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 199

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 199

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).

MARCELLO NEGRETE .- The well-known harnessmaker and automobile top manufacturer, an expert in his line, Marcello Negrete, is a native of Mexico, having been born in Mexico City, Janu- ary 16, 1865, and there received all the schooling he ever had. While still young in years, he was ap- prenticed to learn the harnessmaker's trade and worked at it until he was twenty-three years old, when he went to Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico, and there continued to work at his trade. In 1895 he re- moved to Stockton, and was first employed by C. Rodder, the harness man; later with C. G. Schneider in the same work. Nineteen years ago he estab- lished his own business at 129 South Hunter street, where he remained for ten years and then located at his present place, 112 South Hunter street, where he makes automobile tops and specializes in fine hand-tooled Mexican saddles, an art he ac- quired while residing in Mexico. He makes the steel tools with which he executes the designs of flowers and fruits and these saddles bring a high price. Mr. Negrete engraved a large piece of leather for the Chamber of Commerce for exhibition at Buffalo, N. Y .; this piece was also recently shown at the San Joaquin County fair held in Stockton in 1921, and attracted a great deal of attention, it being a very fine piece of work. He has also engraved a suitcase, which is considered by the salesmen who handle it, as the finest piece of engraving on the market. Mr. Negrete is known throughout the

state as the most expert workman in his line.

The marriage of Mr. Negrete united him with Miss Adella Lizarraga, a native of Sinaloa, and seven children blessed their union: Vincent Negrete is a graduate of the Stockton high school and is with the Joe Gianelli Company; Antoinetta is a graduate of the high school and the Brothers School and is now one of the Dominican Sisters in the San Francisco convent; Ralph is a graduate of the high school and the Brothers School and employed by the Sampson Iron Works; Irma is a graduate of the high school and the Brothers School and is a

ST. JOSEPH'S HOME AND HOSPITAL

1403

HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

clerk with the Merchants' Association Rating Bureau of Stockton; August is clerk in the Stockton Branch of the Bank of Italy; Aurora is employed by the Joe Gianelli Company; and Salvador is a student in Santa Rosa College. Mrs. Negrete passed away February 2, 1919.

JOHN J. PEDRO .- Linked with the develop- ment of the city of Tracy and more particularly the West Side section of San Joaquin County, John J. Pedro is an enterprising rancher owning an ex- tensive alfalfa ranch and Holstein dairy four miles west of Tracy on the Lincoln Highway. He was born on the Isle of Flores, Azores, on June 26, 1890, a son of Joseph and Rosalia (Andrada) Pedro Cameria. An older brother, Anthony, preceded him to California and became active in agricultural pur- suits until his death at Newman, Cal., in 1920.

Leaving his native land when he was fifteen years old, John J. came to America and upon arrival in California was glad to make this his permanent home; accordingly he applied for U. S. citizenship and at Merced, Cal., in 1913 received his final papers in the name of John J. Pedro, as he desired. He began by working for wages near Gustine, Cal., and within two years had saved about $800; later, in partnership with other men, he engaged in various businesses and was unusually successful, and when he decided to locate in San Joaquin County in 1914, a choice piece of land was purchased and in part- nership with a brother this land was developed into one of the finest modern dairies in the district, which was disposed of in 1920 for $60,000. The brothers had acquired a piece of raw land from the Looney Bros. four miles west of Tracy, consisting of 200 acres, and were among the very first farmers to grow alfalfa; modern barns and necessary ap- paratus were constructed. The alfalfa is yielding five crops each season and a herd of choice Hol- stein milch cows is being built up, now numbering 165 head. Fourteen years of hard work and prac- tical experience in connection with farming and dairying enables Mr. Pedro to take advantage of many things which would be overlooked by the average farmer.

Mr. Pedro's marriage in 1909 united him with Miss Julia Catherine Pedroza, a native daughter of California born at Salinas, Monterey County, Cal., in 1890, a daughter of Joseph and Mary Julia (Bettencourt) Pedroza, both natives of the Azores and now residents of San Jose, Cal., engaged in horticulture. Mr. and Mrs. Pedro are the. parents of three children, Alfred, Evelyn and Walter, all pupils in the Lammersville district school. Mr. Pedro is a member of the board of directors of the Tracy Branch of the Bank of Italy. During the World War he organized the work of the war drives and Liberty loans for the West Side terri- tory and solicited the Portuguese settlers with splendid results in each case. Mr. Pedro is a mem- ber of the S. E. S. of Tracy. During 1918, Mr. Pedro made a visit to his homeland and birthplace, spending six months going and coming, bringing back with him his father, mother, two younger brothers and a niece. Mr. Pedro is a big booster for Tracy, and has given of his time and money to aid the cause of irrigation.

