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 208

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 208

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FRANK ESHBACH .- Among the efficient mem- bers of the Stockton police department is Frank Eshbach, sergeant of the identification department of the police force, his duties including the taking of finger prints and photographs. He is a native son of Stockton, born January 10, 1866, a son of Henry and Madaline (Robert) Eshbach. Henry Eshbach was born in Switzerland, and came to the United States and settled in a French colony near New Orleans in the '40s and in the early '50s came to Cal- ifornia; the mother was born in Alsace-Lorraine, near Strasbourg. Two children were born to this pioneer couple: Frank and Henry. Henry Eshbach, the father of our subject, followed the carpenter's trade in Stockton and later ran a dairy. He owned a tract of land northwest of Stockton, which later became known as the Meyers tract. Frank Eshbach attended the Stockton grammar and high schools and subsequently took a commercial course. At twelve years of age he took his first job in a cigar store, working at odd hours and during summer

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vacation; then he worked in the jewelry store of Charles Haas and thoroughly learned the jewelry business. He removed to Portland, Ore., where he worked at his trade for four years, then on ac- count of failing health he returned to Stockton, where he established the plating works, now known as the California Plating Works; he sold this busi- ness to Levy Bros. in 1908. Twelve years ago he became identified with the Stockton police depart- ment, where he has shown his capabilities to a marked degree.

The marriage of Mr. Eshbach occurred in San Francisco, June 2, 1897, which united him with Miss Lucy E. Benjamin, a native of Stockton and a daughter of C. D. Benjamin. Mrs. Eshbach received her education in the Stockton grammar school and the Dolores Convent in San Francisco. Two chil- dren have blessed this union, Katheryn V. and Francis H. Mr. Eshbach is a veteran of the National Guard and held the commission of lieutenant in the Signal Corps of the National Guard; he was cap- tain of the Washington National Guards, and also captain and aide-de-camp on Brigadier-General Lehe's staff, and was also rifle inspector in the same command. After the close of the Spanish-American War he was deputy county recorder of San Joaquin County. He is a Democrat in politics and frater- nally is a member of Parlor. No. 7, N. S. G. W., of Stockton, and Mrs. Eshbach is the president of the Ladies' Catholic Aid Society.

STEPHEN D. HILDEBRAND .- The name of Stephen D. Hildebrand is closely connected with the history of pioneer days in California, for he was but a lad of nine years when his parents came to the West. He was born in Indiana, on March 10, 1844, a son of Abraham W. and Matilda (Heck) Hildebrand, both of Holland ancestry, who settled in Pennsylanvia. Later the parents removed to Indiana, and were early settlers in that state; in 1848 they removed to Iowa, and remained there until 1853, when the family crossed the plains to California, taking seven months to complete the journey from Muscatine. They came via the Salt Lake route and Strawberry Valley into California. The father, Abraham W. Hildebrand, engaged in mining in the placer mines at Shaws Flat; but not meeting with much success, he removed to Santa Clara County, located near Gilroy, and engaged in stockraising and grain farming there.

The education of Stephen D. Hildebrand was ob- tained in the school in Gilroy. When he was twenty years old he went to work in a dairy and later he conducted a dairy of his own near Gilroy. During 1874, he left for Calaveras County, where he pur- chased a sixty-five-acre grain and fruit ranch near Milton; his residence on this ranch covered a period of forty years. In 1913 he disposed of his holdings at Milton and removed to his present home three miles northeast of Lodi. His place consists of twenty acres, twelve acres in vineyard, five acres in orchard and the balance in alfalfa. His property is improved and is irrigated by a four-inch centrifugal pump propelled by a ten-horsepower engine.

In Stockton, California, on February 22, 1870, occurred the marriage of Mr. Hildebrand and Miss Ella Powers, a daughter of Richard Powers. Her parents came to California across the plains to Salt Spring Valley, Calaveras County, in 1854. Mrs. Hil- debrand received her education in Tuolumne City.

When she was five years old, her mother passed away in Salt Springs Valley. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Hildebrand. Irene, the widow of William H. Dickhaut, is teaching school in Butte County; Desse is Mrs. Thomas Gill, and resides at Stockton; Stephen R. is interested with his father in the ranch, and assists in operating the place. Mrs. Hildebrand passed away on January 22, 1912. While residing in Milton, Mr. Hildebrand was road master for four years. Fraternally he is a past master of Keystone Lodge No. 161, F. & A. M., at Milton, being master of the lodge for four years.

