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 93

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 93

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Mr. Coates first on his arrival in Stockton identi- fied himself with the Independent, as job printer, and, advancing to the foremanship, remained sixteen years with this publication until he terminated his business activities. In 1900 he became a director of the Farmers & Merchants Bank, an institution he helped at organization by investing in its stock in October, 1888, continuing as a director until his de- mise. He also served his city as a member of Stock- ton's Council in 1902-04. His political affiliations were Republican.

Mr. Coates married Miss Phyllis Harris, a native of England; and of this union one son, James Y., was born. Fraternally Mr. B. Coates was an Odd Fel- low a half century, since his initiation in Canada in 1871, and in Stockton he was a valued member of Truth Lodge. His church activities center in Stock- ton Episcopal Church, of which he was vestryman. He died February, 1921, being survived by his widow who died in April, 1921.

CHRIST ALBRIGHT .- Like many others of his native land, to Christ Albright, one of Lodi's pros- perous citizens, America beckoned as the land of opportunity, as his immigration here at the age of eighteen testifies. Born in the state of Baden, Ger- many, three miles from the French border, on De- cember 3, 1859, his parents were farmers and when not busy with the farm work our subject attended school until he was eighteen years of age when he sailed for America. He first settled at Circleville, Pickaway County, Ohio, and hired out as a farm hand; then he went to the pine woods of Minnesota and Michigan and worked in the lumber camps, also in the iron and copper mines; in 1880 he went to Yankton, Dakota Territory, but finding that city not to his liking, he returned to Michigan. In 1885 he removed to Dakota Territory, and located in McIn- tosh County, where he took up government land and there he farmed successfully for twenty-two years. His farm consisted of 1400 acres and was one of the best in the county; 400 acres were devoted to the raising of wheat, flax, oats and barley, the balance being devoted to cattle-raising. He was among the first in the state to raise Aberdeen-Angus cattle, exceptionally fine beef cattle that command the highest prices, and was very successful and pros- perous. For a number of years he resided in Ashley, the county seat of McIntosh County and became a prominent figure in Republican politics, serving as justice of the peace in 1887; then for six years he was county supervisor; in 1894- he was elected county auditor and served for ten years in that capacity; then he was elected state senator for one term.

Deciding to give up political life, Mr. Albright re- fused to run again for office and in 1909 sold his farm and removed to California, settling in Lodi with the intention of retiring from active life. When the Farmers and Merchants Bank of Lodi was organized on May 10, 1916, he was prevailed upon by his friends to become its president. The bank was or- ganized with a capital of $25,000 in the commercial department and $5000 capital in the savings depart- ment and the bank has shown a hearty growth and is doing a fine business. A report of the condition of the bank on April 28, 1921 shows a paid-up capital of $96,000 with a surplus of $26,200; during the past three years the bank has paid eight per cent divi- dends. The officers and directors of the institution are as follows: Christ Albright, president; Lot Lachenmaier, vice-president; Edgar B. Doering, cashier; directors, Peter Joens, H. C. Lang, Henry Nelson, and John Mettler, Jr.

The marriage of Mr. Albright united him with Miss Barbara Baurer, a native of Germany, born in the same district as her husband. They are the par- ents of one son, Samuel, who is in the garage busi- ness in Lodi; he served four years in the U. S. Navy. Mr. Albright was a member of the Ellendale, Dickey County, N. D., lodge of Masons, but is now a mem- ber of the Masons lodge in Lodi. His religious faith is that of the German Lutheran Church and he has served as treasurer of this body. Mr. Albright has an assured place in the affairs of the community, through his efficiency and dependability and as the leading spirit in a growing banking institution, is an important factor in the progress and prosperity of the central portion of California.

