California Biographies Mendocino and Lake Counties, California Transcribed by Peggy Hooper This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm Source: History of Mendocino and Lake Counties, California With Biographical Sketches History by Aurelius O. Carpenter And Percy H. Millberry Illustrated, Complete In One Volume Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1914 FRANK EBBINGHAUSEN.� Of the various men who have come into Lake county within the last fifty years to make homes and fortunes, and in laying up wealth for themselves have also added to the value of every other man's property in the region, none has been more signally successful than Frank Ebbinghausen. Moreover, he is one of those men to whom the often misused term self-made may be rightfully applied. His immense land hold- ings, his extensive stock interests, his fine home with its attractive surround- ings, are all the result of continued and judicious effort, a steadiness of pur- pose and developed business ability which have made him a citizen of note in Morgan valley, where his home and land are situated. Coming of that frugal German stock noted for its characteristics of conservativeness and cautious investments, yet progressive in the wisest manner, he is a typical member of his race, and his large operations have not only made him prosperous, but have made it possible for others to enter upon similar enterprises though with less capital to invest. Mr. Ebbinghausen is a native of Hanover, Germany, born May 1, 1846, the son of George and Minnie Ebbinghausen, also natives of Hanover. His father was engaged in agricultural pursuits. When a boy of only eleven years he left his native land for America, in 1857, in company with his sister Minnie (who later became Mrs. Coster, of San Francisco), embarking at Bremen and landing at New York City. After one week's stay there they sailed again, this time for San Francisco, making the long journey by way of Panama. He was present when the first two dummy engines used on Market street made their initial trips, and recalls many other incidents of the old days in the city. Though but a small boy Mr. Ebbinghausen had to work for his living, but he took advantage of the night schools and also learned the trade of butcher, starting a butcher shop of his own when he was but eighteen years of age. He carried on the business for about seven years, remaining in San Francisco until his removal to Lake county, at which time he was twenty-five years old. Meantime, when a young man of twenty-four, he had married, and his wife has been of great assistance in the conduct and management of his constantly increasing interests. Mrs. Ebbinghausen is known as one of the most proficient housekeepers in Lake county, and is a noted cook. Mr. Ebbinghausen bought his home place of six hundred and forty acres in Morgan valley in the year 1871, and he has been improving it constantly since, one hundred and fifty acres of that place being plow-land. Here he has estab- lished a beautiful country home, with every convenience required on a ranch of the size, having a commodious residence, barn for storage purposes, sheep cor- rals and stock quarters, systematically arranged and kept in first-class order in every particular. His family orchard contains apple, pear, prune, apricot and nectarine trees, and he has a four-acre vineyard. Mr. Ebbinghausen's prin- cipal stock interests are in sheep, of which he keeps on an average from seven hundred to eight hundred head, and he raises a large number of chickens, as well as over one hundred turkeys every year. In addition to his large home ranch Mr. Ebbinghausen has an interest in the ranch known as "The Hole," a five-hundred-acre property three miles east of which he owns one hundred and eighty acres, the balance being held by his son Henry F. It is all in one fence, and he and his son use it jointly for grazing their stock. His time has naturally been entirely taken up with his ranching interests, and though he has assisted materially in opening up this section he has not taken any direct part in its public affairs or political activ- ities, though he has consistently supported the Republican party. Mr. and Mrs. Ebbinghausen were married in San Francisco, December 23, 1869. Her maiden name was Augusta Bose, and she was born in Hanover, Germany, daughter of Carl and Christiana (Bose) Bose. Her father, who was employed as foreman on a farm in Germany, died when she was but seven years old, and the widowed mother (also a native of Hanover) came to America with her two children, Augusta and Carl, when Mrs. Ebbinghausen was thirteen years old, the family sailing from Hamburg and landing at New York. After a year's residence at Wellsville, N. Y., they came out to Cali- fornia, settling at Vallejo, but Mrs. Ebbinghausen had been there only a year when she went to San Francisco to learn dressmaking, and in that city met her future husband. Her mother lived to the age of seventy-seven years, dying fifteen years ago. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Ebbinghausen : Annie is living in Morgan valley, the wife of Joseph Bond, a farmer there. She has three children : Lloyd, who is a graduate of the Stockton high school ; Alta, who graduated from school at Oakland, taught one term at Redding, Shasta county, and is now teaching the Morgan valley school ; and Raymond, who is a high school student at Oakland. Henry F., represented in the next paragraph, is a prosperous farmer in the Morgan valley. Gussie is the wife of Hazen Cheney and has two children, Anita Grace and Bettie Hazel. While a resident of Lake county Mr. Cheney was super- visor from the First district. He is now farming in Eldorado county, and is preparing to make a specialty of walnut growing. Carl, a farmer in Morgan valley, married Annie Shandon and has two children, Elwood and Floyd. Henry F. Ebbinghausen, eldest son of Frank Ebbinghausen, bids fair to rival his successful father as a ranchman and sheep grower. Born August 14, 1873, in San Francisco, he has passed his entire life in Morgan valley, and he has been familiar with agricultural work from boyhood, having been his father's ablest assistant for many years. After gaining a good common school education he went into the business on his own account, and he has acquired extensive interests, being a large land- owner already. His purchases include three hundred and twenty acres from George Stanton (from which he has sold four acres), forty acres from Getz & Company, forty acres from Fuqua, one hundred and sixty acres from C. F. Chandon and forty acres of school lands. In addition to this he owns about three hundred and ten acres of "The Hole," making about nine hundred and twenty acres in all. Besides he and his father rent in partnership the Manhattan range of about one thousand acres, which is used entirely for their horses and cattle. Henry F. Ebbinghausen buys and sells stock, and ordinarily keeps for himself eight horses. He also raises cattle, hogs and sheep, of which latter he usually has about five hundred. He and his father have many joint interests. Personally Mr. Ebbinghausen is well known and liked in his county. He has a generous nature which wins and keeps friends, and the liberal and progressive policy which he has adopted in the conduct of his important operations, affecting as they do a number of the residents of his section, has made him thoroughly trusted by his neighbors. He is a popular member of the Lower Lake Parlor No. 159, N. S. G. W., and his political views are those of the Republican party, in whose workings, however, he has never been actively concerned.