Sonoma-Nevada-San Francisco County CA Archives Biographies.....Tuttle, B. F. 1827 - ************************************************ 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@yahoo.com March 1, 2006, 5:37 pm Author: Alley, Bowen & Co. (1880) Tuttle, Honorable B. F. The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears in this work, is a native of the town of Paris, Oxford county, Maine, having been born August 29, 1827. Here he resided and attended the common schools until he attained the age of seventeen years. At this time he went to reside in the town of Skowhegan, in Somerset county, where he applied himself to those branches of learning at Bloomfield Academy which have since stood him in such good stead. During his residence there he also acquired the knowledge of furniture manufacturing in all its details. On October 2, 1849, he sailed from the port of Bath, Maine, on the bark "James A. Thompson," for California, and after a voyage of one hundred and seventy-eight days, including a halt of ten days in Rio de Janeiro, and another of six days at Valparaiso, arrived at San Francisco March 28, 1850. Following the example of most of those arriving in California at that time, he proceeded at once to the mines of Nevada county. Pitching his tent on what is now a part of Nevada City, he followed the business of placer mining until October of that year, when he returned to San Francisco. In that city Mr. Tuttle commenced the business of manufacturing furniture, and followed it until June 1851, when he went to the mines of Amador county near the town of Volcans, where he remained until November of that year. Mr. Tuttle then returned to San Francisco, and here again his mechanical knowledge enabled him to become interested in the construction and equipment of steamboats, to which business he applied himself. During the years 1851-2 he became interested in the steamer "Gazelle," a part of the construction and equipment of which was under his immediate supervision and control. This steamer ran on the Sacramento and Feather rivers. He still continued the business of steamboat building until June, 1855, when he made a trip to his former home in New England, via Panama. crossing the Isthmus on the cars of the Panama railroad—the first trip made with passengers from the -Pacific to the Atlantic oceans. During his stay in the East he visited the principal places of interest in the eastern states, and Canada. In September, 1857, Mr. Tuttle was married to Miss Annie Maria Russell, daughter of Dr. Leonard White Russell, all natives of the same State; and shortly thereafter with his wife, returned to California via Panama. During his visit to his old home in 1857, although openly avowing his intention of returning to this State, and not having even voted there, his old friends insisted on nominating him for the Legislature of his native State, from a district having a large partizan majority in opposition to the party with which he affiliated, and although he specially requested his personal friends not to vote for him because of his inability to serve, his opponent had but a small majority on the final count. On his arrival in San Francisco he again commenced the manufacture of furniture, which occupation he followed until 1859, when he permanently settled in Petaluma, and commenced the business of manufacturing doors, sash and blinds in connection with the lumber business. This he continued until the Summer of 1863, when he opened a furniture and carpet store in that city, which he carried on till 1875. From this time until 1878 he was connected with the California Fur Manufacturing Company of San Francisco. Between the years of 1861 and 1867 Mr. Tuttle served as Trustee four years. Was once elected Justice of the Peace of Petaluma, which office he declined to fill, and between 1869 and 1871 was elected a member of the City Board of Education, and served as its President two years. The issues forced to the front during the latter part of the State administration of Governor Haight, and the decided stand taken in support of his administration by Mr. Tuttle, pointed him out as a worthy successor of the lamented Senator, Dr. William Burnet. In June 1871, Mr. Tuttle was nominated by the democratic party as State Senator, to succeed and serve out the unexpired term of the late Senator. In September following he was elected. At the session of the Legislature following his election, Mr. Tuttle served on three important standing committees, being chosen chairman of the Committee on Education. During the session of 1871-2, the issues which were so prominent in making him a candidate for the Senate were again brought into prominence. Mr. Tuttle on this occasion displayed a tenacity of purpose in adherance to principle regardless of consequences to himself, which is a distinguishing characteristic of the man. In 1873 Mr. Tuttle was again nominated and elected for a full term, a Senator of Sonoma county by an increased majority. During the session of 1873-4 he was a member of four standing committees, education and finance being two of them. During this session the act popularly known as the Tuttle School Bill, providing school revenue for the support of the common schools, was re-introduced by Mr. Tuttle, and passed into law by receiving the Governor's approval. This law is still in force, and under its operation many school districts which formerly could not maintain a school three months out of twelve are now maintained from seven to eight months. In the session of 1875-6 Mr. Tuttle was chosen President pro tern of the Senate, receiving the support of the members of his own party and a majority of the members of the Independent party for that position, still serving on four standing committees. In June, 1877, he was nominated for the Assembly, and in September following was elected. At this session (1877-'78) he served as chairman of the Committee on Corporations, member of Ways and Means and Education committees, and special committee on Banks and Banking. Near the close of this session was nominated and confirmed Insurance Commissioner, which position he did not accept. He resigned his position of Assemblyman, and on the 10th day of April, 1878, was appointed Commissioner of Transportation, which position he will hold until January, 1880. There have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Tuttle three children: Harry Franklin, Alice Maud, and Leonard Russell. His residence is in Petaluma. Additional Comments: Petaluma Township Extracted from: HISTORY —OF- SONOMA COUNTY, -INCLUDING ITS— Geology, Topooraphy, Mountains, Valleys and Streams; —TOGETHER WITH— A Full and Particular Record of the Spanish Grants; Its Early History and Settlement, Compiled from the Most Authentic Sources; the Names of Original Spanish and American Pioneers; a full Political History, Comprising the Tabular Statements of Elections and Office-holders since the Formation of the County; Separate Histories of each Township, Showing the Advancement of Grape and Grain Growing Interests, and Pisciculture; ALSO, INCIDENTS OF PIONEER LIFE; THE RAISING OF THE BEAR FLAG; AND BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF EARLY AND PROMINENT SETTLERS AND REPRESENTATIVE MEN; —AND OF ITS— Cities, Towns, Churches, Schools, Secret Societies, Etc., Etc. ILLUSTRATED. SAN FRANCISCO: ALLEY, BOWEN & CO., PUBLISHERS. 1880. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/sonoma/bios/tuttle824bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/cafiles/ File size: 7.7 Kb