History of San Joaquin County, California : with biographical sketches of leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 114

Author: Tinkham, George H. (George Henry), b. 1849
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1660

USA > California > San Joaquin County > History of San Joaquin County, California : with biographical sketches of leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 114

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JOSEPH M. CORSON .- A well-known citizen of the Lodi vicinity is Joseph M. Corson, who has had his permanent home in California since 1876. He resides with his family on his well-improved ranch of forty-five acres, five and a half miles southwest of Lodi in the Henderson school district. A New Englander by birth, having been born in Somerset County, Maine, October 19, 1859, he is a son of Lysander and Susan C. (Morrison) Corson, both parents being born and reared in Maine. Great- great-grandfather Morrison was a soldier in the War of 1812. Lysander Corson was a farmer in New England and reared a family of seven children: Charles; May, Mrs. F. R. Clarke, resides in Stock- ton; Joseph M. is the subject of this sketch; Augus- tus resides in Lodi; Addie, Mrs. Edding Holt, resides in Maine; Belle, Mrs. Ulysses Holt, also resides in Maine; Henry Lysander is an attorney in San Fran- cisco. The mother passed away in Maine in 1881.

Joseph M. attended grammar school in Somerset County and finished with a year's business course after coming to Stockton. He was fifteen years of age when he began to work for himself, working two years in a sawmill, then for a year in the timber of Moosehead Lake, Maine. In 1876 he came to Cali- fornia where he worked on farms, then rented a farm near Linden containing 400 acres and for eighteen years he engaged in grain and stock raising to good advantage; he then removed to a ranch seven miles northwest of Lodi on the Walnut Grove Road and bought a forty-acre ranch, twenty acres of which was in vineyard and the balance used for grain. Here he farmed for seven years, when he sold it and went to the Naglee ranch northwest of Tracy and there farmed 1,000 acres to grain. He then moved to Lodi and made that his home for a time; then purchased a twenty-two acre vineyard in the Christian Colony which he held for two years

and then sold and with the proceeds purchased his present ranch of forty-five acres, twenty acres of which is in vineyard; alfalfa is raised on the balance, the ranch being irrigated by a pumping plant.

The marriage of Mr. Corson occurred on October 29, 1887, in Stockton and united him with Miss Mary A. Loveland, born on her father's ranch in San Joa- quin County, a daughter of D. H. and Rachel L. (McClanahan) Loveland. Her father crossed the plains to California with an ox-train in 1852, the journey consuming six months. He worked for a time in a warehouse in San Francisco and in 1854 came to the San Joaquin County where he purchased two ranches, one of 160 acres and the other of 320 acres, four miles east of Waterloo; this he farmed to grain. The mother came to California from Wis- consin a few years later and their marriage occurred in San Joaquin County and they were the parents of four children: Mrs. Corson; Willard, deceased; Mrs. Edna Benjamin; and Leta, deceased. The fa- ther lived to be seventy-four years old and the mother was forty-two when she passed away. Mr. and Mrs. Corson are the parents of one son, Cullen D. In politics Mr. Corson is not restricted by any party lines, but votes for the candidate he considers best fitted for the office. Fraternally he is a mem- ber and past master of the Valley Lodge of Masons at Linden and both he and Mrs. Corson are members of the Woodbridge Eastern Star Chapter. Mr. Cor- son has served as a school trustee of the Hender- son district and was a deputy county assessor under Cy Moreing for the Thornton and Lafayette districts.

WILLIAM CORELL .- For the past fifty years William Corell has been a resident of San Joaquin County and has been an eyewitness and an active participant in the development and prosperity of his locality. The ranch of 200 acres, which he pur- chased in 1875 was in timber and underbrush; this he cleared and first farmed to grain and it is now in beautiful orchards and vineyards. He was born in Tazewell County, Va., November 5, 1839, a son of Joshua and Jane (Wynn) Corell. The father was born in 1794 and when he grew to manhood was an owner of a plantation in Virginia. There were ten children in the family, Mary Ann, Andrew Jack- son, Josiah Wynn, Rebecca, John Wynn, Reese B., William, James Oscar, David Campbell, and Sam- uel Joshua. William, the subject of this sketch, and James Oscar are the two survivors of this large family. The father passed away in 1873.

