WILLIAM FRANKLIN SITES

A man of much enterprise and force of character, who has
been a resident of Colusa County since September, 1876, William
Franklin Sites was born near Augusta, St. Charles County, Mo.,
September 9, 1852. He is a son of Henry and Annie Catherine
(Nadler) Sites, natives of Hesse-Nassau, Germany, who migrated
to Missouri and located on a farm in St. Charles County, where
they followed agricultural pursuits until they died. Of the family,
seven children grew to maturity, as follows: Elizabeth, Mrs.
Lowenhaupt, who resides in Augusta, Mo.; Eliza, Mrs. Grumbke,
who died in Missouri; Minnie, Mrs. Slafe, living in St. Louis;
Louis, who died in Missouri; Annette, who became the wife of
Henry Brune and died in Missouri ; Charles, accidentally killed in
Missouri; and William, of this review. Another son, John, born
of his father's first marriage, was the founder of the town of
Sites, in Colusa County, where he died.

William Franklin Sites was reared on a farm in St. Charles
County, Mo., and was educated in the public schools; but on ac-
count of the Civil War his opportunities were very limited. Farm
hands were very scarce, and he was put to work out on farms, re-
ceiving as wages only eight dollars a month, which went to his
mother until he was twenty years of age.

In 1872 he made his way westward, stopping for a time .in
Colorado, where he was employed as a farm hand near Canon
City, until the following spring. He then turned his attention to
mining and prospecting at Mt. Lincoln, near the Alma Smelter,
and later was employed at Oroville, near what is now the city
of Leadville. In the fall of 1873 he came to Eureka, Nev., and for
three months drove an eighteen-mule team. When his employer
failed, the team was siezed by creditors ; and all Mr. Sites received
for his three months' wages was the eighteen mule blankets. He
burned charcoal during the winter of 1873-187-i ; but when spring
came, the mines in Eureka closed down, and he was obliged to sell
the thirteen hundred dollars' worth of charcoal for two hundred
fifty dollars. With the money he came to California in 1876, join-
ing his brother John at Sites, and working for him at farming and
stock-raising.

In 1879, with his savings, he purchased a farming outfit, and
leased land from his brother — the farm he now owns, by the way,
and where he resides. Here, on a thousand acres, he engaged in
raising grain, his outfit soon growing to three big teams. Mean-
time he bought a ranch of seven hundred sixty acres north of
Sites, which he operated in connection with the leased land, and
which he kept until 1914, when he sold it. In 1903 he purchased
his present ranch. He continued to raise grain and stock, and met
with good success. As he prospered, and as opportunity offered,
he purchased adjoining land, until he now owns forty-four hun-
dred acres in one body lying about in the center of Antelope Val-
ley. It is a fine tract of land, well fenced and improved. The rich
soil is watered by Antelope Creek and by numerous springs.
From one of the springs water is piped half a mile to the house,
where it is used for domestic purposes. Mr. Sites also has a
splendid well, with a good pumping plant. In September, 1914,
his residence was destroyed by fire, causing a hea\y loss, which
included some valuable relics he had accumulated during the many
years of his residence here. This house has been replaced by a
comfortable modern residence.
Mr. Sites rents about half of his ranch, and operates the bal-
ance himself. He raises about sis hundred acres of grain each
year, and devotes the rest of the land to raising cattle. His brand,
W. S., is well known. He has had a varied experience in grain-
raising, having sold wheat as low as sixty-nine cents per cental.
The highest price was received in 1917, when he sold for three dol-
lars and seventy-five cents per cental. Once before he sold wheat
as high as two dollars and seventy-five cents ; and he has sold blue-
stem wheat for two dollars per cental in years past.

Mr. Sites was first married in 1882, on Grajievine Creek, Co-
lusa County, to Miss Maggie Shearin, a native of Missouri, born
in Montgomery County, the daughter of Joseph Shearin, a farmer.
Mrs. Sites died in January, 1904, leaving eight children: Laura.
Mrs. Harmon of Stony Creek; Clara, Mrs. Ainger of Grimes;
Dora, Mrs. Peer of Antelope Valley; Henry, operating a part of
the home ranch; Louise, the wife of M. E. Pence, a rancher in An-
telope Valley; Birdie, Mrs. Harold Harden of Maxwell; Alice,
Mrs. Eebstock of San Francisco; and William, who is at home.
The second marriage of Mr. Sites took place in San Francisco, on
November 12, 1911, when he was united with Mrs. Hattie V.
(Schardin) Malloway. She was born in Woodland, Yolo County,
a daughter of Nicholas and Helen (Hunt) Schardin, natives of
Germany and Michigan respectively, and successful ranchers near
Woodland. Mrs. Sites was the sixth child in order of birth in a
family of eight children. She married William Malloway, a far-
mer near Maxwell, where he died, leaving three children: Jesse,
serving in the United States Aviation Corps; Helen, Mrs. Faust
of San Francisco ; and Robert, who is still at home.

On Mr. Sites' ranch are the remains of an old Indian ranch-
eria which was formerly occupied by Digger Indians. There are
now only two brothers of them left at the rancheria, one of whom
is working for Mr. Sites. The old Indian burying ground still re-
mains. Many years ago, some Spaniards came through the valley ;
and on one occasion they killed two Indians. As a result, all the
rest left, remaining away for many years. It was not until after
John Sites settled here that an Indian, afterwards called Humpy,
showed up). John Sites taught him how to pump or draw water,
and do other work. He remained three weeks and was paid for,
his work, and then he left. After a while Humpy returned, and
with him were several other Indians; and the Indian rancheria
was built up again. It is narrated how Humpy and his brother
Bush, in the early days before the Indians' exodus, had a tight
with a grizzly bear that had been wounded and had killed their
brother. The two took revenge, besting the brute in true native
style with their hands and with home-made weapons, long lances
with flint heads, having no firearms. It is also told how the Span-
ish would steal young Indians and take them south and work them
practically as slaves. On one occasion John Sites and a man
named Van Bibber were camping in a canyon, when they saw
three men skirting the ridge, apparently avoiding them. Mr. Sites
and Mr. Van Bibber took their guns and started after them, when
two of the three men ran away, leaving one, who was found to be
an Indian boy of fifteen years. Undoubtedly more of this cruel
practice existed in early days than has ever been realized. The
country in and about Antelope Valley abounds in interesting inci-
dents ; and it is indeed pleasing to hear Mr. Sites relate his remin-
iscences of the locality, particularly of the aborigines and of the
early hunting days. In early days Mr. Sites and his brother John
often hunted big game. Mr. Sites still enjoys the sport, and
nearly every year goes on a hunting trip. Of late he goes to Hat
Creek and Mt. Lassen, where he meets with success, each year
bringing back his trophies of deer horns.
Mr. Sites was for years a member of the board of trustees of
Antelope school district. His wife is now a member and the clerk
of the board. He is an independent Democrat, and a member of
the County Central Committee; and he has served on the grand
jury. Source: History of Colusa and Glenn counties, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the counties who have been identified with their growth and development from the early days contributed by Allen County Public Library.
Contributor: LBN (49278253

McComish and Lambert, "History of Colusa and Glenn Counties, California", Los Angeles: Historic Record Company, 1918. Page 639