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 121

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 121

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Fannie V. Howland received a good education at Stockton and grew to womanhood on her father's farm near Lathrop and taught school in San Joa- quin County for four years. On November 12, 1882, she was married to Franklin Pierce Carleton, a native of Augusta, Maine, who came to California in 1874. They are the parents of two children: Ida E. is the wife of Lyman L. Huntley and they have five children and reside near Escalon; Ethel Marie is a teacher in the public schools of San Joaquin County. For ten years she was president of the local W. C. T. U. and also the head of the Red Cross work at Lathrop. The comfortable and attractive home of Mrs. Carleton is the scene of good, old-time hospi- tality enjoyed by her large circle of friends. Since 1920, Mrs. Carleton has been serving on the advisory board of the East Union Cemetery Memorial Grounds near Manteca.

MRS. C. G. SCHNEIDER .- A worthy representa- tive of an old pioneer family, Mrs. C. G. Schneider, who was in maidenhood Alice Smallfield, was brought by her parents to Stockton, Cal., when she was one year old and thus has witnessed the development and progress of her adopted city and county. She has taken a very active part in its educational devel- opment for many years, both as an instructor and as a member of the board of education. She is a woman of unusual capabilities, broad-minded and in sympathy with the higher life and in the educa- tional and moral development of the youth she has been the originator of the Prevocation School in Stockton. Her father, August A. Smallfield, a na- tive of Kiel, Germany, came to California via Pan- ama in the early '50s and mined for a time, then settled in Stockton where he purchased the Weber Avenue Hotel; this was later destroyed by fire and he then engaged in the grocery business with Adolph Dohrmann as a partner. He was a member of the Volunteer Fire Department and Charity Lodge of Odd Fellows. He married Miss Regina Steinhilber and they were the parents of five children: Albert A., manager Austin Brothers Hardware Store, Stockton, Adolph Dohrmann, also with Austin Brothers, Mrs. Alice Schneider; Mrs. Carrie Koldinger and Bernard Nathan are both deceased. Her father passed away in 1868 and her mother died in 1902.

Alice Smallfield received her education in the public schools of Stockton and then for eight years was a teacher in the schools of Tehama County; then for the next thirteen years was a teacher in the Stockton schools. For a number of years she was the principal of the Lincoln School, originally on the site of the Little Vineyard school. The Little Vine- yard school was the first school she attended and it was on the same site she was principal just before she gave up teaching, at the time of her marriage. Mrs. Schneider is now serving her third term as a member of the Stockton board of education and de- votes the greater part of her time to this work. It was through her efforts that the Prevocation School was established in Stockton, which has become so successful. Here the children study one-half day and the rest of the time is given to learning trades, such as woodworking, mechanical art, etc., and in this school many boys have started their trade; she was the first teacher to introduce phonetics, which has now become universal in the schools of the county. She was elected one of the fifteen freeholders at the

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

spring election of 1922 to frame a new city charter for the city of Stockton.

The marriage of Miss Smallfield occurred on Sep- tember 12, 1901, and united her with Carl G. Schneider, a native of Wurtemberg, Germany, and they have one son, Carl A., a student at the Uni- versity of California. Mr. Schneider located in Stockton about thirty years ago where he established himself in the harness business. In 1901 he also opened a trunk and leather goods store on East Weber Avenue, where he conducts the leading store of its kind, his stock being large and complete in every detail. Mr. and Mrs. Schneider are active members of the German Lutheran Church.

MADISON J. DRAIS .- The junior member of the firm of Albertson & Drais, realtors, Madison J. Drais, is among the city's most progressive and cap- able business men. He was born in Tulare County, Cal., on April 19, 1876, the youngest of three sons of Alexander S. and Augustine N. (Morrow) Drais, both natives of Missouri. Alexander S. Drais crossed the plains, when a boy, with his parents in an ox- team and his father became a grain farmer in the Farmington district. He was a Civil War veteran, serving in a California company stationed at the Presidio, San Francisco, and helped to quell the In- dian uprisings on the Coast. He was a member of Stockton Post, G. A. R. He farmed, for a time, in Tulare County and was a resident of Oakland for some time and at the time of his death on March 7, 1918, was living retired in Stockton. The mother came to the Farmington section of San Joaquin Coun- ty with her parents when she was seven years old and was there reared and educated. Her marriage to Alexander S. Drais occurred on August 18, 1869, and they were the parents of three sons: Albert .S., living in Oakland, Robert A., at Halleck, and Mad- ison J., our subject. Grandfather L. J. Morrow crossed the plains. to California in 1858 locating in the Farmington section where he followed farming; he served as a member of the Missouri Legislature and was also a member of the California Assembly for a number of years. Mrs. Drais' maternal grand- father fought in the Black Hawk War, while her paternal grandfather fought in the War of 1812 un- der Andrew Jackson. The mother passed away April 18, 1922, a distinct loss to the community where she was well known for her kindly nature and deeds of charity; she was a lifelong member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The old homestead at Farmington, where she lived and where her parents lived, is one of the old landmarks of the section. T. J. Drais, of Farmington, an uncle of our subject, is the only living pioneer member of the family.

