Yolo-Sutter County CA Archives Biographies.....Edson, Frank Bacon 1868 - ************************************************ 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 January 13, 2006, 11:52 pm Author: Tom Gregory (1913) FRANK BACON EDSON Throughout the county of Yolo and particularly in the vicinity of Knights Landing, where he was born and reared, Mr. Edson has a large circle of acquaintances and it is said that he knows by name every voting citizen in the district which he represents on the board of county supervisors. More important even than the intimate personal acquaintance is the fact that he maintains the warm confidence of all. The qualities which he possesses are such as to win the respect of associates. Uniformly affable and courteous, he is at all times and under every circumstance gentlemanly, generous and gracious of demeanor, with a pleasant greeting for old and young, a type indeed of the native-born citizens whom the state may claim with pride. The Edson family became established in New England during an early period of our national existence and also claims the honor of having been represented in California ever since the eventful year of 1849. Daniel W. Edson, who was born and reared in Massachusetts near the historic Plymouth Bock, followed the sea, going on several whaling voyages from New Bedford. In 1848, on the old barque Chase, he rounded Cape Horn, then proceeded up the Pacific ocean to San Francisco and later sailed up the Sacramento river to a point near the gold mines. The next year, 1849, he turned his attention to ranching and took up a tract of land at Knights Landing, where he became prosperous and prominent. A man of superior education, he naturally became a leader in his community, while in addition he engaged extensively in the buying and selling of land, which brought him gratifying gains. In young manhood he had learned the surveyor's calling and this he followed in Yolo county, where he assisted in locating section lines and dividing up the large claims. The marriage of Daniel W. Edson united him with Miss Katherine Bacon, who was born and reared in Ireland and died at Knights Landing in 1887. After having survived her for some years he passed away in May of 1904. They were the parents of nine children: John and Lowell, both deceased; Webster, of Sacramento; Mary, of Knights Landing; Thomas, also a resident of Knights Landing; Frank B., mentioned later; James and Charles, of Knights Landing, and Edward, who died when two years old. Frank B. Edson was born July 16, 1868, and received his education in the common schools. When eighteen years of age he left home and started out upon a whaling expedition which spent some months in the Arctic ocean. The adventures were interesting to a youth reared on land and unfamiliar with life on the ocean. More than once the crew were in the greatest peril and perhaps at no time was the danger more imminent than when the whale-boat was wrecked by a wounded whale, throwing the boat's crew into the water. Fortunately another whale-boat was able to reach them quickly and thus save them from a watery grave. During the course of the voyage seventeen whales were secured, which was considered an excellent record for the crew. Returning to the life of a landsman Mr. Edson has since followed agricultural and business activities in Yolo county and has made his home at Kinghts Landing, where for a number of years he and a brother, Thomas, carried on a general mercantile store. They now own three ranches, one of eighty-seven acres near Knights Landing, one of a hundred and twenty acres near Blacks Station, and the third covers five hundred and seventy acres in Sutter county. They are engaged extensively in raising sheep, while in grain they specialize with wheat, besides raising considerable barley. The marriage of Mr. Edson took place in his home town October 6, 1897, and united him with Miss Mary Creason, who was born and reared near Yolo, Yolo county. They are the parents of two children, Lowell and Genevieve. In religious faith Mr. Edson and his wife are members of the Catholic Church. A lifelong progressive Democrat, he has been prominent in local politics. In 1908 his party named him as their candidate for county supervisor and he made the race against a prominent and popular Republican, whom he defeated by fourteen majority, notwithstanding the fact that the district is strongly Republican. At the expiration of his term in 1910 he was again nominated for the office, again running against a prominent Republican, and he was elected this time by a hundred and sixteen majority. He is now filling the office with recognized ability and unwavering devotion to the permanent welfare of the county. He has made an excellent record and showing for his constituents, which they graciously recognized at the polls. Additional Comments: Extracted from HISTORY OF YOLO COUNTY CALIFORNIA WITH Biographical Sketches 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 TOM GREGORY AND OTHER WELL KNOWN WRITERS ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA [1913] File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/yolo/bios/edson350bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/cafiles/ File size: 5.6 Kb