William Corell received a public school education in his native county and grew to young manhood on his father's plantation. On March 11, 1869, in Tazewell County, he was married to Miss Emily Thompson, a native of the same county, a daugh- ter of James and Visa (Harison) Thompson, both natives of Virginia, descendants of an old family of Virginia pioneers. Two daughters, Helen and Mary, were born to Mr. and Mrs. Corell before they left Virginia, the other three of the five children were born in San Joaquin County, James, W. O. and Harvey. In 1872 the family removed from Virginia to California and first settled at Kiles Corner, south- east of New Hope, where he farmed for three years on 160 acres; then he purchased 200 acres of raw land two miles north of Lockeford on the Elliott Road. Gradually the timber was removed and the ranch planted to grain and later was developed to

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orchards and vineyards. This 200 acre ranch has been equally divided among his five children. Thir- teen years ago Mr. Corell moved to Lodi where he resides at 414 Forest Avenue. His son, W. O., was born at New Hope February 4, 1876, and at- tended the Brunswick district school north of Locke- ford and has always been identified with his father in farming pursuits. Mr. Corell became a Mason in Tazewell County, Va., and is now a member of the Woodbridge Lodge; also a member of the Eastern Star and his two daughters are both past worthy matrons of the Eastern Star Lodge at Woodbridge. As the greater portion of his life has been spent in San Joaquin County, he is widely known among its citizens and is held in high regard.

WILLIAM H. JOHNSEN .- For the past thirty- nine years William H. Johnsen has made his home in the San Joaquin Valley near Tracy, and he has been a valued factor in promoting the development and progress of this district. He was born in Hol- stein on October 6, 1853, his parents being William A. and Catherine (Voss) Johnsen. The father died in Germany in 1914, eighty-nine years old; the moth- er. passed away in 1892, sixty-nine years old.

On his mother's side Mr. Johnsen is related to the famous Voss family and his second cousin, Mr. Voss, of the firm of Bloom & Voss, famous ship- builders of Hamburg, was at one time head archi- tect of Holland's navy and was doubtless the great- est ship architect of his time. Another cousin was John Voss, world traveler and lecturer, who passed away in February, 1922, while on a visit at Mr. Johnsen's home and was buried at Tracy.

In the land of his nativity, William H. Johnsen was reared and his education was acquired in the public schools there. In his- twentieth year he en- tered the German army, spending eight months in the service of the carpenter's department. He had pre- viously learned the carpenter's trade and he became a good workman in that line. In 1874 he sailed for América, shipping as a seaman on the American vessel Franklin, at Hamburg. From there he went to Cardiff, England, where he subsequently sailed as a ship's carpenter and seaman on the ship "Gem," and by way of Havana he made his way to New Orleans. For the next three years he was engaged on cotton vessels, sailing from New Orleans to Euro- pean ports. Leaving England in the latter part of February, 1877, aboard the sailing vessel Samaria, where he served as ship's carpenter, he doubled Cape Horn and reached San Francisco July 31, 1877, and since that time he has lived in California. He made his first visit to the West Side of San Joaquin County in May, 1878, but continued to sail during the winter months, working as a carpenter in San Joaquin County in the summer time; he was the only carpen- ter in the Jefferson and New Jerusalem districts for several years. He now owns eighty acres of land under a good state of cultivation and his farm is well developed, constituting a valuable property.

The marriage of Mr. Johnsen occurred on April 27, 1883, and united him with Mrs. Jeanette Scott, the widow of Mungo Scott, of San Joaquin County, and a native of Nova Scotia. By this marriage there were two daughters, Annette M. is now Mrs. Frank Nicolaysen, and Marguerite C. is the wife of Lloyd Gerry of San Francisco. For many years Mr. Johnsen served as a trustee of the Jefferson school

district and the cause of education finds in him a warm friend. He belongs to Summer Lodge No. 177, I. O. O. F., of Tracy and also has membership with the Tracy Encampment. He is now living re- tired at his ranch home near Tracy, after a busy and useful life.

PETER JOHN SMITH .- Among the many be- nevolent organizations of Stockton, the Board of Exempt Firemen of which Peter J. Smith has been president for more than twenty years, is doing an outstanding work. Mr. Smith became a member of the Volunteer Fire Department of Stockton in May, 1879, and at all times since has been active in its affairs. He was born in Milwaukee, Wis., January 13, 1855, a son of John Adams and Magdalena (An-

dres) Smith, natives of Ohio and Pennslyvania, re- spectively. His ancestors on both the paternal and maternal sides were political exiles from Alsace- Lorraine, France and they figured prominently in the early days of our Republic. Two sons were born of this union, Peter J., the subject of this sketch, and Frank Harmon, superintendent of the Flint & Marquette Railroad, Milwaukee, Wis. John A. Smith was a member of the 26th Wisconsin Volun- teer Infantry during the Civil War and served three years; at the close of his three years' service he was wounded and returned home and after his recovery engaged in the tanning business at Milwaukee for many years. The parents of our subject lived to be eighty-six and eighty-five years old, respectively.

