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 83

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 83

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Joseph P. Vinet received a good schooling in the local schools and finished with a business course and also attended the University of Santa Clara in 1880- '81, after which he returned to the home ranch and entered into a partnership with his father in the stock and grain business. The original brand established by his father is still used and is recognized by all stockmen as the PV brand. Mr. Vinet owns 533 acres of fine wheat land and eighty acres of grazing land and he raises large quantities of wheat and barley each year.

The marriage of Joseph P. Vinet occurred on Octo- ber 24, 1887, and united him with Miss Louise Pache, who was born in Stockton, October 8, 1861. She is a representative of an old pioneer family, her father, Jules P. Pache, a native of Paris, France, came to America in 1851, around the Horn, arriving in Cali-

fornia in the gold mining days and spent some time searching for the precious metal, locating at French Bar, Mariposa County, after which he engaged in the forwarding and commission business in Stockton. Some time later he was associated with Louis Chi- card in the same business, then was a bookkeeper for I. S. Bostwick, and still later was with the Farm- ers Union. For twenty years he was a bookkeeper for the Stockton Savings and Loan Association. He was one of the dependable men of his day and could always be counted on to do his share to pro- mote any worthy cause. For many years he was the representative of the French Consul for the mountain and valley counties. He married, in 1860, Miss Marie Elizabeth Chicard, born in Independence, Mo., on November 12, 1843, who came with her family to California across the plains, arriving November 1, 1849. Mr. and Mrs. Pache had six children: Louise, Mrs. J. P. Vinet; Dr. George F. Pache of Angels Camp; Edmund B., of San Francisco; Philip F., a merchant at Angels Camp; Dr. Francis C., of San Diego; and Mrs. Julie Umberger, of Angels Camp. Mr. Pache came of a prominent family from south- ern France, one branch being Royalist and the other Republican in its leaning. One member of the family was tutor to the children of Louis XV, another a Count at the Court of Charles XII. During the Revolution a member was on the committee of safety and prefect of Paris, later retiring to his home in southern France where he wrote a treatise on meta- physics.

Mrs. Vinet received a good education at Notre Dame College at San Jose and has become the moth- er of four children: Elois R., is the wife of W. C. Lucas, has three daughters and two sons and lives in Ione; Lucille A., married Dr. L. E. Tretheway and died December 31, 1920, survived by one son and one daughter; Antoinette K., became the wife of S. D. Miller and has two boys and two girls and they reside at Manteca; Josephine E., resides at home with her parents.

Mr. Vinet belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America and the Knights of Columbus, and formerly was a member of the Republican county central com- mittee and still takes an active part in local politics. He is a firm believer in the good roads movements and in irrigation activities, and he wields an influ- ence for good in a large circle of friends and acquaint- ances. The Vinet family belong to St. Patrick's Parish at Atlanta, of which Peter Vinet was one of the pioneer supporters and organizers.

LOUIS EUGENE CHICARD .- The Chicard family comprising George Jean Chicard, his wife Marie F .; Louis Eugene; Adele C. (Mrs. G. Joseph) ; Marie Elizabeth (Mrs. Jules Pache) and Thomas Chicard, an infant, left Independence, Missouri in May, 1849, and came across the plains, traversing the Platte country and the Great American Desert, in "Ships of the Desert," by ox team, entering Califor- nia by the route taken by the Donner Party, arriving at Sutter Fort in October, 1849. Their destination was San Jose but on arriving in Stockton on No- vember 1, 1849, Thomas Chicard died and was buried in what lately was Independence Square. They pur- chased from Captain Weber, the quarter block corner of Market and Hunter streets, including what was later the old Catholic rectory, extending on Market Street 150 feet opposite to what was the old county jail and present City Library. The Hunter Street

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property was the home of the late Madame Chicard and on it was planted the first vines and bay trees in San Joaquin County, being brought from Santa Cruz County.

George Jean Chicard returned to St Louis where he died in 1850 and Madame Chicard remained with the family in Stockton, passing away in 1876. Louis Eugene Chicard engaged in the forwarding, commis- sion and draying business for many years and was known throughout the Southern mines and valley counties. He was a member of the old Eureka Fire Engine Company, an Exempt Fireman and a member of the San Joaquin County Society of Cali- fornia Pioneers in which he held office at different times. He was esteemed for his probity and busi- ness acumen, being one of the public-spirited citizens of Stockton. Adele C. Chicard was married to G. Joseph, a merchant of Stockton, later removing to San Francisco where she resided for many years, passing away in San Jose in 1918.

