Calaveras
County
Biographies
WILLIAM R. DEES
There is ever an element of interest
in the history of the self-made man, one who starts out in life empty-handed
and wrests fortune from an adverse fate.
Obstacles and difficulties are encountered, but to the man of resolute
purpose these but call for renewed effort and serve as stepping-stones to
something higher. The life record of Mr.
Dees stands in exemplification of what may be accomplished in this free land of
ours where the man of ambition and determination is unhampered by caste or
class.
A native of Georgia, Mr. Dees was
born on the 3rd of October, 1835, and represents one of the old
families of that state. His father, John
Dees, was born in North Carolina and married Miss Keziah
Taylor. For a number of years they were
residents of Alabama, and both departed this life in 1865. They had seven children, of whom only two are
living.
Dr. Dees, the only one in
California, was reared in the state of Alabama, where he received but limited
educational privileges, his knowledge having been acquired mostly in the school
of experience. He has, however, become a
well informed man of practical learning, and through the exercise of sound
judgment he has worked his way steadily upward.
Crossing the Isthmus of Panama, he made his way to the Pacific waters,
having previously sailed from New Orleans to the dividing land between the
continents. Making his way to the
Pacific coast on one of the vessels in use in that day, he arrived in San
Francisco on the 1st of April, 1852, and thence went to Coloma, in El Dorado
County, and later to Cold Springs and Placerville. He first engaged in mining at Alabama Flat,
where he met with very gratifying success, making as high as one hundred
dollars in a single day. He continued to
mine for a number of years with the varying luck of the gold-seeker, and then
turned his attention to raising sheep, having a large ranch on which he had
from two to three thousand sheep at all times.
He continued that industry for
thirteen years and then sold his sheep for nine thousand dollars, after which
he was engaged in the livery business for three years at Milton. In that
enterprise, however, he lost nearly fifteen hundred dollars and, then turned
his attention to other affairs. He
purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land a half mile from Milton and is
now cultivating wheat, barley and hay.
He keeps a number of horses and cows and has a well improved farm
supplied with all the modern accessories.
His home is one of the pleasant residences of Milton and there he
resides with his family, contentedly passing the evening of an upright and
consistent life.
In 1855 was celebrated the marriage
of Mr. Dees and Miss Helen Virginia Burdis, a native of Fredericksburg,
Virginia. Two children have come to
bless their union, Cora Elizabeth and John W.
In his political affiliations Mr. Dees is a Democrat, but has never
sought or desired public office. In 1880
at Copperopolis, he was made a Master Mason, and has since been identified with
that fraternity, filling the various offices in his lodge. He now holds membership in Keystone Lodge,
No. 161 F. & A. M., of Milton. He
and his wife are devout members of the Methodist Church and are people of the
highest respectability.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
“A Volume of Memoirs and Genealogy of Representative Citizens of Northern
California”, Pages 367-368. Chicago Standard Genealogical Publishing Co. 1901.
© 2010
Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's Calaveras County Biographies