MRS. AMELIA E. HOLLENBECK .- Since 1870 Mrs. Amelia E. Hollenbeck has resided on her fine ranch home of 236 acres, near Stockton, on the So- nora Road, and in all respects is a representative citizen of California. She has manifested unusual skill and executive ability in the management of her business interests since her husband's death, and one would be safe in saying that she has not had a superior as a rancher among the women of the state. Her land is kept under the highest state of cultiva- tion, and for many years she gave her personal atten- tion to most of the details of her property interests, but now is content to transfer the responsibility to her son William. She was born in Livingston County, N. Y., March 8, 1840, a daughter of Ambrose D. and Rebecca L. (Everett) Taggart, her father a native of Pennsylvania and her mother of New Jersey. Her grandfather, William Taggart, was a Revolutionary soldier, and the Taggart family is said to be of Scotch-Irish lineage. Amelia was reared in Livings- ton County at the village of Danville, and through a portion of her youth lived in other sections of New York state until she was twelve years old. She then accompanied her parents to Three Rivers, Mich., where she grew to womanhood and there she became the wife of Josiah M. Griffin in 1862. By this marriage she had a daughter, Lenore B., who is now deceased. Her first husband volunteered his services to the Union during the rebellion and lost his life during the Civil War.

In 1864 Mrs. Griffin accompanied her parents and other members of the family on their migration to California, the trip being made by the Panama route. From San Francisco they came to Alameda County, and thence after a short residence they moved to San Joaquin County in 1868, where her parents took up their abode near Stockton and lived there through- out the remainder of their lives. In 1869 she was united in marriage with John Hollenbeck, who was born in New York State, December 12, 1834. After their marriage they located on the ranch where Mrs. Hollenbeck still makes her home, and he was en- gaged in agricultural pursuits until his death, which occurred in 1874. They were the parents of four sons: William married Miss Amanda Jarvis of Stockton and they have four children-Everett, Claude, Robert and Elva; Walter F. is a rancher residing near Waterloo; Howard P. farms near Col- legeville; and John A. is also a rancher. Six years ago Mrs. Hollenbeck divided the fine old homestead equally among her sons; however, she retains a life interest and continues to make her home on the ranch, where she has continuously resided for over a half century. She has been a stanch member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Stockton through- out her residence in the county. Mrs. Hollenbeck has

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pioneered in San Joaquin County, and the comforts of life she now enjoys have been well earned, and she is held in high esteem by old and young alike.

WILLIAM FRANK HOLBROOK .- Foreman of construction of roads and bridges in San Joaquin County, William Frank Holbrook was born at Bris- tol Station, Kane County, Ill., December 23, 1874, a son of I. W. and Sarah (Huffman) Holbrook. His father was a farmer and a cooper by trade and in 1889 came to California, first settling in Stockton, then later he removed to Hayward, where he passed away at the age of seventy-two. He served in a company of cavalry during the Civil War. The mother of our subject lives in Campbell, Cal., aged seventy-four years. William F. Holbrook had little opportunity for an education, having to make his own living at twelve years of age, working at odd jobs on ranches in the neighborhood of his home.

On November 9, 1894, in Oregon, Mr. Holbrook was married to Miss Ella Thompson, a native of Indiana, a daughter of David and Mary (Smith) Thompson. In 1904 he came to Stockton to reside and found employment at the Stockton Iron Works, where he remained for three years. In 1907 he removed to Oakland, where he learned the carpenter trade and remained there for three years, when he returned to Stockton. At the time the county highway commission was first formed he became foreman of bridge construction, then he spent one year as fore- man of construction for the State Highway Commis- sion and since that time has been employed by the county in road construction. Mr. Holbrook has owned a number of ranches throughout the county, which he later disposed of to good advantage. At one time he owned a twenty-acre tract of the Joshua Cowell estate at Manteca. Two years ago he moved into his commodious new home located at 414 West Acacia Street, where he and his wife and adopted daughter, Mildred Thompson, reside. In politics he is a Republican.

MRS. J. BELLE (HOLMAN) HOBRON .- A na- tive daughter of California and a woman well known in educational circles, is Mrs. J. Belle Hobron, prin- cipal of the Greenwood school on the Waterloo Road. She was born in Wallace, Calaveras County, the daughter of William E. and Anna E. (Miller) Hol- man, both natives of the Golden State. Her grand- father, Ira Holman, was a California pioneer and for many years he farmed land he had purchased from the Government. The ranches owned by Ira and William Holman adjoined and are located partly in San Joaquin County. Ira Holman lived to reach the age of ninety-one years.

