Merced-Tuolumne-Santa Clara County CA Archives Biographies.....Cody, Nelson Lowell Adams 1848 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com February 6, 2006, 1:00 am Author: John Outcalt (1925) NELSON LOWELL ADAMS CODY The Cody family is an ancient and honorable one, harking back to France, where the ancestral name was spelled "Codex." As soldiers under William the Conqueror, they helped to conquer England, and were duly rewarded for their fealty and became prominently identified with leading events in English history. During the centuries, this family has maintained its position and intermarried with the best strains in England, Wales, and Scotland, with the English-Scotch blood predominating. A recently published geneaology of the Cody family gives much interesting information along this line. Nelson Lowell Adams Cody was born in Waukegan, Ill., March 22, 1848, the son of Nelson T. and Susan C. (Adams) Cody. His life history is one of unusual interest, for in a career which is now drawing close to four score years, he has been a witness to many wonderful changes in this land and throughout the world; and as a second cousin of the famous "Buffalo Bill," he has come in close contact with many notable characters. His father, a druggist and dentist, was born on a farm in Cicero, N. Y. His mother was a daughter of Dr. L. Adams, of Providence, R. I., and died when he was only two years old. His father married again, and then crossed the plains to California in 1851, his family coming to the State via the Horn by steamer one year later, which makes our subject a resident of the Golden State since 1852. The senior Cody went first to Hangtown, and engaged in mining. After his family joined him in California, they lived in Gilroy, Santa Clara County, for a short time, and later went to Horseshoe Bend and opened a general store. Wherever he settled in those early days, the miners had such confidence in him that they deposited their gold dust in his safe, for his was a character which inspired confidence and trust; and he never betrayed the confidence reposed in him. His second wife died in 1855, and he removed to Stent, then called Poverty Hill, and thence to Chinese Camp, where he practiced dentistry and also bought a stock of drugs. In April, 1856, he went to Big Oak Flat, where he was burned out on November 12, 1862. He then went to Coulterville, Mariposa County, and was in the drug business there until 1880, when he sold out and went to Seattle Wash., and was in the drug business there for a year., He had married again, and engaged in the drug business in Ventura, Cal., and also had the Wells Fargo Express agency, which he served in different places for thirty years. The death of this honest and active pioneer occurred at Ventura on December 1, 1906, at the age of seventy-six. On the maternal side Mr. Cody is descended from Duke Leslie of Scotland, at one time Provost of Edinburgh. A silver cup engraved with the Leslie coat of arms (a dragon encircled by a wreath) is still in Mr. Cody's possession. On the Cody side there is a consanguinity with Lady Godiva, extending through William the Conqueror as common ancestor. His mother's full maiden name was Susan Chamberlain Adams. Mr. Cody's paternal grandmother, whose maiden name was Leslie, received the first pianoforte ever brought into Onondaga County, N. Y.; it was imported from England, and was manufactured by one Aster. Young Nelson Cody went to school in Chinese Camp in 1854-1855, and also pursued his studies at Big Oak Flat and Coulterville. His youth, spent in these early mining camps, gave him a good idea of Californian life during the fifties. In 1867, he came to San Francisco and was in the wholesale stationery store of George B. Hitchcock for a short time, and later did some stenographic work for George O. Dougherty, and also for Andrew J. Marsh. He then got a position as clerk in a drug store in San Francisco, and later went to Virginia City, Nev. Coming back to San Francisco, he went from there to Suisun, where he was with M. D. Stockman for a year. Returning to San Francisco, he was with Bancroft, the historian, in a subscription agency, and canvassed Mariposa, Tuolomne and Merced Counties. He there met Mark Twain's partner, William Gillis, and helped sell the books of the famous writer and humorist. The marriage of Mr. Cody, occurring in 1870, united him with Miss Collins, daughter of John Collins, a pioneer of Mariposa County. In 1871 he engaged in the drug business in Snelling, Merced County, his father having divided stock with him, and he was appointed postmaster there in November of that year. His wife passed away in that town, and he married Miss Olive St. John, daughter of Charles St. John, an attorney formerly of Big Oak Flat, but