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 142

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 142

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

farming and their equipment consists of the latest improved machinery known, which greatly facilitates their extensive grain growing operations.

GEORGE E. MINGES,-In the history of agri- cultural development of San Joaquin County mention should be made of George E. Minges, whose business career has been crowned with a gratifying measure of success that has been honorably won. He is a native son of both California and San Joaquin Coun- ay, where he was born April 22, 1864. His parents, John and Philipena (Leicht) Minges were natives of Germany, who emigrated to America in 1849. When John Minges landed on the Atlantic Coast, he made his way westward, crossing the plains to the Pacific Coast, and first located in Southern California, but in 1850 located in Stockton, where he conducted a gunsmith shop. He also conducted one of the first bakeries in Stockton and was likewise proprietor of a hotel, and his name became closely identified with the development and substantial upbuilding of the town. In 1859 he removed from Stockton to Atlan- ta, where he remained for many years. He also re- sided for several years on the west side of the San Joaquin River in Stanislaus County, but subsequently returned to Stockton, where his last years were passed, an esteemed and honored pioneer of the county. His death occurred November 23, 1893. He was a Republican in politics and his religious faith was that of the German Methodist Episcopal Church. Nine children were born to this worthy pioneer couple of whom George E. Minges is. the youngest.

George E. Minges was reared to man's estate in San Joaquin County, and acquired his early educa- tion in the public schools near his home. Later he at- tended the San Joaquin Valley College, at Wood- bridge, Cal., and there, on the completion of a course in the business department, he was graduated. Early in life he became familiar with all the duties and labors attendant on the life of an agriculturist, for he assisted in the farm work of the old family home- stead. Throughout the greater part of his life he has followed farming and stockraising, and in buying and selling stock he has realized a handsome competence. For several years he has taken a very active interest in the matter of irrigation throughout the county, and is recognized as among the most prominent advocates in its behalf. He labors untiringly to secure the adoption of irrigation methods in the district, realizing the value thereof in promoting agricultural interests. His former extensive holdings of 1,120 acres are nearly all under irrigation and his fields are now ex- tremely productive. In all of his farming methods he has been progressive, and so gained a very desir- able measure of prosperity.

On November 24, 1887, Mr. Minges was married to Miss Birdie Williams, of Woodbridge, California, a daughter of Richard W. and Amanda (Irelan) Williams, early settlers of San Joaquin County. They are the parents of eight children: Georgia Avis, deceased; Eva May, Mrs. Cary Nicewonger, has four children and resides at Palo Alto; Beulah, Mrs. Bernard Grogan, has three children and resides at Atlanta, Cal .; George W., resides at Orange Cove, Cal. He served in the World War as a machine gunner in Company B, Thirty-ninth Infantry, Fourth Division A. E. F., and was honorably discharged, August 18, 1919; Leslie A. is a rancher at home;

Walter is also a rancher on the home place; Leland and John Richard. The family is prominent in social circles and the Minges household is noted for its generous hospitality. For a number of years Mr. Minges served as a trustee of the Castle school dis- trict and for a portion of the time was clerk of the school board. Mr. Minges and his wife are members of the Atlanta Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he has served as steward, and his wife as president of the Aid Society; she is also a member of the W. C. T. U. and the Y. W. C. A. and both are inter- ested in the local farm bureau. In October, 1922, Mr. Minges traded his ranch for improved property in Stockton, where they now reside.

HAZARD ZOLLIE BARDIN .- A rancher of Up- per Roberts Island, numbered among the enterpris- ing agriculturists of his locality, is Hazard Zollie Bardin, the owner of a choice Delta farm of 100 acres, which was formerly a portion of the Pescadero grant, highly cultivated and well improved. He was born at Parler, S. C., Aug. 23, 1881, a son of Hazard and Ida J. (Exum) Bardin, natives of South Carolina of English and French descent. Hazard Bardin, Sr., was a merchant in Parler, S. C. and was also a manu- facturer of turpentine, owning a factory, which he conducted for forty years. In 1892 he removed with his family to Ft. White, Fla., also in the yellow pine woods, the same as at Parler, so he again en- gaged in manufacturing turpentine until he gave up active business about five years ago. He was be- reaved of his wife in 1899. Eight children were born to them, seven of whom are living, Hazard Zollie being the eldest. As a lad he received a good edu- cation in the public schools and a military school at Palatka, Fla., remaining at home with his parents until 1901, when he went to Jacksonville, Fla., where he was occupied in the offices of the Southern Ex- press Company for five years. In 1907 he came to San Francisco and entered the employ of the Wells Fargo Company as messenger, traveling throughout California and continuing in that position for seven years. He was thus able to judge the different lo- calities of California by actual observation and San Joaquin County was selected as the place for his permanent home.

