Sacramento County
Biographies
PHILIP
GEORGE RHEIL
PHILIP GEORGE
RHEIL was born in Illinois, in 1838, son of Philip George Rheil-who
emigrated to Chicago about 1836, when what is now the
palatial city consisted of but fourteen houses.
His parents having died of cholera in the epidemic of 1851, our subject
received but a limited education, being brought up on a farm and having to go
five or six miles to a school. He
continued to live upon a farm for a year or two after the death of his parents,
but in January, 1853, he determined to strike out for California, where he felt
the opportunity, at least, would not be wanting to
achieve success. Going to New York he
set sail on the steamer George Law, crossed the Isthmus, and came up the coast
on the steamer John L. Stephens, landed at “Frisco” in February, and, coming
direct to Sacramento, began working for Sam Norris, and then for a year or two
at the Columbus Brewery. He went to
Jackson and worked for two years in the mines, then in a saw-mill, was employed
by “Si” Wheeler, and was foreman of the Whitcomb
ranch for fourteen years. In these
different vocations he gradually accumulated money, and in 1877 was enabled to
buy out the interest of Mr. D. G. Webber, general merchant at Freeport, in this
county; here he established himself in public affairs to a considerable extent,
and now owns a controlling interest in the River Telephone lines, and other
enterprises. In 1855 he married Mrs.
Hannah M. Bodge, nee Webber, a native of
Bangor, Maine, a scion of an old New England family. Their son George, a young man of great
promise, died at the age of twenty-six years.
Their daughter Lilly is the wife of John G. Hight,
and is the mother of three children:
Love, Wave, and one unnamed, the joy of their grandparents’ hearts, in
whose young lives they can renew their own youth, and live over again the days
of their childish years.
Transcribed by Karen Pratt.
Davis, Hon. Win. J., An Illustrated History of Sacramento County, California. Pages 572-573. Lewis Publishing Company. 1890.
© 2006
Karen Pratt.