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 173

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 173

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In 1909, Mr. Shepherd was called to Stockton to superintend the building of the Hotel Stockton, by Frank H. Martin, who had the contract; but before coming to Stockton, he was sent to Prescott, Ariz., to superintend the construction of twenty-eight buildings for the U. S. Government. Having suc- cessfully completed the hotel which made Stockton more famous, Mr. Shepherd joined F. H. Martin in forming the firm of Martin & Shepherd; and not long after that Mr. Martin was killed in an automo- bile accident. In 1911, Mr. Shepherd undertook contracting for himself in a small way, putting up in Stockton some neat cottages and then selling them; and later he branched out in larger work. He erected the Del Monte Hotel, a residence for G. E. Bartholomew costing $18,000, the Kitts Garage, on North El Dorado Street, the brick warehouse for the Wagner Leather Company, and a number of modern garage buildings, as well as the theater at Lodi, another at Merced costing $55,000, and various other houses. During war-time, when business was slack, he went to the Island district and erected 800 corn cribs, some of them for the Rindge Land & Navigation Company. He also went to Yolo County, on the Sacramento River, on Liberty Island, and built $40,000 worth of camps.

In 1919 Mr. Shepherd formed a partnership with E. F. Riley, and under the firm name of Shepherd & Riley they did much work in this section. They built the theater in Pittsburg, Contra Costa County, costing $60,000, and a warehouse for the California Packing Corporation, costing $40,000, a warehouse for the Sperry Flour Company, put up at an equal outlay, and a $55,000 warehouse for the Stockton Canning & Packing Company. They were also the

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builders of the Fair Oaks school, and of schools at Salida and at Atlanta, in Stanislaus County. Among the recent work completed and under construction by Shepherd & Riley may be mentioned the McKin- ley school in Stockton, $145,000; the Oakdale gram- mar school, $52,000, and commercial buildings in the city of Stockton aggregating $100,000. They have under construction at the present time the high school auditorium in Stockton, $90,000; a $78,000 addition to the El Dorado school; addition to the gymnasium and high school manual training shop, $35,000; and the new Roosevelt school, $129,000. Shortly after coming to Stockton, Mr. Shepherd was the superintendent of construction on a number of bridges built by the county, and the successful com- pletion of the work to the entire satisfaction of the authorities proved one of the best of references. In April, 1923, the partnership was dissolved, Mr. Shep- herd continuing at the old location.

Mr. Shepherd, who is a member of Lodge No. 218, B. P. O. E., Stockton, was married on April 15, 1904, at Kansas City, Mo., to Martha Trafas of Olathe, Kansas. They have one son, J. Corbin Shepherd.

EDWIN HAMILTON CARY .- Well-known in the city of Stockton as a dealer in musical instru- ments, band supplies and musical merchandise, Ed- win Hamilton Cary has contributed much towards the development of the business and social condi- tions, and ever since he took up his residence here in 1882, has given Stockton all that is highest and best in music, being the pioneer in the field of en- deavor. A native of Oregon, he was born at Port- land, March 25, 1851, a son of Luther and Rebecca (Harbart) Cary. Luther Cary was born in New London County, Connecticut, July 24, 1817, and ac- companied his parents to South Warren, Bradford County, Pa., and in 1837 he taught school there. The next year he moved to Peoria County, Ill., where he married and farmed. In 1850 he located in Oregon, having crossed the plains with ox-teams. He settled above Vancouver and conducted a ferry, but in 1852 he settled in Marion County and farmed and taught school. Circumstances necessitated his taking the lecture platform and he lectured on astronomy, qual- ifying himself by close study for several years. He lectured all over Oregon and California with occa- sional trips East, and filled engagements in Washing- ton, Montana, Idaho, Nebraska, Kansas, British Columbia and elsewhere. In 1863 he came to San Jose, Cal., where he lived for ten years. Many of the leading citizens of San Jose, among them J. J. Owen, editor of the Mercury, Dr. Clark and others, urged him to seek a position in connection with the Lick Observatory, when that institution was projected, as a desirable field for a man of his attainments. But his travels precluded his accepting any local position.

He married Louisa Humphrey on January 1, 1839, and they had five children. His second marriage, September 25, 1848, united him with Rebecca Har- bart, born July 14, 1831, and they had eight children, four living: Edwin H., of this sketch; George W. A. in Sacramento; Charles A. and Mrs. Frank Parker, in Oregon.

