Yolo
County
Biographies
CHARLES F. ROMINGER
Charles
F. Rominger is numbered among those who are now enjoying the rewards of their
earlier years of effort and have the satisfaction of having done their full
part in developing and improving this section of the valley, his attractive
home being in Woodland, Yolo County. Mr.
Rominger was born in Wittenberg, Germany, a son of Jacob Frederick and
Christina (Beck) Rominger, both of whom were natives of the fatherland and are
now deceased. The father brought his
family to the United States in 1870, coming direct to Yolo County. He arrived here with but little money and
sought work at once on ranches and in grain harvesting. In 1873 he bought a ranch near Capay valley
which he conducted for four years and then sold. He next bought one hundred and eighty acres
of land nine miles west of Woodland, which is still in possession of the
family. He was successful as a farmer
and later rented a three hundred and twenty acre ranch near Plainfield, where
he carried on farming for many years, but later bought a ranch near Woodland,
where they both died.
Charles
F. Rominger was about nine years of age when brought by his parents to Yolo
County and could not speak a word of English.
He completed his education in the district schools, and at an early age
went to work on his father’s farm, handling a plow and doing other work which
contributed to the development of the ranch.
Eventually he bought from his father the one hundred and eighty acre ranch,
which he still owns, and has added to his realty holdings from time to time as
he has prospered until he is now the owner of over seven hundred acres of
valuable land, as the results of his sturdy efforts and sound judgment. After carrying on farming operations for many
years, he retired from active labor, turning the land over to his sons on a
rental basis. They are now raising sheep
and doing general farming on the old home place. Mr. Rominger was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth
Blickle, who was born in Germany, whence she came to California in 1880. Their children are as follows: William F., Charles H., Mrs. Carrie Roher,
Edwin Arthur, Albert Harry, Lena, Lydia, Herman, Elmer (deceased), and
George. Edwin A. and Herman, the latter
a resident of Colusa, served in the World war.
There are also twelve grandchildren.
Mr. Rominger remains a very clear recollection of the valley when he
came here. Woodland was then a small
town and the railroad station stood at the present site of the new Woodland
Hotel, at College and Main Streets.
There were but a few roads in the county and this section of the valley
was very sparsely settled. There was an
abundance wild game and oak trees covered the land. Five generations of the Rominger family have
been identified with Yolo County and have been numbered among its worthy and
loyal citizens. Mr. Rominger is regarded
as one of Yolo County’s most enterprising and progressive ranchers and is
uniformly respected for the part he has played in the civilization in this part
of the state.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
Wooldridge, J.W.Major History of Sacramento Valley
California, Vol. 2 Pages 197-198. Pioneer Historical
Publishing Co. Chicago 1931.
© 2010
Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's Yolo County Biographies