Marie Elizabeth Chicard, married the late Jules P. Pache in 1860. She was educated at Notre Dame Convent, San Jose, being one of the first to matricu- late. She excelled in fine needle work and tapestry, taking prizes for them at several early San Joaquin County fairs, the tapestries being prized and treas- ured heirlooms in the Pache family. She was a bril- liant conversationalist, speaking several languages. She was a member of the Associated Charities while living in Stockton, and also of the San Joaquin Coun- ty Society of California Pioneers, being voted a membership' and certificate by the society, her mem- bership being still in possession of her family. She resided in Angels Camp during the latter part of her life, passing away in 1916. The Chicard family came from Orleans, France, and there is still in the family on the banks of the River Loire in France, an estate comprising large vineyards and an an- cestral chateau.

PHILEMON E. PLATT .- An early settler of much foresight and prominence, whose activities embraced various lines was Philemon E. Platt, a native of Providence, R. I. He crossed the plains with his parents in an early day and settled in Sac- ramento County, where he received his education and where he was first employed as a salesman in a local shoe store in the capital city. As he grew to man- hood, he worked as a reporter on the Sacramento Record-Union; later becoming a court reporter; he also studied law, but was never admitted to practice, although his training was of great benefit to him throughout his business career. In partnership with W. R. Strong and Robert Williamson, he built up the W. R. Strong Company, the largest produce shippers on the Coast at that time; he entered the firm as a bookkeeper and later was admitted as a partner. Removing to Los Angeles, he established the P. E. Platt Fruit Company and was the first man to shin citrus fruit east in ventilated fruit cars, before the days of iced cars; later he founded and became a member of the firm of Dalton, Platt & Patterson Company. Twenty-five years ago he located in Stockton and founded the Platt Produce Company and was the pioneer in shipping potatoes and onions east in carload lots from Stockton; he shipped the first trainload of potatoes, forty-two cars, November 10, 1905. Through his efforts and influence, in part, the Santa Fe Railroad was built across the Delta

and through Stockton, and this company built the first warehouse on the Santa Fe tracks for his exclu- sive use; a portion of the original building is still standing and is used by the present Platt Produce Company. While in the citrus fruit business in Los Angeles, he was the first man to ship Valencia orange trees, for planting purposes, to Northern Cal- ifornia; at that time it was generally thought that oranges could not be successfully grown in north- ern California.

In the Orangevale and Penryn sections Mr. Platt financed, planted and developed several large orange groves, and also developed several fruit and vegeta- ble ranches, which are now very valuable. His inter- est in new ideas and inventions was shown when he was the first man in the early days of Sacramento to have a telephone and was the first to use the type- writer and employ a stenographer; also had installed in his office the first electric call bell used for calling a telegraph boy from the main office. His influence for the advancement of his locality was most pro- nounced; he was president of the Chamber of Com- merce and Board of Trade of Sacramento and enthu- siastically gave his aid to all measures for the pro- gress and development of every community in which he resided. Some forty-seven years ago he erected a residence of fifteen rooms and it is one of the old landmarks of Sacramento at the present time.

Mr. Platt's marriage united him with Miss Levina A. Barrett, a native of Ironton, Ohio, and they were the parents of four children, two of whom are now living; Pearl E. is Mrs. F. J. Beaton of Los Angeles; Roscoe C. is in business in Stockton; while Guy Thornton and Mabel are deceased. Fraternally Mr. Platt was very prominent in both Odd Fellows and Masonic circles. He was one of the organizers and a past worthy grand of Capital Lodge No. 87, I. O. O. F., in Sacramento, of which his son Roscoe C. was also a member. In Masonry he was a past master, a thirty-second degree Mason of the Scottish as well as the York Rite, a Knight Templar and a Shriner. He passed away on May 13, 1919; his wife continued to live at the old home in Sacramento until her death, which occurred September 11, 1922.

After Mr. Platt's death, a copartnership was formed by his son Roscoe C. Platt, under the firm name of the Platt Produce Company, with headquar- ters in Stockton, with the following officers: J. W. Barrett, manager; Roscoe C. Platt, district manager; and F. J. Beaton, manager of the Los Angeles office.

Roscoe C. Platt was born and educated in the grammar and high schools of Sacramento and later be- came a draftsman in the office of George C. Sellon, the state architect at that time. In 1910 he removed to Stockton and became a member of the original firm of the Platt Produce Company. He is a member of the Anteros Club in Stockton.

