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 224

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 224

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

He spent twenty-three years with the Southern Pac- ific Railroad Company.

Notwithstanding these necessary migrations and temporary residences elsewhere, Mr. Bancroft has always made his home at Woodbridge since he came here. In 1903 he bought a vineyard of fifteen acres, and later acquired a vineyard of twenty acres south of Woodbridge, both of which are finely irrigated.

At Woodbridge, on June 15, 1902, Mr. Bancroft was married to Miss Flora May Shinn, a native of that town, and the daughter of H. D. and Emma Shinn. Her father was an honored pioneer of the state. Mrs. Bancroft completed her education at the San Joaquin Valley College, where she was a pro- ficient student. Three children have blessed their union: Raymond Ellwood, now aged eighteen; Eliza- beth, aged thirteen; and Clarence, aged ten. Mr. Bancroft is a Republican in matters of national po- litical import. He is at present clerk of the school board of the Woodbridge district, and has had direct supervision of the building of the new school, at a cost of about $60,000, designed to accommodate 200 or more pupils. It is modern in every respect, and will be thoroughly up-to-date in its equipment. Mr. Bancroft is a Mason, belonging to the Wood- bridge Lodge, and is also a member of the Odd Fellow Lodge and Encampment at Lodi, and has gone through all the chairs of the lodge. Mrs. Ban- croft shares her husband's popularity; and they are untiring in their efforts to better the social life of their community.

EDWARD H. BARBER .- Edward H. Barber, who for the past seventeen years has been a justice of the peace of Union Township, has been a stanch advocate of better schools and a director of the Galt Union high school since 1912. He was born in Sum- mer Hill, Cayuga, N. Y., December 26, 1867, a son of George H. and Caroline (Potter) Barber. The father was a farmer by occupation, who brought his family to California in the fall of 1874 and first farmed on the old Stevenson ranch near Stockton, where he re- mained for one year; then removed to Sebastopol, Sonoma County, where he bought ninety acres at fifty-five dollars per acre near the town limits. After paying a few hundred dollars on this ranch, he be- came discouraged and gave it up and removed with his family to Taison, San Joaquin County. The Sebastopol ranch is now within the city limits of that town, and is very valuable property. The father rented the R. B. Thompson dairy, which he conducted for two years, then purchased 100 acres 21/2 miles northwest of Thornton, which is a portion of the property now owned and operated by our subject and his brother, George L. Barber. There were three children in the family: Edward H., our sub- ject, being the eldest; George L., and Grace, Mrs. Beavis, residing in Detroit, Mich. The father passed away in 1907, aged seventy-seven, and the mother was fifty-one when she died.

Edward H. Barber began his schooling in the old five-mile school out of Stockton, where he went for one year; then he had a year's schooling at Sebasto- pol, two years at the Ray district school in San Joa- quin County, and the balance of his grammar school education in the New Hope district school. Edward H. and his brother, George L., are equal partners in their ranching operations. They have added to their holdings until they now own 425 acres of fine land

on the Mokelumne River, 21/2 miles northwest of Thornton, which is devoted to raising beans, grain and general farming, and the brothers each conduct a dairy.

The marriage of Mr. Barber occurred on June 11, 1896, in Stockton, which united him with Miss Ada Marion Villette, a native of Hancock County, Miss- issippi, and a daughter of Henry and Ada (Breed- love) Villette. Her maternal grandfather was a Con- federate soldier who died from the effects of expo- sure during the Civil War. Her mother was twice married, the first time to Harry Villette, who died in Louisiana. In 1886 Mrs. Villette and their only child, Ada Marion, came to California and settled in Stockton. Here her mother was married in 1887 to Henry Harrington, a harnessmaker. Her mother died in Thornton.

Mr. and Mrs. Barber are the parents of four chil- dren: Helen, Paul, Florence and Ada. Paul Barber recently married Miss May Culver of Stockton and at the present they make their home on the ranch and assist in its development. In 1904 Mr. Barber became a trustee of Reclamation District No. 348, embracing an acreage of 10,000 acres, and since 1906 has been justice of the peace for Union Township; he is also a member of the Thornton Farm Bureau, and since the founding of the Galt Union high school he has served as a director of same. In politics Mr. Barber is a stanch Republican, and Mrs. Barber is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Barber brothers also own 100 acres in the Yaqui River Valley, in the State of Sonora, Mexico, which is leased and which caused them considerable trouble during the recent revolution.