On October 6, 1914, Mr. Bardin was married to Miss Louise Undine Kuckuk, Union Island, the first white child to be born on that island. She is the daughter of Fred and Lena (Ellebrock) Kuckuk, early settlers of San Joaquin County. Her parents were pioneers on Union Island and Mr. Kuckuk aided in reclaiming the Delta country where he is still engaged in farming. They have two children living, Fred Jr., the eldest, and Louise Undine, who received her education in the Byron school, riding a pony eight miles to school every day. In 1908 she purchased 100 acres with money she had made in the sheep business and in 1914 she and her husband took up their abode on this tract of land, then a swamp covered with tule. At the present time it has been reclaimed and planted to alfalfa and gen- eral farming products, and hogs and sheep are being raised profitably. Mr. Bardin is a member of the American Federation of Farmers and he and his wife in their political preferment are independent, prefer- ring to vote for principle rather than party.

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Fries P. Banding If. Zacie Jardines

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

FREDERICK G. MENKING .- For almost his entire lifetime, Frederick G. Menking has been a resi- dent of San Joaquin County, for he was about three months old when his parents brought him to Cali- fornia. He was born at Hoboken, N. J., May 23, 1868, and in August of the same year his parents re- moved to Stockton, Cal., coming via the Isthmus of Panama on the S. S. "Golden State" to Aspin- wall, then across the Isthmus on mule back, and there they took passage to San Francisco on the S. S. "Arrow." The father purchased property from Cap- tain Weber on Pilgrim Street and Miner Slough, Stockton, where he erected a house; here he engaged in the lumber and freighting business. He married Miss Katherine Tons, a native of Germany and a sister of John Tons, and she passed away in 1917, while the father died in San Francisco in 1921.

Frederick G. Menking received a fairly good edu- cation in the public schools of Stockton and when a very small boy learned to handle horses successfully. Thereby an intense love for this four-footed animal was created and throughout his lieftime he has been known as an authority on horses. In the fall of 1882 he became a driver for the Moore & Smith yards, and during all the years he followed teaming he has worked for but three firms. Of recent years he was employed by the city of Stockton. Two years ago he retired to take up farming on account of poor health, and purchased fourteen acres of the L. U. Shippee homestead near French Camp. By hard work and a determination to succeed, he has made of his ranch a fine and productive fruit and alfalfa farm; here he devotes much of his time to raising fine horses, for which he is particularly well fitted.

The marriage of Mr. Menking united him with Miss Sadie Ray, a daughter of David Ray, prominent building contractor of Stockton; and they are the parents of two children: Ada and Edna. In frater- nal circles he is a member of the I. O. O. F. and the W. O. W.

JUDGE SAMUEL S. McLAIN .- A native of West Virginia, Judge Samuel S. McLain was born at Park- ersburg, on October 21, 1866, the youngest son of Milton and Mary (Stukey) McLain. His father, Milton McLain, was born in Ohio of Scotch parents, and removed to West Virginia where he became a very prominent citizen and engaged in farming and stockraising extensively; in partnership with his eld- est son, Frank H. McLain, he was well known throughout the Eastern States as a stockman, doing an extensive business in cattle shipping during the '80s and '90s.

On March 4, 1885, Mr. McLain left his home and settled in Springfield, Mo., where he spent two and a half years, then came to California, going first to Pomona, but soon removed to Chico, Butte County. Securing a position as chief clerk in the Burns Hotel, he remained there for ten years, filling the position with efficiency, and during his residence in that city won many friends by his congenial and pleasant man- ner. He was also an active member of the Califor- nia National Guards in 1889 and '90. He then went into the mines of northern California and spent three years in practical mining; then for several years he was connected with various hotels throughout north- ern and central California.

