Remembering TUOLUMNE...

By Joseph Celentano

TCMM Historical Research Committee

Shelley and Gertrude Carne

November 16, 1892

Reprinted from the Tuolumne Prospector,

April 15, 1948.

(Although this was written primarily as a history of the Carne Family, it is interwoven with the names of many other pioneers who arrived in Tuolumne County around the same time and whose descendents are still active members of this community. Miss Marie Rozier did the research and compilation of all data in 1948.)

* * * * *

Near Albion in Orleans County, New York on November 22, 1939 the eighth child was born to Horace and Almira Tripp. She was named Nancy Tripp.

Death claimed Almira Tripp when Nancy Tripp was but four years old. The father kept his family together and when the lure of gold was so strong to the west, the younger ones, Nancy and Isaac Tripp, came with him to California by overland trail. They settled in Butte City, Amador County.

Nancy Tripp, whose specialty was fine penmanship and pen drawings, began teaching in Amador County.

Simeon H. Bartlett, a descendant of Josiah Bartlett, who signed the Declaration of Independence, was born in Swampscott, Massachusetts in 1830. He and his older brothers came to California too, settling in Slabtown, Amador County. He was a farmer and had an acreage extending to Butte Mountain.

Simeon Bartlett and Nancy Tripp were married in Butte County, February 7^th, 1867. Three children were born to them, Elmer, Gertrude and Carl Bartlett. Mr. Bartlett worked his farm, but also substituted when needed in the County schools. He was a great reader and a leader in public affairs. Nancy Tripp Bartlett taught for many years in Jackson, California. There still may be a pupil living who would remember her. Death took her from her little family when Gertrude was eleven years old.

Elmer Bartlett came to Tuolumne County and married Minnie Holland, whose home was where the Bowlsby Ranch is now.

Gertrude came to be with them. She was employed at the Hugh Lawry Boarding House (now the Wilson Rest Home) and she also helped “dress make” at the Bentz home (the Gardner Woodham Ranch). Belle Bentz, Phoebe Buchnam and Gertrude Bartlett were known as the “Busy B’s.”

Elmer and Minnie Bartlett, have both passed on. They celebrated their golden wedding in 1942.

Carl Bartlett makes his home in Berkeley, where he and his wife raised a large family, all of whom are prominent in professional and business circles in the East Bay.

* * * * *

In Tyrudreth, Cornwall, England, Jane Stephens was born on August 9, 1834 and Edwin Carne on July 26, 1834. Edwin, whose father was captain of the coal mines had no love for mining and ran away to sea at the age of twelve. When grown to manhood, he returned to Tyrudreth and claimed Jane Stephens as his bride.

The sea still called and shortly after the wedding, he was off on a voyage to Australia. Four years later, he returned to his wife and son, John.

Then California called. He worked his passage to San Francisco around the Horn and came to Soulsbyville, California where his “Uncle Inch” was located. Mr. Inch was superintendent for a mining company, which owned the Eureka, Grizzly, Soulsby, Ferguson and many other historic mines in the Summersville area. He sent Edwin Carne back to England to pilot 22 women and children to Soulsbyville. Among them were his mother, Mrs. Katherine Carne, his wife, Jane Carne, and their two children, John and Edith Carne; Mrs. Rablen and her five children, Steve, William Henry, Mary Jane, Annie and Mary Emma Rablen; Mrs. Inch and her five children Dick, Shelley, Kate, Bessie and Bill Inch. They reached Soulsbyville on October 16, 1867 with every person and 2,200 pounds of baggage intact.

The Inch family’s first home was on the property across from Mrs. Kate Lumsden’s home in Old Town (Summersville). Some of the trees from their orchard are still to be found there.

The Rablen and Carne families first settled in Soulsbyville, where quartz mining was at its best and where Shelley and Tom Carne were born on March 31, 1868 and August 17, 1870.

In 1872, Edwin Carne purchased land in the Blanket Creek section to engage in wheat farming. Most of it was bought from Tom West and Miss Amelia Peters, sister of Joe Peters, who was the husband of Virginia Peters, aunt of Bill Pease. Edith Carne walked to Soulsbyville School and tells how she often stayed too late to play and many times reached home after dark to be punished. There were two Indian camps in the vicinity, so Indians passed the house frequently. When Shelley and Tom were old enough for school, they all came to Summersville, either walking or three rode on a horse.

John Carne went to college in San Francisco and became a lawyer. He practiced law in Butte, Montana but spent the greater part of his life in San Francisco. He had no children.

Miss Edith Carne married Alonzo Elsbree and has lived in Sonora the past sixty-five years. She and Mr. Elsbree would have been married fifty-six years in December, but he passed away last May (1947).

Tom Carne makes his home with Mrs. Elsbree in Sonora. He never married. For many years, he had a taxi service there but his failing eyesight caused him to retire several years ago.

* * * * *

Shelley and Gertrude Bartlett Carne started housekeeping in their present home on November 16, 1892 - 56 years ago.

They had five children: Mrs. Nell Isom of Crows Landing, Raymond Carne of Groveland, Mrs. Mabel Anderson of San Mateo, Mrs. Eva Strucke of San Francisco. One daughter, Mrs. Ethel Scott, died in 1944.

There are six grandchildren: Mrs. Janice Isom Gray of Newman, Mrs. Muriel Isom Coleman of Berkeley, William Isom of Crows Landing, Miss Beverly Carne of Sacramento and Barry and Judith Anderson of San Mateo.

While Mrs. Carne has been a semi-invalid for the past several years, Mr. Carne is an active farmer and orchardist. He is a member of the Sonora I.O.O.F. Lodge and the Tuolumne County Farm Bureau.

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