Mountain Democrat Nov 7, 1968
Portals Of The Past
By J. Barton Wessler
"I guess most folks have never heard of Stella Tracy. She lived in an old home on Coloma Street in Placerville and kept pretty much to herself. When she passed away last summer there was a small obituary in the paper and that was all. Just another old lady gone to her reward.
She deserved a little more than that. My old friend Stella was a true pioneer, from a pioneer family of the west.
Her full name was Stella H. Ralston Tracy. She was a famed descendant from the famed Ralston family of Virginia City's Big Four. In her home was a rare bust of William C. Ralston and a picture of the Bank of California directors at the time William C. Ralston was president. In the lace curtains in her home came from one of the old hotels in Virginia City.
She had a phenomenal memory. I used to sit by the hour and talk to her of the old days, when the true Argonauts were still alive. She remembered when the fist train came to Placerville, when the four horse stage ran to Coloma, when Robert Chalmers was chained in the basement of the Vineyard House. It was she who ferreted out the exact location of the grave when the three men were hung from the Hangman's Tree.
Yes, Stella was quite a lady. My proudest memento of her is a solid gold buckle made from gold nuggets found on the streets of Hangtown (aka Placerville). She called me up one day and told me she had a present for me. When I got there she gave me the buckle, made from gold, found by her father.
She was born in Placerville in 1876, the daughter of Thomas Harford Ralston and Georgia M. Congdon. Stella lived in Placerville for 92 years, watching a lifetime of history pass by. She went to school for a time at the famed Conklin Placerville Academy, located in the old Ivy House (now a parking lot).
Stella married Perry S. Tracy, a Placerville boy. I am sure many of the older residents of the county remember the Tracy Shoe Store on Placerville's Main Street. This is where Perry and his brother Henry conducted business for many years. The building in itself has quite a history.
Charles J. Arvidson obtained title to the property when Placerville was incorporated and erected a building on the lot July 13, 1857. He later deeded the building and lot to Henry Keading on July 31, 1871. Henry operated the business for a few years then sold to Henry H. Tracy in June of 1876. From that time on it belonged to the Tracy family. The boys obtaining title from the mother Maggie on March 25, 1914.
Stella was interested in music and art. She was a charter member of the Shakespeare Club and the El Dorado County Historical Society. Not only did she belong to the Native Daughters of the Golden West, she was also one of only two women in the state of California who were honorary members of the Native Sons of the Golden West.
In the last years Stella was watched over by two good friends, Aletha Nelson and Mary Forni. Her sister-in-law Bertha Tracy also visited her frequently.
In my book, Stella Ralston Tracy was quite a gal, a real historian of the past. She had a love for the old things and was an authority of El Dorado County History. She was a true pioneer. I will miss her."
Portals Of The Past
By J. Barton Wessler
"I guess most folks have never heard of Stella Tracy. She lived in an old home on Coloma Street in Placerville and kept pretty much to herself. When she passed away last summer there was a small obituary in the paper and that was all. Just another old lady gone to her reward.
She deserved a little more than that. My old friend Stella was a true pioneer, from a pioneer family of the west.
Her full name was Stella H. Ralston Tracy. She was a famed descendant from the famed Ralston family of Virginia City's Big Four. In her home was a rare bust of William C. Ralston and a picture of the Bank of California directors at the time William C. Ralston was president. In the lace curtains in her home came from one of the old hotels in Virginia City.
She had a phenomenal memory. I used to sit by the hour and talk to her of the old days, when the true Argonauts were still alive. She remembered when the fist train came to Placerville, when the four horse stage ran to Coloma, when Robert Chalmers was chained in the basement of the Vineyard House. It was she who ferreted out the exact location of the grave when the three men were hung from the Hangman's Tree.
Yes, Stella was quite a lady. My proudest memento of her is a solid gold buckle made from gold nuggets found on the streets of Hangtown (aka Placerville). She called me up one day and told me she had a present for me. When I got there she gave me the buckle, made from gold, found by her father.
She was born in Placerville in 1876, the daughter of Thomas Harford Ralston and Georgia M. Congdon. Stella lived in Placerville for 92 years, watching a lifetime of history pass by. She went to school for a time at the famed Conklin Placerville Academy, located in the old Ivy House (now a parking lot).
Stella married Perry S. Tracy, a Placerville boy. I am sure many of the older residents of the county remember the Tracy Shoe Store on Placerville's Main Street. This is where Perry and his brother Henry conducted business for many years. The building in itself has quite a history.
Charles J. Arvidson obtained title to the property when Placerville was incorporated and erected a building on the lot July 13, 1857. He later deeded the building and lot to Henry Keading on July 31, 1871. Henry operated the business for a few years then sold to Henry H. Tracy in June of 1876. From that time on it belonged to the Tracy family. The boys obtaining title from the mother Maggie on March 25, 1914.
Stella was interested in music and art. She was a charter member of the Shakespeare Club and the El Dorado County Historical Society. Not only did she belong to the Native Daughters of the Golden West, she was also one of only two women in the state of California who were honorary members of the Native Sons of the Golden West.
In the last years Stella was watched over by two good friends, Aletha Nelson and Mary Forni. Her sister-in-law Bertha Tracy also visited her frequently.
In my book, Stella Ralston Tracy was quite a gal, a real historian of the past. She had a love for the old things and was an authority of El Dorado County History. She was a true pioneer. I will miss her."
