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 7
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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY.
first his product was principally barley, which was hanled by his own team to Knight's Ferry, Sonora and other mining towns. In the autumn of 1859 he returned to Ireland, on a visit to his brother, Rev. Samuel Smyth, and while there married an old acquaintance, Miss Caroline Smyth, January 3, 1860. In 1874 he suffered the fracture of a knee, which rendered him per- manently lame, and during the last five years of his life he suffered greatly as an invalid.
William H. Smucker was born in Kentucky in 1817. After serving in the Mexican war he visited Durango and Santa Fé, and in 1850 he came from Fort Leavenworth overland to Cali- fornia. In 1856 he was secretary to W. P. Coleman, president of the San Francisco Vigi- lance Committee. He died July 16, 1885.
J. M. Sullivan was an infant when in 1847 he was brought to this State by his father, a soldier in the famous Stevenson's regiment. He passed his early life in the counties of Calaveras and Santa Clara, and resided in Stockton only during the last few years of his life. He died in San Francisco, August 27, 1885, but little over forty years of age.
George W. Hurey was born in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, in 1822, and died Sep- tember 2, 1885, leaving a wife, one daughter and three sous, all of whom are members of the Pioneer Society. Mr. Hurey, being an early set- tler on Roberts Island, demonstrated the feasi- bility of the successful enltivation of those apparently worthless tule lands. He was also one of the earliest contributors to the State and district fairs, winning the first prizes for fine fruits and vegetables, and greatly stimulating the future reclamation of the most valuable lands of this county. He left a comfortable home for his family.
John Kaller, an old pioneer farmer, was a native of Baden-Baden, Germany, and was killed by a runaway team in October, 1885.
J. W. Van Benschoten died January 12, 1886. Joseph F. Harrison was born April 11, 1822, in Monongalia County, Virginia; 1848-'50 he spent in Lee County, Iowa, and arrived in Cali-
fornia a few days before it was admitted as a State into the Union. Until September, 1857, he conducted a saddle and harness shop in Stockton. He then spent one year visiting his old home in Virginia, and returning to Califor- nia he commenced farm life on the Calaveras river, and continued as a resident of this county the remainder of his life. In 1880 he suffered a stroke of paralysis, which disabled him from work as long as he lived. He died March 1, 1886.
John L. Crittenden died May 16, 1886, at Merced, California. He was born in Massachu- setts in 1832. Arriving in California July 11, 1850, he engaged in mining, was afterward a farmer in Contra Costa County some time, and finally became a resident of Cottonwood, Mer- ced County, in 1872. IIe was elected super- visor of that county in 1882, and sheriff in 1884.
Stephen H. Davis, born in 1829, in Provi- dence, Rhode Island, died in Stockton, Angust 19, 1886. He was an eminent bnilder of steam- boats, some of which are running on California rivers and some even on those of Eastern Asia. He was an industrious, honest man, having the welfare of the community at heart.
Zoth Keeno, born at Stonington, Connecticut, in 1810, died at Stockton September 8, 1886. He arrived at Monterey February 22, 1844, on the bark Moscow, from Boston. He served five years in the American navy on board the frig- ates Macedonia and Columbia. He was quiet and unobtrusive in manner, and childlike in disposition.
Thomas Sedgwick, a native of England, emi- grated to the United States when a young man, and resided in Columbia County, New York, until he came to California. While there he was wounded in the head by a shot during the " Barn-burner" riots, while in the discharge of his duty as deputy sheriff. He arrived on the coast in August, 1849, on the bark Robert Bond, and was engaged for the remainder of his life mostly in farming and stock-raising, five miles from Stockton, on the Linden road. He
51
HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY.
died September 3, 1886, at the advanced age of ninety-two years. He was killed by a locomo- tive.
Daniel Severy, a native of Maine, arrived in California in September, 1849, by way of Cape Horn; was engaged in the mines, visited various parts of the State, and finally, about 1866, set- tled in Stockton, where he followed carpentry and the raising of shade and ornamental trees. He was a charter member of the Pioneer Association, and a faithful attendant of their meetings and reunions. His death occurred in November, 1886, when he was sixty-eiglit years of age.
