USA > California > San Joaquin County > An illustrated history of San Joaquin County, California. Containing a history of San Joaquin County from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its future prospects; > Part 33
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94
to this day as Shippee's Hollow. Their de- scendants have followed various avocations, but chiefly those of manufacturing, merchandising and farming. His father, L. U. Shippee, Sr., had learned the machinist's trade, and his abil- ities, mechanical and otherwise, had seeured for him such responsible positions as superintendent and manager of large cotton and print mills. His mother, too, was a native of the same neigli- borhood in Rhode Island, as also had been her father. Her maiden name was Mary Spencer, and lier parents, who were Quakers, were of English ancestry, though the family had been nearly as long in this country as the Slippees.
When the subject of this sketch was but eight years old his father died and he was left without the influence of paternal adviee during the sub- sequent years of his growth to manhood. He had, however, learned some of the rudimentary prin- eiples of business from his deceased parent, that have stood him in good stead thronghont his later career. While a mere child in years, his father one day presented him with what is generally known throughout the Eastern country as a Barlow knife. Boys of that country generally begin to show their self-reliance and the tradi- tional Yankee love of barter by beginning the habit of trading at a very early age, and he was no exception to the rule; so that the knife had soon passed out of his possession, while in its
230
HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY.
place he had one considerably inferior. This operation was repeated several times with simi- lar ill-success, when one day he was abashed by a request from his father for the temporary loan of the knife. With head hung down he fum- bled through each pocket in turn, yet it was only after repeated encouragement that he at . last reluctantly produced the desired article. The father's eyes were greeted with the sight of a dilapidated-looking implement, with one rusty, broken blade. "Why, my son," he said, " is this the knife I gave you only a short time ago?" After the necessary explanations had been made, the kind-hearted father told him not to feel badly; that he would give him another knife, with the advice that when he traded thereafter, whether for a knife or anything else, he should always make it a rule to better his condition. It was not long afterward when the father again had occasion to ask for the knife. This time a very superior article was exultingly produced. " Why, it didn't take near so long to find the knife this time!" said the elder Shippee, who was then inade aware that the boy had obtained " boot " on his trade, as well as having a knife in every way superior to that which his father had given him. The lesson thus learned was never for- gotten.
L. U. Shippee started to school at an early age, but showed a disposition to get out of the class-room and do something for himself. He was informed that he would either have to at- tend school regularly or go out and work. This option was given him only as a mild form of persuasion, without a thought of enforcing the latter part of the proposition. That was the portion he accepted, however, and one morning he appeared at Narragansett bay, at the door of the sheriff of the county, a gentleman, who, in addition to performing his official dnties, car- ried on farming, besides having a stone quar- ry and a butchering business. This gentleman asked the boy (who was then only twelve years old) what he wanted, and he told himn that he wished to hire out to do chores. The gentle- man was acquainted with his family, and knew
that he had not been sent by them to ask for snch a job, even if he had their consent, yet could not help yielding to the lad's importuni- ties for a chance to work. He was engaged for seven months at $5 a month, and informed that he would have to do just as the other employés did. Among the duties assigned to him was that of hitching up several yoke of oxen to go to the quarry and haul stone. Any man who has performed that labor throughout the various seasons knows what it would be for a mere lad to execute such work. When the damp weather had warped the heavy bows ont of shape, it would require a herculean effort on the part of the little fellow to make the ends fit in the yoke, and he sometimes spent half an hour at the job; yet he never once gave up the task until it was accomplished, or even asked for assistance. These characteristics were quietly observed by his employer, who said nothing, but invented many such jobs for him, to try his mettle. One dark and stormy night at about two o'clock, he awoke the boy from his slumbers and told him to go out about half a mile from the village, catch a certain horse and bring him in. This was accomplished, though the night was in- tensely dark, to the surprise of the man, who must have felt ashamed of inventing such a test for his young charge. The seven months' con- tract was fully carried out and the $35 connted out to the proud boy, who quickly wended his way home and exhibited his earnings to his family. None of them had thought that he would stay more than four or five days at the job. He had made a reputation for a worker, however, and the next season his services were in demand at $7 a month. In after years, when he had made a start in California and returned to visit the scenes of his boyhood, one of the first to look him up was his old employer, who walked with outstretched hands and said, " I want to shake hands with the grittiest boy I ever saw."
