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 68
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F. D. Cobb, the subject of this sketch, was educated in the public schools and afterward
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for two years in Hillsdale College. At the age of nineteen he entered the bank of his grand- father, E. B. Dyckinan, and of his uncle, M. R. Cobb, in Schoolcraft, and after nine months be- came partner with his stepfather, Marshall IIale, in a general store, under the style of Hale & Cobb. About 1872 he bought ont Mr. Hale's interest and formed a partnership with W. B. Cobb, a son of J. T. Cobb. They were also interested with J. T. Cobb in the manufacture of barrel staves and headings, and producing ma- terial for over 2,000 barrels a day, the subject of this sketch giving his chief attention to running the store. The factory being destroyed by fire some three years later, Mr. F. D. Cobb received the store as his share in the ensning settlement of the combined interests. He then formed a partnership with a brother-in-law, O. H. Barn- hart, under the style of Barnhart & Cobb, car- rying on also a lumber-yard and a farm of 200 acres which they owned adjoining the town. Mr. Cobb was village treasurer one year, and then declined a second term. In 1877 he sold out his interests in Schoolcraft and caine to San Jose in this State, whither he had been preceded by his stepfather and mother with their six children in 1875. In 1879 he became a partner with Mr. Hale of that city under the style of O.
A. Hale & Co., and is now interested in the five stores known collectively as Hale's California stores, and locally as Hale Brothers & Co. in Sacramento and Petaluma; A. O. Hale & Co., in San Jose; and Hale & Co. in Salinas and Stockton. In 1883 Mr. Cobb became manager of the Sacramento House, and in 1885 of the business in this city, where he has since resided.
Mr. F. D Cobb was married in Schoolcraft, Michigan, April 26, 1870, to Miss Hattie Myers, born in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, March 4, 1851, a daughter of Henry B. and Helen (Randall) Myers. The mother died that year, but the father, born in 1810, is still living in Schoolcraft, in 1890. Mr. and Mrs. Cobb have two children: Boyd Samuel, born in Schoolcraft, December 8, 1871, and educated on this coast, spending two years in the University of the
Pacific, has shown special talent as an elocution- ist, but, seeming indifferent to a further prose- cution of a collegiate course, occupies himself in the store of Hale & Co. in this city. Their other child, Carrie P., was born in Sacramento, September 19, 1883.
Mr. Cobb is a member of San Joaquin Lodge, No. 19, F. & A. M.
C. CLOWES .- The Stockton Nursery conducted by this gentleman is located two and one-half iniles north of Stockton. It orginated in the nursery started by William B. West at Camp Seco, Calaveras County, in 1853, which was removed by him to San Joaquin County, in 1860. From that time until 1880, Mr. West carried on the business one mile south from the present location, and it was re- moved to the present site in the last named year. The ground at present occupied by the nursery was devoted to wheat growing in form- er years. The ranch formerly contained 4873 acres, but 100 acres have been sold off, and of the remainder seventy acres are devoted to the nursery.
F. B. Clowes carried on the business from 1880 until his death in 1885, and then E. C. Clowes took charge. There were then devoted to nursery stock abont thirty acres, to which the present proprietor has added forty more. Here are grown fruit and oranamental trees snitable to this climate, vines of all kinds, ornamental shrubbery, and in fact everything in the nursery line. Mr. Clowes ships stock all over the Pa- cific coast, and as far away as Florida. Since 1887 he has been shipping large quantities of trees and vines to Mexico. Every year lie adds to the stock, and now carries double that of any previous year. The success of the nursery has been phenomenal, as all old customers remain patrons, and assist in adding others to the list, while new territory is being all the time devel- oped. Strangers are often taken to Mr. Clowes' place, by those interested in San Joaquin Conn-
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ty, to show what this climate will do, and things are always in such shape as to make a favorable impression. The best principles known to the trade are applied in rooting, grafting and other departments of handling stock, and some mnetlı- ods which are original with Mr. Clowes and found to be superior to the ordinary custom, are in use here.
