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 34
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Mr. Grattan first gave his attention to spec- ulating in Stockton, which resulted very prof- itably for him. He has seen his share of mining experiences, although he has done no mining since 1851. He was for a time connected with Dr. Grattan, who has started a private hospital in Stockton, and at one time had the entire charge of 103 cases of small-pox, out of which number only two patients died, which is a most fitting attribute to his skillful manner of hand- ling the disease. In 1855 he turned his atten- tion to farming, buying his present place of 160 acres, situated on the Cherokee Lane road, six miles from Stockton, where he has since mnade liis home.
Politically he has, since 1861, been a stauncli Republican, prior to that he had been a Demo- crat in national politics. In matters of county election he does not believe in adhering strictly to party views, but votes for the man that he thinks or knows to be best. The only public office he ever held was that of Inspector of customs for the Federal Government from 1872 to 1876: when he went into the office it was pay- ing the government $20 a year and when he
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went out of the office it was paying its own ex- penses, which was brought about by the careful attention that he gave it.
Mr. Grattan was married, October 19, 1854, to Sarah J. Davis, a native of Missouri, dangh- ter of Judge Anderson Davis, one of the oldest citizens of this county. Mr. and Mrs. Grattan are the parents of six children, of whom only two are living, a son and a danghter.
During the dry season of 1864, when every- thing was all dried up, Mr. Grattan, together with C. M. Weber and others, commenced to try to get water from the Calaveras river by making ditches through to his place, obtaining the right of way. The first water was turned on Grat- tan's place; this was the commencement of the irrigation system in this county. He has ever had the county's best interest at heart, and any move or project proposed or set on foot for the public good has met with his hearty support. He might be called the father of the gravel roads, so prominent a feature in San Joaquin County, he taking the initiatory step toward bringing about this result. He belongs to Morning Star Lodge, No. 68, also to Charity Lodge, No. 6, of Stock- ton, being Past Noble Grand of this order, and ex-President of the San Joaquin Valley Society of California Pioneers.
NDREW WOLF .- Among those pioneers of California who have concentrated their efforts in one locality and associated them- selves with progressive movements from the early days of the State to the present time, the gentleman whose name heads this sketch stands as a conspicuous and honored example. Mr. Wolf' is a native of Ohio, born on the banks of Beaver creek, in Bath Township, Greene County, May 26, 1821. John W. Wolf, his father, was born in Pennsylvania in 1791, and while he was a mere infant his parents removed to Greene County, Ohio, a locality which then abounded with Indians. He grew to manhood there, and when the war with Great Britain came on in
1812 lie offered his services in his country's cause and served throughout that struggle until surrendered by Hull. He was married in Ohio and lived in that State until his death, in 1878. His wife was formerly Mary Hawker, a native of Montgomery County, Ohio, whose father and mother came respectively from Pennsylvania and Maryland. She died in 1835.
Andrew Wolf, the subject of this mention, was reared in Greene County, Ohio, where he resided until shortly after his mother's death. He then went to Dayton, and engaged at clerk- ing in the grocery store of an uncle, William Van Cleaf, who had married the youngest sister of our subject's mother. Abont two years later Mr. Wolf entered the grocery business for him - self, in company with a partner, J. R. Coblentz. This firm was dissolved in the fall of 1847, and a short time later Mr. Wolf went to Iowa to visit an uncle by marriage, named Abraham Morgan, who resided in Davis County, on the Des Moines river. He had only intended to make a visit of about two months' duration, but his stay was prolonged to two years. Among those whom he called upon was an old playmate named John Martin, at Bloomington (now Mns- catine). While there the latter informed him that he would secure for him a situation with Greene & Stone, general merchants and pork packers. This firm was in need of one man that winter, and engaged Mr. Wolf. The latter then went to see and consult his uncle, and then re- turned to Bloomington, entering the employ of Greene & Stone. He remained with them from November 1, 1847, until the first of March fol- lowing, when his engagement closed. Shortly before this date, however, he was one day in- troduced by Mr. Greene to a gentleman named Alexander Oglebie, who told him that he had been in business and intended to resume, and asked Mr. Wolf what his intentions for the future were. The answer was that he would go home when his employer got through with him, or as soon thereafter as the river opened. After t ating his intentions in regard to the resump- stion of business, Mr. Oglebie asked Mr. Wolf
