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 74
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Mr. and Mrs. Watrous set out for California a few weeks after their marriage, leaving New York in October, and arriving by way of Pana- ma and San Francisco in Chinese Camp, Tuol- umne County, November 13, 1863. Here Mr. Watrons resumed his stock-raising pursuits, and
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in November, 1870, took up his residence in this city, still continning to trade in hogs and sheep for a few years. He has also bought and sold lands in this county as well as in Stanislaus, Merced, Fresno, Tulare and Kern counties, being still the owner of 640 acres, mostly in Merced County, which are farmed by renters, and 6,000 acres in Kern County, not under cultivation. He is a member of the San Joaquin Valley Society of California Pioneers.
Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Watrous have four living children: Frederick, born March 29, 1867, educated in the public school and in the business college of Stockton, has been conduct- ing a feed and sale stable in this city on his own account for some years; Emma, born Octo- ber 26, 1869, was married January 28, 1890, to Benjamin M. Woodhull of the firm of Dickson & Woodhull, marble dealers of this city; Alice M., born June 11, 1872, now attending high school at Stockton, a member of the class of 1890, will probably enter a University after graduation, as her desire for a higher education is very pronounced; Benjamin Franklin, born May 18, 1875, is also attending school.
ILLIAM B. WEST .- Prominent among the California pioneers who have located in San Joaquin County and lent their energies to the advancement of the material in- terests of the community, is the gentleman with whose name this sketch commences. He is a native of Taunton, Massachusetts, born in June, 1824, and the genealogy of the family as given to some extent in connection with the inention of others of its members in this work. He was reared and educated in his native city, but his health being poor he went to sea, and followed a nantical life several years. He had, however, taken an active interest in nursery stock from his early youth, and was pretty well posted in regard thereto while yet residing in Massachusetts. The discovery of gold in California and the consequent excitement made
a deep impression on him, and in February, 1849, he sailed from Providence for the new land of golden wealth, on the barque Floyd. Among the passengers on that vessel whose names will be familiar to readers of this work may be mentioned Otis Perrin, a well-known citizen of Stockton at this writing, and James L. Cogswell, a dentist of San Francisco. After an interesting voyage, they landed at San Fran- cisco, September 16, 1849. Mr. West started at once for the gold regions, and did his first mining at Hawkins' Bar, on the Tnoluinne river. His mining experience was confined to the diggings of the Southern mines. In 1850 and 1851, he and his brother George were in partnership in a store at Campo Seco, but in the fall of 1852 he went on to the ranch where he now resides, north of Stockton. In 1853. he embarked in the nursery business in connection with his brother George, and they were the pio- neers in that line in the San Joaquin valley. In that year buying from Hovey & Co., Boston, they imported principally seed for stock, and the next year brought out from the East differ- ent varieties of trees, principally pears, apples, grapes, etc. This nursery, located about two and one-half miles from the court-house, just off the Calaveras road, on West's lane, was started at a time when such an enterprise was indeed, apparently, a hazardous venture, no one else having given thought to the subject in this portion of California; and indeed in the entire State it was almost a novelty, as mining and the lines of business necessary to supply the camp were alone considered in those days as worthy of attention. But to the fact that it was estab- lished, and proof shown that the fruit and vine in- terests would some day prove of vast significance to this State, is due whatever advancement has been made in this community in the lines of horticulture and viticulture. When the nursery was started it was difficult to get people in this region to plant fruit trees or vines, as the cop- per and gold excitement monopolized attention. In 1866, Wm. B. West succeeded his brother's interests in the business, and about the same
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time, trade in the nursery line took a great im- petus, and became profitable. The demand on his stock, which was for almost everything ex- cept oranges, extended as far as Riverside and San Diego. A trade was also built up in Texas for grape vines and cuttings. Mr. West pushed his business with great energy, and to enlarge his field of operation built up a market by in- ducing people in new territory to embark in fruit and vine culture. The raisin industry, which had made Fresno famous, received its first push forward at the hands of Mr. West, who went to that locality and labored to induce men there to take hold of an industry which he knew would bring them wealth and best suit the conditions of soil and climate existing in that region. His earnest work in behalf of the interest to which he has principally devoted his life, has received general recognition throughout the State, and his energetic services in the past, as an active member of the State Board of Hor- ticulture, are well appreciated.