E. C. Clowes, with whose name this article commences, is a native of California, born in San Joaquin County, June 9, 1859, his parents being B. S. and M. L. (Cooper) Clowes, both of whom were natives of Hempstead, New York. The family came to California via Panama in 1852, locating in San Joaquin County. The father was in partnership with his brother-in-law, J. B. Cooper, until 1872, when the latter died, and was thereafter without a business associate until his own death, which occurred in 1879. His widow and two sons survive him. The sons now living are: Charles C. and E. C., the subject of this sketch. E. C. Clowes was educated in Stockton and at the State University, where he attended until 1882. He then left college to en- gage in the nursery with his brother, F. B., whose health was failing. Since the death of his brother he has been proprietor of the business. He was married, in Alameda County, to Miss L. B. Wheeler, a native of California, born in Stockton, a daughter of Roscoe Wheeler, who caine to this State in the spring of 1850.
Mr. Clowes is a member of Stockton Parlor, No. 7, N. S. G. W. He is a bright, liberal- minded business man, and has made a great success of the Stockton nursery, successfully competing, on merit, with the best establish- ments of the Pacific Coast.
OHN HEMPHILL, deceased, was born in Ohio, August 31, 1827, his parents being James and Sarah (Cochron) Hemphill, the former a native of Ireland and the latter a na- tive of Illinois. John grew to early manhood in Ohio. When he was twenty-one years of age
the family moved to Lim County, Iowa. When the war broke out John served a year in the Union army under Sherman. He was in the celebrated march to the sea, at which time he lost his health. He was mustered out of service at the close of the war and returned to Iowa. In 1866 he came to California for his health, and finding this climate a congenial one, in 1867 he brought his family here and located in San Joaquin County, about six miles from Lodi, where he bought a ranch of 160 acres. At the time of liis death he owned a section of land. He was a successful farmer, and carried on the business according to the latest improved meth- ods. His death occurred May 30, 1885. About a year prior to his death he had bought a place in Lodi, where he moved his family and where the widow is still residing. Mrs. Hemphill, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Thompson, is a native of Pennsylvania, where she was born September 29, 1820. Her marriage to Mr. Hemphill occurred in Iowa, March 5, 1852. The family consists of four children, namely: Edward H., O. J., Carrie J., wife of J. H. Wood, and Saralı M., all of whom are residing in this county.
RNST MAXIMILIAN LOUIS TSCHI- ERSCHKY, foreman of the Moore & Smith lumber-yard in Stockton, was born in Prussia, October 3, 1836, a son of Charles and E. H. Tschierschky. The mother died young and the father but a few years older, leaving two daughters, still living ir. Prussia in 1890, and the subject of this sketch. The grandparents Tschierschky outlived their son Charles and reached an advanced age.
E. M. L. Tschierschky attended school to the age of fourteen, served as clerk in a store two years and then went to sea, following a seafar- ing life until he was thirty-two. He made his first voyage to America, in 1857, on a vessel bound for New York from Marseilles. In 1863 he was employed on the steamner Delaware,
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chartered by the Government to carry supplies to varions points, with headquarters at Port Royal. In 1864 and in 1865 he was employed on the steamner Liberty engaged in the New York and Havana trade, filling the position of quartermaster. In 1868 Mr. Tschierschky came to California, by the Panama route, arriving in Stockton October 1, 1868. Early in 1869 he went to work for the late W. M. Bages iu his Inınber-yard, and before the close of that year began the construction of a home on Pilgrim street, which he has not ceased to improve from time to time ever since. In 1870 he went to work for his present employers, Moore & Smith, and was soon afterward promoted to the position of foreman of their lumber-yard, a position he still retains in 1890. He owns 480 acres in Dent and 240 in Elliott Township, both worked by renters
Mr. Tschierschky was married in New York city, in 1868, to Miss Meta Gesina Carolina Beneker, born in Lehe by Hanover, Germany, May 7, 1850, a daughter of H. W. Beneker. Mr. and Mrs. Tscheirschky are the parents of ten children, nine alive at present. The record is: William Theodore, born April 11, 1870; Laura Rebecca, December 3, 1871; Maria Car- olina, July 20, 1873; Louis Ernst Maximilian, July 21, 1875; Frederick Johan Heinrich, June 4, 1878; Wilhelmina Henrietta, May 31 1880; Meta Carolina, May 6, 1882; Maria Henrietta Augusta, February 26, 1884: Herbert Otto, February 18, 1886; Fredericka Carolina, Feb- ruary 9, 1888.