As his father had learned the machinist's trade it was decided that he should do the same, and he was started in at that occupation
231
HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY.
with a Quaker named Pierce Peck, at Anthony, Rhode Island, his birthplace. With him he remained two and one-half years, then went up into Connecticut, doing repair work in mills, such as changing looms to new styles, etc. This occupation did not by any means satisfy his ambition, as it only gave employment to his hands, while requiring bnt little headwork, and it grew distasteful to him. He was soon given an opportunity to make a change. His father had accumulated considerable wealth during his lifetime, and had bonghit a farm for each one of his eight children, the subject of this sketch being the fifth in order of age. It was custom- ary to rent out all of these farms except the one occupied by the family, the children not taking possession in severalty until the youngest be- came of age. Any farm that remained un- rented would be taken by one of the boys to inanage for the family. In this way our sub- ject got his opportunity to give up the . ma- chinist's trade and turn farmer again. He took care of the place, bought and sold stock, etc., and had been thus employed for abont a year and a half when he decided to try liis fortunes in California. Going to New York in the early part of 1856, he took passage on the old steamer Illinois for Panama, and, crossing the Isthmus, resnmed his sea journey on the steamer Sonora, landing at San Francisco in March. He pro- ceeded to the mines of Tuolumne County, but finding the diggings pretty well developed and chances not so bright as anticipated, lie set out on his return to San Francisco. At Stockton he met an acquaintance and decided to remain. He had about $1,500, with which he decided to go into business, and did so, in partnership with another. Thronghi no fault of his, the venture proved unprofitable and he closed out after one year's experience and obtained employment as a clerk with Schofield & Houche (previously Bowen & Houche). After he had been with them a year they sold out to Owen & McKee. Meantime his salary had been raised from $60 per month to $80 and expenses. IIe commenced with the new firm with $100 a month and ex-
penses, and by persistent and early work from early morn till late at night, made himself indispensable to his employers, so that his pay was advanced to expenses and $200 per month. He remained with them three years, and then took one of the members, W. F. McKee, into a new partnership, under the firm name of Shippee & McKee. They started on Main street, a half block north and across the street from the present bank building, but after one season inoved across the street east from the bank site, into the first floor of the Odd Fellows' building. Mr. Shippee was a member of the city council at that time, and had got the city to sell the land to the Odd Fellows' Association, and had subscribed money to help in the construction of the building. The firm leased the quarters for five years. Mr. Shippee was for eleven years at the head of that house, and developed its business wonderfully. When they commenced, they bought out a firm which had been doing a business of $50,000 a year. This was increased to $175,000 the first year under his manage- inent, and when he severed his connection with the firm these figures had risen to $275,000 per annum.
While this in itself would be considered a very creditable achievement, it was only one of several enterprises conducted by Mr. Shippee at the same time. Shortly after the firm of Ship- pee, McKee & Co. was organized, they embarked in the sheep business, commencing on land in Tulare County with 3,000 head. In 1877 this number had been increased to 52,000, worth $100,000, located in Tulare, Merced and Fresno counties, but on account of the terrible drouth of that year 22,000 were lost. Besides this, large sums were expended in fruitless efforts to save them, so that it would have been better if the whole number had been given away in the first place. Mr. Shippee is now running abont 30,000 liead of sheep in Merced County, and lias two bands in Butte County, and more in Mariposa County. His landed interests in all the counties named are very large, there being 20,000 acres in Merced County alone. In
239
HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY.
