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 81
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Mr. Winters was married in 1865 to Miss Mary Wood, a native of Illinois. They have had eight children, fonr boys and four girls, namely: Dora and Cora, twins; Andrew J., Joseph B., Ruth E. Mary, Richard, and George B., deceased.
RS. M. J. WHITAKER, wife of F. M. Whitaker, was born in Washington County, Arkansas, and came to Cali- fornia in 1861 with her parents. They pur- chased land in the San Joaquin Valley, making their home there. Mrs. Whitaker pur- chased her property in 1865, and in order to obtain a clear title had to pay for it thrice. She was married in 1863, to F. M. Whitaker, a native of Kentucky, who came to California in 1854. He was a blacksmith by occupation, but followed farming in the latter years of lis life. He died in 1876, at the age of forty- four years. They had three children, namely : Anna V., wife of D. Merrill, a resident of Cala- veras County; Sarah C. and Robert H. Mrs. Whitaker still superintends hier own farm, which gives the appearance of a well operated and well managed farm. It is situated twelve miles from Stockton, just off the Cherokee Lane road. The produce is principally grain and stock. The subject is a thorough business woman and one who understands how to con- duct the farm. Her home lias the appearance
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of neatness and comfort. Her husband is well remembered by all the old settlers, by whom lie was much respected.
ILLIAM E. WHIPPLE, farmer. of El- liott Township, was born in Boston, Massachusetts, June 13, 1844, his par- ents being Edwin and Mrs. (Lewis) Whipple; the father a native of New Hampshire, and his mother of Vermont. When he was one year old his mother died, and ltis grandmother, who was residing in Stansted County, Canada, came and took him back with her to Canada, where he lived until twenty-one years of age.
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In the year 1865 he came to California and joined his father, who had come in 1849, and encountered all the hardships of pioneer life in California. In 1850 he (the father) took up a fine piece of river-bottom land on the Mokel- umne river, where he lived until his death, in 1885. Our subject, William E., being his only child, fell heir to the old homestead, which con- tains 257 acres and is situated on the Stockton road one mile from Clements. He is one of our prosperous farmers of San Joaquin County, and is well known and respected by all.
He was united in marriage to Miss Lucy Putnam, on the first of January, 1878. They have four children, three boys and one girl, viz .: Edwin A., George B., Nellie and Will- iam A., Jr.
HARLES F. WAKEFIELD, farmer, of Elliott Township, was born in Oxford County, Maine, August 25, 1852, his par- ents being Henry S. and Lucy A. (Merrell) Wakefield, both natives of Maine. His father was born in 1818 and died in 1860, being killed by a falling tree. In the family were three boys, the subject of this sketch being the only one in California.
Charles F. Wakefield remained in his native
town until he had reached the age of eighteen, when he came to Merced Connty, California. He was employed there by the Cressey Broth- ers, farming for them four years. He then visited his old home, staying there five years. In 1850 he returned to California; in two years went East once more, and was married to Miss May Watson, whom he brought to California with him in 1882. They rented a farm and settled on it, and in 1883 bought a farm of 160 acres, situated between Elliott and Lockeford, about two and one-half miles from the former place and three from the latter. It has the ap- pearance of being a well conducted farm, and all the improvements on it lie has made himself.
OHN H. TONE .- There is no part of the history of San Joaquin County that is more interesting than that which relates to the deeds and events that have come under the ob- servation of the old pioneer. The main credit of the marvelous growtli and development of this State must be attributed to that class of people-brave, sturdy and willing to endure any and all hardships, the strength of whose early manhood has been spent here. Suclı a man pre- eminently is the subject of this sketch, wlio is among the few of the '49rs who have turned to success their hard labor and early advantages. He is a native of New York city, born March 19, 1826, where he was raised and grew to manhood. His father, Richard Tone, was a na- tive of Ireland, and in 1816, when he was a young man, he emigrated to the United States and settled in New York. He was what might be called a general contractor by business and followed that all his life, also carrying on farmi- ing to a certain extent, especially raising garden vegetables for the New York market. He died in 1848, at the age of fifty-one years. The inother of our subject was Mary (Madden) Tone, also a native of Ireland. She died in 1878, at the age of seventy-six years, the mother of eleven children, five sous and six daughters.
