William Beaser Shively And Wife, Caroline Gould, Who Lived In Shively, Humboldt County, California

While researching for other Shivelys who "went west" articles relating to the family of William Beaser Shively were discovered.  In the articles it mentions that Shively, California was founded by William B. Shively.   After extracting the information on the census records it was discovered that William B. Shively was a brother to John Shively of Montana.  John Shively was the subject of last weeks blog. Another brother, Alexander P Shively, is located on the 1880 White Pine County, Nevada  and1900 Elko County, Nevada census records. Their brother, James Shively, is found on the 1870 Box Elder County, Utah census records.

The parents of William B. Shively were located on the 1850 Jefferson County, Ohio, city of Steubenville census.  In the household are Daniel Shively age 49 born in PA, wife Elizabeth age 44 born in VA,  son William B. age 21 born in OH occupation coach maker, son James S age 18 born in OH, son John age 15 born in OH, son Alexander P age 10 born in OH, and daughter Sarah E. age 3 born in OH.  Also listed in the household are the following men all listed with the occupation of weaver:  David Michel age 40 born in Scotland, Robert Main age 28 born in Scotland, James Whitelman age 24 born in Scotland, Robert Chambers age 40 born in England.  One last entry in the household is Stephen Cooper, age 21 born in OH who is listed with the occupation of plasterer.

A newspaper article was located in The Humboldt Times, Eureka, California, Sunday, February 6, 1949:        Shively--A Man Said It Was Paradise

Pioneer's Vision Will Be Realized If Bridge Is Built

By Chet Schwarzkopf,  Photos By Dick Ryan

Shively is a secluded community, some 40 miles south of Eureka.  No better description of its setting can be made than to quote its original discoverer, William Shively, who called it "Paradise".  Shively is not on Highway 101, although you must go by that route most of the way to get there.  Shively is separated from the rush of traffic on Redwood Highway by Eel river, hence its seclusion - which is one of its most delightful features - and one of its perennial headaches.

For the great sweep of Eel river skirts the plateau upon which Shively stands and, with its towering stand of redwood timber, gives the town a boundary more definite than any man-made line.  The headache part of it comes when that boundary goes on flood and takes out the temporary bridge which links a population of 250 to the highway...............

How Shively Started

Back in the early 1860's William B. Shively came to California from the mid-west and settled in what is now Rio Dell--in fact, he at one time owned most of that town's area.  Bill Shively got along well with people, whether Indians or white, and quickly became prominent in the newly settled community.

In due time, he met and married Carrie Gould Winemiller, a young widow with two sons, Francis and Charles, who herself was a member of the pioneer Gould family of Humboldt.  Six children were born to them--Abbie, Dan, Lilly, William, Ernest and Maud.  Of the original family, Abbie alone survives.  She is Mrs. Abbie Edwards, of Rio Dell, a wide-awake lady in her eighties who enjoys reminiscing on early days in Humboldt.

"The Indians burned us out once at Rio Dell," Mrs. Edwards said. "But you can't blame them for not wanting outsiders moving in."  Her eyes twinkle.  "In fact, I hear that even now days when so many new people are coming into Humboldt.  It's only human.  But father made his peace with them and raised two Indian boys, Budds and Ben, after most of the tribe had moved to the reservation at Hoopa".

It was while on a hunting and fishing trip upriver with Budds and Ben, in 1869, that Bill Shively first set eyes upon his future town, according to Mrs. Verna Holmes, of Pepperwood, who is a daughter of one of the Winemiller sons.  "Grandfather was greatly impressed, as anyone is today who looks at the location", Mrs. Holmes said.  "It was swarming with all kinds of wild game--deer, elk, bear and birds.  He was the first white man to see the place.  When he came home, he told grandmother 'I have found Paradise.  We will move there'".

Grandmother Shively objected at first, for Rio Dell was home, but finally consented when Bill promised to bring her back to Rio Dell after they had proved up on the place.  But when that time came Carrie Shively had changed her mind.  "We won't go home", she said.  "This place is home now".

It must have been a heroic undertaking for a man to move a wife and four small children--for Abbie and Dan were born by then--into an unknown wilderness with limited transportation of those days.  But Bill Shively did, and he built the first log cabin in his new town-to-be.  The Indians were still hostile up there, and for several years the Shivelys and subsequent settlers did not dare light their houses at night until all blinds were pulled and the premises as thoroughly blacked out as in modern warfare.

The years went by.  Bill Shively had brought a number of other families into the town, and had planted a fine fruit orchard on his farm.  The amazingly fertile river-silt soil produced anything that would grow in temperate zones, and the families prospered.  To this day, Shively is noted for its truck gardens and apples, pears, and cherries.  Even a willow riding switch, planted in the Shively front yard, grew into a great tree under which church services and picnics were held.  So it was natural for the children, as they grew up, to start farms of their own on the Shively holdings.  

Latter Days In Shively

About the turn of the century Bill Shively sold his extensive timber holdings to The Pacific Lumber Company--the giant that was growing in Scotia--and the railroad was built into town.  Then began the community's heyday........

The following newpaper obituary was located in The Humboldt Standard, August 15, 1894:

A Pioneer Gone

Death Of Wm. B. Shively At Pepperwood, Monday

He was One of the Earliest Settlers of Humboldt County

News was received here yesterday of the death of Wm. B. Shively, of Pepperwood, which occurred at that place on Monday, after a short illness of inflamation of the bowels.  W. H. Johnston and David Gordon, of this place, left this morning to attend the funeral, which took place at 1 o'clock this afternoon.

Mr. Shively was an old-timer in Humboldt County.  Over forty years ago, with several pioneers, he was engaged in mining in Weaverville, Trinity county, and in the early fifties came to Humboldt, where he has ever since made his home.  He raised a family and drew about him a host of warm friends by his big-heartedness and his gentlemenly conduct.  He was always known as a hard working man and kept the bright side of life in view.  Many years ago his faithful wife died and today he was laid to rest by her side.  He leaves several grown children.  Mr. Shively owned at the time of his death a very pretty place in Pepperwood and his many friends were always welcome to his home.  Deceased was a native of Ohio and was sixty-five years of age.