On January 15, 1900, he settled in Tracy, then a village of scarcely 300 inhabitants, and he has been 60

an eyewitness to the wonderful growth and pros- perity of this thriving city. On 1902 he was married to Miss Ella Hart, a daughter of the late George Hart, prominently known for his fourteen consecutive years of service as sheriff of Sonora, Tuolumne County, Cal. During the World War, Mrs. McLain took a prominent part in the Red Cross and war re- lief work in Tracy and the West Side of San Joa- quin County. Mr. McLain had control of the is- suance of all licenses respecting firearms, powder, etc., and also was active on the liberty loan commit- tee. Politically he is identified with the Democratic party and fraternally is a member of the Elks No. 218, Odd Fellows and Encampment of Tracy, and has served three times as delegate to the grand lodge of the Knights of Pythias. During the past eight years, Judge McLain has administered justice for his community, having been elected to the office of justice of the peace in November, 1914, and was re- elected without opposition in November, 1918. On account of his thoroughness he has never had a de- cision reversed after an appeal to a higher court. Judge and Mrs. McLain own their residence in Tracy as well as other valuable real estate. As a member of the Chamber of Commerce, he takes an active interest in all matters that come to the atten- tion of the organization.

FAY REED ZINCK .- Holding the record as one of California's youngest contractors, Fay Reed Zinck is also numbered among Stockton's most successful builders. A native son, he was born at Oakdale, Stanislaus County, February 17, 1890, and when a child accompanied his parents, Christian and Ora (Reed) Zinck to northeastern Oregon, and later resided in Seattle. The father was a contractor and builder. He erected the Sperry flour mill at Stockton and has followed the building business for many years. Returning to California in 1902, the family settled at Stockton, and here Fay attended the El Dorado Street school until he was fourteen, when he entered the employ of Robert Powell, the pioneer contractor. In 1905 he went to San Francisco, where he took up architectural drawing in the office of a prominent architect, and later was with the well-known con- tracting firm of Brunton Bros. After the great fire of 1906 he worked in San Francisco, helping rebuild the city after the holocaust that swept over it.

In 1908 Mr. Zinck returned to Stockton and for a time was associated again with Robert Powell, and later with Lewis & Barling. In 1911, although but twenty-one, he started in the contracting busi- ness for himself, but through his ability and the application he had given to his work he was even then far better equipped than men many years his senior. Successful from the start, he has erected in the neighborhood of 200 houses in Stockton, most of these being in the best residence sections of the city, and has erected many office and business blocks for the well-known real estate firm of Triolo & Calestini. He has had the contract for a number of school buildings, which he has completed most satisfactorily, among them the Lottie Grunsky school, the Jefferson Manual Training school, remodeled the high school and the Lathrop school; and on Wash- ington Street he built a theater and garage.

With R. F. Shutes, Mr. Zinck formed the firm of Shutes & Zinck in 1919, and they conduct a planing mill on North Commerce Street, near Weber Avenue.

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having already built up a good business. Mr. Shutes was formerly a resident of Minnesota and has had a wide experience in the lumber business both there and in California. They built the South Sewage Disposal plant for the city of Stockton, under the supervision of Fred S. Tibbetts, engineer of San Francisco, a $108,000 contract. The partners have erected a two-story reinforced concrete building for the First National Bank of Los Banos, and a two- story brick building block and office building at the corner of California and Market streets, Stockton, for which Mr. Zinck drew the plans, as he has also done for many of the homes he has built. They own their own concrete equipment which is considered the best in the valley owned and operated by con- tractors. The firm holds membership in the Progres- sive Business Club, and so assist in all programs for the upbuilding of this favored section.

Mr. Zinck's marriage, which occurred at Stockton on May 4, 1912, united him with Miss Nellie I. Twitchings, a native of England, who came to Cali- fornia in 1898; and they have one son, Edgar Reed.

HENRY THOMAS HUBERT .- Since 1876 Henry Thomas Hubert has resided in San Joaquin County, where he has extensively engaged in farming and stock raising and has steadily increased his land holdings until he now owns 560 acres twenty miles east of Stockton, near Waverly Station, on the Copperopolis railroad. He was born on the Isle of Guernsey, England, November 10, 1849, a son of Daniel Hubert, a native of the same place, who was a pilot on the boats that plied the English Channel, for many years. He married Miss Martha D. Garis and they were the parents of ten children, of whom Henry Thomas, our subject, is the second son. Dan- iel Hubert lived to be sixty-one years old, while his wife was fifty-four when she passed away.

