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 43
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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY.
Schmidt, who was running Government surveys in several of the northern counties. He re- mained with the party for about four years or more. In 1858 during the time of the Fraser river excitement he went up there and remained about six months. When he came back to this county he hired out to R. C. Sargent, and re- mained with him till 1866 working on his ranch. He then moved to his present place, which he bought in 1862, and where he has made his home ever since. The ranch contains now about 240 acres, situated five miles north of Stockton on the lower Sacramento road, and is devoted to farming.
Mr. Jefferson was married, in 1878, to Mrs. Winifred O'Brien, who was born in Ireland; she was a mnere child when she came to the United States with her parents. They have four children of their own, also one son of Mrs. Jefferson's by her former marriage. Mr. Jef- ferson has also raised three children, all boys, of his brothers. They were left orphans and were given a home by Mr. Jefferson; they are now almost of age.
D. TRIPP, proprietor of the Eureka market, native of New Bedford, Massa- chusetts, was born June 1, 1833, his parents being Ichabod and Hannah (Macomber) Tripp. Both parents were born in Massachu- setts, and the father, a cooper, died when our subject was but fourteen months old. D. D. Tripp was the youngest of six children. He was reared at New Bedford till five years old, and from that time until he was fifteen, at West- port. He then went back to his birthplace. He then learned the butcher's trade at New Bedford. In 1853 he came to California via Panama, making the journey on the Atlantic side on the steamer Illinois, and on the Jolin L. Stephens on the Pacific side, landing at San Francisco September 15. He went to Secret Diggings mines in Placer County, and after tempting fortune there for a while tried his
luck at Yankee Bar, on the middle fork of American river. He voted for the first time in California, casting his ballot for Governor Jolinson. He went back East, and returning to New Bedford, bought out his brother and a partner in the butchering business, which he car- ried on until the outbreak of the civil war. He enlisted at New Bedford in defense of the old flag and the Union, and on the 20th of August, 1862, he was mustered into Company A, Forty- first Massachusetts Infantry, Colonel Chicker- ing. The regiment was organized and drilled at Camp Boxford, and went by sea to New Orleans, accompanying Banks to relieve Butler. They steamed up to Baton Rouge, and were at the re- taking of the city. They drilled there till March, then went to the vicinity of Opelousas, and brought a big train of negroes to Brazer city. They then proceeded to Algiers, and there took steamer for Port Hudson, disembarking at Springfield Landing. From that time until Port Hudson fell, they served as mounted in- fantry. About the 1st of June, they were merged into the Third Massachusetts Cavalry and in the new command participated in the fight at Irish Bend, head of Brazer bay. Dur- ing the last year of the war, Mr. Tripp was on detached duty, and was mustered out at Bur- lington, Vermont, July 25, 1865. He then went back to New Bedford, and engaged again in the butchering business. In 1868 he re- moved his family to California via Panamna, on tlie steamers Star of the West and Montana. He came to Stockton and obtained employment at his trade. In December, 1881, he engaged in business for himself on the corner of Market and California streets, opposite his present lo- cation. He erected his present building, and moved into it, in 1884. He has built up a large trade, and won a reputation for fair, honest and considerate treatment of his patrons.
Mr. Tripp was married at New Bedford, Massachusetts, August 14, 1856, to Miss Sarah A. Allen, a native of that city. They have two children, viz .: Annie, wife of George Ray; Susie, widow of John M. Brown of Oakland.
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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY.
Mr. Tripp was one of the early members of Rawlins Post, G. A. R., and served the last term as Senior Vice Commander. He was chosen a delegate to the San Jose encampment, at the election held December 4, 1889. He has also held other positions in the Post, and it can be said to his credit he has never missed but one meeting and one burial, and never missed a parade. Politically he is a Republican.
H. IRVINE, a farmer of Elliott Town- ship, was born in San Andreas, Cala- veras County, California, March 16, 1859, a son of William and Jane Irvine, the former being a native of Ireland and the latter of New York. William Irvine came to Cali- fornia in 1850. settling on Mokelumne Hill where he remained some years, then moved to Carson Hill, where he now resides. The subject was born and raised on a stock ranchi and fol- lowed that business until 1886, when he came to this county and bought a ranch of 266 acres of bottom land, situated on the Mokelumne river between Lockeford and Clements. He is an extensive stock-raiser as well as a general farmer. He enjoys great prosperity.
He was married January 24, 1889, to Miss Martha Harleson, a native of Wisconsin.