Mr. West was married in San Francisco to Henrietta Aiken, a native of Kentucky. He isa member of the San Francisco Society of Cali- fornia Pioneers.
ICHAEL JOHN GARVIN, a cigar and tobacco dealer of Stockton, was born in Mayo, Ireland, May 15, 1834, a son of James and Mary (Kane) Garvin. The father, born in the same county in 1777, became a farmer and linen manufacturer, and emigrated to this country in 1871. He made his home with his son James in Pennsylvania until 1878, when he came to this city, and resided with the subject of this sketch until his death, May 1. 1884, at the remarkable age of 107 years, being equally distinguished for integrity of life and length of days. The mother, born in 1800, is still living in this city. Of the eight children of this venerable pair, two died in infancy, and six sons are living, the eldest, Patrick, being seventy years of age.
M. J. Garvin was educated in the local schools of his district to the age of fourteen, when he went to Liverpool, England, on a visit to an annt then residing in that city. Finding a situ- ation, he was indentured or bound in a whole- sale drug store. Remaining there until 1851, he concluded to come to America, being en- couraged by the comparative facility of the un- dertaking, from the great port of Liverpool. Arriving in New York in September, 1851, he worked there to the close of 1852. He then set out for California, by the George Law, to Aspinwall, across the Isthmus afoot through Bolivar Pass, a toilsome jonrney of two days, then by the John L. Stephens to San Francisco, where he arrived February 17, 1853. He first found work as a dairyman, and in 1854 bought out his employer, J. C. Beideman, with his title to a part of the " Western or Beidemnan's Addi- tion " to San Francisco, of about four acres. A year or two later he also bonght 140 acres in Santa Clara County, the present location of Menlo Park. His first purchase for a dairy com- prised about sixteen cows, some milk wagons and horses: afterward he had forty-three cows, $200 each in those days, and the necessary out- fit for his enlarged business before 1858. The Fraser river gold fever seized him that year, and he went forward to the new El Dorado only to find that his hopes of picking up gold were vain. There was some little found at the forks of Thompson river, but the great body of pros- pectors found nothing. He stayed only a few weeks, but had lost three months, besides sacri- ficing his business. He soon moved to Sacra- mento, where he started the St. George Laun- dry early in 1859, which he sold in 1860. He then bought the Orleans Restaurant on Second street, opposite the Orleans Hotel, and was drowned out in the great flood of 1861-'62. His family was rescued with difficulty by boats from the roof of their house, which was sur- rounded by water, losing everything but their lives and such clothing as they had on their persons. Invited by his friend Dr. Tilden, superintendent of the State Insane Asylum in
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this city, he came to Stockton and filled a position in that institution for over four years. He has become tlie owner of some lots at Oak and Stanislaus streets, within convenient dis- tance from his work, and erected a house. In 1865 he again went to San Francisco and en- gaged in the butchering business for about a year. Returning in 1866, his next enterprise was his aid in starting the Stockton Gazette, a daily paper, his department being the distribn- tion and arrangement of routes of delivery. The paper had good backing, being the accred- ited organ of the Democratic party, and Mr. Garvin had secured a large city patronage at 37g cents a week, before the issue of the first number. The Gazette lived but a couple of years, and on its demise Mr. Garvin started a small book and stationery store. He lias also had charge of the distribution of several news- papers of San Francisco, and did a fairly profit- able business. In 1874 Mr. Nunan, now of the Stockton Mail, became a partner with him, under the style of Garvin & Nunan, which con- tinued until 1879. They had meanwhile in- vested $3,000 in a branch store in Merced, which with some other untoward circumstances, including the Shylock rigidity of certain cred- itors, drove the firm into insolvency. Mr. Gar- vin realized all he could on his newspaper route, and in every possible way increased the assets, which, however, were needlessly sacrificed by the intractableness of creditors. Through the disinterested service of the Hon. James A. Louttit, of this city, Mr. Garvin secured a full settlement with all his creditors in 1879. He then embarked in his present business, starting it in what was literally a hole in the wall; but by long hours at work and courteous attention to customers, he has built up a lucrative trade. His present desirable quarters are at the north- west corner of Main and Sutter streets.
