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 118

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 118

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In 1859 Mr. Noyes came to California, spending the first year in Placer County, then came to San Joaquin County, and for a year worked on the Dodge-Cole place of 1700 acres. In the fall of 1860 he went to the Puget Sound country and was en- gaged in lumbering; later with Pope & Talbot. Re- turning to California he became interested in the copper mines at Campo Seco. In 1866 he returned to the Dodge ranch, and in partnership with Mr. Dodge, engaged in the breeding of fine horses. Later Mr. Noyes bought a ranch of ninety-five acres between Waterloo and the Calaveras River, which he farmed to grain; an old house which was built on the place in the '50s is still standing. For many years he made this his home, meeting with good success in his ranching operations.

On December 7, 1870, Mr. Noyes was married to Miss Phoebe C. Willoughby, a native of Connecticut, the family tracing their ancestry back to Lord Wil- loughby of England. In 1905 Mrs. Noyes passed away and three years later, in 1908, Mr. Noyes was united in marriage with Miss Clara Dodge, the daughter of that honored pioneer, Jonathan Holt Dodge, whose biography appears on another page of this history. Mr. Noyes is a member of the Grange and the Union League Club, and a Republican in politics. He has always worked faithfully for the best interests of the community, and has through the years served as county central committeeman and delegate to county and state conventions. In 1858 he was privileged to hear the great Lincoln-Douglas debate at Freeport, Ill., a never-to-be-forgotten in- cident, and one that has influenced his whole life.

CLAUDE WHITNEY VAN GELDER .- The nursery interests of San Joaquin County are well re- presented by Claude Whitney Van Gelder, whose home and business is located near Acampo, Cal., and who has been a resident of California since he was two years old. His has been a successful career, and one which indicates the opportunities that are open to young men of determination, laudable ambition and diligence. A native of Morley, Mich., he was born November 14, 1877, a son of Morris and Eva Yeckley (Whitney) Van Gelder. The father was a descendant of the Dutch and English pioneer settlers of New York state; and the mother was a daughter of Columbus Whitney of Seneca Castle, N. Y., who was also an early settler in that state. Morris Van Gelder grew up on his father's farm in Michigan. His naural bent was toward agriculture and horticulture, and when he grew to manhood he acquired his own farm in Michigan and engaged in farming pursuits until 1879, when he sold out and came to California, settling first at Sacramento. He established himself in the nursery business in Sacramento, in 1883, and when he moved to San Joaquin County he bought property near Acampo, in 1887, and there he continued his nursery business, being a pioneer in that industry. He became a prominent figure in the development and improvement of his locality, devoting his energies untiringly to his business, with the result that he wrought a wonderful transformation in his property, which became productive and valuable. Both parents are now deceased.

Claude Whitney Van Gelder began his education in the district school near his home, and then entered the San Joaquin Valley College at Woodbridge, from which institution he was duly graduated. As soon as he was old enough to handle the plow, he took his place in the fields and assisted in their cultivation from the time of early spring planting until after crops were harvested in the late autumn. He grew up in the nursery business, so that he was enabled to follow in his father's footsteps in a thorough and systematic manner.

On October 25, 1902, at Oakland, occurred the mar- riage of Mr. Van Gelder and Miss Charlotte Maud Jones, daughter of Augustus St. Clair and Bertha (Hadlich) Jones, natives of Australia and California, respectively. Mr. and Mrs. Van Gelder are the par- ents of three children: Homer Whitney, Edith Con- stance, and Dorothy Elizabeth. Mr. Van Gelder is, in his political views and adherence, a stanch Repub- lican, and has always been active in support of the party. His fraternal relations are with the Lions Club, the Mokelumne Club of Lodi, and just recently, with the Woodbridge Lodge of Masons. His labors and influence have been effective in promoting the educational, social and material advancement of his community, and he has taken a good citizen's part in the improvements that mean steady advancement.