Mr. Drais received his education in the schools of Oakland and then engaged in farming near Farming- ton for a number of years. In 1912 he sold his ranch and the following year he formed a partnership with Ed. Albertson in the real estate business, specializing in farm lands, orchards, and vineyards. He has held an assured position among the reliable and success- ful men of Stockton for many years, and his per- sonal worth and ability are entirely deserving of the esteem which he enjoys. In 1896 Mr. Drais was married to Miss Lucy S. Stark, a native of Danville, Contra Costa County, Cal., and they are the parents of two children: Roy E. is married and is a book- keeper in the Bank of Italy, and Pearl A.

LELAND MEYER .- A foremost rancher of the Delta district, Leland Meyer is a pioneer and a son of a pioneer of this section of the state. His resi- dence and home ranch consists of 509 acres on Rob- erts Island, and not only have his diligent efforts re- warded him in material circumstances but he has also acquired a position of esteem and public worth among his fellow citizens and business associates. He was born September 8, 1866, on the Meyer home- stead, seven and a half miles south of Stockton. The father, Andrew Meyer, came to California as a pio- neer of 1849, and was among the first to establish the fact that California offers great opportunities to the agriculturist. He was a native of Canton Aargau, Switzerland, born on October 27, 1823. His father also bore the name of Andrew Meyer, and was of Swiss parentage and ancestry. He brought his fam- ily to America in 1829, the family locating in Seneca County, Ohio, where Andrew Meyer, the father of our subject, was reared to manhood and made his home until he came to California.

Attracted by the discovery of gold on the Pacific Coast, Mr. Meyer left his Ohio home and came to California, making the journey across the plains in 1849 with mule teams. He engaged in mining and freighting, which he followed until 1852, when he returned East via Panama. In the fall of 1852 he again crossed the plains to California with ox teams, bringing both horses and cattle He made his way direct to San Joaquin County and settled on a farm near the present site of Lathrop and was among the first settlers in this locality. Here he began the development of his 600-acre farm, trans- forming the land into richly cultivated fields, while he also raised good grades of stock. He was one of the pioneers in the agricultural development of this part of the state, and his efforts resulted in producing a fine and highly improved farm.

On February 26, 1861, Mr. Meyer was married to Miss Cynthia Cooley, a native of Seneca County, Ohio, a daughter of Orange and Mary (Pettis) Cooley, the former a native of New York and the latter of Massachusetts. Orange Cooley was a pio- neer of Seneca County, Ohio, settling there prior to his marriage and taking an active part in the early development. Three sons were born to Mr. and Mrs. Meyer: Leland, the subject of this review; Arthur, and Andrew C. Andrew Meyer passed away August 24, 1898, at his home where for many years he was an honored and respected citizen. His widow sur- vived him until May 25, 1921, then over eighty years and six months of age.

Leland Meyer attended the Lathrop grammar school until he was fifteen years old and from that time on worked on his father's farm and stock ranch. In 1892 he purchased seventy acres on the upper division of Roberts Island, one and a half miles from the Brandt bridge and the same year the reclamation district No. 544 was founded. The work of building levees was started at once and for twenty consecu- tive years, Mr. Meyer was superintendent and trustee of the district He was superintendent four years and trustee sixteen years and was chairman a part of the time. By the capable management of his business affairs he has added to his holdings from time to time until he now has 509 acres of productive land. Mr. Meyer irrigates his land in the fall of the year by flooding, plants wheat and barley in Novem- ber and December, and by the latter part of May

Leland Meyer Abigail E. Meyer.

