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 47
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On the first of September, 1849, the brigan- tine entered the Golden Gate, cast anchor in the harbor, and the passengers were soon ashore. Three or four days later Mr. Rhodes, in company with William and Samson Gray, took passage on a sloop for Stockton. Arriving here, they took passage by ox team for Jacksonville, Tuol- umne County. Having reached the mines, and being encamped on the Tuolumne river, Mr. Rhodes tried his luck at mining on the morning of September 11. Procuring a pan of dirt from what he thought a favorable spot, he shook and washed it long and carefully finding at last the shining particles alone in the bottom. He thought he had at least two dollars' worth, but upon having it weighed at a store near by was surprised to learn it was worth only three bits. Nothing daunted, he procured a rocker at the cost of thirty-two dollars, and went to work in earnest, and with good results. He continued mining with various fortune in different locali- ties until January, 1850, when in company with B. F. Moore he went to Columbia and built the
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first cabin in the place. In 1851 he left there, and going to Old River settled on Union Island, where after one season of experienec in the busi- ness of laying he turned his knowledge of fire- arıns to account by hunting elk and fowl for the San Francisco and Stockton markets. While thus engaged he had his first and last experience in bear hunting. He had long been anxious to distinguish himself by killing a grizzly, and in the fall of 1851 the opportunity presented it- self rather unexpectedly. Having killed an elk one afternoon, he and his partner were returning to their camp on Union Island with a piece of the meat, when their attention was called to their dog, which came rushing past them his hair turned the wrong way. On facing about Mr. Rhodes beheld two monster grizzlies, one stand- ing erect on its hind legs, the other making di- rectly for him. Instantly he raised his rifle to his shoulder, and when the bear was within about twenty feet of him, fired. The bear fell over, but being only wounded gathered himself together, returned where his companion was, and at once renewed the attack. Mr. Rhodes started away, but was overtaken by the bear. Bringing his re- volver into play, he managed to extricate himself from his perilons position and was satisfied to leave the grizzlies to their own sweet will thereafter.
After a trip to San Francisco and a visit to Vallejo, where the Legislature was then in ses- sion, he proceeded up the San Joaquin on Cap- tain Halley's little steamer, the only craft then navigating that stream, and embarked in a wood-chopping enterprise, which proved a dis- astrous failure. He returned to Stockton with a capital of only $10, and no prospects. He was solicited by a friend to run for the office of con- stable, but, not having resided in the city thirty days he a: first demnrred. He finally yielded to importunities, however, and invested his en- tire capital in cards announcing his candidacy. Through strennous exertions he was elected over strong opposition. Ile filled the office one term, and by economy and strict application to business aceminulated some money. In 1854 he
was appointed a notary public by Governor Bigler, and opened an office in the old Geddes building, corner of Center and Main streets. Here he did a general conveyancing business, together with collecting and lending money. He prospered, and on the 15th of March, 1855, he was married to Miss Annie Mc Vicker, a na- tive of Natchez, Mississippi. In 1857, acting under the advice of his physician, he moved to the mountains, settling at Murphy's Camp, in Calaveras County. Here he engaged in mining operations, which he followed with fair success until 1864, when he ceased all work in mining and opened an office for the purpose of buying and selling mining stock. Soon afterward he was appointed agent of the Western Union Telegraph Company. In 1869 he was acting secretary of the Union Water Company, and was also agent of Wells-Fargo Company at Mur- phy's, all of which positions he held until 1871, when the Board of Directors of the Water Com- pany was ousted by a decree of the District Court, and it became necessary for him to va- cate his office as secretary of the Water Com- pany. He then engaged in merchandising, but as the business was too confining, he sold out, and October 1, 1872, returned to Stockton and engaged in real estate, insurance and loaning money. In 1880 ill-health compelled a rest, and, leaving his business in the care of his eld- est son, he went on a tour of the country, visit- ing twenty-one States and Territories in two and a-half months. He called on relatives in Ar- kansas and Mississippi, and extended his trip to the principal Eastern cities, returning in good health. He soon afterward commenced the erection of his fine residence on the corner of Sonora and Sutter streets. In 1885 he pur- chased a half interest in the Stockton street railroad, and immediately commenced extending the tracks to different parts of the city, build- ing lines to the fair grounds, to Goodwater Grove and to Rural Cemetery. In 1887 poor healthı compelled him to sell ont this interest and cease business for a time. In the fall of the same year, however, he again embarked in
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the real-estate business in company with his second son, A. McV. Rhodes.