Butte County he has a partner, and there car- ries on farming on a gigantic scale. In 1888 they raised there 100,000 bushels of wheat alone, while the crop of 1889 will be fully as large. His sheep are of the best Spanish and French thoroughbred stock, and high grades. During one year alone, about 1873, he imported $60,000 worth of thoroughbred sheep from Vermont. This, however, is but one branch of his stock interests. In horses he stands among the lead- ers on the Pacific slope, he, Leland Stanford and S. B. Haggin being the largest owners and breeders of fine horses on this coast. His cattle are also selected from the best stock in the world. None of the great importers and breeders of California have done more toward improving the quality of the stock in any of these lines than has Mr. Shippee, and when all of them are considered, he ranks at the head. This has been done, not as a source of profit, but solely for the purpose of gratifying a natural taste in that di- rection, and at the same time conducing to a creditable record for California, and his impor- tations amount to nearly $200,000. This large amount is constantly being added to, and each year he imports thousands of dollars' worth of the finest stock.
Mr. "Shippee's model ranch, six miles on the Cherokee Lane road, is one of the sights of San Joaquin Connty, and visitors are well repaid for an inspection by the knowledge there to be gained.
Not the least important of the interests to be recognized in this connection is the well-known financial institution-the Stockton Savings and Loan Society, of which Mr. Shippee was one of the chief promoters, and of which he has been a director since its organization, and president since the death of the former incumbent, Dr. J. M. Kelsey, who was named by him for the posi- tion. The bank was organized in August, 1867, on a then original plan. This was, in place of making it a mutual affair, so that depositors would share alike in either profits or losses, to fix a rate of interest on every deposit and pay that whether there were large profits or losses,
the depositor thus running no risk. The snc- cess of the plan can be judged when it is shown that while but $10 was ever paid on each share of $100, these shares are now worth $200. The capital stock was afterward raised from $250,- 000 to $500,000, the new shares paying up $45 each, they also being now worth $200 apiece. The stock has regularly paid a dividend of $12 a share since organization, and besides $50,000 have been paid in extra dividends. Another novel feature introduced on the commencement of this bank was that of making interest pay- able annually. According to the system previ- ously in vogue, parties doing a loaning business and the banks of California generally, had been exacting interest monthly, and in advance, which of course was no accommodation to farm- ers, who got returns but once a year. It may readily be surnrised with what alacrity the farm- ers availed themselves of the innovation. The bank's standing is impregnable, and it ranks among the leading financial institutions of the Pacific coast, its annual resources amounting to about $3,000,000.
To turn to another feature, it may be stated that about twenty-two years ago there was not a rod of really improved road in San Joaquin County, One day in March, 1867, a man rode into Stockton, and, looking up Mr. Shippee, in- formed him that a gentleman living six miles out of the city on the Sacramento road was about to sell a farm, and it was desired that he should call out there at once. He started and was three hours making the trip, the horses go- ing down nearly to their bodies at almost every step. On returning to Stockton, a notary public and witness were secured for making the trans- fer, and another trip was made to the ranch, three hours being again consumed, though they used their utmost efforts. Mr. Shippee at once saw that with such roads the trade of Stockton could not be what it ought to, while the prog- ress of the whole county was retarded. He at once began a move toward remedying suclı a state of affairs, and proposed a gravel road for the highway he had so lately traveled. When
233
HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY.
he mentioned the project to others he was asked if he knew what such a road would cost for a distance of seven miles, and was informed that it would be $40,000. He replied that that was his estimate, but that the amount was small in proportion to the benefits. Some thoughit the matter would end in talk, but in, November of that same year people were traveling over a fine gravel road, which was destined to be but the pioneer for a number of others. Mr. Shippee was the first president of the gravel road com- pany and was re-elected to that office each suc- ceeding year until 1886, when it was turned over to the county as a gift for a free road. While Mr. Shippee was among the projectors and stockholders of every one of the system of gravel roads he never realized a dollar from these investments.