Rev. James Woods was born in New Brain- tree, Massachusetts, April 22, 1815. His liter ary education he received in Wilbraham and Amherst academies in Massachusetts, and at the Wesleyan University in Connecticut. In 1836, on account of impaired health, he went to Georgia and was engaged in teaching there. His theological training he received in the seminary of Columbia, South Carolina; was licensed to preach in 1840, and the next year ordained by the Transylvania Presbytery. His first charge was at Painted Lick, Kentucky. In 1840, in York District, South Carolina, he inarried Eliza A., daughter of Rev. Aaron Will- iams; she was a lady of remarkable personal attractions. From Kentucky Mr. Woods re- moved to Tennessee, Florida and Alabama, having congregations in all these States. At Jackson, Alabama, in November, 1848, he was commissioned a missionary to California. After visiting various points in the Gulf States in the interest of missions, he set sail, May 17, 1849, with wife and two children, from New York, in the bark Alice Tarlton, around Cape Horn, and arrived in San Francisco January 12, 1850. An opening in Stockton, made by Captain Weber, the proprietor of the site, -who was patiently awaiting his arrival,-was promptly occupied by Rev. Mr. Woods. Soon he had a honse of worship built and organized a church, and a successful pastorate of four years was full proof of his zeal and efficiency. (See churches of
Stockton.) On account of his health he went to San Francisco and to Los Angeles, and he laid the foundation of the Presbyterian Church at the latter place. In 1857 he was in Suisun, and then successively in Santa Rosa, Healds- burg, Smartsville, Virginia City, Carson, San Diego, Tombstone, etc., and finally Winters, Yolo County, his last organization and field of labor, from which he retired in 1883, utterly broken in health. Thence onward he quietly resided at his pleasant home in Winters. His death took place October 10, 1886.
George W. King, a native of Maine, left New Orleans for California November, 1848, by way of Panama, where he was detained a long time by fever, captains of vessels refusing him pas- sage because of it. Finally he was rescued by a circus woman, who smuggled him aboard a vessel and cared for him until he was restored to health. He arrived in San Francisco in Oc- tober, 1849, and for twenty years was a wood dealer on the San Joaquin river. He died No- vember 22, 1887, about fifty-eight years of age.
Henry Stading was born in Hamburg, Ger- many, in 1830, and died in Stockton November 21, 1886. He early commenced a seafaring life, and was in Australia when the news of the California gold discovery reached him. Arriv- ing here, he at once formed a partnership with J. Carsten Grupe, and followed gold-mining at Mokelumne Hill. I.1 1851 he began conduct- ing the Golden Lion Hotel, in company with Charles Meyers. In 1853 he removed to Campo Seco and lived there until 1864, when he re- turned to Stockton; and here with the exception of visiting his native land for one year he passed the remainder of his days.
Aaron Clark Meeker was born in Middleburg, Schoharie County, New York, in 1816, and died in Lodi, thiis county, February 26, 1887. Cross- ing the Isthmus in 1849, he worked at mining on the American and Feather rivers and in other districts. Returning East in 1850, he brought his family across the plains to this State the same year, settling in Woodbridge, this county; in 1859 he removed to Lodi. Early in February,
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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY.
1887, he celebrated the fifty-first anniversary of his wedding. He was twelve years justice of the peace, seven years notary public, and in other positions of trust; but he led a quiet life.
A. T. Gear was born in Pennsylvania in 1820. In December, 1848, he arrived in Oregon from Indiana, and came on the bark Ocean Bird to San Francisco in 1849. The eloquent language of the obituary committee of the Pioneer So- ciety-George S. Ladd and Enoch Peyton --- concerning his life and character, we venture to quote: " We have traced him through several stages of early life, and on his arrival in Cali- fornia we find him in possession of a native vigor and energy which neither the disadvan- tages of an unpropitious culture could retard nor the blasts of adverse fortune depress. Un- dannted by difficulties, we observe him in the progress of life stemming the current of adver- sity and braving the dangers and hardships which he too frequently had to encounter. In manners he was an accomplished gentleman. His love for mankind flowed in the purest cnr- rent. Scrupulous to himself, he was charitable and indulgent to others. The stormns of life liad broken the heart of the inan, bnt out of its wounds gushed the tide cf sympathy and charity. His grave is not among strangers, for it is watered by the tears of an affectionate family. He is at rest, and life's mission fulfilled."