ST. JOSEPH'S HOME AND HOSPITAL .- Among the institutions of San Joaquin County de- voted to caring for suffering humanity, St. Joseph's Home and Hospital of Stockton stands pre-eminent. It was founded by the late Rev. Father W. B. O'Con- nor, who had presided over the parish of St. Mary's for forty years, and originally was built for a home for old men. But as the years have come and gone the institution has been enlarged until it embraces many kinds of helpful agencies. The land upon which the buildings stand was donated by Miss Julia Weber, daughter of Captain Weber, the founder of Stockton, and work was begun; however, before the building was completed, at the request of Dr. Gibbons and other physicians of Stockton, a portion of the building was converted into a hospital. This was the first hospital in Stockton and was opened on Christmas Eve of 1900 by the Sisters of St. Dominic. Those in charge of the opening were Sisters Marga- ret, Imelda and Philomena; the last named was the first Sister Superior, while Sister Margaret had charge of the sick.

When the hospital was opened there were twenty- five beds, later a like number were added, then as demands came for more rooms the old men were removed to a temporary building in the rear while a brick structure was being built for them. Later a new addition was added for their use and a new chapel erected. In 1902 the original building was made into a hospital and was in charge of Sister M. Eulalia; the next year she founded the first nurses' training school in Stockton and up to the present time there have been ninety-eight nurses graduated from this school. The school is now in charge of Miss Anna McDonald, who has been con- nected with the hospital since 1902. Sister Superior M. Eulalia, who is now in charge of the institution is a native Californian, born in San Francisco of pio- neer parents, and has had charge of Catholic hospi- tals and been an instructor in schools and convents in Nevada and in California for years and is a woman of much business ability.

The lower floor of the first hospital building is now used for a maternity ward; the upper floor is the home of the nurses and there is also a nursery for children in the same building. In the east wing is a dining room for nurses. The hospital laundry occupies a separate building and is equipped with every modern appliance used in that industry.

In 1916 the new hospital building, containing eighty-five beds, was erected on the north end of the property. This is among the finest and best equipped hospitals of its size in the State. The interior finish is white enamel and every modern convenience has been considered. There are five operating rooms; one being used exclusively for eye, ear, nose and throat operations. There is a complete X-ray labor- atory in charge of Sister Gregory; a room is set apart for preparing dressings and one for sterilizing. There is a long sun-porch on the east side of the building used for the patients in winter months and in summer there is a beautiful lawn with ample shade for their convenience. The number of beds, includ- ing the maternity ward, now has reached 100. The hospital is presided over by six graduate nurses and thirty student nurses. In planning the entire struc- ture with its various additions the Sisters of St. Dominic have overlooked nothing that would add to the comfort of the patients in their care, nor to the

1404

HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

convenience of the physicians caring for their charges. It is hard to estimate the great good ac- complished by an institution of this kind, but that its far-reaching and satisfying results will maintain with coming generations the prestige it now has is assured, for the Sisters have builded for all time and fully realize that the "good we do lives after us."

JOHN WORTHINGTON DORSEY EWING,- Prominent among the distinguished residents of Stockton whose influence for progress is always per- ceptible is the very representative American, John Worthington Dorsey Ewing, who was born in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas, on September 4, 1880, the son of Philip C. S. Barbour Ewing and his good wife, who was Miss Lou Eleanor Dorsey before her marriage, the former, now deceased, a native of Miss- issippi and the latter of Missouri. The elder Ewing was born in the Bayou State and reared by his uncle, Philip Barbour, who owned an old plantation near Louisville, Ky. Upon reaching manhood he returned to the old Ewing plantation in Owen County, Ky., where he raised tobacco, cattle, horses and mules. During the Civil War, on account of his sympathy with the cause of the South, he gave to the Confeder- ate Army all of his livestock. Later he purchased the old Mayo place in Cooper County, Mo., where he con- tinued to raise tobacco and livestock. The old Mayo home was built of black oak slabs in 1831, and still stands on a hill on the old plantation, where Daniel Boone and his companions camped during the Indian Wars. The old gentleman came to California in the seventies, and stocked the Dorsey ranch in Stanislaus County with fine blooded stock, cattle and horses, and he later returned to Missouri, thereafter spending part of his time in California. Here he married a lady of Pike County, Mo., and they had three children: Edwa W. Dorsey, John W. D., and O. Barbour, who became Mrs. Harry Cory Marsh, of San Francisco. Mrs. Ewing and her sister, Miss Anna B. Dorsey, are the only ones left of the old Dorsey family.