Peter J. Smith began his education in the public schools of Milwaukee, and recalls vividly the assassi- nation of President Lincoln and the closing of the schools on that account; he also attended the Spen- cerian College in Milwaukee. His dreams of living in the Golden State were realized in May, 1876, when he arrived in San Francisco, where he met his uncle Peter Andres, superintendent for the Simpson Lum- ber Company; he found employment with the same company and was soon made assistant superintend- ent; later he was sent to Tuolumne where he estab- lished a lumber yard for his employers.

Mr. Smith's first marriage occured in Stockton in 1879, and united him with Miss Mary McNamara, a native of Iowa, and two children were born to them: John Adams, civil engineer and railroad surveyor, and Andrew, of the firm of Pope & Smith, undertakers of Stockton. Mrs. Smith died on September 26, 1910, and in 1915 Mr. Smith married Miss Anna Yettner, who was born in Kansas, but reared in Stockton. For many years Mr. Smith was connected with the Stockton Lumber Company and the Buell Lumber Company; he-is now living retired at his comfortable residence, built in 1880 at 1104 South Center Street. Mr. Smith has always been active in the affairs of the Republican party and has served many times on the county and state central committee; for the past forty-six years he has been identified with the Knights of Pythias Lodge and is a past chancellor; he served as deputy sheriff under Walter Sibley for many years. He is a member of the South Stockton Improvement Club and has taken a very prominent part in the activities of this organization and from its workings the agitation for the new city charter came into being. His activities as president of the Board of Exempt Firemen have been produc- tive of much good to the community where he is held in high esteem by all who know him.

Peter J. Smith

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

GUISEPPE BATTILANA .- An influential citizen of San Joaquin County is Guiseppe Battilana, who by ceaseless toil and endeavor, has attained a marked success in business affairs, has gained the respect and confidence of men, and is recognized as one of the representative citizens of Stockton, where he has resided for the past thirty-two years. He was born on a farm in the Genoa district of Italy, November 11, 1863, his father being a farmer and also a store- keeper in a small town in Italy. Guiseppe helped his father on the farm and in the store until he was twenty-seven years of age, then started for Amer- ica and came direct to Stockton, Cal., arriving with very little money in his pocket; however, he soon found work in a grocery store owned by August Gianelli, located on the corner of Center and South Streets, and after four years of clerking, he and D. Gianelli, a brother of August Gianelli, purchased the business, and the firm became known as Gianelli & Battilana and they conducted the store for five years, when Mr. Battilana sold his interest and with the proceeds bought lots at the corner of South and San Joaquin streets, where he built a store building and carried on a grocery business for eight years; he then erected two business blocks at the corner of Church and San Joaquin streets and conducted a grocery store for four years. Success attended every venture, for he was persevering and industrious and was optimistic for the future of Stockton, so invested his savings in real estate. About twelve years ago he entered the real estate and insurance business, paying particular attention to the insurance end of the busi- ness and he has built up a very profitable clientele. Mr. Battilana has bought and sold houses and lots in Stockton and is the owner of considerable valuable real estate in the city. He is a prominent member of the Italian colony of Stockton and has beeen an influential factor in the upbuilding of the city.

Mr. Battilana's marriage united him with Miss Lottie Gianelli, a daughter of G. Gianelli, an early resident of Stockton, now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Battilana are the parents of eight children, five of whom are now living; Zelda, is the wife of Beverly Castle; Marsel married Inez Scalati and they have one daughter; Eugene, Beatrice and Joy. Mr. Bat- tilana is a member of the Stockton Italian Club.

JAMES A. ALLEN .- For the past thirteen years James A. Allen has been closely identified with the building interests of Stockton, and is one of the pro- gressive and enterprising men of that city. He was born near Springfield, Mo., on July 13, 1882. His father was a building contractor and when James was fourteen years old he began to learn the car- penter trade with his father and followed his trade in the East until 1905 when he came to California. His first work was on the Spreckels Sugar Factory at Visalia; he next worked on a sawmill at Milwood Basin in the mountains of Fresno County, In 1906 he went to San Francisco shortly after the fire, where he worked for a contractor and later ran a shop where he made office fixtures and helped materially in rebuilding the stricken city. In 1909 he came to Stockton and first worked for Chappell, the con- tractor, on the interior finish of the Wonder Store, Denton's residence and the new concrete building at the State Farm; then he entered the employ of Chir- hart & Nystad, building contractors, and with them 45

worked on the new buildings for the Stockton high school. In 1912 he started in for himself as building contractor, making a specialty of fine homes in which line he has built up a fine reputation. He has erect- ed residences for Frank Murray, Frank Warner, Arthur Salz; he has also done some fine work on interior finish and fronts of stores. He erected a $20,000 home for George Moore at Lodi, a $9,000 home on the Theissen ranch near Thornton and the Percy Hodgkin ranch home. He recently de- signed and completed the Gall block at the corner of Main and Aurora streets at a cost of $45,000, one of Stockton's new, modern structures. He has also constructed and sold eight houses.

