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 178

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 178

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In April of 1913 he settled in San Joaquin County and bought fifty acres from the Graham estate, located in the Live Oak district. Twenty-seven acres of this ranch was planted to grapes, ten acres to alfalfa, three acres to a mixed orchard; the balance is bare land. Mr. Gibson set about improving the property, putting :7

four acres in alfalfa and six acres in prunes and plums, and when he sold it in January of 1922 he realized a fine profit for his hard work. Since then he has pur- chased a place of forty acres, which he is developing. Besides attending to the improvement and develop- ment of his ranch property, he took an extension course in dairy husbandry and alfalfa culture in the University of California; he has also taken a course in commercial law under Judge Gerald Beatty Wal- lace of Stockton; and recently completed a course in public accounting and auditing in the extension course offered by the University of California.

When the San Joaquin County Farm Bureau de- cided to employ an executive secretary for their asso- ciation, Mr. Gibson was selected as the man best fitted for that particular kind of work, and on Febru- ary 1, 1922, he resigned his position as cashier of the Western States Gas & Electric Company of Stockton, where he had been for the past four years, and entered upon his new work. Mr. Gibson served as the first director from the Live Oak Center when the San Joa- quin County Farm Bureau was first organized.

The marriage of Mr. Gibson in Eureka united him with Miss Winifred M. Young, a native of Humboldt County, Cal., and they are the parents of two children, Margaret E. and Howard H.

HERBERT JUSTIN MANN .- An eminently con- scientious and efficient public accountant who has done much, through his painstaking labors and suc- cessful work, to elevate still further the dignity of that profession in California, is Herbert Justin Mann, of 222 Yosemite Building, Stockton, in which city he was born, on September 4, 1890. His father, Jacob Mann, a native of Germany, when sixteen, made his way to Australia, then came out to California in the early sixties, when he was a boy of eighteen, and for almost twenty-five years he was with the Simpson & Gray Lumber Company. He died in 1907, an honored member of the Druids. He had married, in Stockton, Miss Bertha Echenberger, a native of Canton Berne, Switzerland, who came with her parents to Philadel- phia when about seven years old, and there attended school. Later she accompanied her mother and sister to Stockton. She died in April, 1921, the mother of four sons, all born in Stockton, and all still living- William J., Robert E., Walter C., and Herbert J.

Herbert J. Mann attended the grammar schools and Stockton high school, and from the latter insti- tution he was graduated with the class of '08. His first employment was in the shipping department of the Houser-Haynes Harvester Company, and after a ·while he was in the accounting department of the same company. When the Holt Company absorbed the concern, Mr. Mann remained with them for eight months, and in 1913 he entered the employ of the Frank A. Guernsey Grain Company, where, at the end of two years, he became one of the partners and was made secretary and treasurer. On June 25. 1921, he severed his connection with that important house and struck out for himself, and since then he has built up a large patronage. He not only does auditing and installation of accounting systems, but, as the result of his seven years with the Guernsey Company, when he made many friends among the farmer-folk, he has successfully opened up a new branch, in taking charge of the account books of ranchers. He belongs to the Chamber of Commerce.

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At Stockton, in 1914, Mr. Mann was married to Miss Ruth Page, a native of Lodi; and their union has been blessed with three children: Justin Page, Susan Ruth, and Margery Beryl. Mr. Mann is a char- ter member of the Stockton Sciots, and he belongs to Stockton Parlor No. 7, N. S. G. W .; Stockton Lodge No. 218, B. P. O. E .; San Joaquin Lodge No. 19, F. & A. M .; Stockton Chapter No. 28, R. A. M., and to the local council R. & S. M.

GEORGE B. McCUEN .- A retired house painter who has worked hard and lived frugally and thereby gained independence, is George B. McCuen, residing at 929 East Channel Street, Stockton. He was born in New York, August 14, 1864, being a son of Lewis McCuen, who was born in Canada, September 29, 1838, and later- came to New York, where he farmed in St. Lawrence County. There, some time before the Civil War, he was married to Miss Harriet N. Poor and three children were born to them: George B. of this sketch; Minnie died in Stockton; Theron R., an employe of the Southern Pacific Rail- road Company, resides at Ione, Cal. Lewis McCuen served in Company A, 60th Regiment, New York Vol- unteer Infantry during the Civil War and when his son, George B, was a boy of eight years he removed from their St. Lawrence County farm to Potsdam, N. Y. Lewis McCuen brought his family from New York to California in 1888, coming direct to Stockton, where he has since made his home and where he is a prominent member of the G. A. R. Mrs. McCuen passed away at the family home in March, 1907, aged sixty-seven years.

