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 249

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 249

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

On June 6, 1892, Mr. Oyarbide was married in San Francisco to Miss Marion Oronos, born near Bigorre, France, and who came to California in 1890. One daughter has blessed this union, Mary Margaret, born in San Francisco. She attended the grammar and high schools in Stockton, then entered Heald's Busi- ness College, from which she was graduated in 1916. For the past six years she has been bookkeeper for the Monarch Foundry Company in Stockton. She is a member of the Y. L. I. in Stockton. Mr. Oyarbide has shown capability as a business man and is a prom- inent and influential member of the French Colony in Stockton. He has never regretted his decision to leave his native land for the Golden West, where he has made good and now enjoys the comforts gained by a well-spent life.

BYRON A. NIXON .- In these days of building progress and development, and with the increasing demand for lumber and building materials, it is a great satisfaction to do business with a firm that believes in keeping up-to-date along building lines. The Nixon Lumber Company, owned and operated by Byron A. and E. A. Nixon, is such an institution, which has been an invaluable factor in aiding building and in- dustrial developments in Lockeford and vicinity. He was born in Van Buren County, Mich., on May 25, 1857, a son of Amos and Lucy Ann (Stocking) Nixon, both descendants of old Michigan families.

Byron A. Nixon attended the grammar schools of Van Buren County and when eighteen years of age began to make his own way in the world. His father being a farmer, he learned considerable about the agri- cultural business, but farming did not particularly ap- peal to him. From 1877 to 1878 he was in Montana and upon his return to Michigan settled in Antrim County and built the first store building in Bellaire, the county seat of Antrim County; later he engaged in the merchandise business in Bellaire, which occu- pied him for twelve years, when he sold out and went

1623

HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

to Hillsdale, Mich., where he was employed by the Campbell Lumber Company, remaining with them for twelve years. Deciding to cast his lot in California, he spent one year in Santa Cruz in the real estate business; then went to Trinity County and spent a short time in the quartz mines of that county. After a short stay in Chico, Butte County, with the Diamond Match Company, he was transferred to Woodland, Cal., by the Diamond Match Company, where he remained two years; and then was with Stevens Construction Company four years. Remov- ing to Stockton in 1914, he began work for the Hatch Lumber Company, this position occupying a period of nearly five years. In the month of September, 1918, Mr. Nixon came to Lockeford and purchased the busi- ness of the Lockeford Lumber Company, which he has built up to its present proportions. Besides handling all kinds of rough and finished lumber, he carries a full line of coal and cement.

Mr. Nixon's marriage occurred at Unadilla, Living- ston County, Mich, on December 7, 1886, and united him with Miss Ethel Adora May, a native of that state and a daughter of W. J. and Lydia (Durkee) May, her father a blacksmith and farmer by occupa- tion. Mrs. Nixon received her education in the public schools of Michigan and later was graduated from the Mancelona Normal School, after which she taught for four years previous to her marriage to Mr. Nixon. They are the parents of two children: Mrs. A. H. Meier, of Chico, has three children; Burgess A. also resides at Chico and is with the Sacramento Northern Electric Company. Politically, Mr. Nixon is a Re- publican and fraternally belongs to the Masons of Hillsdale, Mich., and Scottish Rite Masons of Lansing, Mich. Mr. Nixon's operations are of a constructive nature and he has given freely of his time and means toward the development of his locality.

JOHN OLSON .- Prominent among those Cali- fornians who have not only been able to retire with a comfortable competence, but have withdrawn from active participation in the affairs of life with the as- surance of good will from all to whom they are known. may be mentioned John Olson, of 229 North Grant Street, Stockton. He was born in Colsum, Sweden, on the Baltic Sea, on June 17, 1838, and as a boy followed the sea, becoming a ship-carpenter. He left home when he was eighteen years of age, and sailed to England; and from there he went out to Australia as second carpenter, in that way following his father, who had mastered the same trade.

In Australia he ran away from his ship, and not long after joined a vessel bound for San Francisco, arriving at the Golden Gate in 1858. From the Bay City he pushed on inland to Greenwood Valley, Placer County, where he took up a mining claim, with a friend, and was fortunate in making money; and later he went into Placer County, and there bought a claim for $1,400 at Todd's Valley, on the American River. He worked the same, and soon took out enough to pay for it. Then he sold out and went to Washoe, Nev., during the excitement in the Comstock Lode. He took up a claim and also mined at Ophir Mill and Washoe. Valley.