John W. D. Ewing attended the public schools of Stockton and in time was graduated from the Stock- ton high school in 1899. Then he clerked in the freight department of the Southern Pacific railroad at Stockton, after which he entered the First National Bank of Stockton, where he was for fifteen years the paying teller. The close confinement beginning to tell on his health, he resigned. Since leaving the bank he has devoted his time to his mining interests in Cala- veras County and his grain ranch, sixteen miles south- east of Stockton, near Atlanta.

Mr. Ewing is very prominent in the Masonic fra- ternity. He is a past master in all bodies of the An- cient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Free Masonry, and belongs to the Ben Ali Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Sacramento. While he has advanced to the 32nd degree in the Scottish Rite, he also has the honorary degree of the K. C. C. H., the vestibule to the 33rd degree. He is past chancellor commander of the Centennial Lodge, Knights of Pythias, and held that office in 1903, the youngest man in the order with that responsibility and honor. This is natural enough, for Mr. Ewing's ancestors for generations were Ma- sons, dating back to 1740, some of them being the first Grand Masters in the state of Maryland.

Mr. Ewing organized the first chapter of the Amer- ican Institute of Banking in Stockton, and served for

two years as its first president. He belongs to the Anteros Club of Stockton.

J. Dorsey Ewing, as he is generally known, is always found in active leadership of all civic move- ments for the public betterment or spiritual uplift. For many years he has been a vestryman of St. John's Episcopal Church, being one of the oldest in length of service in the Vestry.

During long years of service as treasurer of the Y. M. C. A. he saw it grow from quarters in a small rented room to the handsome $100,000 building it now occupies.

He has a fine library, including some tomes printed in 1792 and handed down through generations of his family. As an enthusiastic reader, he is a student of economics, and keenly alive to all important questions of the day. Mr. Ewing, a man of truly sterling char- acter, is a friend, in all that word implies, to every- body.

RAYMOND NARBAITZ .- An enterprising, suc- cessful sheepman, who has been abundantly rewarded for his years of hard work and sacrifices, is Raymond Narbaitz, who was born in the Basses-Pyrenees, at Bigorre, on November 20, 1878, the son of Pierre and Mary Narbaitz, the former an agriculturist known in his country for miles around. The worthy couple had three children, among whom our subject was the eldest, the others being Jean and Grace.

Raymond attended the grammar school at Bigorre, France, but only for the first time when he was eight years of age and then for just a brief period of two short years, for when he was eleven years of age, he commenced to help run the farm. He remained with his father until 1900, when he came out to the United States. He came directly to San Francisco, but he did not remain there long, for he soon found work as a sheepherder, and for a short time was engaged in that employment in Fresno County, continuing there for five years and then he moved to Stockton.

He then commenced to buy, feed and sell sheep, and through sparing no efforts to supply just what his patrons asked for, he built up a reputation that was an asset in itself, and came to be favorably known as one of the best sheepmen of the county. He still engages in running sheep on rented land in Fresno, Merced and San Joaquin counties. He usually keeps from 3000 to 7000 head and has in the main been successful and has become a very pros- perous man; at times he has met with reverses, how- ever, and in 1918, 1000 head died in one day from poison. Mr. Narbaitz is a stanch Republican.

While at San Francisco, in May 1905, Mr. Nar- baitz was married to Mary Ospital, who first saw light in the same mountain district in which he was born, and who braved the dangers and inconven- iences of a trip alone, from France to California, to join him and make him a home. Five children were granted to Mr. and Mrs. Narbaitz, and four are now living. Pierre is the eldest of the quartette; then come John and Pete and Raymond. Lucille died in 1918. Mr. Narbaitz bought a fine residence at 111 North Central Avenue in 1918, which has more than doubled in value since he first acquired it; and there he and his family have since made their home. With Joe Oyarbide, Mr. Narbaitz owns the Royal Hotel on Hunter and Sonora streets as well as other valuable property.

