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 148

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 148

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Two children were born in the Marshall household. Elizabeth has become Mrs. Harry Dart, of Sacra- mento; and Grace is the wife of Earl Dart, of Sacra- mento, both girls having married brothers. Elizabeth has one son, Marshall Dart, born November 18, 1921. Mr. Marshall is a member of Masonic Lodge No. 267, of Galt.

LOT LACHENMAIER .- Industry, thrift and fru- gality, coupled with a judicious management of one's financial affairs, are traits that usually bring success to the man who practices them in whatever line of business he may be engaged. To these characteris- tics in the life of Lot Lachenmaier, the popular and influential vice-president of the Farmers & Mer- chants Bank of Lodi, is due his substantial pros- perity. He was born. in the southern part of Russia on May 3, 1863, at a country place near Odessa, on the Black Sea, a son of Frederich and Barbara (Bauer) Lachenmaier, who were well-to-do agricul- turists owning their own farm. The great-grand- father, Jacob Lachenmaier, brought his family from Wittenberg, Germany, to Odessa at the time of the settlement there of the German colony, his son Fred- erich, Lot's grandfather, then being eighteen years of age, and the family thrived and became well-to-do.

Lot Lachenmaier had read and heard much con- cerning the opportunities that awaited young men in the United States, so he emigrated to Scotland, S. D., where he found employment on a farm at twenty dollars per month during the summers, while winters he worked for his board. In 1886, deciding to take advantage of securing a homestead, he located a claim of 160 acres in McIntosh County, N. D., and also a timber claim of like amount. This was then a deso- late, wild prairie country and he was fifty-five miles from a railroad, hauling his supplies from the nearest town with an ox-team. He was a pioneer in that part of the country, and he had many hardships and discouragements, but with true pioneer spirit he farmed his land to grain and raised cattle; later he fenced his property and from time to time acquired more land until he was among the largest and most successful grain growers and cattle raisers in the state. He was also district assessor of the county. He still owns a section and a half of land in that county, which he has leased. In 1889 he removed to the town of Lehr, a place started when the railroad came through, and he built the first store and conducted a general merchandise business. When the town was incorpo- rated he was a member of the first board of trustees and was instrumental in building up the locality until 1910, when he arrived in Lodi. His first constructive work was the starting of the town of Victor, four miles east of Lodi on the Valley Springs branch of the Southern Pacific railroad. He bought five acres and built the first store building and started the first store, engaging in general merchandising; he also built two residences.

Mr. Lachenmaier's activities in the buying and sell- ing of ranches have been considerable. At the present time he owns a four-acre vineyard in the west end of Lodi which is now within the city limits, and which he expects to subdivide into residence lots. He started the petition for the erection of the Victor school and the bridge across the river and it was through his in- fluence and work that these projects were carried to completion. He was a member of the board of trus- tees of the Victor school up to 1915, when he removed to Lodi. He was one of the organizers and has been the vice-president of the Farmers' and Mer- chants' Bank of Lodi since its organization in 1916 and he has won the esteem and respect of the entire community.

The first marriage of Mr. Lachenmaier occurred in South Dakota in 1884, uniting him with Miss Mar- gareta Fichtner, of whom he was bereaved in Febru-

Mr and Mrs Lot Lachenmaier

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ary, 1914. About a year later he was married to Mrs. Louisa Handel. She was also born near Odessa, and both are active members of the Evangelical church. Mr. Lachenmaier was for many years superintendent of the Sunday school in this community as well as in South Dakota, and he was also a trustee of the church, being treasurer of the building committee at the erection of the new $40,000 church in Lodi. He can justly feel proud to be called a self-made man, be- cause of the splendid success he has made by his own unaided efforts. In politics he is a Republican.

OSCAR ALLEN SEAMANDS .- Since 1861, Os- car Allen Seamands has been a citizen of San Joa- quin County, being but two years old when he ac- companied his parents to California. He was born in Gentry County, Mo., January 14, 1859, a son of Joshua and Josephine (Andrews) Seamands, the former a native of Iowa and the latter of Illinois. Joshua Seamands, the father, grew to manhood in Iowa and prior to 1861 served as sheriff of Boone County for two terms. Early in the spring of 1861 the family set out for California with covered wagons drawn by oxen and on arriving in the state settled at Stockton. In 1868 Joshua Seamands became the superintendent of the Stockton Rural Cemetery and served in that capacity for ten years; he also served as coroner of Stockton for one term. There were four children in the family, of whom our subject is the youngest, and he is the only one surviving In 1884 the father located in Tulare where he bought a ranch and became a successful farmer until his death in 1892. The mother passed away on February 25. 1869, and in 1874 the father was married to Miss Mary Nevin of Lodi and three sons and one daugh- ter were born of this union, all of whom now reside near Tulare. Joshua Seamands was a Mason and an active member of the Knights of Pythias.

