CAMADERA-L Archives

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Subject: [CAMADERA] Summit House...part II
Date: Mon, 8 Nov 1999 08:50:49 EST

To make the sory of Summit House more meaningful to the readers of the
Historian, the story of the people who lived there for 66 years should be
told.
In 1886, William Footman, Sr. and his wife (formerly Jane Mann) and their
small daughter May, arrived in New York. The Footman's came from
Worcestershire, England. Mr. Footman was born in a town names Tibberton,
Mrs. Footman from Chaddsley Corbett. They remained in Utica, New York, for
two years. While in New York their second daughter was born, the late
Theresa Footman Denney. In 1888 the family came to Raymond. They lived in a
small house on the Pearson Ranch, about two miles northeast of Raymond, on
the Coarsegold Road. This property today is owned by Mrs. Herb Buchenau.
Mr. Footman was anxious to acquire land of his own and so homesteaded on land
about three miles north of Raymond. There was a natural spring on this land
and it was called Buckeye Spring as so much Buckeye grew near it.
Mr. Footman's mother came out to California not long after the family was
settled. Mrs. John (Angelina) Footman and three children, Joseph, George and
Anna came from England to New York and on to California. An older son Arthur
had come to Raymond earlier, so now the entire family was settled in the
vicinity of Raymond. The father, John Footman, passed away in England before
the family left England.
Alice Footman was born on this ranch in 1890. William and Christina were
born while the family lived on this ranch but at that time there were no
doctors in Raymond so these two children were aborn in Madera. (Of interest
to some will be the fact that the doctor was Dr. F.R. Brown, brother of Dr.
Edgar Brown, first doctor in Madera.)
Alice says she recalls a very happy childhood on this ranch and attending
he Granite School, about one and one-half miles west of the ranch. Teachers
she remembers are May Elmore and Mayme Saunders Moses. The children rode
donkeys to school and frequently they had difficulty in getting to school on
time. Anyone who has had any experience with a donkey knows that the rider

-4-


has little to say about the speed. Christina Footman Watt has a vivid
recollection of being late one morning when she was just six years old. As
punishment she had to write this sentence one hundred times, "I won't be late
again."
While the five Footman children, May, Theresa, Alice, Christina and
William had many happy times, they also were aught to work and carry their
share of work in the house and on the ranch.
Mr. Footman raised cattle on this ranch and also operated a butcher
business. Mr. and Mrs. Footman had their own slaughterhouse and other
necessary equipment to carry on the sale of meat. They delivered meat to the
neighboring communities, Granite Quarries, Grub Gulch, Gambetta Mine, plus
many roadside places.

Sorry, but it's raining and I've got to get an earlier start to work than
usual.
I'll try to continue this when I get hame later. Chus!

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• [CAMADERA] Summit House...part II by <>

  • [CAMADERA] Summit House...part III by <>
  • [CAMADERA] Summit House...part IV by <>