He engaged in raising Angora goats on Mt. Ham- ilton and in 1875, in company with his son, Edwin H., moved their flocks to Calaveras County, pur- chasing a range of 1800 acres on Bear Mountain. Later he drove his goats to Oregon, where he sold them and retired from the business to take the lec-

ture platform. He died April 2, 1890, near Seattle, Wash. The mother of our subject passed away January 7, 1894.

The genealogy of the Cary family, so far as known by our subject, is traced back to Benjamin Cary, who was born in Massachusetts, and later moved to Windham County, Conn., where he reared a fam- ily. Although there is known to have been a book printed regarding the Cary family, which perhaps connects them with the poets, Phoebe and Alice Cary, who were both born near Cincinnati, Ohio, daughters of Robert Cary, it is not available at this time. Benjamin Cary had a son he named Luther Cary (this name seems to run all through the Cary families) who was born on Nov. 11, 1768, in Wind- ham County, Conn., and he had five brothers who served in the War of the Revolution; one named Oliver, went to Pennsylvania; another went to Ver- mont, and one of his sons, in 1812, went to Sacketts Harbor and from him are descended the Carys on the Pacific Coast. Luther Cary married Rispah Allen on Nov. 11, 1792. She was born at Groton, New London County, Conn., February 18, 1772. One of their sons was named Luther, father of Edwin H. In an academy at Portland, Edwin H. secured his schooling and in 1874 went to San Jose with his father, who had extensive interests in Santa Clara County, and in 1875 went to Calaveras County, where they engaged in raising Angora goats. After the father sold his herd, the son continued in that business independently, later selling his ranch and driving the band north to Shasta County, where he disposed of it. Returning to Calaveras County, he engaged in mining at Angels Camp and while there organized and conducted a band, also taught music. His services were much in demand in Calaveras and Tuolumne counties, Cary's Band and Orchestra still being a pleasant remembrance to many of the old settlers of those mining districts.

In 1882 Mr. Cary settled in Stockton, where he followed the carpenter's trade and aided in building for L. G. Thompson the first harvesters made in the city. While at Angels Camp he secured an agency for the sale of pianos in San Joaquin County from the Kohler & Chase Company of San Francisco, and after coming to Stockton he took up the sale of pi- anos as a side line, making his home at that time on East Channel St. In 1888, he decided to devote his entire attention to that business and opened his present store at No. 547 East Market Street, put- ting in a good line of musical instruments and be- coming the pioneer in that line in the city. He carries a complete line of band instruments and sup- plies and general musical merchandise. His creative ability led to the invention of the Cary snare drum, which has met with a large sale and is regarded as one of the best on the market. At the Panama- Pacific Exposition, held at San Francisco in 1915, his drum was awarded a gold medal. In association with his sons, Edwin Liberty and Francis R., Mr. Cary managed and conducted the Sixth Regiment Band in Stockton, while his son E. L. became its director. Many enjoyable concerts were given in the Plaza and the organization reached a high standard, being regarded as the best band ever established in the city.

On September 16, 1871, Mr. Cary married Miss Caroline A. McLeran at Albany, Ore., and her de- mise occurred at Stockton, December 28, 1920. She

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was a native of Wisconsin and crossed the plains to Oregon with her parents in 1865. While residing on their mountain ranch in Calaveras County Mr. and Mrs. Cary became the parents of two sons: Edwin L. and Francis R., the former a resident of Stockton and the latter of San Francisco. When they were seven years of age their father began their musical education and they are now talented artists, having been members of the orchestras of the leading playhouses of San Francisco, Sacramento and Stock- ton. Edwin L. Cary, a cornetist of more than ordi- nary ability and a talented musician, is a teacher of wind and string instruments. When the Boston Opera Company produced the opera "Robin Hood" at the old Avon Theatre he was cornetist in their orchestra, being at that time twelve years of age, and the manager of the company was so favorably impressed with his playing that he sought to induce him to become a permanent member of the organi- zation, but on account of his age his parents did not favor the idea of traveling. Edwin L. married Gladys Fine Osborn, November 25, 1903, and they have two children: Ellen Lorraine and Earl Lauren. The other son, Frank R. Cary, is a violinist in the orchestra of the Casino Theatre of San Francisco, and is also an expert performer on the trombone, being a teacher of both instruments. He is the father of two girls, Alice M. and Elizabeth. Both sons inherited their fa- ther's musical ability and the family is an exception- ally talented one.