George B. McCuen attended the public school of Norwood, N. Y., where the family resided, until he was nineteen years old, when he left for Cali- fornia, arriving in Stockton, June 19, 1884, and took up the trade of house painting, having done journey- man's work; also engaged as a painting contractor. At Stockton, on June 20, 1888; he was married to Miss May L. Tinkham, the daughter of Wallace and Angela S. (Marsh) Tinkham, pioneers of Stockton, Mrs. McCuen being a cousin of George H. Tinkham, the historian. She is a native daughter, born in Stockton and here she grew up and received her education. Her father, Wallace Tinkham, was born at North Pomfret, Vt., August 9, 1828, and settled in Stockton in the early '60s and was a pioneer paint- ing contractor here. He was married at Wood- stock, Vt., May 17, 1860, to Miss Angela S. Marsh, also a native of Vermont. He came out to Cali- fornia the first time via Panama in the late '50s, then went back to Vermont and married and brought his wife out to Stockton. He had learned the painter's trade in Vermont, before coming to California. After coming to California he was engaged in the butcher business with his brother, Henry Tinkham, and later engaged in the house painting business. Two children were born to this pioneer couple: Arthur M., born in Stockton, September 15, 1861, and died February 23, 1879, being killed in the explosion of a steam boiler at the head of the channel; Mrs. McCuen was their only daughter. Both parents are now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. McCuen are the parents of one daughter, Alice Pearl, now the wife of Grat E. Cannon. For sixteen years Mr. McCuen was associated with his father-in-law, Wallace Tinkham, in house painting contracting. He joined the Truth Lodge, I. O. O. F., Stockton, in 1886, and is past grand of that order;

he is also a member of the Fraternal Brotherhood, while Mrs. McCuen is a member of Lebanon Lodge of Rebekahs of Stockton and is an attendant at the Presbyterian Church. Both Mr. and Mrs. McCuen are consistent Republicans.

EDWARD H. RILEY .- The thoroughness, indus- try and business judgment employed by Edward H. Riley'in his building operations have been the means of winning for him a prominent place in business circles of Stockton, and he is doing a general con- tracting business, independently, with offices in the Wilhoit Building and is contributing his full share to the building up of his native city, where he was born on October 27, 1885. His father, Edward H. Riley, a native of Ireland, came to the San Joaquin Valley in early days and engaged in farming and ran a dairy. His mother before her marriage, was Miss Anna Fox, she too being a native of Ireland. Both parents are now deceased.

Edward H., Jr., was educated in the Brothers School in Stockton and after finishing there learned the carpenter's trade with Robert Powell. Arriving in San Francisco early in April, 1906, the disastrous fire afforded him the opportunity of taking an active part in the rebuilding of the stricken city. His first employment was with the Western Pacific Railroad in the construction of their buildings at the San Fran- cisco terminal and across the Bay at the Oakland terminal, at the time this railroad was being built into Oakland and San Francisco. Following this for a period of three years he was with Richard Keating, the concrete contractor, and while in this connection was foreman of construction on the concrete reservoir on the top of Twin Peaks. He was later with two other prominent contractors, H. L. Peterson and W. W. Anderson.

During 1914 he returned to Stockton and was, for a time, with James Mulcahy in the construction of a number of fine buildings. He then started in business for himself and erected many buildings of all kinds among the most outstanding being St. Agnes' Acad- emy; Hansel & Ortman garage; the concrete bridge on Sutter Street across Mormon Slough; St. Joseph's Hospital; St. Gertrude's Catholic Church and Parish House in Fair Oaks; Clark's garage on South Sutter Street; the T. & D. Theatre Building; the Murphy garage on the corner of North El Dorado Street and Miner Avenue; Naylor's Ford garage and sales build- ing on North El Dorado Street; the Williams block and Wilhoit building on South San Joaquin Street; and the Bennett apartments, the first constructed in Stockton. All of these buildings are among the very best and most modern in the city. During 1918, a partnership was formed with Jesse F. Shepherd, under the firm name of Shepherd & Riley, and the following buildings are silent witnesses of their ability and capableness: a theater building in Pittsburg, Contra Costa County, costing $60,000; warehouse in Stockton for the Sperry Flour Company amounting to the same figure; a $56,000 warehouse for the Stockton Packing and Canning Company; $40,000 job for the California Packing Corporation; $25,000 store building for Eaton & Buckley; garage for Root brothers costing about $26,000. They also constructed the Fair Oaks, the Mckinley, the El Dorado and the Roosevelt school houses; the high school auditorium and the gymnasium and showers. These buildings are the last word in modern school buildings in this

Edward H. Riley

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

part of the state. They also built a school at Atlanta and one at Salida, Stanislaus County. In April, 1923, the partnership of Riley & Shepherd was dissolved, Mr. Riley continuing the contracting business on an independent basis.