Christ albright

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

MRS. SUSAN J. FREDERICK .- A prominent and highly esteemed California pioneer, Mrs. Susan J. Frederick has been a resident of San Joaquin County for nearly her entire lifetime, having witnessed as much of its development and growth as probably any other living resident, and the large success gained by herself and husband, the late Thomas Fred- erick, was entirely earned by steady industry and business management. She was born near Memphis, Scotland County, Mo., September 24, 1855, a daugh- ter of William H. and Barbara E. (Dye) Crow, both now deceased. William H. Crow, familiarly known throughout his locality as "Uncle Billy," was born in 1819 in Kentucky, but was reared in Pike County, Mo, whither his parents had removed in the early '30s. He was next to the oldest in a family of eight boys and one girl. On February 2, 1843, William H. Crow was married to Miss Barbara E. Dye, born in 1828 in Morgan County, Ohio, a daughter of John and Nancy (Archer) Dye, farmer folk who settled in Missouri when their daughter, Barbara E., was a small girl. After his marriage, William H. Crow continued to reside in Scotland County, Mo., where he became a successful stockman, remaining there until 1850.

News of the gold discovery in California having reached Missouri William H. Crow's father, Capt. Walter Crow, lost no time in organizing a com- pany, among which were his two youngest sons, and of which he was made captain. They brought a large number of cattle with them. The two sons remained in California, but Walter Crow returned to his home in Missouri via the Isthmus; the next year, 1850, he came out again, and brought four more of his sons with him, one of whom was William H. Crow, the father of the subject of this review. The journey was completed successfully, the party stop- ping at Shaw's Flat, Tuolumne County, where they disposed of their stock at fancy prices to the miners. Capt. Walter Crow died in Sutter County in 1850, but William H. Crow opened a butcher business at Shaw's Flat, which he conducted until 1855. He made three trips in all across the plains. His second trip was in 1852 when he brought his wife and one child with him. Of their four children the oldest was Walter J. Crow, who was born in Missouri and was the only child who accompanied the parents on their trip out from Missouri in 1852; the second, Emma J , is the widow of the late Judge Prewett and resides at Auburn, Placer County, Cal .; the third was Susan J., the subject of this review, who was born while the parents were back in Missouri; and the fourth, Lewis B., was born after the parents returned to California, and is a prosperous rancher near Sanger, Fresno County, Cal. The oldest son became a rancher near Hanford, where he died. Returning again with his family to California in 1857, and crossing the plains for the third time, William H. Crow finally settled permanently on the Stanislaus River, near Ripon, twenty miles south of Stockton, where he took up land, to which he added from time to time, until he became an extensive land owner. Transportation was made in those days overland and by river boats. One boat, the Clara Crow, plied the San Joaquin and Stanislaus rivers to San Francisco and Stockton for many years. The boat (for a single trip) reached what is now known as Riverbank, but at that time was known as Burneyville. Of William H. Crow's

brothers and sisters, there were eight brothers and one sister in all. The two brothers and one sister remaining back in Missouri moved out to California in 1865 with their families. Six of the Crow brothers settled in Stanislaus County and one, James A. Crow, settled in Stockton, where he passed away. In 1865 the mother of our subject passed away at the River Ranch and subsequently William H. Crow married Mrs. (Virda) Trolinger, a sister of John Jones of Escalon. William H. Crow was a Democrat in politics and for many years was an active Mason in the Modesto lodge. . He passed away at the River ranch, July 29, 1884, his widow surviving him until 1906. The extensive land holdings of William H. Crow (900 acres in all) have been sold in small ranches and the section is now under a high state of cultivation. Lewis B. Crow and our subject, and Emma J., the widow of Judge Prewett of Auburn, Cal., are the only surviving members of the William H. Crow family. Judge Prewett was the administra- tor of the large Crow estate. For thirty-two years he had served as superior judge of Placer County and when he passed away on July 7, 1922, he was justly mourned by a large circle of friends and the public in general, whom he had served so long and so faithfully. He was survived by his widow and two children, William J. and Nellie E.

