Nevada Genealogy Trails Washoe County Martin Gulling Biography

MARTIN GULLING, who is now living a retired life, is a self-made man and all that he has enjoyed and possesses in life has heen acquired through his own determined purpose and capable energy. He was horn in France on the 11th of Novemebr, 1829, and when two and a half years of age was brought by his parents to the United States, the family home being established in Stark county, Ohio, near Canton. There the son was educated in the public schools, and upon his father's farm he was reared to manhood and became familiar with the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist.

On the 20th of February, 1855, he sailed from New York to San Francisco, going by way of the Isthmus of Panama and reaching his destination in the month of March. He then went direct to Camptonville, Yuba county, California, where for two weeks he engaged in placer mining, but meeting with no success during that period he abandoned mining and secured a situation in a sawmill, where he was employed for two years. He then went to San Juan, Nevada county, and worked in a sawmill for two years. On the expiration of that period he removed to Butte county, California, and secured a tract of land nine miles from the present site of the city of Chico, although the town had not been founded at that time. With characteristic energy he began the development and improvement of his land, and continued to engage in farming there until 1866, when he sold out and came to Washoe county, Nevada. Near the vicinity of Glendale he purchased a farm of four hundred and forty acres, which he cultivated for a time and then sold. Next, in company with a partner, he purchased an interest in another tract of land and devoted his energies to general farming until 1873. He made a specialty, however, of raising hay, which sold in Virginia City at from thirty to one hundred dollars a ton. After some time had passed Mr. Gulling also disposed of this property and engaged in the stock business at High Rock. Lassen county, California. He purchased land there, and at times he has had as many as nine hundred head of cattle. In this business he prospered, and eventually he traded his property there for two hundred acres of land near the Wedekind mine, retaining possession of that tract until March, 1903, when he sold the land to a good advantage and returned to Ohio to visit relatives in that state. On again coming to Nevada he retired from active business life and is now enjoying a well earned rest in a new and attractive home in Reno, which he has erected. His career has been one of activity, and year after year he labored in an untiring manner until his indefatigable industry, guided by sound judgment, had brought to him very creditable success.

In May, 1856, Mr. Gulling was united in marriage to Miss Rosanna Sosie, a native of France, and this marriage has been blessed with four children: Charles, who is a stockholder in and manager of the Reno Mill and Lumber Company; Mrs. Mary LeVrie, of Reno; Josephine, the wife of James Eason, of this city; and John, who is also married and living in Reno. Mr. Gulling and his family are all members of the Roman Catholic church, and are highly respected citizens of the state in which they have so long resided. In his political views he is a Democrat, and while he keeps well informed on the issues of the day and is interested in his party, he has never sought or desired public office.

Source:
A History of the State of Nevada: Its Resources and People
By Thomas Wren, Lewis Publishing Company
Published by The Lewis publishing company, 1904