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 239

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 239

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Mr. Miller was born in Iowa on March 13, 1882, but was reared in Omaha, Neb., where his parents removed when he was a young child, and in that city he received his education. Early in life he learned the trade of plater, then he was with the Darby Manufacturing Company in Council Bluffs, Iowa; then was employed with the Solar Manufac- turing Company of Chicago, one of the largest plating plants in the United States and widely known all over the country. He then came West and found employment with Z. O. Parmalee Company of Los Angeles and Sidney A. Clark of San Francisco. He then became superintendent of contruction and in- stalled the plating for the Salt Lake Electric Com- pany. Thus his years of experience have made him an expert in his line of work. When he established his plating shop in Stockton it was the only plant of its kind in the San Joaquin Valley. His business has steadily grown until he was obliged to erect a larger plant at 148 West Fremont Street, which is strictly modern in every detail and is the only plat- ing plant between Sacramento and Fresno. His plant is fully equipped to do all kinds of plating, silver, gold, bronze, steel, coppr, and brass; also oxidized work and all kinds of color work. He also does jobbing work, such as automobile headlights, bumpers, reflectors; plates the silverware for restau- rants and does all the gold and silver plating and polishing for the Stockton jewelers. He did the in- terior work in the Commercial & Savings Bank and the Stockton City Bank and the Oakdale Bank, and all the metal plating on the engines and tractors of the Holt Manufacturing Company for their exhibit at the Panama-Pacific Exposition at San Francisco.

When he started his business in Stockton plating was new to the people and the hardware and plumbing companies carried no stock of nickel plated goods, most of the fixtures being made of brass.

The marriage of Mr. Miller united him with Miss Edna Erstad, a native of Ripon, and they have one daughter, Mary Ann. Fraternally Mr. Miller is a member of the Morning Star Blue Lodge of Masons and the Stockton Rotary Club.

HOWARD A. CAMPION .- As director of part- time and continuation schools of Stockton, Howard A. Campion is doing an outstanding work; he is the representative of the University of California in voca- tional teacher-training in San Joaquin County and at the present time is also training a group of expert mechanics for machine shop and automobile teaching. He was born in Rice County, Minn., July 31, 1894, a son of John A. and Nellie Marie (Carney) Cam- pion, both natives of Wisconsin. John A. Campion followed farming and later was in business in Fari- bault, Minn. In 1920 he located in Stockton and opened a grocery business on North Eldorado Street, where he and his son Neil conduct a profitable busi- ness.

Howard A. Campion attended grammar school at Faribault, then entered the high school at the same place; then he taught school for one year, after which he entered the Stout Institute at Menomonie Wis .. where he took a two years normal course; then for a time he worked at practical drafting in Stanley, Wis. He came West to Boise, Idaho, where he taught school for two years. In 1916 he removed to Stock- ton and became a mechanical drawing teacher and the following year became the supervisor of drafting in the Stockton high school; then in 1918 he became the assistant director of vocational education in the Stockton schools. In 1919 he was elected director of the part-time and continuation school in Stockton which has an enrollment of over 400 students who work part of the day and attend school the balance of the time. The entire top floor of the Harris Building at 517 East Market Street is devoted to this school. Mr. Campion also has charge of certain classes at the high school and the prevocational build- ing in Stockton.

On November 22, 1918, Mr. Campion was united in marriage with Miss Gertrude Hildebrand, born in In- dianapolis, Ind., daughter of Mac and Jane (McClen- athan) Hildebrand. Mac Hildebrand brought his family to California fourteen years ago and first re- sided at Riverside, then came to Stockton where he was in business until his death, January 7. 1923. There are eight children in the Hildebrand family; Lee, Ada, Lon, Mrs. Gertrude Campion, Eva, Don, Austin and Kathleen. Mrs. Campion received her education in the grammar schools of Indianapolis and Riverside and finished at the Stockton high school. In politics, Mr. Campion is a Democrat and fraternally is a member of Lodge No. 218, B. P. O. Elks, as well as Stockton Council, No. 1311, Knights of Columbus, having passed through the chairs of the latter organization; he is president of the Stockton Kiwanis Club; he is also a member of the Stockton Chamber of Commerce and the American Legion. On October 21, 1917, he entered the World War and was sent to Camp Lewis and placed in the 363rd Infantry Headquarters Company and was commis- sioned corporal. While training at Camp Lewis he had the misfortune to severely injure his foot and in

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

March, 1918 he received his honorable discharge from the service. Mr. and Mrs. Campion are the parents of one daughter, Jane Marie, and the family resides at 935 North Madison Street, Stockton.