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HEODORE KUEPPERS, bookseller and stationer of Stockton, was born in Treves, (iu German " Trier") on the Moselle, in Prussia, October 13, 1853, a son of Herman Joseph and Katharine (Ruebhusen) Kueppers. The parents with their only child, the subject of this sketch, came to America in 1854, and set- tled for a time in Chicago, afterward residing in different sections of the Western States of the
Union -in La Crosse, Wisconsin, Sioux City, Iowa, and Atchison, Kansas. The father, a man of liberal education, was by profession a civil engineer and architect, and found profitable pro- fessional employment in the different cities in which he resided in the East as well as on this coast. The family came to California in 1875, remaining in San Diego until 1880, when they removed to San Jose and thence to this city in the same year. Here the father died, April 25, 1889, in his sixty seventh year. The mother, born about 1825, is still living in this city in 1890.
The subject of this sketch first engaged in active business ou his own account in 1875, in San Diego, California, forming the partnership of Schneider & Kueppers, booksellers, station- ers, etc., until the fall of 1879, when upon dis- solution of said partnership he came to Stockton about 1st of March, 1880, and lias been here engaged on the same line, and, with the exception of the first six months, at his present place of business, No. 179 Main street. Mr. Kneppers is a member of the Eintracht-Verein of this city.
OBERT L. GRAHAM, of Elkliorn Town ship, was born in Logan County, Ken- tucky, December 27, 1826, his parents being Levy and Mary (Tatuın) Graham, both na- tives of North Carolina. Grandfather Thomis Tatum was a teamster in the Revolutionary wal and the subject can remember himn well and can relate many an anecdote as they were told to the children who gathered around him. Levy Graham was a farmer by occupation and emi- grated from North Carolina to Kentucky with his father, when a small boy, remained there owning land until about 1860, when his wife died and he became discontented, sold out and went to Missouri; there he remained but a short time, when he went to Sharp County, Arkansas, where he died in 1881 at the age of eighty-six years. There were eight children in
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the family, namely: Seth, Lucy. Robert L., Mary, Peyton, Martha, Volney and Elizabeth; of whom the subject is the only one in Cali- fornia.
He remained at home with his parents until twenty-four years of age. then, February 22, 1852, he left for Missouri, where he remained nntil 1853, when he crossed the plains to Cali- fornia, arriving in San Joaquin valley September 2, 1853. He at once purchased a claim of a man named Adams. It was situated nine and one-half miles from Stockton and five miles from Lodi. He sold the place in 1857 and went down to the Lower Sacramento telegraph road, where he purchased 200 acres. He remained there until the fall of 1862, when he came back and purchased again near the old place. Not long after he traded that for his present property of 300 acres, ten miles from Stockton and five miles from Lodi, on the Cher- okee lane road. He has been indeed a pioneer in agriculture, there being only three farms under plow before he came here. He says he has never had a failure in crops since he came.
Mr. Graham was married in 1847 to Miss Caroline Roe Stokes, a native of Kentucky. Her grandfather was a fifer in the Revolution- ary war. They have four children, two boys and two girls, namely: Robert L., Jr .; Surelda, wife of A. M. Hale, of Amador County; Della, wife of C. Hull; Engene D., farming near Oak- dale, Stanislans County, California.
S. HARNY, of Elkhorn Township, was born November 10, 1842, in Switzerland, his parents being Henry and Magdalena Harny. The father followed farming until his death in 1872, in Switzerland, at the age of sixty-two years. J. S. Harny, the subject of this sketch, was raised on a farm, remaining at home until eighteen years of age. Then he learned the carriage-makers' trade, which he fol- lowed until he came to America in 1865. He went at once to Ohio, where he worked at his
trade for a year, when he went to Chicago. Six months later he came to this State, remaining about a year, working at his trade. Then came to Stockton, where he remained five years, when he purchased his raneh of 160 acres, to which he has since added until he now owns 320 acres. He is now one of our substantial farmers.
He was married in 1869 to Miss Mary Wil- ler, a native of Prussia. She has one sister in California, wife of Adamn Bachmann. Mr. and Mrs. Harny have seven children, six girls and one boy, namely: Magdalena, wife of John F. Stein; Johanna, Lena, Louisa, Henry, Maria and Minnie.
