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 165

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 165

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

ERNEST SCHOMBUCHER .- Like many others of his native land, to Ernest Schombucher, the ener- getic proprietor of the Tracy Bakery Company, America beckoned as the land of opportunity, as his immigration here at the age of sixteen testifies. He was born in Germany on April 27, 1889, and in the fall of 1905 landed in New York. His stay in New York was of short duration; going to Phila- delphia he entered a large bakery, where he worked as an apprentice and thoroughly learned the trade, receiving $2.50 per week for his labor. His habits of thrift and economy, inherited from his forebears, enabled him to accumulate enough money to pay his way to the Pacific Coast. Settling in Vallejo, he became acquainted with Paul Richter, who be- came his partner in 1914.

Removing to Napa, Cal., Mr. Schombucher was united in marriage to Miss Carrie Fleishmann, a daughter of John Fleishmann, who came west with her parents in 1904, locating in Napa, where her father engaged in ranching. Mrs. Schombucher was born, reared and educated in Baltimore. Her par- ents are still residents of Napa, where they own a fine ranch. In 1914, on coming to Tracy, the present partnership was formed and a small shop was purchased, which had changed hands several

times on account of not being successful; but which has taken on new life since the present firm has owned it. During the eight years they have been in, business, the patronage has been steadily grow- ing, and in 1918 an entirely new equipment was in- stalled. Mr. Schombucher owns the property on which this modern plant stands, and also owns a fine residence on Eighth Street. He is a recent member of the Sumner Lodge of Odd Fellows, and also belongs to the Foresters of America, is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and stands fourth in seniority in the Tracy Fire Department. Mrs. Schombucher has been a most able helpmate to her husband and is equally as enthusiastic over the West Side section as is Mr. Schombucher.

THADDEUS E. WILLIAMSON .- Among the younger generation of useful and progressive citi- zens of Stockton, Thaddeus E. Williamson figures prominently in the building up of the city as a building contractor. He is a native son of Stock- ton, having been born March 19, 1894, and he began his education in the Lafayette grammar school, then entered the Stockton high school, graduating with the class of 1912. Finishing his schooling he learned the cabinetmaker's trade and entered the employ of Totten & Brandt's Planing Mill; later he worked in the same capacity for the Union Planing Mill. He then entered the employ of L. G. Bergren & Sons, large contractors of San Francisco, and here it was that he gained valuable practical experience in the building line. While in the employ of this company he worked on the Ventura School for Girls, the Norwalk State Hospital, the machinery building at the Mare Island Navy Yard and other state build- ings. Five years ago he entered the building con- tracting business for himself and from the beginning specialized in fine residences and apartment houses. He is his own architect and he has built up a repu- tation for designing and erecting artistic and attrac- tive residences, and apartment houses, and most of his work comes without solicitation. Since entering business for himself he has erected within five years over sixty fine residences, bungalows and apartment houses. In Stockton he has planned and erected the Camicia flats, C. E. Curnow residence, the apart- ment house for Arthur Branch, the Claude Gill, T. J. Gill, E. M. Journey, the Anthony, Nick Pulich, L. Hatheway, Scott, and Prouse residences; flat for Fred Salbach, residences for L. J. Hulbert, A. Mc- Cloud, Joe Chelly, Walter Joy, George Green, and John Steel, besides two residences for his mother. At Sonora he erected two residences for Ed. Burden, the Melvin Howland residence in Lodi and the Edgar Lynch residence in Linden. He has recently com- pleted the George Clark residence, Taylor Milk Company's Building on North Union Street, a double house for Donald Dickey; residences for Miss A. Sal- bach, William Wollaston and a great many others. Mr. Williamson has also done some artistic work in remodeling store fronts and interior finish, among them the Jones Grill on East Weber Avenue and the Ruddick Hat Store on Main Street.

The marriage of Mr. Williamson in 1914 united him with Jewel Hicks, a native of Missouri, and they are the parents of three children, James E., Nadine B. and Eugene F. Fraternally Mr. Williamson is a member of Charity Lodge No. 6, I. O. O. F., the Foresters, and Stockton Parlor No. 7, N. S. G. W.

Thaddeus&Williamson.