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

harvest begins and continues until the middle of August. He has experimented until he has found that Early Bart wheat produces the heaviest crop.

The marriage of Mr. Meyer occurred on May 11, 1892, at Sacramento, and united him with Miss Abbie E. Snapp, a native of Banta, Cal. Her father, Rufus Snapp, was born in Tennessee, coming to California in an early day when he was a young man, locating first at Woodbridge and there he married Miss Nancy Cain, whose parents, George and Martha Abigail Cain, brought their family across the plains when Nancy was a girl; she lived to be a very aged woman, passing away in this county at the age of ninety-eight. The father is also deceased. Abbie E. was the eldest of their five children, four of whom are living. She was reared and educated in Sacra- mento and has been of much assistance and encour- agement to her husband in gaining his ambition. The fortunate union of Mr. and Mrs. Meyer has been blessed with six children: Herbert L. served with the Eleventh Aero Squadron, A. E. F., going overseas with the first 100,000 troops in 1917, serving until May, 1919, when he returned and received his honorable discharge. He is married, has one son, and resides in Stockton; Robert A. served with the Quartermaster's Department in the A. E. F., is a rancher assisting his father and is a member of the Native Sons of the Golden West at Stockton; Joseph L .; La Verne; Wilma and Irene are students in the Stockton high school. In politics Mr. Meyer is a Republican and for seven years served as a school trustee of the Garden district. Mrs. Meyer has also served as a school trustee of her district. In matters of citizenship Mr. Meyer is progressive and takes a helpful part in promoting the progress of the county which has been his home all his life and where he is numbered among the honored citizens.

JACOB JACOBSON .- A prosperous rancher of San Joaquin County who owns forty acres of vine- yard and alfalfa three miles south of Lodi, near the Armstrong switch, is Jacob Jacobson. Possessed of the sturdy ability and enterprise native to his race, a man of active energy and constant resolution, his success has been steadily maintained and each year's efforts have increased in extent and importance until he is now enjoying the fruits of his honest labor. He was born in Schleswig, Denmark, November 21, 1859, a son of Jacob and Annie (Morse) Jacobson. The father conducted a general merchandise store in Frederickshoff, Denmark, and lived to be sixty-five years old, while the mother lived to be eighty years old. They never left their native land where they reared seven children: Christina, Hans, Mary, Jor- gen, Kathrina are deceased; and Maria Christina still lives in Denmark; Jacob is the subject of this sketch.

Jacob Jacobson received a grammar school educa- tion in Denmark up to his fourteenth year, when he went to sea on a sailing vessel, serving four years on the North and Baltic seas on a merchant marine. He then received notice that he was to be taken into the German navy, so immediately laid plans to come to the United States. Arriving here he first settled in Iowa, near the Minnesota line, where he worked for a year on a farm, then moved across the state line into Minnesota and found employment on a farm near Leroy. In 1882 he came to California settling in the Bay district and worked at various kinds of work for the following ten years.

On September 15, 1892, Mr. Jacobson was mar-

ried to Miss Ellen Nicolson, born, reared and edu- cated in Adserballigskov, Denmark, a daughter of Nicola and Ellen (Christensen) Nicoleisen. Mrs. Jacobson came to California at the age of nineteen years and made her home in San Francisco; later she lived with her brother at Hayward and San Leandro, Cal. There were four children in her fam- ily; Mary, deceased, Christian resides at Haywards, Nicola resides at Watsonville, and Ellen, Mrs. Jacob- son. After their marriage they resided in Hay- ward for a year then in 1893 settled in San Joaquin County where Mr. Jacobson bought his present ranch of forty acres, where he engaged in the dairy busi- ness for several years. A few years ago he dis- posed of his dairy and now carries on a poultry and egg business as a side line, having about 500 laying hens. When he purchased his ranch, it was a stubble field; he later set out a vineyard of fifteen acres, which is now bearing, and 1922 he has set out ten acres more to young vineyard; he also has twelve acres in alfalfa. Mr. and Mrs. Jacobson are the parents of one daughter, Mary Ella, who is a stenog- rapher in Stockton. In politics Mr. Jacobson is a Republican.

