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 213

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 213

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FRANK TUCKER .- A progressive enterprise, which has given the city increased commercial stand- ing, is the building business of Frank Tucker, who was born in Stockton, San Joaquin County, Cal., on August 8, 1871. His father, Thomas J. Tucker, a native of Maine, came to California via Panama dur- ing 1851, locating in Tuolumne County, where he engaged in mining at Shaw's Flat; three years later he located in Stockton and established the first brick yard and made the first bricks ever made in Stockton; his yard was on the present site of the shipyards of the California Navigation & Improvement Company on the north side of the Stockton Channel. Clay for the making of brick was taken from the water front; in 1864 he moved his plant to near what was known as Goodwater Grove, now Oak Park, and continued there until 1882, when he retired from brick-making to engage in teaming. He furnished the brick for the first court house erected in 1854 and for many of the old buildings erected in early days, many of which are still standing, among them being the old Holden building, Odd Fellows block, U. S. Hotel and Russ House. He married Miss Ellen Chatham, a native of Lancashire, England, and they were the parents of three children, all living: John E., Frank, our sub- ject, and Mrs. W. H. F. Schmacher of Anaheim, Cal. Both parents died in Stockton.

Frank received his education at St. Mary's College, Stockton, and learned the trade of brickmason with Confer Bros., working with them for five years, when he started for himself as a contractor and builder, and many fine residences and buildings attest his ability, among them the Wolf block, the Simon block, the Barnhart residence, and many others in Stockton, as well as a number of fine brick residences in the coun- try. For five years he covered a territory including Fresno, Tracy, Merced, and as far north as Seattle, where he erected a number of brick blocks, his opera- tions covering a period from 1893 to the present time. Other constructive work was the building of many residences in Stockton, for the purpose of disposing of them, thus building up a portion of Stockton with first-class houses. He is interested with other capi- talists in a gold mine in Tuolumne County.

Mr. Tucker's marriage united him with Miss Mamie Fillippi, a native of Stockton and a member of a pio-

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neer family. Fraternally he is a member of the Stock- ton Lodge No. 218, B. P. O. Elks, San Joaquin Lodge No. 19, F. & A. M., Truth Lodge No. 55, I. O. O. F., and the Sciots.

WALTER W. TURNER .- In this age and genera- tion, when so many motorists have lost confidence in garage service, and when this disappointment leads back, in so many cases, to experience with shops, the operators of which are willing to turn out almost any service, if only they can start the traveler off on his journey and get him away from their premises, it is refreshing to stop at the Turner & Lease Garage, at 122 North School Street, Lodi, whose proprietors, Walter W. Turner and Russell Lease, are known far and wide as experts of such high standards and con- scientiousness that when they once finish repairs upon an automobile, the owner may well believe he has received dependable work. W. W. Turner was born on the Turner ranch, near New Hope, now Thornton, in San Joaquin County, on April 26, 1876, the son of S. Odillon and Sarah Jane (Tock) Turner, the former a native of Louisiana and the latter of Maine; and in him, therefore, are blended the best strains of North- ern and Southern blood. Frank Turner, the grand- father, brought his family to California by way of Cape Horn, traveling in a sailing vessel in the late 50's and he followed farming near Lodi. Our subject's father became a large grain farmer in early days in the Delta district. The Turner ranch is now the Spenker ranch. Several children were born to this worthy couple. Walter W., Jr., lives at Lodi; Delbert resides at Lodi; Lola has become Mrs. Schmidt of Berkeley; and Anna is Mrs. Bechthold of Wood- bridge.

Walter attended the district school at Woodbridge, as well as Woodbridge College, and he learned the trade of mechanic with R. A. Jackson, while using a steam engine and working in the Delta district, re- claiming land. Then he farmed grain for three years on Staten Island, and for two years he was superin- tendent of the B. A. Towne vineyard. For the past twenty years, however, he has been engaged in the garage business, conducting an · automobile repair shop; and having come to enjoy the reputation of being one of the very best auto repair mechanics in all San Joaquin County, he has never wanted for pat- ronage, and in fact has been offered work in such increasing proportion as to make it a problem, at times, how to handle it and yet to turn it out in the shape in which it ought always to be done. On Sep- tember 1, 1921, he took over the Tourist Garage at 122 North School Street, Lodi, an event for the local- ity, having as a partner Russell Lease, and they changed the name to Turner & Lease Garage, and ever since he has tried to outdistance himself and eclipse his earlier reputation for first-class work. Mr. Turner was an expert bicycle rider, and took part in the bicycle relay race from San Francisco to New York, inaugurated by the Stearns Bicycle Company and the Cleveland Company. Mr. Turner rode for fifteen miles through the Lodi district as the repre- sentative of the Stearns Company, and the race was won by this company.

