Butte County
Biographies
JOHN FRISHHOLZ
JOHN FRISHHOLZ.--A native of Bavaria, Germany, John Frishholz was born in 1831, and there learned the cooper’s
trade, following it in his native land. At the age of twenty years he arrived
in the United States to join his brother Michael, who had come to California in
1849 to mine for gold. John had arranged to meet his brother in Butte County so
embarked on a sailing vessel and came around Cape Horn in 1851, arriving, after
a long but uneventful journey, in the land of opportunity. He took up one
hundred sixty acres of government land on Table Mountain, three miles east of
Oroville, and, with his brother, farmed and raised cattle in partnership until
1877, when John sold his interest and bought a quarter section of land five
miles east of Gridley on the Oroville road, where he continued raising cattle,
horses and hogs, and also farmed to grain on rented land. The home ranch is
still in the possession of the family, Mr. Frishholz
having passed away in 1908.
Mr. Frishholz
married Margaret Twach, who was a native of Germany,
and she survives her husband, living on the home ranch, and enjoying good
health at the advanced age of eighty-three years. Their children were: Annie,
who died at the age of sixteen; Mrs. Minnie Holmes, now deceased; Mike T.,
who resides on the home ranch; Frances, wife of William Campbell, of Yuba County;
Henry H., a farmer near Gridley; Elizabeth, who is at home; John, also
deceased; Ada who died at eight years of age; and
Maggie, a school teacher, who lives at home. All were born in Butte County with
the exception of Annie. Mr. Frishholz was a very
quiet unassuming man, devoted to his family and his ranch; he was always ready
to do his duty as a citizen and supported all projects for the advancement of
his county. In the early days he and a partner tried their luck in mining on
Feather River, put in a wing dam, but the flood waters came and washed it out
so he gave it up and resumed his stock business. He was quite an extensive
dealer in cattle at one time and made considerable money. At his passing the
county lost one of her valued citizens, and he was mourned by many.
Mike T. Frishholz
was the third child in order of birth in his parents’ family, and was born on
the Table Mountain Ranch, January 15, 1866, and was educated in the Cottonwood
and Central House school districts. He has always lived on the home ranch, five
miles east of Gridley, and, during the latter years of his father’s life, he
took charge of the work on the home place, besides farming other property that
he leases. Of recent years he has made a specialty of oat hay, for which he
finds a ready market. He has two sons, Leland, an engineer on the Southern
Pacific Railroad, and Clyde, an employe [sic] of the
Dutch-Shell Oil Company, at Martinez.
Transcribed by Marie Hassard
19 May 2008.
Source:
"History of Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Page 970, Historic Record Co, Los
Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2008 Marie Hassard.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County Biographies