--- -- I 1

R. Narlaity

---

Jeanne Marie Narbaitz

---

1409

HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

GEORGE LOUIS FRERICHS .- Fine and de- serving traits of character have contributed to the success of George Louis Frerichs, who came to San Joaquin County when two years old, and his well directed energy has accumulated a competence and at the same time he has been most active in upbuild- ing the locality he selected for his home. He was born in San Francisco March 7, 1867, and in 1869 was brought by his parents to San Joaquin County; there being no railroad, travel was made by steamboat to Mohr's Landing, and from there by wagon about twelve miles to a small house located on the north- east quarter of section thirty-two. When he was seven years of age he started to the district school, and continued until he had passed the eighth grade. Although reared on a farm he did not take to farm work, but had a desire for anything mechanical. Leaving the farm he took up the harnessmaker's trade and followed it for a number of years.

During the year of 1900, Mr. Frerichs was united in marriage with Miss Emma J. Goetjen, also a native of San Francisco, who had resided in San Joaquin County since her tenth year. Returning to Tracy, Mr. Frerichs opened up a small shop on Central Avenue, having only a few tools and a limited capital, which he had saved from his earnings. During the six years that he was in business for himself, there were three children born to them: the eldest died at the age of five months; B. Adella is the wife of R. A. Miller and they have two children, Billie and Jane; Edith L. is assistant city clerk of Tracy.

Crop failures and losses due to outstanding accounts compelled Mr. Frerichs to discontinue business and accept a position with a San Francisco concern. After a short stay in the city, not enjoying good health, the family longed to return to their former home. While on a much needed vacation, C. A. Slack, knowing that Mr. Frerichs was handy with a paint brush, solicited him to return to Tracy and work on the buildings he was at that time erecting, and very soon the family returned to Tracy. For several years Mr. Frerichs engaged in interior and exterior decorating, and built up a nice trade. He was then solicited by the people to accept the position of postmaster under President Taft's administration, which he did for one term. The following term there was a change in the administra- tion and as Mr. Frerichs was a Republican in principles, the position of postmaster was filled by a Democrat. About this time the office of city clerk was about to be vacated and upon receiving the unan- imous vote of the members of the city board of trus- tees, he was elected to fill the unexpired term of one and one-half years, after which he was elected by the vote of the people. Mr. Frerichs has been elected three consecutive times, winning each time by a fine majority and is now entering upon his eighth year of service. Previous to the last election held in April, 1920, the laws were amended, making the term of the office of city clerk four years. During his career as city clerk, he has held other positions of trust in con- nection therewith, and at present is city recorder and has handled some very difficult cases against law violators. Besides being active in public affairs, he is much interested in fraternal organizations, being a member of the Masons, a past officer in the local Odd Fellows Lodge, Knights of Pythias and Native Sons, having served in nearly every office in these orders except the Masons.

ELI STEWART FERGUSON .- A successful vineyardist, whose methods and accomplishments have been a source of real inspiration to others, is Eli Stewart Ferguson, a native of Blairsville, Pa., where he was born on May 2, 1853, one of an old established family of the Keystone State. His grand- father Atkinson was a native of England, and his grandmother, also on his mother's side, was of Irish descent. On his father's side, the family was Scotch- Welsh. His father married Miss Matilde Atkinson.

Our subject had to rough it in order to get an education, and in winter he walked two miles through the snow to get to the Pennsylvania school. Then there were only three months of public schooling a year, and if any one attended for a longer period, he had to pay private tuition, and being the eldest boy of the family of eight children, Eli could not afford to do so. His father was a blacksmith by trade, and boys were handy.

When thirteen he started out for himself by work- ing on a farm at twenty cents a day and his board; but when eighteen, he took an engineering job with the Isabelle Furnace Company, and worked at that for a year. He then came out to Iowa and worked for W. J. Young, at Clinton, in the sawmill. After that he went to Kansas and worked for six years in Atchison in a furniture store belonging to the mayor of the city; and through him he was put on the police force of Atchison, and served there in that capacity for four years.