The marriage of Mr. Riley, in '1908, united him with Miss Mary Killian, a native of Stockton and member of a pioneer family of the county. They are the parents of two children, Ethel M. and Hazel L., both born in San Francisco. Fraternally, Mr. Riley is a member of Stockton Lodge No. 218, B. P. O. E .; Knights of Columbus; and Stockton Parlor No. 7, N. S. G. W. He is a member of the board of directors of the Stockton Builders' Exchange; also of the board of the Merchants, Manufacturers and Employers Association. All in all he has always found time to do his part to aid any worthy project that had for its aim the upbuilding of the city, county and state.

DAVID B. LYMAN .- A distinguished member of the legal fraternity of San Joaquin County who has added much to the prestige of the bar in this part of the state is David B. Lyman, whose ability and activ- ity have won a place of standing for him during his residence here. Mr. Lyman was born in Chicago, Ill., on July 11, 1871, and received his education in the public schools, Racine College at Racine, Wis., St. Paul's School, Concord, N. H., and then entered Yale University, where he was graduated in the class of 1895. His legal training was completed at Northwest- ern University, Chicago, where he took a two years' course, and in 1897 he was admitted to practice in the state and federal courts of Illinois. Here he contin- ued until 1917, when he came to Stockton and became associated with the legal department of the Holt Man- ufacturing Company. After the entrance of America in the World War, Mr. Lyman was prominent in war service, working with the War Industries Board and the Fuel Administration at Stockton, and was an asso- ciate member of the legal advisory board of the selec- tive service for San Joaquin County, rendering a service that was of great importance at this time. Since the war he has specialized in state and federal law and federal taxation, maintaining offices in the Commercial & Savings Bank Building at Stockton, where he has a large clientele.

Closely identified with the life of the community, Mr. Lyman is a member of the Yosemite Club, the Stockton Golf & Country Club, the Yale Alumni of San Francisco and the Psi Upsilon college fraternity; he belongs to the San Joaquin County Bar Associa- tion and the Chicago Bar Association.

RAYMOND T. McGURK, M. D .- Well and favor- ably known as a physician and surgeon of distinction, Dr. Raymond T. McGurk was born in Stockton, Octo- ber 21, 1883, a son of Charles H. and Elizabeth (Thornton) McGurk, the former a native of San Andreas, Calaveras County, and the latter of Sacra- mento, and both are still living in Stockton. Charles H. McGurk came to Stockton a young man and entered the employ of the Sperry Flour Company, but in 1887 he entered the butcher business in Stock- ton, and with the exception of one term as chief of police, has been in that business ever since; at present he is the manager of the Maisel Meat Com- pany. Elizabeth (Thornton) McGurk was reared in Calaveras County and taught in the public schools

there for several years; of late years she has been active in the affairs of the Calaveras Society of Stockton, whose members are made up of former residents of that county and she is a past president of the society. Mr. and Mrs. McGurk had two chil- dren: Mrs. Joseph M. Kidd, and Raymond T.

Raymond T. McGurk received his education in St. Joseph's private school and St. Mary's school in Stockton and was later graduated from the Stockton high school, class of '05, the first class to graduate from the new high school on Vine Street. Desiring to become a physician he entered Cooper Medical College and was graduated with the class of '09, with the degree of M. D., and licensed to practice by the State Board of Examiners that same year. He became an interne at the San Joaquin County Hos- pital and in 1910 located in Stockton and began to build up a private practice. He served as city health officer during 1911 and 1912, and was for five years a member of the staff of the Stockton Emergency Hospital under Chief Surgeon Dr. Ira B. Ladd and later under Dr. L. R. Johnson. In 1918 Dr. McGurk took a post-graduate course in surgery at Harvard University and visited many of the Eastern clinics. He has been prominent in the San Joaquin County Medical Society, serving as secretary and later as its president and is now a member of the board of directors. Like most successful professional men, Dr. McGurk has a hobby, and that is the raising of reg- istered Scotch Shorthorn beef cattle. With his father, Charles H. McGurk, he owns and operates a ranch of 300 acres at Bellota, San Joaquin County, on which he has a herd of registered Scotch Shorthorn cattle of which he is justly proud.