Mr. Cary's life has been an active and upright one, filled with varied experiences and characterized by the successful accomplishment of valuable re- sults. For many years he has been closely identi- fied with Stockton's development and upbuilding and his record is a matter of pride to its citizens.

DANIEL GILLIES .- Among the early settlers of Clements and an early California miner, dating back to 1854, was the late Daniel Gillies, who was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, and came to America with his mother in 1830, when he was five years of age, in a sailing vessel around Cape Horn. He was engaged in mining near Coloma, Eldorado County. He was married in San Francisco in June, 1859, to Miss Elizabeth McKinny, a native of Philadelphia, Pa., who came to California that year with her brother, via Panama.

Mr. Gillies had charge of the flume for conducting the water to the hydraulic mines. In 1861 he moved to Lancha Plana, Amador County, where he super- intended the water supply for mining. In 1862 he located in San Joaquin County and purchased the old Poland House ranch, which consisted of a quarter- section of farm land about one mile east of what is now Clements. The old Poland House was a road- side hotel, conducted to accommodate travelers jour- neying to and from the mines. The first postoffice was also there in early days and was called Poland House postoffice. Daniel Gillies gave up the hotel business, but farmed the land, mostly as a grain farmer, for nearly forty years, until his death in 1900. His wife had died previously. They had six children, three of whom are living: Cecilia for the last thirty-five years has been in the employ of the Government as deputy postmaster and now as

postmaster at Clements, and also conducts a branch of the San Joaquin County Free Library; Charles B. Gillies lives at Folsom, and Sallie E. makes her home at Clements.

NEWLEN J. MILLER .- Among the real build- ers of a community are those who erect substantial and permanent buildings and one who has won for himself a prominent place in the city of Lodi is Newlen J. Miller, who has operated in many parts of the United States from the Atlantic to the Pacific. He was born in Christian County, Mo., on August 15, 1873, a son of a farmer, and his life was spent on the home farm until he was twenty-one years of age. His schooling was somewhat meager, but when the opportunity came to learn mining engineering under his uncle, George W. Miller, the famous min- ing engineer of Denver, Colo., he grasped the oppor- tunity and joined his uncle in Cripple Creek, Colo., where he remained for two years. His uncle is one of the best known and foremost mining engineers of the country; in 1910 he wrote and published a book on the subject of mining and our subject drew the plans for the maps illustrating the work.

Mr. Miller later became the mining engineer for the Amdson Zinc Manufacturing Company of Joplin, Mo .; he also erected mills at the mines and made a thorough study of zinc mining and became an expert on the subject. He then removed to Denver, Colo., and engaged in brick contracting and erected many of the finest business blocks in the city; he also built several buildings in Colorado Springs; he' then removed to San Francisco in 1904 and took up the plasterer's trade and at the time of the great earth- quake and fire in 1906 was most active in the re- building of the city, constructing many business blocks and fine residences around the Bay. The fol- lowing year, 1907, we find him in Reno, Nev., where he remained for a time working at his trade; then to Fresno, Cal., for a time; he then engaged in mag- nesite mining at Ingomar during the years of 1916 and 1917, after which, for a short time, he engaged in placer mining at Mokelumne Hill in Placer County. During the month of January, 1919, he settled in Lodi where he has followed contracting in brick and plas- tering; among the outstanding contracts being the brick block for Mr. Guggolz, the tile residence for Dan W. Bird, the V. Kyle residence at Thornton, Dr. Bollinger's residence at Lodi, the Ed Spiekerman residence, the Strange residence on his ranch, the German Baptist Church, an addition to the Lafayette school building; he also plastered a $250,000 school building in San Jose and a number of churches, the Sanguinetti Hotel, the Women's Club Building, the Ferdun residence and many others in Lodi.