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There are three sons and three daughters now living, the subject of this sketch being the only one in California. Part of his younger days was spent in driving teams, and for a time lie was engaged as foreman in building a branch of the New York & Erie Railroad. For a year and a half he was on the police force in New York city. One day he said to his captain, "Captain, I'm going to California." At that time great excitement reigned there on account of the discovery of gold in California. Febru- ary 8, 1849, he left the city with a party wlio were all bound for the same destination. They came via Philadelphia, Baltimore, Cincinnati, down the Ohio and Mississipi rivers to New Orleans. There they took a vessel across the Gulf to Brazos, where they intended to land, but that port being quarantined they had to proceed up the Rio Grande river as far as Camargo on the Mexican side. Cholera had broken ont in the party, and sixteen of thein died of the disease, and one of them afterward died of fever. From there they took the old trail that General Tay- lor traversed during the time of the Mexican war, camping at San Diego. From there some of the party came by water, and some by land. As Mr. Tone said, they came round the Horn by land and it was a tedious trip.
After arriving at French Camp most of the boys went to mining, while Mr. Tone and two or three others went to packing to the different mining camps. The prices that had to be paid for provisions at that time would seem almost incredible; almost everything sold for a dollar a pound, and some things even lrigher than that. Mr. Tone engaged in mining at the end of ten montlis, which industry he followed for three months; then, the dry season coming on, noth- ing could be found but dry diggings; so he came to this valley and concluded he would go to farming, and accordingly located on the place where he now is. The ranch contains 480 acres of land, which is under the best improvement and is situated on the northeast corner of O'Neil Township, eleven and a half miles from Stockton.
Mr. Tone was married in 1855 to Alice Walsh, a native of Dublin, Ireland, wlro came to the States with her parents when she was a mere child, and to California in 1853. Their family consists of seven children: Mary, wife of John T. Doyle, residing in Stockton; Margaret, wife of Sam Storer, of Tulare; Alice, Jolmn, Catha- rine, Ella and Anna.
Politically Mr. Tone was formerly an An- drew Jackson Democrat, but since the war has been a good advocate and strong supporter of the Republican party. He has been a hard- working man and his own energy and persever- ance have been two of the great causes of his success.
EORGE W. WETHERBEE, a farmer of Castoria Township, was born in New York State in 1865. He went with his parents to Wisconsin when a lad and remained on their farm until fifteen years of age. In 1877 he came to San Joaquin County and at once went to work on a farm for H. W. Cowell, mentioned elsewhere in this book, for whom he worked five years. He then went to Merced County, where he farnred for some time. Returning he again went to work for Cowell, remaining with with him for two years. At the end of that time he bought the place on which he now re- sides, situated eleven miles from Stockton and three miles from Lathrop. He is principally engaged in the raising of stock and grain.
He was married in San Joaquin County, to Miss Eva Litchfield, daughter of Albert Litch- field, who was born in Illinois, in 1867. They have one son, Clarence H.
AMES E. THOMPSON, a farmer of Elliott Township, was born in Washington, Arkan- sas, March 19,1839, his parents being James E. and Mrs. (Simpson) Thompson, who liad a family consisting of twelve children, six boys
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and six girls. Four of the sons and one daugh- ter reside in California. When the subject of this sketch was eleven years of age he started across the plains with his parents. They came with a wagon train consisting of twenty-eight wagons; their first stopping place was Wood- bridge, where he remained eighteen years. During that time he accumulated considerable property. Mr. Thompson's ranch, on which he now resides, is situated on the lower Stockton road, about thirteen miles from Stockton and five miles from Lodi. It contains 160 acres; he bought it in 1873 and since that time has many improvements, making a very pleasant homestead.
He was married to Angeline Pope, April 4, 1867. They have three boys and two girls, namely: Johnnie C., Mary C., William H., Amelia and Bertie E. Mr. Thompson has been an industrious man and succeeded in accomplish- ing much although in a new country, and well deserves his reward.
YMAN TITUS was born in Lamoille County, Vermont, January 17, 1831, his parents being William C. and Amy (Law- ton) Titus, the former a native of Verinont and the latter of New Hampshire. In 1853 the family came West and settled in Greene County, Wisconsin, where they made their home up to 1876, when they came to California, where Mrs. Titus died, in the summer of 1885, at the advanced age of eighty-six years. William Titus is still living, making his home with his son Lyman. He was born in June, 1799. In his family there were originally nine children, of whom seven grew up to manhood and woman- hood. Three of the children are residing in California, two besides the subject of this sketch.
