Sacramento Valley Biographies

Amos W. Gable

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

             Amos W. Gable. To those familiar only with conditions as they
now exist the record of the life of Amos W. Gable seems more like a leaf
from a romance than a narrative of actual facts. Shrouded in the gloom and
mystery of a past long gone by, lie buried such experiences as fell to his
lot, and we who enjoy the improvements, civilization and inventions of the
present day but dimly apprehend the obstacles he faced, the difficulties he
met and the discourage-ments he bravely surmounted. Poverty deprived his
youth of educational advantages, the death of his father sent him adrift in
the world at an age when the fostering care of parents is sorely needed, and
the environment of a frontier community was not calculated to develop
conditions favorable for success. Working his way across the plains, he
arrived in California without means or friends, but fortified by hope and
blessed by a robust constitution, which are at all times factors of
inestimable value in the gaining of indepen-dence. Notwithstanding early
experiences in the west of a discouraging nature, such was his strength of
resolution and fixedness of purpose that he rose above every hindrance and
attained a position of remarkable importance among men of affairs. To
accomplish such results would have been commend-able under the most
favorable circumstances, but merit especial mention when secured in the face
of early conditions calculated to depress those of ordinary courage.
         During the sojourn of Solomon and Elizabeth (Dull) Gable in
Washington county, Ohio, their son, Amos W., was born September 13, 1834,
and from there he accompanied the family to Van Buren county, Iowa, in 1843,
later going to Appanoose county, the same state. The father took up a tract
of government land and began its improvement. On every hand was the
frontier. Neighbors were few, improvements there were none. Yet, with the
ardor of a true pioneer, he carried forward his difficult task of clearing a
tract of land and earning a livelihood for his fourteen children. In June,
1846, when in his fiftieth year, the exertion of lifting a large log caused
him to burst a blood vessel and he died a few hours later. The children were
put out to farmers to earn their board and clothing, the mother married
again, and thus the family became separated. 
        At the time of his father's death Amos was a boy of twelve years,
eager to gain an education, yet unable to attend school even for a few
months each year. Few pleasures brightened the years of his youth. His days
were filled with toil, often protracted beyond the setting of the sun. Yet
all of this experi-ence was not without benefit, for he learned from it that
only through strenuous exertion may one hope to gain the truest and most
lasting success. There developed within him, too, habits of self-reliance
and perseverance that became important factors in his subsequent prosperity.
When he was nineteen years of age, in 1853, he made a contract with Harvey
Porterfield to drive a team for him across the plains, in return for passage
thither. The party brought one hundred head of cattle with them and settled
in Yolo county, where he was employed by Mr. Porterfield as a cattle herder
at $30 per month. In time his wages were advanced to $100 per month. In 1861
his brother, Harvey C., joined him, bringing $700, and this capital the
brothers invested in cattle. At that time stock was allowed to roam at
large, hence pasturage was a matter of little or no expense. Misfortune came
to them with the purchase of Mr. Porter-field's ranch, for which they
incurred a heavy debt. The drought of 1864 came on, causing a heavy loss in
cattle, and 1865 found them with a debt of $5,500 which they were unable to
meet. To settle matters, they offered the creditors all they had, but the
latter generously told them to keep on without getting discouraged and in
the end they would succeed. Encouraged by this kindness, they began anew,
and this time met with such success that they soon freed themselves from
debt and began to accumulate property. Prices of land advanced, and profits
were proportionately greater. In due time they owned large herds of sheep,
cattle, horses and hogs, and subsequently also gave considerable attention
to the raising of grain, being joint owners of eighty-five hundred acres of
land, much of which was under cultivation.
          In 1882 Mr. Gable came to Woodland and built a house on the corner
of Laurel and First streets. Three years later he erected a residence on the
corner of First and Cross streets, and made of the property one of the most
beautiful homesteads in Woodland. The spacious grounds, with the broad
expanse of velvety lawn and tropical shrubbery, were further ornamented by
rows of the finest varieties of navel oranges, in the care of which Mr.
Gable spent many pleasant hours. Indeed, his happiest days were those spent
in his home, surrounded by his family, ministering to their welfare, and
caring for the property with a business-like aptitude characteristic of his
every action. At the time of the organization of the Bank of Yolo he became
a director and also held the office of vice-president until his death. He
was a stockholder and director in the Yolo County Savings Bank. June 4,
1874, he married Mary, daughter of Conrad Gottwals, and a native of
California. Their union was one of mutual helpfulness and, although she was
many years his junior, in death they were not long separated. His earth life
terminated February 24, 1898, and she passed away March 30, 1903, at the age
of forty-seven years. They left four children, Harvey Hayes, Myrtle,
Gertrude and Awilma.

"History of the State of California and Biographical Record of the
Sacramento Valley, California," J. M. Guinn, The Chapman Publishing Co.,
Chicago, 1906, Pages 326-327.