EREMIAH KENEFICK, a farmer of Lib- erty Township, was born March 13, 1831, in the southern part of Ireland, a son of John and Anna (Mahony) Kenefick, who emi- grated to New York in 1848, settling in Clinton County, New York, where they remained until their death. In 1856 the subject of this sketch sailed from New York for San Francisco. He went to work for a man named Ferguson eight miles east of Stockton, remained with him one month, then went to a place called the I ranch, near Ione, in Amador County, where he was employed by Greene & Logan in hauling hay
for the stage teams for one week, then came to Dry Creek, where he was engaged in ranching for two years by Mr. Masterson. Then he bought a team of horses and went freighting from Stockton to different points until the fall of 1861, when he bought his ranch in Liberty Township, situated on the Galt and Elliott road, about five miles from Galt. His ranch contains 375 acres of fine grain land; he also owns 480 acres of fine improved land in Sacra- mento County.
He was married to Miss Rosa Dorsey, a na- tive of Ireland, on the 1st of November, 1863. Their family consists of five children, namely: Annie E., the wife of Charles Connelly; John T., Edmund H., Rosa M., Ida M.
ENRY FRANKLIN PETERS was born in Maine, April 19, 1830, a son of Lemuel and Betsy (Wood) Peters. The parents were married in 1813, and had nine sons and three daughters, of whom all but three of the sons are living. The father died in 1870, aged eighty-two, and the mother followed in 1871, aged about seventy-six. Grandfather John Peters, one of the first settlers at Blue Hill, Maine, a native of Massachusetts, was a surveyor and farmer, familiarly called " Old Squire Pe- ters." He lived to be over eighty. He was the son of John Peters, a resident of Andover, Mas- sachusetts, and of the same family as the historic Hugh Peters of Connecticut, believed to be among the first families that moved to New England. Grandmother Mary (Dyer) Peters was also quite old at her death. Grandfather Joseph Wood was all of eighty when he died, and great-grandfather Wood, also namned Joseph, was the actual first settler at Blue Hill, Maine, coming from Beverly, Massachusetts. He lived to be over ninety.
H. F. Peters, the subject of this sketch, was married May 15, 1859, to Miss Sarah Peters Wood, born April 17, 1836, daughter of John- son and Hannah (Peters) Wood, the parents of
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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY.
six boys and three girls, of whom five and two respectively are living in 1889. Mr. and Mrs. Peters left New York for California by the Panama route, five days after their marriage, arriving in San Francisco June 14. . They pro- ceeded two days later to Columbia, where Mr. Peters engaged in mining, and worked in that line for ten years, net result, briefly stated,-a living. In 1868 he came down to the plains and settled on ninety-six acres of his present ranch, now embracing 264 acres, and has been farming ever since, his chief marketable product being wlieat, average yield being about eightcen bushels to the acre.
Mr. and Mrs. Peters are the parents of two children, viz .: Clarence Henry, born September 4, 1860, and married April 4, 1883, to Miss Grace Mckenzie, born in this State November 1, 1863, by whom he has one child,-Arthur Clarence, born May 9, 1885. The father was educated in the high and normal schools at San Jose, where his mother resided from 1876 to 1882, mainly for his better education. He is engaged in clerking and farming.
The other child of Mr. and Mrs. Peters is Miss Lizzie Augusta, born November 30, 1869, who finished her education in Stockton high school, from which she was graduated in June, 1888.
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ARREN ONLY ROBISON, a rancher of Douglass Township, residing in Stockton, was born in Genesee County, New York, November 14, 1822, a son of Joseph and Abigail (Strong) Robison. The father, born in East Albany, New York, became a farmer, and in 1836 moved to Pennsylvania, settling in Crawford County, where he died in 1875, aged about seventy-nine. The mother survived him one year, dying in the same place at the age of seventy-three. Grandfather Robison, a native of Ireland, was a soldier of the Revolution, and settled as a farmer near East Albany, New York, where he dicd about 1848, aged about ninety. His wife was of Scotch birth, and also
lived to an advanced age. Of thic grandparents Strong, one was English and the other French. They kept a hotel for many years in Auburn, New York, and also owned a farm near that city. They retired from the hotel business with advancing years and lived to old age.
