Butte County

Biographies


 

 

 

 

ALFRED P. BRUCE

 

 

       ALFRED P. BRUCE.--As the efficient road overseer of the Chico Road District No. 2, since 1905, as well as being one of the well-known and successful farmers and stockmen of Butte County, A. P. Bruce has prospered financially and has gained a place in the esteem of his friends. He was born at the small mining town called Little Dogtown, near Dogtown, now known as Magalia, Cal., October 20, 1856, a son of John Bruce who was one of the pioneer ranchers of this county and who lived a long and useful life.

      John Bruce was born in Alsace-Lorraine, France, in 1828, one of a family of nine children born to William and Margaret (Kline) Bruce, both natives of Alsace-Lorraine, who came, with five of their children, to America. They first stopped in Kentucky, where they remained for two years, then located near Scales Mound, Jo Daviess County, Ill., where they farmed. William Bruce served under Napoleon, in fact was one of his bodyguard and at the time of his capture was taking care of Napoleon's horse. In 1854, John Bruce and his family came to California, crossing the plains with oxen and big wagons. They were accompanied by the Thomasson family. Upon arriving in this state they all settled in Butte County, engaging in mining on Feather River until he located a homestead of one hundred sixty acres on Humboldt road, three miles east of Chico. There he made the necessary improvements and continued farming, in time becoming the well-to-do owner of five hundred forty-four acres in the home farm and two hundred acres on Hegan Lane.

      John Bruce married Miss Millie Ann Thomasson and they had two children before they left Illinois, nine more were born in California. They are: Mary Jane, who became the wife of James Young and lives in Redding; Nancy M. is the widow of Aaron Williams and lives in Chico; William is mentioned at length on another page of this work; Alfred P., of this review; Charles, married Josie Austin and they live near Chico; Millie Ann is the wife of Charles Marion; and Robert, who married Mary Elizabeth Lynch. Another child, LeRoy, died in infancy. Mrs. John Bruce died in May, 1910, at the age of seventy-six, and John Bruce passed away on September 10, 1912, at the age of eighty-four.

      Alfred P. Bruce grew up on the home farm three miles east of Chico, and he attended the public schools in pursuit of an education. As a young man he and his brother, William, embarked in farming and stock-raising, having as many as nine thousand head of sheep which they ranged in Butte and Tehama Counties during the winter and in Plumas County in summertime; they also farmed the Bruce Ranch on Hegan Lane for twenty-six years, or until it was divided among the heirs, at which time Mr. Bruce became owner of sixty acres located two miles south of Chico, which is devoted to grain-raising.

      Near Chico, on July 17, 1887, Mr. Bruce married Miss Belle McClard, a native of Centerville, Appanoose County, Iowa, who came to California with her parents, William T. and Elizabeth (Richardson) McClard, in 1879. They were farmers and horticulturists in Butte County and are still living, making their home in Chico Vecino. For twenty-six years Mr. and Mrs. Bruce gave their best efforts and energies to gain a competence from the farm and are now enjoying the fruits of their years of toil in their comfortable home on Normal Avenue, Chico, where they removed in the year 1914, after their ranch home had been burned down. Seven children have been born to them: Stella, married Fred Clark of Lincoln, Cal.; Harry, who married Irene Allison of Chico, and who is a Sergeant in the One Hundred Fifty-ninth California Infantry, stationed at Camp Kearny; Le Roy, who is Second Lieutenant in the One Hundred Fifty-ninth California Infantry, at Camp Kearny; Carl, who married Edith Chattel of Chico, is in the employ of the Diamond Match Company; Ruth, a twin of Carl's is a graduate of the Chico State Normal and is teaching in Siskiyou County; Margaret and Joe D., who are at home.

      Mr. Bruce served as trustee of York School District and is a Democrat in national politics. He is a supporter of all progressive projects that have for their object the upbuilding of his county and is highly respected by all who know him.

 

 

Transcribed by Sande Beach.

Source: "History of Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 935-936, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.


© 2008 Sande Beach.

 

Golden Nugget Library's Butte County Biographies

 

California Statewide

 

Golden Nugget Library