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 123

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 123

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HARTSOOK

Seo. G. Snow.

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

JOHN C. DROGE .- A pioneer of more than ordinary interest is found in John C. Droge, who has been a leader in the development and prosperity of Tracy for the past twenty years, and he is counted among the leading citizens of that prosperous city. He was born near Holm, Schleswig-Holstein, on November 23, 1840, where he was reared and edu- cated. When he reached the age of sixteen he left home to come to America in a sailing vessel and ar- riving in New York City he set out for Aspinwall on an old tub called the "George Law," which barely crept along, and which, on her very next voyage while well out at sea, went down in calm weather with Captain Herndon and all on board. After crossing the Isthmus of Panama, he took passage on the side- wheeler "Golden Gate," Captain James Whiting became a stanch friend of Mr. Droge during the thirty days occupied by the trip to San Francisco, arriving in that city on June 15, 1857. He had been preceded to America by his brother Peter some four years before, who had been lured to the mines by the tales of the finding of marvelous wealth. John C. soon found his way to Placer County where he located his brother, who had spent several ·years in the mines, which had not proven very re- munerative. The two brothers then returned to San Francisco where Peter Droge followed contract- ing, married and reared a large family, and passed away in 1918 at the age of eighty-four years.

John C. became a clerk in a grocery store on Geary Street, San Francisco, but not feeling satis- fied, he went to San Mateo County and rented a tract of land which he farmed to hay and grain. By 1867, he had saved a sufficient sum of money to buy some government land in San Joaquin County, located near Ellis (now the city of Tracy); this tract of land he leased on shares to grain farmers for thirty years. From time to time he ocupied more land, some railroad and some government land, and at times owned as much as 2,500 acres. In 1868 Mr. Droge became a citizen of the United States and in 1869 returned to San Francisco and opened up a. small store which he successfully conducted for four years, selling out to good advantage in 1873. He then concluded to make an extensive trip to the homeland, which occupied two years, the greater part of the time spent as a student in the Technical School of Hamburg, Germany, a private, high class institution. Returning to California via New York in 1875, Mr. Droge settled in Monterey County where he opened a general merchandise store at Chualar, in the Salinas Valley, and in connection conducted the post office and Wells Fargo business and eleven years was occupied in this way. Being of a thrifty and economic turn of mind, he invested his money in land and became one of the most extensive land owners in Monterey County; he also did a good deal of surveying of land for others. In 1882 he made a trip to see his father, spending a year, and covering considerable portion of Europe. Returning to Cali- fornia, he disposed of his store and lands in Monterey County and in 1884 returned to Germany to remain with his father until his death in 1889. From 1889 to 1891 he attended the University of Berlin, taking a course in the development of surveying and civil engineering and also traveling extensively through- out Europe, including Norway, Sweden, Italy, etc. Returning to America and California in 1891, he

was occupied in Monterey County and San Francisco for four years, settling in Tracy in 1895, where he became an active builder of the municipality. In partnership with Joshua Brown the remaining hold- ings of the Pacific Improvement Company were pur- chased, which consisted of valuable town lots and some ranch land just outside of Tracy. In 1909, he founded the Bank of Tracy and served as its pres- ident for ten years; in 1910 built the bank building, the American and Central houses; in 1911 built the Central garage and its annex; and in 1922 erected a class A theater building with a seating capacity of 1,000 persons. He has just completed the erection of six store buildings on Central Avenue. Besides his extensive land holdings in San Joaquin County, he owns land in Riverside, Imperial, Stanislaus, Kern, besides ranches near Las Vegas, Nevada. Although retired from active business cares, he still keeps in close touch with his large holdings in a most capable and efficient manner. He is a Republican in politics.

ERNEST GIESEKE .- A man of force and ability, Ernest Gieseke enjoys an enviable record of thirty years of public service as peace officer and constable of Tulare township, San Joaquin County, and his residence in Tracy covers more than forty years. He was born on January 4, 1850, in Hanover, Germany, and was fortunate in receiving a good education before he left his native country. In July, 1868, he boarded a westbound steamer at Hamburg, and in due time reached New York City; however, he had determined on California as his final destination, and soon after his arrival in America he took passage on the steamer San Diego de Cuba for Aspinwall, from there crossing the Isthmus by railroad; thence by steamer up the coast to San Francisco, arriving dur- ing August of 1868. He spent two weeks in San Francisco, then took passage on the steamer "Old Julia," a fast boat used on the river for express and passenger service, as the railroad had not been built. He found employment as a ranch hand throughout the county and on a large sheep range near San Joaquin City became well acquainted with the late Hal Fiske, pioneer capitalist and philanthropist. In those early days wild game was in abundance, and Mr. Gieseke enjoyed his share of it.