Oscar Allen Seamands received a good public school education at the old North Eldorado school in Stockton and his boyhood days were spent on the farm. At seventeen years of age he entered the employ of Ed. Clowes, the nurseryman, as book- keeper, where he remained for six years when he gave up office work to take a position with the Stockton Street Railway Company, and remained with them for five years. In 1898 the tales of the riches of the Klondike country caused him to resign his position and in company with Woods and Curtis make the trip to the frozen North. For five years he bore the privations and hardships of that region, most of the time being spent near Dawson and Nome, prospect- ing. Mr. Seamands recalls the pleasure he experi- enced in receiving a package from a Mission Indian runner, containing six copies of the Stockton Record, on which he paid $5 express charges. On opening the package he found that the papers were two years old, but none the less welcome. Times were good in the Klondike, but the privations and extreme cold proved detrimental to Mr. Seamands' health; so he returned to the states and on June 21, 1905, was married to Mrs. Mary (Lawrence) Buzzell, born near the Mossdale bridge, San Joaquin County, on August 4, 1869, a daughter of Joseph and Nora (Gal- lagher) Lawrence. Joseph Lawrence was a native of Portugal, and when a lad of twelve years went to sea on an English whaler and followed that life until he was twenty-five years old. Her mother was a native of Ireland, who came to California in 1867, and

she and Mr. Lawrence were married at San Leandro at the Moss home on October 6, 1867. Joseph Law- rence was employed by Capt. Moss, who owned and conducted a ferry on the river prior to the coming of the railroad, and remained with him for eleven years. They were the parents of four children: Mary, Mrs. Oscar A. Seamands; Frank E. Lawrence is married and resides at Stockton; Mrs. Anna E. Walker died October 17, 1919; Thomas Lawrence was drowned in the San Joaquin River June 24, 1875, being three years and three months old. Mrs. Sea- mands' father passed away on March 10, 1916, his wife surviving him until June 13, 1916. Miss Mary Lawrence was first married at Stockton on June 12, 1888 to Joseph Buzzell, a native of California of French and American descent whose father came to America in 1840, and they were the parents of two children, Helen and Lawrence. Mr. Buzzell became deputy sheriff under Tom Cunningham and he was killed on November 28, 1895, near Paradise Cut, San Joaquin County while in the discharge of his duty. Fraternally Mr. Seamands is a member of the Frater- nal Brotherhood and since 1892 has been a member of the Stockton Lodge of the Knights of Pythias, and politically he votes as a Republican. He has served as a trustee of the Mossdale school for three terms, and Mrs. Seamands has served for two terms, and it was during her second term as trustee in 1918 that the present school building was finished. Mr. and Mrs. Seamands have an adopted daughter, Verna, a girl of thirteen. On January 1, 1907. Mr. Seamands became superintendent of the San Joaquin River bridge at Mossdale in the em- ploy of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company; this bridge is a fine structure completed January 25, 1896; the Bell telephone and telegraph station is also located at this point. For the past twenty years, Mrs. Seamands has had charge of the U. S. Weather Observation Bureau station at Mossdale. Both Mr. and Mrs. Seamands are representative citizens of their locality and have contributed to its upbuilding and improvement.

MRS. GRACE J. SOUTH .- One of the pioneer families in the Golden State is that which now finds a worthy representative in San Joaquin County in Mrs. Grace J. South, the only daughter of the late Franklin Lafayette Johnson, who came to California in 1851. Mrs. South has inherited many of the sterling qualities that made her father such an influential man in his locality and since the death of her husband, C. W. South, has continued the management of his in- terests at Ripon in a most capable manner. Grace Johnson was born near Elliott, Cal., and is the only child of Franklin Lafayette and Una A. (Paulk) John- son, natives of Georgia and Ohio, respectively. Mr. Johnson was born in 1834, in the village of Griffith near Atlanta, Ga., and in 1851 joined a party for Cali- fornia via Panama, the journey requiring ten weeks to complete. The party experienced some sickness en- route to California and when the California coast was reached, Mr. Johnson was so ill that he was obliged to land at San Juan, where he remained until he had recovered. He then went to Santa Clara Valley and worked for a year, then engaged in freighting to Car- son City, Nev. His work was rewarded and he con- cluded to engage in farming. On March 2, 1876, he was married to Miss Una A. Paulk, a native of Ohio and a sister of Judge C. C. Paulk, a prominent lawyer