William E. Holman was born on the ranch owned by his father and on that same ranch all of his children first saw the light of day. They are: J. Belle, Mrs. Hobron; Dora became the wife of H. P. Sullivan and lives in Sacramento; Bertha E. mar- ried Charles Murdock and resides in Stockton; Fran- ces E. is Mrs. Fred Levy of Stockton; Clarence A. is also a resident of the slough city; Jesse L. re- sides at Marysville; Frank E. lives at Wallace; Mabel E. married Joseph Chirhart and lives in Lodi; Luther W. makes his home in San Francisco; and Velma A. also resides there.

J. Belle Holman attended the Wallace grammar school and the Ione high school, then took a course

at Chestnutwood Business College in Santa Cruz, after which she engaged in teaching in San Joaquin and Calaveras counties. She was married at Stockton, on January 20, 1901, to George C. Hobron, born in Coulterville, Cal., a son of Cornelius and Emily Ho- bron; the former owned and operated a lumber mill at Coulterville in partnership with a brother. In early life he had been a seafaring man. When George C. was a lad of four, his parents moved to San Francisco, and two years later settled at Santa Cruz, where the father lived a retired life and where later George C. conducted a stationery store. In 1910 Mr. and Mrs. Hobron removed to Wallace, Calaveras County, and Mr. Hobron farmed for a year and Mrs. Hobron taught school; next they moved to Murphys and Mr. Hobron took up assaying, and the next year they returned to Wallace and he was engaged in mining, continuing until he became an employee of the Southern Pacific Railroad as station agent at Turlock; one year later he was transferred to Wallace in the same capacity. In the meantime Mrs. Hobron engaged in teaching at Wallace.

Resigning her position at Wallace, Mrs. Hobron again taught school in San Joaquin County during the war. After the war Mr. Hobron was again em- ployed at mining with the American Gold Dredging Company at Wallace and his wife took up educational work in the Wallace schools. In 1921 Mr. Hobron accepted a position as shipping clerk with the Cali- fornia Packing Corporation at Stockton and upon their removal to Stockton Mrs. Hobron became prin- cipal of the Greenwood school. She is a charter member of Geneva Parlor, N. D. G. W., at Comanche, Cal., and when she went to Santa Cruz she joined the Santa Cruz parlor and in time served as district deputy grand president of Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito counties. She was a member of the board of education in Calaveras County for two terms. Mr. Hobron is a member of the B. P. O. Elks, No. 826, of Santa Cruz, and both are stanch Republicans in politics.

MRS. HATTIE E. HUNTLEY .- Among the pio- neer women of San Joaquin County, is Mrs. Hattie E. Huntley, who resides in the Lone Tree district about four miles northeast of Escalon, where she owns an excellent ranch of 120 acres, all under culti- vation. She is a good business manager, and since the death of her husband she has most creditably borne the obligations and duties laid upon her. She was born in Iowa, July 6, 1856, a daughter of Calvin S. Thornton, and she was a small girl of five years when her family left Iowa for California. The night before the emigrant train was to leave, the rebel soldiers stole all the horses belonging to the party, which delayed them for two weeks. Calvin S. Thornton and his family reached California in the fall of 1862 and located near Linden, where he farmed for two years to grain and stock; in 1864 he removed to a ranch on the Sonora Road in the Lone Tree school district, where Mrs. Huntley now makes her home. Here Mr. Thornton took up Government land when there were only three families in the district and Mrs. Thornton taught the first school, having twelve pupils. Calvin S. Thornton proved up on eighty acres, which he farmed to grain. Three sons and two daughters were born to this worthy pioneer couple: Oscar, a Civil War veteran, came around the Horn to California in 1867 and now resides in San

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Francisco; Julius E. is deceased; J. Milan re- sides in Escalon; Mrs. Ada Hall resides at Salida; and Hattie E. Huntley is the subject of this sketch. For many years Mr. Thornton was a trustee of the Lone Tree school district and was otherwise con- nected with the growth and development of his locality; he passed away at the home place, February 2, 1894, Mrs. Thornton surviving him until Septem- ber 28, 1904.

