DR. W. R. CLUNESS

Dr. W. R. Cluness.—There is no member of the medical profession in Sacramento, or, indeed, in Central California, who stands higher in the esteem and confidence alike of his brother practitioners and of the public in general than does Dr. Cluness. During his long residence here of now over twenty-six years he has at all times enjoyed a practice of as large dimensions as he has cared to manage, and has been and is frequently called in consultation by the physicians not alone of Sacramento, but also of San Francisco and other sections of the Pacific coast. Dr. Cluness was born December 29, 1835, in the city of London, Canada, his father’s name being David Cluness. The father is now deceased, but his mother is still alive at a good old age and dwells with a younger son in Ontario. Three brothers and four sisters, the remainder of the family all reside in Canada. In the schools of London Dr. Cluness received his preliminary education and prepared himself for entry at Queen’s College in the old “limestone city” of Kingston at the foot of Lake Ontario, one of the best know and most prosperous universities in Canada. Here Dr. Cluness graduated as B. A. in 1855, and immediately began a course in medicine, receiving the degree of M. D., and at the same time that of M. A., also, in 1859 and finally, in 1871 was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Kingston. Removing to California in 1859 he settled in July of that year at Petaluma. Although enjoying a good practice in that town he soon perceived that a city of greater promise was better suited to one of ambition, and accordingly came to Sacramento July 1, 1863, since which time he has been identified with this city. Shortly after coming here he was appointed a member of the Sacramento Board of Health, a position he held for twenty-four years, or until 1887, when he voluntarily resigned on account of private reasons. He is now and has been since 1873 a member of the State Board of Health. Dr. Cluness was one of the organizers of the Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Company in 1868, and was appointing all medical examiners and deciding upon all applications for insurance. This company has proved the strongest and most successful of all formed on this coast, and is now doing business in twenty-tree States and Territories. Of the most noteworthy undertakings, with which he has been connected, outside of the strict lines of the profession, is the celebrated “Oak Shade Orchard,” in Yolo County. With Mr. C. W. Reed, he purchased the 350 acres of which it is composed, in 1868, and planted it in mulberry trees, several thousand of which were set out. They built two large cocooneries, each 150 feet in length, and made preparations on a very extensive scale for silk-raising, having by far the largest establishment in the State. For several years it was carried on, several million cocoons were produced, eggs hatched, etc., but it was at last discovered to be a premature enterprise and was consequently abandoned. This experiment was watched with very great interest generally throughout the State and great regret was felt at its want of success. The land was afterward planted to fruit trees of the following varieties: pears, almonds, plums, peaches, apricots, nectarines and figs, as also a fifty-acre vineyard, chiefly of Muscat grapes. Some of the pear trees are now twenty years old. This ranch is situated near Davisville and about twelve miles from Sacramento. Messrs. W. E. Brown, L. A. Garnett, and John Rosenfeldt, all of San Francisco, were associated with Dr. Cluness and Mr. Reed in the silk company, which still owns the ranch, but Mr. Reed has since dropped out. Dr. Cluness was married in September, 1863, at Petaluma, to Miss Mary Laird. They have three children, two of whom are daughters at home with their parents. The son, Dr. W. R. Cluness, jr., is a graduate of the medical department of the State University at San Francisco. He is now attending a course of lectures in the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York city. After its completion he will proceed to Europe, and at London and elsewhere take a further course of advance studies. Such is an epitome of the life of Dr. W. R. Cluness, a physician who has known unusual success in his practice, a result due no doubt to careful study of each case and a prompt adoption of the suitable remedies, as well as long experience and a thorough initial grounding. Personally, he is a gentleman of pleasant and genial manners, courteous and affable to all.

Transcribed by Karen Pratt.

Davis, Hon. Win. J., An Illustrated History of Sacramento County, California. Pages 475-476. Lewis Publishing Company. 1890.