Mr. Platt was married on Christmas morning, 1922, to Miss Ada Irene Dennison, of Stockton, a popular and active member of Caliz de Oro Parlor, N. D. G. W., and Alpha Omega Sorority; born in San Francisco, she was a charter member of Colum- bus Chapter, O. E. S., Sacramento, and for many years one of its most active members. In 1917 Mr. Platt volunteered for service in the World War in the Coast Artillery at Fort Winfield Scott, San Francisco. He was advanced to corporal, then ser- geant, remaining at Fort Winfield Scott to the close of the war.

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

JONATHAN HOLT DODGE .- The qualities which have contributed to success in new countries have always been characteristics of the family repre- sented by the late Jonathan Holt Dodge, a California pioneer of 1850. The genealogy shows the undoubted antiquity and gentle blood of his English ancestors, several patents granting coats of arms, or confirming preceding grants, being preserved in the family to this day. As early as 1635 the first American ances- tor, Richard Dodge, came to the new world and settled at Beverly, Mass., where he took an active part in the early struggles of the Colonies, and as- sisted in the founding and maintenance of one of the greatest institutions of learning in the United States, Harvard College. Others of this lineage bore an active part in the Revolutionary War.

Jonathan Holt Dodge was born in Lamoille Coun- ty, Vt., July 21, 1819. He made the most of educa- tional advantages in his boyhood and later gained a broad information, which gave him the power of initiative in the new conditions of the country. In early life he started out to make his own way in the world, and following the tide of immigration he came to McHenry County, Illinois, where he was living at the time of the discovery of gold in California. Eager to avail himself of this new opportunity, to make a fortune in the great unknown West, Mr. Dodge settled up his affairs in Illinois and on Christ- mas Day, 1849, with his boyhood friend, J. H. Cole, he left for California. They went to St. Louis and there took a steamboat for New Orleans, arriving January 17, 1850. The government steamer, com- manded by Capt. David Porter, on which they took passage February 12, 1850, conveyed Mr. Dodge and Mr. Cole to the Isthmus of Panama. There they hired natives to carry their luggage across to Pan- ama, where they embarked on the sailing vessel Grey- hound, which anchored at San Francisco, forty-seven days later.

After their arrival they went to Sacramento by steamboat and then journeyed to the South Fork of the American River, six miles from where gold was first discovered at Coloma. Meeting with little suc- cess in the mines, and realizing the wonderful possi- bilities in the great interior of California, they soon decided to take up lands in the San Joaquin Valley, and on December 3, 1850, they settled in San Joaquin County. After a partnership of seven years with J. H. Cole, in which a large section of land was held jointly, Mr. Dodge purchased in his own name a large tract near the Calaveras River, a part of the famous Pico Grant. This became one of the grain ranches so conspicuous here in the early days of Cali- fornia.

On November 8, 1859, Mr. Dodge was married to Miss Emily Bray, who was born in Lancastershire, England, and was descended from an old and promi- nent family. The first dwelling of Mr. and Mrs. Dodge was a picturesque log house. It was on the property at the time of Mr. Dodge's purchase and was the first house in the county. The house was built by Dr. J. C. Isbell, a pioneer of 1846. A frame building brought around Cape Horn on a sailing vessel was added to the log structure and this con- tinued to be the Dodge home until in 1866 Mr. Dodge erected a large, substantial residence. It is of con- siderable interest to know that General John C. Fre- mont on his way from Sutter's Fort made this site his camping place on March 26, 1844.

In addition to the cultivation of grain, stock rais- ing formed a very important part of Mr. Dodge's business, and he became well known for the thor- ough-bred horses, cattle and sheep held in his pos- session. In connection with this business, he pur- chased in Merced County a ranch of several thou- sand acres. Mr. Dodge became interested in grape culture and planted a large vineyard of imported grapes, one of the first in the county. This experi- ment proved successful and encouraged many others to enter this industry for themselves.

Always public spirited, Mr. Dodge did much to contribute toward the welfare of the county, where for so many years he made his home. He was a stanch friend of the cause of education and was in- strumental in establishing the first school in that locality. He gave the use of the old log house for that purpose and soon after donated the site for a schoolhouse and contributed largely towards its erec- tion and maintenance. Especially kind was Mr. Dodge in assisting others less fortunate than himself to gain a foothold in the new country. By all who knew him he was held in high esteem and respect, of which he was so eminently worthy.

