September 19, 1973 (12 pages)

fh The Nevada County Nugget Wed., Sept. 19,1973 Prominent people JOSEPH GOWLING A very prominent old-timer and builder-up of the Summit region in the Sierras was the late Joseph Gowling, who was born at Chatham, Quebec, on April 28, 1845. His father, John Gowling, was born in Lancashire, England, and came with his parents, who were farmers in the Province of Quebec, Canada. So Joseph was raised on the farm, where he learned habits of industry and thrift that stood him in such good stead in his pioneer experience after coming to California. He was married in Chatham, November 16, 1871, to Miss Isabella Brodie, born in Chatham, a daughter of James and Agnes (Cameron) Brodie, natives respectively of Chatham, Quebec, and Glasgow, Scotland. The father was also of Scotch parents. They were successful farmers at Chatham, where Mr. and Mrs. Brodie both spent their last years. Of their five children four are living: Mrs. Gowling; Mrs. Agnes Heath, of Oakland; Mrs. Flora McDowell, of Sheridan; and Mrs. Helen McMeekin, residing in Chatham. : Mr. Gowling followed farming in Chatham until 1875, when, leaving his wife and little daughter Agnes in comfortable surroundings, he came to California with his brother William. They Stopped at Truckee, where Joseph Gowling engaged in hewing Square timbers for a mining company, for he was a spendid axeman, particularly a broadaxe-man. Soon afterwards he took a contract to get out timbers for a mining company near Carson City, Nev. In 1878, having decided to return to Quebec to make his home, he rejoined his family and went to work with a will. The call of the West was too strong and after withstanding it for eight months he decided to return to California, so in 1879, with his wife and daughter, he located in Truckee. He worked in a lumber mill over the winter and in the spring he came to Cisco, where for fourteen months he was in the employ of the Southern Pacific Railroad. At ~ the close of that period he purchased the old Summit Hotel from Booth and Company. The hotel was built by John Cardwell at the time the Central Pacific was built and had seventy-eight rooms. Mr. Cardwell sold it to Booth and Company but they closed it down and it was idle for three years before Mr.Gowling purchased it; and some wondered at his having the nerve to buy it. Mr. and Mrs. Gowling put their shoulders to the wheel, remodeled the building, and opened the hotel and success crowned their efforts. The railroad company appreciated their enterprise and were their best friends. They also had a stock of general merchandise; and the postoffice was also located in their building. Mr. Gowling secured the postoffice and named it Donner and was the first postmaster, holding the commission until his death. February 7, 1893, eleven years after they had purchased the hotel, it was burned to the ground, almost a total loss as there was only $5,000 insurance. This, however, helped to pay the freight on the material for the new hotel which they immediately built on the " Site of the old hotel and it was completed by June 21 of the same year, when they had their opening. It was a larger hotel, having eighty-five rooms. They also engaged in general merchandising and had the postoffice and telephone exchange. Mr. Gowling also owned a ranch of 700 acres on the Summit and was engaged in stock-raising. He leased the Soda Springs from Timothy Hopkins and built a resort, also having cabins and houses suitable to accommodate 100 guests. It was a very popular and well patronized summer resort. Mr. Gowling furnished transportation by running a stage between Summit Hotel and Soda Springs, making a round trip each day. They ran the’resort at Soda Springs for many years and were very successful, But it, too, was wiped out by a big fire. He did not renew the lease, being content to devote his time to his other affairs. He had built up Soda Springs Station on the railroad, where he owned sixty acres; there he built a hotel, store and stockyards, which he conducted in connection with the Summit Hotel, and the cattle and dairy business, he having acquired a stock ranch at Sheridan\ where he ran his cattle during the winters. Mr. Gowling departed this life on July 7, 1917, and was buried in the cemetery at Truckee. He was a member of Truckee Lodge No. 200, F. & A. M.; Truckee Chapter, No. 39, R. A. M., and the Nevada City Lodge of Elks. Mr. and Mrs. Gowling’s only daughter, Agnes, is a graduate of Snell Seminary, Oakland, and is the wife of John Sherritt, of Truckee, and they have two children, James and Dorothy. After