On April 5, 1877, Miss Hattie E. Thornton was married to Edwin Everett Huntley, a native of Ione, Cal., born May 14, 1854, the eldest son of Lyman and Matilda (Brown) Huntley. Lyman Huntley crossed the plains with ox teams in 1850 and located in El Dorado County, where he engaged in mining. After their marriage, the young people located on a farm near what is now known as Riverbank, where Mr. Huntley continued his farming pursuits. Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Huntley: Dora is the wife of Fay Thornton, and they have two daughters and reside at Escalon; Idelete, Mrs. James Beasley, resides in Modesto and has six children; Lyman L. is married and has five children, and is a rancher residing in the Lone Tree school district; Effie, Mrs. Charles Miller, passed away February 13, 1914, leaving one son, Roy; Hattie E., Mrs. Garvey Donahue, has one daughter and resides at Arvin, Cal .; Estella, Mrs. George Hill, has two sons and they re- side at Knights Ferry; John Huntley is an adopted son and is now the manager of the home place. Mr. Hunt- ley passed away on March 26, 1921. Following her husband's death, Mrs. Huntley took up her abode on the old Thornton home place and is active in its management. This ranch consists of 120 acres, ten acres of which is in vineyard and the balance is devoted to raising alfalfa and corn, and to a fine dairy maintained on the ranch. Mrs. Huntley is an active member of the United Brethren Church at Riverbank.

DELLIVAN CAMERON INGRAM .- Since 1899 Dellivan Cameron Ingram has made his home in Cal- ifornia. Fourteen years ago he located in San Joa- quin County, and most of his time since then has been given to agricultural pursuits. He was born in Saun- ders County, Nebr., April 24, 1876, a son of Daniel Cameron and Mary (Hurtt) Ingram. Daniel C. In- gram was a farmer in Nebraska, where he owned a quarter-section of land. He was twice married, and Dellivan Ingram is one of six children of the first marriage: John L., Ada, Anna, William, Dellivan Cameron, and Mary (deceased). Subsequent to his wife's death, Daniel C. Ingram married again, and by his second wife he had eight children, namely: Ben- jamin was deputy constable at Tracy and was killed while discharging his duties, Winfield, Daniel Mar- garet, Rhoda, Georgia, James, and Hattie Pearl. The father lived to be seventy-six years old and the moth- er died at the age of seventy-four.

Dellivan C. Ingram received a public school educa- tion in his native state, and at an early age began to make his own way in the world, working on various farms. In 1899 he came with his parents to Fresno County, Cal., where for nine years he found work in the logging camps. In 1908 he located in San Joa- quin County, and became foreman for Robert Boyce on his ranch northwest of Woodbridge, remaining nine years. Then for three years he was foreman for C. A. Belli on his large ranch near Woodbridge. He

then took up his duties as superintendent of the J. V. Bare ranches, 320 acres in one and 130 acres in the other, all in fruit, vineyard, alfalfa and grain. Here he has under his supervision from eight to fifty men, according to the season.

On March 12, 1904, at Stockton, Mr. Ingram was married to Miss Mamie Rodger, a native of Stockton, Cal., daughter of Manuel Garcia and Angelica Rodger, both natives of the Azores Islands. Mrs. Ingram received her education in the schools of Stockton. Mr. and Mrs. Ingram are the parents of two children: Roger and Edmond. In 1920 Mr. Ingram purchased a ten-acre ranch devoted to orchard and alfalfa. It is located two miles west of Woodbridge on the Thornton Road, and is irrigated from the Stockton- Mokelumne ditch. Fraternally, Mr. Ingram is a mem- ber of the Knights of Pythias of Woodbridge, and has passed through all the chairs of that order.

JAMES R. JOHNSON .- A young contracting en- gineer of outstanding capabilities is James R. John- son, whose specialty is the installation of large pump- ing and irrigation systems throughout San Joaquin County. He installed the irrigation systems on the Anderson-Barngrover and the Grimsley ranches, both located in the Linden district of the county; he has also had contracts for building bridges throughout the county. In the spring of 1922 he installed a system of irrigation on 2,000 acres devoted to orchard. He was born in San Jose, Cal., in May, 1886, a son of James and Frances (Severance) Johnson. The father was a native of Bangor, Maine, and migrated to California via the Panama route in 1854. The mother was born in New York State and she came via Panama in 1852. The family settled in San Jose, where her father was a photographer; and he also owned a fifty-acre prune and apricot orchard at Ber- ryessa. He died at the age of sixty-eight years; the mother still lives at San Jose and is eighty years old. Two sons were born to this couple, James R., our subject, and Frank S.

James R. Johnson began his education in the Pala district school of Santa Clara County, then entered the San Jose high school, and in 1909 was graduated from the Stanford University in electrical engineer- ing. Following his graduation he went to Schenec- tady, N. Y., and for two years was identified with the engineering department of the General Electric Com- pany; then he returned to San Jose and purchased a ranch on Penetencia Creek Road and Capitol Ave- nue in the Berryessa district of the county. This was the old Start place on which there was a run- down orchard, which, within two years, he developed into a first class producing orchard and then sold it to good advantage. In 1914 he removed to Stockton and engaged in general engineering work.

