Colusa County Biographies

Elias C. Peart

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


 
            Elias C. Peart, whose name as a business man is a household word in 
every home in the county, is a native of Guysboro, Nova Scotia, born November 9, 
1849.  His boyhood was spent in the labors of the farm and his early education 
was imparted in the public schools.  He came to California in 1868, making the 
voyage by the Isthmus, and the day after his arrival in San Francisco he 
experienced the to him strange sensations produced by the big earthquake of that 
year.  His entire financial capital on landing was carefully counted and proved 
to be $30, but his backing and resources in good habits, strengthened by 
industry, in business sense and the boldness that captured success by 
intelligent audacity, were more to him than the three gold eagles cooped up in 
his purse.  He first found employment in November, 1868, with B. Rosberry in the 
general merchandise business at Knights Landing at a salary of $35 per month.  
Wishing to better himself, he came to Eddy�s Landing, on Grand Island, in the 
spring of 1869 and entered the employ of J. H. Goodhue, where he had charge of 
the entire business after eight months.  Mr. Peart�s first venture on his own 
account was made at Bear Valley, near Leesville, in the fall of 1871, the firm 
name being Peart & Graham.  His trade here was most satisfactory, but disaster 
overtook him nearly a year later, when his store and stock were destroyed by 
fire.  Though the insurance on the stock was not sufficient to pay their San 
Francisco creditors, yet the firm paid one hundred cents on every dollar�s worth 
of indebtedness.  Mr. Peart and his partner, J. W. Graham, next bought a small 
stock of goods and opened up business in Colusa, but not having the means to 
meet the heavy competition of the times, he bought out Graham�s interest, 
returned to Bear Valley, built a new store and dwelling and opened up again for 
business.  Trade flowed into this place, and Mr. Peart was again prospering.  
During all this time, however, his mind was fixed on the Grand Island country, 
and, a good opportunity offering, he sold out his Bear Valley business to Dr. J. 
H. Clark, of Yuba City, and took charge of the Grand Island Grange Co-operative 
Company�s business.  His health failing, he sought relief in 1875 by a sea 
voyage, visited Nova Scotia and returned the same year.  He bought out the 
business interest of the Grand Island Grange Company at Grimes Landing, a few 
years later established a general store at Arbuckle and then opened the Great 
American Bargain House at Colusa.  Selling out the business at Grimes Landing 
and at Arbuckle, he started a store at Maxwell, the firm name being W. H. Cross 
& Co., though devoting the greater part of his attention to the Colusa store, 
which drove an annual business of $120,000 exclusive of the stock and grain 
trade.  In addition to merchandising, this house handles a large quantity of 
barley and wheat.  The store building of Mr. Peart is an ornament to the town.  
It is a large brick one, filled with goods, tastefully arranged, and is one of 
the mercantile landmarks of the place.  Besides conducting his extensive 
merchandise business, Mr. Peart owns one thousand six hundred and forty acres of 
land in the county, whose cultivation is under his own immediate direction.
            Mr. Peart was married, December 11, 1872, to Miss Clara H. Graham, 
by whom he has three daughters, the eldest of whom, Miss Emma, is attending 
Snell Seminary at Oakland.
 
�Colusa County� � by Justus H. Rogers � Orland, CA � 1891 � pp 407-409.