ARTHUR EMMETT GORDON .- A successful vineyardist is Arthur Emmett Gordon, a native of Wyandotte County, Kansas, now residing about two miles north of Acampo. In the historic Centennial Year of 1876, on December 28, he entered the family of M. A. and Belle (Llyons) Gordon, the son of a stock and cattle-man, who was also a merchant and a farmer. The family removed to Kokomo, Colo., where his father built the first sawmill in that region. Later they removed to Belleview, Idaho, in which locality his father engaged in stock-raising. He then moved northwest to Portland, Ore., and there the family lived between seven and eight years, finally migrating south and landing at Woodbridge. Here the lad attended the Lodi high school. Mr. Gordon lived to be seventy-three years old, survived by his wife, who is still alive at the age of sixty-five. Eight children made up the family of this worthy couple. Bert, the eldest, is deccased; Arthur Em- mett was the second-born; and then came Harry, Frank, Grace, Vera, Phillip and Ruth.

In 1895 Arthur Emmett Gordon began to clerk for M. B. Henderson & Son, of Stockton; and later he was bookkeeper for Messrs. Hammond and Yardley. also of that city, with whom he remained seven years. He then bought an interest in C. B. Thompson's grocery, in Stockton, and after two years of exper- ience with it, purchased the entire business, and con- ducted it until 1917, when he sold out.

Previous to selling his business, he had purchased some thirty acres of open land two miles north of Acampo, where he set out a vineyard, and in 1917 he traded his residence in Stockton for fifteen acres of ing vard, advoming his feet p'

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

this area he has devoted to orcharding, and the entire tract is well irrigated. He built a small home on his ranch, into which he moved in 1917.

At Lodi, on June 3, 1903, Mr. Gordon married Miss Amy Geffroy, a native of Lodi and the daughter of Thomas and Hannah (Hammond) Geffroy. She at- tended the Lodi schools. Her father has passed away, but her mother is still alive. Her father. and mother, of good Boston stock, came to California in early days, and her father raised sheep near Locke- ford, in San Joaquin County. Later he moved to Lodi, and there Miss Amy was graduated with honors from the Lodi high school. Five children have blessed the union. Dorothy and Kenneth are stu- dents in the Lodi high school; Neil and Joyce are pupils in the grammar school; and Barbara is the youngest. Mr. Gordon is a Republican, and a mem- ber of Charity Lodge, I. O. O. F., in which he is a past-grand.

PHILLIP J. GOEHRING .- A successful vine- yardist who is residing on his fifty-acre vineyard home, located a mile and a half southeast of Victor. is Phillip J. Goehring, a self-made man, whose suc- cess has come to him entirely through his own labor and carefully directed efforts. He was born in Mc- Intosh County, N. D., on July 9, 1892, a son of John and Elizabeth (Bertsch) Goehring, the former coming to America from Neudorf, South Russia, his birth- place, and the latter a native of Bergdorf, South Rus- sia. His father passed away in North Dakota about twenty years ago, while the mother still resides there. They were the parents of eight children: John, Ja- cob, Christina and Fred, Gottlieb, Phillip J., our subject, Maggie and Martin.

The education of Phillip J. Goehring was limited to about five months, and he was obliged to assume his share of the farm work. Shortly after becoming of age, he began to earn his own way, and went to Idaho, where he homesteaded 320 acres of land, on which he raised grain and stock, for four years.

Mr. Goehring's first marriage occurred while liv- ing in Idaho, on February 4, 1914, and united him with Miss Martha Bertsch, a native of South Rus- sia, a daughter of Henry Bertsch. She passed away in 1916 in Idaho. In January, 1917, Mr. Goehring made a trip to Lodi, Cal., where he was married to Miss Christine Knoll, born in Russia, a daughter of Jacob Knoll. Her father came to California about fifteen years ago from South Dakota and settled at Victor, where he purchased a vineyard and had added to it from time to time until he is now one of the wealthiest citizens of San Joaquin County. After their marriage the young couple returned to Mr. Knoll's ranch in Idaho and continued farming until the early fall of 1917, when they returned to Lodi to locate. He traded his ranch for ten acres, his present vineyard home, and since then he has added by pur- chase 30 acres more, and Mrs. Goehring received a gift of ten acres from her father,-all devoted to vineyard and alfalfa. In April, of 1921, Mr. Goehr- ing purchased forty-nine acres at the intersection of the Cherokee and Lockeford roads, which was an old almond orchard, with the exception of ten acres in prunes. Mr. Goehring decided to take out all the almond trees and planted vines, but left the prune orchard. Soon after buying this tract, he sold five acres for $2,000 per acre, which left forty-four acres, thirty of which are planted to Tokay grapes.