John N. Mayer died December, 1887.
Harvey Loomis Farrington was born at Brewer, Maine, May 20, 1825. In 1849 he came on the bark Belgrade to San Francisco, arriving in May, 1850. Placing the machinery in the steamner Fashion he was employed as en- gineer on that steamer, on the San Joaquin and Sacramento rivers. Next he was machinist in the Sutter Iron Works at San Francisco; then, settling in Tuolumne County, he and his brother built a saw-mill above Sonora, and engaged in the lumber business. Later he engaged in cattle-raising on the Tuolumne river. Selling ont he moved to Stockton, where he was em- ployed as machinist in the Globe Foundry of Keep & Briggs. At length he formed a partner-
ship with his brother, Herman S. Farrington, and G. C. Hyatt, under the style of Farrington, Hyatt & Farrington, and conducted the Stock- ton Iron Works, and was a member of the firm at the time of his death, December 23, 1887.
John L. Gilman was born in Meddybemps, Washington County, Maine, April 2, 1830. He left Machias, that State, November 6, 1849, and reached San Francisco April 15, 1850, in the brig Agate. Engaged in mining nntil 1861, mostly in Tuolumne County, then in stock- raising nntil 1871, when he started a saloon in Stanislans County, which he soon abandoned on account of his health. He finally settled at Acampo, where he remained in business until his death at San Francisco, December 3, 1887.
Thomas Kent Hook, president of the San Joaquin Society of California Pioneers for a time, was born in Greene County, Pennsyl- vania, November, 1816. At the age of two years he lost his father, and was cared for by his grandfather until he was fifteen years old, when his grandfather also died. He then ap- prenticed himself to the cabinet-maker's trade. He served his time faithfully and mastered his art, but his ambition and energy were not to be thus circumscribed. In 1849, although in feeble health and with bnt little money, he started for California, with a companion, a wagon and four mules, from Terre Haute, Indi- ana, March 4. At St. Joseph he abandoned the wagon and proceeded with packed mules. Dur- ing the next hundred miles he was attacked by cholera, deserted and left to die by his sworn companion, but was rescued and nursed back to health by three brother Odd Fellows who chanced that way. At length he reached Cali- fornia penniless but with health, strength and ambition. He engaged at mining at Winters' Bar, on the Mokelumne river, with indifferent success, and in December, 1849, he came to Stockton. Here he again became very sick. On recovery he joined a party of twenty-seven to explore Death valley in search of a mythical silver mine, and on this journey his snfferings were indescribable. During the ensuing eight
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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY.
years he, like many others, found more gold in agricultural than in mineral land. His ranch was near Stockton. At the end of these eight yearshe was elected sheriff, and at the conclusion of his teri in this office he was elected mayor of tlie city of Stockton. He was a gentleman of shrewd judgment, quaint humor and firm integ- rity. His death occurred October 11, 1888.
W. O. Tripp, one of the oldest members of the San Joaquin Pioneer Society, died Decemn- ber 10, 1888, in Oakland, this State. He was born in 1807, at Albany, New York, moved south in his early 'teens, and in 1828 married, in Baltimore. Spent many years of active business life in Richmond, Virginia, from which city, attracted by the boom of the period, he in 1849 started for California. Coming by sail around Cape Horn he landed at San Francisco early in 1850. He located first at Sonora, this State, where he was engaged in business for twelve years, enjoying a high degree of respect. His family joined him soon after liis location there. He resided in Stockton during the last several years of his life. The last three years he was too great an invalid to engage in a laborious occupation. Sickness reduced his little fortune seriously, but never affected his patient disposition.