The marriage of Mr. Gieseke occurred at Stockton and united him with Miss Marguerite Yost, a daugh- ter of the late Mrs. Christian Yost-Ludwig of Tracy. Mrs. Gieseke is a native of Philadelphia, Pa., but came to San Francisco, Cal., with her parents in 1867 and the following year located in Ellis, and ten years later settled in Tracy. Mr. and Mrs. Gieseke are the parents of three children: Henry W. is married and resides in Tracy and is employed by the Southern Pacific Railroad; Albert is married and resides at San Pablo, and is employed by the Standard Oil Company; Pearl is the wife of James N. Lamb, residing at Tracy, and they have one son.

Mr. Gieseke received his U. S. citizenship in Stock- ton in 1871. He became prominent as an agricultur- ist and engaged extensively in raising grain on the West Side; he then took up the breeding and raising of thoroughbred stock and in 1878 removed to Tracy and established the Pacific Stables and conducted a livery business. He was noted all over the state for his fine animals and was well known as a trader and breeder of fine horses. During his residence in

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

Tracy, he has acquired some very fine income prop- erty, has constructed and owns several fine resi- dences which he rents. Mr. Gieseke has been most active in educational matters and served on the board of trustees for many years. Fraternally, he helped to organize the Knights of Pythias No. 18, and is a charter member and past officer, and past grand of the Odd Fellows' Lodge of Tracy. In the discharge of the duties of his office as constable, he was daring and relentless; if he started after a crimi-

nal, sooner or later he captured him; among them C. Phillips, the jail breaker and criminal, and another the grain sack thief who operated throughout the San Joaquin Valley in 1901. Mr. Gieseke worked in co-operation with Sheriff Cunningham for six years and the association grew into a strong friend- ship. During the '90s he served as a member of the Republican County Central Committee and was twice a delegate to the state convention. He is a liberal contributor to the Red Cross and other local benevo- lences and cheerfully gives of his time and means toward all movements for the general progress of his home city.

PAUL WILLIAM HARDER .- A practical and scientific rancher, who draws upon his own valuable experience, and who has the confidence of his asso- ciates, because of his conservatively progressive methods, is Paul William Harder. He was born in Germany on November 7, 1865, and when six years old accompanied his parents, John and Magdalena M. (Peters) Harder to America, arriving in July of 1873; the following September his father, John Harder, passed away. The mother, with three sons, of which our subject is the eldest, the second being August, now residing near Byron, and Richard, who died en route to the Klondike on March 8, 1896, resided in San Joaquin County until 1883, when she removed to Marsh Creek, and in October, 1907, she settled in Fruitvale, Cal., where she passed away on March 16, 1912. When Paul William reached the age of fourteen he went to work on the M. Lammers ranch for ten dollars per month and was thus occu- pied until he started for himself; in 1888 he leased a part of the ranch belonging to Philip Fabian near Tracy, paying for same with a portion of the money from the wheat crop.

On November 23, 1889, Mr. Harder was united in marriage with Miss Minnie Collins, the youngest daughter of the late . John W. and Anna (Pruser) Collins. Mrs. Collins was a native of Germany, born at Elmshorn, and was a resident of California for about forty years. William Pruser, a brother, John Collins, a son, and two daughters, Mrs. Annie Linnie and Mrs. Harder, all residing in the vicinity of Tracy, survive her. Mr. Collins passed away in 1876. Mr. and Mrs. Harder are the parents of two chil- dren: Anna M. is the wife of Austin K. Felt, a prom- inent merchant of Sacramento; Paul W., Jr., enlisted in the U. S. Marine Corps on June 4, 1917, as com- mander's orderly and served at Bremerton, Wash., for seven months, receiving his discharge in 1919. He was married on November 2, 1918, at Seattle, Wash., to Miss Lucile F. Baker, and they now reside in Tracy. Since 1915, Mr. Harder has farmed his present home place; the Western Pacific Railroad has a right-of-way through a portion of it and the shipping point called Belpico affords a convenient loading station for his produce. Mr. Harder is a member of the local Farm Bureau and the Federa-

tion of American Farmers. At Stockton in 1883 he received his U. S. citizenship papers and has been a most loyal supporter of the principles of the Re- publican party ever since. Mr. Harder and his family are members of the Lutheran Church of Tracy.