So now he owns and operates ninety-four acres. Mr. and Mrs. Goehring are the parents of five children: Emma, Reuben, Levi; Elsie and Elmer are twins. He is a Republican in politics; he and his family are members of the First German Baptist Church in Lodi.

JOHN B. GOTELLI .- A farmer and vineyardist residing five miles north of Stockton on Cherokee Lane is John B. Gotelli, who is a native son of the Golden State and has made his permanent home in San Joaquin County for the past eighteen years. He was born in San Francisco, March 10, 1889, a son of Antonio and Maria (Camicha) Gotelli, both natives of Italy, born near Parma. Antonio Gotelli came to California in 1883, and in San Francisco in 1888, he married Miss Maria Camicha; later he became an ex- tensive truck gardener in the Mission district of San Francisco, where he bought and rented tracts of land for that purpose. He had several partners in the business and they regularly employed thirty men in the cultivation, gathering and marketing of vege- tables. In the wholesaling and retailing of produce they used many teams and wagons. Selling out his holdings in San Francisco, in 1904 the family came to Stockton, and Antonio Gotelli took the con- tract of planting 150 acres of the old Charles M. Weber Grant to vineyard, the compensation for his labor to be seventy-five acres of this 150-acre tract of land; this ranch is under the Stockton-Mokelumne irrigation ditch. After cultivating the vineyard for five years, he obtained title as per agreement to seventy-five acres from Miss Julia H. Weber. He continued to run the place until 1914, when he rented it to his son, John B., and retired to his home at 929 North Ophir street, Stockton, where he passed away October 22, 1920, aged 62 years. He was a man who had done much to build up the horticul- tural interests in California. When he came to Amer- ica, he was in debt $125.00. He worked in a vege- table garden for 33 months at $25.00 a month, and during all this time did not leave the ranch to go to town. He saved his money and paid his honest debts, and continuing by industry and frugality he was ab'e at the end of five years to purchase an interest in vegetable gardens. Afterwards increasing his inter- est, he demonstrated his ability as a business man and in time became the manager, after which the business grew rapidly so that the partners received as dividends 300 per cent more than formerly. He was a man of much native ability and diplomacy and kept the partners together for nine years. While he was manager, the business ran along smoothly, but after he sold out dissensions arose and in less than a year all of the rest of the partners disposed of their business.

In Italy while a young man Mr. Gotelli served 33 months in an Alpine regiment in the Italian army, being stationed on the border, and during all this time he was never disciplined. His widow survives him at the age of fifty-five. There are eight children in the family, of whom John B., our subject, is the eldest; Mary is Mrs. Nave, and she resides in San Francisco; A. Nathaniel; Joseph, Frederick and Louis reside in Stockton; Jennie is Mrs. Virgil Azzaro, traveling in Europe, and Hazel lives at home. John B. Gotelli received his education in the San Fran- cisco grammar schools and accompanied his parents to Stockton, San Joaquin County, January 7, 1905. On his arrival here he assisted his father in his vine-

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yard enterprise, continuing with him until 1914. He leased the vineyard, and since then he has engaged in viticulture. On the death of his father, John B. became the administrator and now manages the estate. He is also interested in other properties, in- cluding both ranch and city real estate.

On January 3, 1915, in Stockton, Mr. Gotelli was married to Miss Louise S. Figone, a native of Stock- ton, and a daughter of John and Louise (Marengo) Figone, both parents natives of Genoa, Italy. Her father was an early settler in San Joaquin County and farmed for a number of years on the islands; he now lives in Stockton and is a glassblower for the Stock- ton Glass Factory. There are four children in the Figone family: Jennie, Mrs. Rossi, resides in Stock- ton; Theresa, Mrs. A. Nathaniel Gotelli; Louise S., Mrs. John B. Gotelli; Frank resides at Stockton. In 1915 Mr. Gotelli replaced the old house his father had placed on the ranch many years ago with a modern residence on their beautiful seventy-five acre vineyard of Tokay, Black Prince and Mission grapes. He is a Republican in politics and is a member of Stockton Lodge No. 218, B. P. O. E., and also a member of Stockton Parlor No. 7, N. S. G. W., while Mrs. Gotelli is a member of Joaquin Parlor No. 5, N. D. G. W. His brother, Nathaniel, married Miss Theresa Figone, a sister of Mrs. Gotelli. Mr., and Mrs. Gotelli have always been upright and honorable and enjoy the respect and confidence of their many friends in San Joaquin County.