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what salary he would require to work for him a year, time to commence from the 1st of March. Mr. Wolf replied, "I will place my figures so high that you won't want me," and then named the terms, not dreaming his proposition would be taken up. Mr. Oglebie at once closed the bargain at the figure named, and then Mr. Wolf thought of offering him $100 to release him from the promise. After a second thought, however, he concluded to stick to his word, come what might. His new firin consisted of Oglebie & St. John, the latter being then in Dubuque, Iowa. Mr. Oglebie went to St. Louis to lay in a stock and ship the goods. The river opened about the middle of Marclı, and Mr. Wolf, who had remained at Blooming- ton, received and unpacked the goods and had them all on the shelf when Mr. Oglebie re- turned. He continued with the new firm a year, but the tales of the golden wealth of Cali- fornia had impressed him, and he dreamed over them at niglit. A party was organized for the purpose of making the journey to the new El Dorado, among whom were S. C. Hastings, Dr. Owles, James Buker, Mr. Smith and a Jewish merchant. Mr. Wolf joined them and spoke to two young friends of his in the packing-house, named William Scott and Isaac Heath, about going with him. They replied that they had no means, but would like to make the trip. Mr. Wolf informed them that he would buy the outfit for all three, and they could pay for their share after they had obtained money in Cali- fornia. This proposition was gladly accepted, and preparations were rapidly made. Mr. Wolf bought four pairs of steers, one pair of cows and a mule as the live-stock portion of the equipment, and took them all in safety to the Pacific. After their arrival in California his companions settled up with honor and eredit to themselves, and to Mr. Wolf's entire satisfac- tion. They left Bloomington on the 5th of April, 1849, and set out for St. Joseph, where they crossed the Missouri river May 14. It would have taken them six weeks to get across, however, if they had waited their turn at the
ferries; and it was only by good fortune they reached the west side of the river as soon as. they did. After booking their train for ferri- age, Messrs. Wolf and Richmond mounted horses and set out to look for wild turkeys. Four miles above, to their utter astonishment, they saw the keel of a boat almost completed on a doek, all ready to slide into the water, while at a distance of about 300 yards back in the woods was a little cabin. Mr. Richmond was a carpenter by trade, and it at once occurred to the two companions that here was a chance to get across the river in a short time by the ex- penditure of a little labor. Riding up to the cabin, Mr. Wolf dismounted and rapped on the door. Hearing nothing but a gurgling voice in response, he, rapped again more loudly, and a maudlin voice within called out angrily, “What in hell do you want?" He was informed that they wished to see the proprietor, and the owner of the maudlin voice, a half drunken man, came to the door. Mr. Wolf made inquiries about the boat, and was informed that the proprietor had been deserted by his workmen before the craft had been completed. Mr. Wolf then asked for the privilege of calking and launching the boat; and it was agreed that they should finish the boat and put it in condition for service, in return for which the train of fourteen wagons were to be ferried across without further cost. Mr. Wolf then informed his friend Rich- mond of the bargain, and the latter at once went back to the ferry and brought up the party. Every man among them who knew anything about a boat was put to work on it on that day (May 11), and on the night of the 13th the boat was launched. During the forenoon of the fol- lowing day the crossing was inade iu safety, and all their effects were on the western side of the river. Their rejoicing culminated in a dance, and at nine o'clock all retired for the night.
On awaking in the morning the company learned for the first time that the cholera had attacked one of their number during the night, and that the victim, a man, had died about one o'clock A. M., and was soon thereafter buried!
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This was the only death in the party, thongh for two weeks after crossing the river they were never out of sight of the grim destroyer. One young man became stricken with cholera, but his life was saved.