1143

HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

ALBERT F. RODGERS .- Among the active re- presentatives of the viticultural industry in San Joa- quin County, is Albert F. Rodgers. About three miles northeast of Lodi he has a vineyard of twenty-seven acres, where he resides when not looking after his rental property in Pacific Grove, Cal. He was born at Jenny Lind, Calaveras County, Cal., on August 23, 1859, the youngest of a family of four children of Joseph A, and Mary Ann (Milliken) Rodgers. Jo- seph A. Rodgers was a native of Holland who came to the United States and settled in Maine; then, in 1852, he came around the Horn to California, and two years later the mother came. The father mined at Rich Gulch, east of Jenny Lind, for some time, and then opened a hotel, called the Fremont House, in Jenny Lind; meantime he preempted a quarter- section of land adjacent to the town. Their family consisted of four children: Joseph, who died in Bos- ton, Mass .; Amanda, deceased; Anna, deceased; and Albert F., of this review.

Albert F. Rodgers received his education in the district schools of Calaveras County, and remained on his father's ranch until his parents passed away; then the ranch was sold, in 1909. After leaving the ranch, Mr. Rodgers worked on the Calaveras River dredges for the next four years, and then at Folsom for a short time, after which he decided to go back to farming. Removing to the vicinity of Lodi, he purchased his present ranch of twenty-seven acres located near Dougherty Station on the traction line, all in vineyard, with the exception of a few acres surrounding the house and outbuildings. Modern equipment is found upon the place, and everything about the ranch is attractive in appearance. Mr. Rod- gers divides his time between his ranch property in San Joaquin County and his residence and other pro- perty in Pacific Grove, Cal.

Mr. Rodgers' first marriage occurred at Elliott, Cal., in the fall of 1884, and united him with Miss Lilly Dustin, a native of San Joaquin County, Cal., born on the old Dustin ranch, a daughter of For- natus and Rosaline (Call) Dustin. Fornatus Dustin first settled in San Bernardino County, Cal., and farmed there until 1858; then he went to Utah for a short time, but in 1859 returned to California. In 1861 he settled in Stockton, where he engaged in teaming for six years, and in 1867 settled on the place now occupied by Charles R. Dustin, his son, and a brother of Mrs. Rodgers, buying a squatter's title to 160 acres; but afterwards he lost his title to the railroad company, the said company having won in the courts on a claim to the land. Then he paid for the land a second time, giving the railroad com- pany $12.50 an acre. Mrs. Rodgers passed away in 1886. Mr. Rodgers' second marriage occurred on October 14, 1889, and united him with Miss Sarah Jordan, a native of Williamson County, Ill. Mrs. Rodgers came to California in 1887 with her aunt and uncle, who lived at Elliott. Mr. and Mrs. Rod- gers are the parents of four children: Bethel met a tragic death by drowning when four years old; Emile married Miss Velma Athearn, a native of Clements, Cal., and they have two children, William and James; Leslie married Miss Irma Smith, a na- tive of Ripon, Cal .; and Ross died in infancy. Fra- ternally, Mr. Rodgers is affiliated with the Odd Fel- lows, No. 259, of Lodi; and the Woodmen of the World, at Lodi. While residing in Calaveras County, he was for years a member of the school board. 71

ANDRO RUSTAN .- Through industry and great native ability as a mechanic, Andro Rustan has won an enviable place in the country of his adoption.

He was born in far-off Dalmatia, then a part of Austria, August 15, 1863, being the eldest child of a family of six children, consisting of two sons and four daughters. His parents were John and Louisa (Buskovich) Rustan. They were in comfortable cir- cumstances, the father being a farmer who owned about 160 acres of land and in addition was a blacksmith, carpenter and builder, and an all around mechanic. Schools were few and far between in his native country when young Andro Rustan grew up, but he was reared in the Catholic faith and learned to work while a mere lad, assisting on his father's farm and especially in his father's shop, where he learned blacksmithing and carpenter work.

Arriving at military age he was pressed into the Austrian army, serving two years, and in 1881 went through the war with the Balkan States as a cor- poral in the 37th Regiment, being wounded in ac- tion near Crevochia. He had heard much of free America and Golden California, and on February 3, 1887, he went to Havre, France, where he embarked for New York; and he landed at Castle Garden on March 12, 1887, arriving in San Francisco about a week or ten days later. He did not stop long in San Francisco, however, but soon made his way to Stockton, where he went to work with a bridge gang as a carpenter for the Southern Pacific Rail- way Company. Being apt with tools and having natural ability as a builder, he rose very rapidly and after two years was made foreman of a bridge gang, and for the next three years he built depots, warehouses, tanks and bridges for said company at different places in the San Joaquin Valley. Seeing the great advantages of an education, he attended night schools after coming to Stockton, and by dili- gent application he soon had gained the rudiments of an English common school education, so as to be able to read, write and figure. He remained in the employ of the Southern Pacific Company for a period of five years. He had made up his mind to visit his native land after five years, but at that time his father died in Dalmatia, and he thereupon determined to have his mother, brother and three sis- ters join him in California, so he sent them money for their passage, and bought out the stock, ma- chinery, horses, mules and complete equipment of an Island farmer and rented 2,600 acres on Union Island, in San Joaquin County, and was soon among the large grain farmers of the Valley and helped his family to get started in California. Only one of the family, a sister, remains in Dalmatia, and she there keeps up and farms the old Rustan home place of 160 acres and also a 160-acre farm which Mr. Rustan bought from an uncle, and which he still owns. As a farmer on Union Island Mr. Rustan was very successful. In 1901 Mr. Rustan was mar- ried to Mary Deranjia, born in Dalmatia, who was 17 years old when she came to America.

