Butte County

Biographies

 

 

 

 

DOCTOR FRANKLIN CROWDER

 

 

      DOCTOR FRANKLIN CROWDER.--A pioneer settler of Butte County who has carried on to a notable degree the good work of county development so well participated in by his father, is Doctor Franklin Crowder, whose

grandfather was Allen Crowder, a native of Virginia, who moved with his wife (formerly Miss Phoebe Gregg) to North Carolina, where he owned a large tract of land. He had three hundred acres set out to apples, and an equal area set out to peaches, and he died in North Carolina at the age of one hundred and five years. Doctor Franklin’s father was Godfrey C. Crowder, a native of North Carolina, where he was born in 1815, and where, in 1841, he was married to Miss Margaret Elizabeth Mooney, who was also born in North Carolina.

      For a while Godfrey Crowder settled on a ranch, but in 1854 he started for the Coast, and reaching Benton County, Ark., he tarried there for a couple of years. In 1856, in the month of April, he set out with ox teams and wagons to cross the plains, the party starting with three wagons and arriving in California after a six month’ trip with one wagon and one pair of oxen. On the way the Indians stampeded their stock, and some died; but in September of that year he arrived with his family at Chico Creek. In 1857, he settled on Rock Creek, and took up land, which he improved, and there he resided until his wife died, in 1892. Then he removed to Mud Creek, but on account of ill health went back to Rock Creek, where he died on December 39, 1895.

      Nine children were born to this deserving pioneer couple: W. Pinkney was killed accidentally on the plains by a rifle being prematurely discharged; Drurey D. died in 1901; Zacharia Taylor died in 1913; Mary Elizabeth died when she was two years old; Martha A. is Mrs. Richardson, of Chico; James Allan lives in Eastern Oregon; Margaret Jane, Mrs. Alonzo Richardson, died in 1895; Sarah Ellen, who died in February, 1881; besides Doctor Franklin (so baptized), the subject of this sketch.

      Doctor Franklin Crowder was born in Cleveland county, N. C. February 18, 1844, and brought up in North Carolina until he was ten years old, when he was taken to Arkansas and there attended the public school; and when twelve years of age he came to California and continued for a while his schooling. His opportunities in that direction, however, were limited, amounting to only twenty-two months, and the balance of his book knowledge he got for himself. In 1856, he commenced to work for his board, while two years later he went on the farm of James A. Cole. This gentleman and his family were educated people, and they encouraged him to resume school again and helped him to learn at home. At the end of three years he took up the work of a stockman, and then he was employed in the flour mill on Rock Creek, owned by J. L. Keefer. There he had to keep the weights and attend to the accounts, and graduating from that form of responsibility he entered the saw mills and worked as superintendent and bookkeeper and cashier. He was several years in the saw mills’ service, and never once in that period was he called to the office to explain an account.

            Finally, with his brother, Z. T., Mr. Crowder bought a ranch near Nord, and soon after this he was married to Miss Mary Elizabeth Nils, who died at Sacramento on July 31,1907, the mother of two children, both of whom are dead. The boy, Walter A., was killed at Chico when a team ran away, and Effie M., who was Mrs. Mason, died at Santa Rosa in December, 1908. Mr. Crowder engaged in ranching until his wife died, and then he sold his ranch and stock and located in Chico where he lives with his sister, Mrs. Richardson, and makes loans and investments.

      An active Democrat who places local interests above party politics, Mr. Crowder was a school trustee for seventeen years, serving in the Meridian District and also the Webster District. He is a member of the Christian Church at Chico, and was chairman of the official board for years, being a senior member. He belongs to Chico Lodge, No. 113, I. O. O. F. where he is one of the oldest members, having joined on February 7, 1866. 

 

 

 

Transcribed by Louise E. Shoemaker, November 19th 2007.

Source: "History of Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 511-512, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.

© 2007 Louise E. Shoemaker.

 

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