Jacob K. Meyer, a native of Switzerland, settled about 1830 in Ohio. March 1, 1849, he left Republic, that State, with a team for Inde- pendence, Missouri; thence, on the 8thi of May, he set forth for the distant west, and reached Stockton in October. First he followed mining at Curtis's and Sullivan's creek, Tuolumne County, for about six months. From April, 1850, to December, 1851, he followed teaming, and then returned to Ohio by sea. He crossed the plains again to California, arriving at Stock- ton in October, 1852. Shortly afterward he settled on a farm near French Camp, where he remained until 1884, when he moved to Santa Cruz County, near Watsonville, where he died, Jannary 3, 1889. He had been twice married, his second wife surviving him; but he never had any children.
Lafayette Sellman died March 25, 1889.
H. G. Boisselier, an active member of the Pioneer Society, was accidentally drowned April 13, 1889, in his fifty-eighth year, while on a steamer bonnd for San Francisco. He was buried in the Rural Cemetry, under the honors of several societies.
J. Carsten Grupe came from New York in a schooner around Cape Horn to California, land- ing at San Francisco July 17, 1849, after a voy- age of six and a half months. He came on to Stockton by schooner and proceeded directly to the Southern mines at Mokelumne Hill, in Calaveras County. After a brief trial of gold- mining he returned to Stockton and began teaming for Henry Meyers. Soon he became joint owner, though he left the business in charge of Meyers while lie went back to Moke- lumine Hill, where he found a companion- Henry Kolmoos-engaged in whipsawing Inm- ber, which then brought $1 a foot. Later he went to Middle Bar, bought an interest in a store, and also commenced damming the Moke- lumne river preparatory to gold-mining. In 1852 he visited his native Germany, returning to Stockton the fall of the same year. De- cember 1, that autumn, he married and settled where the family homestead now is. By his death he left a wife and eight children, four sons and four daughters, he himself being the first called by death, July 7, 1889, to break the family circle.
Washington Osceola Lewis came to California as early as 1846, by way of Mexico, from Mis- sonri, and then took part as a soldier in wrest- ing this country from Mexico. He was a Cor- poral in Company G, Missouri Mounted Volun- teers, Captain Anson Smith, in the regiment commanded by Colonel Sterling Price. He was a man of courage and fond of the frontier. He was a native of Kentucky, and at the time of his deatlı in August, 1889, was seventy-four years of age.
William M. Baggs died October 17, 1889.
Robert W. Craig was born May 27, 1821, in the State of New York, and came to this State
54
HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY.
in 1850 by way of the Isthmus of Panama. In 1856 he purchased his farm in ()'Neil Township, where he resided until his death, some years since. He married Miss Mary S. Blair, of Stockton, in 1855, and brought up a family of children.
Moses Hammond was born at Dighton, Mas- sachusetts, April 3, 1800, and when two years of age his parents moved to Newport, Rhode Island, where he lived until 1849; then in com- pany with his brother, Captain John Hammond, le came to California by the Panama route. They had fitted ont a schooner at Newport and sent it around Cape Horn. At Panama they were taken sick with the yellow fever, and as Mr. Hammond was fortunate in curing all the cases he received the title of " Doctor," and al- though he has never practiced medicine that appellation has ever since clung to him. The vessels which were loaded at Newport were the schooner Alexander and the brig General Cobb. Their cargoes consisted of the frames of two scows, one house, carts, shovels, rockers, grocer- ies, provisions, hardware of all kinds, etc. He was in business in San Joaquin City about a year. After the fire, in 1851, he sold his goods in Stockton at a great profit, his sales amount- ing to several thousand dollars a day. He died at his residence, January 2, 1879.
Besides the foregoing the following-named pioneers have also died, most of them members of the Pioneer Society at Stockton:
NAME.
NATIVITY.
DATE OF DEATH or of obituary.
Richard P. Ashe.
W. A. Ballard.
Ohio
1878
Charles Blanchard.
.N. Y.
Sept. 22, '76
C. C. Bruckman
Germany
Sept. 22, '76
Charles D. Camp. .Vt.