Mr. Garvin was married in San Francisco in 1856, to Miss Mary Farley, born in 1839 in Cavan, Ireland, where her parents died, and whence she emigrated with other members of her family to America at about the age of thir
teen. She has resided in California since 1855. Mr. and Mrs. M. J. Garvin have eight living children, four others having died in infancy. The living are: Mary, now a Sister of Charity of St. Agnes Academy, in this city; Thomas Emmet, born April 17, 1862, educated in this city, is now engaged with his father in business; Peter Edward, born November 17, 1864, an iron-moulder by trade, works in that line; John Phillips, born March 26, 1867, is an upholsterer; Michael Joseph, born April 23, 1870, is a plumber; Annie Theresa, born June 22, 1872, is a member of the graduating class of 1890 in St. Agnes Academy; Charles Vincent, born May 5, 1877; Henry Raymond, born July 19, 1879.
Mr. Garvin and his three older sons are mem- bers of the Father Mathew Total Abstinence Society of Stockton.
ICHAEL MARNELL, proprietor of the St. Lawrence Stables, Channel street, Stockton, was born in Tipperary, Ire- land, in 1846, a son of Michael and Margaret (Kenney) Marnell, both living, the father being about sixty-five, and the mother sixty-tliree. The grandparents, Walter and Bessie (Dunne) Marnell, were both long-lived, dying one week apart, and nearly at the same age, seventy years.
The subject of this sketch received some schooling, and was brought np to the care of horses. Emigrating to America at the age of eigliteen, he arrived in Philadelphia May 13, 1864, and there worked as private coachman to Mr. John Hulme about five years. In 1869 lie came to California, reaching Sacramento by rail, and San Francisco by boat. After a brief stay of one month in that city, and two in San Rafael, and again a short time in San Francisco, he came to Stockton, before the close of 1869. He worked seven months in the Weber stables on Center street, and afterward engaged in farm work in Stanislaus County, for wages, two years
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at dairying and eight on threshing-machines and in general farming. Meanwhile he bought a home in this city in 1875, and a few years later took up permanent residence here. About 1878 he bought a small express business with an outfit of one horse and wagon, and worked in that line some four years. He then bought two hacks and carried on the business of a hack- man five years. With a partner, under the style of Gough & Marnell, he conducted the St. Lawrence Stables from May 1, 1887, to May 1, 1889, and since then as sole proprietor.
Mr. Marnell served some time in the volun- teer fire department of' Stockton, and was a member of the Emmett Guards, also of this city, six or seven years. He was married in Philadelphia in 1868, to Miss Margaret Wilson, born in Ireland, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ezekiel Wilson. The mother died young; the father, a physician, came to America, settling in Louisville, Kentucky, and died at the age of sixty-five.
& A. BACHMANN, of the firm of Bach- mann & Brandt, proprietors of the chic-
cory factory, near Stockton, is an old resident of San Joaquin County, and a native of Magdeburg, Prussia, his parents being Henry and Teresa (Kunz) Bachmann. His father was a government officer in the military department. He received his education in his native town, and after completing same served an apprentice- ship at the upholstering trade, then traveled throughont Germany, Russia, Austria, Hnn- gary, France, and indeed all over the continent. He then entered the military service of his country, joining the Twelfth Hussah Regiment, and took part in the wars of Baden and IIol- stein.
Leaving the army in 1853 he emigrated to America, going to St. Anthony's Falls, Minne- sota, wliere he established a furniture factory. In 1859 he gave up business and started for California, landing on the 24th of October, 1859;
remained in San Francisco until the spring of 1860, when he started to the mines of Washing- ton Territory; not being successful as a miner, he returned to San Francisco, where he obtained employment in a carpet store. In 1871 he came to San Joaquin County and purchased a ranch of several hundred acres and commenced farm- ing. Having some knowledge of the chiccory business, and thinking the same would prove profitable, he turned his attention to the culti- vation and manufacture of the article. With his partner, he now has the largest chiccory factory in the United States, with a trade ex- tending throughont the Pacific coast and Cen- tral States of the Union. In 1889 they worked up 6,000 tons of roots, producing one-fourth that weight of the finished product ready for market. Mr. Bachmann was in Europe in 1884, visiting relatives and friends; while there he looked over the field of manufacture in his business, and, selecting the most improved ma- chinery, purchased the same for his factory.