At Stockton, October 22, 1902, Mr. Turner was married to Miss Myrtle Bandy, a native of Napa, and they have two children, twins, Burton B. and Bernice, eighteen years old. He belongs to Lodge No. 218,

of the Stockton Elks, and to Lodge No. 848 of the Lodi Eagles, and Lodi Parlor, N. S. G. W., and he enjoys an enviable popularity in their circles.

JOHN A. MUZIO .- The enterprising proprietor of the Muzio orchard and market gardens, located five miles east of Stockton, is John A. Muzio, whose birth occurred at Stockton, Cal., August 4, 1896, the eldest son of Felix and Maria (Pinasco) Muzio, both natives of Genoa, Italy. Felix Muzio was reared on a little Italian farm, the home of his parents, and remained at home until 1894, when he came to Cali- fornia; later his wife and their daughter, Jenny, came to Stockton. Felix Muzio was a hard worker and had succeeded in establishing a home on ten acres of land east of Stockton, but was not permitted to enjoy it long, for he passed away on December 30, 1901, survived by his widow and five children: Adelle is the wife of Stephen Pinasco; John A., our subject; Eugene is a rancher; Ernest R. is a bookkeeper; and Jenny, who died at the age of nine years. After her husband's death, Mrs. Muzio kept the family to- gether and managed the ranch and in 1903 she mar- ried Joseph Frugone, born in Genoa, Italy, November 17, 1877; he arrived in Stockton in December, 1900, and engaged in fruit and market gardening. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Frugone: Julia, Louisa, and Jenny.

Felix Muzio purchased ten acres of the home place in 1894 and since that time an additional thirty-five acres has been bought, twenty acres of which is now in vineyard, while the balance is devoted to raising fruit and vegetables for the markets of Stockton. Mr. Muzio has experienced disastrous floods, one in 1907 and another in 1911, when the greater portion of their ranch was under water for a number of weeks at a time. Mr. Muzio, Mr. Frugone, his stepfather, and his two brothers, Eugene and Ernest R., carry on a fine market business, it having grown to such proportions that they have purchased a Moreland truck to haul their products to market.

Mr. Muzio married Miss Loretta Calosso, born near Stockton, a daughter of Frederick Calosso, prominent cherry grower residing near Stockton. They have two children, Frances and Norma. Mr. Muzio votes the Republican ticket and with his brother Eugene is a member of the Red Men.

ROBERT NICHOLS, JR .- An enterprising far- mer, who is engaged in orcharding and dairying, is Robert Nichols, Jr,, who owns- and operates a twenty-eight-acre orchard one mile northwest of Thornton, on which he has made his home since 1912. A native Californian, he was born at Shel- don, August 12, 1881, a son of Robert and Mary

(Traganza) Nichols, the former a native of Devon- shire, England, and the latter of Placerville, Cal. The father left his native country at seventeen years of age and came to the United States, and three years later came to California. Here he was mar- ried a few years later to Miss Mary Traganza, a daughter of Thomas Traganza, an early pioneer of California, who engaged in mining on the Cosumnes River and later took up land from the Mexican gov- ernment near Sheldon, where he reared his family. In time he came to own 800 acres of land in Sacra- mento County. Robert and Mary Nichols were the parents of five children: Thomas, Lavina, Mrs. All- tucker, residing at Elk Grove; Mary, Mrs. Schirmer,

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living in Sacramento; Robert, of this sketch; and Hazel, Mrs. Polhemus, of Elk Grove. The father is living, now aged seventy-five years, while the mother passed away in 1909.

Robert Nichols, Jr., received his education in the Union district school of Sacramento County. In his twentieth year he took up the plumbing and tinning trade under Lattourrette-Fical Company of Sacra- mento, remaining with this company for four and a half years. Then he returned to the home ranch, which he operated for four years. After this he again went to Sacramento, and purchased a half inter- est in the Ford agency with Mr. Fical, his former em- ployer. At the end of ten months he sold his interest to his partner and bought a twenty-acre improved ranch about one mile northwest of Thornton, and soon afterward purchased about eight acres more ad- joining. Here he is engaged in the raising of beans, alfalfa, and fruit, and also conducts a dairy.

