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 146

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 146

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Candida Giannini

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

1908 Mrs. Giannini completed her beautiful home on Cherokee Lane, where she now resides, surrounded by her many friends.

JESSE W. PEARSON .- A progressive rancher whose enterprise, foresight and scientific methods have brought him enviable success and abundant prosperity, is Jesse W. Pearson, now residing on the old Stith A. Pearson home ranch where, in the comfortable home of his parents, Stith A. and Susan Pearson, he first saw light-the former a very sub- stantial Californian whose life-story naturally forms a part of this historical volume. Nine children were born to the worthy couple; Richard Bell, now de- ceased, being the eldest, and Stith and Harry, also both deceased, coming next. Charles B. lives at Stockton; Nellie, resident in the same city, is Mrs. P. W. Owen; while our subject.was the sixth in the order of birth. Mrs. Henry Harney, of Lodi, was Juanita Pearson before her marriage; and Violet is Mrs. Eubanks of Stockton. The youngest child died in infancy.

Jesse attended the best grammar school to which he could be sent, the long popular Greenwood school, and then he helped his father on the home farm until 1913, when he rented and managed the home place of two hundred acres devoted to grain-farming. Now he owns for himself thirty-five acres of that ranch, under fine cultivation. He is aggressive in his management, and as a good student, is always alert for the last word of science; he uses the most up-to-date methods, and approved implements.

At Stockton, on July 8, 1912, occurred the wed- ding of Mr. Pearson and Serena Hannah, a native of Canada, where she was born near New Bruns- wick, the accomplished daughter of John and Agnes Hannah. She had accompanied her father and moth- er to California when she was six years old, and they settled in the Waterloo district. Mr. Hannah died about ten years ago, survived by his devoted wife. The esteemed couple had a family of five children, and Serena continued her schooling in the Calaveras district. One child has blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Pearson, a daughter, Jesslyn. Mr. Pear- son is a stanch Democrat, and never loses an op- portunity to improve, by his broadminded sentiments and healthful influence, the status of politics, particu- larly as they affect local conditions.

MRS. KITTIE L. MUNFORD .- Liberal and kindly, a woman who is much interested in charitable and civic organizations is Mrs. Kittie L. Munford, who is a native daughter of the Golden West, born in Stockton. She was in maidenhood Kittie Crofton, a daughter of John and Margaret Crofton, who were born in Ireland and came to Cincinnati, Ohio, in their youth and there they were reared and educated. In the fall of 1852 Mr. Crofton came to California. crossing the plains with ox-team and wagon. His wife joined him eighteen months later, coming via the Isthmus of Panama. Mr. Crofton and family were pioneer settlers in Stockton and Mr. Crofton took an active part in the affairs of the growing city. He served as constable of the city and was an able conscientious and efficient officer; he died in 1873, aged forty-six years. He was a member of Charity Lodge of Odd Fellows. His widow survived him until 1881.

This worthy pioneer couple had six children, as follows: Mrs. Elizabeth R. Lillis of San Francisco; Margaret, Mrs. McDougald passed away in Oakland;

Mrs. Kittie Munford, the subject of this review; Ella C .. , Mrs. Harrell, died in Palo Alto; John died in San Francisco; Mrs. Laura Stanford resides in San Jose. Kittie Crofton attended Dr. Hunt's Seminary for several years, then the public schools until she graduated.

She was first married to Brooke C. Crawford, who was a successful merchant of the firm of Rosen- baum and Crawford and passed away March 22, 1895. Her second marriage in 1900 united her with Philip Barry Fraser. He was a prominent banker and influential man of affairs in Stockton until his death in 1910. In July, 1919, she married Edward S. Munford of Washington, D. C., now living retired in Stockton.

Mrs. Munford has always taken an active part in civic and social circles in Stockton. She is a mem- ber of the Philomathean Club and is one of the seven women who organized it. She was very prominent in the founding of the Stockton Day Nursery, being one of three women who started it, October 1, 1918, being president of its board of directors, and her efforts of those early days stand out prominently in the history of the organization.

PHILIP BARRY FRASER .- A brilliant and suc- cessful man who rose to a foremost position as a banker and financier was the late Philip Barry Fraser of Stockton. He was born in Montreal, Can- ada, October 12, 1841, of Scotch parentage, and re- ceived a good education in his native city.

After his school days were over, having become interested in the land of the Stars and Stripes he crossed over into New York State, where he studied telegraphy and followed that line of work in different cities in the East during the period of the Civil War until 1864, when he determined to come to California. In the summer of that year he crossed the plains with team and wagon, taking in what is now Yellow- stone Park en route.

