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 136

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 136

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Henry F. Ellis was fourteen years old when the family came to Lodi, and he was educated in the public schools and at Woodbridge Academy. He entered newspaper work with his father on the "Lodi Sentinel," becoming its editor, and later went to Woodland, where he was city editor of the "Wood- land Mail," spending ten years there. In 1909 he gave up newspaper work and became local agent at Lodi for the California Fruit Exchange, a position he held for twelve years. In 1904 Mr. Ellis repre- sented San Joaquin County at the St. Louis Exposi- tion, having an attractive exhibit in the Agricultural Building, and he brought back fifteen prizes.

In January, 1918, Mr. Ellis became district man- ager for the Stewart Fruit Company, this being one of the largest concerns in this line in the state, with shipping and packing houses all over California. They ship strictly on a commission basis, and in 1920 sent out 410 cars of deciduous fruits and grapes from

Lodi. About six years ago Mr. Ellis bought an eighty-acre vineyard for $20,000, and improved it, putting in a pumping plant; and at the end of four years he sold it for $64,000. In 1909 he purchased sixty acres of raw land, planted part of it to Tokay grapes, and later set out the remainder to prunes. In 1920 the grapes produced six tons to the acre, and he has refused $2,000 an acre for the property.

Mr. Ellis was married on August 11, 1887, to Miss Lochie Green, a native daughter of San Joaquin County and a member of an old pioneer family. Two daughters have been born to them: Carrie E., a graduate of the Lodi high school, the San Jose Nor- mal and the University of California, is the teacher of domestic science in the Lodi high school; Frances M. graduated at the Lodi high school and the San Jose State Normal, and teaches in the Lodi grammar school. Prominent in educational affairs, for ten years Mr. Ellis served as trustee of the Lodi union high school and of the Lodi grammar school. A Re- publican in politics all his life, he is now city recorder of Lodi; and he is also a member of the board of trustees of the Lodi Public Library. During the World War he took an active part in all the Govern- ment programs, and was secretary of the Lodi Lib- erty League. He became a charter member of Lodi Parlor No. 18, N. S. G. W., when he was only eighteen; and he and George E. Lawrence are now the only living charter members of the lodge. Well-known in Masonic circles, he is a member of Lodi Lodge No. 256, F. & A. M .; Stockton Com- mandery, K. T .; and Islam Temple, of San Francisco.

J. O. BEAUCHAMP .- A worthy representative of one of the pioneer American families is J. O. Beau- champ, the well-known rancher and realtor living about three and a half miles to the west of Escalon, where he owns nearly forty-six choice acres. He was born in Pike County, Mo., on April 18, 1865, the son of James W. Beauchamp, a native of Pike County, long active as a farmer and stockman in Missouri, in which state he has spent his days. He is still liv- ing, 92 years of age, while his wife (whose maiden name was Susan S. Nalley), also born in Pike County, is eighty-two years old. Her father, Davenport Nal- ley, was born in Virginia, and settled in Pike County in pioneer days, where he became a prosperous farmer and stockman. Mr. Beauchamp's paternal grand- father was born in Kentucky, brought out his family to Pike County, and there settled upon a farm. He was a member of the Christian Church, and a local preacher, and his influence for widespread good was recognized in Pike County. Mr. Beauchamp's mother was his father's second wife. They had six children, five of whom grew up; Mr. Beauchamp is the eldest, and is the only one residing in California. The maiden name of Mr. James W. Beauchamp's first wife was Sally Biggs, and by her he had two children.

J. O. Beauchamp attended the public schools, in- cluding the high school, in his home district, at Paynesville, Mo., and then went to a business college at Bowling Green in the same state, a town identified with the career of his second-cousin, Champ Clark, now so distinguished in American history. He was the son of John Hampton and Aletha Jane (Beau- champ) Clark, and his full name was James Beau- champ Clark; but when he began practicing law in Bowling Green, he abbreviated his name to Champ, and by that shorter appellation he was later known.

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

Senator Champ Clark, while on a lecture-tour to the Pacific Coast, visited Mr. Beauchamp at his home in Santa Rosa; the relationship was confirmed and the two worthies had a delightful time together.