Mountain Democrat Nov 7, 1968
Portals Of The Past
By J. Barton Wessler
"I guess most folks have never heard of Stella Tracy. She lived in an old home on Coloma Street in Placerville and kept pretty much to herself. When she passed away last summer there was a small obituary in the paper and that was all. Just another old lady gone to her reward.
She deserved a little more than that. My old friend Stella was a true pioneer, from a pioneer family of the west.
Her full name was Stella H. Ralston Tracy. She was a famed descendant from the famed Ralston family of Virginia City's Big Four. In her home was a rare bust of William C. Ralston and a picture of the Bank of California directors at the time William C. Ralston was president. In the lace curtains in her home came from one of the old hotels in Virginia City.
She had a phenomenal memory. I used to sit by the hour and talk to her of the old days, when the true Argonauts were still alive. She remembered when the fist train came to Placerville, when the four horse stage ran to Coloma, when Robert Chalmers was chained in the basement of the Vineyard House. It was she who ferreted out the exact location of the grave when the three men were hung from the Hangman's Tree.
Yes, Stella was quite a lady. My proudest memento of her is a solid gold buckle made from gold nuggets found on the streets of Hangtown (aka Placerville). She called me up one day and told me she had a present for me. When I got there she gave me the buckle, made from gold, found by her father.
She was born in Placerville in 1876, the daughter of Thomas Harford Ralston and Georgia M. Congdon. Stella lived in Placerville for 92 years, watching a lifetime of history pass by. She went to school for a time at the famed Conklin Placerville Academy, located in the old Ivy House (now a parking lot).
Stella married Perry S. Tracy, a Placerville boy. I am sure many of the older residents of the county remember the Tracy Shoe Store on Placerville's Main Street. This is where Perry and his brother Henry conducted business for many years. The building in itself has quite a history.
Charles J. Arvidson obtained title to the property when Placerville was incorporated and erected a building on the lot July 13, 1857. He later deeded the building and lot to Henry Keading on July 31, 1871. Henry operated the business for a few years then sold to Henry H. Tracy in June of 1876. From that time on it belonged to the Tracy family. The boys obtaining title from the mother Maggie on March 25, 1914.
Stella was interested in music and art. She was a charter member of the Shakespeare Club and the El Dorado County Historical Society. Not only did she belong to the Native Daughters of the Golden West, she was also one of only two women in the state of California who were honorary members of the Native Sons of the Golden West.
In the last years Stella was watched over by two good friends, Aletha Nelson and Mary Forni. Her sister-in-law Bertha Tracy also visited her frequently.
In my book, Stella Ralston Tracy was quite a gal, a real historian of the past. She had a love for the old things and was an authority of El Dorado County History. She was a true pioneer. I will miss her."
Portals Of The Past
By J. Barton Wessler
"I guess most folks have never heard of Stella Tracy. She lived in an old home on Coloma Street in Placerville and kept pretty much to herself. When she passed away last summer there was a small obituary in the paper and that was all. Just another old lady gone to her reward.
She deserved a little more than that. My old friend Stella was a true pioneer, from a pioneer family of the west.
Her full name was Stella H. Ralston Tracy. She was a famed descendant from the famed Ralston family of Virginia City's Big Four. In her home was a rare bust of William C. Ralston and a picture of the Bank of California directors at the time William C. Ralston was president. In the lace curtains in her home came from one of the old hotels in Virginia City.
She had a phenomenal memory. I used to sit by the hour and talk to her of the old days, when the true Argonauts were still alive. She remembered when the fist train came to Placerville, when the four horse stage ran to Coloma, when Robert Chalmers was chained in the basement of the Vineyard House. It was she who ferreted out the exact location of the grave when the three men were hung from the Hangman's Tree.
Yes, Stella was quite a lady. My proudest memento of her is a solid gold buckle made from gold nuggets found on the streets of Hangtown (aka Placerville). She called me up one day and told me she had a present for me. When I got there she gave me the buckle, made from gold, found by her father.
She was born in Placerville in 1876, the daughter of Thomas Harford Ralston and Georgia M. Congdon. Stella lived in Placerville for 92 years, watching a lifetime of history pass by. She went to school for a time at the famed Conklin Placerville Academy, located in the old Ivy House (now a parking lot).
Stella married Perry S. Tracy, a Placerville boy. I am sure many of the older residents of the county remember the Tracy Shoe Store on Placerville's Main Street. This is where Perry and his brother Henry conducted business for many years. The building in itself has quite a history.
Charles J. Arvidson obtained title to the property when Placerville was incorporated and erected a building on the lot July 13, 1857. He later deeded the building and lot to Henry Keading on July 31, 1871. Henry operated the business for a few years then sold to Henry H. Tracy in June of 1876. From that time on it belonged to the Tracy family. The boys obtaining title from the mother Maggie on March 25, 1914.
Stella was interested in music and art. She was a charter member of the Shakespeare Club and the El Dorado County Historical Society. Not only did she belong to the Native Daughters of the Golden West, she was also one of only two women in the state of California who were honorary members of the Native Sons of the Golden West.
In the last years Stella was watched over by two good friends, Aletha Nelson and Mary Forni. Her sister-in-law Bertha Tracy also visited her frequently.
In my book, Stella Ralston Tracy was quite a gal, a real historian of the past. She had a love for the old things and was an authority of El Dorado County History. She was a true pioneer. I will miss her."
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