On his arrival in California he located in Stockton, where in due time he became manager for the West- ern Union. Here he established an enviable record for promptness, integrity and honesty of purpose, so that when the First National Bank was started he was selected for the position of cashier. This he accepted and filled the place with exceptional credit and was retained in the position for many years. In 1889 he resigned and with two business friends he founded the Farmers and Merchants Bank of Stock- ton, being elected its first president and manager and guided the destiny of the institution with such ability it became one of the strong financial estab- lishments of the city. He also gave much time to other local enterprises, assisting every worthy move- ment that had for its aim the improvement and building up of the city, giving freely of his time and means toward civic improvement and the betterment of the conditions and enhancing the happiness of its citizens. He continued as president and manager of the Farmers and Merchants Bank until his demise on July 2, 1910.

Mr. Fraser's first marriage occurred in Stockton, when he was united with Annette Parker, who passed away in 1897, leaving three children: Mrs. Mary Pitman, Alfred P. and James C. Fraser. Three years later, in 1900, he married again, being united with Mrs. Kittie L. Crawford, a native daughter of this city, the interesting and accomplished daugh- ter of John and Margaret (Lenehan) Crofton, pio-

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neers of Stockton, and the widow of Brooke C. Craw- ford. Mr. Fraser was prominent in fraternal circles, being a Knights Templar Mason and an Elk.

Mr. Fraser was a well-read and well-informed man in literature, civic and national questions, keeping abreast of the times. Having a retentive memory and being a ready talker, he was always an inter- esting conversationalist.

CHARLES F. SMITH .- An enterprising rancher, who is also a native son, is Charles F. Smith, who was born on the ranch upon which he is now living about two miles west of Clements, on January 9, 1876. He is a son of John and Caroline (Megerle) Smith, the former a native of Tennessee, from which state he went to Cherokee County, Texas, and from there came to California and for some years drove stage from Sacramento to Stockton, Sonora and Benicia. Mrs. Smith was the daughter of the pion- eer, Christian Megerle, who came to California the first time in 1849 and after remaining here about a year went back East for his family and to settle up his affairs, after which they came to the Coast in 1852, settled on the Mokelumne River, about three miles from Staples Ferry, about a mile west of what is now the town of Lockeford, where D. J. Staples, J. F. Staples, W. H. Nichols and a number of other pioneers had located in 1849. Mr. Megerle turned his attention to ranching and during his lifetime ac- quired about two sections of land, upon which he raised grain and stock. On his trip to this state he brought six of his seven children; the oldest son, C. H. Megerle, had made a start for the coast coun- try with another train and lost his life in 1851. Those who accompanied him were Caroline, the mother of our subject; Henry J., who was killed in a fight with Indians in 1856; Ernest P., Louis J., Philip L. and Fred C. Mr. Megerle was a fine old character, influential and public spirited. He died in 1872, at the age of sixty-nine, on the ranch where he had settled in 1850. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. John Smith, who were married in Sacramento, were ten in number; William A., died in Montana in 1913; Laura E., died in 1889; Olive G. married P. W. Compton of Modesto; Fredricka, became the wife of W. S. Allen and died at Sutter Creek in 1921; Minnie I., lives in Modesto; Carrie V., is the wife of C. H. Bacon of Placerville; Charles F., of this review; Claude M. is in Oakland. Two children died in early childhood.

Charles F. Smith received his education in the Athearn school at Clements and when he was eigh- teen years old became the practical head of the family and has resided upon the old home place where he was born, with the exception of about five years when he was engaged in mining in Goldfield, Nevada. He now owns eighty acres of fine bottom land, which was originally owned by his Grandfather Megerle, and engages in general ranching.

The marriage of Mr. Smith in Stockton on July 29, 1915, united him with Miss Leva Murray, a native of Tazewell County, Ill., who came to California in 1904. She is a daughter of Thomas and Ella Murray, natives of Kentucky and Illinois respectively and farmers in the state of Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are the parents of one son, Charles Morris. The ranch home was built in 1891, but in 1915, before his marriage, Mr. Smith remodeled it into a modern- ly equipped home. In politics he is a Republican and

fraternally is a member and past grand of the Odd Fellows at Clements and a member of the N. S. G. W. of Lodi. Mr. Smith stands in his community as an example of honest, exemplary citizenship.