In 1906 he rented another large piece of land of 1,200 acres near Banta, California, and farmed there until 1914, when he came to this place. Here he lives upon and farms the 1,400-acre ranch be- longing to Mrs. Anna Fabian, and at the same time operates his own mountain and foothill graz- ing ranch of 1,200 acres, 14 miles distant, which

1144

HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

he runs to horses, cattle and mules. He maintains a blacksmith shop and a machine shop on his ranch, shoes his own horses, repairs his farm machinery, autos and tractors. He is also an ex- cellent horseman and can handle 18 horses with ease. Patriotic and public-spirited, he was natural- ized in 1891, and has ever since taken an active interest in the common welfare. In politics he is a Progressive Republican and a warm personal friend of Senator Hiram W. Johnson.

Mr. and Mrs. Rustan have three children: Louise is a graduate of the Stockton High School and Heald's Business College; Annie Pauline is in the Tracy High School; John A. is also in the Tracy High School. Mr. and Mrs. Rustan and family are members of the Catholic Church, while Mr. Rus- tan is active in the Farm Bureau of Tracy, Sumner Lodge of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias.

PETER P. SCHMIDT .- A steadily progressing, successful man of affairs, influential both in and out of San Joaquin County, is Peter P. Schmidt, now a resident of Santa Cruz, who came here in 1881 from Rio Vista, Solano County, and was em- ployed in Mr. Landgraff's shop at Tracy. About two years later, he left this place and located on the Sacramento road, in a blacksmith shop at the Five-Mile House above Stockton, where he was occupied until 1887. He then returned to Tracy and acquired the shop at the corner of Seventh and Central streets, where for twenty years he plied his trade. Mr. Schmidt worked very hard, saving what money he could, and put his savings into real estate. He bought some property in Tracy; and in 1909 rented his shop, and the following year erected the Hotel Francis, at the corner of East Seventh and Central avenues. Where once stood the old blacksmith shop, there are now eight stores and the Masonic Temple. Today this is among the best income properties in the city.

Mr. Schmidt was born in Holstein, Germany, on January 31, 1858, in the village of Skjarback, and grew up in the home of his parents. At the age of fifteen he left home. Boarding a west-bound steamship, he reached New York in seventeen days, and then came on by rail to San Francisco. He married Miss Eva Huck, the eldest and gifted daughter of the pioneers, F. W. and Margaretta Huck; and eight children blessed their union. Mar- garet is the wife of Ray Colomberd, and resides at San Jose. Jesse served in the United States army, and is at present manager of the P. P. Schmidt ranch near Tracy. Frank is married and resides at Manteca. Eva is the widow of Mr. Ahrendes, and the mother of two children. Christina is Mrs. George King, and resides at Tracy. Elsie, Batilda and Julia are the youngest.

Mr. Schmidt was made a citizen of the United States at Fairfield, Solano County, in 1880. He now owns forty-eight acres of choice irrigated land two miles east of Tracy, and also owns property at Santa Cruz, where his family have resided since September, 1921. He also has desirable residence property in Tracy, although himself residing at Santa Cruz. He served as a director of Division No. 5, West Side Irrigation District, until he re- signed on removing to Santa Cruz.

ERNEST CHRISTOPHER HARDER .- An ex- ample of what may be accomplished through the development of natural executive ability is afforded by Ernest Christopher Harder, foreman of the A. B. Humphrey rancho of 800 acres near Escalon, a por- tion of what was once the historic Johnny Jones ranch, one of the largest and most celebrated grain tracts in the San Joaquin Valley. Johnny Jones owned about 32,000 acres, about 12,000 of which lay to the south of the Tuolumne River; while some 8,000 acres were in the home ranch near Escalon; 8,000 acres in Tulare County, between Porterville and Vi- salia, on the Tule River; and the balance on the West Side, near Grayson, in Stanislaus County. The Humphrey ranch has 225 acres planted to vines and trees, and eighty acres of grain land, while the bal- ance is in alfalfa.