her husband died, Mrs. Gowling conducted the hotel successfully for three years, when she sold it, wishing to retire. She now makes her home in Sacramento. She has also disposed of her interests at Soda Springs Station and now lives retired, devoting her time to looking after her other varied interests. She is a member of Truckee Chapter, Order of Eastern Star. Mr. Gowling was an enterprising man, greatly interested in the good roads movement and was ready at all times to aid all movements for the upbuilding of the county and State. M.J. Brock Pu blished MICHAEL JOH Prominent in the affairs of Neva _ Valley, the largest city in Nevada ( gold-mining city in California, with: _M. J. Grock was elected a membe November 10, 1921, and upon the a chosen chairman or mayor. He was] 21, 1870, a son of Patrick and Mary was born March 4, 1834, in the Count Curra, on the historic Brock Estate family since the sixteenth century original Brock family of Ireland, Normandy, France, from whence it: British Isles to fight with the hosts of Patrick Brock came to Massach for two years. He sailed for Califor York City, Saturday, March 24, 1849 San Francisco November 28, 1849, days on the voyage. He immediate spent the winter of 1849 and 1850 at ] Eldorado County. He left Hangtown Shaeffer, and arrived in Rough a1 working a few months on Squirrel Cr at Grass Valley, then known as Cen’ 5, 1850. There were about four cabin: first cabin were near the old Dan Gordon-Morgan ranch, immediate]; part of the old Wood’s Tract. In 185 claim on what is now included in the _ 1859 he owned and worked the grou place, adjoining the new high school i this to Con Reilley and bought the S The Scott family was the first whi Valley. He became a successful mini two years, of the Wheel Mining Comp North Star Mines Company. Then he called the ‘Oak Tree Mine,” now Boundary Mines Company. He took < Valley Pioneer Society. He died Oct under the auspices of the Pioneer Soc Valley, in 1860, to Miss Mary Little, v and arrived in Grass Valley in the friends of Patrick Brock to Sacrar January 1, 1860. They became the Margaret, the wife of J. H. Murphy, a builder; Mrs. Mary Halligan, a widov Thomas Brock, the groceryman of Brock, of this review; William, who h Boundary Mines Company’s under Valley; Kate, who died unmarried single.

fh The Nevada County Nugget Wed., Sept. 19,1973 Prominent people JOSEPH GOWLING A very prominent old-timer and builder-up of the Summit region in the Sierras was the late Joseph Gowling, who was born at Chatham, Quebec, on April 28, 1845. His father, John Gowling, was born in Lancashire, England, and came with his parents, who were farmers in the Province of Quebec, Canada. So Joseph was raised on the farm, where he learned habits of industry and thrift that stood him in such good stead in his pioneer experience after coming to California. He was married in Chatham, November 16, 1871, to Miss Isabella Brodie, born in Chatham, a daughter of James and Agnes (Cameron) Brodie, natives respectively of Chatham, Quebec, and Glasgow, Scotland. The father was also of Scotch parents. They were successful farmers at Chatham, where Mr. and Mrs. Brodie both spent their last years. Of their five children four are living: Mrs. Gowling; Mrs. Agnes Heath, of Oakland; Mrs. Flora McDowell, of Sheridan; and Mrs. Helen McMeekin, residing in Chatham. : Mr. Gowling followed farming in Chatham until 1875, when, leaving his wife and little daughter Agnes in comfortable surroundings, he came to California with his brother William. They Stopped at Truckee, where Joseph Gowling engaged in hewing Square timbers for a mining company, for he was a spendid axeman, particularly a broadaxe-man. Soon afterwards he took a contract to get out timbers for a mining company near Carson City, Nev. In 1878, having decided to return to Quebec to make his home, he rejoined his family and went to work with a will. The call of the West was too strong and after withstanding it for eight months he decided to return to California, so in 1879, with his wife and daughter, he located in Truckee. He worked in a lumber mill over the winter and in the spring he came to Cisco, where for fourteen months he was in the employ of the Southern Pacific Railroad. At ~ the close of that period he purchased the old Summit Hotel from Booth and Company. The hotel was built by John Cardwell at the time the Central Pacific was built and had seventy-eight rooms. Mr. Cardwell sold it to Booth and Company but they closed it down and it was idle for three years before Mr..Gowling purchased it; and some wondered at his