JAMES P. CARROLL .- Many have been the years that have come and gone and great the changes that have occured during the residence of James P. Car- roll in San Joaquin County; he now makes his home on the French Camp Road some eighteen miles south- east of Stockton at Carrolton Station on the Tid- water Southern Electric Railroad. He was born near New London, Conn., October 23, 1852, and is a twin brother of Michael O. Carroll, a resident of Stockton. His father, Michael C. Carroll, was born in Kilkenny, Ireland in 1828 and at the age of eighteen years came to America and followed the blacksmith's trade in New London, Conn., until 1852, at which time he embarked for California via Panama. He arrived in San Francisco in the spring of 1853 and at once went to the mines in Placer County, where he followed mining for about five years. He then worked at blacksmithing for two years in Stockton, then in 1861 purchased a ranch in Dent township from John O'Malley and from time to time purchased more land until he finally owned 720 acres, which he improved and put under cultivation, and in the fall of 1876 he erected a fine residence. On October 27, 1850, he was married to Miss Mary Mulroney and they had four children, three sons and one daughter. The cause of education found in him a warm friend and he served as a school trustee in his locality. He was a liberal contributor to churches and charities; he was also a strong Democrat and kept well informed on the issues of the day. His belief in and advocacy of irrigation led him to donate a right of way through his land to the Tulloch system of irrigation, used prior to the present adequate system.

James P. Carroll was only one year old when he accompanied his parents to California and he has since resided in San Joaquin County. His education was received in the Van Allen district school and he remained on the farm and did so until he was twenty-five years old, then went to Stockton and was employed for three seasons in the J. Kilpatrick Barley Mills; he also worked on threshing outfits throughout the county.

Mr. Carroll's marriage united him with Miss Nellie C. Dempsey, a daughter of William Dempsey, a pioneer of Stockton. Three children were born to them: Alfred B. married Miss Annie Clinton and they have two children, Dempsey A., and Kathryn; Mamie died at the age of six years; Gwendolyn is employed in the Motor Vehicle Department of the state of California at Modesto. The wife and mother passed away in 1921, beloved by all who knew her. Mr. Carroll has spent twenty-five years of his useful life in public service. In 1880 he became constable and was in close association with Thomas Cunning- ham, sheriff of San Joaquin County, and for four years he was chief of the fire department of Stock- ton. Since retiring from public office, he has served for eight years as director of the South San Joaquin irrigation district. His ranch is a model alfalfa ranch, which has been turned over to his son. For four years, Mr. Carroll, was the manager of the Stockton baseball team and in 1888 Stockton won the cham- pionship pennant, Coast League.

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

CHARLES H. DAVIDSON .- For the past six- teen years Charles H. Davidson has been the faith- ful mail carrier of the rural route No. 6 out of Stockton and in the interim conducts two ranches, one on McKinley Avenue south of Stockton and the other near French Camp, the two places containing about sixty-five acres. He is a native son of Cali- fornia, born near Oakdale, February 23, 1876, a son of Marcus A. Davidson, a native of Vermont who pioneered in California, first as a prospector, then as a stock raiser and dry farmer, but before his death engaged in dairying and was a stanch advocate of irrigation. Both parents are now deceased. Charles H. was reared in Stockton and attended the Jackson school. Early in young manhood he started in a small way to retail milk to the residents of Stock- ton and steadily his business grew until it became very extensive and he conducted it for ten years with fine profit; later he engaged as teamster for the com- pany for five years.

On June 3, 1896, Mr. Davidson was married to Miss Emma H. Hoessel, a native of Stockton and a daugh- ter of George E. Hoessel, prominent pioneer and butcher of Stockton. George E. Hoessel married Miss Carolina S. Wagener, who passed away January 13, 1922, an honored pioneer woman of her locality. Three sons have been born to Mr. and Mrs. David- son: Walter W. is a graduate of the public schools and the University of Washington and at present is a veterinary surgeon and state meat inspector; Carle- ton H. is a rancher; and Charles M. is a student in the Stockton high school. Mr. Davidson owns the old Captain Moss home place on McKinley Avenue, South Stockton, also a fine ranch near French Camp and he spends much of his leisure time at his ranches. Mr. Davidson and his two eldest sons are members of the Stockton Parlor of the N. S. G. W., and Mrs. Davidson was a member of the N. D. G. W.