WILLIAM L. YOUNG .- One of San Joaquin County's progressive and enterprising ranchers, Wil- liam L. Young was born in Hopkins County, Ky., on June 24, 1859. The Young family were pioneers of the state of Kentucky where Grandfather Young owned a plantation. William L. Young was able to attend the public schools until he was twelve years of age when his father died and his mother removed to California with her three children, William, Burris and Helen, arriving in December of 1871, after the experience of being snowbound in Cheyenne for some

M. Van felder

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time. The family made their home with Mrs. M. E. Bryant, a sister of Mrs. Young, a California pioneer of 1852 who settled about four miles northeast of Lockford on the north side of the river. Mrs. Young later married James L. Christian, a farmer north of Staples Ferry on the Mokelumne River, who owned a half-section of land. Mr. Christian passed away in 1885 and the mother survived him until 1888. William L. Young continued to run the home place until four years after his mother's demise, when he purchased 120 acres one mile south of Lockeford known as the old Brakeman place. This ranch was devoted to grain, but Mr. Young set forty acres to grapes, it being the second vineyard in this district. About 1915 he pulled them all out, much to his re- gret today. This ranch has a well 365 feet deep, which is sufficient for irrigating the entire ranch.

On July 4, 1888, occured the marriage of Mr. Young, which united him with Miss Caroline Louise Sheridan, a daughter of Frank and Isabella (Epperly) Sheridan, and they are the parents of three children: J. Lilbern is married and has one son, J. Lilbern Jr., and resides in Stockton where he is employed with the Union Oil Company; Burris E .; Anita is now ' Mrs. Clyde Hamsher and she has two children, Mil- lard Clyde, and De Ette Caroline. Mr. Young has served his locality as school trustee for ten years. Politically he is a Democrat and for the past thirty- five years has been identified with the Odd Fellows and is past grand of Progressive Lodge; both he and his wife are members of the Rebekahs and Mrs. Young is a past noble grand of that organization.

CAPTAIN WILLIAM S. MOSS .- It is interest- ing to chronicle the life histories of the pioneers who, leaving their comfortable homes and surround- ings in the East, braved the dangers of the overland trip across the plains, not afraid to push their way across the trackless waste infested with savage Indians to aid in the conquering of the wilds of the Pacific Coast. Such a pioneer was the late Capt. William S. Moss, large landowner and prominent publisher. Of Scotch descent, he was born in Vir- ginia, where his parents, Zela and Janet (Glasscock) Moss, were planters.

In the early days Captain Moss came out to Illi- nois, where he became a large landowner and also owned several boats that plied on the Illinois and Mississippi rivers, making his headquarters at Peoria, Ill. Later he was one of the builders of the Peoria & Oquawka Railroad, which became a part of the Burlington System. In 1856 he made his first trip to California, where he spent some time, and becom- ing very favorably impressed with the country he concluded that as soon as he could dispose of his holdings satisfactorily he would return and make California his home. Having large interests in the vicinity of Peoria it was several years before he could bring his plans to a successful issue, but when this was accomplished he started across the plains with his family in an ox-team train, bringing with him a herd of several hundred cattle and horses. Arriving here he purchased about 10,000 acres in San Joaquin County, near Stockton, which holdings he later naturally increased. At the same time he became interested in San Francisco property and had a fine country residence at San Leandro, Ala- meda County. He founded the San Francisco Exam- iner, then an evening paper, which forged to the

front and was the leading Democratic paper in North- ern California, selecting for his editor Philip A. Roach, famous as an editorial writer on the Coast. Captain Moss was very prominent in Democratic politics and continued as proprietor of the Examiner until he sold it to Senator George Hearst.

The first marriage of Captain Moss united him with Miss Mary Choate who passed away in Illinois, the mother of three children: Mrs. Anna W. Jack, Mrs. Henrietta W. Griffith and Louis Moss, all now deceased. On the occasion of his second marriage, which occurred at Peoria, Ill., he was united with Miss Caroline Buttrick, a native of Massachusetts, whose parents, John and Sarah (Farrar) Buttrick, were early settlers of Peoria, Ill. Miss Buttrick attended a Ladies' Seminary in Massachusetts and was a woman of education and culture who left the imprint of her noble character on every community where she resided. She passed away at their San Leandro home leaving four children: Mrs. Mary Percival, William S. and Bradley, both deceased, and Mrs. Caroline McDougald. Captain Moss was a prominent Mason, being a Knight Templar and a Shriner. Removing to San Joaquin County, he took up his residence on his ranch near Stockton, and there he passed away on March 28, 1883, his death closing the career of one of the most interesting figures in early day history, a man loved and hon- ored by all who knew him.