On September 1, 1872, Miss Susan J. Crow was married to Thomas Frederick, born January 27, 1849, near South Bend, Ind., and was a babe in arms when his parents removed to Iowa. He was a boy thirteen years old when he came to California as a member of his stepfather's family. After his father's death his mother was married to Elias Nutt, who became a prominent grain farmer in the Ripon section of San Joaquin County. Thomas Frederick received his education in the old San Joaquin school and in young manhood acquired 160 acres in the Jackson district of Stanislaus County; later he exchanged this with William H. Crow, the father of our subject, for a fine quarter section two miles west of Ripon. At that time only one house had been erected between this quarter section and the town of Ripon and in those pioneer days the mail was brought from the station known as Morrano, two miles north of Ripon. A store was erected at Ripon in 1875 and conducted by a Mr. Crook, who gave the village its name after his home town in Wisconsin. The first house erected by Mr. Frederick on his ranch was a small cottage, then in 1875 was replaced by a much finer residence and in 1886 remodelled into a fine house, where the family resided until 1904. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Frederick: Genoa resides in Ripon; Charles is represented in this work; Hattie resides at home in Ripon; and Lulu, now Mrs. H. L. Dickey, has two children. Mr. Frederick was active in the development of Ripon; he organized the Ripon Lum- ber Company; was one of the organizers and a di- rector in the Bank of Ripon and was active in the development or irrigation in this section. In politics he was a Democrat and fraternally was a charter member of the Mt. Horeb lodge of Odd Fellows. In 1904 the family removed to Stockton and located at 324 West Park Street, where he passed away sud- denly July 4, 1920. Mrs. Frederick later returned to Ripon, where she built a home on Orange Avenue. She retains her interest in the Bank of Ripon and is an active member of the First Congregational Church, to which she contributes liberally of her time and

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

means. Mrs. Frederick is held in high esteem, and the kindly social qualities with which she is endowed wins for her the friendship and good will of all.

CHARLES A. STEELY .- A ranchman of varied experience, and who has so well succeeded that he is among the large grain growers of San Joaquin County, is Charles A. Steely, at present operating about 2,000 acres in the Elliott section of the county. He was born on the old Steely ranch north of Clem- ents, San Joaquin County, on January 17, 1888, a son of George W. and Jessie (Niman) Steely. George W. Steely was born near Columbus, Franklin Coun- ty, Ohio, on March 15, 1862, a son of Joseph and Rachel Steely, both natives of Ohio. When George Steely was a youth his parents moved to Kansas and farmed in Case County, about twenty-five miles from Kansas City, and George Steely attended school there. In 1884 he came to California and settled in San Joaquin County, where he purchased a 240-acre ranch, which he successfully farmed for a number of years. About 1910 he bought 160 acres, three miles north of Clements, and has improved it with a good set of buildings. At Stockton, George Steely married Miss Jessie Niman, born near Council Bluffs, Iowa. Her father was a stone-cutter by trade, owning and operating a granite and marble monu- ment business. When she was twelve years old the family settled in California near Stockton, and Mrs. Steely received her education in the grammar schools of that city. Her father passed away when she was five years old, and nine years later her mother mar- ried Jesse Weaver, a farmer. Mr. Weaver passed away at the age of seventy-four, but her mother is living in Lodi at the age of seventy-five years. Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Steely were the parents of six chil- dren: Joseph, residing at Clements; Charles A., the subject of this review; Ray; May, who married W. E. Prouty, and died in May, 1921, leaving two children, Gladys and Ellsworth; Irene, Mrs. James Baker of Lodi; and Myrtle.

Charles A. Steely received his education in San Joaquin County, spending two years at Dry Creek; four years at the Justice school, and two years at the Clements school, and attending the Lodi high school for a short time. He is in partnership with his father in farming and stockraising, at the present time having about 1,000 acres in grain and 1,000 acres in stock range and hay land.

The marriage of Mr. Steely occurred at Stockton on August 1, 1910, and united him with Miss Mary Josephine Satori, a native Californian, born at San Francisco, a daughter of. Louis and Mary Ellen (Hart) Satori, natives of Canton Ticino, Switzerland, and California, respectively. When Mary Josephine was a young girl, her parents removed to Nashville, Eldorado County, Cal., where she received most of her education, her father being in the merchandise business in Nashville and also postmaster of that town. He passed away in 1900, and later her mother married Marcus A. Steely, an uncle of our subject. Mr. and Mrs. Steely are the parents of two chil- dren, Rose Ellen and Stanley Charles, and the fam- ily resides on the Hans Smith ranch northeast of Lockeford. In politics, Mr. Steely is liberal in his views, supporting the candidate best fitted for office, rather than adhering to strict party lines. Fraternal- ly, he is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, of Clements.