Men who were born in Yolo county and who have reached middle life here cannot 
recall a time when the name of Amos W. Gable was not familiar to them or when it 
did not stand for good citizenship and remarkable agriculture success.  These 
men grew up believing in Mr. Gable as an exemplar of unselfish devotion to duty 
and of material prosperity attained in the face of early handicaps.  Newcomers 
in the county found prestige so firmly established that they immediately became 
cognizant of his reputation and through their later personal experiences 
confirmed all good opinions of him.  Gracious and manly qualities adorned his 
rare personality.  Sincerity of purpose marked his decisions.  A natural 
enthusiasm was tempered by caution in judgment.  Such was his temperament and 
such his character that success made no change in his quiet, unostentatious 
existence, and his happiest hours were spent with his family and his intimate 
friends and in the pleasant task of improving his beautiful homestead.
 
The record of the boyhood years of Amos W. Gable is a epitome of struggles 
bravely endured, hardships valiantly surmounted and obstacles quietly overcome.  
The frontier record of toil and privation was to him of far less consequence 
than the private record of bereavement, sorrow and family separation.  His 
parents, Solomon and Elizabeth (Dull) Gable, were farmers of great worth of 
character and indomitable perseverance.  While they lived on a farm in 
Washington county, Ohio, their son, Amos W., was born September 13, 1834, he 
being one of fourteen children.  During his early childhood he was taken to 
Iowa, where his father in 1843 took up land in Van Buren county, later going to 
Appanoose county.  When in his fiftieth year, in June of 1846, the exertion of 
lifting a large log caused him to burst a blood-vessel and he died a few hours 
later.  The children were put out among farmers to earn their board and 
clothing, the mother married again and the family, once separated, were never 
again united on earth.
 
The chance for a boy apprenticed to an existence of drudgery on a frontier farm 
seemed meager indeed, but an apparent destiny was overruled by a spirit of 
resolution.  The greatest deprivation was the lack of educational advantages.  
To the end of his life Mr. Gable never ceased to regret the fact that he was 
unable to attend school at a time when the mind was plastic, the intelligence 
receptive and the intuition quick, yet perhaps no one ever overcame with greater 
determination than he this lack of schooling.  His lessons were learned in the 
great school of experience and he proved an apt pupil.  One of the advantages of 
his youth of struggle was the fact that he developed self-reliance and learned 
to realize that true success comes only from strenuous exertion.  At the time of 
discovery of gold in California he resolved to come west, but it was not until 
some years later that the opportunity came to him.  In 1853 he hired out to 
drive a team across the plains for Harvey Porterfield in return for his own 
passage to the west.  The party drove one hundred head of cattle to the west and 
settled in Yolo county, where the young man received work from Mr. Porterfield 
for $30 per month as a cattle-herder.  Appreciation of his tireless labors came 
in an advance of his wage to $100 per month and this amount he frugally saved 
for future investment.
 
The arrival of the younger brother, Harvey C. Gable, in 1861 with $700 in cash 
enabled the brothers to invest in cattle and form a partnership that continued 
throughout their lives.  With enthusiastic faith in the future, they purchased 
Mr. Porterfield�s ranch and went heavily in debt in the venture.  For a few 
years they met with fair success.  Stock being then allowed to roam at large, 
pasturage was a matter of small expense.  But a change came with the severe 
drought of 1864.  The year 1865 found them with a debt of $5500 which they were 
utterly unable to meet.  They met their creditors and offered them their entire 
holdings to settle the indebtedness, but the men urged them to keep on without 
growing discouraged, assuring them they would wait for their money, believing 
success would come to them in the end.  Time proved the wisdom of the counsel.  
The debt was eventually paid off and afterward they began to accumulate property 
until they became the joint owners of eighty-five hundred acres of land, much of 
it under cultivation.  On their vast tracts roamed large herds of cattle and 
enormous flocks of sheep.  Horses and hogs also were raised on their ranches.  
The advance in the price of land and cattle brought them great wealth and gave 
them a standing among the leading property owners of the county.
 
The marriage of Amos W. Gable was solemnized June 4, 1874, and united him with 
Miss Mary Gottwals, a native of Yolo county, Cal., who was born in 1856 and died 
March 30, 1903, at the age of forty-seven years.  Four children blessed the 
union, Harvey Hayes, Myrtle, Gertrude and Awilma (Mrs. H. D. Porter), all of 
Woodland.  The family removed to Woodland in 1882 and made their home on the 
corner of Laurel and First streets.  Three years Mr. Gable erected a residence 
on the corner of First and Cross streets and eventually, by personal efforts, 
converted the property into one of the most attractive homes in the city.  The 
well-kept lawn is artistically adorned with tropical shrubbery.  Orange trees of 
the finest varieties were planted and in the care of them the owner passed many 
hours of pleasure.  Indeed, he was never happier than when improving his place 
and enjoying its beauties with his family.  He was a Mason of the Knights 
Templar degree.  While relaxing his labors with increasing wealth, he never lost 
his business-like aptitude for affairs, but until his death (which occurred 
February 24, 1898) he served as vice-president and a director of the Bank of 
Yolo and as a director in the Yolo County Savings Bank, besides retaining the 
personal management of his extended landed interests in the county.  It is but 
fitting to relate that his son, Harvey Hayes Gable, the only male representative 
of the family in the Sacramento valley since the death of the other brother, 
Harvey C., has assumed the management of the large ranch and varied interests 
and for convenience he incorporated the estate under the name of The Gable 
Company, of which he is president and manager.
 
Transcribed by Bea Barton
Source:  �History of Yolo County, California� by Tom Gregory.  Published by the 
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1913, pages 730 � 733.