William Preston Ungewitter (1859 - 1899)

Born 1859 in Healdsburg Judicial Township, Sonoma, California, United States

Husband of Mary Emma (Donner) Ungewitter — married 3 Aug 1884 in Sonoma, California

Descendants

Died 30 Jul 1899 at about age 40 in Sebastopol, Sonoma County, California

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Caryl Ruckert [send private message]

Genealogically Defined

Biography

Early Life

William Ungewitter was a Californian.

William Preston Ungewitter was born in 1859 to John Ungewitter and Emily Bryan in Mendocino, Sonoma, California near Healdsburg which was listed as the post office on the 1850 census.^[1][2] His father was a farmer and in 1877, J. Ungewitter is shown on the land ownership map north of Guerneville in Sonoma County.^[3][4]

1877 Map.

The American settlers in the 1860s found that they could grow virtually any crop in the fertile valleys around Healdsburg. By 1867, the population had doubled. The new town was incorporated as a City, with Col. Lewis A. Norton serving as the first mayor in 1867. In 1871, the railroad opened new markets for farm produce and established Healdsburg as a prosperous agricultural district. The recreational opportunities offered by the Russian River created a seasonal stream of vacationers, arriving by regularly scheduled passenger trains, boosting the local economy.^[5]

Will was living with his family in 1880 in Redwood township.^[4]

The History of Sonoma County says "fittingly named was little Redwood township under its forests, surrounded by Analy, Bodega, Mendocino and Ocean townships. ... In the center of Redwood township is Guerneville, a pretty sylvan town with a scenic river at its front door and a range of wooded hills in its background. Near Guerneville is the Armstrong Woods, a noble group of sequoia and practically the only redwood grove of any scenic importance in the township."^[6]

Guerneville 1875.

The first voter registrations in California took place in 1866 following the Registry Act, an effort to prevent voter fraud that called for “the registration of the citizens of the State, and for the enrollment in the several election districts of all the legal voters thereof, and for the prevention and punishment of frauds affecting the elective franchise.”

An 1872 law required counties to publish an index or alphabetical listing of all registered voters every two years.

From these registers we learn that William Preston Ungewitter was born in 1859 in California. He had a dark complexion and was about 5 feet 10 inches tall with brown hair and brown colored eyes. He worked as a farmer.^{[7][8][9][10]}

Family

William married Mary Emma Donner on August 2, 1884 in Sonoma county.^[11]

Mary's father George was a young boy in the "Donner Party" who was rescued at age 11.^[12] By about 1870 her family had moved to Sonoma county where her father died in 1874. Mary is named in her father's will along with her mother and siblings.^[13][4]

Donner Ranch (T6, 9W).

After they married Mary and Will settled in Sebastopol on her father's farm of 400 acres where Will was the manager.^[14][4]

William and Mary had children all born in Sebastopol.

1. Margaret Emma b, 23 May 1887^[15]
2. Albert Donner b. 27 Aug 1888^[16]
3. Olive Hazel b. 1 Dec 1889^[17]
4. George William b. 3 Oct 1891^[18]
5. Carolyn Mabel b. 28 Jun 1893^[19]
6. Sarah b. 1894 died in infancy

Death

William died July 30, 1899 from typhoid pneumonia. He is buried at Sebastopol Memorial Lawn Cemetery in Sebastopol, Sonoma County, California.^[20]

His obituary was published on August 2, 1899.^[14]

A CHAPTER OF THREE, VERY SAD DEATHS

William Preston Ungewitter died at 11 o'clock last Saturday night on the Alex Ragle farm, about two miles west of town. A short time ago he contracted typhoid pneumonia, but his condition was not considered dangerous dangerous until a day or two before his death. The end was a great shock to his many friends and relatives in this locality.