Mr. Bachmann is a prominent and active member of the Masonic order, belonging to Stockton Chapter, No. 28, R. A. M .; also Stock- ton Commandery, No. 8, Knights Templar, and has taken the Thirty-second degree, Scottish Rite; he attended the Triennial Conclave at San Fran- cisco in 1883, and again at St. Louis in 1886. In politics he is a Republican. Mr. Bachmann is one of the substantial men of San Joaquin County, and also among the most active.
EORGE WEST, proprietor of the famous El Pinal vineyard, two miles northeast of Stockton, is one of the few men who orig- inally introduced and have sincedeveloped Cali- fornia's greatest interest,-grape-growing and wine mannfacture. Rarely is there found a place, where, with astonishing fertility, the finest qualities are produced by viticulture. The rule of experience-that quality and quan- tity are inversely proportioned-fails of appli- cation at the El Pinal vineyard. Why this is
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so, is difficult to explain, but there must be some happy combination of climate and soil con- ditions to account for the marvel. The shrewd guess is that the deep stratum of heavy, marly sub-soil, overlaid by rich, black loam, with sur- face water enough to maintain a moist condition of the sub-soil without saturation-the vegeta- tion being influenced by the warm summers of the San Joaquin valley, tempered at that point by the inward flow of moist air which follows tide water to Stockton,- are the controlling canses. Perfect maturity of large crops is at- tained apparently under these conditions, and the composition of the soil insures the qualities sought by connoisseurs.
Mr. West was born in Tannton, Massachu- setts, Jannary 12, 1830, and came to California in the spring of 1850. He first devoted his at- tention to mining, as did all others in those days,. but in 1852 purchased the property which has since been his home.
Mr. George West was a pioneer in viticulture, and now ranks among the most successful as well as the most esteemed in the State. He and his brother-the latter being the well-known nurseryman, W. B. West, whose word is au- thority throughout the State in horticultural matters-had a passion in the beginning for beautifying the State with rare trees and plants, and were among the earliest to import foreign varieties of fine grape-vines, bringing by steamer from Boston in the year 1852, forty varieties, among them the seedless Sultana. From this importation are derived all the seedless Sultana now in the State. They added yearly to their stock, and at length began exporting their prod- nets to Europe. Abont 1868 William B. West made a collection of sherry grapes from Spain.
Their first manufacture of wine was on the home place, under a tree, about 1858. Previ- ously they sold their grapes in Stockton and San Francisco. They have continued to increase their facilities until the present, and could now work up 3,000 tons of grapes each year conld they get them in this county. In 1868 they planted a vineyard of sixty-two acres abont ten
miles northeast of Stockton, on the Calaveras, in company with J. H. Dodge, but some years afterward sold out. In 1880 Mr. George West and Thomas R. Minturn established in Fresno County a vineyard of 700 acres, on a tract of 2,100 acres. All that is in vine and raisin grapes. Afterward Mr. West, in company with a number of Stockton men, purchased the Es- condido ranch in San Diego County, where they planted 150 acres in raisin grapes, and which place they sold in 1886. The present firm is George West & Son (Frank A). They have wholesale houses in Stockton, San Fancisco and New York city; in the latter it is the Sonoma Wine and Brandy Company, at Nos. 1 and 3 Front street. They have a switch running out to their winery from the Southern Pacific Rail- road.
The properties of George and William B. West adjoin each other, and on each can be seen groves of the most varied and beautiful speci- mens of pines and other evergreens that can be seen in the State. When the vineyard of Mr. George West became so celebrated that it needed a distinguishing name, he baptized his home El Pinal, which is Spanish and means the pine grove. For many years the table grapes from this place have enjoyed the reputation among the commission fruit merchants of San Francisco, not only for size and beauty of clusters, but also for fine quality. Rapidly, however, the impor- tance of the wine and brandy grapes in his col- lection became felt, and from his stock many vineyards have been built up, all hoping in some degree to produce the excellencies of the El Pinal cellar.