The marriage of Mr. Miller united him with Miss Mertice Thrasher, a native of Massachusetts, a direct descendant on her father's side of Gov. Bradford of Massachusetts, while on the mother's side she is descended from Lady Huntington of England. She is a graduate of Smith College at Northhamp- ton, Mass., and for ten years after her graduation taught in the high schools of Massachusetts. They are the parents of two children, Carol and Reinette. Fraternally Mr. Miller is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the D. O. K. K. His skilled work- manship has brought him a fine patronage, and he is a loyal supporter of every measure that is con- structive.

Miller

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

MARTIN TROY .- For more than half a century Martin Troy has been a resident of San Joaquin County, as he was a lad of only seven years when he accompanied his parents here. He was born in Ire- land on November 11, 1864, the son of Peter and Margaret (Ryan) Troy, both natives of that country, where they were married. They were the parents of five children: Thomas, Martin, Mrs. Julia Effinger, Mrs. Eugene S. McComb, and Frank. The family came to Lodi in 1871, and here the father farmed for the remainder of his life; the eldest son, Thomas, is now farming the old home place.

Martin Troy received his education in the schools of the Lodi district and when only twelve years of age he started to work on ranches in the vicinity of his home, and since that time he has continued to engage in orchard and vineyard work, being well known through his long residence here. Mr. Troy's marriage united him with Miss Mary Carroll, who was born at Santa Clara, Cal. Five children have been born to them: Mrs. Margaret Nichol of San Francisco; Frank, also of San Francisco; William; Emmet; and Martin, who gave his life for his coun- try, falling while in action on the battlefields of France in one of the last battles of the World War.

JOHN J. CAMPODONICO .- After many years of intelligent study, John J. Campodonico has per- fected a tractor that combines simplicity, economy and efficiency in the highest degree consistent with durability. He is the inventor and designer of the Campco Tractor and a company has been incorporat- ed entitled Campco Tractor, Inc., a corporation formed to manufacture this tractor on a five acre site on McKinley Avenue, extending 700 feet along the Western Pacific Railroad.

John J. Campodonico is a native son of Stockton. born June 25, 1886, the youngest son of the late pioneer, John J. Campodonico, whose sketch will be found elsewhere in this volume. He received his edu- cation in the Brothers Academy, Stockton, and since 1907 has been associated with his brother and moth- er in farming operations. He has also devoted much time and thought to his inventions, the Campco Tractor and the air compressing shock absorber for the automobile being the most outstanding; though there are also a number of minor inventions to his credit.

The Campco Tractor takes its place in the tractor industry as the culmination of years of experience and experiment. Each unit, each feature, has been a special study in itself, and has been tested time and again since 1912 under the hardest working condi- ditions. The Campco Tractor contains all these fea- tures and units in a perfect working combination. The president of the company, John J. Campodonico, both farmer and practical engineer, a man who has constantly used tractors of many makes, early fore- saw the great future of the industry, but unlike oth- ers he did not rush a model into the market. In- stead, the requirements of severe service encountered were carefully studied, as well as the arrangement of power and the economy of motion. After many years of study, devoting entire attention to a tractor that should combine simplicity, economy and efficiency in the highest degree consistent with durability, the Campco Tractor was designed and completed. New and special features of the Campco are: An automatic 25

two-speed forward and one reverse transmission. A separate train of drive gears to each wheel. A pow- erful clutch on the main drive shaft to transmit full engine power to either wheel for short turning. A track-laying wheel provided with a double row of shoes, giving a powerful traction surface on the ground, and in addition, all working parts run in oil, safe from dirt, grit and wear.