In 1875, he came to California, and arrived here on the first day of December; having previously, how- ever, spent a year in the Northwest, chiefly at Seattle and Portland. He then came to San Francisco, and from the ocean inland to Stockton, paying only one dollar for his fare on the boat. He worked for Craven & Myrtle, the contractors, who laid the sewer pipe of Stockton, and in 1891 he came over to Acampo, and here worked for P. B. Armstrong for three years and six months, and then worked for John Cory for two years. He next started on a contract basis. He chopped wood for B. F. Langford for $1.50 a day, and boarded himself; and with W. E. Wilder he fixed up a contract to graft 300 acres for Langford at the low price of eight cents a tree.

Mr. Ferguson then formed a partnership in the nursery business with Wirt E. Wilder, now deceased; and this partnership lasted for twenty-one years. In the beginning they had a ten-acre tract, and needing more ground, they bought forty acres from J. C. Thompson, and in three years they had made enough profit to pay for the land. On Mr. Ferguson's pres- ent ranch there are almonds, grapes and plums.

On Thanksgiving Day, in 1908, Mr. Ferguson was married to Mrs. Mima (Lewis) Jones, the daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Lewis, the ceremony taking place at the Cory ranch; the father of the bride was a native of Wales and also a farmer, who had married in his native land. He then come out to America and settled in Jackson County, Ohio. There Mrs. Fergu- son was born, the youngest of seven children, and there she attended the local schools. In Jackson County, too, she first married Mr. E. Jones, who was the youngest and only brother of Lord James, the ship-owner of England. Evan Jones' name was also Evan James in Wales; but his name was changed to Jones upon coming to America. Their native home was at Merthyr-Tydfil, Wales. In 1883 Mr. and Mrs.

1410

HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

Jones came out to Portland, and about seven years later moved to California. They had one daughter, Ida, now Mrs. Giles of Coalinga; and she has two children by her first husband whose name was Jack Hurd, of Hurd Brothers in Stockton: Hazel and Nel- lie Hurd. In November, 1910, Hazel married Earl Brinson, and they live at Lodi. He is a blacksmith, and they have one daughter, Bessie Inez. Mrs. Fer- guson, therefore, has seen the third generation through her former marriage. Mr. Ferguson is a Republican.

FRANK GALLEGO .- Another strong advocate of irrigation whose success in ranching has given force to his arguments as to one of the most vital of all needs in parts of California, is Frank Gallego, the popular and wide-awake merchant of Banta. A native son, he was born at Pleasanton, in Alameda County, on September 24, 1862, the youngest son of Anselmo Gallego, a native of the City of Mexico, who came to California in the great Argonaut year of 1849. He settled in Pleasanton Valley and became prominent as a stockman, trying his luck in the mines of that period. His paternal ancestors were subjects of the Crown of Spain, and he inherited much that anyone might envy. The father married Juanita Carrasco, a native also of the City of Mexico, and a charming and accomplished lady. These worthy parents made a splendid record. Both are now deceased, having passed away at Banta in 1887.

And there Frank Gallego grew to maturity, and became a rider on the range of his father; and when his parents died, he continued near Banta until 1897, farming to grain and stock. Mr. Gallego was married to Miss Bernal, a daughter of Antonio Bernal, and a descendant of Don Bruno Bernal of San Jose de Guadalupe, and owner of the Rancho Santa Teresa; and two children were born to them: Juanita has be- come the wife of Paul de Ranga, and they have one daughter, and reside at Stockton; and there also Antonio resides. Mrs. Gallego died at San Jose in 1893, and Mr. Gallego's second marriage united him with Miss Refugia Ortega, a sister of Mrs. John A. Fellom, Sr., of Gilroy. She was born at San Ysidro, received a good education at St. Mary's Convent, Gilroy, and was married in 1895. Now she is the mother of one son, Anselmo R., who is employed by the Southern Pacific Railway at Tracy, and resides at Banta. Mr. Gallego is a Republican. He a member of the I. D. E. S. at Stockton.

In 1897 Mr. Gallego removed to Banta, and there he now conducts a soft-drink parlor, and also owns and manages much good realty, including his resi- dence. He has 120 acres adjoining Banta on the south, and there he has installed a complete irrigation plant, greatly improving the property, which he oper- ates himself as a grain and alfalfa farm.

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 199

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