Mrs. Allen's maiden name was Miss Mary Lipp, a native of Indiana, and she is the parent of a daughter, by her former marriage, Lena Belle. Mr. Allen is a member of the Stockton Builders' Ex- change and fraternally is a Knight of Pythias of uniform rank, the Pythian Sisters and the Woodmen of the World. Mr. Allen has recently sold his beautiful home in Tuxedo Park, and is now plan- ning a new residence.

THOMAS F. BAXTER .- Stockton owes much of its world-celebrity to the Holt Manufacturing Com- pany, whose efficient, popular manager is Thomas F. Baxter, the president. He was born at Brookline, Mass., on November 1, 1869, and there attended the grammar and high schools. At the age of seventeen he secured a position with a banking firm in Boston, and after three years there, he became, when twenty years of age, treasurer of the Worcester, Nashua and Rochester Railroad. Three years in railroading satis- fied his ambition for that field, and then he entered the Boston and New York banking firm of Messrs. Bond & Goodwin. From the start there, he was suc- cessful, both in inspiring his superiors with confidence in him, and in satisfying the patrons of the house with whom he dealt; and it is not surprising to find that in 1900 he was made a partner in the concern, and two years later he became senior partner. The banking house is one of the largest in the East, with many branches and connections elsewhere, including some on the Pacific Coast; and Mr. Baxter could hardly have had a better introduction to his present line of enterprise.

In 1913, then, with the prestige of a successful banker, Mr. Baxter came out to Stockton, as general manager of the Holt Manufacturing Company, and on the death of Benjamin Holt in 1921, he was made president of this now widely-known company. In January, 1920, he retired from active participation in banking, two years after he became a citizen of Stock- ton. He is still a director of the banking firm of Bond, Goodwin & Tucker, Inc., at San Francisco, with Pacific Coast branches, being chairman of the board, and he is also a director of the Stockton Sav- ings and Loan Bank. He is vice-president of the Stockton Chamber of Commerce, and was active in all liberty bond drives; he is still especially interested in the Boy Scout movement, and donated Camp Baxter to the Boy Scouts for summer vacation purposes.

Mr. Baxter was married at Boston, in 1899, to Miss Mabel Smith, a native of Boston, by whom he has had two sons and one daughter, Thomas F., Philip N., and Ruth Baxter. Mr. Baxter belongs to the follow- ing clubs: Brookline Country Club, the Braeburn

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Country Club, the Minneapolis Club, the Peoria Country Club, the Pacific Union Club, the Burlin- game Country Club, the Yosemite Club of Stockton, the Stockton Golf Club, the Stockton Country Club, the Stockton Progressive Business Club, the Brook- line Elks and the Boston Press Club; is a Scottish Rite Mason and Shriner, holding membership in Aahmes Temple, Oakland. He has recently been elected president of the Chamber of Commerce.

JOHN NICHOLAS SOUTHREY .- An old set- tler who is also a veteran of the Civil War is John N. Southrey, who was born in London, England, a son of William and Frances (Floyd) Southrey, natives of Aylesbury, England, who migrated to Que- bec, where William Southrey was a letter press printer. Later they came on to St. Louis, Mo., after- wards locating in Philadelphia, Pa., and he followed his trade until the Civil War, 1861, when he enlisted in the Seventy-third Pennsylvania Volunteer In- fantry, serving for about two years, when he was honorably discharged on account of physical dis- ability. He and his wife spent their last days in Stockton in the home of our subject.

John Nicholas was the third oldest of eleven chil- dren and was reared in. London until sixteen years of age, having the advantages of excellent public schools. In 1852 he came to Quebec, where he learned the carpenter's trade. Later he followed that trade in St. Louis and then in Philadelphia. In 1861 he enlisted in Company A, Third Pennsylvania Cavalry as bugler of his company. He was a musi- cian and played both piano and violin. He was wounded in the battle of Williamsburg and was captured by the rebels at that battle and sent to Libby Prison in 1862, and thirty days later was paroled and he returned home. He remained at home, and having never been exchanged could not go back into the army, for he would not break. his parole. He was finally discharged in Philadelphia, working at his trade until 1868, when he came to Stockton, engaging in contracting and building.

