Butte County
Biographies
SAMUEL K. TROXEL
SAMUEL K. TROXEL.--Prominently identified with the banking interests
of the Sacramento Valley, Samuel K. Troxel, the
assistant cashier of the Butte County National Bank, of Chico, is a native son
of that city. He is directly descended from Revolutionary stock, his paternal
ancestor, who served in the Revolutionary War, being Jacob Troxel.
The next in the line of descent was another Jacob, who was a farmer in Ohio,
and in his family was a son, Josiah Troxel, who was
born at Fairfield, that state, February 22, 1822. With the spirit of the true
developer of virgin soil, Josiah Troxel migrated to
Coles County, Ill., in the early forties, where he improved a farm from the raw
prairie, and operated it until 1864, when he once more gave heed to the slogan,
“Westward Ho,” and, with his family, began the long journey across the desert,
plain, and mountains, with horse teams and wagons, to California. Upon arriving
here he located in Butte County and bought a quarter section of land, but the
next year he moved to a ranch of three hundred twenty acres, which he had
purchased on Butte Creek, near Dayton. He kept adding to his holdings until he
was owner of seven hundred twenty acres at the time of his death, on June 1,
1902. All the intervening years, from 1864 to 1902, he was successfully engaged
in ranching and stock-raising. He married Eve Ann Coon, who was born in Ohio;
her death occurred here. They had six boys and five girls in their family,
among whom was a son named Kansas Buchanan Troxel. He
was born in Coles County, Ill., on June 4, 1856, and when a lad of eight
accompanied the family overland to California. Here he received his education
in the public schools, and the training that made of him a successful rancher,
from his father. He is now owner of a part of the old Josiah Troxel Ranch, the others who shared in the division of the
property being Thomas Jefferson, Allen T., and Mary Emma Troxel.
Kansas B. Troxel married Mary J. McClellan, a native
of Butte County and a daughter of that pioneer, Samuel McClellan, so well known
in the early days. They had four children: Samuel K., of this review; Harry E.;
Guy; and Gladys A. As a Democrat, Kansas B. Troxel
has served as a delegate to county and state conventions; for seventeen years
he served as a deputy county assessor, three years of this period as chief
deputy, under Samuel McClellan. He and his wife are now living in Butte County,
where he is still active in business affairs.
Samuel K. Troxel
was born July 11, 1881, on a farm near Chico, and attended the grammar school
in his district, then entered the high school in Oroville, from which he
graduated in 1898, and then spent a year in Stanford University. Upon returning
to Chico, he entered the employ of the Sierra Lumber Company as bookkeeper,
remaining with them until September, 1906, when he accepted a like position in
the Bank of Butte County. In 1908 the bank was nationalized, becoming the Butte
County National Bank, and the following year Mr. Troxel
was promoted to his present position, that of assistant cashier; he is also one
of the stockholders in the institution.
On September 7, 1899, in San Francisco,
Mr. Troxel was united in marriage with Miss Angie
Hook. She was born in Napa County, a daughter of Henry and Annie (Johnson)
Hook, natives of England and New York, respectively. Mr. Hook came to
California in the fifties, and followed contracting in San Francisco. He made a
trip back to New York and was married, returning to California with his bride
on their wedding journey, and, upon arrival here, settled in Napa, where he
followed his trade. He eventually returned to San Francisco and died there.
Mrs. Hook resides in Los Angeles. Mrs. Troxel
received her education in San Francisco and Palo Alto. Mr. and Mrs. Troxel have two children, Elmer R. and Esther M. Mr. Troxel was made a Mason in Chico Lodge, No. 111, F. &
A. M., in which he is a Past Master; he belongs to Chico Chapter, No. 42, R. A.
M.; Chico Commandery, No. 12, K. T., of which he
is Past Commander; and to Islam Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of San Francisco. He
belongs to Chico Lodge, No. 423, B. P. O. Elks. Both Mr. and Mrs. Troxel are members of Josephine Chapter, No. 104, O. E. S.
As is natural with the progressive citizens of Butte County, Mr. Troxel believes in promoting those projects that have for
their aim the development of city, county and state.
Transcribed by Marie Hassard
12 May 2008.
Source:
"History of Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages
908-911, Historic Record
Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2008 Marie Hassard.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County Biographies