It is to men of the calibre of Jonathan Holt Dodge that California today owes much of its present pros- perity and greatness. Though so successful in his early life in California Mr. Dodge later became over- confident in his investments and met with reverses. His death occurred July 20, 1893. A portion of the former property, together with the family residence, now remains in possession of his daughters where they maintain their home, located on the Waterioo- Lockeford road at the crossing of the Calaveras River. The children of the Dodge family were as follows: Henry L., Clara, now Mrs. M. T. Noyes; Florence, deceased; Emily M., Anna L., and Charles Holt, deceased.

MRS. EFFIE A. PATTON .- One of the pioneer families in the Golden State is that which now finds a worthy representative in San Joaquin County in Mrs. Effie A. Patton. She was born on the Trethe- way ranch about two and one-half miles southwest of Lockeford on November 7, 1878, the oldest of a family of eight children of John and Amanda (Good- win) Tretheway. Her father, John Tretheway, was born in Cornwall County, England May 7, 1851, re- mained in England until April 13, 1867, when he sailed for New York, landing April 27. He went direct to Morris County, N. J., where he engaged in mining until July of the same year, when he started for San Francisco, via the Isthmus, and landed in Stockton on July 28, where he met his brother George, who was working on the Tredway ranch about fifteen miles from Stockton, and here John Tretheway found employment; then he and his brother rented 320 acres, which they farmed for one year, when in partnership with James Jory, a brother-in-law, and R. B. Harris, they bought the ranch. This was only the beginning of extensive land holdings in California. Coming to California when he was sixteen years old with nothing but a willingness to work and a desire and determination to succeed, within thirty years he was rated as worth $300,000 and was the heaviest tax payer in northern San Joaquin County. After his remarkable success, he bought land in Yolo County and started to re- claim it, which operations proved so disastrous to his finances, that his holdings were gradually sold to

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Johnathan H. Hodges

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

cover reclamation work, all these difficulties proved too great and he was ruined financially; however, the original 320 acres was saved to his estate, which his wife holds today. They were parents of eight chil- dren; Effie A. the subject of this sketch; John D., Charles W., George Franklin; Alice and Russell are deceased; Arthur resides in Portland, Ore., has one son, Gordon Maurice; Mary Hazel is Mrs. Ray Faulkner of Pacific Grove. The mother is now resid- ing at Pacific Grove, Cal.

Effie A. Tretheway received her education in the Harmony Grove school and the San Jose State Nor- mal, and remained at home with her parents until her marriage, which was celebrated in the house in which she was born, on November 22, 1900, to Robert Francis Patton, also a native of San Joaquin County, born in Farmington, a son of Harry and Emma Patton, pioneers of California. After her marriage, Mrs. Patton went with her husband to Dixon, Cal., where Mr. Patton was engaged in the dairy business for five years; then he moved to Tracy and the next five years were spent there. About nine years ago Mrs. Patton came back to her old home, her mother having deeded her twenty acres of the original home place, ten acres of which has been set to vineyard, five acres to alfalfa and the balance unplanted. They are the parents of three children: Francis Everett; Lloyd Vivian; Erma La- Verne. Mr. and Mrs. Patton are Republicans and Mr. Patton belongs to Woodmen of the World.

George Franklin and John D. Tretheway, brothers of our subject have charge of the twenty-acre vine- yard on the old home place, which is among the finest full-bearing vineyards in the community. George Frank Tretheway entered the American Army during October of 1917 and was sent to Camp Lewis in the Supply Company of the Three Hundred and Sixty-third Infantry, Ninety-first Division; later he was sent to Camp Merritt, N. Y., and sailed from Philadelphia landing at Liverpool, England; went across the English Channel to Cherbourg, France and was in the Argonne, Metz and Belgian front of- fensives. He returned to America from Brest. France, landed at Hoboken and was sent on to the Presidio at San Francisco where he was discharged. During his entire service, he received but a slight wound under one of his eyes. Charles W. Tretheway was educated in the Harmony Grove school and has remained on the home ranch the greater part of his life, and today owns twenty acres of it. On Janu- ary 1, 1908, he was married to Miss Minnie Lottie Frades, born at Alexander, Nebr., who came to Cali- fornia two years before her marriage, with an uncle. They are the parents of one son, John Melvin and a daughter Nora LaVerne.