W. O. Robison learned farming quite early in life. In 1844 he began to work on his own account, at five dollars a month, and in 1849 he rented a farm in Pennsylvania, which he kept one year, when he moved to Iowa and worked in the lead mines near Dubuque, where he stayed until the spring of 1851. He then moved to Minnesota and worked three months in a saw- mill in Stillwater, after which lie made two rafting trips to St. Louis, and returned to the Dubuque inines, where he worked through the winter of 1851-'52. In the spring of 1852 he joined " The Dubuque Train," of about 100 men, with sixty wagons, who crossed the Mis- souri river about the 8th of May on their way to California and arrived in Volcano, August 24, 1852 .. There Mr. Robison spent a few weeks engaged chiefly in prospecting, when he came to Mokeluinne Hill, where he mined during that winter. He worked a few months for the ditch company, on flumes and aqueducts, on wages, and then went to making shingles on his own account, earning about twelve dollars a day in that industry. He then moved to Campo Seco and took up some mining claims, but water not being yet available from the ditch com- pany, he built a house there, at a cost of $1,000, and rented it for fifty dollars a month. He then took a prospecting trip to the Gosunences, and returning found the village of Campo Seco burnt down, and his house with twenty-five others destroyed. He then went to work on his claim, hiring water from the Mokelumne Hill Ditch Company, and spent the winter of 1853 -'54 engaged in mining. In the spring of 1854 he came to French Camp, where he bought ten cows for about $1,200. These he drove to a mountain range near Mokelumne Hill and es- tablished a dairy, which business he sold in 1857, meanwhile working his inining claim. In
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May, 1858, he bought a half interest in 680 acres on the Sonora road, about eleven miles east of Stockton, and engaged in farming, rais- ing chiefly grain. In the fall of 1860 he bought his partner's interest, and still holds the ranch. In 1870 he made a three months' visit in the East. In 187I he bought 320 acres of farming land a lialf mile east of the liome ranch, which in 1877 he sold at $50 an acre. In 1876 he again visited the East, this time attending the great Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia two weeks, and spending three weeks in New York City.
In 1872 he erected a house on his home ranch, which cost nearly $5,000, and other ont- buildings, which cost $4,000. In 1877 he pur- chased 725 acres west of Oakdale, San Joaquin County, and in five years sold it for $9,000. In 1879 he bought 2,400 acres of land in Stanis- laus County five miles north of Oakdale, of which he cultivates 1,800 acres and devotes the rest to pasture. During the year 1880 he pur- chased 2,600 acres two miles south of Living- ston, Merced County, all under cultivation. Also this year he bought a city residence on the corner of California street and Mormon avenue. The house lot is 100 feet square, and in the rear he owns another lot for barn and outbuildings, all costing about $8,000.
Mr. Robison was married in Stockton in No- vember, 1858, to Miss Mary Flattery, born in Ireland in 1834, a daughter of John and Mary (McHugh) Flattery. The father died in Canada in 1839, comparatively young, and the mother is living in Ireland in 1890, aged ninety- six. Mrs. Robison visited her in 1887. Mr. and Mrs. Robison have tive children and lost as many, their third child George being aged twenty at his death. The living children are as follows: John Only, born August 1, 1867, received a good education including a business course, and is engaged in farmning 1,800 acres of his father's land in Stanislaus County; Margaret Theresa, born April 9, 1869; Marie Abigail, May 9, 1871; Catherine Agnes, October 16, 1875; Anna Eva, June 16, 1877. The family
took up their residence in this city in 1880, chiefly for the education of their children. Margaret T. spent two years in St Agnes Acad- emy, Stockton, and four years in Notre Dame College in San Jose; Marie A. took a course in the last named institution, beginning in 1883, and has been followed by her sister, the young- est. entering that institution in 1889. All have learned music and each has evinced special tal- ent in some line; Marie has shown marked ability as a painter, and Margaret as an artist in embroidery.
EORGE ELTON WATERMAN, a rancher of Douglass Township, but residing across the line in Stanislaus County, where lie also owns land, was born in Plymouthi County, Massachusetts, in 1856, a son of George Henry and Mehitable (Bailey) Waterman. The father, a millwright and carpenter, was accidentally killed while at work in Iowa, in 1858, at the age of twenty-seven. The mother, born in 1833, by her second marriage Mrs. Robert Thomas, is still living in Middleboro, Massachusetts. George H. Waterman was the son of George and Experience Curtis (Thompson) Waterman. The grandfather, a direct descendant of the first Waterman, who arrived in New England from the mother country before the close of the seventeenth century, lived to be seventy-eight, and his wife also reached old age. Her mother, before marriage Alice Curtis, lived to be over eighty. Grandmother Bailey was a Miss Sallie Stetson before marriage.
