Colusa County
Biographies
FREDERICK W. SCHUTZ, SR.
The qualities which have accomplished
the success of Frederick W. Schutz, Sr., are those
which have aided the successful man from time immemorial, in more or less
degree. Working from daylight till dark with unremitting energy, doing more
than was expected of him, toiling while others were idle, profiting by bitter
failures, these and many more are the qualities that have been as stepping
stones to the high position which Mr. Schutz enjoys
to-day. He is now living retired in Oakland, at No. 1303 Grove street, the
management of his large property having been turned over to his two sons,
Herman H. and Frederick W., Jr. Mr. Schutz began at
the bottom round of the ladder in California in 1854, experiencing little or no
success in his various ventures until he saw a favorable opening in the sheep
industry, and this in time has enabled him to become owner of some of the most
valuable property near Arbuckle, in Oakland, and throughout Colusa county.
Born in Hanover, Germany, July 18,
1832, Mr. Schutz was next to the oldest in a family of twelve children, ten of whom attained mature
years, and eight of whom are living. Besides himself only one of the family has come to California, his brother H. H. having been
a resident of Marysville since 1869. Herman Schutz,
the father of this large family, was born in Hanover, Germany, and by trade was
a blacksmith. The grandfather was a native of Kur-Hessen,
in which principality the lineage may be traced back to the Reformation. Herman
Schutz married Wilhelmina Tias,
a representative of an old Hanoverian family. Frederick W. began work in his
father’s blacksmith shop when a mere boy, his wages being thirty cents a week
and board after he had advanced to a thorough mechanic, and as he was the
oldest son was obliged to stay at home and follow the calling until his
twentieth year. He then volunteered in the German army, but was rejected as he
was unable to fill the physical requirements, and in 1852 sailed for America on
the Rebecca, landing in New Orleans after a voyage of fifty days. The money
earned to pay his passage was made by supplying the frequenters of his father’s
shop with liquor, conceiving the idea to do so as he had been sent many times
to a nearby saloon for that purpose. From New Orleans he went up the
Mississippi to St. Louis, where his brother Henry was located, and at once
found work at his trade, a fortunate circumstance, as his funds were completely
exhausted. Two weeks later he met with an accident, having his fingers crushed,
and before long blood poisoning set in. Although his physician insisted that
amputation of the hand was necessary, Mr. Schutz
steadily opposed it. At this juncture his brother suggested a quack doctor of
whom he had heard, and strange to say the latter’s ministrations gave relief in
twenty-four hours and eventually saved the patient’s hand. During his eighteen
weeks of forced idleness Mr. Schutz heard much of
California from returned acquaintances, and though without the means of transportation,
determined to cast his fortunes with the undeveloped country.
An opportunity to carry out his plans
was presented in 1854, when he was engaged to drive cattle across the plains by
the firm of Foelker & Holzschneider,
to whom, in addition to services rendered, he was obliged to pay $60, this
leaving him with only $5 in ready cash. There were one thousand head of cattle
in the train and forty horses. When it was found out that he could shoe horses
he was given that task, one that he much preferred, for in addition to being
congenial work it enabled him to ride a horse and relieved him from guard duty.
The train started April 5, 1854, left St. Joseph April 21 and arrived in
Sacramento September 13. On the way he witnessed a battle between two Indian
tribes, and in Eagle valley he and thirty-two companions left the train and
proceeded on foot to Hangtown, the others remaining behind to care for the
stock, a halt being necessary to rest the cattle. On the road to Sacramento Mr.
Schutz overtook many who were on their way to the
mines, and who made inquiries regarding the east, thinking that because he
carried a German knapsack he was a newcomer. All of the fifty or more persons
whom he interviewed wished themselves back in the states whence they came, and
it was with this discouraging outlook that Mr. Schutz
faced the problem of life in the west. In order to save expense he still slept
in his blanket, a habit formed on the plains. Upon arriving in Sacramento he
ate his first breakfast under cover and inquired of the landlord as to the
prospects of finding work at the blacksmith’s trade. His reply was not
encouraging, and subsequent appeals for work at three different shops still
further dampened his spirits. In the last shop he was told that he could have
work for two days, and the owner was so well pleased that he employed him for
three months. Mr. Schutz had been promised $15 per
week and his board, but upon leaving his employer he received only $5 for his
first week and $2.50 for the second, thus owing him on his three months’ work
$120. They finally came to an agreement by which he got $60 and later received
the balance. Going down the street Mr. Schutz heard
tempting music emanating from a dance and gambling hall only to be lured in,
and with disastrous results, for he there lost his $60 of recently hard-earned
money. Once out of the hall he was accosted by a young man who deserted him as
soon as he found out that he was without funds; further on he met another man
who gave him good advice and told him to keep away from gambling. Mr. Schutz looks back upon this experience as one of the
saddest and yet as one of the most valuable episodes of his life.
Two days later, after regaining his
balance, Mr. Schutz went to the mines on the south
fork of the American river, and at Condemn bar met a friend who secured him
work at $2 per day. Water gave out at the end of ten days, but as his
employers, Messrs. William Welch and Adolph Kern has a claim elsewhere they
asked Mr. Schutz to become one of the company in
working it, and for four years he remained one of the company. In the meantime
his spare time was employed in the little shop which he had opened for
repairing tools, and occupation which not only
increased his income, but kept him from companions with less ambitious habits.