April 29, '80
L. E. Chicard Pa.
Dec. 7, '83
Henry F. Campton Md.
Feb. 9, '82
C. M. Creanor
Pa.
Dec. 6, '82
William Dennis.
N. J.
Jan. 22, '74
R. A. Downing.
Ill.
Jan. 22, '74
John W. Dowling
Jan. 30, '75
Ed. A. Everett.
Ohio
Jan. 30, '75
W. H. Fairchilds Pa.
Aug. ^3, '82
Russell Farnham. N. Y.
Aug. 27, '83
Thomas Henderson
Iowa
Aug. 27, '83
Josiah Hunter
Ireland
Dec. 28, '82
NAME.
NATIVITY. DATE OF DEATH
or of obituary.
Samuel Langdon
.N. C.
March 18, '80
Green T. Martin N. C.
March 18, '80)
Thomas Marshall.
Mass.
Oct. 26, '82
John Murphy
Ireland
July 22, '70
Henry Ortman
. Germany
Aug. 26, '73
John Petty.
. Tenn.
March 5, '80
Henry Ramsay
. Norway
Sept. 11, '83
M. Rosenberg.
. Germany
Sept. 11, '83
George W. Smith . Ohio
Nov. 11, '83
A. V Snyder .MJ.
July 23, '81
Frank Stewart
. Md.
July 23, '81
C. M. Tureman
Ky.
May 15, '77
John Vanderbilt. N. Y
May 15, '77
J. T. Wadsworth . Mass.
Oct. 9, '76
M. Walthall, Jr.
Miss. April 30, '73
John Wasley
England
Sept. 20, '79
John H. Webster
Maine
June 11, '81
T. D. Wren.
La.
June 28, '81
Among the living are the following:
Otis Perrin, still an active business man of Stockton, was born in Massachusetts in 1826, and in 1849 came to California by way of Cape Horn. First he went to the mines in Tuolnmne County, where he constructed a canal for the purpose of turning the Tuolumne river at Haw- kins so that the bed of the river could be mined. In 1850 he did a similar piece of en- gineering at Jacksonville on the same river. He then mined several years in Garrote, where he was one of the proprietors of the Washing- ton Hotel for ten years. He was also one of the proprietors of a ditch company who constructed thirteen miles of ditch for irrigating purposes, of which he was the superintendent several years. In 1864-'66 he was a member of the Legislature two terins from Tuolnmne and Mono counties and in 1869 he settled in Stock- ton, where he was first appointed Receiver for the United States Land Office, and re-appointed under successive administrations. He has since been president and superintendent of the Stock- ton Combined Harvester & Agricultural Works.
J. D. Peters was in his early days a sailor and was in the city of New Orleans when the gold excitement of California began to prevail. After spending several years among the miners, in 1857 hie embarked in the grain business and was from 1860-'68 the confidential agent of Isaac Friedlander. He inaugurated the popular
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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY.
system of storage, which now is generally fol- lowed throughout the valley, and built the first grain warehouse in Stockton. He has been largely interested in banks, railroads, shipping and many other enterprises of importance. At the time of the suspension of the Bank of Cal- ifornia, Mr. Peters alone, of all the grain deal- ers of the San Joaquin valley, continued to pay cash for giain.
Henry Barnhart, the heaviest taxpayer in San Joaquin County, is an Argonaut of 1849, born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, April 1830. After spending two years in the mines of El Dorado County, he returned home and after a residence there of three years he moved to Missouri, from which State he came to Cali- fornia in 1859, accompanied by his family, set- tling five miles from Woodbridge, where he con- tinued to live until 1875. He then moved to his present residence about two and one-half miles north of Stockton. He is one of the greatest land owners in the valley, has liad much experience in buying and selling land throughout the State, and he is also a scientific agriculturist. He has spent $100,000 in the reclamation of swamp lands in this county and also in Yolo and Solano counties. At this writing (November, 1889,) the unusual amount of rain has stopped his work when his expendi- tures were amounting to $1,000 a day for labor.
