Thank you for the opportunity to share some of my family history, as
it relates to Stirling City. In 1911, my grandfather, Dana Bevy
Bailey, traveled to Stirling City, from Chuckey, Tennessee, where his
family owned a lumber mill and furniture factory. Apparently, the
mill was not able to support all of the brothers in the family, so he
set off west to work for the summer and make some money before
returning to Tennessee. He heard he could make 30 cents an hour in
California. He ended up in Stirling City and began working for
Diamond Match. (He may have told them he was a couple of years older
in order to get the job.) Dana realized how much he loved the trees
and his surroundings, and he decided to stay. He wanted to learn all
he could about trees, and did many things, which included being a hook
tender and tree-topper, and worked 10-hour shifts. The winter months
were spent playing a lot of pool, and going to many dances, etc…
Earlier, in 1904, when Grandma Syliva was 12, her mom and step-dad,
Laura and John Conrad, moved to Stirling City. Mr. Conrad was the
Chief Engineer at the mill. At some point, Dana and Sylvia met and
courted, and on May 12, 1915, Dana and Sylvia were married in Stirling
City. My mother, Dorothy Bailey, was born in 1916 in Stirling City at
the “hospital on the hill.”
My mom Dorothy went to elementary school in Stirling City and always
spoke with fondness about her years there. She loved the small town
atmosphere, and always felt safe there. She left when she started
high school in Chico, and attended Chico Normal School. She went on
to business college in San Jose and Sacramento. She ended up in
Eureka in about 1948 and spent the rest of her life there.
I was able to spend many summers with my grandparents in Stirling City
when I was young. I have great memories of carefree days running
around and playing with neighbor Billy Shelton. I remember the
occasional afternoon thunderstorm and hail, eating at the cookhouse,
driving with grandpa to Paradise to get a haircut, to Innskip to go
sledding, and the whole family driving to the dump at night to watch
the bears come out. I also remember going out to dinner in Lovelock,
and to a nice Italian restaurant in Paradise called Optimo (I think).
I also loved staying with grandpa and grandma in Butte Meadows, either
in a skid cabin or the Bailey family cabin. I remember Stirling
City’s grocery store, the saloon and cafe, swimming pool, the train,
and of course, the mill in my early years. The trucks dropping off
the logs in the pond and the logs going up into the sawmill made quite
an impression on me.
I especially remember Grandpa Dana wearing his trademark clean, white,
starched shirt and khaki pants every day, always with a few cigars in
his pocket. I think this ritual began early on in his career. Dana
became Logging Superintendent in 1923, and was also known as “Bull of
the Woods.” He retired in 1958, after 47 years with Diamond Match.
At that time, grandpa and grandma bought the house on the corner as
you come into town
On August 21, 1976, grandpa was honored with Dana Bailey Day at the
Annual Bull of the Woods Jamboree in Stirling City. In 1982, just
months before he passed, the small plantation of ponderosa pines in
town was named for him. Back in the 1930’s, Dana had let a slash fire
get out of hand, and he felt bad that trees were burned. He began the
process of harvesting the seeds of pine cones, and started a pine tree
nursery in his yard. Over time, he had planted over 70,000 seedlings
in 130 acres. He would visit the trees over the years to check on
them, and became known as an early conservationist in the lumber
industry.
My grandparents lived in their house on the corner until grandpa
passed in 1983. They lived in Stirling City over 70 years and loved
their small town. They are both buried in Stirling City Cemetery.
I believe that my grandfather was well-liked and respected as a
friend, and in his role of Logging Superintendent. I have always
admired his work ethic and his ability to make friends, and I have
always been proud to be his grandson. As the only grandchild, I was
given my grandfather’s engraved pocket watch he received from Diamond
Match upon his retirement. I have other memorabilia, which I am
slowly donating to the Stirling City Museum.
Thank you to the members of the Stirling City Old Timers Picnic
Committee and to Madelyn Henry for the time and hard work they have
devoted to keeping the annual picnic going over the years. We’re so
disappointed we can’t be there in person, but circumstances haven’t
allowed it. We hope to see you all next time!!
Sincerely,
Dana Johnson
