Sacramento Valley Biographies

JOHN KRAFT

Transcribed by Sally Kaleta, July 2009.

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

         Situated eight miles south-west of Maxwell, Colusa county, are the
extensive and flourishing grain fields of the late John Kraft, who reclaimed
them from the wilderness, but was not long permitted to enjoy the fruits of
his arduous toil, as in the most useful period of a vigorous manhood he was
called to another life. Born in Germany in 1843, he crossed the Atlantic in
1868, and coming directly to California, settled in Colusa county. For a
short time he resided in the vicinity of Williams, but in 1872 acquired
possession of three hundred and twenty acres to his original purchase, and
by patient industry he was able in a very few years to bring nearly his
entire property to a state of excellent cultivation. Aside from perfecting
the fertility  of his property he devoted an equal amount of attention to
its equipment in other directions, including buildings, fences, stock,
implements, etc., his efforts in the line of progress adding in no small
measure to the value of his estate. His natural ambition would have no doubt
been the means of increasing his landed possessions to a far greater extent,
but the invisible land of destiny seems to have ruled otherwise. His death,
which occurred in 1880, at the age of thirty-seven years, resulted from
typhoid pneumonia.

        Mr. Kraft was married in Germany to Miss Marie A. Christ, who is
still living. The children of this union are: Charles and Alexander, who are
residing at the homestead; Henry, who resides in the state of Washington;
and John, a resident of San Jose, Cal.

        Mrs. Kraft and her sons, who occupy the homestead, now own eight
hundred acres of land devoted principally to the cultivation of grain, and
they are also using rented land to the extent of one hundred and sixty
acres.The late Mr. Kraft was a member of the Lutheran Church, as is also his
widow.

"History of the State of California and Biographical Record of the
Sacramento Valley, Cal.," J. M. Guinn, The Chapman Publishing Company,
Chicago, 1906, Pages 557-558.