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in the early days of Stockton. Mrs. Johnson was a finely educated woman, a teacher by profession, hav- ing taught in her native state of Ohio, then in Iowa and after her removal to California taught in the schools here. For her activity and long years of teach- ing she was granted a life diploma, which is now in the possession of her daughter, Mrs. South. Besides his farming pursuits, Mr. Johnson kept a general mer- chandise store at Elliott, where he was also post- master. Later he moved to San Jose, where he like- wise was engaged in merchandising pursuits. Then he removed to Modesto, and farmed northeast of that city. Selling this farm he went back to San Jose where he had retained his interests in the store. His next move was to Stockton, where he had a home, but soon had a farm on the Mokelumne River, near Clements, and moved out there when Mrs. South was a little girl of three and a half years; selling that farm to good advantage he moved back to San Jose and lived there retired from active business for a num- ber of years. His next move was to Valley Springs, in 1895, where he conducted a store. In the mean- time he had purchased lands near Ripon. He moved onto his place near Ripon, in 1898, but he was not permitted to enjoy the fruits of his labors very long, for he passed away in 1899. After the father's death, the mother and daughter removed to Pasadena, Cal., where the mother resided for many years. Grace Johnson received an excellent education in both public and private schools and took the literary course at the College of the Pacific, in San Jose, Cal., and while at Pasadena, specialized in elocution and physical culture, and later taught those branches and gave numerous private and public readings.

On October 8, 1901, at Pasadena, Miss Johnson was united in marriage with C. W. South, born near New- man, Cal., May 23, 1873, a son of Albro W. South, an honored pioneer of the West Side, Stanislaus County. The young couple made their home on their ranch near Newman, where they engaged in stockraising and farming until 1903, when they removed to Ripon and took charge of the Johnson ranch, and here Mr. South was with the late J. S. Moulton among the first to engage in alfalfa raising in the South San Joa- quin Irrigation District. On August 25, 1915, Mr. South met with a tragic death when his automobile turned over killing him instantly. At the same time their son Laurence Albro, aged four years, who was riding with his father, was killed. The death of the husband and son was a most severe shock to the family, but with true heroism, Mrs. South has con- tinued the management of the farm and is rearing and educating her children in an excellent manner. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. South: Marie E. was graduated from the Ripon Union high school with the class of '22, and during the spring of 1922, she taught the first year classes in Spanish in the same school; Donald F. graduated from the Ripon high school in 1921; Louis Watkin died in infancy; Laur- ence Albro as noted above is also deceased; Arthusa Aurelia is a student in grammar school in Ripon. The South family reside near Ripon in a beautiful and comfortable residence and are highly respected and influential in social and educational circles. Mrs. South serves as vice-president of the Parent-Teacher's Association at Ripon, and was a member of the board of trustees of the Ripon Union high school and of the Ripon branch of the W. C. T. U. The family at- tend the First Congregational Church at Ripon.

WESLEY ALBERT YOUNG .- San Joaquin County and the section surrounding Lodi are largely indebted to the efforts of the late Wesley Albert Young, who was a continuous resident of that sec- tion for twenty-two years, and aided in laying broad and deep the foundations upon which has been built its present progress and prosperity. He was a native of Geneseo, Ill., born December 5, 1858, but was takeń by his parents to Iowa, where they settled near Jefferson, Green County. His father, George Young, was a brick manufacturer and contractor. There our subject grew to manhood and followed in the foot- steps of his father and was a brick manufacturer. Later he bought land, becoming one of the prosper- ous and influential farmers of Green County. He made a specialty of raising thoroughbred Poland China hogs, and when he decided to remove to the West in 1899, he brought with him some of his famous breed of hogs. For many years he con- tinued the breeding and raising of these pedigreed hogs in San Joaquin County and took many prizes at fairs throughout the state. In 1915 he secured first prize at the Panama-Pacific Exposition at San Francisco; also exhibited at the State Fair at Sacra- mento and the San Joaquin County Fair at Stockton, never failing to receive premiums for his fine stock.

