Sacramento Valley Biographies

David Pitt Diggs

Transcribed and submitted by Sally Kaleta, March 2009

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

           David Pitt Diggs. Prominent among the early pioneers of Yolo
county is David Pitt Diggs, a retired farmer, who is pleasantly passing the
declining years of his long and busy life in Woodland, where he has a
commodious and home-like residence. For over half a century he was one of
the leading agriculturists and stock-raisers of this part of Yolo county,
his ranch of three hundred and forty-eight acres, now managed by his
youngest son, lying about five miles north of Woodland. When he squatted
upon a claim on Cache Creek, in 1850, settlers were few in number and far
between, with no roads excepting the Indian trails, and for months at a time
saw no one. The forests were filled with an abundance of game, elk,
antelope, and even grizzly bears being plentiful. Working with true pioneer
energy and enthusiasm, he cleared and improved a valuable homestead from the
wilderness, in the meantime being an important factor in the upbuilding of
town and county. A son of Cole Diggs, he was born, April 8, 1827, in
Montgomery county, Mo., of Welsh ancestry. His grandfather, William Diggs,
was a native of Virginia, and probably served in the Revolutionary war. He
resided on the Chesapeake bay, and on the farm which he owned was a large
oyster bed, which yielded him a good income.
         Born in Mathews county, Va., Cole Diggs grew to man's estate on the
home farm. Throughout the war of 1812 he served as captain of brave
soldiers, and subsequently received a pension for his services. In 1819 or
1820 he moved to Montgomery county, Mo., traveling through the intervening
forests and prairies with a wagon and four-horse team, oftentimes breaking
his own pathway. Taking up Government land, he there followed farming and
stock-growing during his remaining years, dying at the venerable age of
eighty-seven years, and being active until the week preceding his death. He
met with fair success as a farmer, and was one of the most influential and
active citizens of the community in which he resided. He was one of the
leading Democrats of the county, and served as justice of the peace and
associate judge for many terms.
        Cole Diggs married Jane Pace, who was born on the Kentucky line when
her parents, John and Margaret (Irvin) Pace, were moving from Virginia,
their native state, to Kentucky, with Daniel Boone and the small company
which he settled in Madison county, near Lexington, Ky. Mr. Pace was bound
out when a boy, but not liking his employer he ran away from home when
sixteen years old, and subsequently served under General Washington in the
Revolutionary war. He acquired a substantial education for his days, and
going with Boone to Kentucky taught school for a while, and subsequently was
engaged in farming and preaching, being identified with the Methodist
Episcopal Church. About 1840 he moved with his family to Missouri, where he
improved a farm, and also continued in his ministerial labors until his
death, at the age of four score years. His daughter Jane, who married Cole
Diggs, was born in 1800, and died in 1872. Both she and her husband were
active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
       The son of a pioneer of Missouri, David Pitt Diggs grew to manhood on
the home farm, his education being limited to a few short winter terms in
the district school, which was held in a small log cabin. Beginning the
battle of life on his own account when nineteen years old, he worked for
about a year on the Missouri river, building boats, and loading them with
hoop-poles and staves. During the Mexican war he three times volunteered his
services, but his home was so far from headquarters that each time the
requisition was filled before his company could get there. Joining a trading
company in 1847, he was employed for a year in taking goods across the
plains from St. Louis to Mexico, as a teamster driving six yoke of oxen
attached to one of the one hundred and fifty wagons in the train, on the
return trip driving government mules to Missouri. April 1, 1849, Mr. Diggs,
with four chosen companions, who pledged themselves to stand together,
sharing their last dollar if necessary, started with five yoke of oxen and
two saddle horses for the Pacific coast. At the Humboldt river the Indians
stole their horses, but the little party was other-wise unmolested, and
October 1, arrived in Coloma, Eldorado county, Cal. While the four
companions decided to go to the mines, Mr. Diggs remained in Coloma,
accepting a contract to keep a sawmill in logs, receiving $350 a month and
his board.
         June 8, 1850, Mr. Diggs located on Cache creek, squatting about
five miles north of the present city of Woodland, on a claim which was
heavily covered with timber. He and his partner, D. B. Sutton, began
clearing the land, to the title of which they afterward had a hard fight in
the courts, and by dint of perseverance, judicious toil and practical
judgment cleared and improved one of the most desirable and valuable ranches
in this part of the county. In 1852 Mr. Diggs harvested his first crop of
grain, making the cradle that he used, tramping out the grain with horses,
and hauling it to the mountains, where he traded it for lumber. Meeting with
marked success as an agriculturist, he carried on general farming and
stock-raising until 1900, when he resigned the management of his ranch to
his son, Marshall M., and has since made his home in Woodland. For many
years he made a specialty of stock-raising, being especially successful in
breeding and raising running horses and mules.
         January 5, 1853, Mr. Diggs married Janette E. Hines, who was born
in Clay county, Mo., May 4, 1837, and reared in Lexington. In 1850 she
started across the plains with her parents for California. Her father died
of cholera on the way, but her mother continued the journey with her family
of small children, and settled in Yolo county, near Madison, where she lived
until she married again. The step-father opposed Janette's marriage, but Mr.
Diggs proved equal to the emergency. Riding one horse and leading another,
he borrowed a side-saddle, went after nightfall to the home of his bride,
took her away by stealth, and they were soon married. Mrs. Diggs proved a
true helpmate to her husband, and their journey through life has been most
pleasant and prosperous. She is now a beautiful old lady, beloved and
respected by all who know her. Mr. and Mrs. Diggs are the parents of six
children, namely: Mrs. Mary Alice Anderson, a widow; Elenora A., wife of
Frederick Miller, of Woodland, a farmer and stock-raiser; Irvin P., a stock
dealer, living in Woodland, who married Nora S. Lasley; Sarah Sutton, wife
of Henry C. Sandusky, of Colorado; Marion Henry, an insurance agent in
Colusa county; and Marshall Montgomery, who rents the home farm.
         An earnest supporter of the principles of the Democratic party, Mr.
Diggs has been quite active in public affairs. He was deputized to fill an
unexpired term as county assessor, after which he was elected to the office,
which he filled one term, and also served as county superintendent of
schools, in which capacity he appointed all of the school trustees, and was
instrumental in having the Buchanan school building erected, near Yolo, it
being the first one built in the county. For over fifty years Mr. Diggs has
been a Mason, and has the distinction of being the very first man to be made
a Mason in Yolo county, being initiated into Yolo Lodge No. 81, F. & A. M.,
in 1854, when this lodge, the first in the county, had very few members. He
is now the only survivor of those belonging when he united with it. For many
years he was an officer in the lodge, serving both as junior warden and as
senior warden. Mr. Diggs is a self-made man in the highest sense implied by
the term, and although he has won success in his career, he has met with
some losses and reverses. While engaged in hauling logs, he accumulated
considerable money, the full amount of which he lost through the failure of
the man to whom he loaned it. He surmounted all such difficulties, however,
and is now enjoying to the utmost his well-deserved leisure from business
cares. 

"History of the State of California and Biographical Record of the
Sacramento Valley, Cal.", J. M. Guinn, The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago,
1906, Pages 356-357.