ERNEST W. LEFFLER .- Numbered among the prominent citizens and representative farmers of San Joaquin County is Ernest W. Leffler, who was born here when this was a frontier region, giving little promise of development and improvement which were so soon to transform it and which in the course of years would make it one of the best districts of the great commonwealth. He was born near Stock- ton on August 17, 1861, a son of George J. and Fred- ricka (Hecker) Leffler. The father, George J. Leff- ler was a native of Stuttgart, Germany, and came to America in 1849, settling first in New Orleans, La, and in 1851 came to California and settled ten miles northeast of Stockton and here homesteaded a

quarter-section of land. There were seven children in the family; George J. Jr., John F., Henry G., Francis J., Bertha, Mrs. Henry Rohrbacher, a widow residing in Stockton; Ernest W. the subject of this sketch, and Ernestine, Mrs. John Guggolz of Lodi. The father passed away at the age of sixty-four, in 1874, the mother surviving him until she was seventy- five years old, dying in 1901.

Ernest W. Leffler received his education in the Live Oak district school and attended the Stockton Business College in the '80s. He remained on the home ranch with his mother until her death, he and his brother Francis J. leasing and running it. After the mother's death the estate was divided among the children, our subject receiving as his portion, one- quarter of the ranch; he then leased his sisters' por- tion of the farm for a few years, and then bought it. as well as his brothers' holdings. This home place, settled by his father in 1851, was the home of the first Tokay vineyard planted in the Lodi district. The father experimented with some fifteen varieties of grapes to prove which were the best adapted to the soil and climatic conditions, the Tokay taking precedence over the other varieties. His vineyard consisted of ten acres.

The marriage of Mr. Leffler occurred in Stockton on August 16, 1890, and united him with Miss Hattie M. Mason, a daughter of Major and Sarah (Elliott) Mason. Mrs. Leffler was born in Arizona and came to California with her parents when she was only a babe, her parents settling in the Waterloo section where they farmed a half section of land to grain. She was educated at the Delphi school and later at- tended the Stockton Business College, when it was in charge of Dr. F. R. Clarke. Mr. and Mrs. Leffler first lived on Norton Lane; then moved to the old home place on the Eight Mile Road, about ten miles northeast of Stockton. Mr. Leffler has added to his portion of the estate left him by his parents until he now has 186 acres, ninety-four acres of which is in vineyard; fifty acres are in bearing vines and forty- four in two year, three year and four year old vines. of different varieties. About thirteen years ago, Mr. Leffler bought a twenty-acre ranch on the south side of the Eight Mile Road on which he built a house and where he now resides; he and his youngest son bought an eighty-acre piece of land between his residence and the old home place. Mr. and Mrs. Leff- ler are the parents of three sons: Melvin F., entered the U. S. Army in July, 1917, in Battery C, 143rd Field Artillery. He was sent to the Presidio for a short time and then to Camp Kearney where his regiment was trained. In July, 1918, he went to France, and his regiment trained there at Camp De Songe, but never got into action. They had been training about six weeks and were just preparing to take their place in the front lines, when the armistice was signed. He returned to the United States in December 1918 and was discharged at the Presidio January, 1919. He was married at Sacramento on August 3, 1920, to Miss Bertha Kinchen, a native of Texas, a daughter of J. B. Kinchen, a stockman who had moved to Stockton. They are the parents of one child, Rita Lorraine. Wilbur C. served in the U. S. Navy; Dewey E. is the youngest. The three sons all reside on the old home place and run it. Their fruit is shipped through the Blackland Fruit Grower's Association, of which they are members. In politics Mr. Leffler is a Republican and fraternally is a member of the Modern Woodmen of Lodi.

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JOHN C. GRAVES .- No life history is more in- teresting to chronicle than that of the California pioneer, the man who in his prime entered the wil- derness and claimed the virgin soil as his heritage, who was not afraid to venture into the vastness and endure the hardships, but willingly put his shoul- der to the task of development so that future gen- erations might enjoy the comfort and luxury of pres- ent day civilization made possible through the blaz- ing of the trail by our honored pioneers. Such a man is John C. Graves, venerable and esteemed pioneer of Stockton, who was born in Warren Coun- ty, Mo., February 5, 1842. His father, Henry B. Graves, a native of Virginia, was descended from an old and prominent Southern family, while his mother, Lurina Howell before her marriage, was born in Kentucky, likewise of a well-established and leading family of the South. This worthy couple migrated to Missouri and there as farmers laid the foundation for their competency. In 1849 they re- moved with their family to Grant County, Wis., locating near Lancaster, where the father purchased a farm and it was here that John C. Graves was reared to manhood and in the great outdoors he ac- quired his great strength and physical stamina which has remained with him and stood him in such good stead to this day.

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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 83

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