USA > California > San Joaquin County > History of the State of California and biographical record of San Joaquin County; containing biographis of well-known citizens of the past and present. Volume II > Part 14
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At the age of eighteen Henry Tinkham ob- tained a position as a clerk in the Woodstock dry goods store, but not liking the work, for he was a strong, active, ambitious young man, he later took passage on a stage for Boston, and' asked for work in a hardware store. The pro- prietor said to him, "All right, come around in a few days." The stage journey had taken all' of his money, and the applicant replied : "Well, I am out of money and I want work now." The employer immediately put him at work; he remained about a year, then became an appren- tice meat cutter in one of the markets of old Faneuil hall, historic as the birthplace of Ameri- can liberty. He was employed in the meat cut-
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ting business three years and during this time, in the words of the Yankee song, he went "spark- ing Sunday night" and during a part of the time he was one of the quartette in the Park street Unitarian church. The result of his "sparking" was his marriage to Frances Baxter, the family being one of the oldest in Boston. The fruits of this marriage were four sons and four daugh- ters, viz .: George Henry, Francis Isadore, Eta- wah (Etta), Elmer, Lillian, now Mrs. Thomas Shaw of San Diego ; Edgar, Marian, Mrs. E. L. Gnekow of Stockton, and Alfred. The father died in 1896, the oldest daughter in 1901, and the wife and mother in 1905.
Between the marriage and death of Mr. Tink- ham there lies fifty years of an industrious, hon- orable life in business, home building, protect- ing and sustaining; the home was his life, the business an auxiliary, as
"His home the spot of earth supremely blest, A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest."
To build the home, when the cry of gold re- sounded throughout the east, with a company of one hundred and sixteen young men he started for California, expecting to make his fortune in a few months and return. Chartering the bark Lenark, they loaded her with provisions sufficient to last two years, and after a long voyage of six months, September 12, 1848, they anchored in the harbor of San Francisco. The company parted, some going to the mines, Mr. Tinkham being of this number. They sailed up the San Joaquin river seven days, during which time it rained heavily, and they were compelled to sleep in their wet blankets on the open deck. As a re- sult Mr. Tinkham was taken sick with fever. The party he was with purchased a two-wheeled ox cart and oxen to carry their supplies to the mines, and after placing Mr. Tinkham on top of the load they started to the Sierras. The hot sun's rays beat upon the open cart as it jolted over the rough road and added to the already in- tense sufferings of the sick man. Although the teachings of his youth helped him to bear patiently the ills of life, yet one day, when very hungry and thirsty, he resolved, if die he must,
to die with a full stomach. The party had gone on a bear hunt, leaving him alone, and crawling from the cart, he found some crackers and cheese and the water canteen. He ate and drank all he desired, the result of which was surprising, for two days later he had recovered from his sickness.
Locating at Hawkins' Bar the party began mining, and after several days sluicing they ob- tained about $3,000 in gold dust. One night it rained heavily and the following morning when the party arose everything was gone. Money and tools had been swept away in the flood that came rolling down the canon. Mr. Tinkham then came to the conclusion that he had had all the mining he wanted.
Returning to Stockton he hired out to Harry Morton, a butcher, for $300 a month. The fol- lowing morning his employer said: "Can you dress a beef"? "Yes, I guess so," Tinkham re- plied. "Well, go out and shoot one of those steers and bring it in." The cattle were running loose where now stands the court house. Never in his life had he dressed a bullock, but he was an unerring rifle shot, and in the "green hills" of Vermont, many a time he had gone bear or woodchuck shooting. Taking a rifle he singled out an animal and shot it through the brain, and somehow caused it it to bleed profusely. Fortunately a butcher was dressing a beef near by and he finally gave the amateur butcher a lesson in the business, and from that time on he had no trouble. Two years later Mr. Tinkham opened a meat market at the corner of Main and Sutter streets and in 1854 he opened the City Market opposite the Yosemite hotel, and for more than fifty years he was engaged in the business.
He made and lost several fortunes ; thousands of dollars were lost in bad debts, for he would not become involved in law suits nor engage in any transaction that would involve the good name which he so highly prized, or cause any suffering to a poor debtor or his family. Very sympathetic in his nature and generous and charitable even beyond sound judgment he
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believed that the getting of money could never be justified in doing a wrong act.
He was for many years an Odd Fellow and a member of Charity Lodge No. 6 and Parker Encampment No. 3 and during the four years of his patient, uncomplaining sickness they faithfully fulfilled their obligations. He was also a volunteer fireman, being a member of Eureka No. 2, and was a member of the San Joaquin county Pioneers. In politics he was a Republican, and at one election, at the "solicita- tion of friends" his name was placed before the convention for sheriff. They promised to sup- port him, but this they failed to do, and it so disgusted him he never again would consent to run for office, for a lie to him was a lie, whether in business or politics.
