The next season was a bad one, the crops
proving a failure, and he became more deeply involved in debt. Mr. Culp then
bought a one-seventh of undivided territory of the De Soto grant, and when the
land came into market he borrowed money enough to buy one hundred acres. He
also borrowed money to buy cattle, and in the subsequent raising and shipping
of stock was exceedingly prosperous. With characteristic enterprise he
continued his agricultural operations, and has ever since been successful. He
now owns ninety-six acres of land in the hills, and in addition rents railway
land for grazing. His home farm of one hundred and eight acres is rich and
productive, that part lying on the flat being valued at $350 per acre.
In Fremont county, Kans., Mr. Culp
married Emily E. Root, who died in May, 1903, on the home farm, leaving four
children, namely: Nora, wife of James Gray, a livery man in Haywards (sic);
Sanford, of San Francisco; Lucetta, wife of A. L.
Graham, of whom a brief sketch may be found elsewhere in this volume; and
Walter, who is attending a medical college. Politically Mr. Culp is a stanch supporter of the principles of the Republican party, and fraternally he belongs to the Knights of
Honor.
Transcribed
by: Cecelia M. Setty.
Source: History of the State of California &
Biographical Record of Coast Counties, California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A.
M., Pages 1053-1054. The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2016 Cecelia M. Setty.
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