On September 23, 1903, in Sacramento, Mr. Nichols was married to Miss Mabel Gertrude Shepard, a native of Ohio and a daughter of George A. and Eliza M. (Wood) Shepard. Her parents came to California when she was five years old, and her father was employed in the Southern Pacific Railroad shops at Sacramento; and there Mrs. Nichols received her education. Mrs. Nichols is one of two children. Her brother, George W. Shepard, resides in Sacramento. Six years ago her father passed away; the mother now resides in Sacramento. Mr. and Mrs. Nichols are the parents of two children: Roberta Gertrude and Aletha Lilis. In politics Mr. Nichols generally favors the Republican party candidates. For two years he has been constable of the New Hope district of San Joaquin County, and for six years he has been a member of the New Hope school board, and at the present time is clerk of the board. Fraternally, he is a member of the Odd Fellows, Oak Park Lodge No. 5, of Sacramento, and was also a member, a past district deputy and great sachem of the Winnebago Tribe of Red Men, No. 94, at Sacramento. Mrs. Nichols is in charge of the Thornton branch of the San Joaquin County public library. Mr. Nichols is a public-spirited man, favoring any measure that pro- motes general progress, and has done much valuable service for his community.

BRONSON S. NUTTER, D. D. S .- Occupying a conspicuous place among the leading professional men of the city of Stockton, since the year 1914 Bronson S. Nutter has successfully practiced his profession of dentistry and his clientele is made up of many of the finest families of this thriving city. He is a native son of this city and has reached a high place in the esteem of his fellow citizens, many of whom have known him since he was a child. His birth occurred in Stockton on January 16, 1890, and he is a son of William B. Nutter. To the public schools of his native city Bronson S. Nutter is indebted for the early educational privileges which he received. Com- pleting the grade work he entered the Stockton high school, from which he was graduated with the class of 1910; he then entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons in San Francisco and was graduated with the class of 1914 with the degree of D. D. S. Im- mediately after his graduation he opened offices in Stockton, where he has continuously practiced.

The marriage of Dr. Nutter, which occurred in Stockton, united him with Miss Geraldine Confer,

a descendant of a pioneer family of San Joaquin County. Dr. Nutter entered the dental section of the Medical Corps during the World War and his service was at the Letterman General Hospital at the Pre- sidio, San Francisco. Dr. Nutter is very popular in fraternal circles, being identified with the B. P. O. Elks, No. 218; the Delta Blue Lodge; the Sciots, and Karl Ross Post American Legion, and Islam Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. of San Francisco.

M. J. O'CONNELL .- Numbered among the suc- cessful almond growers of the county, M. J. O'Con- nell has a beautiful and valuable ten-acre orchard three miles northwest of Ripon, which has yielded large profits for a number of years. He is a native son, born at Stockton, November 3, 1876, the only surviving member of his immediate family; he is the son of John and Bridget (O'Neil) O'Connell, both natives of Ireland. John O'Connell left Ireland and came to the United States during the Civil War and was employed as a carpenter on the Union boats in the Boston harbor. While living there his brother William came from Ireland and joined him and in 1867 the two brothers came West and located in Stockton and the O'Connell home was maintained in Stockton until 1917. John O'Connell was killed in a street car accident in Stockton, July 3, 1896, and was survived by his widow and two children. In 1901 the mother passed away, and on July 3, 1902, the only sister of our subject died. M. J. O'Connell re- ceived a good education in the Stockton schools and when his school days were over he entered the har- ness shop of C. Rodder, where he learned the trade of harness-maker and conducted the shop for twenty years; then for five years, until 1917, he was employed by the city of Stockton; then he purchased his present home consisting of ten acres, which he has improved to an almond orchard.

The marriage of Mr. O'Connell united him with Miss Bertha Meyers, a native of Ohio, who came to California with her parents at the age of thirteen. Mr. and Mrs. O'Connell are the parents of two chil- dren: Floyd is a rancher, and Gertrude is a student in the Calla district school. Mr. O'Connell is a mem- ber of the Independent Order of Foresters and the Almond Growers Association. He is not only an advocate of irrigation but of material progress in general, and as a man of self-attainment wields im- portant influence in his community.

