Yolo-Sacramento County CA Archives Biographies.....Wilger, Frederick 1826 - ************************************************ 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 February 23, 2006, 8:57 pm Author: Tom Gregory (1913) FREDERICK WILGER During the period of his identification with the west it has been the happy fortune of Mr. Wilger to witness the development of the vast resources of California, the remarkable increase of population and the upbuilding of prosperous towns as well as thriving agricultural regions. In a locality far distant from the land of his birth and the scenes familiar to his boyhood years he has risen to a substantial degree of success and has made a distinctive place for himself in the community containing a large number of forceful, energetic citizens. A native of Hesse-Cassel, he inherits traits that are distinctly Teutonic and may lay claim to a thrift, perseverance and frugality descending to him from German forefathers. He was born October 10, 1826, and at the age of seven years came to the United States with his mother. Successively a resident of Pennsylvania, Maryland and Missouri, he had gained much by habits of close observation in the various localities of his sojourns and thus self-culture gave him a partial recompense for lack of educational advantages. Early in the year 1853 Frederick Wilger started across the plains with a body of emigrants bringing forty head of mules and horses. All along the way there was constant danger from marauding bands of unfriendly Indians. On one occasion, while the emigrants were eating their breakfast at the camp, the savages captured seven head of horses and escaped without detection. When the loss was discovered an immediate pursuit was inaugurated and a hurried drive of twelve miles brought the men within a short distance of the robbers. Suddenly a mule brayed and the call was answered quickly from the other camp. By making a dash through the tall wild wheat and grass a capture was effected and the horses were again in the hands of their rightful owners, not, however, without considerable peril, one man receiving a severe gunshot wound from a rifle carried by an Indian. At the expiration of five and one-half months and with no loss of any stock excepting fourteen head of cattle, the party arrived at Sacramento on Friday, August 19, 1853. The men were there dismissed and paid $20 each. As Mr. Wilger turned to walk down the street he met John Woods, an old comrade, with whom he enjoyed a pleasant reunion and conversation. Later he engaged to work in a threshing crew at $2.50 per day. For seven years he continued in the employ of one farmer and meantime carefully saved his earnings, investing them in three hundred and twenty acres bought at a purchase price of $900. With a partner as proprietor of the new ranch (he himself continuing to work by the month) a crop of four thousand sacks was threshed from one hundred and sixty acres of grain. The partner's interest was bought for $1800 and thus he came into entire possession of a valuable property, which for years he personally superintended and cultivated. At this writing he owns seven hundred and thirty acres near Davis which for many years he has rented to his son-in-law, W. E. Wiese. In addition to the ranch he owns the Odd Fellows' building, the blacksmith's shop, eight houses, twelve vacant lots and the elegant residence that he now occupies, all in Davis. The first marriage of Frederick Wilger was solemnized in 1861 and united him with Augusta Gloeckler, a native of Germany, who died leaving three children, Ella M., Alice M., and Augusta P. Afterward he was married in Sacramento October 27, 1873, to Miss Eliza Boy, a native of Hamburg, Germany, and immediately following their union they settled on the ranch about three miles from Davis. It was the pleasure of Mr. and Mrs. Wilger to visit the east at the time of the World's Fair. He has kept posted concerning national development, but he is first and most emphatically a Californian, loyal to the state of his adoption and believing it to be unsurpassed by any commonwealth. With advancing years and the accumulation of a competency he has retired from business and agricultural cares and is spending his time quietly and happily in his cozy home, taking no part in politics nor in fraternities with the exception of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. The raising of fruit for the family use is a source of interest to him and he takes great pride in securing good crops of choice varieties. In addition he notes with interest the welfare of the horses, cattle, sheep and hogs on the ranch, as well as the cultivation of the land. 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/wilger877nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/ File size: 5.4 Kb