George Elton Waterman, the subject of this sketch. received a common-school education, and learned the trade of a stationary engineer at Middleboro, Massachusetts. He came to Cali. fornia in 1875, leaving home August 30, and arriving in San Francisco September 25. He came immediately to Stockton and went to work in the lumber yard of Simpson & Gray, remain- ing until February 1, 1876, when he came out to Stanislaus County to herd sheep for H. Mc-
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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY.
Farlin, but returned to the lumber yards after two months. He remained until July, when he resumed the care of McFarlin's herds until Sep- tember. In September, 1876, Mr. Waterman reuted 100 acres aud took up the industry of poultry raising with 1,000 hens and fifty tur- keys, investing $800. He took a partner in 1877, who invested $600, but they lost both investments in the unprofitable venture. In 1877-'78 he sowed nineteen acres to wheat and raised 400 bushels, which was his first venture in farming. In 1879 he raised 1,000 bushels, rented 480 acres, and raised 3,500 bushels in 1880. In 1884 he raised 6,500 bushels. That year he bought the ranch where he now resides. He also rents 640 acres, and raised 8,000 bushels of wheat and 1,000 of barley in 1889. He raised cattle for the market until the spring of 1889, when he cleared out that industry by the sale of forty head. He has about twenty-five head of horses aud raises a few colts for the market an- nually. He also runs a combined harvester, and cut over 2,400 acres of grain in 1889.
Mr. Waterman was married in February, 1878, to Miss Nellie F. Gruwell, born in Lake County, California June 9, 1860, a daughter of J. D. and Eva (Fine) Gruwell (see sketch of Mr. Gruwell). Mr. and Mrs. Waterman are the parents of two children,-Daisy Virginia, born October 7, 1880, and George Elmer, born August 20, 1882.
M. BIGGER, of the Oakland Ranch Dairy, and proprietor of Stockton Cheese Fac- tory, has been carrying on the dairy busi- ness in this county since 1867. The Oakland ranch is on Rough and Ready Island, five miles below Stockton, and the factory is in Stockton. The property has been for many years devoted to dairy purposes, having been first put to that use by S. C. Bigelow, of San Francisco. That gentleman operated the dairy until 1887, when he leased it to J. M. Bigger for a term of years. There are 580 acres on the ranchi, and all of this
land is used by Mr. Bigger, except thirty acres devoted to vegetables. He has about 300 cows, which are principally Holstein and Durham grades, and he has thoroughbred Holstein and Durham bulls. In 1888 he built and estab- lished the first and only cheese factory in San Joaquin County, and manufactures cheese especially for the Stockton market. He manu- factures about 60,000 pounds annually, of the California and Young American shapes. Owing to his extensive knowledge of the business, he has been able to make this pioneer enterprise a success, something that would have been im- possible here without thorough practical ex- perience. His entire business is thoroughly systematized, and only the most approved methods and appliances are used in all depart- ments. At the ranch he lias a system of ditelies throughout its length and breadth, and the water is never so low but that it can be run on the land when the tide is iu. It is conveyed right to the cows by this method. Some alfalfa is raised, and this with cultivated grasses and wheat, hay and mill feed, such as bran, etc., is fed to the cows. A steam launch, owned by the dairy, makes regular trips between the ranch and the cheese factory in Stockton, conveying milk into the city, and whatever else is required in either direction. All the products of the dairy and factory find a ready market, and Mr. Bigger has built up a very extensive business in all lines He has practically all the cream trade of the city, and supplies over 500 families and most of the hotels with milk, while the business is constantly increasing.
Mr. Bigger, the proprietor, has been practi- cally reared to his present business. He was born in Canada, February 27, 1845, his parents being James S. and Amelia (Kenny) Bigger. He was reared on a farm in his native country, and when a young man went to New York State, and from there to Crawford County, Pennsyl- vania, where he started in the dairy business, twelve miles from Meadville. At that time there were five or six cheese factories in that community. He helped organize a country
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dairyinen's association, and afterward took an active part in the forming of the State Dairy- men's Association of Pennsylvania, being chosen as corresponding secretary of both. He was considered an expert on the quality of cheese, and had charge of the State exhibit at the Cen- tennial Exposition.
In 1884 Mr. Bigger came to California, and made cheese at Davison's celebrated factory in the Santa Clara valley, the most successful in California. His wife was formerly Miss Eliza- beth Farrington, a native of Herkimer County, New York, and daughter of the late Harvey Farrington. Her father afterward removed to Canada and built the first cheese factory, where he was heavily engaged in the manufacture of cheese until his death. He was an authority on matters pertaining to the business, and was president of the Canadian Dairymen's Associa- tion. He was the particular friend of L. B. Arnold, late of Rochester, New York, and was his tutor, and to the interest taken in him by Mr. Farrington, Mr. Arnold largely attributed his success in life.