Henry Thomas Hubert was reared on a farm in England and received his education in the public schools, and before leaving home for America he had three years of military service. In 1874 he left home on the steamship Atlantic and arriving in Ontario, Canada, he worked for two years at farm work; in the spring of 1876 he arrived in San Fran- cisco and came direct to San Joaquin. County, where he was employed for ten years on various ranches in the Linden section of the county. Meantime, in 1882, he made an extended visit to relatives and friends, returning in the fall of the same year to California, content to make his permanent home here.

On September 9, 1886, Mr. Hubert was married to Miss Jessie Lane, born in Texas, January 26, 1867, a daughter of Cornelius Lane, who had come to California in 1879 and settled near Lockeford, where he passed away. Mrs. Lane, a native of Tennessee, was Miss Louisa Gill. Mr. Hubert's first purchase of land was in 1886 on the Calaveras River below Jenny Lind, where he engaged in general farming with Fred Shelton for about six years. He then sold this ranch and invested his capital in his present ranch, buying first 120 acres, then additional land, until he now owns 560 acres of good, productive soil on which he raises a fine quality of wheat and barley; for the past fifteen years he has also conducted a dairy, as well as raising poultry and other livestock. Mr. Hubert became a U. S. citizen at Stockton and for thirty-five years has been a member of the Linden Lodge of Odd Fellows.

JOHN DUNCAN MCKELLAR .- Over a quarter of a century has passed since John Duncan Mckellar came to California and he has watched its develop- ment through all these years, noting with interest the changes that have been wrought as its natural resources have been developed. His labors have largely been put forth along agricultural lines until about three years ago when he retired to his home in Stockton, 1126 South California Street. He is a Cana- dian by birth, having been born at St. Thomas, On- tario, October 20, 1853, the son of John and Mary (Thompson) Duncan, natives of Glasgow, Scotland, who immigrated to Ontario, Canada, and were farm- ers near St. Thomas. The mother died when John D. was a little child. . The father afterwards re- moved to Saginaw, Mich., where he followed farm- ing until he died. Of this union two children were born, Mary who resides in Detroit and John D., our subject. He came to Michigan in 1861, remaining a short time, then went back to Ontario where he at- tended school. In 1871 he came to Saginaw, Mich., and was employed at lumbering, getting out logs and driving them down the Titbowasse, Old Gray, Salt and Tobasco rivers. Young, agile and strong, he could ride the logs with ease and swim like a duck and became an expert in the art of snubbing the rafts of logs. He was employed in this line for a period of eight years; then he followed sawmilling near Mason, Mich., and during the threshing season he was in that line of work. Desiring to see the West, in 1881 he came out to Wood River, Idaho, where for three years he engaged in sawmilling.

In 1884 he arrived in Stockton and worked on Roberts Island for A. S. Blossom and Ira Saunders, and while there passed through the trying times of the floods when the levees gave way and flooded the entire island; he recalls the time when Chinamen used wheelbarrows to repair the breaks in the levees. By hard work and economy Mr. Mckellar saved some money and finally began to farm for himself and at different times farmed from 400 to 1,700 acres of grain. He farmed the Woods brothers' land, the John Wilkinson ranch, land on the middle division of Roberts Island; also the Keagle place, now the Westgate property, farming the latter place of 960 acres for eight years. One year he used five Holt harvesters and harvested 60,000 sacks of grain. One season his crop of 1,644 sacks of grain sold for forty-four cents a cental, and he lost a year's hard work. During later years he raised large quantities of pink, Lady Washington and Cranberry varieties of beans, which proved of great profit. He owned a farm on the island where he resided until wishing to retire. He sold his place and located in Stock- ton in October, 1918, purchasing his present comfort- able home on South California Street.

Mrs. McKellar was in maidenhood Sarah Cook and was born in Jasper County, Mo .; her marriage ceremony occuring in Stockton, October 17, 1899. She was the daughter of Frank and Elizabeth (Ab- bott) Cook, natives of Kentucky and Tennessee, re- spectively. They were farmers in Jasper County, Mo., where they spent the remainder of their lives. This worthy couple had six children, three of whom are living. Mrs. McKellar, who is the third oldest, came to San Joaquin County in 1880. A woman of a pleasing personality and much business acumen, she has been a real helpmate to her husband. By a former marriage Mrs. McKellar has a daughter, Mrs.