Upon his arrival in Lodi, Mr. Young purchased a ten-acre tract of land on East Pine Street just outside the city limits, which he planted to fruit trees and vines; later he sold this ranch and engaged in the lumber business on East Pine Street. As his business grew he bought land on Stockton and East Locust Streets and enlarged his plant. Some twelve years ago he disposed of his business and leased the yards to give his time to stock raising. Mr. Young had many interests and engaged at one time in the building contracting business, erecting over 300 build- ings, including residences, barns and other buildings, in and around Lodi; he also erected the Emerson school building. In local affairs he was one of the founders of the Lodi Chamber of Commerce and was always active in civic matters. He was progres- sive and public spirited and gave his most hearty support to any movement for the betterment of Lodi and San Joaquin County. He was the founder of the town of Youngstown on the traction line four miles north of Lodi, where he erected a store build- ing and maintained a lumber yard. He purchased a 120-acre ranch in the Christian Colony district, which he set to vines and orchard, improving it with an up-to-date irrigating system; this ranch is still in the possession of the family; two of his sons now own thirty acres each and his widow retains the re- maining sixty acres.

The marriage of Mr. Young united him with Miss Adell Richardson, a native of New York state, born near Canton, St. Lawrence County, a daughter of Melville and Nancy (Pitt) Richardson, born in New York. Mr. Richardson served in the 142nd Regiment New York Volunteers in the Civil War as orderly sergeant. In 1868 he removed to Iowa, locating at Jefferson. While on a trip back to New York Mrs. Richardson passed away. Mr. Richardson came on to California and spent his last days with Mrs. Young, passing on in 1914, nearly eighty years of age. He was a prominent Mason and G. A. R. man. Mr. and Mrs. Young were the parents of four chil- dren, Arthur G., of Lodi; Harold M., employed by the Pioneer Fruit Company of Lodi; Ross M., of San

Ir a young

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Francisco; and Mrs. Lydia Pope, of Lodi. Fratern- ally Mr. Young was a member of the Lodi lodge of Odd Fellows No. 267 and his religious faith was that of the Baptist Church. In politics he was a Republican. Mr. Young passed away on January 9, 1921, mourned by his family and a large circle of friends. His career was one of highest purpose and in his death Lodi lost a valuable factor in her devel- opment.

WILLIAM THEODORE TSCHIERSCHKY .- A well-known ranchman, William Theodore Tschier- schky has not only made a signal success in the cattle business, but has shown his aptitude in the suc- cessful management of the postoffice in Tracy, San Joaquin County. During his administration business has so increased that an additional rural route has been installed and the postoffice has become a second- class one. A native of California, he was born in Stockton on April 11, 1870, a son of Ernst Maxmillian Louis and Meta Gesina Carolina (Beneker) Tschier- schky. His father was born in Prussia on October 3, 1836, while his mother was born on May 7, 1850, in Hanover, Germany. His father went to sea when he was sixteen years of age and followed that life for sixteen years; he made his first trip to America in 1857 on a vessel bound for New York from Marseilles; in 1863 he was employed on the steamer Delaware, chartered by the government, to carry supplies to various points, with headquarters at Port Royal, re- maining with them for one year when he went to work on the steamer Liberty, engaged in Havana, Cuba and New York trade. On October 1, 1868, he arrived in California via Panama; settling in Stockton he entered the employ of W. M. Boggs in his lumber yard and before the end of 1869 had constructed his own residence on Pilgrim Street, where his nine chil- dren were born and reared, the subject of this sketch being the oldest. He owns considerable real estate in the Dent and Elliott districts of this county, which he has leased. He has always been an active, public spirited citizen, and a loyal supporter of the land of his adoption; he is now living retired in Stockton.

William Theodore Tschierschky received his edu- cation in the public schools of Stockton and later en- tered the Stockton Business College and was gradu- ated in 1888; then he was employed at the L. Smith lumber yard in Stockton as a salesman, for five years. Desiring a change of occupation he entered the State Bakery and there learned the trade of baker and con- fectioner. From 1896 to 1899 he was foreman at the Naumkeag Bakery. In 1898, Mr. Tschierschky had grubstaked a man to go into the Klondike country with the understanding that he was to have an interest in all claims that were staked out. The months went by and no word was received from his partner, so late in the summer of 1899 he set out for the Klon- dike country. Reaching the Manook country, 1,000 miles up the Yukon, he spent a terrible winter, en- dangered by hunger and hardships, but was fortu- nate to survive that terrible experience. In the spring came the news of the rich strike at Nome; his party built boats and floated down the Yukon river with the first break of ice, hoping they would reach Nome among the first seekers, but upon arriving they found a city had sprung up as if by magic. In the fall of 1900 he returned to California and remained in Stock- ton until the spring of 1901, when he again set out for the Nome gold fields. Some rich deposits were 63

