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 WILL W. GRUWELL. � Two of the best improved properties in Scotts valley, in Lake county, are the tracts owned and cultivated by Will W. Gruwell and his son, Louis Earl Gruwell, the former having one hundred acres, the latter thirty acres adjoining. This land lies along the Scotts Valley road, four miles from Lakeport, and was formerly included in the holdings of Lewis C. Burriss, one of the pioneers in this section, father-in-law of Will W. Gruwell. The latter has been a resident of Scotts valley since the year 1884, and in the thirty years which have elapsed since he settled there has come to be considered one of the worthiest citizens in that section, respected tor the qualities which invite confidence in business and in all the other relations of life. The Gruwells are of French origin, and the family in this country dates back to Revolutionary days, when the first of the line here under considera- tion in America came to fight for the Colonial cause under LaFayette. Will W. Gruwell is a son of Melvin Gruwell and grandson of John Gruwell. His father was born in the state of Illinois, whence he came overland to California in 1851, crossing the plains with ox teams, and for about a year lived at Sonora, but thereafter had his home at San Jose, in Santa Clara county. In the latter part of his life he was engaged in the fruit business in that county. He was twice married, and by his first union had two children, one dying in infancy. The other, Ruth, is the wife of Eben Van Dyne and now lives in the Santa Clara valley. His second marriage was to Sarah Ware, a native of Missouri, from which state she came to California with her parents in 1852, a few years later marrying Mr. Gruwell in Santa Clara county. Nine children were born to them, viz. : Mattie lives at Santa Clara ; Lydia is the wife of Jacob Brightenstein, a rancher, of Santa Clara; Will W. is mentioned later; Jefferson, who died when forty-five years old, was a clerk and made his home at Oakland. Cal. ; Charles is in the fruit business in Santa Clara county ; Theresa, wife of H. W. VanDerpeer, a farmer, lives at Oakland; Laurence is in the fruit business in Santa Clara county ; Kate is the widow of James Hemphill, who had a fruit ranch, and lives in the Santa Clara valley ; Lou is the widow of Joseph Hemphill, a fruit grower, residing at San Jose. The parents died near San Jose. Will W. Gruwell was born in Santa Clara county, near San Jose, March 23, 1860, and passed all his early life in the Santa Clara valley. His education was obtained in the public schools near home and at the Garden City com- mercial college in San Jose. From boyhood he has been familiar with the work of general farming, stock raising and fruit growing as carried on in this region, and he has adapted himself successfully to the many changes which have revolutionized this branch of industry during his generation, his work showing modern methods and system throughout. When he first came to Lake county, in 1882, it was as a guest at Adams Springs, and he returned to settle there in 1884, becoming a resident of Scotts valley, where he has since made his home. On December 17th of that year he married Miss Frances Burriss, daughter of Lewis C. Burriss, and they are among the most esteemed and public-spirited members of their community, both showing an interest in the general welfare which has gained them the friendship and high regard of a large circle of neighbors and other acquaintances. Mrs. Gruwell has served as one of the trustees of their school district, discharging her duties with due appreciation for their responsibilities and giving excellent satisfaction. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South at Lakeport and supports its work faithfully. Mrs. Gruwell was less than three years old when she came to Lake county with her parents, but she remembers some incidents of the trip made by wagon from Sonoma county, cattle and sheep as well as household goods being brought to establish the home as comfortably as possible. She received an excellent education, attending the Pleasant Grove public school, Kelley's Institute and the grammar school at Lakeport, and before her marriage taught school in Lake county for a year and a half. Mr. and Mrs. Gruwell have had one child, Louis Earl, now engaged in ranching in Scotts valley on the thirty acres adjoining his father's property. He was born August 25, 1887, obtained his early education in the home neighborhood and attended the Lowell high school in San Francisco, from which he was graduated, later becoming a student at Leland Stanford University for two and a half years. On November 18, 1912, he married Miss Sadie Zook, daughter of L. Zook, of Ontario, Cal., and they have one child. Louis E. Gruwell is a member of the I. O. O. P., and his wife belongs to the Rebekahs. Lewis C. Burriss, who settled in Scotts valley in the year 1865, was a member of an old South Carolina family which has had many representatives of note. Governor Burriss was his uncle, and others of the name were also prominent in government circles and statesmen of ability and high reputa- tion. Of what nationality the progenitors of the family in America were is not now known. Lewis C. Burriss was born January 15, 1820, in South Caro- lina, and his parents lived and died in that state, where he spent his early life. When a young man he made his way to Missouri, and in 1849, in com- pany with others from that state, crossed the plains to California. For a few years he found work in the mines, but he soon realized that where such a high market value was set on all the necessaries of life employment in other lines was just as profitable, and he recognized a business opportunity in the demand for cattle. In 1851 he went back to Missouri, across the plains, and the next year brought out a large drove of stock cattle, of which he disposed easily. Some time later he again went overland to Missouri, where he was married on the 11th of May, 1856, to Miss Sarah A. Johnson, daughter of Richard Johnson, of Lafayette county. Mo. She was born in Tennessee, and was but seven years old when her parents brought her to Missouri. A day or two after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Burriss set out overland for California, and in the fall of 1856 arrived in the Napa valley, where they lived for about a year. Then they moved to the Sonoma valley, where they remained until their emigration to Lake county, in the year 1865. Mr. Burriss had previously visited the county, and he was one of the first to realize that Scotts valley had highly productive soil, a judgment which he never had occasion to regret. When he settled there the valley was very heavily timbered, oak trees three to si.x feet in diameter being common. He took up a government claim, and subsequently bought land as he prospered, acquiring four hundred and forty acres in all, though he did not live many years afterward, his death occurring September 18, 1871. He was a member of the Baptist Church, and a con- sistent Christian in all his relations with his fellow men. His wife survived him forty years, dying November 17, 1911, when eighty-one years old. Their family consisted of seven children : Albert died when nineteen years old ; William died in boyhood ; Elizabeth died when three months old ; Frances was born in Sonoma county and is now the wife of Will W. Gruwell ; Bryan, born in Sonoma county, now living on a ranch of one hundred and sixty acres in Scotts valley, which he owns, married Mattie Mitchell, of Scotts valley, and they have four living children ; Josephine is the wife of Chester White, a ranchman in Scotts valley, and has four children ; Laura died in infancy.