In 1865, he returned to the East on a trip and while there married, in that year, Miss Charlotte Flower, a native of Ohio. He resumed carpenter work in New- castle, Penn., and erected two blocks. These he sold, 101

and came back to California. He went to Dutch Flat, in Placer County, and worked in the mines as a car- penter; and then he went on to Gold Run, in Placer County, where he took up hydraulic mining and built a sluiceway. He went to Alta, in the same county, and helped to build a sawmill; and in Oakland he worked again at his trade, removing in 1878 to Lodi, where he worked for Comstock & Clapp, in building houses. He was for three years in Red Bluff and built a flour mill.

Coming to Stockton, he bought ten acres of land in the Parker Addition, south of Stockton, and this he farmed for about twenty years, raising alfalfa, grapes, berries, etc. He paid seventy-five dollars per acre for five acres, and eighty dollars per acre for the balance; and he sold this property, some years ago, at a fair profit. While he worked in Stockton, he was in the employ of Jerry Robinson, the contractor, and he helped to erect many notable buildings, including the Yosemite Theater.

Mr. Olson has four daughters, Mrs. Maggie Len- fister, Mrs. Gran Sharck, Mrs. Mabel Matthews, and Mrs. Bessie Erickson, and there are nine grandchil- dren and five great-grandchildren. Mr. and Mrs. Olson also own a home on Clay Street, and they at- tend the Central Methodist Church.

EDWARD WITTMEIER .- Typical of the oppor- tunities which San Joaquin County offers to men of enterprise and industry is the story of success won by Edward Wittmeier, the owner of a forty-acre ranch two miles south of Lockeford. He was born on his father's farm in the southern part of South Dakota, on August 21, 1899, a son of Simon and Christina Wittmeier. The father was born in Ger- many and came to America when a young man, and settled first in North Dakota, where he homesteaded a half section of land. In 1893 he sold this property and removed to South Dakota, locating in the south- ern part, where he bought a half section of land, re- siding there until his removal to California. There were ten children in the family, namely, Samuel, Fred, John, Rosie, Jacob, Henry, who lost his life in the late war in France, Christina, Edward, the subject of this sketch, Martha, and Pauline. In 1902 the father brought his family to California and set- tled on a half-section of land two miles south of the town of Lockeford, and engaged in grain and stock- raising with his sons until he retired and moved to the city of Lodi, where he now resides. Sam Witt- meier, the oldest son, later went to Visalia, Tulare County, and became foreman on the Kirk Company's 10,000-acre ranch, and for thirteen years retained that position. While in Visalia, he was married in 1909 to Miss Mabel Gilberd, a native of California, born in Delano, Kern County, a daughter of Dixon and Della Gilberd. In 1917, Sam Wittmeier returned to Lockeford with his family, and now farms forty acres of the old home place.

Edward Wittmeier was educated in the Grant dis- trict school, after which he devoted his entire time to helping his father on the ranch. On June 9, 1920, at Stockton, he was married to Miss Edna Ray, born two miles north of Lodi, San Joaquin County, on the Krump place, a daughter of David and Mary (Tomich) Ray. Her father, David Ray, was born on a ranch ten miles west of Lodi and comes from the old pioneer family of Rays who settled in section thirteen of Union Township. Mrs. Wittmeier was

1624

HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

educated in the Houston and Ray grammar schools and finished with a course in the Lodi high school. They are the parents of one daughter, Lois Marie. Mr. Wittmeier, in partnership with his brothers, owns a thirty-foot header and threshing outfit, which they run each fall, cutting and harvesting grain for other farmers throughout the county. In national politics Mr. Wittmeier is a Republican, and is proud that he is a resident of California, and especially of San Joaquin County

DOMINGO YROZ .- A successful San Joaquin County sheepman, Domingo Yroz is a native of the Basses-Pyrenees, where he was born at Lasa, on December 9, 1873, the son of John and Jennie (Ricart) Yroz, a worthy couple still living in ad- vanced years at their comfortable and picturesque mountain home. They had four children. The eldest two, Pierre and Theresa, elected to stay at home, while the youngest two, Domingo and Pete, crossed the wide ocean in search of adventure and a still greater opportunity, and are now in Stockton.

Owing to the unfavorable economic conditions in his native country, Domingo had very little oppor- tunity to go to school, and when only ten years old started to earn his own support. He was able, even at that tender age, to make himself useful on the home farm in caring for the sheep and stock. In young manhood, in 1894, when he was twenty years of age, he came to the United States, bringing with him a valuable experience in his line. Los Angeles was the first district in which he pitched his tent, and there he worked for two years. Then he went up to Plumas County and herded sheep for a summer. Later he went onto the Delta Islands of San Joaquin County, where he herded sheep and did various kinds of farm labor.