They chose the route via Fort Laramie and Sublette cut-off, thereby gaining three days on the time mnade by those who went by Fort Hall. They came into California by way of Truckee, and encamping there over night slept in the cabins which had been built and occupied by the ill-fated Donner party. They launched right out from the cabins, crossing the Sierra Nevadas August 8, and ten days later they drove into Placerville, or "Hangtown," as it was tlien called. The party disbanded there, and Mr. Wolf and his friends Heatlı and Scott, and a German in company with some members of an Illinois train, drove down on a little run where they put their cattle out. The German got ont his pick, and at once went to work on the flat. He was laughed at by the others, but when he got down twenty or thirty inchies he could pick up the gold with his hands, and then the jokes at the German's expense suddenly ceased. Claims were at once staked out by all hands, and every one went to work with a will. On the morning of the fourth day Mr. Wolf quit, having been blinded by poison oak; but on cleaning up found he had $1,500 for his three days' work. He bought a team, hired a driver, and started for Sacramento. On the way his sufferings were unbearable, and he has always believed that if he had not encountered an emigrant train, among the supplies of which was some sugar of lead, he would have died on that trip.
After having spent four days in Sacramento le set out by land for San Francisco, and stopped over night at Stockton, October 15 (1849), and he has been a resident of this vicinity ever since. He at first engaged in freighting, driving a bull team between Stockton and the southern inines. He continued this employment until 1851, when he embarked in the livery business where the present Wolf livery stable now stands.
In 1865 he leased out his business and removed his family to a ranch on the Mariposa road, eight miles from Stockton. There lie employed 800 acres of land for general ranching purposes until 1875, when he again moved into Stockton, where with his family he has ever since resided, though he still carries on the farm operations at his ranch. The house now occupied by his family, which was constructed in 1886, occupies the site of the one built in 1852 by him. It is a handsome structure, and one of the most com- pletely fitted residences in central California.
Mr. Wolf has passed the chairs in Charity Lodge, No. 6, I. O. O. F., and Parker Encamp. ment, and is the oldest Odd Fellow in Stockton, having joined Buckeye Lodge, No. 47, Dayton, Ohio, in September, 1845. He has taken an active interest in the welfare of the San Joaquin Society of California Pioneers, and lias served one term as its president. He is one of the few pioneers who have been identified with Stockton since the days of '49, and it is a high tribute to his character that he has enjoyed the confi- dence and esteem of his fellow-citizens since the days when the foundations of this great State were laid, and to-day ranks among the most prominent and honored mnen of San Joaquin County. He has always shown the progressive spirit, and is one of the leading spirits to whom the prosperity of the community has been due.
Mr. Wolf was married in Stockton, August 17, 1852, to Miss Amanda Dwelly, a native of Maine. Her father died when she was a mere child, and she accompanied her mother and stepfather to California in 1850, at which time they located at Stockton. Her mother is yet living, a resident of Elko, Nevada. Mr. and Mrs. Wolf have had four children, of whom one is deceased; this was the eldest daughter, Laura, who died at Elko, Nevada, Marclı 27, 1889. She was the wife of Wellington T. Smith, and was aged thirty-six years, eight months and one day at the time of lier deatlı. Reared in Stockton, her birth-place, she had an unusually large circle of friends, and was uni- versally loved and respected by them. Her
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death was a sad blow to friends and relatives. The living children are: Frank, who resides on the ranch and has its immediate supervision; George L., who is engaged in the real-estate business in Stockton; and Delia, wife of Dr. J. J. Meigs, of Elko, Nevada.
RED M. WEST, cashier of that splendid institution, the Stockton Savings and Loan Society, is a native of Taunton, Massachu- setts, born May 1, 1839. His parents, William A. and Ann Bradford (Leonard) West, came of old New England families. His father was in the business of copper manufacturing, having works at Norton, which he operated in connec- tion with the Taunton Locomotive Works. For the last twenty years that the large copper cent was coined, he manufactured them for the Gov- ernment, ready for stamping. He also made the coins of one cent and one-half cent denomina- tion for the Government of Chili.
Fred M. West was reared at Taunton until he had reached the age of fourteen years, and then went into a wholesale milling goods house at Boston, Plymouth, Stephenson & Co., importers, etc. He remained with them until their retirement from business and continued with their suc- cessors, Lombard & Brown, for whom he trav- eled until the outbreak of the Rebellion. When the first call of President Lincoln was issued for 75.000 men, he was one of the first to offer his services in defense of the old flag, and the day after its issue his name was enrolled as a member of the Fourth Battalion of Rifles, which was formed mainly from the old Boston City Guard. The command went into camp at Fort Independ- ence and was there merged into the Thirteenth Massachusetts Volunteer Regiment, and the regiment moved to the front. He served out his term of enlistment, and seeing that his old firm was about to fail, decided to remove at once to California and carried his plan into execution. He chose the Panama route and arrived in San Francisco on the 10th of August, 1861. He
proceeded to Stockton and engaged in the nur- sery business with his brothers, William B. and George. He was thus engaged for about a year, and from that time until 1873 he was employed at clerking. He then went into business at Farmington as a member of the firm of West & Dyke. This firm was dissolved in 1878, Mr. West having been elected treasurer of San Joa- quin County, which office he held for two years. He was re-elected for a second term, but shortly after having entered upon it he resigned to accept his present important post with the bank, which he has filled with marked ability.