Mr. Rhodes is one of the most highly re- spected citizens of Stockton, and has always taken an active interest in her material advance- inent. He is a member of the San Joaquin Society of California Pioneers, in which he has held the office of secretary. Mr. and Mrs. Rhodes have five children living, viz .: Alonzo Willard, a resident of Los Angeles; Mary Authelia, Aurelius Mc Vicker, Allen Lee, wlio is studying law at Ann Arbor (Michigan) Uni- versity; and Walton Todd.
LFRED L. EDDY was born in Taunton, Massachusetts, September 20, 1823, his parents being A. L. and Charity (Fields) Eddy, both natives of Massachusetts. The father was a chemist and foreman in a calico. printing manufactory started in Taunton, by the firm of Crocker & Richmond. He was born, raised and died in Tannton, his death oc- curring in 1854, at seventy years of age. Alfred Eddy, the subject of this sketch, when eighteen years of age, went to New York city into a large omnibus stable, under the veterinary sur- geon, a graduate from a government school of Alfort, France. Alfred went there as a student and assistant, remaining about two years. Then he spent considerable time traveling through the southern cities. Returning to New York, he engaged at a foundry, where his brother was foroman, remained but a short time, and then went back to the stable as first assistant. After a short time he went to New Orleans, where, in January, 1849, lie saw the first steamer, tlie Falcon, leave for Chagres, on the Isthmus, with a load of passengers for California. He re- turned again to New York. June 1, 1849, lie and his brother purchased tickets for Chagres, on the Crescent City, and arrived in nine days. From Panama they came on the bark Tasso, Captain Lindsay, arriving at San Francisco during the latter part of September. They
came on to Stockton, then went to Winter's Bar, where they mined until the rain set in, when they went with a stranger to new dig- gings, but found that they were not good; moved again, and this time struck a rich field, remaining seren months and averaging $50 a day. At the end of the seven months they came to Stockton, and sold their gold. Then they returned and remained at the diggings nn- til the fall of 1850, when they purchased an in- terest in a feed stable at Stockton, and ran the same until 1851. Then went into the cattle business with Joseph Leonard, locating where Leonard's ranch now is. There they remained five years. By a dishonest partner he lost his property. That same year he sold lis claim, and in 1857 located his present property, 160 acres, on which he has resided ever since. Mr. Eddy is a fancier of fine horses.
He was married in May, 1857, to Miss Eme- line Harp, a native of Tennessee. They have four children, viz .: Elizabeth, deceased; Walter and John, living, and Thomas, deceased.
AMES TALLMAGE was born April 8, 1822, in Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York State, his parents being Josialı and Char- lotte (Beckwith) Tallmage. Josiah Tallmage was in the lumber business, also made potash and farmed as well. He moved with his family to Huron County, Ohio, thence to Illinois. He died while on a visit to his daughter in Wisconsin. He was twice married; by the first marriage he had four children and by the second nine-two boys and seven girls. As a boy, James, the subject of this sketch, was employed at almost everything. He learned the inason's trade and has followed it more than forty years; he is also a practical brick-maker. He came to California in 1849 as captain of an ox train, and by hard work and economy has since ac- quired about 620 acres, a large portion of which he improved himself. His first winter in Cali- fornia he spent in Weaverville, and in the spring
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of 1850 he went to mining, which he followed till the fall of that year, when he came and located his present property, which is in Elkhorn Township. It is devoted principally to raising hay, grain and stock. He has seen his share of pioneer life in California and has led a very active life. In 1879 he met with a very severe accident, having been thrown from a wagon, from which he has not yet fully recovered.
He was married in 1849 to Miss Mary Smith, a native of Wisconsin. They have seven child- ren, four boys and three girls: Henry, Walter, Charles, Frank, Ida, wife of John Fugit; Olive, wife of Thomas Dean; and Ada, wife of Arthur Huppman.
ETH WILBUR POTTER, a rancher of Dent Township, was born in Grant County, Wisconsin, June 30, 1854, a son of George and Minerva (Steele) Potter. The father, born near Waterbury, Connecticut, October 27, 1814, moved first to Adams County, Illinois, where he was married to Minerva L. Steele in 1833. He there followed farming a number of years; thence removed to Grant County, Wisconsin. He afterward returned to Illinois, and again to Wisconsin in March, 1866; thence to Kansas in 1884, where he still resides, in 1889. The mother was born near Geneva, Ohio, February 22, 1820, and died near La Prairie, Adams County, Illinois, December 13, 1865, being the mother of seven children, of whom three are living in 1889, viz .: Minerva Jane, residing in Grant County, Wisconsin; Sarah Elizabeth, of Cleveland, Ohio (both unmarried), and the sub- ject of this sketch.