Deceased was well known in western Sonoma county. Several years ago he was manager of the Donner farm near this place, and was for a long time employed" by E. S. McCIellan of Vine Hill. He was a brother of ex-Coroner Ungewitter of Guerrneville and had a wide circle of acquaintances in the redwood district. A widow, formerly Miss Donner, and five small children are left to mourn the irreparable loss of a loving husband husband and kind father.

The funeral was conducted last Monday under the auspices of Altamont Parlor No. 167 N. S. G. W, of Occidental, deceased being a member in good standing. The remains were interred in tho Sebastopol cemetery. Mr. Ungewitter was thirty-three years of age.

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDK8-1C1 : 13 December 2017), Wm P Undewidder in entry for Jno Undewidder, 1860.
2. ↑ "1870 United States Federal Census", Year: 1870; Census Place: Mendocino, Sonoma, California; Roll: M593_91; Page: 301B; Family History Library Film: 545590 Township: Mendocino. Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data: 1870 U.S. census, population schedules. NARA microfilm publication M593, 1,761 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.Minnesota census schedules for 1870. NARA microfilm publication T132, 13 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.

   Name: William Ungewelter

   Age in 1870: 10

   Birth Year: abt 1860

   Birthplace: California

   Dwelling Number: 246

   Home in 1870: Mendocino, Sonoma, California

   Race: White

   Gender: Male

   Occupation: At Home

   Father of Foreign Birth: Y

   Attended School: Y

   Inferred Father: John Ungewelter

   Household Members:

   Name Age

   John Ungewelter 40

   Sarah Ungewelter 14

   William Ungewelter 10

   John Ungewelter 8

   Henry Ungewelter 7

3. ↑ Historical Atlas Map of Sonoma County, California. Oakland: Thos. H. Thompson & Co, Oakland, California, 1877. Accessed 5 May 2018. Archive.org
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6PL-BTP : 22 August 2017), William Underwilter in household of John T Underwilter, Redwood, Sonoma, California, United States; citing enumeration district ED 130, sheet 214A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0084; FHL microfilm 1,254,084.
5. ↑ "Healdsburg History." Healdsburg Museum and Historical Society. Accessed July 06, 2019. https://www.healdsburgmuseum.org/healdsburg-history.
6. ↑ "History of Sonoma County, California, with Biographical Sketches of the Leading Men and Women of the County, Who Have Been Identified with Its Growth and Development from the Early Days to the Present Time : Gregory, Thomas Jefferson : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming." Internet Archive. January 01, 1970. Accessed July 06, 2019. https://archive.org/details/historyofsonomac00greg/page/n233.
7. ↑ "California Great Registers, 1866-1910," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VYDW-JNM : 8 December 2017), William Preston Ungewitter, 17 Sep 1880; citing Voter Registration, Redwood, Sonoma, California, United States, county clerk offices, California; FHL microfilm 978,587.

   Name William Preston Ungewitter

   Event Type Voter Registration

   Event Date 17 Sep 1880

   Event Place Redwood, Sonoma, California, United States

   Age 21

   Birth Year (Estimated) 1859

   Birthplace California

   Occupation Farmer

8. ↑ "California Great Registers, 1866-1910," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VYD4-7XM : 8 December 2017), William Preston Ungewitter, 30 Mar 1888; citing Voter Registration, Analy, Sonoma, California, United States, county clerk offices, California; FHL microfilm 978,587.