Since the introduction of the tractor in agricul- ture, the demand for power and more power has constantly increased. The Campco Tractor meets this demand twofold-not by generation of more en- ergy, but by the proper application and control of the power. It is in the application of the power itself that the Campco stands supreme, not only in the ease by which the power is controlled, but also in the economy in wear and tear on parts. The two- speed transmission with reverse permits of changing from low to direct or direct to low without releasing the power of the engine or stopping the tractor. Other tractors, that are equipped with a standard type transmission, when shifting from low to direct or direct to low practically start with a dead load. This naturally causes a burning of clutches. The Campco is designed to aviod stopping when changing from low to direct and from direct to low. This action is automatic and instantaneous and the momentum of the load is not lost. This is an absolutely ex- clusive feature of the Campco, and the saving in power, time and fuel is readily seen. The gears of the Campco Tractor are always in mesh, which elim- inates the possibility of the breaking of gear teeth. This feature not only saves time and money, but eliminates breakdowns in the rush of the season's work. In order to properly control the power at its command, the Campco has two independently operated clutches on the main drive shaft in one unit without adjustments or toggles of any kind. It is placed between the transmission and the gear trains, one clutch for each set of gears. This arrange- ment permits a small, powerful clutch to transmit the total engine power to either tractor wheel in making a turn or to both wheels when driving ahead or in reverse. All the moving parts are tightly en- closed, making it impossible for dust to get at them, and thus eliminating much of the wear and conse- quent grief that have always afflicted tractor users since the first machines began to replace horses. The tractor members are undoubtedly the most import- ant unit in a tractor, and the method used to apply the power delivered to the wheels decides its value to the world of agriculture. Campco wheels are provided with track-laying shoes. Each wheel has a staggered double tread which presents large trac- tion surface to the ground. An extension of the wheel surface can also be made to increase the trac- tion on soft or muddy soil. Since the action of the wheel, rim, links and shoes is a rolling one, and the oscillating movement of the links in the hook con- nection is limited, the wear on these points is neg- ligible. The advantage of this new feature in tractor wheel construction is a powerful traction in difficult soils, and a minimum of wear and tear with com- paratively no upkeep.

No other piece of automotive machinery has to withstand the extremely hard working conditions which the tractor must meet. It must work through all seasons, under every climatic condition, in every

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kind of soil, in dust, mud, sand, uphill and down, pulling constantly its full rated load with no let-up. It must be built so that it can absolutely be de- pended upon by the owner; for when he needs his tractor it must be ready, and it must be able to give him a full measure of service each day throughout the season. It must be the most dependable piece of machinery on the farm. The Campco Tractor lives up to this standard of performance.

Mr. Campodonico divides his time between Stock- ton and San Francisco in the construction of his inventions and new improvements, all of which are practical labor-saving devices.

DAVID WOLF .- In his business career David Wolf has manifested unflagging industry, marked enterprise and keen discernment, and as the secre- tary-treasurer of the Peters-Wolf-Dohrmann Com- pany, one of the leading insurance companies of Stockton, has made for himself a place among the prosperous residents of that city. He was born in Germany on October 20, 1863, and received his edu- cation in the fine schools of his native country. He was sixteen years old when he left home to come to the new world and the land of greater opportuni- ties; he first worked in Montana in the mines, then went to British Columbia where he did the same kind of work. In his younger days he had the privilege of studying music in his native land and became a proficient performer on the violin.

In 1892 he came West and located in San Fran- cisco where he spent two years as a musician in the theaters of that city; then he settled in Stockton, where during the next five years he was a musician at the Yosemite, Avon and Stockton theaters. In 1899 he entered the employ of Charles Weber to take charge of the Capt. Charles M. Weber estate, which was, at that time, considerably involved, and Mr. Wolf succeeded in straightening out the indebt- edness and putting the estate in fine condition. Since the death of Charles Weber in 1912, he has had charge of the remainder of the property for his heirs. In 1913 Mr. Wolf entered the insurance busi- ness and in 1914 was made secretary-treasurer of the Peters-Wolf-Dohrmann Company, doing a general insurance business, including fire, grain, automobile, marine, life and accident. Fraternally, Mr. Wolf is a prominent member of the Knights of Pythias. He has passed through all the chairs of Charter Oak Lodge No. 20 of Stockton; is treasurer of Uni- form Rank K. of P., and secretary of the insurance section of the order; he was the first presiding officer of the local D. O. K. K.

The marriage of Mr. Wolf united him with Miss Ada Reynolds, a native of Pennsylvania. She is senior of the Grand Lodge of Pythian Sisters of California and is in line for the chief, which office she will occupy in 1923. They are the parents of three daughters: Ida, Mrs. William Peterson of Marysville; Florence, Mrs. Doyle Fetterman of Crows Landing, and Fanny M., at home. Mr. Wolf was president of the local Musicians' Union for ten years and is now a life member of same. He is also a member of the Woodmen of the World and the Maccabees. Throughout his whole life whatever his hand finds to do, whether in his profession or in. his official duties, or in any other sphere, he does with all his might and with a deep sense of conscientious obligation.

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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 173

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