James Lawrence Keefer and son Claude A. Keefer

CLAUDE A. KEEFER.—The romantic interest that is attached to the early history of California, carrying the imagination back to the old adobe days and quaint customs of that race of aborigines that is so rapidly disappearing before the march of civilization, is always enhanced when related by one who has had actual acquaintance with these scenes, or whose immediate ancestors have had the experiences.

Claude A. Keefer, one of California’s native sons, whose father was among the intrepid men who crossed the plains in forty-nine, is an interesting conversationalist, full of stories relating to those early pioneer days. His father, James Lawrence Keefer, was a native of Pennsylvania, born in Union County, November 20, 1820. He followed the occupation of butcher in his native state, and when the California gold fever swept the East he became one among the many who sought their fortunes in the Western land, crossing the plains with ox teams. The fall of 1849 found him mining in Shasta County, Cal., where he made a stake, and in 1850 he purchased the land and station at Rock Creek, where he settled and became postmaster at Rock Creek, retaining the position until the Southern Pacific Railway came.

In the early days the ranch work was largely done by Indians, who, before Mr. Keefer came, lived in dugouts constructed in the rude and primitive way. Mr. Keefer built an Indian rancheria on his property and moved the Indians into it. At first there were about one hundred Indians. In 1868, the buildings were burned down while the Indians were away on a pow-wow at Chico, catching fire supposedly from coals left in the fireplaces. The rancheria was not rebuilt, the remaining Indians removing to Bidwell’s rancheria at Chico. Of the Keefer rancheria Indians, Mrs. Emma Cooper, of Paskenta, is now the only survivor. In early days Mr. Keefer bought another ranch, four and one-half miles east, on Rock Creek, where he began grinding wheat for flour. He built a dam to conserve the water by which he ran his mill, which was of the old burr process, and he made a splendid quality of flour, which took the gold medal at the state fair. He later bought water in ditches, with which to irrigate his orchards and garden. That same year he built a sawmill at the promontory at the head of Pine Creek and here he used steam instead of water power; he also had a planing-mill and a lumber yard at Keefer Station, east of his residence. Later he built the middle mill, which he ran until the timer was used up in the locality above the Cohasset road. He ran his sawmills until 1892, when most of the good pine timber in that locality was used up.

James Lawrence Keefer had two thousand acres at the station and a large range in the mountains, ranching on a large scale, raising cattle, sheep and hogs, especially the latter. Indian labor was used, for the most part. He frequently had one hundred head of mules in the barns, and also used headers and a stationary thresher run by steam power on his ranch. In 1884, his large residence costing twenty thousand dollars, was destroyed by fire. He rebuilt it and, in 1907, after his death, it was again burned. Claude A. and his sister Jessie were owners of the property at that time. James Lawrence Keefer died at his home, November 17, 1901. His wife Rebecca (Odell) Keefer, was born in Ohio and crossed the plains in 1852, with her two brothers, Nathaniel and John Odell, who settled in Butte County, She was married to Mr. Keefer in Marysville, May 31, 1853. Her brothers both died in Mendocino County, and she died at the old home, June 23, 1898. Her children were all born on the old home place at Keefer Station, Rock Creek Ranch. There were twelve children, six boys and six girls, namely: Clarence D., who died in 1884 at the age of thirty; Charles C., now residing in San Jose, Cal.; Eudora, who married W. H. H. Smith and died in 1896, on Pine Creek; Rose, now Mrs. Quinby, living in San Jose; Maude, Mrs. Maurice, of Oakland; James I., who died in Vina at the age of fifty-five years; Lucy, now Mrs. Willard, living in Texas; William, a cattleman, residing at Chico Vecino; Jessie, Mrs. Hoarr, of New York City; Harry, who resides on Pine Creek; Blanche, now Mrs. Isaac Bennett, of Nord; and Claude A.

Claude A. Keefer was born November 7, 1874, and was brought up in his native place, attending the public school. He afterwards attended high school in San Francisco, also business college in that city, graduating in 1893. Returning home, he assisted his father in the operation of the ranch, continuing in the stock-raising business with his father until the death of the latter, when he became possessor of the one hundred sixty-acre home place, where he is now engaged in raising grain, cattle and hogs, specializing in the latter. He estimates the loss of his residence, in 1907, by fire, at five thousand dollars, as the house contained relics that cannot be replaced. Mr. Keefer was trustee of Walnut School District during two terms and was clerk of the board. In politics he is decidedly Republican.

Source: "History of Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 927-929, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.