The marriage of Dr. McGurk united him with Miss Mamie B. Robinson, a native of San Joaquin County, a daughter of I. N. Robinson, a retired farmer of Stockton. Dr. and Mrs. McGurk are the parents of three children: Marjorie Elizabeth; Raymond Thorn- ton, Jr., and Norman Edward. Fraternally Dr. Mc- Gurk is a member of the Knights of Columbus and Young Men's Institute.

WARREN T. McNEIL, M. D .- A highly progres- sive physician and surgeon, who has won for himself a high place among the medical fraternity, not only in San Joaquin County, but in Northern California as well, is Dr. Warren T. McNeil, who was born near Tracy on March 9, 1883. His father, John Alexander McNeil, is a native of Nova Scotia, and his mother, in maidenhood Miss Ellen Lynn, was born at Santa Clara. Warren McNeil attended the grammar school at Tracy, and then went for a year to the San Jose high school, and finally was graduated from the Santa Clara high school, with the class of 1900. He then entered Stanford University in the fall of 1903, and four years later was graduated with the A. B. degree, after which he commenced his studies at the Cooper Medical College, in the fall of 1908, and four years later he received his M. D. degree from that leading institution. He served for a year as interne at the Lane Hospital at San Francisco, and for another year was interne at Mount Zion Hospital, in San Francisco.

In May, 1914, he entered the employ of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company as ship doctor on their trans-Pacific liner Nile, on the twelfth trip across the Pacific; but on arriving in Hong Kong he became ship surgeon on a British transport plying between

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

China and England. He was discharged in England with credit by the British Admiralty in April, 1915, returning home via New York, thereby completing a trip around the world, adding greatly to his practical experience.

In September, 1915, he arrived in Stockton, and with Dr. S. F. Priestley as a partner he practiced medicine until September, 1916, when he entered upon practice for himself. He opened offices in the Com- mercial and Savings Bank Building, and from the beginning did well. He was commissioned first lieu- tenant in the medical corps in April, 1918, and began his active service in August, 1918, and was in training camps Kearny, Shelby and Upton; he served for seven months overseas, sailing in November, 1918, with Evacuation Hospital No. 33, on the steamer Sierra. He returned to the United States on the steamship George Washington in July, 1919, in charge of fifty nurses, who had served in the war; and he was discharged at the Presidio, at San Francisco, on August 17, 1919. On returning to Stockton he re- sumed the practice of medicine, and he is now a member of the medical staff of St. Joseph's Hospital at Stockton, and also of the State and County Medical societies. He belongs to the Anteros Club of Stock- ton, and is president of the Stanford Alumni Asso- ciation of the same city. He is a member of Delta Lodge No. 471, F. & A. M .; Stockton Chapter No. 28, R. A. M., Stockton Council No. 10, R. & S. M., and Golden Poppy Chapter No. 355, O. E. S. He is also a member of the Karl Ross Post, American Legion, No. 16, and of Luneta Post No. 52, Veterans of Foreign Wars; is active in the Y. M. C. A. at Stockton, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Tracy.

EMILE S. SANGUINETTI .- One of the best- known sheep men in San Joaquin County is Emile S. Sanguinetti, a native son of the county, born on June 23, 1888. His parents, James and Mary (Lago- marsino) Sanguinetti, were both natives of the Genoa district of Italy; the father came here in the early days and engaged in raising vegetables, later acquir- ing a ranch of 320 acres at Peters, where he farmed and raised draft horses for many years, and was also interested in viticulture at Lodi, but he is now retired from active ranch life. He and his wife were the parents of eight living children, four sons and four daughters.

Emile S. Sanguinetti attended the Peters, Linden and Farmington schools, but started to work on the ranch at an early age, guiding a plow before he was old enough to harness a horse. He remained on the home place until 1911, when he came to Stockton and entered the employ of the Joe Gianelli Company, driving a delivery wagon. He worked up through the various departments, from salesman to manager of the wholesale department of the company and was one of their most capable men. In July, 1918, while still connected with this firm, in company with his father-in-law, Frank Parker, he bought a band of 800 sheep and in October of that year he resigned his position to give his entire time to sheep raising, in which he has been very successful. His cousin, Louis Sanguinetti, purchased Mr. Parker's interest about this time and the partners now have 1,800 sheep and a rented range of 900 acres near Peters.

Mr. Sanguinetti's marriage united him with Miss Julia Parker, who was born in this county on her

father's ranch near Peters. They have two children, Parker and Euretta. In addition to his interests in sheep raising, Mr. Sanguinetti also has valuable real estate holdings in Stockton. In fraternal life he is a member of the Red Men and Eagles.