E. W. DEVINE .- A vineyardist, who, while evolv- ing something scientific and helping to advance Cali- fornia agriculture, has also produced one of the show- places of San Joaquin County, is E. W. Devine, who resides two miles southeast of Acampo. He was born in Springfield, Mo., on May 10, 1873, the son of Will- iam M. Devine, a native of County Kildare, Ireland, who had married Miss Sarah Limbaugh, a native of Alabama. At the outbreak of the Civil War, Mr. De- vine enlisted in the Confederate Army; and when he was denied · a furlough to return home and see his mother, who was critically ill, he took French leave and joined her, and on account of subsequent unjust treatment, eventually left the Confederate army and joined the Union forces, and served for the balance of the war in the army of the Mississippi. Previous to the outbreak of hostilities, he had removed to Ar- kansas, but during the war his mother moved back into Missouri, and so his parents had to go through the terrible days of guerrilla warfare.

Of the children born to the worthy couple, E. W. Devine first saw the light in the Iron State, the sisters and brothers being Margaret, Gillson, Will- iam M., Jr., Alice and Bell, and Mack, the one younger than our subject. The latter attended the common schools in Missouri, and then went to busi- ness college. His father died when the boy was five years old, and he lived then with his mother and an uncle. These conditions led him to push out into the world when he was seventeen years old, and com- mence to make a way for himself. He worked for wages until he was married, on June 23, 1898, at Springfield, Mo., when he became the husband of Miss Ella Cossins, born near Springfield, the daughter of D. C. and Theresa Cossins. Her father was a farmer; and although she was one of a large family, she enjoyed all the educational advantages afforded near Springfield.

After their marriage, Mr. Devine engaged in the ice business; and for three years he was also stone sawyer. In 1905, he came to McCloud, California, and for three years was foreman for the McCloud Railroad Co. In 1908, he returned to Springfield, Mo, and remained there for a year. Then, in 1909, he came back to Lodi, and for five years he worked for the Lodi Soda Works. In 1915 he was employed by Mason Bros. at Lodi, and then he bought a small ranch, of five acres of vineyard, on Walnut Avenue. He had this place for only a short time, then sold it and bought a vineyard ranch of twenty acres about three miles north of Woodbridge. He sold this after a year, and then purchased a vineyard tract of fifteen acres west of Woodbridge, where he lived until Jan- uary, 1921, when he sold that place and purchased the fifteen acres on which he now resides about two and one-quarter miles southeast of Acampo. This ranch, half of which is in Tokay grapes, and half in Mission, is well irrigated, the water being conducted through concrete pipes. Mr. Devine also leases two vineyards which he operates, besides his home ranch-one, a tract of twenty acres north of Acampo, and one a seven-acre vineyard southwest of Lodi.

Four children have blessed the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Devine. Naomi has married, and is Mrs. Charles Morris of Lodi; Leslie is at home; Blanche is a sten-

ographer at Tulsa, Okla ; and Clifford is at home. A Democrat in matters of national political import, Mr. Devine has always been a broad-minded, effi- cient local booster, a good citizen, neighbor, and friend; and for a short time, while he was living at Fort Smith, Ark., he served as a deputy sheriff. He is a member of the lodge of Odd Fellows at Wal- nut Grove, Mo .; of the Lodi lodges of the Redmen and the Modern Woodmen of America; and also be- longs to the Court of Honor at Walnut Grove.

OTTO DIETZ .- Twenty-seven years ago Otto Dietz purchased his present ranch of twenty-six acres located one mile northwest of Thornton, which he has developed into one of the finest alfalfa ranches in the vicinity. He was born at Steinheim, near Geissen, in Hessen Darmstadt, Germany, July 15, 1869, a son of Kaspar and Elizabeth (Eickle) Dietz. His father was a brick mason by trade, and lived to be eighty-five years old; the mother still lives in' the old country at the age of eighty-eight. Otto is the youngest of a - family of four children; William is deceased, and the other two are Bertha and Henry.

Otto Dietz was educated in the public school and the business college of his native country, and was reared to help on his father's farm. At twenty-one years of age he learned the brick mason's trade, which he followed until 1892, when he came to the United States and direct to California, settling at Tracy. He found work on a ranch for a year and a half, and then removed to the New Hope section, where he has since remained. When he purchased his ranch of twenty-six acres, in 1896, it was covered with the natural growth of brush and tules, which Mr. Dietz cleared away, and leveled and planted the land to alfalfa; and today his ranch is classed among the most productive in that section. Besides erecting a good, comfortable house and other necessary build- ings, he has installed a six-inch pump equipped with a ten-horse-power motor and has piped the place with twelve-inch concrete pipes for irrigation. On this ranch he runs a dairy of twenty-five Holstein cows.