who had gone back to Connecticut. Mr. Cody then went to Oakland, and there also engaged in the drug business, and from there to Vallejo, in the same pursuit. Returning to San Francisco, he again engaged in the drug business until the fall of 1888. It was in that city, in 1879, that he met General Grant. In 1884 he went East on an extended visit, and four years later he made a trip to Europe, sailing from New York on July 17, 1889, and spending a year in the principal cities, particularly enjoying his travels in Germany and France. On his return he visited his father in Ventura, Cal., then went to San Francisco for a short time, and then came to Merced and visited his friend, W. H. Turner, who urged him to locate here. This he decided to do, and in March, 1891, purchased the one of George Knox's two drug stores which was located at the corner of Seventeenth and Canal Streets, and there he carried on the drug business for twenty-eight years. He also built the Cody block in Le Grand in 1914, and also conducted a drug store there until he sold out in February, 1920, trading this store for a ranch of 394 acres, six miles from Crow's Landing. There, in partnership with his brothers-in-law, Charles Newton, Christian and Matthew Nelson, he maintains a herd of Holstein cattle and also raises hogs, having built adequate farm buildings at a cost of $4500. Fire destroyed the dwelling house in 1924, which has since been rebuilt. On May 18, 1899, in San Francisco, Mr. Cody was united in marriage with Miss Anna Marie Nelson, daughter of pioneer parents of Virginia City, Mont., the ceremony being performed by Reverend Bours, formerly of Merced. Mrs. Cody's father, Christian Nelson, born in England of Norwegian parents, was educated in England. Her mother, Mary (Satre) Nelson, as an infant was miraculously rescued from a wreck off the coast of Norway. From the coat of arms on all of her richly embroidered apparel it appeared that the child came from some distinguished family. As a child, Mrs. Cody showed a great fondness for music; she became a pianist and studied the violin, no doubt having inherited her musical gifts from her mother, who was likewise a musician. While in her teens she became organist in the Episcopal Church in Virginia City, in which church she was reared. Devoted to her art, Mrs. Cody is one of the founders of the Merced Musical Club, and has never relinquished her interest in it, often rendering selections on the piano and violin. Her address, "Women Composers," recently delivered before the club, showed careful research and thorough preparation, and was much appreciated. Mr. and Mrs. Cody reside at Coda Villa, modern apartments built by them at 857 Eighteenth Street, Merced, where their many friends are always welcome. They are active in both the social and business life of the city, and were among the first to start the public library. Three Merced ladies, Mrs. Lillian Brouse, Mrs. O. A. Baker, and Mrs. Cody, collected $1.50 from each member who wished to enjoy the privileges of a circulating library, and with the money bought books, which were given shelving room donated by Mr. Cody in the balcony of "Cody's Corner Drug Store," for three years, until the available room in the store could not accommodate the growing needs of the library, with its 600 books. The ladies thereupon gave the books as a nucleus to the Merced County Free Library, which is now in a flourishing condition. Through years of business and social contact, Mr. and Mrs. Cody have endeared themselves to the growing population of their home city, and their friends are innumerable. She is a Democrat in politics, while he is a stanch Republican. Among the many interesting reminiscences related by Mr. Cody, one is of the driving of the famous golden spike in connecting the two ends of the great transcontinental railway, on May 10, 1869. His mind is stored with recollections, and he tells interesting stories of the pioneer days of gambling, shooting, wild horses, etc., reminiscent of California in early days; for from perusing his life history it will be seen that his travels and experiences were many from very earliest childhood. These all have gone into the making of a broad-minded and public-spirited man, who has always stood willing. to do his full share in building up the commonwealth. Additional Comments: From: HISTORY OF MERCED COUNTY CALIFORNIA WITH A Biographical Review OF The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified with Its Growth and Development from the Early Days to the Present HISTORY BY JOHN OUTCALT ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 1925 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/merced/bios/cody436bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/cafiles/ File size: 9.8 Kb