California Biographies, San Joaquin Valley

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 the state of California and biographical record of the San Joaquin 
Valley, California. An historical story of the state's marvelous growth from 
its earliest settlement to the present time.
Prof. James Miller Guinn , A. M.
The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago 1905
Notes: Missing Page: 865-866,983-984,1175-1176


 JOHN McDONALD WILMANS, a native of Plumas county, Cal., was born in Quincy March 29, 
1858, a son of David I. and Martha (Bass) Wilmans, natives respectively of Philadelphia. Pa., and 
Potosi, Mo. His paternal grandfather was a native of Germany, born on the River Rhine, and in 
manhood was occupied as an importer of silks and wines. A member of an old and honored 
family he secured a splendid education and became a prominent citizen in whatever locality he 
made his home. He immigrated to America and followed merchandising in Philadelphia and 
afterwards in St. Joseph, Mo. His death occurred at the age of seventy years. His son, David I. 
Wilmans, who became a pork packer and merchant of that city, came to California with the gold 
seekers in 1849, organizing a train of about sixty men. well armed and well equipped, coming by 
way of Utah. Upon his arrival in California he settled in Marysville, or rather founded that town, 
putting up the first frame building and establishing a store. Disposing of these interests he went 
to Quincy. Plumas county, in 1850. and became a leading miner and merchant on Nelson creek, 
where he made a fortune in gold mining and merchandising. He died in Gila county, Arizona, 
where he was engaged in a mercantile enterprise, at the age of sixty-seven years. His name 
was well known over the entire west. He was a personal friend of George C. Gorham, Judge 
Stephen J. Field, United States Senator Jones, Senator Sharron, and others equally well known 
in the west, a man of honor and probity and great ability. In his political affiliations he was a 
Democrat, and fraternally was a member of the Masonic order, in which work he was quite 
active in early life. He married Martha J. Bass, a native of Missouri, and a descendant of English 
ancestry related to the old and distinguished Bass family of England. With her brothers, 
Stephen D. and Richard S., both of whom were partners of David I. Wilmans, she came overland 
to California in 1853 and was married in Quincy. She died at "Woodside." the country ranch of 
the Wilmans, at the age of seventy-one years. Of the five children born to Mr. 'and Mrs. 
Wilmans, three reached maturity, namely : F. W., J. M., and S. C of whom the last named died 
August 6, 1901, at the age of thirty-five years, leaving a wife and three children. F. W. resides at 
Seattle, Wash. 

John McDonald Wilmans was educated in Nevada, principally. From the time he was fourteen 
years old he engaged in mining, for the greater part being located in Nevada, and was a 
successful miner even at that age. After he left Nevada in 1876 he was head distributer in the 
San Francisco postoffice in the paper department for three years, after which, on account of 
failing eyesight, he went to Gila county, Ariz., and engaged in mining. As before he met with 
success. "He remained in that locality about eight years, half of the time being spent as a 
merchant. He was also a contractor and managed several other mining properties, making 
Globe, Ariz., his headquarters. For a part of this time he was also interested in the cattle 
business. In 1888 he went to Park City, Utah, thirty-five miles south of Salt Lake City, where he 
took a lease on a mine, in partnership with his brother, F. W. Wilmans, the two taking out 
$620,000 in gold in ten months. The lease being for twelve months they disposed of the other 
two months for $47,000. This mine is now known as the Silver King and has produced 
$15,000,000 worth of gold. After disposing of his interest in this mine Mr. Wilmans located his 
family in San Francisco. He there became interested with James L. Pearsall, in Monte Cristo. 
Wash., in mining in the Monte Cristo and other mines, and again met with success. Although he 
eventually disposed of a part of his interests to John D. Rockefeller, he acts as manager of and 
owns the controlling interest on a forty-seven mile railroad, which cost about $3,000,000. His 
brother, F. W., is president. Since his identification with the Monte Cristo mine, the 
improvements made have been remarkable, while several million dollars' worth of gold has 
been taken out. Mr. Wilmans owns a one-third interest in the Monte Cristo mine and is also 
interested in mines in Alaska. 

"Woodside" ranch was bought in 1900, when it was practically a desert, and the improvements 
since made have demonstrated both the ability and taste of the owner. About eighteen 
hundred acres are under cultivation and irrigation and in alfalfa. A portion of this ranch has been 
sold to W. B. Witcher. Mr. Wilmans was married in Arizona to Clara James, a native of Logan, 
Iowa. She is the mother of two children, Irma and Frederick S. Mr. Wilmans is a prominent 
Mason, being a member of Golden Gate Commandery, K. T., and Islam Temple, N. M. S. 
Politically he adheres to the principles advocated in the platform of the Democratic party, in 
which faith he was reared. He has shown himself to be a man of enterprise and ability and has 
done much toward advancing the best interests of the community in which he makes his home. 
He was instrumental in securing the rural telephone, thus connecting his ranch by long distance 
with San Francisco and other places of importance. In the matter of improvements on his ranch 
he has exercised his most intelligent efforts to bring his broad fields to a high state of cultivation 
and make them rank among the most profitable of this section of the country. Some idea may 
be gained when it is known that the ranch was bought at the rate of $55 per acre and is now 
worth at least $200, renting for $12.50 per acre. He is interested in dairying and has a number of 
Holstein and Durham cattle. At one time he was much interested in sheep raising, importing 
from France sheep that cost as high as $1,000 per head, twenty-six being purchased for 
$17,000. He has since sold his sheep and now gives considerable time and attention to the 
raising of fine horses.