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

Sallie Holman of Oakland. Mr. Mckellar is a strong Republican and he is greatly esteemed and respected for the part he has taken in the development of this section.

A. J. NOURSE .- A native son of California and the only surviving member of his immediate family, A. J. Nourse has resided continuously in San Joa- quin County and the Ripon section since 1897, where he is well and favorably known for his cooperation in every movement for the welfare of his locality. He was born at Coulterville, Cal., January 19, 1865, a son of A. J. Nourse, a native of Kentucky and a pioneer of California. A. J. Nourse, Sr. came across the plains to California in 1853 in search of gold and located at Sonora. There were thirty-five people composing the emigrant train and all survived the hardships of the six months' journey, arriving at Hangtown in October, 1853. In 1860 the father re- moved with his family to Mariposa where he estab- lished a business as wheelwright and for five years built the wagons used by the freighters to the mines; then he engaged in the stock business and farming near Keystone, where he preempted Government land and was among the very first to settle in that local- ity; he was also employed at the Shawmut mines until these were closed by the failure of the San Francisco banks. He continued in the stock busi- ness until 1876. There were five children in the family, of whom A. J. Nourse, the subject of this sketch, is one of three survivors. The mother passed away at Shawmut in 1887 and the father in Stock- ton in 1895. A. J. Nourse, our subject, attended the public schools until the age of fourteen and from that time was associated with his father in mill work and farming until he was twenty-five years old. In 1889 he entered the Stockton Business Col- lege for a year's business course and returning to Mariposa County, he entered the employ of G. W. Hobron & Son as superintendent of their mill during the summer months and during the winter he went to Stockton and worked at his trade.

On August 25, 1896, Mr. Nourse was married to Miss Edna May Cady, born on the Cady river ranch located on the Stanislaus River, a daughter of Stoel and Nancy J. (Pringle) Cady, natives of New York and Illinois, respectively. Stoel Cady was a '49er and engaged in mining on the north fork of the Am- erican River. He spent a few months in Sacramento, and from there went to Stanislaus County, where he took up land and put in one crop, when he found that the title was not sound; he then removed to Dent township, in San Joaquin County, and bought 1,100 acres which he farmed extensively to grain and stock. In 1853 he returned to Illinois and brought back overland about 1,000 head of cattle; later he discontinued stock raising and devoted his entire at- tention to general farming. His marriage to Miss Nancy J. Pringle occurred in 1854; she had come to California the previous year with the Ewing John- son family, who settled at the Blue Tent ranch, twenty-two miles southeast of Stockton, which is the present site of Escalon. Mrs. Cady passed away in Stockton, March 11, 1895, survived by her husband, who passed away in Susanville, Cal., on November 7, 1909. Mrs. Nourse has one brother, Frank P. Cady, proprietor of the Lassen Water Com- pany.

For three years before he bought it in 1900, Mr. Nourse conducted the Cady ranch, which consists of 800 acres, for which he paid twenty-five dollars per acre, the same land now being worth $500 per acre. Mr. Nourse purchased 320 acres four miles north of Ripon, which he subdivided and sold in small acreages, disposing of the last three years ago. Mr. Nourse owned and operated the A. J. Nourse & Com- pany hardware store in Ripon from 1914 to 1919, when he sold out the business to Davis Bros .; he has served three terms as a director of the South San Joaquin irrigation district, was a stockholder in the Ripon Lumber Yard until 1920, is now vice- president of the Bank of Ripon and was one of the founders of this institution in 1910. Since 1913 he has been developing the Ripon Water Works, and he is a member of the Farm Bureau and the Ripon Merchants Association. In politics he is a Republi- can. Fraternally, he is a past noble grand of Mt. Horeb Lodge, I. O. O. F., at Ripon and Mrs. Nourse is past secretary of Rebekah Lodge No. 229, at Ripon. Both Mr. and Mrs. Nourse were actively identified with the war relief work and Liberty Loan drives in south San Joaquin County. Mr. and Mrs. Nourse are the parents of two children, Ruth Lucille and Ralph C. Mr. Nourse has led a busy and use- ful life and his readiness and willingness to serve his community have classed him among the public-spirited and substantial citizens of his locality.

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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 142

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