Mr. West was married in Stockton, October 10, 1867, to Mrs. Elmira F. Hutchinson, a na- tive of Boston. They have one child, namely : Harry L. Mr. West is a Past Master of Morn- ing Star Lodge, F. & A. M .; is a member of Stockton Chapter No. 28, and of Stockton Com- mandery No. 8, Knights Templar. He is a member of Stockton Lodge. No. 23, A. O. U. W., and of Rawlins Post, G. A. R. Politically he is a Republican.
Mr. West is a hard-working and progressive business man and has a number of interests be- sides that of banking. He is a secretary of the Stockton Combined Harvester and Agricultural Works, and president of the Minturn Vineyard Company, of Fresno County, which, though but recently incorporated, is one of the oldest insti- tutions of that kind in Fresno County. He takes an active interest in all movements cal- enlated to advance the interests of the county and State.
ILLARD WILLIAM HAYDEN, de- ceased, of Douglass Township, was born in Waterbury, Connecticut, August 22, 1821, a son of Willard Boyd and Sarah B. (Woodruff ) Hayden. The father died at the age of twenty-two of typhus, and Willard W. was brought up by his grandparents, David and Elizabeth (Bishop) Hayden, from the age of fourteen. His uncle, Charles Sylvester Hayden,
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born November 14, 1820, and he were ever after- ward closely associated, being generally sup- posed to be brothers. David Hayden, born in Massachusetts, in 1781, learned the trade of goldsmith and was the first, or among the first, to mannfacture buttons in this country. He was at one time a member of the firin of Leav- eusworth, Scoville & Hayden, of Waterbury. In 1829 he moved to Auburn, New York, and there established a rolling mill. In 1831 lie went to Illinois and settled on a farm near Car- rollton, where he died in 1833. His wife was over ninety-six at her death abont ten years ago.
Willard W. was destined by his uncle, David Hayden, Jr., for a military career, and received some special education to prepare hiin for West Point; but, chafing under the strictness of his uncle's guardianship, he ran away in 1837 and went to Texas. In 1840 he went to New Or- leans and thence to St. Louis, where he under- took to learn the foundry business, but soon changed to steamboat engineering, in which he was engaged seven years. December 18, 1848, he started for California on the steamer Falcon, crossed the Isthmus and took the Englishı bark John Richardson to San Francisco, where he arrived May 6, 1849. He went to mining at Angel's Camp in Calaveras Connty, and in Sep- tember, 1849, he started a store with his uncle Charles S., who had also arrived in California that summer and first went to mining near Sonora, joining his nephew a little later. He had learned the trade of harness-inaker and car- ried on a shop in St. Louis for three years. In 1844 he sold out and went to New Orleans, where his brother David was surveyor of the port. Through his influence Charles S. was appointed a measurer, Jannary 1, 1845, and held the position uutil February 15, 1849. The Haydens having started their store, bought mnles and oxen to haul their supplies from Stockton, freighting in those days being very high. In the summer of 1851 they closed that business, having meanwhile prospected consid- erably, and having bought the Pine Tree and Josephine vein in Bear Valley in 1850. With
a third partner, Mr. Higginbotham, they formned the firm of Hayden & Co. They paid the dis- coverer $4,000 and invested $25,000 more in machinery, being about the first to erect a stamp-mill. When the vein was found to be valuable the party of whom they bought, backed by wealthy men of San Francisco, secured an injunction, with the final result of a loss of $80,000 to Haydeu & Co. The mine was sold about 1886, for $300,000, and Hayden & Co. would probably have become millionaires had not their prospects been blighted by unprin- cipled men. The three partners having been ousted, they squatted on land about eight miles east of Stockton, on the Mariposa road.