On Christmas Day, 1889, Mr. Beauchamp was mar- ried at Clarksville, Mo., to Miss Elizabeth Jeans, of that town, a daughter of Newton Jeans, a farmer who was born and reared in Pike County, and who came out to California with Mr. Beauchamp and here breathed his last. His wife's maiden name was Mar- garet Watts; the Jeans, Watts, and Beauchamp fam- ilies were all Missouri pioneers. John Watts, an uncle of Mrs. Beauchamp, came to California in 1849, and became interested in a project for supplying water to the miners in the mining country in which he lost about $80,000; later, he went into business at Stock- ton, and later still settled at Blocksburg, in Hum- boldt County, where he owned a stock farm, and where he died. He lived to be seventy-three years old, and died well-to-do. These families were all orig- inally from Kentucky.

After their marriage, Mr. Beauchamp bought his father's home-place in Pike County, Mo .; but on ac- count of his wife's ill health, he sold out, and came to California in 1899. Settling at. first in Humboldt County, he spent the next three years at Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, where he ran a dairy-ranch just out- side of Santa Rosa; and later on he moved into the city and subdivided the "Roseland" tract, realizing a good profit from his venture. He moved to his pres- ent place in 1917, and now deals quite extensively in real estate, mostly farm lands and ranches near Esca- lon. He is an exceptional judge of land values. Two children have been granted Mr. and Mrs. Beauchamp: Ruth is now the wife of G. R. Shriver, rancher and insurance agent at Santa Rosa; and Margaret is at home. The family attend the Christian Church.

DIEDERICH LAMMERS .- A successful agricul- turist whose long residence in San Joaquin County won him a high place in the esteem of his com- munity was Diederich Lammers. A native of Ger- many, he was born on July 11, 1837, his parents be- ing Henry and Marguerita (Dascher) Lammers, worthy residents of that country who spent all their lives there.

Coming to America as a young man, Mr. Lam- mers at first located at Charleston, S. C., where he worked as a grocer's clerk two years before coming to California in the fall of 1869. He spent some time in San Francisco, and in 1870 came to San Joaquin County, where an older brother, Martin Lammers, had already located upon a farm in Tulare Township.

In 1871 Mr. Lammers was married to Miss Doro- thea Hemsen, also a native of Germany, who came to California in 1870. They became the parents of two daughters: Matilda Amelia is the wife of George H. Luhrsen; and Annie Gesena married F. O. Hous- ken, well-known attorney of Tracy; and sketches of both appear elsewhere in this history. Mr. Lam- mers became the owner of 320 acres of valuable land near Bethany, and this he developed into a fine ranch, meeting with splendid success in his farming operations. He passed away on May 30, 1900, his wife surviving him until March 13, 1917.

HENRY BRUCE BARKIS .- A representative cit- izen of San Joaquin County who has helped to make the San Joaquin Valley one of the most prosperous farming districts in the state of California is Henry Bruce Barkis, the owner of a fine vineyard of twenty- five acres one mile east of Lodi on the Lockeford road. He was born at Union, Boone County, Ky., on August 9, 1858, a son of Andrew Jackson and Mary Elizabeth (Robinson) Barkis, his paternal grand- mother being a descendant of Alexander Campbell of West Virginia, dating back to Colonial days. Henry Bruce Barkis is the eldest in a family of four children, the others being Ida May, now Mrs. Churchill; Emmett L., residing at San Francisco; and Fred Ira, deceased. The father lived to be seventy- eight years old, and the mother passed away in 1898

Henry Bruce Barkis as a boy received but little schooling, and was only thirteen years old when he began earning his own way, working first as a waiter in the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad Company's res- taurant at North Vernon, Ind., where he remained for three years. He then went to Meade County, Ky., where he hauled rock from a quarry to build a mill race for a flour mill; and later he drove a yoke of oxen and broke up 100 acres of land. His father removing to New Albany, Ind., Henry Bruce went along and worked at odd jobs until he decided to become a millwright. Going to Louisville, Ky., he was apprenticed to W. T. Pine, mill constructor. Applying himself to his task, he soon became profi- cient in his work, and from an apprentice earning four dollars a week he became foreman over the men and received three dollars per day; and later he became general superintendent for Mr. Pine in mill construc- tion work, and remained with him for eight years, building flour mills in Kentucky, Tennessee, and southern Indiana.

Mr. Barkis' first marriage occurred on March 2, 1882, at Greenville, Ky., and united him with Miss Fanny Love, a daughter of Col. S. P. and Jane (Mc- Connel) Love. Mr. and Mrs. Barkis were the par- ents of one infant daughter, who passed away at the age of six weeks, a short time after the death of the mother. The mother and child were both buried at Greenville, Ky.

