DERBY H CANTRELL

Sacramento County

Biographies

DERBY H. CANTRELL

DERBY H. CANTRELL, a rancher of San Joaquin Township, was born in Rutherford County, Tennessee, April 30, 1818, the son of Ota and Eleanor (Cummins) Cantrell, natives also of Tennessee, who moved to Missouri, near Kansas City, then called Westport, in 1830, and there followed farming. The father died there in 1846, aged about forty-six or forty-seven years, and the mother lived there some eighteen years, and died about 1867. They had three sons and three daughters, three of whom grew up. Their grandfather, Stephen Cantrell, served in the Revolutionary war, and their father in the war of 1812. In Stephen’s family were four sons and three daughters, most of whom remained in their native county, Stephen and Ota being the only ones to leave there. Ota Cantrell went to Missouri in December, 183-, with two sons. Shortly afterward they returned to Tennessee on horseback, and next spring he came by water, bringing the remainder of the family. Mr. Cantrell was brought up near Kansas City. When twelve years of age he helped to cut the first brush on the site of that town, in preparing to build a cabin. He remained with his mother until he was twenty-five years of age, during which time he made two trips to Mexico, being sent as captain of wagon trains with goods. He also made one trip to Omaha, at which point his uncle, Richard W. Cummins, was Indian agent. During the twenty-four or twenty-five years residence in Missouri he made frequent trips into what is now Kansas. Went once to Council Grove with provisions in 1848, on sleighs, passing the Shawnee agency; there were then no settlements in the region. They brought back some frozen men. In 1853, leaving their Missouri home on April 20, with about fifty head of cattle, mules and horses, two wagons and a family of four daughters, they came to California by way of the Platte River, Fort Kearney, south side of the North Platte, Fort Laramie, Sublette’s cut-off, etc. Mrs. Cantrell was sick with a fever for a month during the latter part of the journey. After arrival here Mr. Cantrell purchased a squatter’s claim to a ranch in San Joaquin Township, where he has ever since remained. On the claim there was only a small adobe house. Here he now has about 800 acres of land, where he prosecutes a good business in general farming, but more especially in stock-raising, having some fine horses, cattle and mules. Of cattle he has about 250 head, of which fifty are graded stock. Thoroughbreds he thinks are better left to specialists. He has also made some money in sheep. In this direction he made his first start in Mexican sheep, but did not keep them long. The largest band was 5,000 in number. But his land is now too valuable for sheep-raising. Mr. Cantrell has been prominently a frontiersman. When he first came here wild game was plentiful, -- antelope and deer could often be seen. He is a member of the Methodist Church, although brought up a Presbyterian. In his political principles he is a Democrat. He is now about seventy years of age, but he can mount a horse and ride off apparently as actively as ever. His home is a beautiful one, located among the native trees on the Cosumnes River. He was married in Jackson County, Missouri, January 11, 1844, to Miss Hannah Urby, a native of Greene County, Tennessee. She died May 27, 1888, and her loss is so greatly mourned by her husband that he could not remain on the old place, but made frequent trips to San Francisco and Sacramento. Of his six children, four are living: Lutetia, born September 4, 1845, and is now the wife of Nathan Lipscomb; Ann E., born November 2, 1847, married Fred Frothingham, and died March 4, 18--; Sarah E., born April 7, 1849; Mary, born May 20, 1851, is now the wife of Philip Oppenheim; Henly C., born January, 1855; and Addie E., born December, 1859, died August 14, 1867, at the age of seven years, eight months, and one day.

Transcribed by Vicky Walker, 11/29/07.

Source: Davis, Hon. Win. J., An Illustrated History of Sacramento County, California. Pages 800-801. Lewis Publishing Company. 1890.