FRANK A. GUERNSEY .- A leader in the finan- cial circles of Central California, Frank A. Guern- sey, the president of the Farmers and Merchants Bank of Stockton, occupies a post of high responsi- bility in directing the affairs of this notable finan- cial institution, recognized as one of the strong and reliable banks of the state, since its establishment more than forty years ago, Mr. Guernsey's father being one of the founders.

A descendant of two substantial old New England families, Frank A. Guernsey was born at Stockton on October 17, 1879, the son of Darius A and Nellie (Hatch) Guernsey, the former born in the picturesque town of Lancaster, N. H., on the Connecticut River, while Mrs. Guernsey was a native of the state of Maine. Darius A. Guernsey located in San Joaquin County in the early '70s, and for a while he was a clerk in Stockwell's store at Stockton. He then went to work on the Gardenhire ranch, and he stated at that time that some day he would be the owner of this property, which prediction was fulfilled when, in later years, he was able to purchase this fine ranch of 1100 acres; he also owned several other ranches and became one of the large landowners of the county. He was prominent in the business life of Stockton, being one of the founders of the Guernsey and Allen Book and Stationery store. Later he started a piano business in Stockton, selling pianos to the farmers throughout the county. One or two pianos would be loaded on a wagon and they would start out and drive until these were sold, frequently returning to Stockton with a string of horses which they had taken in payment for the pianos. On Octo- ber 1, 1888, in partnership with P. B. Fraser and D. S. Rosenbaum, Mr. Guernsey established the Farmers and Merchants Bank of Stockton, and it is interesting to note that these three men held succes- sively the office of president of the bank.

Mr. and Mrs. Darius A. Guernsey were the parents of three children: Frank A. Guernsey, whose name heads this sketch, Mrs. Pliny E. Holt and Mrs. Har- riet Du Bois. Mr. Guernsey attended the public schools, graduating from the Stockton high school in 1900. His first business venture was a clerkship in a clothing store at a very small salary. During the Pan-American Exposition held in Buffalo, N. Y., he was sent as a representative from San Joaquin County in charge of their exhibit, where he remained a year, and on returning to Stockton he entered into partner- ship with E. C. Dickinson under the firm name of Dickinson and Guernsey and established a grain busi- ness. At the end of a year Mr. Guernsey disposed of his interest and became the secretary of the Farmers Union & Milling Company, continuing until 1907, when he entered the grain business for himself.

On January 1, 1916, Mr. Guernsey was elected pres- ident of the Farmers and Merchants Bank, and since assuming the duties of this office he has shown un- usual wisdom, progressiveness and capability in guid- ing the affairs of this powerful banking institution. The Farmers and Merchants Bank owns its handsome nine-story banking and office building, erected in 1917, and representing an investment of nearly half a mil- lion dollars. It stands in the heart of the business

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district of Stockton, towering like a beautiful monu- ment in tribute to the officers, directors and stock- holders, attesting the confidence these men have in the present and future of this city of opportunities. The bank occupies the entire lower floor of the building and it is finished in a material called "wood marble"- blocks of wood made to represent marble. This was after Mr. Guernsey's own idea, to get away from the stereotyped banking institutions of stucco, gold and silver ornaments, etc. The bank is equipped with a combination cooling and heating apparatus; in the summer this reduces the temperature and in the winter the same apparatus is used for heating. On Septem- ber 30, 1919, the combined capital stock was $640,000, undivided profits, $58,883 44, deposits, $5,109,119.33. The officers of the bank are as follows: President, Frank A. Guernsey; vice-president and cashier, Will E. Morris; directors, E. F. Davis, Hillard E. Welch, George Finkbohner, Dan N. Gilmore, S. B. Coates, Frank Cox, John M. Perry. The bank maintains a branch at Oakdale with E. D. Heron as manager.

When he became president of the bank, Mr. Guernsey, who was in the grain business at the time, incorporated his interests as the Frank A. Guernsey Grain Company, with the following officers, J. W. Schuler, president; P. J. O'Connell, vice-president; H. J. Mann, secretary, but he still retains a large block of stock in this corporation.

Mr. Guernsey's marriage united him with Miss Wagner, a native of Oregon, and they are the par- ents of two sons, D. Albert and Frank C. Mr. Guern- sey's especial hobby is his finely developed ranch of 400 acres on Rough and Ready Island; this he is developing into one of the finest dairy and orchard properties in the county. He has 100 acres of Bart- lett pears, and he is building up a herd of fine, blooded stock for his modern dairy. On this property he has erected a beautiful home, which with the surrounding ranch developments, makes this one of the show places of the county. Mr. Guernsey is a member of Lodge No. 218, B. P. O. E., of Stockton.