HRISTOPHER BECKMAN, farmer near Lodi, was born in Prussia, son of William Beckman, who was a farmer and a soldier in the army of Napoleon, and afterward served under Blucher, and was with the German forces at the battle of Waterloo. Christopher and his brother Henry came to America in 1848, their father came afterward to California, but returned to Prussia and died there. Their mother died when Christopher was only five years old, hence his home was made with strangers until he was eighteen years of age, when he came to America, as before stated. They went to visit an uncle in Pennsylvania, where they remained about six months, then went to Illinois, thence to Wisconsin, and in 1853 crossed the plains to California. They rented land on the Calaveras river, where they re- mained farming for about a year, then Christo- pher came and located on the ranch on which he now resides. It contains about 400 acres of choice land, under the best of cultivation, situa- ted about ten miles from Stockton and two miles from Lodi. When he first moved upon the land his house was built of logs with the ground as a floor. Later he built one of boards with a shingle roof. Then he thought he was fixed, but, as time advanced, we see by the improve- ments that he has advanced also, for he has now
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one of the best of buildings, commodious and substantially bnilt.
Mr. Beckman was married in 1864 to Miss Mary Langhorst, a native of Prussia. They have one son living and two daughters deceased. They both died in Germany, while there on a visit with their parents in 1873. The subject of this sketch has been to Europe three times since residing in California and is now content to make this his home. He is one of the oldest settlers in this section of the country and one of the most industrious and prosperous ranchmen ; and owes his success to no one but himself.
He is a member of the Masonic fraternity of Lodi, No. 256.
NDREW MEYER, fariner and stock- raiser, was born in the village of Andin- gen, Canton Aargau, Switzerland, October 27, 1823, son of Andrew and Mary Meyer. He was five years of age when the family removed to America, locating eight miles southwest of Marion County, Ohio. Two years afterward they moved to Seneca County, that State, where the father died in 1833, and the inother in 1844 or 1845. The father was killed by the falling of a tree while he was clearing up land. At that time the subject of this sketch was but . nine years of age, and he and his brother John, twelve years of age, continued the task of clear- ing up the ground. Andrew lived there until 1849, when he came to California, a member of a small party from his neighborhood who started with five wagons. They came by steamer from Cincinnati to Independence, and there fitted up with teams, and came by way of Fort Kear- ney, Laramie and over the South Pass by way of Sublette's cut-off, landing at Hangtown Au- gust 25. Mr. Meyer's first work there was the manufacture of shingles. He next started for the Mariposa mines, in company with friends, but as it was raining a great deal they changed their programine and went to the vicinity of Jimtown, in Tuolumne County, where they
mined during the winter. The next spring they came to Stockton, bought teams and en- gaged in hauling between Stockton and Mari- posa, Sonora, Columbia and Mokelumne Hill. His consins, J. K. Meyer and Samuel Meyer, were also partners in this enterprise. In Janu- ary, 1852, Mr. Andrew Meyer and one of the others returned East by water, and bought cat- tle in Daviess County, Missouri, and drove them across the plains, starting with 200 head, and getting through with 150 to this county. Mr. Meyer and his friend bought out a man where he (Meyer) now lives, and engaged in stock- raising together until 1861, when they divided their stock, Mr. Meyer taking 600 acres where he now lives. Ever since that time he has been engaged in stock-raising and agriculture. All the improvements now witnessed upon his place he himself has made.
He was married in Ohio, February 14, 1861, to Miss Cynthia Cooley, a native of Seneca Connty, that State, born in 1837, a daughter of Orange and Mary Cooley. Her mother is now deceased; her father is still living in Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Meyer have three children: Le- land, Arthur and Andrew C.
R. GEORGE S. HARKNESS, of Stockton, was born in this city December 21, 1856, his parents being George S. and Mary A. (French) Harkness. They came with their fam- ily in 1852 from Jackson, Michigan, to Califor- nia, by the southern route from Salt Lake, viz .: by way of Los Angeles, and located in Stockton. Here the Doctor's father was among the first to prosecute the business of boring wells. He died here in 1879, and his widow is yet living.
Dr. Harkness commenced his education in the public schools of this city, graduated in the class of 1873, taught a school four years, at- tended the University of California in 1877-'78, then Cornell University, graduating in the class of 1881, and then began the study of his choseu profession, first in the office of C. B. Hutchins,
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of San Francisco, and then a year at Cooper Medical College, and finally at the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Chicago, where he graduated in 1884. In that city he was then appointed on the house staff of the Cook County Hospital, and officiated in that capacity a year and a half; since then he has practiced his pro- fession liere in Stockton. He is surgeon for Nemo Lodge, K. of P., and of Stockton Castle, No. 8, Knights of the Golden Eagle; is a mem- ber of Stockton Parlor, N. S. G. W., and Secre- tary of the San Joaquin Medical Society. In his calling he enjoys a very high standing. Wlrile in Chicago he married Miss Margaret Delphine Rearden.