HENRY MITSCHER .- Among the early settlers of Stockton who has contributed much towards the comfort and convenience of the residents of San Joaquin Valley is Henry Mitscher, a pioneer cabinet- maker and woodworker. He was born in New York City, on May 22, 1855, but was reared and educated in Hillsboro, Wis., whither his parents had moved. His father was a cabinetmaker and under him Henry learned his trade. In the year of 1876 he removed to California and located in Stockton, but not finding just the location he desired he went to San Fran- cisco where he remained for a year and a half; then back to Stockton where he has since resided. He found employment with the Fickett Furniture Com- pany and later with Martin Schneider; and about thirty years ago went into business for himself with R. P. Morrell as a partner, their shop being on San Joaquin Street opposite the old pavilion, where they did job work and furniture making. In 1900 the partnership was dissolved and Mr. Mitscher opened a shop at his present place of business, 446 North Aurora Street; there he built a two-story business block, which was destroyed by fire in 1919; he then erected his present shop where he does repair and cabinet work.

His uncle, Christian Mitscher, a native of Ger- many, was a pioneer of California who settled in Stockton in 1852. A cooper by trade, he was em- ployed for many years in the City Brewery in Stock- ton. He was one of the founders of the Turnverein and acquired considerable real estate in the city of Stockton and throughout the county. He passed away in 1903 at the home of our subject.

The marriage of Mr. Mitscher united him with Miss Annie Banz, a native of Baltimore, Md., and they are the parents of six children: Oscar resides in San Francisco; Eda is at home; Mrs. Rose Frankie resides in Stockton; Herman in San Francisco; Ralph in Stockton; and May is at home. Mr. Mit-

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scher lives in the house that he built over forty years ago and all his children were born in this house. He is a supporter of all measures that have for their goal the advancement of the locality in which he has resided so many years.

HENRY J. KUECHLER .- Standing high among the leading business men of Stockton, Henry J. Kuechler is the founder of the jewelry firm of H. J. Kuechler & Son, whose establishment is one of the finest and most complete in California. Mr. Kuechler is a native of Switzerland and there he re- ceived an excellent education, graduating from col- lege, and thereby he was required to serve but one year in the army. When this term of service was completed he came to the United States, arriving in Stockton, Cal., in the early '80s. He had learned the trade of watchmaker and engraver in Europe and soon after coming to California he engaged in this line of business at Pleasanton, Alameda County, Cal. and then went to Yakima, Wash., where he engaged in business for seven years. While there Mr. Kue- chler served as mayor of Yakima.

· Returning to Stockton, Mr. Kuechler formed a partnership in the jewelry business with Mr. Blau and with a capital of only $400 opened a store on Main street, near El Dorado. He soon bought out his partner and removed to a larger building, and for the past fifteen years he has been located at Main and California streets, where he has a com- plete stock, catering to the lovers of the beautiful and artistic in jewelry. In addition to his busy life as a merchant, he is an inventor of ability, and has invented a regulating system for watches which is now used by the Waltham Watch Company.

Mr. Kuechler's marriage united him with Miss Jen- nie Nissen, a native of the Isle of Silt, Germany, and two sons were born to them, F. Will, a member of of the firm, and Norman, who passed away at the age of eighteen. In addition to his business Mr. Kuechler has mining interests in the Mother Lode. He belongs to the Odd Fellows, Woodmen of the World, the Masons, Elks and Knights of Pythias.

F. Will Kuechler attended the old Lafayette and Franklin schools in Stockton and when fifteen he started to learn the trade of watchmaker and en- graver with his father. Later he went to Germany and attended a private school there for a year and a half, and he also spent some time in San Francisco with the leading jewelry firms there, attaining great proficiency in the art of engraving. Some years ago he entered into partnership with his father, the firm becoming H. J. Kuechler & Son. His marriage united him with Miss Jermaine Stewart, a native of Stock- ton and a graduate of the Stockton high school and the University of California. He is a member of Delta Lodge of Masons and Aahmes Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Oakland, and has taken both the York and Scottish Rite degrees. He also belongs to the Native Sons of the Golden West, the Anteros Club, the Red Men, the Rotary Club and the Stock- ton Golf and Country Club. He has always been active in athletics and was a member of the old Stockton Athletic Club and now participates in Y. M. C. A. athletics and is president of The Lambs fra- ternity of Stockton.

PETER JOENS .- No country has furnished as large a population to the citizenship of San Joaquin County, as has Germany, for many of the residents of this portion of the state were either born in that country or are descended from German ancestry. To the former class belongs Peter Joens, a prominent resident of Victor, San Joaquin County. He was born in Holstein, Germany, on January 6, 1855, a son of John and Christina (Sievers) Joens. His father, John Joens, was a farmer in his native land and was the parent of a large family, of which Peter, our subject, was the youngest.