Mr. Bigger is a trustee of Upchurch Lodge, A. O. U. W., and is a director of the San Joa- qnin Valley Building and Loan Association.
RMAND ROLLAND, one of the pioneers, is a native of Canada, born at Berthier, thirty miles from Montreal, November 22, 1826, his parents being George Rolland de Darminault, a native of Bordeaux, France, and Lady Genevieve Deligny, daughter of Lord Deligny, a native of Canada. His father studied for the priesthood in his native country, and to- gether with other collegians was compelled to emigrate to Canada in the revolution of 1789. He then studied law, was appointed notary public, and subsequently became judge, and court commissioner up to his death in 1857, aged eighty-seven years.
A. Rolland was reared and educated at his native place, and is the youngest of a family of
twelve children. In 1843, when seventeen years old, he removed to New York and entered the employ of Lord & Taylor, with whom he remained two years. Ile next went to Chicago to work for a large firm, and was with them until their failure, when he went back to New York, and for the next three years clerked for A. T. Stewart. In January, 1848, he left New York, and going to New Orleans, transferred his service to the large dry-goods honse of Michael Kernan, on Chartres street, where he had charge of the silk department. He got the California fever, like so many others, and on the 18th of May, 1849, sailed on the brig Thomas P. Hart, on the long jonrney to the Golden State, via Cape Horn. They lay in the port of Rio de Janeiro twelve days for repairs, and also stopped three days at the island of Juan Fernandez. These were the only ports they made until reaching San Francisco, when they landed at 7 A. M., on the 10th of Decem- ber, 1849, after a fine voyage. There were, of course, inconveniences on the voyage, and they were on an allowance of water for three or four weeks. Sugar also ran out, and those who wanted their coffee sweetened had to use mo- lasses. There were fifteen passengers, Mr. Rol- land and six others occupying the first cabiu. He remained in San Francisco until March, 1850, buying and selling merchandise for Charles Bertrand, on Clay street, between Kearny and Montgomery. During the time he was with Bertrand, however, Mr. Rolland maintained an interest in a little store estab- lished by himself and four others (three men and the wife of one of them), to dispose of their surplus goods. When Mr. Rolland left San Francisco he was accompanied by lis partners. They came to Stockton, arriving March 20, 1850, and proceeded on to Angel's Camp, being transported there with their supplies by the noted Comstock team, the trip requiring ten days. They attempted mining, but as two of the men were dry-goods men, and the other two druggists, and all unused to hard manual labor, they were unsuccessful, and so disbanded.
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Mr. Rolland went to Murphy's and started a little store there in April, 1850. In October he sold out, as the place was deserted, and he did not wish to follow the inen from camp to camp. He then went to Sacramento and bought out the Café de Paris, on Second street, between I and J. He kept a table de hote, and at his place Captain Sutter and the nabobs of the Capital were constant patrons, the charges being $21 per week for two mcals a day, and 50 cents each extra for eggs. The great fire of 1852 cleaned out his establishment with the greater part of the town, and he removed to Stockton and opened a musical hall on the southeast corner of Center and Main streets. He bought out the refreshment hall of Captain Conner, on the levee, and conducted it until the spring of 1853. He then sold out, bought of Captain John Dent the Knight's Ferry Hotel for $12,000, and after two years sold out and returned to Stockton, and started in the cloth- ing, dry-goods and furnishing-goods business with P. McCahill. In 1862, after the big flood, he closed ont his business interests here and took a trip to Europe. He was absent about a ycar and a half, and during the time visited the World's Fair at London, traveled through France, Italy, Algiers in Africa, Belgium, etc. He returned to Stockton in the fall of 1863, and bought out A. Skogh, dry goods, etc., and carried on that business until 1870. He then closed out the business, and being offered a lucrative position in San Francisco, went down to the depot for the purpose of taking the train for that city. While there he entered into con- versation with H. Bloss, who was then proprie- tor of the Railroad Restaurant, which resulted in Mr. Rolland buying the establishment for $3,500. The price was based upon the com- .pany retaining Stockton as the place where trains would stop for meals, but this was, in May, 1871, discontinued. Mr. Rolland has, however, conducted business at the depot ever since.
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