Mr. Harder was born in Holstein, then a part of Germany, on May 28, 1864, a son of Jacob and Abie (Spreckles) Harder, and is the youngest of nine chil- dren. He was brought up and confirmed in the Lutheran Church, and early went to work in his father's dairy, on a ranch of about twenty-five acres. When sixteen years of age, he left home and native country and sailed for America. His father had died six years before; and when he said good-bye to his sainted mother, on a morning in June, 1880, he did so never to see her again, although she lived to be eighty-six years old. He sailed from Hamburg on one of the Hamburg-American line of steamers; and after a voyage of nine days across the Atlantic, stop- ping only at Havre, France, landed about the middle of June at Castle Garden, one of 1,100 passengers dropped there. He did not tarry in the American metropolis, but hurried on to his destination, Grand Island, Nebr., where he had two elder brothers, John and Jim. He worked there on a farm for three years, and then, in July, 1883, came on to Stockton and put up at the United States Hotel at the corner of Cen- ter and Market streets. There he was told that a farmer at Escalon, J. W. Jones, popularly called "Johnny" Jones, was in need of a man; so he pro- ceeded to the Jones place, and there for the next seven years worked steadily.

On March 22, 1891, Mr. Harder was married to Miss Ada Cole, daughter of Lum Cole, of Stanislaus County, a California pioneer who came out in 1849, traveling from Missouri with ox teams. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Harder rented a farm in Merced County, where they stayed until 1895. Mr. Harder then went to the Sargent tract on the Island, west of Lodi, and put in 320 acres in Sycamore Slough. He was completely drowned out, and had to start all over again. Coming back to Escalon, he went to work for Dave Jones, on his Stanislaus River farm in San Joaquin County. He worked for him until 1906, when he entered the service of A. B. Humphrey on the present Humphrey rancho near Escalon; and there he has been ever since. He be- came foreman for Mr. Humphrey in 1908, and is still holding that responsible position, Mrs. Harder having charge of the cooking for the ranch household.

Three children have been granted Mr. and Mrs. Harder. Adaline is the wife of J. M. Strickland, a pear grower in Eldorado County. Rudolph J. served overseas in France for twenty-one months, with the 91st Division, and was eventually honorably discharged. He was married, before he went to war,

Mr. and Mrs. Ernest C. Harder

1147

HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

to Miss Blendina Higgins of Escalon. He is now working under his father on the Humphrey ranch. Cecil Frazier is still in school.

WILLIAM W. LAMB. - A successful Delta farmer, the owner and proprietor of 350 acres on Lower Union Island, is William W. Lamb, who has brought his ranch to a high state of cultivation. Born in San Joaquin County, near Mohr's Landing, January 20, 1872, he is the eldest son of L. D. and Ella (McCraney) Lamb, natives of Missouri and Nev- ada, respectively. The father, L. D. Lamb, crossed the plains to California with ox-teams and settled in San Joaquin County at an early day, while the mother came to California at eleven years of age and grew up and married in San Joaquin County. Two sons were born to them: William W., of this sketch, and Frank M. The family home was first located near Banta, where they remained until 1879, when they removed to Union Island. The father became a well- known farmer and stockman, as well as a public- spirited citizen. He passed away when in his sixty- sixth year. The mother now makes her home at 741 North Hunter Street, Stockton.

William Lamb attended the Banta school, and early in life received practical lessons in agriculture. In 1908, in partnership with his brother, he began farm- ing near Clifton Court, where they raised large quan- tities of barley, the partnership continuing until 1919. Mr. Lamb continues to raise barley on an extensive scale, and during the past eight years has also been a successful grower of pink beans.

Mr. Lamb was married in Portland, Ore., to Miss Minnie Snoderly, a native of Oregon, a daughter of George S. Snoderly, who was a mining engineer. Both her parents are now deceased. Two daughters have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Lamb: Georgia is a student in the Stockton high school, and Ella is in grammar school. In 1919 a residence was purchased at 503 West Acacia Street, Stockton, where the family make their home.

