Yuba
County
Biographies
FRANCIS L. LOCKE
FRANCIS L. LOCKE. The head miller of the Buckeye Mills at
Marysville is Francis L. Locke, a resident of California since 1872, and
without doubt one of the best informed men in milling circles to be found in
the state. His first employment upon
coming to the state was on a dairy farm near Santa Cruz, where as butter maker
he remained until 1874, going then to San Francisco, and shortly afterward to
Marin county, where he also engaged in butter-making for three months. In the fall of 1874 he returned to San
Francisco and for a time held a position with the Golden Gate Milling
Company. This insight into milling made
him decide to follow it for a life calling, and in order to have a practical as
well as a theoretical knowledge of the business, began at the bottom round of
the ladder with Horace Davis at San Francisco.
His advance was rapid and before long he was promoted to second miller
and finally to head miller, a promotion well merited, and which but proved his
adaptation for his chosen calling. In
the meantime the firm had changed hands, becoming known by its present title,
the Sperry Flour Company. In August,
1894, the mills were closed down and Mr. Locke went to Stockton to look
after the interests of the company’s mills there, under the name of the Union
Mills carrying on a prosperous business there, the two mills having a combined
capacity of twenty-five hundred barrels per day. Mr. Locke remained in Stockton until
April 1, 1900, when he was transferred to the plant at Marysville, having
charge of the same until its destruction by fire in 1901. Since then an entirely new mill has been
erected, and the company now boasts the finest plant of the kind on the Pacific
coast, and has a capacity for turning out six hundred barrels of flour per day.
The Locke family is of English
descent. The grandfather of
Francis L. Locke, David Locke, was born in Massachusetts, and in later
life settled in New Hampshire, where he became a farmer. It was in Lyman, N.H., that his son, Simeon Loveren, was born.
He, too, followed farming and became a man of considerable influence in
his community, becoming selectman of his home town and in many ways showing a
public-spirited nature. He died in 1887,
at the age of fifty-seven years, firm in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, of which he was a member. His
wife, formerly Miss Harriet Bailey, was also born in Lyman, N.H., and now
resides there at the age of seventy-six years.
Mr. and Mrs. S. L. Locke became the parents of six children,
of whom five are living, and of whom Francis L., is the oldest and the
only one in California.
Francis L. Locke was born in Lyman,
N.H., March 9, 1852, and upon his father’s farm became thoroughly
acquainted with farming and dairy duties.
Until twenty years old he remained on the parental homestead, attending
school and taking the part of the eldest son in the care and management of home
affairs, but at that age, in 1872, came to California to seek a wider field for
advancement in life than the east had to offer.
From his experiences as a buttermaker in Santa
Cruz he later drifted into the milling business and with what success has
already been cited.
The marriage of Mr. Locke, in Lyman,
N.H., with Miss Phoebe Wetherbee, also a native of
that state, has resulted in the birth of five children, named as follows: Carrie, Sadie, Arthur, Frank and Roy. Although Mr. Locke is engaged in
business in Marysville the family reside in Oakland,
where he has erected a fine residence, and besides this owns two residences in
West Oakland. Politically he is a
Republican, casting his ballot for men and measure of this party.
[Inserted
by D. Toole]
Francis L. Locke
1842
Feb 1, New Hampshire Gazette, P2, Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Rockingham
County Convention
According
to previous notice, the Democratic delegates, from the several towns in the County
of Rockingham met at Rundlett’s Hotel in Epping, Jan.
11, 1842. Col. J. Smith Pollard of Plaistow, was chosen Chairman, and Levi S. Bartlett of
Kingston, Secretary. <snipped> Maj.
Currier as chairman of the committee on credentials, reported the following
gentlemen were entitled to seats in this convention, vix:
- <snipped> New Market – Z. D. Creighton, Charles D. Willey, Simeon
Locke, Winthrop S. Hilton. <snipped>
FamilySearch:
Name: Francis H. Locke
Birth
Date:
Birthplace: Lyman, NH
Age:
Spouse's
Name: Phebe
A. Wetherbee
Spouse's
Birth Date: 1848
Spouse's
Birthplace: Lisbon, NH
Spouse's
Age: 24
Event
Date: 17 Feb 1872
Event
Place: Bath
Father's
Name: Simeon L.