CHARLES OSCAR WEBER .- A successful Cal- ifornia rancher of whom the progressive agricul- turists in San Joaquin County may well be proud, is Charles Oscar Weber, living two and one-half miles to the south of Clements, near which place he was born on April 7, 1878, the son of Charles Kimball and Louisa Mohrmann Weber, born in New Hamp- shire and Iowa respectively, who came to California about sixty years ago, early enough for them still to render the state some worthwhile service as pioneers. Mr. Weber settled on a ranch about two and a half miles south of the site of the present Clements, when Lockeford was the post office and one had to take a long, far look to discern a neighbor. Six children came to gladden Mr. and Mrs. Weber. Minnie has become Mrs. G. Linn; Charles O. is the subject of our interesting sketch; Carrie is Mrs. Daniel Linn, of Stockton; Elsie is Mrs. Clarence McPherson of near Lockeford; Mamie is Mrs. Pettengill, and lives at San Jose; and Bernice is Mrs. Clifford, also of Lockeford.

Charles O. Weber attended both the Grant and the Brandt schools, and when the road past his father's house became a county highway and a bridge was erected across Bear Creek, he attended the Athearn school at Clements. Still later, he profited by an excellent commercial course at the Stockton Business 62

College. He remained home assisting his father in farming and stockraising until he was married on the Dilmond Steacy Ranch, west of Mackville, on De- cember 20, 1908, to Miss Marietta Crawford, a native of the Brandt school district, San Joaquin County, and the daughter of William B. and Minnie (Ander- son) Crawford, born in Illinois and Denmark re- spectively and married in California. Mrs. Crawford died when Marietta was eleven years old, and her father passed away in her twelfth year, one year and one day after the mother's death, leaving her and a brother named Morgan. Then she was reared by the Dilmond Steacy family, where she lived until she was married. While her parents were yet living, they had moved into Stockton, where the family lived for a while; and so it happened that she attended the Washington school. Then her folks removed to Mur- phy, in Calaveras County, and there she attended the Peppermint district school.

After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Weber bought the old Weber home place of 160 acres. In 1916 they added 160 acres, and in 1920 acquired another half-section. The 160 acres and the 320 acres are in the Bellota district in the eastern end of San Joa- quin County, and are used as grazing land; while the half-section is farm land and can be cultivated Mr. Weber has twelve head of work horses, and is well equipped with the most modern of farm ap- pliances. He also leases from his father at Locke- ford and is engaged in grain and stock raising. He is a Republican in matters of national political im- port, and is ever ready both to "boost" the local sec- tion and to support any well-endorsed measure likely to work for the prosperity of the country as a whole. Mr. Weber is an Odd Fellow, affiliated with the Clements lodge, No. 355, I. O. O. F. He has two children, Melvin Oscar and Lester Kimball, who are attending the Athearn school.

CHARLES E. ROSIN .- A highly-esteemed pion- eer, whose useful life, serving unselfishly his day and generation, was duly appreciated by all who knew him, was Charles E. Rosin, a native of Pomerania, Germany, where he was born on December 8, 1861. He enjoyed a good education in his native country, and came out to the west coast of America, by way of Cape Horn, on the steamship Miranda, in 1890. stopping for a brief visit at Valparaiso. Arriving at San Francisco, he made his way into the San Joaquin Valley, and located in the Jefferson district.

In 1882, he was married to Miss Christine Loren- zen, who was born at Satrup, Holstein, Germany, on October 12, 1860, and remained behind in Europe when her husband ventured to establish himself in the New World. In 1893, she came out to Chicago and the World's Fair; after which she progressed westward, to join her husband, who had set himself up as a carpenter and builder at Tracy, and who, from 1895 to 1898, owned 160 acres in the Jefferson dis- trict. Five children were born to this union. Augus- ta has become the wife of Joseph Armstrong and they reside at Byron with their three children. Mary is the wife of William Kelso, and they reside in Con- tra Costa County with their two children. August F., who is single, is a driver for the Pacific Gas and Electric Corporation, and he has an enviable record for overseas service during the World War. He en- listed on August 7, 1917, with the 86th Aero Corps. and served for eleven months, in action from Varin-

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court to Behonnee, in park-squadron salvage, and in the supply department of aircraft in action; and on June 6, 1919, he received his honorable discharge. William H. Rosin also has an enviable record. He served with the 13th Ammunition Train in training at Camp Lewis, and received an honorable discharge on January 19, 1919. Emma is the wife of Glenn Perryman, and the mother of one child; and they re- side at Stockton.