Lyman Titus was raised in his native State. As soon as he was able to perform manual labor he was put to work on his father's farm. When his family moved to Wisconsin, he remained one year in Vermont, then followed them and
made his home with them until he was twenty years of age. He followed farming for eight years. In 1862 he came to California, making the trip across the plains with horse teams; lie crossed the Missouri river on the 24th of May and arrived at Carson City, Nevada, after a jour -. ney of three months. They then mnade their way to Sacramento, and a few days later came to a place between Elk Grove and Galt, where they stopped awhile and came down to this valley in the following winter. The next spring Mr. Titus homesteaded his present place, then con- sisting of 160 acres, since increased to 240. He has also a ranch of 180 acres in Sacramento County, and 160 acres in Tulare County.
Politically Mr. Titus is an earnest supporter of the Republican party and takes considerable interest in the political issues of the day.
He was married March 22, 1863, to Adelia Rattan, a native of Wisconsin, daugliter of Jar- vis Rattan, a resident of Sacramento County. They have a family of five children: Lily May, born August 28, 1866; Arthur, August 15, 1868; Louis, March 6, 1872; Edith, April 3, 1874; and Ina L., October 9, 1876. During the number of years Mr. Titus has been a resi- dent of this State, he has on the whole been a successful farmer. Coming here when an ex- cellent opportunity presented itself, he was one to turn to advantage everything that showed up in a favorable light.
ERMAN W. V. TECKLENBERG, a na- tive of Holstein, Germany, was raised in his native conntry up to the age of fifteen, when he went to sea, following a seafaring life for about fifteen years. On one of his voyages he came to California, in the spring of 1861, and remained here about ten years, engaged in boating on the bay. In 1871 he came to Elk- horn Township, San Joaquin County, and pur- chased his present property of 160 acres, situated three miles from Lodi, on the Cherokee Lane road. The farm is devoted to the production of
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hay and grain. There is a small vineyard for family nse.
Mr. Tecklenberg was married in 1869 to Miss Margaret Jurgens. They have a family of seven children, two boys and five girls. He is a mein- ber of the I. O. O. F., Lodi, No. 250. When Mr. Tecklenberg first came to California he had had no experience in farming, but the appearance of his ranch showed that he was a man of ability and enterprise. He lias two brothers in Cali- fornia, one a resident of San Joaquin County.
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RTHUR THORNTON, proprietor of the New Hope Hotel, was born in Scotland in 1838, a son of William and Mary (Ken- nedy) Thornton, both natives of Scotland, who came to America in 1852 and settled in Iowa. In 1884 they moved to Kansas, where the mother died; the father was buried on the plains in 1854. In 1854, Arthur, the subject of this sketch, started across the plains, in the employ of the Government, for California; got as far as Salt Lake City, where he remained for the winter. May 5, 1855, he again set out on his journey. He had been commissioned by the Government to take some horses, wagons and mules to a fort, where he remained from the 3d of July till the 6th. He again set out for the golden hills of California, arriving in Benicia, where he left the employ of the Gov- ernment and went to work at odd jobs for wages. He then went to work on the steam- ship Oregon, plying between San Francisco and Panama. Arriving at Panama, this ship was disabled, so he came back on the Golden Gate. On his arrival he came to this section of the country, and worked on a cattle ranch for a short time. Next he went to Stockton to learn the blacksmith's trade, but did not finish it, although he picked up a great deal and could do the work fairly well. Returning to this county he worked two more years on the same cattle ranch on which he had been before going to learn the trade of blacksmithing. He next went to Wood-
bridge, where he bought a saloon and blacksmitlı shop and worked with the blacksmith he em- ployed. A year later he went to San Luis Obispo County, where he went into the stock business and worked on a ranch two years, then came back to this county and bought land in the neighborhood of New Hope. He runs a hotel, blacksmith shop and general mercantile business. He owns 400 acres of well improved land in Union Township.
His wife, Emina (Graves) Thornton, was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, in 1842, daughter of Georgeand Phœbe (Dunham) Graves; the former a native of Scotland, who died in California, in 1849, and the latter a native of Massachusetts, who died in Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Thornton have had six children, namely: Verne M., born January 1, 1871; Clara B., April 10, 1872; Maggie F., Angust 8, 1875; Jesse C., Novem- ber 13, 1878; Alice T., May 10, 1881; and Georgie, October 8, 1876, died February 22, 1879.
