Sophie was born in Zimmersrode, Germany. The family decided to emigrate to America, and in 1884 Sophie came to California with her older brother August to buy land for the family to settle on. The original land was in Dunnigan, Yolo County, CA. The rest of the family joined them shortly thereafter.
Elsa Auwarter Dildine wrote of her parents: "Sophie met John Auwärter while both were working for the Ritchies (Anna Schaumlöffel and John Ritchie) on the ranch [in Woodland, Yolo Co, CA]. They were married on January 18, 1885. Papa said he had $500 saved -- he was 25, she was 21. They moved to a place not far from the Ritchie ranch and he put in a crop of barley. When it was almost ready to harvest, a strong north wind came along and blew it all down and he was $1500 in debt." Around 1889/1890 Sophie and John (now with two small children), decided to move away from Woodland and ranch east of Sacramento.
Sophie and husband, John, spent many years raising their three children and ranching Pollock Place Ranch (rented) then Atkinson Ranch (bought) - both at Sloughhouse, near Michigan Bar, Sacramento, CA. While on the ranch, the couple did everything from curing meats in the smokehouse, making their own clothes and bread, doing leather and metal work as necessary to keep horses shod and wagons in repair, to raising chickens and sheep. Early on Sophie had contracted malaria, and suffered bouts of malaria throughout much of her lifetime. In 1917 the ranch was sold, and Sophie and John moved to Pacific Grove, CA, and built a Sears/Roebuck catalog house just outside of town.
At some point, Sophie said she was too far from town, so her son and his friend built her a house in town, while husband John stayed in the original home.
Sophie died in 1933. She was cremated and her ashes scattered.
Elsa Auwarter Dildine wrote of her parents: "Sophie met John Auwärter while both were working for the Ritchies (Anna Schaumlöffel and John Ritchie) on the ranch [in Woodland, Yolo Co, CA]. They were married on January 18, 1885. Papa said he had $500 saved -- he was 25, she was 21. They moved to a place not far from the Ritchie ranch and he put in a crop of barley. When it was almost ready to harvest, a strong north wind came along and blew it all down and he was $1500 in debt." Around 1889/1890 Sophie and John (now with two small children), decided to move away from Woodland and ranch east of Sacramento.
Sophie and husband, John, spent many years raising their three children and ranching Pollock Place Ranch (rented) then Atkinson Ranch (bought) - both at Sloughhouse, near Michigan Bar, Sacramento, CA. While on the ranch, the couple did everything from curing meats in the smokehouse, making their own clothes and bread, doing leather and metal work as necessary to keep horses shod and wagons in repair, to raising chickens and sheep. Early on Sophie had contracted malaria, and suffered bouts of malaria throughout much of her lifetime. In 1917 the ranch was sold, and Sophie and John moved to Pacific Grove, CA, and built a Sears/Roebuck catalog house just outside of town.
At some point, Sophie said she was too far from town, so her son and his friend built her a house in town, while husband John stayed in the original home.
Sophie died in 1933. She was cremated and her ashes scattered.
Sophie was born in Zimmersrode, Germany. The family decided to emigrate to America, and in 1884 Sophie came to California with her older brother August to buy land for the family to settle on. The original land was in Dunnigan, Yolo County, CA. The rest of the family joined them shortly thereafter.
Elsa Auwarter Dildine wrote of her parents: "Sophie met John Auwärter while both were working for the Ritchies (Anna Schaumlöffel and John Ritchie) on the ranch [in Woodland, Yolo Co, CA]. They were married on January 18, 1885. Papa said he had $500 saved -- he was 25, she was 21. They moved to a place not far from the Ritchie ranch and he put in a crop of barley. When it was almost ready to harvest, a strong north wind came along and blew it all down and he was $1500 in debt." Around 1889/1890 Sophie and John (now with two small children), decided to move away from Woodland and ranch east of Sacramento.
Sophie and husband, John, spent many years raising their three children and ranching Pollock Place Ranch (rented) then Atkinson Ranch (bought) - both at Sloughhouse, near Michigan Bar, Sacramento, CA. While on the ranch, the couple did everything from curing meats in the smokehouse, making their own clothes and bread, doing leather and metal work as necessary to keep horses shod and wagons in repair, to raising chickens and sheep. Early on Sophie had contracted malaria, and suffered bouts of malaria throughout much of her lifetime. In 1917 the ranch was sold, and Sophie and John moved to Pacific Grove, CA, and built a Sears/Roebuck catalog house just outside of town.
At some point, Sophie said she was too far from town, so her son and his friend built her a house in town, while husband John stayed in the original home.
Sophie died in 1933. She was cremated and her ashes scattered.
Elsa Auwarter Dildine wrote of her parents: "Sophie met John Auwärter while both were working for the Ritchies (Anna Schaumlöffel and John Ritchie) on the ranch [in Woodland, Yolo Co, CA]. They were married on January 18, 1885. Papa said he had $500 saved -- he was 25, she was 21. They moved to a place not far from the Ritchie ranch and he put in a crop of barley. When it was almost ready to harvest, a strong north wind came along and blew it all down and he was $1500 in debt." Around 1889/1890 Sophie and John (now with two small children), decided to move away from Woodland and ranch east of Sacramento.
Sophie and husband, John, spent many years raising their three children and ranching Pollock Place Ranch (rented) then Atkinson Ranch (bought) - both at Sloughhouse, near Michigan Bar, Sacramento, CA. While on the ranch, the couple did everything from curing meats in the smokehouse, making their own clothes and bread, doing leather and metal work as necessary to keep horses shod and wagons in repair, to raising chickens and sheep. Early on Sophie had contracted malaria, and suffered bouts of malaria throughout much of her lifetime. In 1917 the ranch was sold, and Sophie and John moved to Pacific Grove, CA, and built a Sears/Roebuck catalog house just outside of town.
At some point, Sophie said she was too far from town, so her son and his friend built her a house in town, while husband John stayed in the original home.
Sophie died in 1933. She was cremated and her ashes scattered.
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