HRISTOPHER S. STEPHENS, farmer, near Waterloo, was born in Harrison County, Kentucky, Angust 28, 1825, a son of Joseph and Rosa (Kirkpatrick) Stephens. His mother was born at Bryant Station, Fay- ette County, Kentucky, and the father was an Englishman by birth, who came to the United States during the war of 1812. He was drafted in the English service as a packman, and sent here. with the British troops. After arriving lie deserted from the armny in Canada, and went to what was called the Falls of the Ohio river, now Lonisville, where he became a naturalized citizen. He settled in Lewis County, Ken- tucky, where he built a woolen-mill, which was afterward burnt down. He next went to Lex- ington, where he was employed by a Mr. Smith for two years; tlien he went to Cynthiana, Har- rison County, that State, where lie again estab- lished a woolen-mill, and his property was burnt down a second time. He then moved to the village of Claysville, same connty, where he re- built the mill for the third time, and in the year 1832 he and his wife both died with the cholera. In his family there were three sons and two daughters, all of whom lived to be heads of families, except one.
Christopher S., the subject of this sketch, was
left an orphan at the age of seven years. IIis uncle became administrator of the estate and guardian of the children, and leased the factory to other parties and bound the children to the lessee for seven years, during which all the chil- dren were working in the factory. After the expiration of the lease, Mr. Stephens bound lrimself ont to learn the millwright's trade. Having completed that course, he went to work in the mill for a year, during which time the Mexican war broke ont, and lie enlisted in a company from his neighborhood, but it was not received into service, as the regiments from Kentucky had already been filled. Hearing that the Louisville Legion was not full, he went there, but only to be again disappointed, as that company was also full. Hearing the St. Louis (Missonri) Battalion was not full, he went there by steamboat, and found that body also com- plete; and understood thien that Ball's regiment at Fort Leavenworth was recruiting, and went there, also by steamboat, but on arriving found that they had also completed their number and had already started to Santa Fe. While relating to the Quartermaster the many disappointments of his military ambition, the latter offered him a situation as a teamster, which was accepted, and Mr. Stephens started for Santa Fe, over- taking Ball's command at Council Grove. When this regiment arrived at Santa Fe in October, 1847, Mr. Stephens was selected to build a mill for the purpose of grinding forage for the dragoons and cavalry. Going below Santa Fe, he found stones, which he dressed and set running, this being the first mill ever set in operation on the plains of the territory of New Mexico. He was afterward sent to Albn- querque by the commissary department, to finish a mill that had been partly built for the purpose of manufacturing flour for that depart- ment. Next he was sent to another point in Mexico, and built the inclined wheel for grind- ing gold quartz, which was mined there by Spaniards. Next General Price ordered an ex- press to be sent to Commodore Stockton, who was in command of a fleet on the Pacific Ocean.
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They made the jonrney through to San Pedro, Los Angeles County, and he with others was sent in charge of some pack-mules on a large ranch, to wait until the return of the party. With three other men lie was sent back with the express to Santa Fe, and on their return trip the Indians attacked thern and wounded one of the party in the left arm with a poisoned arrow, and it swelled to an enormous size, en- tirely disabling him from any further service of the company. Whether any Indians were killed or wounded is not known.
Arriving at Santa Fe, Mr. Stephens joined a party of traders and went to effect a negotiation with the White Mountain Indians, and succeed- ing in this, they were directed by the Indians to take a certain trail on their return, but ex- pecting treachery, they pretended to camp at a certain spring and ate their supper, and as soon as it was dark they followed their Mexican guide along another trail, traveling all night and all the next day. Considering themselves then out of danger, they lay down to sleep and slept soundly until the sun was two hours high the next morning, when they were awakened by the yelling of Indians, who had tracked them and were driving off their mules. They lost every mnle, and had to go afoot to Santa Fe. On relating this circninstance to the citizens there, they got up another outfit and made a successful journey and a good trade, but on their return this time they carefully avoided halting inore than two hours at any one time. Many of the mules belonged to the Government, and the Quartermaster took them from his party, and all their labor and risk was without profit. Colonel Washington, who was in command at Santa Fe, called into service four companies, and Mr. Stephens volunteered in that of Captain John Chapman, and was elected First Sergeant. He served as such until the co npany was disbanded, and he was employed as a wagon-master for the military post at Santa Fe for eighteen months, 1850-'51.
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