The El Pinal brandy is now really celebrated. and is known not only to the trade, which was quick to discover its merits, but also by critical consumers from San Francisco to New York. Repeated decisions of juries and committees at fairs and State viticultural conventions have proved that this reputation is not due to any exceptional vintages or to picked samples, but that it is based on general and continued excel- lence and constant improvement. His last dis-
C. S. Sargent My
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tillations take rank with the high grades of well- renowned Cognac, and are eagerly sought by New York merchants doing first class business.
Side by side in quality with the brandies, Mr. West's port wines, made from the varieties which are most appreciated in the Alto Douro of Portugal, have made themselves known. Samples of them four years old have favorably stood comparison with the highest-priced im- ported stock. In sherries, also, the same prom- ising feature are being developed as experience leads the intelligent wine-maker.
Unexpectedly now the public is surprised with the quality of his clarets, in which he has shown vast improvement by adopting the varie- ties of vines of the Medoc district, near Bor- deanx, France. It has been supposed that a locality suitable for the highest quality of port would fail in producing high-grade clarets. In this respect, however, there is an exception to be made in favor of several districts in California, the most notable being that of Stockton, and its neiglibor, the Livermore valley. Mr. West's appliances have been developed from small be- ginnings, till he now has one of the best ap- pointed cellars for fermentation and storage; a separate distillery where every care is taken to insure perfection of metliods (but which, in many instances, means orderly simplicity), and a separate sherry house.
He has long been considered a man to counsel with, being frank and generous in giving advice and the results of experience to beginners, and was called by the Governor of the State to repre- sent, in the State Viticulturist Commission, the great San Joaquin district.
A short article on viticulture from the pen of Mr. West is given on the last pages of this volume.
R. C. S. SARGENT .- In the history of the medical profession in San Joaquin Connty, many have figured who have honored the fraternity they represented; but certainly none 32
have advanced to the front rank of their high profession at an earlier age than the gentleman whose name heads this sketch. He was born in Stockton, October 21, 1860, his parents being H. S. and Mary E. (Scammon) Sargent, early and prominent residents of this city. He was reared in Stockton, and here received his literary education. This concluded, he began prepara- tion for a career in the medical profession, com- inencing with office reading under Drs. L. E. & S. N. Cross, in 1879. Devoting himself assidu- ously to his books, he was soon ready to com- mence college study and began attendance at Hahnemann College, Philadelphia. There he applied himself diligently and intelligently to the work before him, taking advantage of the great opportunities there afforded to those who really desire to acquire a solid knowledge of the profession, so that, when he was gradnated, in the class of 1881, it was with the prospect of a bright career before him. It is to his credit that, though a young man, he has much more than fulfilled this promise.
Returning to California, he located at Locke- ford, San Joaquin County, and there began the actual practice of medicine, Three years later, desiring to avail himself of the progress made in his profession since his graduation, he went to New York, where he regularly attended the Polyclinic for one year. Returning again to this county, he located in Stockton, and became associated in practice with the Drs. Cross. This partnership continued until 1886, since which time lie has been alone. His advancement has been rapid, and to-day he is acknowledged among the foremost of the physicians who have ever practiced in this county. His abilities have been recognized abroad as well as at home, and in 1889 he was offered the appointment to a prominent chair in the Hahnemann Hospital Col- lege of San Francisco, in the following letter:
" SAN FRANCISCO, November 12, 1889.
' DEAR DR. SARGENT:
" Would you entertain a proposition looking to the Chair of Obstetrics and a Directorship in the Hahnemann Hospital College of this city?
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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY.
By giving your immediate reply, you will confer a favor upon
Yours most truly, " G. E. DAVIS."
As an acceptance of the duties of the propo- sition would entail the giving up of a consider- able portion of his extensive practice, thus involving a long personal sacrifice at such an early period of his career, he felt compelled to decline the position and forego the honor at- taching to it.
The Doctor is the only physician in San Joaquin County who performs those delicate operations grouped under the professional class- ification or abdominal surgery, such cases, previous to his undertaking them, having gone to San Francisco. In this field of surgical skill, however, he has met with nothing but complete and flattering success. His profes- sional abilities, it may be stated, are not only appreciated by citizens of the county who take pleasure in the success of a young man born and reared among them, but his skill receives due credit and recognition at the hands of his pro- fessional brethren.
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