On April 26, 1891, in Germany, Mr. Dietz was married to Miss Bertha Kroell, also a native of Stein- heim, Germany, a daughter of George and Margaret (Mumbir) Kroell. Her parents were farmers, and reared a family of eight children: George, Ferdinand, Elizabeth, Anna, Gustave, Grace, Eliza and Bertha, now Mrs. Dietz. Mr. and Mrs. Dietz are the parents of two children: Laura, Mrs. Doty of Elk Grove; and Alma, employed in Stockton. There are two grand- children, Margaret and Wilbur Doty. Mr. Dietz is a stanch American citizen, and he and his wife are mem- bers of the Lutheran Church at Lodi.

PIETRO PASQUALE CAMOZZI .- An upright and honorable citizen, and a thorough and industrious agriculturist, Pietro Pasquale Camozzi operates a fine ranch of 260 acres six miles southeast of Stockton on the Mariposa Road, a portion of which is a fine pro- ducing vineyard. He was born at Lugano, Canton Ticino, Switzerland, September 15, 1872, the only son of Caesar Camozzi, born in 1820, a native of the same province and a prosperous farmer, who died in 1901, when eighty-one years old. He married Miss Rosie Boscacci, also born in the province of Ticino in 1823; she died about 1890. There were seven children in the family of whom only two survive, Jane, Mrs. Valentine Camozzi on the old home, is the mother of eight children, three of whom are in California; and

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Pietro P., the subject of this sketch. At eleven years of age Pietro Camozzi left his family home in Switzer- land in company with his friends, the Chaparoni brothers now of San Francisco, and they sailed from Havre, France, on the La France, arriving in Califor- nia in March, 1883. His first job was with the Globe Brass Foundry Company and he received fifty cents per day for his work and out of this mere pittance he had to pay his board and lodging; however, later on he was given an increase from time to time. His ability and steadiness being recognized, he was re- ceiving $2.50 per day before he had reached the age of fifteen years. On account of the fumes in the brass foundry he was obliged to give up his work, so he ob- tained work on a ranch in the San Joaquin Valley and in 1887 he located in Stockton. During the following eight years he worked steadily on ranches and was able to save sufficient money to purchase the live stock and implements on the F. J. Galgaini ranch. It is fine productive land and which he has now farmed for twenty-one years. He raises large quan- tities of wheat and hay besides fine quality of grapes, especially of the Black Prince variety, which has gained him prizes at the county fair. He set this vineyard out, cared for it and it is now a good pro- ducer.

The marriage of Mr. Camozzi occurred in Decem- ber, 1901, which united him with Miss Josephine Gar- della, born in Stockton, a daughter of Stephen and Mary Gardella, pioneer market gardeners of South Stockton. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Camozzi, Stephen, Rosie and Eileen. In 1892 Mr. Camozzi received his final U. S. citizenship papers at Stockton and a more loyal American citizen is hard to find. He owns twenty shares in the San Joaquin Wharf and Warehouse Company at Stockton and has such confidence in the future of San Joaquin County as a viticulture section that he intends to set more acres to vineyard in the near future. He is a Repub- lican in politics.

PATRICK DOYLE .- An enterprising dairy far- mer of San Joaquin County is Patrick Doyle, born in County Wexford, Ireland, June 21, 1871, a son of Dan and Helen (Murphy) Doyle. The father was a horse- trainer by trade. The son, Patrick, was only nine years old at the time of his father's death. The mother is still living at the old home in Ireland, at an advanced age. They were the parents of seven children: William, Ellen, James, Patrick, Jack, Statia, and Margaret.

When Patrick Doyle was ten years old he began to make his own way in the world, working on farms in his native country. In 1888 he came to the United States, and at first went to Buffalo, N. Y., where he learned the plumber's trade. After working at his trade for two years, he went to South Dakota and there helped in the building of the railroad at Custer, which occupied him for six months; then he went to Omaha, Neb., and found employment in a rock quarry. In 1892 he came to California and was em- ployed on a dairy ranch on the Sacramento River, where he remained for twenty-seven years, until 1919, when he settled in San Joaquin County, at Thornton. It was then he bought his 117 acres of open land; and here he now has thirty-three acres in alfalfa and a dairy of twenty-five cows. He has been successful in his undertakings, for he has utilized his opportun- ities as they have crossed his path.