Jonathan H. Dodge, still living northeast of town, was born in Lamoille County, Vermont, April 21, 1819, and came to California in 1849 by the Panama route from McHenry County, Illinois. After spending seven months in the mines on the South Fork of the American river, about six miles from where gold was first discovered, he settled in Elliott Township, this county, about two miles from his present home. His present farm he purchased in 1857.
E. E. Nelson, a native of the State of New York, made the long and perilous voyage around Cape Horn in 1849 and settled in Stockton the next year, where he engaged in business about two years. Selling then his interest liere, he purchased a farm about three miles from the
city, where he lived most of the time until No- vemiber, 1878, when he returned East and since then he has been a resident of the city of Brooklyn, New York.
William C. Miller, proprietor of warehouse Stockton, was born in Umion County, Indianas December, 9, 1824; in 1828 the family moved to Niles, La Porte County, that State; and in 1849 William came overland to this State, re- siding first in El Dorado and Sacramento counties until 1851, when he removed to this county, which he lias since made his home. He has been an extensive raiser of cattle and sheep, and made a fortune.
Willianı D. Aslıley was born in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, 1819, and came across the plains in 1850. He spent some months in the Georgetown mines, and in 1852 he pur- chased part of the land he now owns in ('Neil Township, eight miles from Stockton.
William L. Overhiser is a native of the State of Pennsylvania. At the age of four years he moved to Columbia County, New York. He was one of a party of nine who organized them- selves into an association at Long Island, pur- chased the ship "Sailor," and came around the Horn to California, bringing with them a large number of passengers. The vessel was sold after their arrival in San Francisco, Octo- ber 12, 1849. For about a year he engaged in teaming to the mines at Johnstown, Sullivan's creek and Murphy's camp; also in prospecting. In the fall of 1850 he purchased 160 acres of land on Calaveras river, and went into partner- ship with J. B. L. Cooper, nephew of Peter Cooper, New York, who also had 160 acres. In 1851 he raised sixteen acres of barley, and in the next season sowed sixty acres, and en- closed them with a wire fence, the first in the county. He has been largely interested in breed- ing Norman horses, Durham cattle, Berkshire hogs and Merino sleep. Mr. Overhiser, as noticed elsewhere, was the first in this county to try the experiment of artesian irrigation.
William H. Robinson, Secretary of the Pio- neer Society, etc., at Stockton, was born in the
56
HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY.
town of Morpeth, Northumberland County, England, May 22, 1813, his parents being William and Margaret (Heppel) Robinson. His father, a military man, lost his sight in the East Indies and afterward acted as agent for the London Gennine Tea Company. Mr. Robin- son, the subject of this sketch, came to America in his fourteenth year, sailing from Liverpool May 13, 1827, on the ship Arab, a thousand- ton vessel, and arriving at New York June 20. In a few days he started further westward, traveling on the Erie canal to Oswego and cross- ing Lake Ontario into Canada, where at the time his uncle was a resident. Four months afterward he went to Rochester, New York, where he entered as an apprentice to the printers' trade in the office of the Democrat. After eighteen months or two years there, he worked as a journeyman, mostly in the States of New York and Ohio. In 1839-'40 he taught school in Canada; returned to New York State, and in 1841 to Canada again, where he taught until 1845. He was married in Woodstock, Canada, March 1, 1845, to Caroline Letts, a Canadian by birth but of American parents. In the fall of that year, with his wife and father-in-law and fam- ily, he moved to Will County, Illinois, settling on Hickory creek. The ensuing winter he spent in Chicago, working in the offices of the Jour- nal and the Democrat ("Long John's " paper). The next summer he went to Sandwich, Canada, opposite Detroit, where he was Deputy Master of the District Grammar School until 1848. Returning to Illinois in the fall of that year, he went to Geneva, Wisconsin, and for a time worked on the Standard. In order to vote for General Taylor for President of the United States, he returned to his home in Will County, Illinois. Next he became foreman of the Demo- crat office in Joliet, and also local editor of the paper. Six months afterward he tried his hand at canvassing for the Chicago Journal and other papers in Northern Illinois, Southern Wiscon- sin and Eastern Iowa.
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