FRANK G. BROWN .- For many years the name of Bramman & Brown has been connected with the building and industrial life of Tracy through exten- sive handling of plumbing contracts, installation of pumping and irrigation equipment and plants, and doing general repair work in all the lines mentioned. Since the death of Mr. Bramman, Frank G. Brown has assumed the management of the business. He was born at Georgetown, Colo., on January 31, 1877, being a son of Jacob and Minnie (Frotcher) Brown. In 1879 the father met his death by accident in a mine at Georgetown, Colo. In 1884 the widowed mother with her family removed from Colorado to California, settling at first at Lincoln, Placer Coun- ty, but shortly removed to Hayward, where Mr. Brown's brother-in-law, Benjamin Bramman, who married Miss Maria B. Brown, established a plumb- ing shop. Benjamin Bramman was a mere child when with his parents he came to America from Germany. He settled with his family at Tracy in 1897, where he established a hardware store and plumbing shop, and was building up a good business when death overtook him. Mrs. Bramman soon after her husband's death took her brother, Frank G. Brown, subject hereof, into the firm. The hard- ware business was sold to the Tracy Mercantile Company, and the sister and brother, under the firm name of Bramman and Brown, continued to conduct the plumbing, sheet metal, pump and dairy supply business until 1917 when Mr. Brown bought out his sister. Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Bramman be- came the parents of one child, Minnie Bramman who resides with her mother at Oakland where Mrs. Jacob Brown also resides.

Frank G. Brown was reared and educated in the school of Hayward. He was twenty-one years of age when he came to Tracy. Under the efficient direction of his brother-in-law, the late Benjamin Bramman, he thoroughly learned the plumbing, tin- ning, sheet metal, pump and dairy supply trade, and ever since Mr. Bramman's death has been the ac- tive head of this large and growing business.

Mr. Brown's marriage united him with Miss Eli- zabeth A. Ewald, a daughter of the late Theodore

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Ewald of San Francisco. Her mother still resides in San Francisco. They are the parents of one daughter, Bertha. Mr. Brown is a member of the local board of trade and politically is a Republican. He is a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge No. 118 of Tracy. He has encouraged civic and municipal improvements, good streets and roads, and was a loyal supporter of the great irrigation project that has resulted in the success of the West Side Irrigation District and the cutting up of large acreages into small home tracts, and which is creating a new era of prosperity for this city of homes and opportunities.

WILLIAM F. COOK .- Numbered among the pro- minent and influential farmers and honored pioneers of San Joaquin County. is William F. Cook who re- sides on the homestead that was his birthplace. He has watched the development of San Joaquin Coun- ty through a long period, noting with interest the changes that have been wrought as its natural re- sources have been developed and the work of im- provement and civilization has been carried for- ward. He was born on the Cook ranch, June 4, 1855, and is of German lineage. His parents, Fred- erick and Caroline Cook, were born in Germany and soon after their marriage they came to Ameica and . settled in Illinois where their first daughter was born. They left Illinois and started for California with ox teams across the plains and arrived at Hangtown in 1849 so named because of the justice administered there at an early day, and for a time was engaged in mining for gold; later he removed to San Joaquin County and established his home near Atlanta and soon acquired three quarter sec- tions of land, one a homestead, one a preemption and one tree claim. The first house built was a cabin made from timber cut by his own hand and where the family lived and reared their nine chil- dren: Emma, William F. of this sketch; Lewis P., Charles, Edward, Adolph, Caroline, Eliza and Lillie. William F. Cook was reared to manhood upon his father's farm in San Joaquin County and has al- ways possessed the progressive spirit of the West- the spirit that has led to the rapid and substan- tial advancement of the states along the Pacific Coast. He was educated in the district schools in his home neighborhood, enjoying no better privileges than most lads of the period, but he determined to win success, and as the result of his energy he is now the owner of 160 acres where he has farmed for the past twenty-five years. The principal crop is grain and everything about the place is kept in good condition, and the neat and thrifty appearance of the farm indicates to the passerby the supervision of a progressive owner.

The marriage of Mr. Cook united him with Miss Eliza Pope, born in Oakland, Cal., and they have two daughters, Myrtle, the wife of Henry Pratt, has three children, Gene, Margaret and William; Alice, Mrs. William Alsa, resides in the Cook home place. For several terms, Mr. Cook served as school trustee at Atlanta and was formerly a member of the Demo- cratic County Central Committee of San Joaquin County. Mr. and Mrs. Cook are well and favor- ably known in San Joaquin County where his busi- ness capacity has won the admiration of his fellow- citizens, while his strong personal traits of charatcer have gained him their friendly regard.