AUGUST HANSEN .- A very industrious, pro- gressive and successful orchardist is August Hansen, who was born at Stepping, in Holstein, Denmark, on June 6, 1869, the son of John and Magdalena (Soren- sen) Hansen, high'y-esteemed citizens of that pros- perous country. His father was a farmer, but he was also for many years postmaster at Stepping. Mr. and Mrs. Hansen had seven children, among whom August was the eldest; the others being John, Anna, Magdalena, and Doris, and two deceased.

August attended the excellent public schools of Denmark, and when sixteen started to learn the creamery trade. A year later, he came out to Amer- ica. He first went to Nevada, and for five years worked for one man at Carson City; and then, mov- ing farther west to California, he settled at Santa Rosa and took out his final citizenship papers in So- noma County. He purchased forty acres near Santa Rosa, devoted to grapes and prunes, and some apples and peaches, and after five years in Sonoma County, he sold out and came to San Joaquin County, where he bought fifteen acres of open land in the Elliott section, about one mile to the south and one mile to the east of the old Elliott schoolhouse. There he set six acres out to almonds, and built a comfortable, at- tractive home, and also all the necessary farm out- buildings. Two years ago he added ten acres to his holdings, making twenty-five acres in his fine ranch tract, not a bad showing, surely, for one who came to San Joaquin County only seven years ago.

At Santa Rosa, on May 1, 1892, Mr. Hansen was married to Miss Christina Jepsen, who came from the vicinity of his Danish birthplace, and is the daughter of Mathias and Gertrude Jepsen. She attended the adjoining school to which Mr. Hansen in his boyhood had been sent, and she came to Cali- fornia three years prior to the date of her marriage. Three children were born from their fortunate

union. Dorothy is married to Harry Graham at Port Costa; Pauline also lives at Port Costa; and Mabel is attending the University of Iowa. . Mrs. Hansen passed away at Reno, Nev., in 1902, beloved and mourned by all who knew her.

At the present time, Mr. Hansen is foreman of the famous Henderson Ranch on Dry Creek, north of Elliott, a fine estate belonging to J. E. Finnell of Sacramento; a tract of 436 acres, being set out to vineyard and orchard, and at present operated very successfully under Mr. Hansen's experienced guid- ance as a dairy ranch. Mr. Hansen spent two years farming in Nevada, near Reno, just after he moved from Santa Rosa, so that he came from Nevada to San Joaquin County. While living at Reno, he served as a school trustee, and belonged to the I. O. O. F. He is a Republican.

MRS. EMILY M. HARRIS .- An esteemed lady long resident in Stockton, whose accomplishments in the management of her estate have entitled her to the confidence and esteem of her fellow-citizens, is Mrs. Emily M. Harris, now living at 111 North Tuxedo street. As Emily M. Dees, she was the pop- ular daughter of Daniel R. Dees, an overseer of Arkansas plantations, having been born in Sebastian County, on Saint Valentine's Day, 1852; her mother was Lucy Allison before her marriage.

In 1857, Daniel Dees crossed the great plains bound for California, and after arriving, he settled for awhile at Petaluma, where he bought a ranch, a part of an old Spanish grant, and looked forward to mak- ing his home there; but when the grant-holders con- tested the title, he lost all he had invested. He then migrated from place to place for awhile, and finally settled at Carson City, Nev., where he became a mine superintendent. He passed away there.

Partly as a result of these migrations, Emily Dees went to school in various places; and if she fared none too well because of such changes in her schools and programs, she at least came to know a good num- ber and an interesting variety of teachers. There were nine children besides herself in her parents' family, but only four are living today. Allison D. and Joel D. are in Nevada; Lewis is in Los Angeles; and Emily, or Mrs. Harris, is the subject of our in- teresting story.

On May 6, 1867, Emily was married at Marysville to Edward Harris, who had been born in Indiana on September 15, 1841. His parents were John and Lucinda Harris, and their forebears may be traced back through the pioneer days of the Hoosier State to good old Revolutionary stock. As a young man, in 1859 Edward Harris made the journey overland across the plains, remaining only until the breaking out of the Civil War, when, being patriotic to the core, he returned East by the Pony Express, and on his arrival at his old home he enlisted in Company D., 5th Indiana Volunteer Cavalry, serving through- out the war in General Sherman's cavalry in the Georgia campaign and on the march to the sea. He was captured and as a prisoner was sent to An- dersonville. After the great struggle was over, in returned to California and set up his household gods for two years on the old Messick Rancho near Marysville. He and his good wife thep amen! ! Stockton, and he farmed for many years in the Delta lands. Roberts Island, carrying on his operations of grain raising extensively

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passed away, an honored member of the Rawlins Post of the Grand Army of the Republic.