HARTMAN LITTEBRANT .- An interesting pio- neer of Stockton is found in Hartman Littebrant who was a continuous resident of Stockton from 1852 and was ever active in the progress and pros- perity of the city and county. A native of New York, he was born in Schoharie County on April 6, 1832, of old Knickerbocker stock descended from Holland Dutch settlers of New York. His mother died when he was only an infant and he was reared by friends until he was ten years of age when he went to live with his grandmother and remained with her for a time; then he went to Prattsville, N. Y., to live with a married sister and was with her until he was eighteen years of age, during which time he attended the local schools. About this time he met a friend who was coming to California and was told that he could go along, so with a party of five men, sailed from New York City on September 6, 1852, and landed in San Francisco, Cal., on October 6, 1852, coming by the way of Panama, and immediately went to Stockton, arriving there on October 8. For 'a time he tried mining in Tuolumne County, but not meeting with great success, he returned to Stockton and later he became the partner of Mr. Cory in the livery business. During 1861-62 he was located on Main Street, the present site of the Yosemite Thea- ter; in 1862 he bought three lots on Main Street near American Street and erected a building and was engaged in the livery and feed business with George Aylesworth; during the early days they operated a stage line from Stockton to Copperopolis and during the Civil War, had a stage line from Stockton to Placerville, Cal. Later Mr. Littebrant engaged in the mercantile business at the corner of Main and Sutter streets with N. J. Salisbury as a partner. In 1876 Mr. Littebrant accepted a position in the U. S. mint in San Francisco and remained there until 1885; he returned to Stockton and served as deputy sheriff of San Joaquin County under Sheriff Tom Cunning- ham for six years.

The marriage of Mr. Littebrant occurred in Stock- ton in 1861 and united him with Miss Catherine Cunningham, a native of Ireland who came to Cali- fornia in 1856 and passed away November 4, 1904. They were the parents of three children. The late General William T. Littebrant had a brilliant career in the U. S. Army and died very suddenly while commanding officer at Camp Mcclellan at Anniston, Ala., July 2, 1919. In 1884 he attended West Point and was graduated in 1888 as a lieutenant of in- fantry; later he was transferred to the cavalry on account of his fine horsemanship. During the Span- ish-American War he was in Cuba, attached to the quartermaster's department, and was later stationed at the Presidio in San Francisco and in Monterey and other western posts; during the World War he was promoted to the rank of brigadier-general and trained an artillery division at Camp Fremont; he was married and had two daughters, Laura K. and Marion E. The second child is Miss Christine, who has been a teacher in the Stockton schools for eighteen years. The third child was Catherine L., who was also a teacher until she married Mr. McCoy. She passed away leaving three children: Winifred, Lillian F. and William I. T.

In 1862, Mr. Littebrant bought three lots on the corner of Stanislaus and Market streets and erected his home on the corner lot; later, in 1882, he moved his house to the lot next the corner and erected the

Hartmão Littebrand

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

Winifred apartments. This property is still in pos- session of the family. He was a member of the Volunteer Fire Department in the early days; he served as a member of the city council for two terms from the Third Ward. Fraternally he was the oldest member of the Stockton lodge of Odd Fellows, No. 11, the lodge conferring on him a medal for being the oldest living member. Mr. Littebrant passed away at the home of his daughter Christine February 19, 1922, and was buried under the auspices of the Odd Fellows. He was a man of a strong constitu- tion and his mental faculties were alert until his taking away only six weeks before reaching his ninetieth year. He was a great reader and kept abreast of the times and was an interesting and ready talker and naturally had a host of friends in the county, where he had resided for seventy years.

IRVING MARTIN .- As the owner of the Stock- ton Daily Evening Record, Irving Martin wields an influence for good in the county and state; and he is also serving the state as a member of the State Rail- road Commission, which position brings him into contact with every section of California. He was born at Bath, S. C., March 19, 1865, in which city his parents happened to be sojourning when the Civil War broke out and were unable to get back to New York State, where they had a home in the Catskills. His father was Richard Martin, a New Yorker, and he had married Mary Peelor, the marriage being against the will of the parents of both participants on account of religious differences. The young folks went to South Carolina, where two children were born to them, a girl, Anna Josephine, and two years later the son, Irving. The mother died when her boy was a babe and the father, grieving over the loss of his wife, took to his bed without apparent cause and died six weeks later.