About twenty years ago, he started in the sheep business for himself, buying sheep, feeding them on the range, and selling them again, getting together as many as 2,000 head, running them through San Joaquin County and also among the mountains to the east. In 1915, he returned to his native home, and on. August 13, he was married to Miss Florence Uritzaga, who was born in the vicinity of his home, the daughter of John and Josephine (Yorasabal) Uritzaga, farmer folk of the sturdy, old-fashioned class, who still reside at their old home. There were seven children in that family, Inez, Anastacia, Pierre, Batista, Jean and Pete all being older than Mrs. Yroz. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Yorz, Pierre and Albert. Upon returning to Califor- nia after his marriage, Mr. Yorz purchased for his bride an attractive home at 420 South San Joaquin Street in Stockton. There he has resided ever since, while he has actively continued the raising of high- grade sheep.

ABRAHAM BECHTHOLD .- Viticulture forms the principal occupation of Abraham Bechthold, and the wide-awake manner in which he takes advantage of all methods and ideas tending to enhance the value of his property has had much to do with his obtaining the com- petence which he now enjoys. He was born near Parkston, S. D., on June 26, 1879, a son of Henry and Lottie (Baumbach) Bechthold, both na- tives of South Russia, who came to America and set- tled in South Dakota where he had three quarter- sections of land-a homestead, pre-emption and tim-

ber claim. The father passed away at the age of fifty-seven and the mother at forty-five years of age.

Abraham is one of a family of nine children and his opportunity for an education was very limited, the time when he should have been in school being occupied in helping with the farm work at home. But these duties served to make him familiar with the routine of an agriculturist, and when ready to embark on life's journey alone, he decided to follow that pursuit.

On February 20, 1904, in Tripp, S. D., Mr. Bech- thold was united in marriage to Miss Matilda Worms- becher, also a native of South Dakota, and a daugh- ter of Henry and Katherine (Buchholtz) Worms- becher. Her father was born in Russia and upon his arrival in the United States settled in South Dakota, where he was married. His wife came to South Dakota with her parents when a girl. They were farmers at Tripp until they retired. His daughter Matilda was reared on the farm at Tripp. After his marriage, Mr. Bechthold farmed in South Dakota until the fall of 1907, when he removed to California and settled on the ranch which he purchased and now occupies. It is located about two and one-half miles southeast of Lodi. He first bought ten acres in vineyard, planted to the varieties of Tokay, Zinfandel and Cornichon. Later he added sixteen acres located on Kettleman Lane, then ten acres on Cherokee Lane near the Union Oil Station, making a total of thirty- six acres. On each of his places Mr. Bechthold has installed pumping plants. Two years ago Mr. Bech- tho'd erected a fine stucco residence and farm build- ings on the home place. Mr. and Mrs. Bechthold are the, parents of eight children: Lillie, attending Lodi High, the only one born in South Dakota; Nettie, Alexander, Julius, who died in 1917, over four years old; Arthur, Ruth, Walter and Edward. In 1913, with his family Mr. Bechthold made a trip back to South Dakota, visiting their childhood home and friends. In 1921 he and his wife again made a trip to their native state, also Minnesota and Canada. In politics Mr. Bechthold is a Republican.

JOHN A. CHAPDELAIN .- For almost a quarter of a century John A. Chapdelain has been a resident of San Joaquin County, where he is a representative of the highest ideals of citizenship and progressive enterprise. He was born at Faribault, Minn., April 7, 1888, a son of Alexander and Antoinette (Shavie) Chapdelain, both natives of the same state. The paternal grandparents were natives of Canada and Belgium, respectively, and were pioneers of Minne- sota, settling among the Indians in a very early day. There were ten children in the father's family: Lucile, Mrs. Reese Thompson; Emma Grace, Mrs. A. R. Siegfried of Lodi; Louis, Mrs. Bailey; John A. of this review; James, residing at home; Olive, de- ceased; Joseph, deceased; and three children who died in infancy. In 1898 the father came to Califor- nia and settled on his present home place. his first purchase being eighty acres, twenty-six of which were in vineyard and the balance unimproved land. From time to time he has added to his holdings, until he now owns 570 acres of land, devoted to vine- yard, hay and grain.

