California Biographies, Santa Cruz County WINFIELD SCOTT RODGERS. Transcribed by Peggy Hooper Source: History of Santa Cruz County, California Pacific Press Publishing Company San Francisco, Cal. 1892 By E. S. Harrison This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm WINFIELD SCOTT RODGERS. The struggles and hardships incident to frontier existence formed the daily portion of the boyhood of Winfield S. Rodgers, a native Californian, born at Placerville, October 28, 1853. Around his memories of childhood there cluster thoughts of eager prospectors gathering from all parts of the world; recollections of the crudities and lawlessness of the mining camps, with their swarming thousands of excited miners; and serious, saddening reminiscences of a devoted mother, toiling all day and far into the night, in order that she might give proper care to her beloved family. The death of that dear mother, in the autumn of 1868, was the heaviest bereavement of his boyhood and cut asunder forever the ties that bound him the closest to the parental home. He was the youngest of fourteen children and had few of the advantages that come to the present generation. On the other hand, he was obliged to earn his own support while yet young. However, he was not wholly deprived of advantages, for the mother made every sacrifice in order that the sons and daughters might attend school. After the family moved to the Sacramento valley in 1858 he was sent to the public school at Walnut Grove and there secured a knowledge of the three R's. During 1866 the family removed to San Mateo county and settled at Lahonda, where the mother died. When in his seventeenth year, in 1870 Mr. Rodgers came to Boulder Creek, Santa Cruz county, but later returned to the Sacramento valley and secured employment on a ranch. From there he went to San Mateo county in 1871 and during the summer months worked with the crew of a threshing machine. Returning to Boulder Creek in the fall of 1872, he became a resident of Santa Cruz county, where later he took up a raw tract of land from the government. Patient devo- tion to the improvement of the land brought its ultimate reward in an increased valuation, which was further enhanced by the growth of the county, and he now has the satisfaction of owning a valuable tract of land. His marriage took place January 25, 1877, and united him with Miss Cleo E. Wood, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Wood, of Boulder Creek. This estimable lady died January 17, 1889, leaving, besides her husband, seven children to mourn the demise of a de- voted, sacrificing mother. The children are, named in the order of their birth, as follows: Elwin D., of Albuquerque, N. Mex. ; Jesse, who died December 30, 1907; Myrtle, the wife of Charles Kreesmayer, of San Francisco; Seymour W., a resident of Santa Cruz ; Dalton C, who died in the fall of 1889, at the age of four and a half years ; Winfield S., Jr., of Boulder Creek; and Olin, who died in infancy. After the death of the mother of these children Mr. Rodgers was mar- ried again, April 18, 1892, to Miss Fannie E. Brimblecom, the daughter of Capt. Samuel E. and Sarah (Ware) Brimble- com, pioneers of Boulder Creek, locating here in 1869. In 1890 Mr. Rodgers moved from the ranch into town and has since made it his home. In 1897 he sold his ranch. In 1896 he and his brother, C. C. Rodgers, started the Mountain Echo, a newspaper which W. S. Rodgers has conducted to the present time. During 1888 Mr. Rodgers was elected county supervisor by a large majority and filled the office for one term, mean- while giving his support to such enterprises as he believed to be conducive to the general welfare. In April, 1905, he was appointed city recorder of Boulder Creek, an office which he has held continuously ever since. He is very actively identified with a number of fraternal organizations, being a member of Boulder Creek Lodge No. 152, I. 0. 0. F., in which he has held all of the chairs; Santa Cruz Encampment, I. 0. 0. F., and Lodge No. 251, Rebekahs, of Idlewild Lodge ; Court Wildwood No. 633, L 0. F., in which he has also held all of the chairs, besides serving as financial and recording secre- tary for many 3^ears; Boulder Creek Lodge No. 323, A. 0. U. W., of which he has been financier since its organization in 1898; and Santa Cruz Parlor No. 90, N. S. G. W. Personally Mr. Rodgers is a man of unostentatious demeanor, but beneath a quiet exterior is hidden a strong, forceful individuality and much force of character. Accommodating in his relations with neighbors, courteous to strang- ers, generous to the needy and helpful in community enterprises, he furnishes another example of the type of pro- gressive ranchers who have promoted the development of Santa Cruz county. In religion he and his wife hold member- ship in the Unitarian Church of Santa Cruz.