   Name William Preston Ungewitter

   Event Type Voter Registration

   Event Date 30 Mar 1888

   Event Place Analy, Sonoma, California, United States

   Age 29

   Birth Year (Estimated) 1859

   Birthplace California

   Occupation Farmer

9. ↑ Great Register of Sonoma County. Great Register Years: 1892. "California, Voter Registers, 1866-1898." Ancestry.com Browse Collection, Sonoma County. Accessed May 05, 2018. https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2221. Great Registers, 1866–1898. Microfilm, 185 rolls. California State Library, Sacramento, California. #8363 Ungewitter, William Preston. Age 33. 5' 10", Dark complexion, Brown eyes, brown hair, Country of Nativity: California. USA; Farmer. North Sebastopol. Sep 6, 1892. pg. 158, image 318.
10. ↑ Great Register of Sonoma County. Great Register Years: 1896. "California, Voter Registers, 1866-1898." Ancestry.com Browse Collection, Sonoma County. Accessed May 05, 2018. https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2221. Great Registers, 1866–1898. Microfilm, 185 rolls. California State Library, Sacramento, California. #5301 Ungewitter, William Preston. Age 33. 5' 10", Dark complexion, Brown eyes, brown hair, Country of Nativity: California. USA; Farmer. July 9, 1896. pg. 119, image 103.
11. ↑ "California, County Marriages, 1850-1952," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZ3T-VS9 : 8 December 2017), William P. Ungewitter and Mary E. Donner, 02 Aug 1884; citing Sonoma, California, United States, county courthouses, California; FHL microfilm 1,031,225.

    Name William P. Ungewitter

    Event Type Marriage

    Event Date 02 Aug 1884

    Event Place Sonoma, California, United States

    Gender Male

    Age 25

    Birth Year (Estimated) 1859

    Spouse's Name Mary E. Donner

    Spouse's Age 21

    Spouse's Gender Female

    Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated) 1863

12. ↑ Munro-Fraser, J. P. History of Santa Clara County, California. San Francisco: Alley, Bowen &, 1881. pg. 81 HathiTrust.org
13. ↑ California, Wills and Probate Records, 1850-1953. Probate Records, 1854-1931; Index to Wills, 1852-1955; Author: Sonoma County (California). County Clerk; Probate Place: Sonoma, California. Notes: Record of Wills, Vol A-C, 1854-1884. Ancestry.com.
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1} "A CHAPTER OF THREE, VERY SAD DEATHS". Sonoma West Times and News (Sebastopol, California) 02 Aug 1899, Wednesday Page 3. (newspapers.com) https://www.newspapers.com/clip/19845809/sonoma_west_times_and_news/?xid=637
15. ↑ "California Births and Christenings, 1812-1988," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2XL-ZH6 : 10 February 2018), William Pressley Ungewitter in entry for Margaret Emma Ungewitter, 23 May 1887; citing Sebastopal, Sonoma, California; FHL microfilm 1,031,217. William Pressley Ungewitter mentioned in the record of Margaret Emma Ungewitter.

    Name William Pressley Ungewitter

    gender Male

    Wife Mary Emma Donner

    Daughter Margaret Emma Ungewitter

    Name Margaret Emma Ungewitter

    Gender Female

    Event Type Birth

    Event Date 23 May 1887

    Event Place Sebastopal, Sonoma, California

    Father's Name William Pressley Ungewitter

16. ↑ "California Death Index, 1940-1997," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VPHD-MK9 : 26 November 2014), Albert D Ungewitter, 14 Sep 1970; Department of Public Health Services, Sacramento.
17. ↑ U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2014. Original data: Social Security Administration. Social Security Death Index, Master File. Social Security Administration. Number: xxx-xx-xxxx; Issue State: California; Issue Date: 1952 citing birth of Hazel (Ungewitter) Steinly 1 Dec 1889.
18. ↑ "California Death Index, 1940-1997," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VP7T-NTV : 26 November 2014), George William Ungewitter, 18 Sep 1954; Department of Public Health Services, Sacramento.
19. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9GR-SC1 : accessed 8 June 2018), Carrie M Ungewitter in household of George J Donner, Analy Township, Forestville and North Sebastopol Precincts, Sonoma, California, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 155, sheet 20A, family 448, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,114.
20. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 07 June 2018), memorial page for William Preston Ungewitter (1859–1899), Find A Grave Memorial no. 97759965, citing Sebastopol Memorial Lawn Cemetery, Sebastopol, Sonoma County, California, USA ; Maintained by Cashie (contributor 47323748) .