Butte County
Biographies
ALEXANDER CLARENCE MUSSELMAN
A. C. MUSSELMAN.--A native son of California, A. C. Musselman
was born in Chico, January 14, 1878. His grandfather, Rev. Musselman,
was a Baptist minister and brought his family from Indiana to California,
across the plains, in an ox-team train, in 1850 or 1851, and settled in Colusa
County. He followed farming, as well as the ministry. He died at Dixon. David
O. Musselman, the father, of our subject, came to
California from Indiana with his parents. In the early days he followed staging
and stage driving out of Sacramento. Then ranching in Colusa County, but did
not meet with success. Next he went to Modoc County, where he followed
cattle-raising. While in that county he served one term as supervisor.
Returning to the Sacramento Valley, he bought a place on the Humboldt road and
ran the West Branch House for some years, then engaged in teaming, making his
Residence in Chico. He spent his last days with his son, A. C., at Coutolenc. Georgia Leland, a native of Grass Valley,
California. was the mother of A.C. Musselman,
and her death occurred in Sacramento. Her five children are all living, A.C.
being the eldest. His childhood was spent in Chico,
his schooling being limited to about one year.
In 1893, when fifteen years of age, Mr. Musselman began to paddle his own canoe, working in the
mines near Coutolenc until 1897. Mr. Heimbach,
the grocer in Chico, sent for him to work in the store. On his return to Chico,
Mr. Huston, of the San Francisco Produce Store, hunted him up to get his
services, but A. C. told him he came to work for Heimbach.
When the two went to see the latter he told Mr. Musselman
he had better accept Mr. Huston’s offer as he only wanted him a short time. He
began at the bottom, at forty dollars a month, but so diligently did he work
and so closely did he watch the business that he received substantial raises,
so that before the end of the year his salary was one hundred dollars per
month. He continued her for a period of five years, when he started a grocery
business for himself, on the corner of Eighth and Main Streets. He met with
success and built up a large business. However, at the end of four years he
found the confinement and close indoor application injurious to his health, so
he sold out, and being advised by the physician to go into the mountains, he
returned to Coutolenc and purchased the ranch, hotel
and store from Mr. Coutolenc and continued the
business, He installed a saw mill and engaged in manufacturing lumber. He cut
off three million feet of lumber, cleared the land, and set out seven thousand
trees, principally apples, pears and prunes. The Musselman
Ranch comprises two hundred eighty acres, irrigated by water from the Musselman ditch, taken out of the Little West Branch of the
Feather River, He has also built a reservoir on top of
a hill, fed by springs, which is piped to the hotel and cottages, giving a
one-hundred-seventy-eight foot head. A water-wheel is installed for power and
light.
In July,
1916, Mr. Musselman’s store and stock of merchandise
was burned at a loss of eleven thousand dollars, with only thirty-five hundred
dollars insurance. He immediately put in another stock of goods and continued
business. Aside from the large hotel, he has fifteen cottages at the resort to
accommodate the families that visit his place, for it is very popular,
particularly during the summer season.
Mr. Musselma’s marriage occurred at Chico, where he was united
with Miss Henrietta Henderson, who was born in Red Bluff, the daughter of H.
C., a native of Tennessee, who brought his wife, Mary (Kimbrough) Henderson, to
California, locating first at Red Bluff. And then at Chico,
where they now reside. Mrs. Musselman was
educated in the public schools and in the Chico State Normal. Their six
children are as follows: Merritt, Rhoda, Curtis, Gene, Warren and Dale.
Mr. and
Mrs. Musselman are interested in the cause of
education, and both have served as trustees of their district, and they are
members of the Baptist church. Mr. Musselman was
postmaster at Coutolenc for some years, but now his
wife holds that commission, while he runs an auto stage for the passengers and
mail, from Coutolenc to Appleton Station, on the
railroad. Fraternally Mr. Musselman is an Odd Fellow
and a Knight of Pythias. He is also serving by
appointment as deputy sheriff and deputy fire warden.
Transcribed by Kim Buck.
Source:
"History of Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 1101-1102,
Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2009 Kim Buck.
Golden
Nugget Library's Butte County Biographies