OTTO BILLIGMEIER .- Classed with the suc- cessful viticulturists of San Joaquin County, Otto Billigmeier is the owner of a beautiful and productive vineyard property northwest of Victor. He was born in McIntosh County, N. D., on February 28, 1895, a son of Samuel and Katherine (Hinz) Billigmeier, na- tives of southern Russia. His father, Samuel Billig- meier, came to the United States from Russia and settled in North Dakota, where he homesteaded a 160-acre farm and there engaged in farming. In April, 1902, he brought his family to California and first located at Lockeford, where they remained for one year; then he moved to Lodi and bought a twenty- acre ranch near Victor, which he set to vines. Mrs. Billigmeier passed away on January 23, 1923. There were ten children in the family: Christina, now Mrs. Christiansen, of Lodi; Matilda, deceased; Paulina, Mrs. Hepper, of Lodi; Tilly, Mrs. Rathjan, of Lodi; Sarah, Mrs. Dewey, of Stockton; Leah, Mrs. Olson, of Stockton; Esril, who served in the World War, and now resides at Livingston; Otto, the subject of this sketch; Robert, of Lodi; and John, living at home.

When a lad of seven years, Otto Billigmeier ac- companied his parents to Lockeford. He attended the Lockeford, Alpine and Victor district schools, which afforded him a good education, and with the knowledge gained on his father's ranch he was able, at the age of eighteen, to start out for himself. He worked at odd jobs throughout the county for about four years, and then he and his brother Robert bought a twenty-acre vineyard. On November 2, 1917, Mr. Billigmeier entered the service of his country and was sent to Camp Lewis, where he remained for a short time. He was then sent to Camp Mills, N. Y., and was placed in Battery C, 146th Field Artillery, and was sent overseas on December 24, 1917. Land- ing in Liverpool, England, he went to Winchester and Southampton, and then across the Channel to Havre, France. His regiment was sent to Bordeaux, where they trained until July, 1918, then sent to the Alsace front, and afterwards to the St. Mihiel salient. Mr. Billigmeier was in the Champagne-Marne, Aisne- Marne, St. Mihiel, Meuse, and the Argonne, and also at Montigny, near Stenay. After the Armistice was signed, his regiment was in the Army of Occupation, and remained at Grenzenhausen, in Germany, for about six months, and he was military police inter- preter for the regiment. In June, 1919, they set sail for the United States, and Mr. Billigmeier was dis- charged at the Presidio at San Francisco, July 1, 1919, and received the Victory medal with five bars from his Government, and then returned to his home in Victor.

On February 11, 1920, in Lodi, Cal., Mr. Billig- meier was married to Miss Bertha Schmierer, a daughter of John and Katherine (Motz) Schmierer, who brought their family from North Dakota to Lodi, where the father was a vineyardist. Mrs. Billigmeier was born in McIntosh County, N. D., but received her education in the Alpine and Victor schools, where she and Mr. Billigmeier were schoolmates. Their union has been blessed with two children, Marjorie Lois and Stanley Harold. On his return from the

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Otto Billigmeier

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

service, Mr. Billigmeier resumed farming, his brother Robert having cared for their place, and soon after- wards they bought a ten-acre place adjoining, but in 1922 they divided the property and dissolved partner- ship. Otto built a modern bungalow on his ten-acre vineyard, and purchased another ten acres, so he now has twenty acres of vineyard and orchard. Politically, Mr. Billigmeier is a Republican, and fraternally, he is a member of the Improved Order of Red. Men of Lodi and the Lodi Post No. 22, American Legion. Mr. and Mrs. Billigmeier are members of the Evan- gelical Church in Lodi, where Mrs. Billigmeier is the organist and Mr. Billigmeier sings in the choir.

HENRY CHRISTIAN PETERSEN, M. D .- Emi- nent among those who have contributed to make Stockton one of the most desirable and safest places for comfortable living in the state, Henry Christian Petersen enjoys an enviable reputation as a specialist in obstetrics and pediatrics. He was born near Peta- luma, Cal., on August 16, 1875, the son of Henry C. and Mary (Jensen) Petersen, both natives of Schles- wig-Holstein, Germany, both now deceased. The father located in Sonoma County in the late '60s and engaged in farming and dairying until about 1880, when he removed to San Joaquin County, where he located on a farm near Tracy and engaged in grain farming; later he bought a ranch at Bethany. The family consisted of six children, four of whom are now living: William P. resides at Bethany, Cal .; Peter C. resides in Oakland, Cal .; Henry Christian is the subject of this sketch; Charles resides at Hay- wards, Cal .; while Mrs. Walter Jensen and Clara are both deceased.

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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 178

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