JAMES FRANCIS COSTELLO .- Numbered among the venerable and honored citizens of San Joaquin County is James Francis Costello who is also an early settler of the county, locating in the Water- loo district of San Joaquin County forty-four years ago. He worked for wages about two years, then went into partnership with M. T. Noyes, raising wheat on the Comstock ridge for several years. He was born at Franklin, Mass., December 1, 1855, and when three years old was taken by his parents to St. Anthony Falls, Minn., where they located on a small farm and there our subject received his educa- tion. At the age of fourteen years he went to the lumber camps near the head waters of the Missis- sippi River on Pokegama Lake and during the five years spent there he learned much of the language and customs of the Chippewa Indians. In 1876 Mr. Costello left Minnesota with a party of four men on their way to Astoria, Ore. and on reaching the lum- ber region of northern Oregon they spent one sea- son in the camps, enduring hardships and privations. Mr. Costello then came south on a vessel bound for San Francisco and in the early part of 1878 arrived in Stockton and the San Joaquin Valley which has been his home ever since. Later when he located at Lathrop he went into partnership with H. W. Cowell and engaged in breeding and raising thor- oughbred cattle of the polled Angus and Galway breeds. They herded their stock over the unsettled land where not a furrow had been turned nor an im-

provement made and there being no fences, they roamed at will. Mr. Costello was engaged in this line of industry for two years, when he went into the employ of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company at the round house at Lathrop and for the following twenty-two years he worked in various departments of the railroad company. In the meantime, Mr. Costello had purchased three small ranches and what time he could take from his railroad work, he spent improving these ranches.

The marriage of Mr. Costello occured in 1887 and united him with Miss Ida E. McKee, a daughter of Eli and Mary (Dickenson) McKee, sturdy pioneers of San Joaquin County, who came to California in 1873. Eli McKee was a soldier during the Civil War and he passed away in 1901, while the mother is still living and is past eighty years of age, resid- ing at Santa Cruz. Mr. and Mrs. Costello are the parents of three children: Francis Leroy; Eugene Earl is married and has two children; Elmo Wright is married and resides at Oakland. For forty years Mr. Costello has been a member of Linden Lodge of Odd Fellows No. 102 and in politics is a Republican. About three years ago he had the misfortune to lose his eyesight, but he has never lost hope that it will some day be restored. Many years have come and gone during the period of his residence here, and he has ever belonged to that class who uphold the public stability along material, intellectual and moral lines, which is shown by the fact that for twelve conse- cutive years he served as school trustee of the East Union district.

MRS. LENA EGGERS .- Active alike in public movements and in private charities, Mrs. Lena Eg- gers, a highly-esteemed native of Germany who has become a patriotic American by adoption, has done everything in her power to bring about new de- velopment in agricultural enterprises in the section where she has long made her home. She was born in Holstein on December 12, 1854, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hans Wehde, both natives of Ger- many and in 1886 she came out to California, after spending a short time, en route, at Omaha. She has been married three times and is now a widow.

In 1874 she was first married to William Harder, and their union was crowned with the birth of four children: Maggie, wife of Julius Kiesling, resides at Omaha, Nebr., and has eleven children; William Harder, Jr., also resides at Omaha, Nebr., with his wife and three children: Emma is the wife of Joseph Gonzales, employed by the Associated Pipe Line and resides in Tracy, and they have one child; George F. died in 1916, thirty-one years old.

In 1886, Mrs Harder remarried at Stockton, her second husband being Hans Gosch, by whom she had one child: Caroline F. Gosch; she married A. J. Irwin, who was accidentally killed in an explosion, while employed on the Associated Pipe Line, March 23, 1922, leaving his widow with one child, Freder- ick R. Irwin. Our subject was married a third time to Peter Eggers of San Joaquin City. By him she had three children: Robert, Kate and Fred. Robert and Fred farm her place of 600 acres running to grain and sheep. Robert was born April 25, 1891, and is one of San Joaquin County's rising ranchers and stockmen. He belongs to the Knights of Py- thias. Kate is at home, while Fred has an honorable war record to his credit. He enlisted and served in

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

the U. S. Marine Corps, as corporal in Company 105, 8th Regiment and was honorably discharged at the Presidio at San Francisco at the close of the war. He is a member of Tracy Parlor, N. S. G. W.