Mr. Southrey was married in Stockton, August 6, 1871, to Miss Mary Elizabeth Hammond, born on the Waterloo Road near Stockton, a daughter of Alden and Elizabeth (Gorham) Hammond, born in Newport, R. I., and Nantucket, respectively. In 1849 Mr. Hammond came to California and here he prospered. He resided on his ranch until his death, January 4, 1923, eighty-eight years old, his wife having passed away August 6, 1910. Mrs. Southrey is the oldest of their family of five children, four of whom are living.

Mr. and Mrs. Southrey resided in Stockton until 1874, when he purchased his present place on the Linden Road, about one-fourth mile out of Stockton. This place he has improved with a vineyard and cherry orchard. He has been a close student of fruit growing and is well posted in horticulture, serving for many years as president of the county board of horticulture, performing that duty ably and well, without a cent of remuneration until it was placed on a salary. He has been greatly interested in the cause of education and served acceptably as trustee of Fair Oaks school district many years. Mr. and Mrs. Southrey have been blessed with two children: Mary Ellen is Mrs. Durand of Searchlight, Nev .; Florence died at the age of thirty-six years on November 29, 1921, a sad blow to the family. Mr.

Southrey is a member of Morning Star Lodge of Masons, and while in Philadelphia was a member of the Odd Fellows. He is a member of Rawlins Post No. 23, G. A. R. Politically he has always been an ardent Republican.

JOHN BOYCE .- A man of splendid attainments, who made a success of ranching, was the late John Boyce, a native of Ohio, born in Richland County, March 14, 1844. His father, Jonathan Boyce, came from England to Ohio, where he was married. After- wards the family removed to Keokuk, Iowa. In 1859 they crossed the plains to California, and Jonathan Boyce became a prominent and extensive landowner and farmer near Woodbridge, San Joaquin County.

John Boyce, the eldest of the family of children, attended the public school in Ohio until fifteen years of age, when he accompanied his parents across the plains to California; and here he attended the local school at Woodbridge. He assisted his father on the farm, and then engaged in farming for him- self. Later he purchased 320 acres from his father and began the improvements which in time made his ranch one of the show places in the county. He planted vineyards and orchards, converting it from a stubble field into a valuable fruit farm. He also owned a 120-acre farm at Escalon.

Mr. Boyce was married in Stockton, May 17, 1899, being united with Mrs. Emma (Soverign) Freeman, who was born in Kane County, Ill., a daughter of Joshua Soverign. Her father was born in Simcoe, Canada, of American parents, October 7, 1833, and when twelve years of age came to Illinois. He learned the carriage and wagon maker's trade in Plato, Ill. He married Miss Elizabeth Collins, a native of Utica, N. Y. and in 1860 crossed the plains with his wife and three children in a train of twenty- seven wagons drawn by horses, the leader of the train being Captain. Clark. Arriving in California, Mr. Soverign had a wagon shop in Eldorado County and later one at Knights Landing; but after six years there he located in Woodland, where he ran the pioneer carriage and wagon shop and made his resi- dence on Court and Fourth streets. There were five children in the family: Emma, Mrs. Boyce; Isabelle, Mrs. J. H. Martin of Fresno; Arthur, who died in Madison, Cal., in 1922; Seth, living in San Fran- cisco, and Charles, in Sacramento: Joshua Soverign died .in 1906, his widow surviving him until Decem- ber 30, 1918, passing away at the age of eighty-one.

Emma Soverign was five years of age when she crossed the plains with her parents and well remem- bered the incidents of the trip, the fear of the Indians and the interesting occurences and sights along the way. She was reared and educated in Yolo County. In Las Vegas, N. M., occurred her first marriage when she became the wife of John Freeman, in 1879. He was born near Mansfield, Ohio, came to Califor- nia in an early day, and was a farmer near Red Bluff, Tehama County. He was stricken and died suddenly in 1896. They had six children: Charles, Mrs. Grace Gum, Mrs. Lillian Arthur, Mrs. Myrtle Turner, Ray and Mrs. Gladys Kastel, all residing in San Joaquin County.

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History of San Joaquin County, California : with biographical sketches of leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 114

Author: Tinkham, George H. (George Henry), b. 1849 Publication date: 1923 Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : Historic Record Co. Number of Pages: 1660

Author: Tinkham, George H. (George Henry), b. 1849
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1660