Shasta County
Biographies
D. A. SHELDON
D. A. Sheldon is generally
recognized as one of the leading citizens of Mount Shasta, not only because of
the notable success which he has achieved in a business way, but also for his effective
interest in matters affecting the welfare and progress of the community in
which he lives. He was born at Adin,
Modoc County, California, on the 4th of May, 1875, and is a son of
D. M. and Sarah Matilda (Eddy) Sheldon, the former a native of Vermont, and the
latter of New York. They were married in
Iowa, where they lived until 1861, when the father came to California, crossing
the plains with ox team and covered wagon.
His wife came to this state by way of the Isthmus of Panama and landed
at San Francisco. From there she
proceeded up the Sacramento River by boat to Red Bluff and thence by stage to
Shasta Valley where she joined her husband.
They were the parents of six children, namely: Carrie, who was born in Iowa and is deceased;
Luther A., who is engaged in the lumber business at Willits, Mendocino County,
this state; Eddy L., who is one-half owner of the Sheldon auto camp, where he
has nine cabins, a wash-house and nine garages; Laura A., who died in Mendocino
county; Ella, the wife of Ed White, who is engaged in the sawmill business at
Santa Cruz, California; and D. A.
D. A. Sheldon received his education
in the public schools at Adin, Modoc County, after which he took a commercial
course in a night business school. He
then went to work as a bookkeeper for the Wood & Sheldon Lumber Company, at
Sisson, now Mount Shasta, and remained with them for eighteen years, after
which he served in the same capacity with the Schuler-Knox Company. Mr. Sheldon then engaged in the warehouse
business at Mount Shasta, taking over the old Schuler-Knox warehouse, which he
extensively remodeled. In this building,
which is located at 603 Castle Street, he carries a large supply of dairy and
poultry feed, as well as fuel, coal and wood.
He is energetic and progressive in his methods; square in all of his
dealings and to a marked degree commands the confidence of the people of his
community.
In 1900 Mr. Sheldon was united in
marriage to Miss Carrie Frances, whose father died when she was very
young. Her mother now lives at Live Oak,
California. To Mr. and
Mrs. Sheldon have been born three children, namely: Merritt and Perry, both of whom are
associated with their father in the warehouse business; and Eugene, who was an
automobile brake adjuster in Santa Rosa, but now lives in Mount Shasta. Mr. Sheldon is a supporter of the Republican
Party and was a member of the school board, an office which he did not seek or
want. However, he proved well qualified
for the position as he is greatly interested in educational matters. He is a member of Sisson Lodge, No. 310, F.
& A. M., at Mount Shasta. He was
reared in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal Church and has always maintained
a live interest in religious and ethical matters. He attends the Mission Church, for the
existence of which he was mainly responsible.
Realizing the need of a place of religious worship here, he rented a
building and fitted it up for a public meeting place, and this is now known as
the Mission Church, which fills a large place in the life of the
community. Mr. Sheldon has exerted a
salutary influence among his fellowmen, being a leader in civic matters, and
has been a real factor in the advancement of the town along right lines.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Wooldridge,
J. W. Major, History of the Sacramento Valley California, Vol. 3 Pages
276-277. Pioneer
Historical Publ. Co. Chicago 1931.
© 2010 Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's
Shasta County Biographies