Peter Eggers, who passed away on September 22, 1910, at his home near Vernalis, was born in Holstein, Germany, on August 18, 1854, and was brought out to California in the early sixties. He was an em- ployee of Mr. Holt who was engaged in the raising of stock and sheep, and after a while he acquired a ranch near Vernalis for himself. His first marriage united him with Miss Maria Hagermann, and by her he had five children: Henry died when twelve years old; Annie is the wife of Frank Trebois, employed by the P. G. & E. Company. He resides in San Fran- cisco and has one child: Louisa, wife of H. Raffens- bergar, resides in San Francisco; Wm. Eggers, a rancher north of Stockton, served in the Marine Corps Corps; Maria died when six years old. At the time of his death, Mr. Eggers was widely known for his extensive farming operations, and since then the enterprise thus splendidly inaugurated by this worthy pioneer has been carried on by the sons, Robert and Fred. The valuable home-place is lo- cated on the edge of the picturesque Hospital Can- yon, about three miles to the west of Vernalis, and includes some 600 rich and highly-productive acres. The family have made this place their home since 1916, nor could a more desirable site be found in all San Joaquin County.

PAUL L. NESS .- Well known as an able phar- macist, a successful business man and a progressive citizen, Paul L. Ness is the owner and proprietor of the Ness Drug Store at Ripon. He was born at Lofoden, Norway, June 28, 1880, a son of Johan Ness, a physician of that place, but early in life he was be- reaved of both father and mother, and so deprived of many of the enjoyments of childhood. He was con- firmed in the Lutheran Church and attended the schools of his district, and while a mere youth began the study of pharmacy, starting as an errand boy and holding positions in drug stores at Stockmarknes, Hemmingsver and Kobelvorg, and being an apt stu- dent he acquired both a practical and theoretical knowledge of pharmacy.

Coming to the United States in 1904, Mr. Ness held positions at Granite Falls, Minn., and Lily, S. D., until the fall of 1906, when he came to California, where he similarly engaged at Berkeley and Oakland until 1909, when he came to Oakdale, where he soon became the proprietor of a drug store. Disposing of this, he left for an extended visit to his old home in 1914, his tour over Europe covering over seven months. Returning to San Francisco he bought out a drug store at San Rafael, which he disposed of after operating it for more than a year and in 1915 came to Ripon, where he established the P. L. Ness Pharmacy and a few years later, in association with Dr. N. B. Gould, built the Ripon Hospital.

In 1922 Mr. Ness built the beautiful two-story pressed brick building at Stockton and Main streets, Ripon, and this will be the permanent home for his pharmacy. It is one of the best appointed drug stores in the San Joaquin Valley and reflects great credit on its owner. By his uniform kindness, cour- teous ways and strict attention to business, Mr. Ness has won a success that is well deserved. A natur- alized citizen of his adopted land, he works for the best interests of the community in all things.

MRS. NANNIE HALLER CARR .- A well-known and honored resident of the Lodi section of San Joa- quin County is found in Mrs. Nannie Haller Carr, who has continuously resided in San Joaquin County since her marriage in 1893, with the exception of a year spent in Council Bluffs, Iowa. She was born at Taze- well Court House, Tazewell County, Va., January 4, 1848, a daughter of Dr. James R. Doak and his wife, Mary Letitia (Haller) Doak, both natives of Virginia. Although James R. Doak was a Virginian, he was a stanch supporter of the Union. He was heartily against secession and voiced his opinion freely until Virginia withdrew from the Union; then he was forced to keep quiet. He was a physician and a large land- holder, and was prominent and influential in his com- munity. His services were required by the rich and poor, and no one in need of a physician's care ever was neglected by him. For six years he served as county clerk of Tazewell County. When he passed away at the age of sixty-seven, he was mourned by scores of friends and acquaintances whom he had served. Her mother was a daughter of the noted physician Dr. George Haller, of Marion, Va. She was only twenty-nine years old when she passed away, leaving a family of five children: Reece C .; Nannie, the sub- ject of this sketch; Rachel, Mrs. W. J. Thompson, deceased; James R., deceased at the age of ten years; and William V., who passed away in April, 1922.

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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 123

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