For the last thirty-seven years, Mrs. Harris has made her home in Stockton, and five children have added to her earthly pleasures. Jean has become Mrs. James Gianelli; Lucy is a teacher; William is at Clements; Edward F. is of Stockton; and Gay is Mrs. Youdall, of the same city. There are now nine grandchildren. Mrs. Gianelli is the mother of Norma and Jack; William's daughter is named Emily Martha; Lowell and Jean are the two children of Edward F. Harris; and Gay Youdall's four children are named Leonard Harris, Harris Hugh, Edward Dees, and Peter Gaylen.

GEORGE COURTRIGHT .- One of the well- known and respected citizens of Lodi is George Courtright, a man who throughout his active business life has been prominently identified with agricultural interests. He was born near Bodega Corners, So- noma County, Cal., on February 26, 1858, a son of John P. and Pernina (Frowe) Courtright, both par- ents natives of Illinois. The father crossed the plains in 1851 and spent two years in the mines, when he returned to Illinois and married Miss Pernina Frowe and returned immediately to California settling at Ione, where he engaged in mining for about four years; then removed to Sonoma County. In 1864 the family returned to Ione. The father spent many years going from place to place, mining and prospect- ing until his death at the age of seventy-five years. Besides the subject of this sketch there were Clark and Anna Courtright. The mother passed away at the age of sixty-nine years.

George Courtright was thrown upon his own re- sources at the tender age of ten years, when he worked for wages and helped to support his mother. As he grew older he saved his money and in time bought land until finally he had accumulated 520 acres near Jackson, Amador County, which was mostly devoted to raising hay; he also raised from seventy- five to 120 head of stock with from fifteen to twenty head of horses. The place had mineral deposits of gold, copper and chrome, but Mr. Courtright, outside of mining chrome ore during the war, engaged in farming and stockraising.

The marriage of Mr. Courtright occurred on Novem- ber 13, 1900, at Reno, Nev., and united him with Miss Lida Brick, a native of Alameda, Cal. She was a babe in arms when her parents died and was reared by adopted parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Brick. Her adopted father was a jeweler by trade and moved about considerably, so that Mrs. Courtright as she grew up attended school at Alameda, Oakland, Napa and various places in Colorado. Mr. and Mrs. Court- right are the parents of two children: Norma, Mrs. Coleman, of Los Angeles; and Martha L. They made their home on the ranch at Ione until 1919 when they sold it and removed to Lodi where Mr. Courtright bought three acres in the Barnhart tract on Stockton Street; here he erected four houses, the family occupying one, while the other three are rented. In national politics Mr. Courtright is a Republican, and fraternally is a member of the Odd Fellows, be- longing to Truth Lodge of Stockton since 1892, and with his wife and daughter is a member of the Re- bekahs; he is also a member of the N. S. G. W. at Jackson, Cal.

WILLIAM HARVEY CROSWHITE. - Well known in the business circles of Lodi is William Har- vey Croswhite, an efficient and capable optometrist who also engages in the manufacture of optical goods. A native of Washington, he was born at Goldendale July 28, 1893, a son of George P. and Jennie (Bar- rick) Croswhite. The father was born in New York. where he was reared and educated, and after reaching young manhood engaged in farming; he married Miss Jennie Barrick, a native of Missouri, and they were the parents of three children, of whom William Har- vey is the eldest, the others being Ernest and George, Jr. When William Harvey was a small boy of six years his parents removed to San Francisco, where the father engaged in the produce business, and there the parents still reside. William Harvey attended the old Richmond district grammar school and the San Francisco Y. M. C. A. high school, then entered the College of Optometry, from which he was graduated in 1914. Before his graduation he was associated with F. A. Hardy and the California Optical Company, retailers and wholesalers of optical supplies. Mr. Cros- white then opened his own business in San Francisco and continued for three years.

The marriage of Mr. Croswhite in San Francisco, on February 3, 1915, united him with Miss Bessie Kenny, a native of the Bay city, and daughter of W. R. and Eliza T. Kenny. W. R. Kenny came to Cali- fornia in an early day and engaged in the contracting and building business. Her mother and father are now living at Lodi. Mr. and Mrs. Croswhite are the parents of one daughter, Olive Marie. In 1920 Mr. Croswhite came to Lodi where he established offices for the practice of optometry and the manufacture of optical goods. Mr. Croswhite gives his support to the Republican party and is active in fraternal circles, being a member of the Masons, the Knights of Py- thias, the Woodmen of the World, and a past patron of the O. E. S., of which his wife is also a member.

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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 224

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