Colusa
County
Biographies
ELIAS C. PEART
Along the legitimate lines of
business Mr. Peart has won creditable success and is
today the leading merchant of Colusa. He
was born at Cook Cove, Guysboro County, Nova Scotia,
on the 9th of November, 1848, and is a son of John William and Philo
Ann (Cook) Peart.
On the paternal side his ancestry can be traced back to Godfrey Peart, who died on the 9th of November, 1868, at
the age of seventy-nine years. Godfrey Peart, the grandfather, married Mary Ann Lavinia Cribbin, whose death
occurred May 10, 1869, when she had reached the age of seventy-seven
years. John W. Peart,
the father of our subject, was born in Guysboro, Nova
Scotia, on the 23rd of May, 1817, and died August 29, 1886, at the
age of sixty-nine years. He was a farmer
and trader. His wife was born at Guysboro, in 1812, and died in Colusa, California, June 16,
1895, at the age of eighty-three years.
She was a daughter of Elias C. and Anne (Horton) Cook, the former born
December 16, 1788, the latter April 23, 1794.
The grandfather died August 28, 1870, at the age of eighty-two years,
and his wife passed away December 11, 1894, when more than one hundred years of
age.
Elias Cook Peart
attended the public schools during the winter season and throughout the remainer of the year assisted in the work of the home farm,
taking a man’s place from the age of thirteen years. In 1868 he emigrated
to California, by way of the water route from New York and across the Isthmus
of Panama. He arrived in San Francisco
the day before the great earthquake. In
November of the same year he secured employment in a small store at Knight’s
Landing, where he remained until the spring of 1869, when he went to Grand
Island, Colusa County, and since that time he has been a resident of the county
which he regards as the most favorable spot in all the land. In this opinion he certainly cannot be far
wrong, for nature has made this a very desirable location with its rich farming
country well watered by good streams.
When Mr. Peart
arrived in California he had a cash capital of only
thirty dollars, nor did he depend upon influential friends to aid him. He enjoyed good health, was enterprising and
possessed of resolute will and he stood upon his own merits. His first employer was Barney Roseberry, now
of Woodland, California, and on leaving his service he entered the employ of H.
H. Goodhue, formerly of Grand Island, but now deceased. After clerking for two or three years, Mr. Peart established a mercantile store at Leesville and
entered upon a prosperous career at that place, but a disastrous fire swept his
business entirely away. After paying all
his debts in full he had only a linen duster besides the necessary
clothing. With determined spirit,
however, he established a business in Colusa on borrowed capital, but found the
expense attached to an incorporated town too great for one of his limited
circumstances. Accordingly he returned
to Leesville where he erected a store building and dwelling, but in about two
years he sold his business and real estate to Dr. J. H. Clark, for his health
was failing him through overwork.
Hoping to be benefited thereby, Mr. Peart went on a sea voyage to New York and thence along the
coast to Nova Scotia. He crossed the Bay
of Fundy several times, but the experience was not a pleasant one and he says
he has no wish to make the trip again.
After returning to California he assumed the management of a general
mercantile store at Grimes, California, owned by the Grangers’ Corporation
Company. In about a year he purchased
the enterprise and successfully conducted it in connection with branch stores
in Arbuckle and Colusa. He also at one
time identified with the store in Maxwell, but has recently disposed of much of
the mercantile business, although he is still conducting the leading
establishment in his line in Colusa. He
has at the same time given some attention to farming and grain dealing. The word discouragement seems to find no
place in his business vocabulary, and by continued effort and by closely
following the golden rule he has won a very handsome competence of which he
well deserves.
Mr. Peart
was united in marriage December 11, 1872, to Miss Clara H. Graham, a daughter
of Edwin R. and Asenath L. (Stanton) Graham. Her grandparents were James and Sarah
(Stickney) Graham. The former was born
and reared near Fort Patrick, Scotland, and died in Hamilton County, Ohio. By occupation he was a schoolteacher. His wife was born in Concord, Massachusetts,
and died in Illinois. Edwin R. Graham,
their son, was born in Hamilton County, Ohio, on the 19th of June,
1827, and devoted his energies to agricultural pursuits throughout his business
career and died on the 4th of November, 1896, in Colusa County,
California. His wife was born April 5,
1834, in Chardon, Geauga County, Ohio, and was a daughter of Joseph and
Clarissa (Griffin) Stanton. His father,
John Stanton, was of Welsh lineage, as was his wife. Joseph Stanton was born in Madison County,
New York, July 16, 1772, and was a machinist by trade. He served in the War of 1812, under the
command of Captain Leroy Brown, of New York, and his death occurred in
Illinois, at the age of sixty-four years.
His wife was born in Middletown, Middlesex County, Connecticut,
September 10, 1829, and died in Colusa County, California, November 4, 1881. Her parents were Samuel and Anne (Wheaton)
Griffin, the former a native of England and the latter of Connecticut. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Peart have been born the following children: Emma C., Cora G. and Eulah
M.
Mr. Peart
gives his political support to the Democracy, but is not a bitter partisan,
much preferring to deposit his ballot for a good Republican than a man of his
own party who is not worthy of the public trust. He has always declined to accept public
office himself, except that he has served as postmaster. He has established the post office at
Leesville and filled the position there until he resigned. He also established the post office at
Grimes, Colusa County, and there filled the position until he handed in his
resignation. He is now, by appointment
of the state, a director in agricultural district No. 44, which district he
organized. Socially he is connected with
the Order of Friends, and his wife and children are members of the Christian
Church. Through a long period Mr. Peart has been identified with the development of Colusa
County, and his name therefore is inseparably interwoven with its history. The wonderful upbuilding
of the golden state is due to such men; men of enterprise, sagacity, sound
judgment and rare discrimination, whose methods are practical and whose plans
are comprehensive and far-reaching.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
“A Volume of Memoirs and Genealogy of Representative Citizens of Northern
California”, Pages 264-266. Chicago Standard Genealogical Publishing Co. 1901.
© 2010
Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's Colusa County Biographies