Rich in a wide circle of admiring and devoted friends, Mr. Rosin, who had always been an active Odd Fellow and was a past member of the Encamp- ment, passed away on August 24, 1914, at the Rosin residence on Sixth Street, which had been their home since 1910. Mrs. Rosin is a member of the Rebekahs.

CHARLES A. RUSSELL,-A native son and life long resident of San Joaquin County, Cal., Charles A. Russell has a fine estate of 110 acres four miles south of Stockton on the Tracy Road. He is the eldest son of C. C. and Julia (Bush) Russell and was born at Knights Ferry, July 20, 1865. The par- ents were natives of Kentucky and Massachusetts, respectively. The father, C. C. Russell, was born in 1830 and while still a young man settled in the vi- cinity of Cairo, Ill., and was a charter member of the I. O. O. F. lodge at that place. The mother's family migrated West to Illinois from Massachusetts in 1846. Early in 1849 the Russell family started across the plains for California, but on account of illness they. were forced to stay in Missouri and so did not reach California until 1852. The father mined for three years, then moved to Galt where he engaged in farming, having as his partner a Mr. Harvey, and among the historical landmarks of the Galt section is what is known as the Russell and Harvey pocket. In 1869 the family removed to Copperopolis and were principally occupied with stock raising until 1876 when they moved to Farmington and there conducted a hotel until 1885. C. C. Russell then disposed of his hotel business and began ranching near Farming- ton where he remained until his death in 1904, the mother passing away on April 18, 1908. The father was a stanch Democrat. He had two brothers who served in the Union Army during the Civil War and one brother who served on the Confederate side.

The education of Charles A. Russell was begun at the Farmington school and finished with a business course at Stockton. On April 16, 1885, occurred his marriage with Miss Sarah E. Smalling, a native of San Joaquin County, daughter of Isaac G. Smalling. prominent cattle man of this section.

Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Rus- sell. Charles C. married Miss Mina Biochenberger of Lodi, and they have two children, Eva and Harold. He is an expert electrician and mechanic and gradu- ated from the State Mechanical Department at Santa Barbara and is at present engaged as a teacher in manual arts at the high school at Yuba. The younger of the family is Myrna A. Russell. In 1892 Mr. Russell located at Stockton and followed build- ing contracting for five years, then engaged in farm- ing. In 1905 he purchased thirty acres on which he erected a residence and since that time has bought eighty acres more, which he has developed into a rich productive ranch, constituting one of the good farms of the neighborhood. He also owns desirable real estate at Stockton and Fresno.

MRS. MARIA SANGUINETTI .- Since 1879 Mrs. Maria Sanguinetti has been a resident of California, and has borne her full share of the duties and re- sponsibilities that were the lot of successful Califor- nians from the early days to the present. She resides on her forty-one-acre orchard and vineyard home seven miles northeast of Stockton, on which she has built a modern bungalow home. She was born at Paggi in the province of Genoa, Italy, April 28, 1867, a daughter of Gio Batta and Anna (Podesto) Po- desto, also natives of that town, who were substan- tial farmers. Her father was a soldier in the Italian army for eleven years and was a veteran of the war with Napoleon. He received a silver medal from the government, a mark of honor for distinguished services in the war. He resided on his home farm until his death in 1910 at the age of eighty-three years, leaving a fine and honorable record, a much esteemed and highly respected man; his widow is still living at the old home at the age of seventy- seven years. Maria is the eldest in a family of five children, the others being Katherine; Louise, de- ceased; another daughter Louise who became Mrs. Sturla, living in Italy; and Stefano, deceased, Maria Podesto was educated in the private schools near her home. She had an uncle in Buenos Ayres named Louis Podesto and another, Albert Podesto, in Cali- fornia, and so had an opportunity to go to either South America or California, finally deciding to come to the land of gold and sunshine on the Pacific Coast, a decision she has never regretted. On June 12, 1879, Maria Podesto left her native land for Califor- nia in company with her uncle, John Podesto, her mother's brother, and after her arrival in California kept house for him for a year, then she worked at various places until her marriage. In Stockton, on February 5, 1882, she was married to John Sangui- netti, also a native of Genoa, Italy, a son of Augusto and Katherine Sanguinetti, farmers in Italy. John Sanguinetti was educated in Italy and was a horti- culturist and viticulturist. He first married Miss Maria Prato in Italy and they had three children: Angelo, deceased; Anna and Jennie, of Stockton.

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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 146

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