Sacramento County
Biographies
CHARLES S. CHALMERS
CHARLES S. CHALMERS.--A worthy representative of the ranching industry in Sacramento County is Charles S. Chalmers, who was born at Chatham, Ontario, Canada, February 28, 1867. He was the next to the youngest in a family of five boys and three girls born to Peter S. and Catherine Chalmers. The former was born in Scotland and came to Ontario as a young man, and there he was married, after which he followed farming. His wife passed away in 1870. In 1883 Peter S. Chalmers brought his family to Sacramento, where he entered the employ of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company. He soon became watchman of their American River bridge, a position he filled so well he retained the place. After eighteen years he resigned his place and retired, spending his last days in Woodland. He died at the advanced age of eighty-nine years.
Charles S. Chalmers is the next to the youngest of their eight children. He attended the public school in Ontario and in 1883 came to Sacramento, where he completed his education in the public schools of the city. Meantime during vacations he worked on the farm. After his school days were over he was employed on the Haggin Grant and there he learned the raising and curing hops. In 1893 he leased Dr. Caples' hop ranch of 100 acres on the Cosumnes, and some years later he leased the whole ranch of 485 acres, which he has since operated successfully. In 1923, finding no market for hops, he quit raising them and now devotes the ranch to beans, grain and stock. As a hop-grower he raised some big hop crops, often averaging two tons of dry hops to the acre. Years of experience and study made him an expert in the curing of hops, for he came to know the conditions of heat, etc., that were necessary. He built the hop-houses, kilns and furnaces and superintended the drying and curing himself. His experience in hop-culture was recognized and his advice was sought by others. In earlier days Mr. Pabst, of Milwaukee, would make the trip to California each year, visiting the ranches and purchasing the hops.
Mr. Chalmers was married in Elk Grove, being united with Nellie Davis, a native of that place, and a daughter of Morrow Davis. He was proprietor of the railroad hotel, but being a tanner he removed to Napa and was employed in Sawyer's Tannery in that city until his death. Nellie Davis was educated in the public schools and at Napa College. Their union has been blessed with three children. Rollo served in the United States Army in the 91st Division and was sent overseas, seeing active service at the front, and he went over the top three different times. He is now assisting his father on the ranch. Then there are Arthur, also assisting on the ranch, and Mrs. Harriette Huckleborn, of Elk Grove. Mr. Chalmers and his two sons are members of the Odd Fellows Lodge in Elk Grove, and each is a past grand, the sons also being members of the Encampment; while all the family are members of the Rebekahs, the wife and daughter each having served as noble grand, and the daughter now being secretary of the lodge. Mrs. Chalmers and her daughter are also members of the Elk Grove Parlor, N. D. G. W., the latter being a past president, and both sons are members of the Native Sons of the Golden West. Rollo Chalmers is a member of the American Legion. Politically, the family are Republicans.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Source: Reed, G.
Walter, History of Sacramento County, California
With Biographical Sketches, Page 780. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA.
1923.
© 2007 Jeanne Taylor.