Peter Joens received his education in the grammar schools of his native country and spent the early part of his life working on his father's farm. After he was seventeen years old, he worked for wages on farms throughout the immediate vicinity of his home place until he was twenty years old, when he determined to come to America. He settled in Dubuque, Iowa, and worked as a farm hand for three years; then re- moved to Howard County, Iowa, and rented a half- section of land near Elma, which he farmed for the next fourteen years. He then purchased eighty acres in that vicinity, which he added to from time to time until he had 280 acres. This property he farmed until 1902, when he came to Lodi, Cal.

Shortly after arriving in California, Mr. Joens dis- posed of his Iowa holdings and with the proceeds pur- chased 156 acres, a grain stubble field at that time, with no improvements upon it, paying $67 an acre for it. This ranch is now among the finest and most pro- ductive vineyards in the county, the varieties being Tokay, Zinfandel, and Emperor grapes. Twelve years ago, Mr. Joens began laying concrete pipe for irri- gating purposes, and now the entire acreage is piped. He has three pumping plants on the ranch; an eight- inch pump driven by- a forty-horsepower motor, a five-inch pump with a twenty-horsepower motor, and a smaller pump driven by a five-horsepower motor, which pumps the water direct from the Mokelumne River, the water then being piped to all parts of his ranch. Twenty years ago, he built a splendid and conveniently arranged house, as well as other farm buildings necessary to carry on a vineyard ranch. Mr. Joens was one of the organizers of the Farmers & Merchants Bank in Lodi, and has been a member of its board of directors ever since; and he is second vice-president of the board.

On April 13, 1882, in Howard County, Iowa, Mr. Joens was united in marriage with Miss Louisa Reck- ner, a native of Iowa, and a daughter of Charles and Louisa Reckner. Her father, Charles Reckner, was a farmer in Iowa, who settled there about sixty years ago. Mrs. Joens is the sixth child in a family of eight children, and received her education in the grammar schools of Iowa. They are the parents of ten chil- dren. Mary is Mrs. Mans of Victor and has two chil- dren, Lavern and June; Charles H. Joens resides in Victor, and has one son, Charles Jr .; Amelia is Mrs. J. R. Hale of Lodi, and is the mother of four children, Louisa, Miles, Aloa, and Melbourn; Viola is Mrs. Emil Beckman of Victor and has two children, Ells- worth and Effiedine; Bertha, is Mrs. Due of Atlanta, Cal., and has two children, George and Floyd; John J. resides in Lodi; Esther has been making a tour of the United States during the last year; Jennie resides in San Francisco; Alfred and Eleanor are at home with their parents. In politics, Mr. Joens is a Repub-

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lican, and fraternally, he is a member of Stockton Lodge No. 218, B. P. O. E. He and his family are members of the German Lutheran Church in Lodi.

THOMAS B. McINTOSH .- This name is well known throughout the Lodi section of San Joaquin County, for here Thomas B. McIntosh has passed his entire life, and here his parents lived since pio- neer days of California. He was born in Lodi, Sep- tember 6, 1870, a son of E. J. McIntosh and his wife, Malancy (Miner) McIntosh, pioneers of the county who engaged in farming pursuits in the Lafayette school district of San Joaquin County. In this dis- trict school Thomas B. began his education and later he took a course in the Ramsey & Trask Busi- ness College in Stockton. At the age of fifteen years he was thrown on his own resources and found work on various ranches throughout the district. He was industrious and resolute, and these qualities enabled him to overcome the difficulties and obstacles in his path, and soon he rented 160 acres, known as the Earl ranch, which he conducted for a number of years, working his way steadily to the plane of affluence.

On October 2, 1894, in Stockton, Mr. McIntosh was united in marriage with Mrs. Katherine (McPherson) Alamado, a widow and the mother of one daughter, Bertha Alamado, now Mrs. Ralph Clark, who now re- sides on the seventeen-acre ranch Mr. McIntosh for- merly owned. Mr. and Mrs. McIntosh are the par- ents of one daughter, Ila. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. McIntosh bought seventeen acres on the Sargent Road adding to it until they had 130 acres. He has set thirty acres to vineyard and 100 acres to almonds. Eight years ago, Mr. McIntosh moved to Lodi from their ranch home and for three and a half years was employed by the Union Oil Company, and then worked three years for the Shell Oil Com- pany. Mr. McIntosh has recently completed a fine, modern home at 118 West Oak Street and a modern apartment house located on the corner of Oak and Church streets, which he completed in 1922; this apartment house consists of ten modern apartments. In politics, Mr. McIntosh is a Republican and fra- ternally is affiliated with the Woodbridge lodge of Masons and with his wife and daughter is a member of the Woodbridge Eastern Star Chapter.