During -March of 1885, Mr. Barkis, in company with a number of his friends, attended the inaugura- tion of President Cleveland, and upon his return to his Kentucky home, was greatly disappointed and dis- satisfied with the East and the Middle West; so he turned his face toward the far West and California. Arriving in San Francisco, he secured employment with Wagner & O'Brien as a journeyman in mill- building, which occupied him for three months, after which he began the rebuilding of the Del Monte mills for Thomas Parsons, which he completed in 1885. Then he went to Stockton and began work for the Sperry Company as miller, and was with them for twelve years. He next went to Knights Ferry and helped to rebuild the flour mill for Charlie Tulloch, which required one year to complete. He spent a few months in South Vallejo as miller for the Mc- Near Company; and from 1899 to 1904 he was super- intendent and outside man for the Wagner Manufac- turing Company, after which he withdrew from the company and engaged in the millwright business for himself. During the great fire and earthquake in 1906 he sustained considerable losses, but soon had his plant rebuilt and in working order. He over-

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H. B. Bankio Sr

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

hauled the Long Syrup and Refinery Company's plant, and then as a millwright installed machinery in printing plants, elevators, etc. When his lease ran out in San Francisco, he traveled throughout the state, building mills and installing machinery, his last job being for the Colusa Milling Company in 1912. In 1910, Mr. Barkis brought his family to Lodi and established his home on his ranch, known as the Tokay Home Ranch, located about one mile east of Lodi. The thirty acres which he purchased was a stubble-field, which he developed into a vineyard and family orchard. Later he sold five acres of this tract, and then the traction line cut through his ranch, so that it now contains about twenty-three acres. Be- sides building a house and ranch buildings, he has installed two irrigation plants, both equipped with five-inch pumps, one having a ten-horsepower motor and the other a twelve-horsepower motor. Mr. Barkis has suffered many reverses in business, but his in- domitable energy and optimism won out and he is now enjoying the reward of hard work and patient application to business. He has recently refused an offer of $50,000 for his fine vineyard and home place.

The second marriage of Mr. Barkis occurred on November 18, 1888, at San Francisco, uniting him with Miss Mary G. Kelly, a native of County Donegal, Ireland, and they are the parents of three children: Alilia May, now Mrs. Kavanagh, of San Francisco; Fred Ira; and Henry Bruce, Jr. In national politics, Mr. Barkis is a Democrat; and he has served on the Victor election board for the last ten years. He is thoroughly progressive in his political views as well as in his business affairs. Fraternally, he is a Mason, having joined that order in 1887 while residing in Stockton; he is also a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge, No. 11, of Stockton.

He has built a packing-house on his own ranch on the Valley Springs branch of the Southern Pacific Railway, which runs along the southern border of his place. Here he packs his own products, under the now justly famous "Big-Boy" label. His brand of Big-Boy Flame Tokay table-grapes, grown and packed by himself, are unequaled in quality and com- mand the highest prices in the markets of the East. Public-spirited and generous to a fault, Mr. Barkis helps along every worthy cause and dispenses a whole-hearted hospitality.

HARRY H. LADD .- Horticultural Commissioner Harry H. Ladd has rendered signal service to San Joaquin County's diversified domain, where hardly an acre can be found not suitable for profitable cul- ture. As state quarantine guardian he has kept para- sites from entering, and as horticultural commissioner his skill serves to stimulate crop production. Born in Ottumwa, Wappello County, Iowa, July 15, 1875, Mr. Ladd came West to Vacaville, Solano County, with his father; and there, on his father's fruit ranch, developed that authoritative knowledge of plant life that has made him a quoted expert. At the age of twelve he learned to know fruit, picking it when he had to stand on boxes to reach the lower limbs. He became thoroughly acquainted with every department, watching the cultivation, drying, picking, packing, orchard processes and shipping of the fruit. For four years thereafter he was foreman of a fruit ranch near Vacaville, owned by New Yorkers, and con- ducted many interesting and valuable experiments. 57

In 1900 Mr. Ladd located in Stockton, his first employment there being with the William Wills wholesale and retail fruit interests. About that time, in a small way at first, began the horticultural com- mission's work in San Joaquin County, the three commissioners serving without pay, yet doing much to put forward the county's increasing horticultural activities. He was a member, and ever since has been identified with this bulwark of California's pros- perity. Along in 1908 the law was changed, and under state examination a state official was assigned to San Joaquin County. William Garden was the first commissioner. Mr. Ladd served as chief inspec- tor; and in 1914, on Mr. Garden's death, he was named by the San Joaquin County supervisors as commissioner, which position he occupies today. He has ten men under his jurisdiction.