having the nerve to buy it. Mr. and Mrs. Gowling put their shoulders to the wheel, remodeled the building, and opened the hotel and success crowned their efforts. The railroad company appreciated their enterprise and were their best friends. They also had a stock of general merchandise; and the postoffice was also located in their building. Mr. Gowling secured the postoffice and named it Donner and was the first postmaster, holding the commission until his death. February 7, 1893, eleven years after they had purchased the hotel, it was burned to the ground, almost a total loss as there was only $5,000 insurance. This, however, helped to pay the freight on the material for the new hotel which they immediately built on the " Site of the old hotel and it was completed by June 21 of the same year, when they had their opening. It was a larger hotel, having eighty-five rooms. They also engaged in general merchandising and had the postoffice and telephone exchange. Mr. Gowling also owned a ranch of 700 acres on the Summit and was engaged in stock-raising. He leased the Soda Springs from Timothy Hopkins and built a resort, also having cabins and houses suitable to accommodate 100 guests. It was a very popular and well patronized summer resort. Mr. Gowling furnished transportation by running a stage between Summit Hotel and Soda Springs, making a round trip each day. They ran the’resort at Soda Springs for many years and were very successful, But it, too, was wiped out by a big fire. He did not renew the lease, being content to devote his time to his other affairs. He had built up Soda Springs Station on the railroad, where he owned sixty acres; there he built a hotel, store and stockyards, which he conducted in connection with the Summit Hotel, and the cattle and dairy business, he having acquired a stock ranch at Sheridan\ where he ran his cattle during the winters. Mr. Gowling departed this life on July 7, 1917, and was buried in the cemetery at Truckee. He was a member of Truckee Lodge No.

200, F. & A. M.; Truckee Chapter, No. 39, R. A. M., and the Nevada City Lodge of Elks. Mr. and Mrs. Gowling’s only daughter, Agnes, is a graduate of Snell Seminary, Oakland, and is the wife of John Sherritt, of Truckee, and they have two children, James and Dorothy. After her husband died, Mrs. Gowling conducted the hotel successfully for three years, when she sold it, wishing to retire. She now makes her home in Sacramento. She has also disposed of her interests at Soda Springs Station and now lives retired, devoting her time to looking after her other varied interests. She is a member of Truckee Chapter, Order of Eastern Star. Mr. Gowling was an enterprising man, greatly interested in the good roads movement and was ready at all times to aid all movements for the upbuilding of the county and State. M.J. Brock Pu blished MICHAEL JOH Prominent in the affairs of Neva _ Valley, the largest city in Nevada ( gold-mining city in California, with: _M. J. Grock was elected a membe November 10, 1921, and upon the a chosen chairman or mayor. He was] 21, 1870, a son of Patrick and Mary was born March 4, 1834, in the Count Curra, on the historic Brock Estate family since the sixteenth century original Brock family of Ireland, Normandy, France, from whence it: British Isles to fight with the hosts of Patrick Brock came to Massach for two years. He sailed for Califor York City, Saturday, March 24, 1849 San Francisco November 28, 1849, days on the voyage. He immediate spent the winter of 1849 and 1850 at ] Eldorado County. He left Hangtown Shaeffer, and arrived in Rough a1 working a few months on Squirrel Cr at Grass Valley, then known as Cen’ 5, 1850. There were about four cabin: first cabin were near the old Dan Gordon-Morgan ranch, immediate]; part of the old Wood’s Tract. In 185 claim on what is now included in the _ 1859 he owned and worked the grou place, adjoining the new high school i this to Con Reilley and bought the S The Scott family was the first whi Valley. He became a successful mini two years, of the Wheel Mining Comp North Star Mines Company. Then he called the ‘Oak Tree Mine,” now Boundary Mines Company. He took < Valley Pioneer Society. He died Oct under the auspices of the Pioneer Soc Valley, in 1860, to Miss Mary Little, v and arrived in Grass Valley in the friends of Patrick Brock to Sacrar January 1, 1860. They became the Margaret, the wife of J. H. Murphy, a builder; Mrs. Mary Halligan, a widov Thomas Brock, the groceryman of Brock, of this review; William, who h Boundary Mines Company’s under Valley; Kate, who died unmarried single.