Biographies
CHARLES
KIRKPATRICK DAVIS
CHARLES KIRKPATRICK
DAVIS.–This pioneer farmer of Andrus Island, Sacramento County, makes his home
on the ranch where he was born January 4, 1861, a son of Hugh and Rosanna
(Smith) Davis. Hugh Davis was born in Canada in 1833, but removed to
Illinois with his parents and remained there until 1852, when he came via
Panama to California. As was usual with newcomers to California in those
days, he tried his luck in the mines, but had no success. He then went to
San Francisco, but his funds dwindled until he only had fifteen dollars left
when he bought a ticket to Sacramento. On the boat he met a man by the
name of William Wilcox, a large landowner about one and one-half miles above
the present site of Isleton, who became interested in the young man; and as a
result of this interest, Hugh Davis went to work for Mr. Wilcox, cutting
cord wood, for which he received one dollar and a quarter a cord. Mr.
Davis saved his money and finally bought 107 acres of swamp land, the same ranch
where our subject resides at the present time; he became a prominent figure in
the reclamation work of Andrus Island in the building of the first
levees. Mr. Davis, in common with other ranchers, sought an outlet for the
produce of this ranch, and as there were no regular steamer lines, they were
forced to rely on their own efforts. He owned his own sloop, loaded it
with his own and neighbors’ produce, and transported this to Sacramento,
Stockton, Benicia, Vallejo and Antioch. He married Rosanna Fellows Smith,
a sister of the late Hart F. Smith of Isleton. He was interested in the
cause of education, and in a skiff he went from place to place among the
Sacramento River islands, obtaining subscriptions of money from the trappers,
hunters, and wood-choppers to purchase the lumber with which he and his
neighbors built the first schoolhouse, south of Walnut Grove, in the Georgiana
district. He passed away in 1871, aged thirty-seven years; his widow
continued to reside here until her death in 1909. Six children were born to
this pioneer couple: Angie, deceased; Charles K., our subject; Nettie; Herman; Robert, deceased; and Hugh. Charles K.
Davis was only ten years old when his father died. His education was
obtained at the Georgiana school, being supplemented
by private study and reading.
On June 15, 1902, Mr.
Davis was married to Miss Hilda Dorothea Johnson, born near Isleton, Cal, a
daughter of John Johnson, a native of Denmark, who was an early day farmer
here. Mr. And Mrs. Davis are the parents of six children: Angie is now
Mrs. J. V. Agers, of Stockton; Mary Christine;
Charles K., Jr.; Marion; Hilda Dorothea; and Hazel Winifred
. Mr. Davis has set out orchards at three different times, and each
time they have been torn out by floods; seventy acres of the home ranch is in
orchard. Mr. Davis is a Republican in politics. Fraternally, he was
made a Mason in Rio Vista, being a member of Lodge No. 208, F. &
A.M. He is also a member of the Isleton Lodge No. 108, I.O.O.F. For
thirty years Mr. Davis has served as clerk of the board of trustees of the
Georgiana school district and for sixteen years was deputy sheriff of the
county and for seven years served as deputy assessor. J. V. Agers,
son-in-law of Mr. Davis, served on the border in the Villa campaigns, then he
entered the U. S. Navy in 1917 and trained at the Great Lakes Training Station,
Chicago; he was discharged in 1919.
Transcribed 2-7-07
Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source: Reed, G.
Walter, History of Sacramento County,
California With Biographical Sketches, Page 391. Historic Record Company,
© 2007 Marilyn R. Pankey.