Irving Martin drifted to California and attended the public school in Stockton in 1876, then at various times he had an opportunity to go to a country school in Yuba County until he was seventeen, at which time he entered a printing office to learn the trade, and the balance of his education was obtained from that source. He began at the very bottom rung of the ladder, as "devil" and gradually worked his own way to the top, through the various mechanical depart- ments to reporter, and finally bought a half-interest in what was known as the Commercial Record of Stockton, W. M. Denig being his partner for two years, at the same time continuing as a reporter. In 1895 Mr. Martin was engaged in the publication of a weekly paper, the nucleus of the present Record plant. From a weekly newspaper it became on April 7, 1895, the Stockton Daily Evening Record. His associate at that time was E. H. Fontecilla, the name of the firm being Martin & Fontecilla; later Mr. Mar- tin acquired his partner's interest, then incorporated the paper, disposing of a small amount of stock, which he later bought back. He is now the principal owner of the Record corporation.

For many years Mr. Martin has been active in Republican politics, was affiliated with the Lincoln- Roosevelt League, organized in 1910, and served as the first state secretary of the organization. For the past two years he has been nominally a Republican, but very independent in his views. In 1894 he was appointed secretary of the Police and Fire Commis- sion of Stockton, holding the position four years. In 1912 he was appointed by Governor Hiram Johnson a

member of the board of trustees of the Fresno State Normal School and held that for six years; in 1915 Governor Johnson appointed him a member of the California State Water Commission and he held that office until December 31, 1918, and on January 1, 1919, Governor W. D. Stephens appointed him a member of the State Railroad Commission. In each and every position of trust and responsibility, Mr. Martin has demonstrated his broad-mindedness and progressive ideas and has served the State to the best of his ability in each position he has filled.

The marriage of Irving Martin on March 9, 1892, at Stockton, united him with Miss Clara Elizabeth Goldsworthy, daughter of William and Keziah Golds- worthy, both born in England, but residents for sev- eral years in Santa Clara County, where Mr. Golds- worthy was engaged in mining at the New Almaden quicksilver mines; later he removed to Stockton and engaged in the grocery business. They have had one son, Irving Martin, Jr., who married Elsa Saddington and they have a child aged four and one-half years and reside in Stockton. Fraternally Mr. Martin is a member of the Knights of Pythias, Independent Or- der of Odd Fellows, Loyal Order of Moose, and is a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason, and a member of the Chapter of the York Rite. He has passed through all the chairs of the Knights of Pythias and Odd Fel- lows lodges. He is a member of the Yosemite and the Advertising clubs of Stockton; and the Common- wealth, Masonic, Engineers, Advertising and Union League clubs in San Francisco. He is a large holder in guaranty stock of the Security Building and Loan Association, of which he is a director and vice-presi- dent. It will be seen that while Mr. Martin has been closely identified with the building up of his news- paper he has always found time to devote to the inter- ests of the people of the State of California by serving in any capacity for the public good.

RUDOLPH GNEKOW .- Few residents of the changing, growing cities of California have the dis- tinction of having lived on one corner for more than sixty years, but such was the record of one of Stock- ton's pioneer citizens, Rudolph Gnekow, who main- tained his home on Main Street for that long period, during which he saw such a transformation in his locality as would have been unbelievable to any one not gifted with a prophetic mind who came here in the early days of California's statehood.

Born near Breslau, Germany, in 1835, of Russian and Polish parents, Rudolph Gnekow ran away from the parental home when he was nineteen and on arriving in America crossed the plains to California in an ox-team train. He had learned the trade of a locksmith in his native land. Landing in New York, he started for California, and on arriving here stopped in San Francisco for a short time and then came on to Stockton, in 1856, and entered the employ of John Hart, blacksmith, and Bill Derrick, the stage builder. Here he bought the property on Main and Stanislaus Street, having a frontage of 104 feet on Main Street; and on this corner he built a blacksmith shop, where in the early days he shod the oxen used for trans- porting supplies to the southern mines, and also made wagons and carriages. He later erected a residence here, which was the family home for over sixty years, all of his children being born and reared there. In 1893 he bought the property now occupied by the Sutter Hotel, which was erected by a syndicate that had purchased the ground from Mr. Gnekow,

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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 93

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