Butte County
Biographies
FRANK PIERCE CRUM
FRANK PIERCE CRUM.--The son of one of our earliest pioneers, Frank
Pierce Crum was born on the Feather River in Butte County, six miles east of
Biggs, then called Hamilton, the date of his birth being February 14, 1861. His
father, Andrew J. Crum, a native of Sangamon County, Ill., came to California
when a young man, crossing the plains in ’49, and on
arrival mined near Bidwell’s Bar, Butte County. A few
years later he returned East, where he married, in Dunreith, Ind., Miss Rosetta Pierce, a native of that
place. He brought his bride to California, via Panama, about 1857, and located
on Feather River, below what is now Oroville. Here he located a claim, but
after working for a time, found it to be a grant; he then moved to another
claim near by and found that also a part of a grant. He then moved to what is
now Wickes ranch, six miles north of Oroville,
remained there three years and then sold the land to Mr. Wickes and moved to his ranch on the Rio Seco, nine miles north of Oroville. Here he improved a
farm, having three hundred twenty acres in the beginning, to which he added
until he owned eleven hundred acres. He resided on this ranch until November,
1874, when he sold it to the Cherokee Mining Company. Mr. Crum then took up his
residence in Chico, where he built a home on Park Avenue, and engaged in stock
and sheep raising, owning a ranch on Mud Creek and one on Rock Creek. He
continued in this business until his death, July 19, 1881. He was killed by a
rock hurled by a drunken man. This man, Thomas Noakes,
was captured and admitted he had no cause and was sorry for his act. Soon after
being taken he was mobbed and lynched by angry citizens, to avenge the death of
their friend, the execution taking place from a tree planted by Mr. Crum on his
Dry Creek ranch. The mother continues to reside in Chico. Eight children were
born to Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Crum: Helen, Mrs. S. S. Truitt of Chico; Frank
Pierce; Alice, principal of Salem Street school in
Chico; Douglas, of Chico; Milton C., conductor on the Northern Electric
Railway; Annie, died August 11, 1891, aged nineteen years eight months; Viola,
Mrs. Pyke of Chico; Ira, residing in Chico.
Frank Pierce Crum was brought up on the ranch
on Dry Creek from the age of two until fourteen years, attending the district
schools and learning to ride after stock on the home ranch. When the family
moved to Chico he attended the public schools there and, on finishing his
schooling, helped his father in his sheep-raising business until the latter’s
death, when the business was sold. Mr. Crum then worked on different stock
ranches, and in 1904 entered the employ of the Sierra Lumber Company, himself
and A. L. Dean handling the retail wood department for the company.
He continued in this employment until 1907, when the Diamond Match Company took
over the concern, and Mr. Crum was made night watchman, continuing as such
until July 1, 1916, when, on account of ill health, he resigned. After
recuperating, in
October of the same year, he returned to the employ of the Match
Company as overseer of the barns, and since then he has also been placed in
charge of the agricultural department looking after the orchard and farm.
Mr. Crum was married in Chico to Miss Eva
Connelly, born in Willows, Glenn County, a daughter of James and Millie Ann
(Wilkerson) Connelly, the former a native of Kentucky who came to Missouri,
where he was married. He came out to California and for a number of years was a
foreman on the Glenn ranch. Mr. Connelly died in Willows and his wife passed
away at Oakland in 1915. Of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Crum
three children have been born: Alfred died at the age of one year; Annabel died
aged eight years and nine months; and Evelyn. Fraternally, Mr. Crum is a member
of the Woodmen of the World and of the Native Sons of the Golden West;
originally he was a member of the old Bidwell Parlor,
No. 21, until it relinquished its charter. In politics he is a Republican.
Transcribed by Marie Hassard
12 May 2008.
Source:
"History of Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages
911-912, Historic Record
Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2008 Marie Hassard.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County Biographies