Mr. Ladd is a firm believer in and advocate of the profuse use of fertilizer in orchards to keep up the standard of the trees. His theory is, that if the trees are strong and sturdy, attacks from disease and para- sites will be far less menacing. In recent years San Joaquin County has made notable strides horticul- turally, especially in the production of cherries. While all kinds of fruit are grown abundantly, the county has won a world-wide reputation for Tokay grapes. Thousands of acres of this famed variety are under cultivation here. Mr. Ladd believes that only 'a be- ginning has been made, and that the future will dwarf the past. The irrigation systems have grown rapidly; and with practically no waste and useless acreage in the county, no limit can be set. As com- missioner, Mr. Ladd has rigidly maintained packing standards which are highly regarded in the East.

Few persons realize how, as state quarantine guard- ian, he has to maintain an endless fight against the importation of dreaded pests and parasites, whether through shipments by mail, parcel post, and express, or otherwise, from other states and from abroad, in- nocently or maliciously. Even livestock is inspected to guard against the introduction of parasites. Mr. Ladd's administration has saved millions to fruit growers, and his counsel has been freely at the dis- posal of any seeker, which accounts for his unques- tioned popularity. Since irrigation has started in south San Joaquin County, this section has entered a new era, in which growers directly and indirectly share the wealth and stimulate the prosperity of the entire district. In his fraternal associations, Mr. Ladd maintains membership in Morning Star Lodge of Masons, at Stockton.

GEORGE MARION MARKHAM .- A successful business man and one of the leading citizens of Ripon, San Joaquin County, is George Marion Mark- ham, who for the past thirty-eight years has been a resident of this thriving town. He was born in the rural district near Dycusburg, Ky., a son of George Washington and Nancy (Kelly) Markham, of Eng- lish and Irish descent, but natives of old Virginia, both now deceased. George Marion Markham had little opportunity for an education, and at the age of thirteen began to make his own way, selecting farm- ing as his vocation, which he followed until he was twenty-two years old. His half brother, Prof. J. W. Wells, had come from Dycusburg, Ky., to Ripon, where he was engaged to teach in the public school. He was accompanied by his half-sister, Helen Mark-

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

ham, who now resides in Ripon. J. W. Wells was a Baptist minister as well as a school teacher. Mary E. Markham, sister of Helen, arrived in Ripon on May 10, 1883; their younger brother, George Marion Markham, joined them in 1884.

Arriving at Ripon Mr. Markham found employ- ment on the William H. Crow ranch in the harvest field, and in the warehouse in Ripon, which occupied him for three years. At that time, the town of Ripon consisted of a blacksmith shop, a small schoolhouse, and two saloons. There was no bridge across the Stanislaus River, Murphys Ferry being used until 1887, when the county bridge was built. Mr. Mark- ham was employed as a ranch hand on farms through- out the county until 1901. With his sister Mary, he then started farming, Mary acting as housekeeper. They purchased their first acquisition of California real estate from their half-brother, J. W. Wells, and Mr. Markham invested in fifty acres in the Whitmore subdivision near Ceres. In 1912 they erected the Markham Hotel. On November 1 of that year it was ready for occupancy and was opened to the pub- lic. This is one of the best hostelries in San Joaquin County. The ground floor is devoted to stores, the hotel being on the second floor. Mr. Markham used one of the storerooms as a restaurant, which he oper- ated for five years, while his sister managed the hotel; considered one of the most comfortable and sanitary houses in the city. At the same time they developed the Ceres property, which was sold in 1914 to good advantage. They are also the joint owners of the building occupied by the First Na- tional Bank, which was completed in 1921. The building where the postoffice is located, and other stores connecting, were completed in 1922. They are the owners of choice ranch property in the Ripon district, and have been active in the development of irrigation in their locality, and in the organization of the First National Bank of Ripon.