NICOLAUS OBAD .- A representative California rancher, Nicolaus Obad resides on his fine farming estate of twenty-six acres in the Banta district of San Joaquin County, fifteen miles southwest of Stock- ton on the Lincoln highway. He is progressive, enterprising and thoroughly systematic in his farm- ing activities, and for the success he has won through his own hard labor and conscientious industry he quite deserves the respect and esteem which his fel- low-citizens accord him. He was born near Dubovi- nich, Dalmatia, August 29, 1883, a son of Peter and Mary Obad, who were both natives of the same province in Dalmatia. Paul Obad, a brother of our subject came to California and the San Joaquin Valley in 1887, but has since returned to his native country and there passed away in May, 1910. He had be- come an American citizen before he returned to Dal- matia. Both parents are living in Dalmatia and are prosperous olive and grain farmers of that country.

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Nicolaus Obad received a good grammar school education in the schools of his native province and was reared on his father's farm until he was nineteen years old, when he decided to try his fortune in a new country. He embarked at Havre, France, and fourteen days later arrived in New York. Of a party of ten young men who came to California, Mr. Obad is the only one residing in this county. Being a practical farmer, he soon obtained employment on a ranch, and in 1908 he purchased his present ranch of twenty-six acres, which is devoted to the raising of fruit and alfalfa, and he also conducts a dairy. Recently he erected a fine residence on his ranch where he resides with his family.

The marriage of Mr. Obad occurred on March 22, 1910, and united him with Miss Ellen Durango, and they are the parents of two children, Peter and Mary. In 1907 Mr. Obad received his U. S. citizenship papers and he has never failed to cast his vote for Republican candidates. Fraternally he is identified with the Knights of Pythias of Tracy. Coming to America when nineteen years of age, he has never regretted the step then taken, for he has worked his way upward, winning success and gaining for himself the confidence and good will of his associates.

JEAN OSPITAL .- Possessed of a temperament that fitted him for the endurance of frontier hard- ships, Jean Ospital came to California in 1891 when large opportunities were afforded for the exercise of his natural talents. Many and varied have been his experiences in the meantime, but he has surmounted them all and has become recognized as one of the prosperous citizens in San Joaquin County, where he has resided for almost a quarter of a century. He was born at Bigorre, Basses-Pyrenees, France, No- vember 27, 1869, on the ranch of his father, Pierre Ospital. Jean attended public school near his home and at an early age helped his father in the stock business, among his earliest recollections being herd- ing sheep, thus learning by practical experience the lessons that were to prove of inestimable value in later years. He was also employed on neighboring ranches, receiving as compensation for his work, sixty dollars per year. In 1891 he left home for America, and on arriving in California, the first year was spent in sheep herding near Huron, Cal .; then for the next six years he herded sheep in the vicinity of Los Banos; following this he removed to the Wheeler ranch near Bellota and soon thereafter was hired by Mr. Prather as foreman, remaining over seven years. Meantime he had saved sufficient money to start into business for himself and with three partners owned 1500 sheep which they grazed on leased land. Sixteen years ago the partnership was dissolved and Mr. Ospital started with 1000 sheep and has made such splendid success that he is one of the best known sheep men in California.

On October 19, 1907, in Stockton, Mr. Ospital was married to Miss Fannie St. Julian, a native of Na- varro, Spain, but reared in Basses-Pyrenees, France. She accompanied some friends to San Francisco about twenty years ago. Mr. and Mrs. Ospital are the parents of five children: Josephine; Peter; John; Julia; and Madalaine. Mr. Ospital owns a fine resi- dence in Tuxedo Park, Stockton, but makes his head- quarters on his ranch, known as the Old Conrad place, twenty miles east of Stockton on the San Andreas, Bellota and Linden highway.

LAWRENCE POUNDSTONE. - A successful rancher of San Joaquin County is Lawrence Pound- stone, who was born in El Dorado, Cal., April 19, 1878, a son of the pioneer miner, Lawrence Ryder . Poundstone, who crossed the plains to California in 1861 from his native state of Pennsylvania. Law- rence Ryder Poundstone married Miss Ann Burke, a native of Michigan, who also came to California in the early sixties. The father became a miner in Eldorado County, and was associated with Colonel Hayward. When Colonel Hayward made his great strike known as the Eureka mine, the father owned a quartz mill about a mile from the Eureka mine and Colonel Hayward purchased the mill. The father died recently at the age of eighty-seven years.