GUSTAV ALBERT .- For a quarter of a century Gustav Albert has been a resident of San Joaquin County and during those years has in many ways been identified with the best interests of his locality, being a successful vineyardist and a citizen of public spirit. One of California's sons, he was born on the Alameda, San Jose, on October 4, 1867, a son of Adam and Caroline (Wolfrom) Albert. His parents came to California in 1852 and his father became a partner of Mr. Eberhard in the founding of the Eberhard Tanning Company at Santa Clara; his parents later moved to San Francisco and Gustav, the only child, attended the Lincoln grammar school. Several years after his father died his mother mar- ried again to Henry F. Stolzenwald and they were the parents of seven children: William, deceased; Henry, Fred, George, Caroline, Ida and Minerva. Mrs. Stolzenwald died at the age of seventy-five on April 25, 1921. When he was sixteen years old, Gustav Albert learned the dyeing and cleaning business in his mother's establishment in San Francisco and later owned his own business there for five years.

The marriage of Mr. Albert occurred at Berkeley

on May 10, 1892, and united him with Miss Elizabeth Taynton, also a native of California, born at Clayton, a daughter of William and Susan (Derickson) Tayn- ton. Her father was a native of London, England, and came to California in 1848. He was a seafaring man and was in the U. S. Navy on the frigate Ohio. He was in three battles in the Mexican War and was at Monterey, Mexico, with Commodore Stockton when the American flag was raised. He remained in the service of the U. S. and enlisted in the army with Col. Stephenson and Col. Stoneman to quell the Modoc Indian uprising; later he located at Clayton and took up a quarter section of Government land and in 1884 removed to Berkeley where he worked for the Southern Pacific Railroad Company. Mrs. Albert's mother came to California via Panama on the Golden Gate, the first steamer plying between Panama and San Francisco. They were the parents of twelve children: Charles, Broderick, Mrs. Eliza- beth Albert, Phoebe, Alfred, William, Thomas, Walter, Emma, Carrie, Herbert and Bessie, all living but Phoebe, William, Thomas and Carrie. Mrs. Al- bert's Great-grandfather Davis fought in the Revolu- tionary War.

In 1899 Mr. Albert sold his business in San Fran- cisco and removed to Lodi and bought the ten-acre tract of land, where he now lives, one mile south of Lodi on Kettleman Lane. This was unimproved land and Mr. Albert set out every tree and con- structed the buildings, and engaged in general truck farming, but later set out a vineyard and installed a pumping system. In politics he is a Republican and he and his wife are members of the Christadelphian Society of San Francisco.

JOHN DUNCAN McDOUGALD .- A man of affairs who aided materially in the development of the natural resources of San Joaquin County was the late John Duncan McDougald, who was born in On- tario, Canada, and descended from an old and prom- inent family of Scotland. His boyhood was spent on the Canadian farm, where he learned the habits of in- dustry and good management that stood him in such good stead after his arrival in this great fertile valley, where in his optimism he grasped the great oppor- tunity offered to men who applied themselves ener- getically to the task of producing. In his native place he received a good education in the local schools, but he was not content to remain within the narrow con- fines of the rigorous East so decided to migrate to California to investigate the opportunities offered in the new country of which he had read such glowing accounts, so he came hither and was an early settler of the San Joaquin Valley, his place of location being near the city of Stockton, where he became a very successful rancher. Aside from becoming a large land- owner he did much work in the early days as a con- tractor, being well qualified in this line, the Modesto Irrigation District being one of the large contracts he handled. He was a very active and enterprising man and could always be counted upon to give his aid and influence to all matters that had for their aim the de- velopment and building up of this locality.

The marriage of Mr. McDougald, which occurred in Stockton, united him with Miss Caroline Moss, a daughter of Capt. William S. Moss, a pioneer of Cali- fornia who became a large landowner in San Joaquin County and who was the founder of the San Francisco Examiner, his biography appearing on another page of this history. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Mc-

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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 118

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