ILLIAM H. SNOW, proprietor of hotel Collegeville, was born in New York State, May 6, 1833, son of Samuel and Melissa (Kelsey) Snow; the father was born in New York State in 1796 and died there in 1871; the mother was born in the same State in 1810, and died there in 1844. William, the subject of this sketch, remained in his native State en- gaged in farmning until twenty-three years of age, when he wen' to Illinois, where he re- mained until 1861. In that year he started across the plains with a train commanded by Captain Moss, for California; after a trip of five months they arrived at French Camp. He went to Sacramento and was there engaged as a fore- man of the building of the levee. In 1864 lie went to Montana and to Idaho; returned to Sacramento in the fall of 1865. He was mar- ried that winter to Miss Sarah A. Adams. He then came to Collegeville, this county, and en- gaged in the hotel business and also the butcher
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business; of late years he has devoted the whole of his time to his hotel and to farming. He owns seven acres on which the hotel stands, and farms a quarter of a section of land, the principal product of which is wheat.
Mr. and Mrs. Snow have five children, viz .: William S., born October 14, 1867; George E., March 19, 1872; Belle B .; April 4, 1876; Adda M., June 19, 1881; and Charley D., January 5, 1886.
OSEPH TAYLOR was born March 10, 1856, in Elkhorn Township, San Joaquin County, the son of James and Mary (Fra- ser) Taylor, both natives of Scotland. (See sketch of the mother and father for genealogy.)
Joseph was raised on the farm on which he was born, and still remains on a portion of it, of 240 acres situated on the Stockton and Sacra- mento road, twelve miles from Stockton and two from Lodi. He does a general farming business.
Mr. Taylor was married September 13, 1879, to Miss Anna F. Buckley, daughter of E. D. and Margaret (Shay) Buckley, now residents of Oak- land, who came to California in the '50s. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor have one child, a daughter, named Gretta. They have a neat and tidy home, one that will attract the attention of any one who admires a well-kept place. Mr. Taylor is a per- son who, once mnet, is not easily forgotten. His home is made pleasant by his sociability and hospitality.
NDREW J. TAYLOR was born in Ruth- erford County, Tennessee, March 21, 1829, his parents being Stephen and Jane (Wade) Taylor. The father was a farmer by occupation, and lived and died in Tennessee. The subject of this sketch was raised on a farm and remained at home till eighteen years of age, when, in 1847, he went to Arkansas and purchased land near Batesville, Independence County, where he remained ten years. He sold
out in 1857 and started for California, crossing the plains with an ox team and arriving at Marysville after a six months' journey. He came to Stockton and purchased in October, 1858, the ranch on which he now lives. It was at that time in a wild state, and Mr. Taylor, by his own industry and economy, improved it until he has now one of the best ranches in the county. It contains 160 acres of choice farm- ing land, situated six miles from Stockton, on the Davis road. It is devoted to producing hay and grain.
Mr. Taylor was married in 1845, to Miss Martha A. Webb, a native of Tennessee.
RS. MARY SMITH was born in Eng- land, February 21, 1835. In 1855 she sailed for California with her parents. They landed in New York; took passage on the steamer Star of the West, to the Isthmus. In order to cross the Isthmus her father, Peter Cur- tis, secured an open wagon, being totally un- aware of the intense heat they would have to encounter. They would never have reached their journey's end had it not been for her father, who exerted all his strength in helping the mules to draw the wagons up the hills. The heat was terrible, and Mary, our subject, came very near being sun-struck. They were eight hours in crossing the Isthmus - from eight o'clock in the morning till four P. M. After a long, tiresome journey by water they reached San Francisco on the 6th of May. They stayed there but a short time, then went to Stockton, and soon bought the ranch where she lias re- sided ever since. It contains 320 acres, and is situated in Castoria Township, about three miles from French Camp and seven miles from Stock- ton. She owns two more ranches of 160 acres each; one is two miles south of her present home, and the other in Elliott Township, near Lockeford. They are all finely improved farmns.