John A. Chapdelain began his education in the Woodbridge grammar school, then entered the Lodi high school, where he remained for two years, and then for the next three years attended St. Mary's College at Oakland. From early boyhood he had

1625

HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

helped on his father's ranch. For a number of years he has been farming independently, and now owns 290 acres of land, 140 acres of which is in orchard and vineyard. Raising fruit extensively, he markets it independently. One hundred thirty acres of his ranch is under the Stockton-Mokelumne ditch, and the balance of the land is irrigated from three seven- inch pumps driven by twenty-five horsepower motors. Mr. Chapdelain has improved his place with a good residence, located on the highway just across from his father's home.

On November 16, 1916, in Stockton, Mr. Chapde- lain was married to Miss Josephine Ethel Thompson, a daughter of James Henry and Lavissa (Smith) Thompson, natives of Virginia, who came to Cali- fornia in 1876. Mrs. Chapdelain was born at Clay, Sacramento County, Cal., and received her education in that locality.

HOWARD B. TAYLOR .- An energetic and highly progressive rancher, who has become a suc- cessful orchardist and vineyardist, is Howard B. Tay- lor, of Youngstown, San Joaquin County. A native of Barron County, Ky., he was born at Glasgow on February 24, 1881, the son of Able Cain Taylor, a native of Tennessee, who had married Miss Nancy Katherine Harper, from Kentucky. A. C. Taylor was a farmer and lived to be seventy years old. He served in the Army of the Cumberland under General Bragg during the Civil War. He was wounded at Perryville, Ky., and received over thirty bullet marks, and was honored as a Confederate veteran. Mrs. Taylor is now living in Crowell, Texas, at the age of seventy-six, the beloved mother of ten children, among whom Howard was the seventh.

Howard B. Taylor received public school training in Kentucky, and when seventeen years old began to make his own way, working for wages on a farm. He left his home at this time and went to Craw- fordsville, Ind., and there worked on a farm for two years. From Indiana he returned to Kentucky, where he remained a short time, and then came to Loomis, in Placer County, Cal., arriving February 3, 1900. There he took up orcharding, and stayed until 1905, working long hours at spraying the trees, receiving only $1.25 per day for his labor, and boarding him- self. On September 17, 1905, he came to Lodi and was employed with the Producers Fruit Company; and in November of that year he bought the Reese Thompson ranch of forty acres, on the Davis-Termi- nus Road, for which he paid $100 an acre. In 1906 he developed this ranch by setting it out to grapes, and in June, of the same year, he went to Sacramento and took charge of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company's stockyards, continuing there until 1909, when the yards were discontinued and he was trans- ferred to Sparks, Nev. Here they opened a new stockyard, of which he was in charge until 1911, when he resigned and returned to Sacramento. There he was engaged as a realtor for one year, afterwards going to Reno, Nev., where he took charge of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company's stockyards for one year. In February, 1913, he returned to his ranch at Lodi, which in the meantime had been well cared for under his direction and was then in full bearing. After one year, he leased it for $1,000 a year. He then accepted a position in the shipping de- partment with the Producers Fruit Company, at Loomis, and the Pacific Fruit Exchange, at Lodi,

alternating between tree fruit and grapes. In 1915 he engaged with the Earl Fruit Company as a solicitor, where he was employed for four years. Meantime, in 1918, with Mr. E. A. Humphrey, he purchased a forty-acre ranch, a part of the old Fuqua estate ad- joining Youngstown, half in peaches and half in vines. They have a pumping plant run by electricity, with a capacity of ninety miner's inches. In 1920 he located on this ranch and has since devoted his time to its cultivation and care. On November 3, 1921, he sold his original forty-acre ranch for $40,000. The same year their residence was destroyed by fire and he immediately built a handsome modern bungalow, and now has an exceedingly attractive place.

Mr. Taylor also owns one-third interest in a ranch of 188 acres near Tudor, Sutter County, which they contemplate developing to cling peaches. He also owns a one-third interest in a sixty-acre vineyard near Loomis, Placer County. He is a stockholder in the National Fruit Products Company, the Citizens National Bank of Lodi, the City Improvement Com- pany of Lodi, and the Raven Oil & Refining Com- pany of Utah.

At Ceres, on February 1, 1917, Mr. Taylor was married to Miss Cora Lucas, the daughter of N. C. and Caroline Lucas. Her father was an orchardist, cultivating figs near Ceres. She was born in Texas, but was reared and educated in New Mexico, where her father was a cattle-raiser. Mrs. Taylor is a cul- tured and refined woman and presides gracefully over their home. She is a consistent Christian wo- man. Three children blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Taylor: Marvin, Wilma and Virda. In 1920, Mr. Taylor with his family made a visit back to his old home in Kentucky, and also visited other points of interest in the East. After a pleasant trip they returned to their home at Lodi. Mr. Taylor belongs to the Masonic Lodge at Woodbridge, and to the Eastern Star.