Lawrence Poundstone obtained his education in the public schools of Benicia, Cal. At eighteen years of age he started to work in one of his father's mines; and he followed mining with his father until about four years ago. The Poundstone family still own interests in two mines on Sutter Creek, Amador County.

At Colusa, on November 25, 1905, occurred the marriage of Mr. Poundstone and Miss Nellie Frasier, born in Colusa and a daughter of Jared and Sarah (Alexander) Frasier. Jared Frasier came around the Horn from Canada to California in the fifties, and helped to build the state capitol building at Sacra- mento. Mrs. Poundstone received her education in the schools of Colusa. She is one of a family of seven children, three of whom are living. The other living children are: Neva, Mrs. Coazza of Grimes, Cal., and Stanley of Colusa. Her father passed away at the age of sixty-eight, while the mother is still living. Four years ago, Mr. Poundstone purchased 120 acres of land in the northern part of San Joaquin County, on the Mokelumne River, about eight miles from Wood- bridge. Nine acres of his ranch is devoted to vine- yard and the balance is used for raising grain and for pasture for his stock; he conducts a dairy of seventeen cows. Four years ago he erected a fine, modern bungalow residence on his ranch, where he resides with his wife and two children, Miriam and Lawrence, Jr. Mr. Poundstone is a member of Henry Clay Lodge of Masons, Sutter Creek. Mrs. Pound- stone is a past noble grand of Sutter Creek Lodge of Rebekahs, and a past worthy matron of the Eastern Star of Sutter Creek; and she is also a member of the California Parlor, N. D. G. W., of Amador City. At the present time Mrs. Poundstone is clerk of the school board of the Ray district.

FREDERICK WILLIAM OTT .- Among the up- builders of San Joaquin County who have been most prominent in the promotion of its interests and in its development is numbered Fred W. Ott. He has for a long period been recognized as a forceful and honored factor in agricultural and business circles of this portion of California. His connection with the public interests of San Joaquin County has been far- reaching and beneficial, and he is now serving his fifth year as deputy county assessor of the Island district. A native of San Joaquin County, he was born on the Ott homestead seven miles southwest of Stockton on June 23, 1879, the only son of Martin Ott, a native of Germany who came to America with his parents when he was six years old and grew up in New York City. He worked in a large department store in New York City until 1858, when he came to Cali-

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fornia. Here he obtained work in the Southern mines, working for a period of nine years. He accumulated a good fortune in the mines and, on his removal to San Francisco, met C. A. Bachman, who owned a large ranch in this county. Martin Ott purchased 300 acres of rich bottom land for three dollars per acre in 1869 and the same year took up his residence on the property. In 1875 he made a visit back home to Germany, where he married Marie Wille, a native of Wurtemberg. Mr. and Mrs. Ott sailed for America soon after marriage, Mrs. Ott being but seventeen years old. They settled in San Joaquin County. Mar- tin Ott passed away February 8, 1897. The mother resides at her home, 127 W. Willow Street, Stockton.

Fred W. Ott attended the public schools at French Camp and finished in 1893; then for five years he was employed on his father's ranch. He then entered the Western School of Commerce at Stockton, from which he was graduated. After his father's death he re- turned to the ranch. With the exception of two years spent as proprietor of the Bogue & Ott grocery store at Stockton and fourteen months with the Stock- ton Railroad Company, Mr. Ott has been occupied with farming pursuits.

Mr. Ott's marriage occurred February 15, 1905, which united him with Miss Myrtle Frances Scott, born near Danforth, Maine. Her father, Frank Scott, was a descendant of an English family who had set- tled in Maine; while her mother, Julia Ann (Preston) Scott, was the daughter of a prominent Southern family. Mrs. Ott came to California with her par- ents when she was two years old and was reared and educated in Mariposa County and attended the Western School of Commerce at Stockton, pursuing the normal course. For five years before her mar- riage she taught in the public schools of Mariposa County. Her mother passed away in 1903, her father surviving until 1913. Mr. and Mrs. Ott are the par- ents of six children: Martin F., Thelma M., Anna Julia, Allen F., Barbara M., and Frederick William, Jr. Mr. Ott cultivates 200 acres to grain. He has always been active in farm circles and is a member of the Farm Bureau of his locality; he is also serving as school trustee of French Camp district and has proved to be a most capable official. There has been nothing sensational in his life record, but his entire career has been marked by steady progress that has resulted from diligence and perseverance.

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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 213

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