Our subject was the wife of F. H. Smith, a native of Dayton, Ohio, born in 1828. He
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caine to California in 1848; had been here but a short time when he was employed by the Gov- ernment at $12 a day. At the end of three inonths he went to the mines, where he was very successful. He spent the greater part of his life in farming. He was married July 17, 1855, to Miss Mary Curtis; they had a family of eight children, viz .: Walter, Florence, George, Peter, Sarah, Bessie, Philip and Alfred. November 8, 1885, F. H. Smith died, leaving his wife and children well provided for.
G. SHARP, a farmer of Castoria Town- ship, was born in Hudson, New York, in 1815. Leaving New York he went to Ohio, where he remained until 1849, when he started for California with a company called the Belleville Mining Company, of which he was the organizer and the principal moneyed man. The company was composed of some twenty people, and they crossed the plains with mule teams, arriving at Hangtown, where they intended to do some digging, but, for some canse or other, they decided to sell off every- thing and divide the proceeds between them. In this they had the advantage of our subject, as he had furnished almost everything in the first place, and now received but a twentieth sliare of his investment. He and his brother went to inining, however, and had good luck, making $10 a day. At the end of two weeks the sub- ject of this sketch determined to go to Mari- posa. He was the first white man to cross the intervening mountains with a team. On reach- ing Mariposa he and another man built a cabin together, intending to put in a stock of pro- visions, but a heavy snow prevented them, and hesold out his part of the cabin to a man, named Powell, for $300; he also sold 600 pounds of flour he had on hand to the same man, at $1.25 a pound. He then bought a team and went to freighting goods for a man named Blackburn. He hanled $1,600 worth of goods, and then Blackburn busted, owing him the sum of $1,600,
for which he took his note, but it is needless to say that he failed to get the money. During the years 1849-'53 Mr. Sharp had very bad luck, and lost in all $17,000.
He was married in Bellville, Ohio, in 1862, to Miss Woodburn, and they have two daugh- ters: Sophia and Emma.
C. SCHMIDT, a farmer of Elliott Town- ship, was born December 22, 1849, in Gerinany, the son of Hans and Annie Schmidt, both natives of Germany. The father was born in 1795, and died in 1845. He was a blacksmith by trade, and never left his native country. The mother was born in 1819, and died in 1879.
Mr. Schmidt, the subject of this sketch, came to California in 18-, settling in Salinas, Mon- terey County, where he remained eleven years, engaged in blacksmithing, at which he received $2 a day. In 1884 he went back to Europe, where he was married to Leana Jessee, who was born in that country October 6, 1854. He re- turned with his bride in 1885, and bought a ranch in San Joaquin County, which contains I55 acres. The principal product of the farm is grain. Mr. and Mrs. Schmidt have three children, as follows: Amelia C., born March 15, 1885; George H., April 11, 1886; and Katie, March 31, 1888.
AMES T. SALMON, farmer of Castoria, was born in Grant County, Wisconsin, in 1833, his parents being Cutler and Jane (Rundle) Salmon. He was reared and educated in his native State. At the age of twenty years he came to California, crossing the plains with houses and ox teams, and landing in Hangtown, where he stayed but a short time. Coming to San Joaquin County, he bought the ranch upon which he now resides. It consists of 347 acres, and is situated on the French Camp road, abont
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six miles from Stockton. He is engaged in stock-raising and farming.
In 1858 he was married to Nancy J. Sperry, who was born in Wisconsin in 1838. They have a family of six children, viz .: William, Charles, James, Burdette, Ardella and Fred.
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HARLES ALBERT RICH, a merchant at Lodi, is a native of Waterport, Maine, born October 20, 1853, his parents being George W. and Ann Rebecca (Camp) Rich; the former, a merchant by occupation, was a native of Winterport, where lie resided and carried on business up to 1850, when he came to California, which was then the center of a large immigra tion. He came via Panama. He spent some of his time in the mines, but worked at his trade, that of machinist, the greater part of the time. At the expiration of a year or two he went East, where he remained until 1859, when he returned to California with his family, locating in San Francisco. and working at his trade in the Globe foundry, where he remained about two years. In 1861 he located on the Calaveras river three miles north of Linden on what is known as the Old Camp ranch. The ranch contains 320 acres. He made his home there until 1867, during which time he did some work in the foundry in Stockton. Mrs. Rich was a native of Vermont and moved to Bangor, Maine, when quite young; she was there married to Mr. Rich. She died in 1866 and in 1867 Mr. Rich with Charles A., his son, went back East, returning to this State in 1878; Mr. Rich died in San Francisco in 1879.
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