Grandfather Enos Potter was a fariner in Connecticut, and there died at an advanced age, his wife also being quite old at the time of her deathı.
S. W. Potter, the subject of this sketch, worked on a farm from his youth up. He came to California in 1874, arriving in Stockton May 24, and worked in the harvest field that season.
September 30, 1874, he went to work in a black- smith's shop at Atlanta, and continued to work in that line about three years. He was married in Stockton, December 27, 1877, by Rev. Mar- tin E. Post, to Miss Mary Alice Kiel, who was born in Wisconsin, December 27, 1860, a daugh- ter of Charles Barber and Ann Eliza (Beckwith) Kiel. The father enlisted in Company E, Twenty-fifth Regiment Wisconsin Volunteers, at Platteville, Grant County, August 11, 1862, where he was taken sick, furloughed home, and died February 4, 1864. The mother, who was a native of Erie County, Pennsylvania, canre to California with her four children in 1867, where she died January 7, 1888, aged fifty-one. Grand- father Stephen Beckwith, a native of New York State, lived to be seventy-eight, and his wife, by birth a Winston, was sixty-two at her death.
Grandfather John Kiel was killed by the In- dians in crossing the plains in 1850. Grand- inother Kiel, who had borne twelve children, had remained in Wisconsin until the husband and father should have tried his fortunes in the land which he never reached. She died in that State in 1858, aged somewhat over fifty.
Mr. Potter owns 320 acres of land, which lie bought September 27, 1879, and where he now resides. It is situated one mile and a half southwest of Atlanta. It is fairly good wheat land, and is devoted chiefly to the raising of that reliable product. Mr. and Mrs. Potter are the parents of six living children, viz. : Mary Corunna, born December 28, 1878; Charles Wilbur, April 11, 1881; George Leroy, Febru- ary 14, 1883; Clara Eola, January 12, 1885; Minerva Ann, April 17, 1887, and Hattie Eliza- beth, August 5, 1889.
ARREN BENJAMIN ELLENWOOD, a rancher of Dent Township, was born in Clinton County, New York, June 1, 1842, a son of Benjamin and Pamelia (Ferris) Ellenwood, both living in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in 1889. The father, born in Nova Scotia in
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1814, came to the United States with his widowed mother in his youth. The mother is a native of Essex or Clinton Connty, New York; her father, William Ferris, also a native of that State, was over ninety when he died in 1882. His wife, also a native of New York, was abont eighty at her death. Grandfather Ellenwood was a ship-owner of Halifax, who was murdered and robbed, and his murderer executed about 1820.
The parents of W. B. Ellenwood moved to Wisconsin in 1857, where he was educated in the district schools and worked on his father's farm. He enlisted in the Tenth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, August 14, 1861, and was discharged March 1, 1865. He was taken prisoner at Chickamauga, September 21, 1863, and experienced the discomforts of more than one rebel prison. He escaped once and was within a mile and a half of Sherman's lines at the time of his raid of Atlanta, but was re- taken and returned to prison. He had reached the grade of Second Lieutenant before his capture. His brother Sidney was also taken prisoner, and died at Andersonville.
On being discharged, Mr. Ellenwood returned to farming, and before the close of 1865 bought 240 acres in Minnesota. He raised but one crop there, and returned to Wisconsin in 1866. In September, 1867, he was married in New York State, to Miss Matilda Miller, born in Steuben County, New York, February 4, 1839, a danghter of Daniel and Emma (Corbett) Mil- ler, both natives of that State, dying there when over seventy years of age. Mr. Ellenwood re- turned to Wisconsin with his wife, and went to lumbering. In 1869 he sold lıis farm in Min- nesota and set out for California by the Panamna route, arriving in San Francisco May 30, same year, and proceeding to Stockton the next day. He engaged in farming, working for wages in Castoria Township for more than a year, and then rented a small place on the Calaveras, near Waterloo, for one year, and in 1871 rented 1,800 acres on shares, which he hield three years. In 1874 he bought 320 acres, which
ranch he still ocenpies, situated abont a mile west of Atlanta. He raises wheat principally, but also breeds Percheron horses, owning an imported stallion and mare of that serviceable breed. For some years he owned and worked a threshing-machine, but that was superseded by the combined harvester, and he has confined his attention to wheat-growing and raising horses, of which he usually keeps from twenty-four to thirty. Mr. Ellenwood has been a school trustee, and clerk of the board for some years.