JAMES SANGUINETTI .- A business man of Lodi who thoroughly understands the problems of his field is James Sanguinetti, the wide-awake employe of the Union Oil Company at Lodi, Cal. He was born in the town of Elliott, Sacramento County, on November 11, 1888, a son of Steve and Mary (Silva) Sanguinetti, both born and reared in Italy. His father came to the United States at the age of eight- een years, and upon his arrival in California located in the farming district of Elliott. Later he sold his property, and now resides on his vineyard near the Huston school. There are seven children in the family: Gus A., residing at Lodi; Fred J., on the home ranch; James, of this sketch; Tillie, now Mrs. Herbert Merz, of Stockton; Lena, a trained nurse residing in Stockton; Addie, Mrs. Thomas Mulcahy, of San Francisco; and Alvena, Mrs. E. Clancy, of Acampo.

James Sanguinetti attended the Elliott grammar school, and at the age of fifteen began to work on his father's ranch, where he remained for ten years. Then he entered the oil business, first as a truck driver for the Union Oil Company and afterwards as truck driver for the Shell Oil Company. His ad- vancement to the position of manager for this latter company came after six months' time, and during the five years of his efficient management, the busi-

ness increased steadily. In the fall of 1922, Mr. San- guinetti again became an employe of the Union Oil Company.

The marriage of Mr. Sanguinetti in 1914, united him-with Miss Hazel Dutschke, a native of California; and they are the parents of two children, James M. and Mary E. He is chaplain of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, No. 848, and a member of the Knights of Columbus.

ORVILLE PHILLIPS .- A native of Michigan, Orville Phillips was born at Fowlerville, Livingston County, on October 16, 1880, a son of George H. and Margaret (Daily) Phillips. George H. the father was born in New York in 1842 and accompanied his parents to Michigan in the late '40s, transportation being by ox teams, and there they became farmers; his mother was also a native of New York, born in 1840, and was taken by her parents to Michigan in the '50s. His father passed away in 1916, while his mother now resides in Tucson, Arizona.

Orville Phillips received a good public school edu- cation and assisted his father with the farm work until he was nineteen years old, when he left home to work on the Michigan Grand Trunk railroad and followed railroading until he came to California in 1901. In 1912 he settled in Tracy and entered the employ of the Southern Pacific railroad, remaining with them until he decided to establish his own business, and in consequence of this determination the Tracy Auto Electric Co. was formed. In May, 1922, Mr. Phillips disposed of his interest in the Tracy Auto Electric Company and accepted a posi- tion with the Shell Oil Company at Corral Station, it being a pumping plant on the valley pipe line of the Shell Oil Company near Tracy.

Mr. Phillips' marriage united him with Miss Lil- lie Eaton, a daughter of Orrison and Josephine (Hoffman) Eaton, both pioneers of San Joaquin County. They are the parents of two children, Orris A. and Fred O. Fraternally, Mr. Phillips is a Mason and also a member of the Eastern Star of Tracy.

DR. ARTHUR T. SEYMOUR .- A prominent representative of the Osteopathic profession, Dr. Arthur T. Seymour was born at Chicago, Ill., oni January 10, 1877. His parents moved to New York City when he was a baby, remaining there until he was ten years old, when they went to Iowa, resid- ing at Red Oak and later at Des Moines. At the age of fifteen he returned to New York City and after a short period of attendance at school he entered business, holding positions in various con- cerns until November, 1894, when he entered the offices of The Musical Courier Company, where he was employed as bookkeeper and cashier for over ten years. In 1902 he enrolled with the New York University School of Commerce Accounts and Finance and pursued the study of expert account- ing until 1905, then entered the employ of The Audit Company, of New York, as staff accountant.

In the fall of 1906, he resigned his position with The Audit Company and in the spring of 1907 en- tered Still College of Osteopathy, Des Moines, Iowa. In September of the same year he came to Los Angeles, Cal., and entering the Los Angeles College . of Osteopathy, graduated with the degree of D. O. on January 27, 1910. Coming to Stockton, he located at 311 Elks Building, where he is still

1148

HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

engaged in practice. In the fall of 1919, he took post-graduate work at the College of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons, Los Angeles, where he was an interne in the eye, ear, nose and throat clinic, and since his return to Stockton he has - de- voted particular attention to this line of his work, in addition to general osteopathic practice.

On August 4, 1912, Dr. Seymour was united in marriage with Mabel Alice Ambrose, born in Locke- ford, Cal., the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Ambrose, pioneers of that place. Mr. Seymour is a Mason and is a member of the Ad Club of Stockton, also of the national, state and local osteo- pathic associations.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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 165

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