Locke
Mother's
Name:
Spouse's
Father's Name: Smith Wetherbee
Spouse's
Mother's Name:
Race:
Marital
Status:
Previous
Wife's Name:
Spouse's
Race:
Spouse's
Marital Status:
Spouse's
Previous Husband's Name:
Indexing
Project (Batch) Number: M73151-1
System
Origin: New Hampshire-VR
GS
Film number: 1001276
Reference
ID: 2:39ZV43L
Citing this
Record: "New Hampshire Marriages, 1720-1920," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FDL8-WXJ : 31 December 2014), Francis H. Locke and Phebe A. Wetherbee, 17 Feb 1872;
citing reference 2:39ZV43L; FHL microfilm 1,001,276.
1879
Jan 28, Boston Journal, P2, Boston, Massachusetts
Joseph
H. Locke, a prominent citizen of Terre Haute, Indiana, who died recently of
apoplexy, was born in South Newmarket, N.H., and was
a son of Simeon Locke. For several years
he was engaged in the shipping business in Boston, and after going West was successively located in Chicago, Cincinnati and
Terre Haute. He was a thorough business
man and successful in mercantile affairs.
The deceased left a widow and children at Terre Haute and a brother and
two sisters at South Newmarket.
1880
Jan 8, New Hampshire Patriot and State Gazette, P2, Concord, New Hampshire
Lyman
During
last fall Simeon L. Locke put some cider that he had made into a cheese press
that had been painted on the inside. Mr.
Locke and a brother, Elbridge G., from California, died recently,
it is supposed from drinking the cider which the paint had poisoned. Mr. Locke’s wife, another brother and two
sons are now dangerously sick from the same cause.
1900
Apr 10, The San Francisco Call, P8, San Francisco,
California
Real
Estate Transactions <snipped>
Alameda
County <snipped>
Francis L. Locke to Phoebe A. Locke, lot 8, Block B,
map of Oakland Point Homestead Tract, Oakland, gift and $1.
1904
Mar 4, Oakland Tribune, P5, Oakland, California
Divorces
Sought by Many <snipped>
A
suit for divorce brought by Francis L. Locke against Phoebe A. Locke in Butte
county was transferred to the courts of this county today on account of the
fact of the defendant’s residence in this city for the time being. The Lockes are well
known Marysville people and have been married for several years, but their life
recently has been full of unhappiness.
He says that she has made life miserable for him on account of her
distrust and upbraidings. They have a family of children.
1904
Mar 5, The San Francisco Call, P6, San Francisco,
California
Suit
for divorce was begun to-day by Francis L. Locke against Phoebe A. Locke
on the ground of cruelty. The case was
transferred from Butte County, where the pair are well
known citizens of Marysville. The
defendant is at present residing in this city.
1904
Mar 31, Oakland Tribune, P8, Oakland, California
A
dismissal of the divorce suit begun by Francis Locke against Phoebe A. Locke
was filed with the County Clerk today.
As a cross complaint had been field by Mrs. Locke, the final
dismissal of the action could not be ordered.
It is stated, however, that an understanding has been arrived at and a reconciliation affected.
1907
Nov 6, The San Francisco Call, P11, San Francisco,
California
Marriage
Licenses
Frank
W. Locke, 24, Oakland, and Gertrude Ferrier, 22, Berkeley.
1931
Jul 3, Oakland Tribune, P23, Oakland, California
Locke
– In Oakland, July 3, 1931, Phoebe A., wife of the late Francis L. Locke,
beloved mother of Mrs. Carrie A. Bell, Mrs. Sadie H. Reed, Arthur L., Frank W
and Roy B. Locke; a native of New Hampshire, aged 83 years. Friends are invited to attend services Monday
afternoon, July 6, at 2 o’clock at the chapel of Albert Brown Company, 3478
Piedmont avenue, Oakland. Interment Mt. View
cemetery.
1931
Dec 23, Oakland Tribune, P30, Oakland, California
Reed
– In San Francisco, December 22, 1931, Lon James, beloved husband of Sadie H.
Reed, loving father of Frank Warren Reed; a native of California, aged 59
years. A member of Alcatraz Lodge No.
244, F. & A. M.; C. C. Thomas Nay Post No. 244 and Propellor[sic] Club of San
Francisco. Friends are invited to attend
services Thursday afternoon, December 24, at 2 o’clock at the chapel of Albert
Brown Co., 3476 Piedmont avenue, Oakland, under
Masonic auspices.
Transcribed by Donna Toole.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages 584-587. The Chapman
Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2017 Donna Toole.
Golden Nugget Library's Yuba County Biographies