On June 15, 1911, in San Jose, Mr. Johnson was married to Miss Florence Fickett Grant, born in San Jose, a daughter of J. T. and Hattie (Fickett) Grant, the former a native of Kansas, who came to California in an early day, and the latter a native of Stockton, Cal. J. T. Grant first farmed on Woodward Island, then removed to Santa Clara County, and was the man that set out the famous Flickinger orchard at Berryessa; later he returned to Stockton, where he now resides. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Johnson: Grant, Barbara and James R., Jr. Mr. Johnson owns a forty-two-acre ranch at Linden. set to peaches and walnuts, on which there is a seven-

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inch pump with a thirty-five-horsepower electric motor. In politics he is a Republican and fraternally he. is a Royal Arch Mason, and with his wife is a member of the Eastern Star of Stockton. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are members of the First Congrega- tional Church of Stockton.

WILLIAM E. IVEY .- An old-time resident of San Joaquin County is William E. Ivey, who has for many years held a foremost position among his fellow-citizens. He came alone to Cali- fornia in 1890, an orphan boy, without friends or rela- tives in the Golden State, but his firm determination to make good has been the leading thought in his mind and no obstacle or discouragement has been too great for him to overcome, until he now occupies a position of prominence and reliability in his locality. He was born near Perryville, Ark., January 18, 1871, a son of M. L. Ivey, a native of Mississippi. He was left an orphan at eight years of age, and remained in Arkansas until he was nineteen years old, working at anything he could find to do for a livelihood, then decided to come to California, arriving in Galt on January 26, 1890. He soon found work on a ranch and had worked about one year when he was severely injured by a horse kicking him, from the effects of which he was in a hospital for two years. He then entered the employ of J. M. Short where he became foreman of the ranch of 1,000 acres, a stock and grain ranch, where he remained for ten years. Mr. Short also had a summer range for his stock in Alpine County and Mr. Ivey spent a portion of his time on this ranch riding the range.

On August 25, 1902, at Stockton, Mr. Ivey was united in marriage with Miss Esther Jatunn, a native of Fresno County, and seven children have blessed their union: Naomi, Mrs. B. Kern, resides at Ripon and has one daughter; Evelyn; Lucile; Ernest; El- wood; Mabel and Jeanette. When Mr. Ivey first came to San Joaquin County he had charge of the Fred Rule ranch, but in 1902 he entered the employ of Yaple & Company, conducting the cream station and barley crushing mill for sixteen years. During this time Mr. Ivey acquired a small ranch near Ripon which has since been subdivided and sold for town lots. In 1920 he deeded a sixty-foot strip to the county through his property to be used as a street. For the past four years he has devoted his time to the development of the Moulton estate to orchard. His fraternal relations are with the Mt. Horeb Lodge, I. O. O. F., at Ripon, and the Modern Woodmen of America.

HUGH L. JONES .- An important industry in San Joaquin County is that of seed growing, and among those extensively engaged in this interesting and lucrative work is Hugh L. Jones, the owner of extensive ranch holdings. His business career has been characterized by perseverance and industry, and his well-directed labors are responsible for his continued success. He was born in San Francisco, Cal., June 7, 1884, his parents being Hugh and Julia (O'Leary) Jones, natives of Wales and .Maine re- spectively. The father of our subject came to the United States when he was twenty-two years old, coming directly to Nevada, where he engaged in min- ing. There are only two children in the family, Mary Ellen and Hugh L., our subject. The father passed away on December 14, 1917, at the age of sixty years, while the mother is still living. Hugh L. Jones re-

ceived his education in St. Joseph's Academy at San Jose, and Santa Clara College. In 1912 he came to Stockton and decided to go into the seed growing business and leased twenty acres of land in the Hol- land tract; then as his business grew he leased more land, until in 1918 he was cultivating 680 acres in var- ious places. He leased a ranch at Coyote, Santa Clara County, and has three different ranches in San Joa- quin County, one in the Fabian tract, another in the Mandaville tract, and the other in the Holland tract. In 1919 he purchased 180 acres on Hammer Lane and also leases 510 acres in the Delta district, all of which is devoted to seed growing. His 180-acre ranch is the headquarters ranch, where he has built a house for his foreman; he has also erected a ware- house and a cleaning plant for seeds. In 1921, 50,000 pounds of onion seeds were grown for the Govern- ment to be distributed by the bureau of free seed dis- tribution. Mr. Jones raises and ships, on an average, six carloads of vegetable seeds each year, which he sells at wholesale. In politics Mr. Jones is a Repub- lican, and fraternally he belongs to the Knights of Columbus and is a member of the Catholic Church. He resides at 229 East Oak Street, Stockton.

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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 208

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