All of the interests thus far mentioned have indeed been important enough in themselves to inerit extended attention, but it is questionable if all are not out-classed by yet another. But for the introduction of the combined harvesters now in such extended nse throughout that vast granary, the San Joaquin valley, as well as other grain-producing sections of California, it is highly improbable that that industry would now be on anything like a paying basis in this State, much less in a condition to compete in the markets of the world with the grain raisers of the Middle States, of Europe and of India, which were rapidly driving her out of the field, and her grain-farmers into other channels.
Through the introduction of the present nia- chinery California rests secure against all comers. It is not necessary to look backward a greater number of years than can be counted on the fingers of one hand to recall the time when the farmer who had his fields thick with ripened grain, having successfully evaded all risks of growing, was yet at the mercy of the meu whom he might or iniglit not be able to secure to harvest the erops. They were all needed at once, and often, having been secured at great labor and expense, would leave their employer in the lurch if the whim struck them. Snel
was the old condition. Many attempts had been made to construct a combined harvester, always attended with failure, until it got to be a standing joke to speak of a man engaged in the effort to make it go. Thus it was that people who had always looked upon Mr. Shippee as a conservative man-because he had been successful in his ventures-were surprised when, in 1881, it was given ont that he had under- taken to make a "go" of the combined harvester. His first niove was to interest a few other active men of means and enterprise, and then to assist in holding all in line while skilled labor should have an opportunity to thoroughly test the in- fluence of unlimited capital in reaching the great desideratum. Money was lavished upon the enterprise with an unstinted hand, and in 1885 those who had three years before thought Mr. Shippee liad gone on his first wild-goose chase were congratulating him upon the com- plete success of the undertaking, and themselves for the great benefit they would reap from it. The importance of this boon to California can hardly be estimated, but the gratitude of the State is due the controlling spirit that saved her great grain industry and renewed its vitality. While, before, the harvesting of the crop and preparing it for market was one of the great items of expense, to-day it costs the owner of the machine but seventy-five cents an acre to cut the grain on the stalk and put it through every process until it is tied up in the sack ready for shipment. Further than that, if he has no mna- chine of his own, there are men who have that are glad to do it for him at $1.50 per acre.
What will probably take rank as the greatest undertaking of Mr. Shippee's life, however, as well as one of the most important afforded by the history of California, is yet in an uncom- pleted state, though the fact of his leadership is sufficient assurance of complete snecess. This is the great Stanislans canal enterprise, to which other really vast and mneh-heralded works of like character on the Pacific coast bear but slight comparison. Even the noted Crocker-Hoffman canal pales alongside it. The idea is not a new
234
HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY.
one with Mr. Shippee, although its real magni- tude is generally but little understood. When he had seen his dream of the exposition build- ing (hereafter mentioned) a reality, he turned his genuine attention to this new scheme, which was to irrigate an almost desert plain of great extent, and ultimately carry pure water for drinking, domestic and general purposes to Stockton, and even to Oakland and San Fran- cisco. In 1883 he started in with the work, the idea then being to utilize the waters of the Mokelumne river and its basin. When prelimi- naries were almost finished he found he had been sold out in this plan. He did not allow this unexpected situation to overcome him, how- ever, but soon turned his attention to the Stan- islaus river. The first step was the incorporation of a stock company with a capital stock of $1,000.000, that being about the amount re- quined for carrying to a conclusion the present plans. When work was well under way many of those who had apparently entered enthusi- astically into the scheme wanted to get out, and even carried their efforts so far as to take legal proceedings with that object in view. Mr. Shippee did not propose, however, to see the magnificent enterprise fall to the ground in any such manner, and the determined and success- ful fight which he carried on even through the courts of last resort to save the work, brought out his indomitable character in its strongest light. No obstacles now present themselves save those which labor and engineering skill can overcome. With a water ditch and dam, which have been in operation thirty-five years, in its possession to start with, the company have put in two additional dams of the best construc- tion, and are now engaged upon a gigantic one of solid masonry, to be 300 feet across, sixty- six feet high and sixty feet in thickness at its base. The plans include two tunnels of 1,100 feet each, twelve feet high and fourteen feet wide, with a long fall to penetrate the solid ce- ment rock, and at this writing one of these is nearly completed. The canal will have to be extended forty-six miles beyond its present