located, but sluice mining on the shores of the rivers brought them the best returns, the average for the short season being $250 per day. Mr. Tschierschky had received all the thrills of adventure that he cared for, and as the season advanced returned to California content to remain. He opened a bakery and confec- tionery at Port Costa and after two years sold out and returned to the old homestead at Ripon and farmed his father's ranch to grain and stock five years.

While residing at Port Costa, Mr. Tschierschky was married to Miss Marie Mecklenberg, born in Davenport, Iowa, a daughter of Mrs. Doris Mecklen- berg of Tracy. They are the parents of six children: Helen, Leland, Greta, deceased in infancy, Thelma, Freda, and Florence. In 1908 the family removed from the ranch to Tracy where Mr. Tschierschky opened a bakery and confectionery store, conducting same in modern up-to-date manner, continuing for five years when he sold out to take a much needed rest. During 1905, Mr. Tschierschky set out a vine- yard of Tokay grapes in the Ripon district, it being one of the first in that locality; he also has consider- able real estate in Tracy. Mr. Tschierschky, about two years ago, began breeding registered Holstein cattle on his alfalfa farm, one mile south of Tracy, the stock being selected from the best herds in the west. He is a member of the California State Holstein Breeders Association and the American Holstein Breeders Association. He was very active in the organization of the General Milk Company's conden- sery at Tracy, which will soon produce 50,000 pounds of manufactured product per day.

In 1914 Mr. Tschierschky received appointment as postmaster of Tracy and his service has been entirely satisfactory to the community; his conscientious and efficient work receiving the approval not only of the community which he serves, but the administration at Washington. He has been the vice-president of the Western Loan & Building Association since its organ- ization at Tracy, in 1921. In politics he is a Democrat. Fraternally, he is past grand of Tracy Lodge, I. O. O. F., a member of Tracy Encampment and the Can- ton at Stockton, as well as the Grand Lodge.

FRANK J. STEPHENSON .- Born in California during the pioneer days, Frank J. Stephenson has been for many years one of the foremost ranchers of San Joaquin County, now living retired on his home place three miles west of Ripon. He was born at Douglas Flat, Cal., October 30, 1860, and his education was obtained in the public school at Murphys. His father, Samuel Stephenson, was a native of Wisconsin, who came to California via Panama in 1849 and was en- gaged in mining and prospecting; he also worked as cook at the Yosemite House and the State Hospital at Stockton. He was married in Michigan to Harriet Allen, who joined him in California, in 1853. He passed away in 1908 and. Mrs. Stephenson died in Stockton, about 1918. Frank J. Stephenson learned the butcher trade at Jackson with Samuel Bright, which occupied him for three years; then for a time worked at his trade in Merced. In 1879 or 1880 he came to San Joaquin County and was employed in the harvest fields near Ripon during the harvest sea- son. He then went to Stockton and for three years worked for the River Express Company, then came back to Ripon, and has since resided there.

The marriage of Mr. Stephenson united him with Miss Flora Frederick, a native of San Joaquin County.

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a daughter of John and Nancy (Underwood) Fred- erick, pioneers of the county, both now deceased. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Ste- phenson: Hattie B. is Mrs. Joseph Barker and lives at Dudley, Kern County, Cal .; Frank S. is in business in Los Angeles; Irma Edna is the wife of L. Marion Cowell and they have one daughter, Geraldine R., and the family reside at Manteca. Since 1886 Mr. Ste- phenson has continuously resided in this section of San Joaquin County and for eleven years served as trustee of the San Joaquin school district. He joined Stockton Lodge, No. 11, I. O. O. F., in Stockton, but for the past twenty-five years he has been identified with Mt. Horeb Lodge, No. 58, I. O. O. F., at Ripon. Mr. Stephenson owns forty acres of choice irrigated land, which he improved in every way and has farmed for many years and on which he successfully con- ducted a dairy. Four years ago he leased his ranch to his son-in-law L. Marion Cowell, who farms it and runs a dairy. Mr. Stephenson has always been a pro- gressive citizen and is particularly enthusiastic for his own locality near Ripon, believing in the future pros- perity of this section implicitly.

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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 148

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