In June, 1898, in Sacramento, Mr. Doyle was mar- ried to Miss Kate Mernor, a native of County Wex- ford, Ireland, a daughter of John and Alice Mernor. While still a young girl, Kate Mernor left home and went to London, England, where she made her own living for twelve years. She then came to California, and here met and married Mr. Doyle. They are the parents of seven children; Jack and Dan are manag- ing an 800-acre grain ranch in Yolo County; Edward, Cecil, and George are deceased; and James and Alice are living at home with their parents. A self-made man in the truest sense of the word, Mr Doyle owes his advancement entirely to his own efforts. He is deeply interested in all that pertains to the welfare and progress of San Joaquin County.

WILLIAM M. EDWARDS .- An industrious, straightforward business man who has been rewarded with an enviable success, is William M. Edwards, for nearly four decades a Californian by adoption, and second to none in his loyalty to the Golden State. He was born in Mitchellville, Polk County, Iowa, on October 8, 1870. While still a small boy, his parents removed to Des Moines and there he was reared and educated in the public schools, until the family re- moved to California in 1886, when our subject at- tended the Washington grammar school in Stockton. After leaving school he was employed in the carriage factory of M. P. Henderson & Son and learned the trade of trimmer and upholsterer and worked for them for four years; then he went to San Francisco and followed his trade for one year. In 1896 he re- turned to Stockton and was employed as a mechanic by W. O. Bigelow, who supplied carriage trimmings, and later he was the foreman for the same company, remaining with them for nine years. In February, 1914, he opened a small shop at 129 East Miner Ave- nue; later a larger and more commodious store was built for him, and he started to repair automobile tops, but very soon he branched out into making auto- mobile tops, tailored seat covers, cushions, curtains, carpets, etc. His business has increased seven-fold within the last five years, and on account of his years of experience in his line he draws his customers from Calaveras and Contra Costa counties, as well as from San Joaquin County. All the workmen he employs are qualified to do first class work and he enjoys an ever increasing patronage.

The marriage of Mr. Edwards united him with Miss Isabelle Lemue, a native of Nevada County, and they are the parents of seven children. Mrs. Ed- wards is now deceased. Mr. Edwards has never failed to do his part as a public-spirited citizen and many are the projects that he has boosted that have helped to make San Joaquin County one of the best known localities in California.

JACOB PETER ENGEL. - Since 1911, Jacob Peter Engel has been actively engaged in agricultural pursuits in the vicinity of Woodbridge, San Joaquin County, and for the past nine years he has been on the Burton Towne ranch, where he is now foreman of the field men. He was born at Crown Point, Ind., October 18, 1873, his parents being Joseph and Mar- garet Engel, both deceased. Mr. Engel was kett to shift for himself while still a young lad and his edu- cation consisted of a schooling in the Indiana gram- mar schools.

On June 8, 1898, at Milwaukee, Wis., Mr. Engel was united in marriage with Miss Mary Thetest

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

Maier, a native of that city and a daughter of An- drew and Catherine Maier. Her parents were pio- neers of Milwaukee, where Mr. Maier owned and conducted a bakery for thirty-five years. They had ten children: Carrie, deceased; William, of Harshaw, Wis .; Christ, of Hollister, Cal .; Andrew, of San Mateo, Cal .; Antone, of Milwaukee, Wis .; Adam, also of Harshaw; John, also of Hollister; Mary Ther- esa, Mrs. Engel; George, also of Milwaukee; and Philipina. The father died at the age of sixty-seven, and the mother at sixty-four. Mrs. Engel received her education at the old Ninth Ward School in Mil- waukee, Wis. Mr. and Mrs. Engel are the parents of six children: Florence, Mrs. Savio; Joseph, de- ceased at the age of three and a half years; and Jacob, Laura, Gilbert, and Douglas. The family re- sided in Milwaukee until 1905, when they removed to California, arriving in Hollister on July 15, the same year. They remained there only six months, removing thence to Newark, where Mr. Engel worked in a foundry for five years Then he tried ranching on Dry Creek for a short time; but on November 6, 1911, removed to Woodbridge, where the family have since resided. Mr. Engel first worked for Charles Newton for two years, and then was employed on the ranch of Burton Towne, where he is at the present time foreman of field work. Mr. Engel and his wife are held in high esteem in their community.