WILLIAM R. STOEVEN .- A hustling black- smith who has one of the best-equipped and most ser- viceable shops in all San Joaquin County, is William R. Stoeven, who was born near Livermore, in Liver- more Valley, California, on August 24, 1871, the son of Reimer Stoeven, a native of Holstein, Germany, who had married Miss Katherine Schutt, a native of Germany. Reimer Stoeven came out to California in 1866, and for a year mined at Mokelumne Hill, in Calaveras County. The worthy couple are still living, in the Liverinore Valley. Mr. Stoeven owns a fine grain ranch of 253 acres in Livermore Valley, and there William attended the local schools. They have four children, William, Lewis, Annetta, and Theresa.

When fourteen years of age, William R. Stoeven began working out for himself; and having learned the blacksmith trade, he has followed that line of in- dustry. In 1909 he came to Clements and opened a shop, and there he has since carried on a general blacksmith business. He does all kinds of iron and wood work; and his many patrons generally find that when he has once undertaken to do anything, it is done in such manner that it is not necessary to do it over again.

At Livermore, on October 18, 1899. Mr. Stoeven was married to Miss Alvina J. Kruger, a native of Texas, and the daughter of Fred and Sophie Kruger. Her father came to California when she was a young maiden, and he became a farmer of note in the Liver-

1626

HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

more Valley, where she attended the district schools. Five children were born to the worthy couple, Alvina, George, Fred, Tilly and Sophie. Mr. and Mrs. Stoe- ven have four children: Lawrence R., Harold George, Chester William, and Selma C. Mr. Stoe- ven lives in Stockton, and he commutes in traveling back and forth to this work. Lawrence is head book- keeper for the Stockton branch of the Western Meat Company. Harold is bookkeeper for the Western States Electric Company. Chester is a horse-trainer at Stockton; and Miss Selma is with Messrs. Hum- phrey & Mathews, of Stockton.

Mr. Stoeven is a Republican, and a member of the Odd Fellows, at Clements, in which lodge he has passed through all the chairs. He is also a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, at Clements.

HENRY C. THIESSEN, JR .- Henry C. Thiessen, Jr., was born in Lutgen, Dortmund, Westphalia, Ger- many, September 1, 1887, a son of Henry and Fred- ericka (Sprienkemper) Thiessen, both natives of Ger- many, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work. Henry C. is the eldest son of their family of twelve children.

Henry C. received a public school education in his native country and was fifteen years old when his parents removed to Taylorville, Ill., where he worked in the coal mines. In 1904 the family came to Cali- fornia, and he has followed farming, being interested with his father in a ranch of 320 acres located north of Woodbridge, as well as 188 acres in the Brack tract.

The marriage of Mr. Thiessen occurred in Oakland on May 26, 1921, which united him with Miss Ethel Tanner, born at Sutter Creek, Cal., a daughter of Charles and Anna (Cosgrove) Tanner, the former a native of McHenry County, Illinois, and the latter of Angels Camp, Cal. Her father, a veteran of the Civil War, after which he came to California, was a teamster in hauling provisions from Angels Camp, Ione and Jackson to the mines. Mrs. Thiessen was reared and educated in Sutter Creek and then taught school there; she also taught in Tulare County schools, and was teaching her second term at the Ray district school in North San Joaquin County when she was married to Mr. Thiessen. Mr. Thiessen has just completed a fine residence on his ranch, where they make their home. In politics he is a Re- publican. Mrs. Thiessen is a member of the Re- bekahs, in which she is a past noble grand, and is a member and past president of the Native Daughters of the Golden West.

HENRY THIESSEN, SR .- Henry Thiessen, Sr., who came to this county eighteen years ago, where he has since made his home, was born in Elbing, West Prussia, near Danzig, Germany, February 3, 1863, a son of Ephraim and Louise (Mueller) Thiessen, also natives of Germany. When our subject was seven years old, his parents moved to the province of West- phalia, Germany, where the father became a laborer in the coal mines. There were eight children in the family: John, Louise, Ephraim, Henry, our subject, Karl, Martin, William and Anna.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of San Joaquin County, California : with biographical sketches of leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 249

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