Both Mr. Markham and his sister have manifested in all their undertakings, whether in private or in public affairs, a spirit of progressiveness and enter- prise which has brought them success and the confi- dence of all with whom they have had dealings. Mary Markham is a person of exceptional diligence and excellent business ability, and works in perfect harmony with her brother, whose judgment in re- gard to finance, land values, and business matters at Ripon, is regarded as being very accurate. They are very kind, and considerate of others. At the death of their half-brother's wife, they helped to bring up and put through school his three children, Ellen, Ernest and Winnie Wells, who are all mar- ried and doing well at the present time. They have also helped a great many unfortunate children, among whom was Charles Woods, an orphan boy, whom they brought up from the time he was five years old. He is now married, and resides with his family at Madera, Cal., where he is in the employ of the American Express Company. They have also reared Alvin Hensen, an orphan boy, since he was five years old. He has resided in their home for nine- teen years and has received a high school education and encouragement to develop his voice and musical talents. Mary Markham is a member of the Women's Christian Temperance Union and the First Congrega- tional Church in Ripon.

ADELBERT M. COWELL .- A resident of Stock- ton since 1886, Adelbert M. Cowell is so well informed on local conditions and affairs that he is among the most sanguine in his hopefulness for the future of Central California, and especially of Stockton and the San Joaquin Valley. He was born in Auburn, N. Y., on June 29, 1844. He is a son of Myron and Melvina (Sanders) Cowell, natives of New York, where the father was a grain merchant and stock buyer. Adel- bert M. is second oldest of their six children. His opportunities for schooling were extremely meager and while still a young lad he learned the stone and brickmason and plasterer's trade; he then removed to Washington, D. C., where an older brother, Albert, resided, who was a brick contractor, and our subject worked with his brother on the construction of build- ings after the close of the Civil War, during the ad- ministration of President Grant. Then going south to Richmond, Va., he found employment with the Richmond & Alleghany Railroad on construction work at Lynchburg, Va., and also on · similar work for the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad in West Vir- ginia; he also did work for the U. S. Government at Memphis, Tenn. He then returned to his native city of Auburn, N. Y., and remained there for one year, when he went to Wichita, Kans., and engaged in con- tract brick work. During the year of 1885 he arrived in California and located in San Diego, where he did contract construction work for the San Diego Flume Company. The following year, in 1886, he arrived in Stockton, where he has since made his home. Among the more notable buildings on which he did the brick work, are the H. C. Shaw Company building; the Central Methodist Church; the John Jury building on Weber Avenue; the brickwork on all the principal buildings on Main, Market, Center, Weber Avenue and other business streets; he also constructed a num- ber of ovens for bakeries throughout the city .. His construction work has not been confined to Stockton alone, but has extended to other counties; he erected two school houses in Fresno; a schoolhouse and busi- ness block in Porterville; a paper mill and twenty houses and one hotel in Floriston, above Truckee in the high Sierras; has built furnaces and set boilers in mining towns through northern California, and was in charge of the construction work of the dam and re- clamation project at Six Mile bar, near Knights Ferry. · Mr. Cowell erected two modern residences of his own on North Stanislaus Street, in one of which he makes his home.

The marriage of Mr. Cowell united him with Miss Sarah Hollingsworth, a native of England, and they are the parents of ten children, nine of whom are liv- ing. An unusual condition exists in his family, a death not having occurred for fifty-two years. Their chil- dren are as follows: a daughter, Frances, died in in- fancy; Arthur W. is a brick contractor in Stockton; Ernest; J. Eugene and Myron are bricklayers; George is an actor; Esther is the wife of E. W. Butters of Stockton; Anna is at home; Mrs. Eva Peek resides on a ranch near Stockton; Mrs. Maude Weber resides in San Francisco. Mr. Cowell is now living retired from active business cares. He and his family are members of the Central Methodist Church and for many years Mr. Cowell served as trustee. He joined the Methodist Church at Auburn, N. Y., in 1860, and has been a member ever since; he has always taken an active part in its benevolences and has served as classleader, while Mrs. Cowell has been a member

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A M bowell

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

since ten years of age, and has been active in the work of the church, also as classleader, and in foreign and home mission work. She was the first woman to speak to the prisoners at the San Joaquin County jail, caring for and looking after the families of the men in jail, visiting the homes of the destitute and buying food and clothes for the needy. Mr. and Mrs. Cowell are highly esteemed in the community.

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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 136

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