Charles Paul Weyhe
One of the many worthy and esteemed citizens of Sonoma county was the late Charles P. Weyhe, who passed away on his ranch near Forestville June 26, 1909. He was one of those citizens who had watched the growth and upbuilding of this part of the county with deep pride and not a little of its advancement was due to his own individual effort. A native of Germany, he was born in Berlin May 27, 1860. When he was a child of two years the parents set out on the voyage that was to bring them to the United States, but the father did not live to reach his destination and realize his hopes in the Land of the Free. Widowed and alone the mother proceeded on the journey as planned, coming to California and settling on a ranch in Contra Costa county.
In the meantime Charles P. Weyhe continued with relatives in the Fatherland, attending school until he was fourteen years of age, when he immigrated to the United States, landing in New York City, and from there proceeded to California, via the Isthmus of Panama, to join his mother in Contra Costa county. There she had a ranch of twelve hundred acres devoted principally to stock-raising, and of this her son became manager, remaining with her and caring for her interests until he attained his majority. Starting out on his own behalf at this time, he went to Humboldt county and purchased a ranch of three hundred and twenty acres upon which he resided for about two years, when the death of his mother made an entire change in his plans. Disposing of his own property in Humboldt county he returned to Contra Costa county and assumed charge of his mother’s property, a duty which devolved upon him, he being his parents’ only child. For a number of years he continued to cultivate the property, but finally disposed of it and in 1891 came to Sonoma county and purchased the ranch near Forestville which was his home until his death, and is still the home of his widow and sons, who in following his plans as to cultivation and improvements are meeting with a success of which they have cause to feel proud. The ranch comprises one hundred and sixty-six acres, devoted to orchard and vineyard and to the growing of hops and grain. The forty acres in orchard produced during the year 1910 $9,000 worth of fruit, and indications for the present year are even brighter. In addition to the crops mentioned Mrs. Weyhe finds pleasure and profit in raising turkeys, having about one hundred and fifty. Besides the home place Mrs. Weyhe also owns the ranch which was formerly the property of W. T. Ross; this adjoins her other property and comprises seventy acres, of which twenty-five acres are in vineyard, and the remainder in Gravenstein apples, prunes and peaches.
In early manhood Mr. Weyhe was married to Miss Rosinie Wessell, who survived her marriage only about one year. Later, in 1877, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Freeh, a native of Germany born in 1861, the daughter of Michael and Elizabeth (Weber) Freeh, both of whom were also born in Germany. The mother is deceased, but the father is still living, a resident of San Francisco, at the age of eighty-two years. A large family of fourteen children were born of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Weyhe, all of whom are living with the exception of the eldest, Pauline Rosinie, who was born August 5, 1878, and died May 23, 1883. Frederick Wilhelm, born May 6, 1880, is at home with his mother, and as he eldest takes charge of the management of the ranch. Charles Alfred, born June 17, 1881, was married in 1908 to Miss May Egloff, a native of Iowa. August Rudolph, born July 17, 1882, is at home with his mother. Elizabeth Martha, born June 20, 1883, is now the wife of C. M. Arnold, and with their one child they are making their home in San Rafael. Dorothea Wilhelmine, born November 11, 1884, became the wife of Richard Fairclaw, of Sebastopol. The other children in the family are: William Edward, born January 17, 1887; Paul Herman, April 6, 1888; Arthur Lewis, March 16, 1891; Leroy Chester and Oscar Christian, twins, born March 26, 1892; Edith Esther, July 20, 1895; Herbert Hiram, March 23, 1899; and Earl Everett, April 5, 1905.
History of Sonoma
County, California
History by Tom Gregory : Historic Record Company, 1891
Los Angeles, Ca. 1911
Transcribed by Roberta Hester Leatherwood
January 5, 2012 Pages 984-985
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