ENTERPRISE PLANING MILL .- In these days of modern progress and building development, when there is such an insistent and increasing demand for finished building materials, it is a pleasure to do busi- ness with representative concerns that keep thorough- ly abreast with the times. Such an institution is the planing mill and cabinet shop conducted by the En- terprise Planing Mill, which has been an important factor aiding building and industrial development in this richly productive community of San Joaquin County, where irrigation and good soils properly cultivated are creating wealth. The company con- ducts an extensive business in this territory. In their new and conveniently equipped planing mill one finds a full line of everything in building materials usually tarried by a representative planing mill.

Thirteen years ago a small planing mill was started by Gregg & Son on Cherokee Street in Lodi, who conducted the business until 1921, when H. F. Silk purchased the interest of Mr. Gregg, Sr., and the firm became known as Silk & Gregg. Later George Chester Wheelock bought the interest of Ward M. Gregg and the firm became known as Silk & Wheel- ock. They are now doing business as the Enter- prise Planing Mill, a co-partnership. By fair dealing and honest work the business grew to such an extent that larger quarters became a necessity, and their planing mill and cabinet shop was removed to 625 North Sacramento Street. Much new machinery has been installed, including planers, moulders, band saw, shaper and a specially designed trim saw built by Mr. Silk. Mr. Silk has had eighteen years' experience in the planing-mill and cabinet-making business. He is outside, getting in touch with the public and securing new business. Mr. Wheelock has been in the busi- ness for sixteen years and has charge of the office. The third member of the firm is Alfred H. Perry, who was for eighteen years foreman for the Pacific Manufacturing Company at Santa Clara, and is now in charge of this mill. The machinery and equipment of the new mill cost approximately $20,000, thus giv-

ing the plant a very large capacity. Lately an addi- tion has been made to occupy 50x180 feet. Already it has been found that the new quarters are going to be too small, and they are looking for further space for enlarging the mill and for the storage of lumber. The firm now has twelve first class mechanics on their payroll, and only the very best of work is turned out. The Enterprise Planing Mill are loyal boosters for the rich and steadily growing communities sur- rounding' the city of Lodi. The policy of this organ- ization is to work along progressive lines with other representative interests for the upbuilding of the city.

MARIO TABACCO .- Coming to America as a young man with practically no capital, Mario Tabacco has won his way to success through his own efforts and is now one of the proprietors of the San Fran- cisco Italian Paste Company. He was born near Genoa, Italy, May 30, 1878, and his early days were spent on a small farm in this mountain district. Here he remained until he was twenty-two years old, when he resolved to try his fortune in America. He reached San Francisco in 1900 and his first work was with the Italian vegetable gardens, south of San Francisco on the San Bruno Road. After three years there he learned the trade of baker in the bakery of Calari- garo Bros., and was with them for two years, then entering the employ of Sprivilo & Company of San Francisco, the largest paste manufacturers in the city. He learned all the branches of the business with them and in 1907 he came to Stockton and in com- pany with Mr. Bacigalupi founded the San Francisco Italian Paste Company. Later Mr. Bacigalupi sold out his interest to Wm. J. Armanino, and the firm now consists of three partners, Mr. Tabacco and W. J. and L. Armanino. The first plant was at Market and Madison streets, but this burned down in 1913 and the same year they erected their modern two- story brick building at 619 E. Lafayette Street. Equipped with modern machinery, this plant is considered one of the finest in the state, and their business has grown steadily year by year. The mem- bers of the firm have great faith in the future of Stockton and have invested largely in real estate here, having recently erected a fine apartment house on South American Street.

On April 19, 1908, Mr. Tabacco was married to Miss Millie Armanino, a native of San Francisco, the daughter of Joseph Armanino, a California pioneer who for some years was engaged in gardening near San Francisco and later farmed in San Joaquin County. Mr. and Mrs. Tabacco have three daughters, Ruby, Norma and Stella.

EMANUEL TRACHIOTIS .- Since 1918 Emanuel Trachiotis has been the sole owner and proprietor of the Olympia Oyster Grotto located at 35 North El Dorado Street, Stockton, where he has built up a prosperous business and enjoys the esteem of his as- sociates. He was born at Kranidi, Greece, November 26, 1892, a son of Demetrius and Theodora (Augeri- nou) Trachiotis. Both parents were born and. reared in Greece and Demetrius Trachiotis is a wealthy, re- tired sponge merchant. At the age of fifteen Emanuel Trachiotis boarded a Greek liner at Pireaus, Greece, and after a voyage of fifteen days arrived in New York; from there he went to Canton, Ohio, but soon after left for Stockton, Cal., where his uncle, J. Des- potakos- lived. Emanuel attended the Stockton high school. He began to work for his uncle in 1910, who

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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 239

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