length to carry out the project already under- taken, and then the water will flow in a solid stream 100 feet in width and six feet deep throughout the entire channel with a fall of five feet in the mountains and one foot on the plains. The completion of this work will bring about almost a revolution in the products of the dis- trict affected by it. That region is now only susceptible of cultivation for grain, and even that is not a sure crop, being only profitable in wet years. Then, too, Mr. Shippee, with his usual penetration, has foreseen that California must place herself in a position to be independ- ent of the one-crop idea, as her future greatness must come from other sources than grain. The building of the canal will make this land cap- able of producing almost all semi-tropical fruits, so that as much can be earned from a few acres as is now realized from hundreds, and even thousands, in some cases. Then, as one result, 200,000 acres of land, such as has just been de- scribed, will be susceptible of such cultivation as to people a vast community with busy hus- bandnien and their families, teeming with suclı products as only California's soil is capable of producing, and which will not have to compete with the whole world. A vast amount will then have been added to the wealth of the golden State, and Stockton, as the center of trade of this new land of abundance, will reap such a reward as to bring down her blessing on the en- terprise which has brought about such results. This is no mere dream, but a fact awaiting only its fulfillment, the inevitable logic of the situation.
In 1887 Mr. Shippee was elected Mayor of the City of Stockton, and held that office until June 10, 1889. 'The great drawback of Stockton had always been her impassable streets, and he gave his particular attention toward remedying that condition of affairs. During the two years that he guided the city's affairs more permanent street improvements were made than during her entire previous history. Mr. Shippee has been a hard-working member and director of the State Agricultural Society for fifteen years, and
235
HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY.
for two years its president. He has been presi- dent of the San Joaquin County Agricultural Society for the past sixteen years, and his un- tiring labors have made it what it is. The mag- nificent Exposition building at Stockton, superior to any similar institution in a city of the size on this continent, is a monument to his faithful work. When pleasantly reproached by Sacramento people for having built their State Exposition building, and then gone to Stockton to beat it, he replies that a man must build two houses to get one right.
Such, in brief, is the merest outline of the life of a central figure in the history of San Joaquin County, and indeed of California. Af ter a rapid review of its main features, such as this, it is certainly an instructive lesson to turn back to that incident of the knife and con- sider the father's advice which the son has made his motto. And another one which appears equally as prominent throughout the pages of this sketch is, " when you touch anything, im- prove it."
OHN GRATTAN, one of the Argonauts of this State, is a native of Albany, New York, born July 4, 1827. When a mnere child his parents moved to Pennsylvania, where he was raised. When eighteen years of age he went to New York city, staying there about six inonths. In the fall of 1846 he made another trip there and entered the office of his brother Christopher, now a prominent citizen of Stock- ton, at the same time he took up the study of medicine under Prof. J. W. Whitaker, an emni- nent physician of tliat city, who started a private institute where a number of eminent physicians gave medical lectures, among whom were Drs. Mott and Sherman, Prof. Childs and others. John Grattan took two courses of lectures in that institute, remaining there about eighteen inonths, when he abandoned his studies in that direction and gave his attention to other matters. He remained in that city until he came to Cali-
fornia. Prior to that, having a natural aptitude for machinery, he was able in a short time to take charge of a stationary engine, which was operating on the Delaware and Hudson Canal Railroad. He was the youngest man on the road who had charge of an engine. March 31, 1849, lie left New York city in company with his brother, Dr. Grattan, and his wife, who was the only lady on board the vessel, among some sixty five passengers. The vessel was the Canton and was the property of the company, which was incorporated and known as the Island City Min- ing and Trading Association, numbering fifty- two persons. They reached San Francisco October 5, same year. They came via the Horn, stopping at a few islands on the way; the voyage on the whole being very pleasant. After dis- banding at Stockton, the cargo that was left was divided among the boys, and then eight of them, among whom was our subject, went to work and bought up their share.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.