[Archive] Stubbs; Charles "Uncle Jack" & son John L.
From History of Mendocino and Lake Counties California By Aurelius O. Carpenter & Percy H. Millberry 1914
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JOHN L. STUBBS- One of the largest landowners and agricultural operators in his part of Lake county, Mr. Stubbs belongs to a family whose members have been known in this section for years as men of notable business qualifications. His father, Charles Stubbs, popularly known as “Uncle Jack,” during an unusually successful career acquired the three thousand acre property now owned jointly by his sons Charles and John, and was also well known as one of the most extensive butchers here for many years, making a substantial fortune in that line alone. In his death, which occurred in 1903, Lake county lost one of her most interesting pioneer characters, a man whose individuality and winning personality brought him friends as well as prosperity and the record of whose active life forms one of the vital chapters of the history of Lake county. He had the adventurous disposition common to many of the early settlers. Coming to the port of San Francisco as a British sailor, he took French leave of his ship and remained there, passing the rest of his life in California.
Mr. Stubbs was a native of Hampshire, England, born at Newport, the capital of the Isle of Wight, and when a young man followed the sea. When he arrived at San Francisco he had enough money in his pocket to buy half the property on Market street as then valued. For some time he was engaged in lightering in San Francisco, before there were any wharves at that port. He went to the mines at Marysville, but early began the stock business in which he continued profitably for so many years. As early as 1859 he brought the nucleus of his large ranch in Lake county. Jesse B. Robinson, of Upper Lake, who figured extensively in local affairs in pioneer times, also came here from Marysville- to Sonoma valley to Ukiah, and thence across Bachelor valley to Upper Lake. Mr. Stubbs kept adding to his possessions steadily until he had three thousand acres in one tract, and in the meantime became very heavily interested in the butcher business, for years having the contract to supply fresh meat to the one-time famous Sulphur Bank quicksilver mine near his ranch. He dealt in beef, mutton, and pork, buying native stock which he butchered himself.
The following entry from his day book not only illustrates his systematic methods of keeping track of everything, but gives some insight into his charitable nature (we omit name): “Feb. 7, 1889, From -----------, for steer, thirty years ago, $20.00.” The fact is a steer had been stolen from Mr. Stubbs by the said party in 1859, but the man’s conscience bothered him so that he paid Mr. Stubbs $20 on the date named.
Mr. Stubbs lived on his ranch, on which he made many improvements during his long life. His death occurred in 1903, when he was seventy-six years of age. His wife, Mary (Jeffries), who was born in Australia, of Scotch parentage, now lives in San Francisco. A family of four children was born to them: Frances Eva, now the wife of Dr. M. A. Creggs, of Lakeport, Lake County; William F., farmer and orchardist, who lives in Contra Costa county, this state; Charles H., of Berkeley, with the Oro Electric Light & Power Company: and John Lisle.
John Lisle Stubbs was born April 22, 1876, on the Stubbs ranch in East Lake precinct, where his parents lived for so many years and began his education in the public school in the Sulphur Banks district. Then for two years he attended the Lakeport Academy, and subsequently went to Heald’s College in San Francisco, where he also studied at the Van der Naillen School of Engineering, graduating from the last named institution with the class of 1897. After spending a short time in Mexico he went to Winnemucca, Humboldt county, Nev., developing the mine owned by the D. & C. Lighting Company, which owns perhaps two dozen mining claims, producing gold ore. Mr. Stubbs has done about two years’ work for the company altogether, going back and forth from his home in California as occasion requires. His principal interests, however, are in his home territory, where his extensive holdings comprise about half of the large Stubbs ranch of three thousand acres- the west end, his brother Charles owning the part on which the buildings are located. In September, 1913, Mr. Stubbs bought three hundred and twenty acres from Henry L. Wildgrube, of High valley, and also has an undivided half interest in a two hundred and forty acre tract lying immediately east of the Wildgrube place, which he holds jointly with Jack Smaker: they purchased it recently. Mr. Stubbs has just put eighty acres into almost trees on his land in East Lake precinct, and he is constantly improving it in various ways. The Stubbs ranch is in Weldon valley and is beautifully located on an arm of Clear lake. Mr. Stubbs maintains his home at Los Gatos, in Santa Clara county, where he has a fine residence. He has become well known all over Lake county in his capacity of county surveyor, in which office he gave complete satisfaction. He is now serving as state fire warden, to which position he was appointed at San Jose. Personally he is a man of generous nature, whole-souled and companionable.
At San Jose, Cal., Mr. Stubbs married Anne S. Kunze, who was born at Benicia, Solano county, this state, and they have had four children, all daughters.