At the end of four years hard work he had accumulated $2,675, and in 1858 he
started for the east. When he reached Sacramento he met a friend to whom the
camp owed $500 for supplies, and this Mr. Schutz paid
out of his own pocket. This friend advised him to reconsider his decision to
return east, so he went to San Francisco, still, however, with the vague
intention of returning east by the isthmus. The charm of the west was upon him
and instead he soon took a trip to Nevada, which was before the discovery of
gold there. Soon afterward he came back to Sacramento and the same friend told
him of a chance to secure three hundred and twenty acres of land sown to grain
and finely located ob Cache creek in Yolo county, all
of which could be had for $1,500. This Mr. Schutz
bought, but disposed of it soon afterward, as he knew very little about
farming.
It was while journeying through this
country that Mr. Schutz’ attention was called to a
flock of sheep, and he thereupon determined to go into the business of raising
sheep. His friend, Carson Weirs, agreed to a partnership and
together they located desirable land in Colusa county, where they built
a cabin, dug a well and after purchasing seven hundred sheep found they were $1,500
in debt. Their income was small at first and by the time they had raised sheep
to sell there was no market for them. A disagreement among the partners
resulted in Mr. Schutz selling out, and he at once
left for Marysville, where he resumed blacksmithing until going to Sacramento,
where he peddled water with a cart and buckets, a business which he had bought
from Fred Meckfessel. Five months later he engaged
with a Mr. Poke to go to Nevada and start a store, but finding out that Mr.
Poke intended to take advantage of him he sold his interest and returned to
Sacramento in 1864. He liked Nevada, however, and determined to buy sheep and
take them there and start in business, especially as there was abundant feed,
which was noticeably lacking in California that year. Purchasing fifteen
hundred head he started out, but soon found the road blockaded with sheep,
sheep and shepherds all headed for Nevada. Mr. Schutz
therefore remained in the Sierra Nevada mountains with
his flocks, meeting many difficulties, not the least of which was encountering
jealous and even vicious fellow-herders. In the fall he worked his way back to
Sacramento, stopping at Dr. Campbell’s ranch, where he sold his sheep and then
returned to Colusa county.
In 1865 Mr. Schutz
bought back his former ranch, placing thereon eleven hundred sheep, and in
partnership with Fred Meckfessel carried on a very
successful business. After selling three hundred head they increased their
flock by the purchase of seven hundred, giving them fifteen hundred sheep in
all, and the following spring they raised fifteen hundred lambs. Prices rose
rapidly, wool increased in value, and the partners bought land on all sides of
them a step which was necessary, as competitors were apt to buy it and thus
close them in. In time they owned eight thousand acres in one body in Colusa county. Having made a fortune in the sheep business they
sold off the sheep and engaged in grain raising, establishing themselves in a central location three miles north of
Arbuckle. From 1865 until 1891 Mr. Schutz and Mr. Meckfessel were associated as partners, first in the sheep
business and later in the grain enterprise, but in the year last mentioned the
partnership was dissolved and the land divided. Mr. Schutz
succeeded to four thousand acres, and in the meantime had purchased ten hundred
and seventy acres near College City, comprising the old Pierce tract, which in
all gave him five thousand acres in Colusa county near
Arbuckle and College City. In 1885 he removed to Oakland in order to enable his
children to attend the schools there, his farms being under the management of
his two sons, Herman H. and Frederick, Jr. Mr. Schutz
owns much valuable property in Oakland, including a three-story building on the
corner of Ninth and Washington streets; sixty-six feet on Washington street
upon which he erected the building occupied by the Sallinger
department store; and 55x100 feet on Twelfth, between Washington and Broadway,
occupied by the Kahn store, and which he owns with his son, H. H. Schutz.
In political affiliation Mr. Schutz is a Republican, but in no sense has he been a
politician. He has always been a friend and promoter of education and helped to
organize the Webster school district near his home in Colusa county,
the first in that section, and helped build the first school house. He was
trustee of the district from its organization until his removal to Oakland.
Fraternally he is connected with Schiller Lodge No. 105, I. O. O. F., of
Sacramento, and in religion is identified with the Lutheran Church, liberally
assisting in its support. In Sutter county Mr. Schutz
married Miss Kate Cordes, who was born in Prussia,
and they have become the parents of four children: Herman H., who operates his
father’s ranch near College City; Millie, the wife of John P. Maxwell of
Oakland; Frederick, Jr., a grain and cattle raiser near Arbuckle; and Carrie,
the wife of J. H. Balsdon of Grand Island. Mr. Schutz, although aspiring to no leadership or prominence,
is entitled to be ranked among the foremost pioneers of California by reason of
his early identification with Colusa county, and his
development of at least two large enterprises, all of which is heartily
accorded him by those who have known him long and intimately.
Transcribed By: Cecelia M. Setty.
Source: "History of the State of
California and Biographical Record of the Sacramento
Valley, Cal.," J. M. Guinn, Pages
372-377.
The Chapman Publishing Company, Chicago, 1906.
© 2017 Cecelia M. Setty.
Golden Nugget Library's Colusa County Biographies