Butte County
Biographies
ROBERT D. AND AGNES T. EDDY
ROBERT D. AND AGNES T. EDDY-- Among the progressive families of Butte County, we
find Mr. and Mrs. Robert D. Eddy living on a ranch on Hegan
Lane, south of Chico. Mr. Eddy was born October 15, 1850, in McHenry County,
Ill., a son of the late Capt. Joseph Eddy, a native of England, where he was
born in Sussex, October 21, 1828, and whence he was brought to America by his
father, Robert Eddy, in 1831, the family locating in Cazenovia, N. Y., where
Mr. Eddy farmed for a short time. Robert Eddy married Susan Penngilly,
who, after the death of her husband, moved to Marengo, Ill., where she died in
1893.
Joseph Eddy was educated in McHenry
County, Ill., and lived there until after his marriage, in 1849, to Laura Hellenbolt, who was born at Port Hope, Ontario. Desirous of
bettering his condition, Mr. Eddy and his family left Illinois and came to
California via Panama, in 1852. They eventually located in Butte County, and at
Chico, with a partner, Mr. Eddy erected the Union
Hotel, and carried on the hotel business several years. In 1865 he bought some
land near Dayton, and in partnership with the late John R. Perkins
carried on extensive farming operations for several years. It was in 1876 that
he bought six hundred forty acres located three miles south of Chico; and here
he improved a valuable estate and continued farming until his death, in 1898.
He was a Republican in politics. He was a member of the Chico Home Guards, an Odd
Fellow, and a prominent citizen of his community. Mr. and Mrs. Eddy had three
children: Robert D., George H., and Josie C., wife of John Wannop.
Mrs. Eddy died in San Francisco, September 13, 1895.
When only two and one-half years old,
Robert Eddy, of this review, was brought to California by his parents, where he
grew up and had the usual experiences that befell the sons of the early
pioneers of this state. He had to work hard on the home ranch; and he attended
the public schools of his locality. In 1879 he married Miss Agnes, a daughter
of John and Ellen (Clark) Spratt, who became settlers of California in 1862 and
1868 respectively. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Eddy went to Lassen
County and settled on a farm north of Susanville, where they farmed and raised
stock for several years, and became closely identified with that section of
California. In 1899 they located in Butte County, where they have ever since
been among the highly respected citizens.
On their arrival in Butte County, this
worthy couple settled on a ranch of one hundred seventy acres, which was
inherited from Mr. Eddy’s father, and was located on Hegan
Lane; and by careful management and industrious labor they have here developed
a fine property. They have had five children to gladden their home: George;
Elmer; Chester, now serving in the United States Navy; Laura, the wife of J. A.
Johnson; and Homer, who married Miss Irene Cooper. These children have been
reared to lives of usefulness, and with their parents enjoy the esteem and good
will of all who know them.
Transcribed by Marie Hassard
16 May 2008.
Source:
"History of Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages
959-960, Historic Record
Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2008 Marie Hassard.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County Biographies