Mr. and Mrs. Ellenwood have four living children, and have lost two in childhood. The living are: Luella Emma, born June 16, 1871; Jay Warren, born August 27, 1873 (both of whom are following a course of study in the University of the Pacific); Dolly Elma, born January 4, 1875, and Charles, born Angust 22, 1876, both attending the local school near Atlanta.
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JOHN W. THOMPSON, a farmer of Cas- toria Township, was born iu New Haven, Connecticut, May 16, 1837. During the early part of his life he followed the sea, but, in 1856, decided to come to California. He came by way of the Isthmus; in crossing the Isth- mus by rail the train met with a terrible acci- dent. Thirteen cars were thrown into a heap, and 150 persons were killed and many more wounded. Mr. Thompson was one of the fortn- nate few who escaped without injury; he as- sisted in bearing the dead and wounded from the wreck and in clearing the track. On the 23d of May, 1856, he reached San Francisco, where he witnessed the hanging of two men, Casey aud Kohler. He stopped in San Fran- cisco but a short time. and then went to Sacra- mento, where he was engaged in salmon fishing on the Sacramento river for twelve years. He then went to Montana, and was ab- sent two years, but returned to fishing again, which occupation he followed for one year more, but his health failing him he had to give it up.
W.B. Johnson
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He went into the grocery business and followed it two years. At the end of that time, in 1886, he bought a ranch of 320 acres, situated be- tween French Camp and Lathrop. During the time that he has been engaged in ranching he has accumulated considerable property, being one of our energetic and industrious farmers, and is now in possession of 722 acres of fine land, with all the latest improvements.
He was married to Miss Addie L. Clapp on the 2d of January, 1881.
P. SCHMIDT, a blacksmith of Tracy, was born in Germany in 1858. He came to America in 1873, landing in San Francisco. He worked for wages for eight years, then opened a shop of his own, five miles from Stockton, on the lower Sacramento road; finding that it was not a profitable investment, he went to Tracy and started in business there. Since that time he lias built a fine little home, also owns the shop in which he carries on his business. He is an industrious, hard-working man, and well deserves his reward. Mr. Schinidt is a member of the I. O. O. F.
B. JOHNSON .- Among the pioneers of California who have reached promi- nence and affluence in this State since the days of " '49," is the gentleman whose name heads this sketch, one of the most substantial citizens of San Joaquin County. He was born in Lincoln County, Kentucky, on the 25th of February, 1812, his parents being William and Mary Johnson, the former a native of Virginia, and probably of English ancestry. Both par- ents afterward died in Kentucky.
In 1830, the subject of this sketch left home, and went to Louisiana, having hired ont to drive horses for a Dr. Scott. In the spring of 1831 he went to Missouri, locating at Booneville, Cooper County. Six years later he moved to 21
Howard County, in the same State. There he was engaged in agricultural work until 1849, when he decided to join the tide of emigration then setting for California. He started from Booneville in August, went to Santa Fe by wagon, and from there packed through to the coast. His route took him through to Tucson, Arizona, where there was at that time but one house. The winter came on early and wet, and while yet in the South, some parties tried to buy their mules, telling them they could not get through to their destination with them. They lield on to their mules, however, and pro- ceeded on their journey north. They passed through Los Angeles, and thence proceeded to the Mariposa mines. After about three weeks there, Mr. Johnson went to Washington Flats, on the Merced river, where he mined for ten months. Having got ahead about $1,200 he went back East via Nicaragua, to buy cattle. He remained in the East about a year, and, in company with two others, picked up a drove of 500 head of cattle, and drove them across the plains, bringing them to San Joaquin County, and selling them in this valley. Afterward Mr. Johnson aud Major Bradley had their cattle together, and they lost a lot of them that win- ter. In the spring of 1852 they went back East, and brought out another drove of cattle. Mr. Johnson also drove up bands of cattle from Los Angeles, and made a success in that business, in which he has been more or less engaged ever since. He bought a tract of land consisting of between 600 and 700 acres, where he now lives, in 1862, and he lias since added to it until he now has 1,440 acres in that tract, located along the river. Above there, he has another ranchi of 1,280 acres. In 1889 he sold a tract of land on Union Island, consisting of 317 acres. He has 3,500 acres of land in Fresno County, part of which is in cultivation, and the remainder utilized in grazing. When Mr. Johnson lo- cated at his present home, there was a house upon it, the frame of which came around Cape Horn. He added to it, and it is still a part of the house in which he lives.
