Sutter County CA Archives Biographies.....De Witt, Florence Welthy 1857 - ************************************************ 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 http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 January 7, 2012, 7:02 pm Source: See below Author: Peter J. Delay FLORENCE WELTHY DE WITT.— A well-known pioneer woman of Sutter County is Florence Welthy De Witt of Sutter City, who is also a native daughter of the Golden State. She was born at Jackson, Amador County, August 26, 1857, a daughter of Thomas Jefferson and Alvina Ann (Stiles) Armstrong, natives respectively of Kentucky and Ohio. Thomas J. Armstrong was a veteran of the Mexican War, and in 1851 crossed the plains to California with an emigrant train and settled at lone, where he conducted a butcher shop and was interested in some gold mines. Miss Alvina Ann Stiles also crossed the plains, coming with her parents in an ox-team train when ten years old; and the family settled in Amador County, where she met and married Thomas J. Armstrong. Her father, Richard D. Stiles, was born in Genesee County, N. Y., and afterward resided in Ohio. He crossed the plains in 1850 and followed mining for a short time. He decided to make his future home in California; so he soon returned East, and in 1851 brought his wife and daughter Alvina out in an emigrant train, of which he was the captain. On his arrival he located in Coloma and followed teaming, a part of the time hauling logs to Sacramento. Later he lived in Jackson, where he was justice of the peace and a rancher. Next he was in San Francisco, and served as a police officer for twelve years, after which he located in Sutter County, purchasing government land in South Butte Pass, where he made his home until his death. Back East, in young manhood, he had married Welthy Martin, a native of Virginia, who came of an old and prominent Southern family. After her husband's death she returned East; and a year later she died. Four children were born to Thomas J. Armstrong and his wife: James, deceased; Florence W., of this review; and Minnie and Elizabeth, both deceased. In 1862 the family removed to Sutter County, where Thomas J. Armstrong took up 160 acres of government land; and later he bought a squatter's right to eighty acres adjoining, where the family lived for ten years. The home place was then sold, and the father leased a ranch in South Butte Pass, which he farmed for two years. He then removed to Marysville, and there he passed on. The mother passed away in Gridley, Cal., aged forty-eight years. Florence W. Armstrong received her education principally in the schools of San Francisco, where she went to live with her grandparents. Her marriage occurred in this vicinity on July 14, 1875, and united her with William Golder De Witt, a native of New York, born at Oakfield, Genesee County, January 15, 1851, a son of Clinton Jacob and Mary Golder (Conklin) De Witt, both natives of New York. He was one of three children. The eldest, Miss Josephine De Witt, was born at Oakfield, N. Y., and came with her parents to California in 1872. She makes her home with Mrs. De Witt. The second child, Alphonso, died in New York State at the age of eighteen years. The youngest was William Golder. William Golder De Witt completed his education at Batavia Seminary in New York. He came to California in 1872 and settled in the South Butte Pass, where he took up 160 acres of government land. Later he bought forty acres adjoining, and still later 180 acres, and from time to time added more acreage until he had a very large ranch of fine land. Four sons were born to Mr. and Mrs. De Witt. Marcus Golder married Miss Jessie Blanche Foss, a daughter of Levi and Mary (Beckedahl) Foss, and they are the parents of two sons, Elmer Marcus and Carl Louis. Marcus Golder De Witt resides with his mother on the home ranch. Richard Clarence resides at Tudor; he married Miss Alleen Jones, and they have three children, Idabell Bernice, Frank Golder, and Florence Marie. Clinton Jacob married Miss Bertha Lee Fowler and resides at South Butte Pass: they have had four sons, Herbert Fowler. Clarence Henry, Leonard Golder, who died at the age of eight months, and Lee Joseph. Frank W. resides at Sutter City; he married Minnie Helen Wood and has two children, Clinton William and Grace Dorothy. William G. De Witt became a very extensive and successful grain- and stock-raiser, and acquired a large ranch, on which he set out two almond orchards, comprising about fifty acres. He was chosen a commissioner for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition at San Francisco; but his health began to fail rapidly about this time, and he passed away before the exposition opened, his death occurring at his home on June 16, 1914. He was a member of Enterprise Lodge No. 70, F. & A. M., of Yuba City; Washington Chapter No. 13, R. A. M., of Marysville; and Marysville Commandery No. 7, K. T. He was a Democrat in national politics. Though not a member, he was a great worker in the Mt. Vernon Methodist Episcopal Church at Sutter City, and was a member of the board of stewards. Since her husband's death, Mrs. De Witt continues to reside on the old home place, surrounded by her children. She and her sons own the De Witt ranch, which the sons are operating. The sons have set out more of the land to orchards. During the life of Mr. De Witt a gravel quarry, with a stone-crusher, was started on the place; and since his demise the business has continued and been enlarged. They are now erecting a new and larger stone-crusher. The crushed rock is furnished for building and improving the county roads. The De Witt ranch is one of the historic landmarks of California. When General Fremont marched his troops from Klamath Lake to Sonoma, he camped on what is now the De Witt ranch, in the South Butte Pass, from May 30 to June 8, 1846. In 1923 the Bi-Counties Federation of Women's Clubs erected a monument, with suitable inscription recounting the historic occurrence on bronze. Mrs. De Witt donated the site, and her sons donated the stone, which was taken from their quarries. Mrs. De Witt is a cultured and refined woman, of pleasing personality and generous and kindly impulses; and as far as she is able, she lends her aid in movements that tend to improve civic conditions and enhance the comfort and happiness of the people in her community. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Yuba City, and contributes liberally to its benevolences. Additional Comments: HISTORY OF YUBA and SUTTER COUNTIES CALIFORNIA WITH Biographical Sketches OF The Leading Men and Women of the Counties Who Have Been Identified with Their Growth and Development from the Early Days to the Present HISTORY BY PETER J. DELAY ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 1924 Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/sutter/photos/bios/dewitt1119gbs.jpg File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/sutter/bios/dewitt1119gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/cafiles/ File size: 7.3 Kb