In 1852 the subject of this sketch got a posi- tion in the custom house of San Francisco, through the influence of his uncle David, then located in that city, who had been in the employ of the Federal Government about twenty-five years. David Hayden died in that city in 1856. W. W. held his place until 1856, when he went to Kern river, which was then the scene of a great gold excitement. He fonnd a good vein, bnt his backer, who had been badly bitten in a venture, withdrew his support and Mr. Hayden returned to San Francisco. He afterward went to prospecting on Rabbit creek and elsewhere, finding some good veins, bnt, lacking the nec- essary capital to work them, he might as well not have found them. In July, 1856, he bought 160 acres in Douglass Township and remained in this county the remainder of his life. About 1863 he sold the 240 acres which he then owned in this township, and bought a quarter- square, corner Washington and Hunter, which he improved and sold in 1866, at a handsome advance. He then engaged in buying and selling real estate as opportunity offered. He died January 20, 1890. He was never ınar- ried.
Meanwhile Charles S. made a little money in Stocktou, in 1852, by moving people in a yawl from the submerged district andthen went to work ou a ranch at $100 a month; afterward did some teamning, and in 1856 bought the 160 acre ranch
.
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he still occupies in this township, doing but little teaming after that time. He was married in Linden in 1875, to Mrs. Sarah Catharine Sar- gent.
R. REIBENSTEIN, Mayor of the city of Stockton, is a native of Statten, Prus- sia, born December 10, 1850, his parents being Frank and Amelia (Fisher) Reibenstein. The family came to America in 1852 and in 1854 to California, via Panama, locating in Stockton. The father afterward went into bus- iness here, and was so engaged until his death, in 1857.
The subject of this sketch was reared and educated in Stockton. When he was sixteen years of age he commenced the carpenter's trade with Carl Sturke and James Brown, and at the early age of twenty years he embarked in contracting in the building line, on his own account. He has been very successful in his chosen line, and has constructed many buildings, large and small, in the city and surrounding country, mostly private residences. He was married in this city to Miss Amanda Swartz, a native of Indiana. They have one child-Elsa Elizabeth.
Mr. Reibenstein has always taken a very active interest in public affairs, and his sound judgment and excellent business ability have more than once received recognition at the hands of his fellow citizens, who have called him to fill important offices within their gift. In 1873 he was the Democratic candidate for Public Administrator of San Joaquin County, but was defeated. He was elected, however, in 1877, and re-elected at the expiration of his terin, retiring from office in 1884. During his last year in that office, he also served as school trustee in Stockton. After this, he was for two terms a member of the city council. In 1889 he was nominated by the Democratic city con- vention as the candidate of that party for Mayor of Stockton, and was elected on the 22d of May,
being the second Democratic Mayor of this city in thirty years. In his administration of the duties of his important office, he gives his per- sonal interest to matters in general and detail, and is a thorough and efficient executive officer. He is a member of Truth Lodge, I. O. O. F., and of Willow Lodge, K. of P.
When the Volunteer Fire Department was in vogue, he was identified with Weber Engineer Company, and was for two years its secretary. He was also secretary of the Board of Dele- gates, and held the office of president of the fire department. He has been a member of the First Baptist Church since his sixteenth year. He is an able business man and an exceedingly popular official. His administration bids fair, at this writing, to be a red-letter one in the his- tory of improvements for this city, well planned projects for sewering the city and furnishing an inexhaustible supply of water for future growth being brought forward, while street improve- ments, such as new pavements and sidewalks have been undertaken on a large scale. While so much of a progressive nature has been ull- dertaken, there is no element of extravagance in carrying out the plans, so that the welfare of the city is alone taken into account in these im- provements.
H. FAIRCHILD, deceased, was born in Pennsylvania in 1819. He was raised on a farm, and emigrated to Illinois at any early age with his widowed mother, his father having died when he was very young. He remained with his mother un- til hier death, her support and comfort in her declining years. In 1846 he started for Ore- gon, but afterward changed his mind and came to California. They landed in Monterey in 1846, among the earliest settlers in California. Mr. Fairchild engaged in hauling lumber with ox teams, remaining in Monterey until the dis- covery of gold, when they made their way to Stockton and went to mining. Not being very
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