Stanislaus
County
Biographies
LEWIS VOYLE
Throughout the long period of
forty-seven years Lewis Voyle has claimed California
as the place of his residence and is now successfully engaged in the livery
business at Knight’s Ferry. He was born
in south Wales, on the 2nd of January, 1832, and is a son of George
and Priscilla Voyle, both of whom were natives of
that little rock-ribbed country. The
father owned a ship, of which he was captain.
In 1837, when, when his son Lewis was only five years of age, he met
with an accident which necessitated the amputation of his leg and ultimately
caused his death. His wife departed this
life in the fortieth year of her age.
Their religious belief was in harmony with the Episcopal faith and they
were people of high moral worth and of sterling character, who enjoyed the
confidence and regard of all with whom they came in contact.
Lewis Voyle
is the only one of their five children in the United States. He served an apprenticeship on an English man
of war, the school ship, and in 1851 he came to the new world, but continued to
sail up the Mediterranean and to South America for a time. Subsequently he made his way to California,
where he joined the crew of a coasting vessel, continuing to follow the sea
until March, 1855. He encountered many
severe storms during his experience as a sailor, but escaped all injury. At length he determined to abandon life on
the ocean wave and in 1855 took up his abode at Knight’s Ferry. He engaged in both placer and hydraulic
mining, continuing his connection with that industry for twelve years. However, he met with but moderate success and
in consequence turned his attention to teaming, which was then a most paying
business. He freighted from Knight’s
Ferry to Oakdale and the different towns in the mountains, and in connection
with freighting he established and maintained a livery stable, which he has
since conducted, being the only liveryman at Knight’s Ferry at that time. He keeps good carriages and horses, and his
obliging manners and efforts to please his patrons have secured to him a good
business. He has engaged in raising Hambletonian horses and has not only improved his own stock
but has also done much to improve the grade of stock raised by the people in
the vicinity of Knight’s Ferry. Thus he
has increased the market value and contributed to the prosperity of the
citizens of his community.
In 1864 Mr. Voyle
was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Stanfield, and their union has been
blessed with three children, namely:
George S., who is the foreman of the electrical works in Visalia; Emma
J., now the widow of Fred W. Bach; and John T., who is his father’s partner in
the livery business. Mr. Voyle owns a good residence in Knight’s Ferry. His first wife departed this life in 1872,
and in 1875 he again married, his second union being with Delia Cady, a native
of Ireland, who has now traveled life’s journey by his side for a quarter of a
century and has been to him a most faithful companion and helpmeet. In his political affiliations Mr. Voyle has ever been a stalwart Republican, and though he
has never sought office he has taken a deep interest in the growth and success
of his party and has ever kept well informed on the issues of the day. Public-spirited and progressive, he gives an
earnest support to every measure or movement calculated to prove of public
benefit and has taken a great interest in the improvement of the roads. For some years he filled the office of road
master and did much toward securing the establishment of good highways in his
part of the county. Fraternally he is
connected with the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and has many excellent
characteristics that commend him to the confidence, good will and friendship of
his fellow men, and is widely and favorably known in Stanislaus and adjoining
counties.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
“A Volume of Memoirs and Genealogy of Representative Citizens of Northern
California”, Pages 661-662. Chicago Standard Genealogical Publishing Co. 1901.
© 2011
Gerald Iaquinta.