ANDREW J. MUNCH .- Many years have passed since the family to which this well-known citizen belongs became identified with the interests of San Joaquin County. His father before him took an active part in the development of this section of the state, in many ways promoting its progress and ad- vancement, and this reputation is in no way dimin- ished in the present generation, for Andrew J. Munch is numbered among the leading business men of the county. He was born in Denmark, June 20, 1866, a son of Christian and Lena Munch, both natives of Denmark. In 1876 the family came to America settling in Iowa where the father followed farming until 1881, when he came West to California and located at Stockton, taking up well boring for a live- lihood. In those days, the residents of Stockton had wells of their own supplying their homes and the father bored hundreds of them. He was known all over the county as a successful well borer, as well as in other parts of the state. He had a contract with the San Jose Water Company to bore ten deep wells; these were started and bored to a depth of 1,100 feet, but the father did not live to see the con- tract completed, but it was finished by his son, our subject. The father passed away in 1897 and the mother had preceded him in December, 1893.

Andrew J. Munch completed his education with a course in the Stockton Business College and then became associated with his father in the well-boring business, which has engaged his attention ever since. He has played an important part in developing water on ranches throughout the county as well as in the cities and is a leader in this line of work in San Joaquin Valley. His equipment is modern and com- plete, having both steam and gasoline rigs. Mr. Munch has drilled wells on Roberts and Union islands; he drilled eighteen wells from 250 to 1,100 feet deep in Stockton for the Pacific Gas & Electric Company and wells at Willows for this company; two wells for the Stockton Glass Works; the Holt Manufacturing Company and the Sperry Flour Mills, and four wells for the Stockton Paper Mills. He has drilled wells for irrigating purposes in the orchards and vineyards in different parts of the county, in- cluding the Lodi and Lathrop districts; a 1,600-foot well through rock for the Napa Water Company at Napa, Cal., and one 2,800 feet deep for the Stockton Natural Gas Company. Mr. Munch's contribution to the upbuilding of the county has been far-reach- ing and productive of great results. In partnership with Antonio Solari, Mr. Munch subdivided eight acres in East Stockton, known as the Edenvale Tract, which has all been sold and on which has been built modern homes.

The marriage of Mr. Munch in Stockton October 25, 1894, united him with Miss Jessie Wilkinson, a native of Springfield, Tuolumne County, a daughter of Hugh and Elizabeth (Williamson) Wilkinson, both born in Ireland of Scotch parentage; they came to New York, where they became acquainted and were married. In 1858, they embarked for San Francisco, sailing through the Straits of Magellan. The father became a mining man in Tuolumne County and made mining trips through Montana and Oregon. Later he settled down to farming in Tuolumne County, where he passed away in 1896. Mrs. Munch attended schools in Tuolumne County, where she passed away in 1902. Mr. and Mrs. Munch had one daughter, Grace, the wife of Charles H.

----

A I Munch Jessie Munch

BV Crittenden

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

Broadhurst, who passed away in 1918, aged twenty- three years. Mr. Munch owns a half interest in the Charles H. Broadhurst & Company of Stockton and Lodi, dealers in automobile supplies. Fraternally he belongs to the Iroquois Tribe of Red Men. Mr. Munch is a substantial citizen of his adopted country and deserves and receives the respect which is ever according to recognition of successful and honorable accomplishment.

HON. BRADFORD S. CRITTENDEN .- Among the enterprising citizens of the busy and rapidly ex- panding city of Tracy, is the Hon. Bradford S. Crit- tenden. He is a member of the representative law firm of Crittenden & Hench, both of whom are au- thorities on irrigation laws. A native of Ohio, he was born in the vicinity of Olmsted Falls, on January 20, 1876. His father, Samuel Crittenden, was a pioneer of the Golden West, whose ancestry dates back to colon- ial days. In 1891 the family removed to Merced Coun- ty and located on a ranch in the Cottonwood district. Samuel Crittenden married Miss Lemira Bradford, a direct descendent of the historic Governor Brad- ford of Massachusetts. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Crit- tenden reside in San Jose, Cal. and he is a prominent member of the G. A. R. of that city.

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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 121

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