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Mr. Johnson has been one of the most intel- ligent workers that have ever been identified with San Joaquin Connty. And while he has accumulated a fortune, it has been entirely due to his own efforts, and through straightforward and honorable methods. Besides the landed interests heretofore mentioned he has consider- able property, including some of the best located business blocks in the city of Stockton. He is also a stockholder in the San Joaquin Valley Bank.
Despite his pronounced success in life, Mr. Johnson is a modest, unassuming man, affable and genial, possessing strength without display.
SPER HANSEN DUE, a rancher of Dent Township, was born in Bornholm, Den- mark, October 30, 1834, a son of Esper and Ellen Margaret Due. The father, a farmer and blacksmith, died at the age of eighty-four, and the inother at eighty-two. The grand- parents on both sides were also long-lived. The subject of this sketch learned the trade of his father and worked with him and others as jour- meyman for four or five years. He emigrated to America in 1859, arriving in New York a few days before July 4, the celebration of which astonished him not a little. He then came to California, via Panama route, and on his arrival in San Francisco set out for Sonora, where lie worked at his trade about three months. He then tried mining that winter, with the result of losing all he had. He then settled on the Stanislaus at Burney's old ferry, about 1861, working at his trade for three years. He then sold out with the intention of going to Europe, but, coming to Stockton, was there married in September, 1864, to Miss Anna Gannon, a na- tive of Ireland, then at the age of twenty years, who had been a resident of the United States since nine years of age and of California since 1861. The father died in Ireland at the age of fifty-five. Mr. Due moved to Merced County, in 1864, and started a shop at Merced Falls,
where he remained until 1867, when he returned to this county and settled near Collegeville, where he bought 160 acres, which he farmed. He also conducted the Fifteen- Mile House and 480 acres, farming the 640 for about four years. In 1879 he sold out and moved to his present place, about a mile north of Atlanta, where he purchased 320 acres, increased in 1884 to 640 acres, chiefly devoted to wheat. He has a very good residence of ten rooms, a complete outfit of implements necessary to successful farming and a liberal supply of outbuildings, including a fine tank with excellent water.
Mr. and Mrs. Due have had nine children, of whom the first two died in infancy, and the fifth, Mary Francis, died in 1882, aged eleven. Six are living in 1889: Emma, born June 3, 1868, finislied lier education in the Sisters' Academy in San Jose, was married July 31, 1889, to Francis Alexander Mondon, born in this county in 1864, of French parents. Mr. and Mrs. Mondon went to Europe for a wedding tour, but will probably settle in this county on their re- turn. The other surviving children are: Georgie Ella, born Jannary 8, 1870; Thomas Esper, June 21, 1873; John Albert, May 9, 1877; Katie Frances, June 1, 1882; Helena Margue - rita, December 5, 1884.
ILLIAM SIMPSON CLENDINEN, deceased, was born in Randolph County, Illinois, June 16, 1813, son of James and Margaret (Hurd) Clendinen. The grandparents Clendinen were Scotch (?) and the grandparents Hurd were Irish Presbyterians. The latter set- tled in Tennessee.
William, the subject of this sketch, received a fair education for the times and was endowed with a special faculty in using the tools of most common trades. He was married in Illinois, November 22, 1832, to Miss Catharine Oliver, a native of Tennessee. He served in the Black Hawk war in Illinois; and afterward moved to Wisconsin, where he worked for some time
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in the lead mines, and where Mrs. Clendinen died April 20, 1841, leaving three children, of whom only one, Emeline, now Mrs. Jasper S. Hall of this county, survives; another, Calvin, died in this county in 1889, aged fifty-two, leav- ing one son, William, aged about thirty, who is a rancher in Shasta County. Mr. Clendinen was again married, in 1847, to Mrs. Charlotte (Allbee) Mann, born in Erie County, New York, in 1818, daughter of Jeheil and Irene (Palmer) Allbee. The father, a native of Washington County, New York, died there, a farmer, in 1844, aged fifty-two; the mother, a native of Vermont, moved from New York to Wisconsin in 1845, and lived to be over eighty-five, dying in 1876. Grandfather Benjamin Allbee was a New Englander by birth; he settled in Wash- ington Connty, New York, after his marriage to Miss Abigail Thompson, who was also a na- tive of New England. They afterward moved to Erie County, New York, where they own a large farm. Father and grandfather Allbee were in the war of 1812 and were in Buffalo, when that city was burnt by the British. Both died in Erie County, New York, having lived to be over eighty. Grandparents Jacob and Mercy (Phillips) Palmer, he a native of New Jersey and she of Vermont, also lived to be over eighty.
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