A man of fine sensibilities and tastes, he de- spised vulgar language or stories, and had no regard for unclean men or actions. In his fam- ily he was the head, his word was law, yet he was never rude or harsh in tone or action, but gentle, kind and considered generous and un- selfish, and ever thoughtful of those he loved. His family all present, he passed from earth as quietly as a sleeping child, his life an open book without a stain.
JOHN DUCKER.
From the time of his arrival in California in 1853 until his death nearly forty years later, John Ducker was identified with various enter- prises, agricultural and commercial, tending toward the development of San Joaquin county and during that period he held a position among the prosperous German-American citizens of the region. A native of the province of Hanover, he was born near the city of Bremen April 15, 1821, being a son of John and Katharina (Null- man) Ducker. The excellent schools of his na-
tive locality afforded him opportunities for ac- quiring a thorough knowledge of the German language and, following the usual custom of the country, he attended school regularly until he was fourteen, when he began to earn his liveli- hood. April 15, 1849, he sailed from Bremen on an English vessel and sixty days later landed in New York. For a few years he remained in the east and during a part of that time he was em- ployed in a factory in Boston.
With four others bound for California, during June of 1852 John Ducker took passage on the sailing vessel Dakota, Captain Sloane, and sailed southward. A stop of twelve days was made at Rio Janeiro for water. Shortly after starting from there a storm arose, the masts were lost, and it was necessary to return to port, where eleven tedious weeks passed in waiting for re- pairs. No other stop was made on the voyage except one of twelve days at Valparaiso. After rounding the Horn the vessel proceeded slowly toward its destination and arrived at San Fran- cisco in April of 1853, after almost one year on the water. Mr. Ducker came at once to Stock- ton by steamer and thence to the mines of Cala- veras county, remaining at Chili Camp for a short time and at Poverty bar for two years. It had been his plan to return to New York with the fruits of his mining expeditions, but, meeting Charles Meyers, he changed his plans, formed a partnership, secured one hundred and sixty acres, and began to raise grain and other prod- ucts. About 1858 he sold out and two years later married Mrs. Annie Ortman, widow of Her- man Ortman, an honored pioneer of this region.
Mrs. Ducker was born in Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany, in 1830, and in 1849 crossed the ocean to Boston, Mass., where she became the wife of Herman Ortman. Her brother-in-law, Henry Ortman, a pioneer of 1849, induced them to emi- grate to the west. The journey was made via the Isthmus of Panama, which they crossed on muleback, landing at San Francisco August 8, 1852, and coming direct to Stockton. The two brothers took up land and engaged in ranching and stock-raising. For three years Herman Ort-
Chr . Neumiller
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man and wife lived in Stockton and then removed to a ranch on Rock creek, where they spent two years. On selling out they moved to a tract later known as the Ortman place, which had the ad- vantage of being in closer proximity to town. The brothers farmed together until the death of Herman, in 1858, after which the estate was set- tled and the property divided.
After the marriage of Mr. Ducker and Mrs. Ortman they lived on the Rock Creek ranch, where they built quite early in the '6os. Both at that ranch and at the Ortman place they con- ducted the stage station, Mr. Ducker being paid $II0 per month for attending to the stage horses, while she was paid $100 per month for her serv- ices as cook. The work was hard and the priva- tions many, but Mrs. Ducker possessed an optim- istic temperament and endured hardships cheer- fully. With their earnings they were enabled to start in business at Stockton. At the time of settling here she found there were only about twenty women in the town. Few houses were built, it being a city of tents, and it was not until 1881 that she erected her present substantial resi- dence at No. 647 East Weber street. She be- came a charter member of the German Lutheran Church at Stockton and with her husband aided generously in its maintenance.
Largely as the result of heavy losses of cattle during the severe winter of 1861-62, Mr. Ducker decided to move from the ranch into town. Dur- ing 1863 he took some passengers to Virginia City, Nev., and had the pleasure of seeing that then famous mining region. In 1864 he purchased property in Stockton, on which he built a struc- ture suitable for merchandising, and here he opened a grocery business with a partner, but at the expiration of two years he purchased his part- ner's interest. The store was afterward conducted in his name until about 1882, when he sold out. In 1879 he became president of the Stockton Warehouse Company, with which he was actively identified until his retirement from business cares. Fraternally he was connected with Charity Lodge No. 6, I. O. O. F., and passed the chairs in Parker Encampment. In politics he voted the Democratic
ticket. Frequently he served on juries, but he always declined offices of a political nature. As a citizen he gave generously to movements for the general welfare and in the work of grading and building up the road he paid about $1,400 as his share. Recognizing the need of adequate fire protection he gave his services gratuitously toward that end and served as a member of Weber Company No. 1, Volunteer Firemen. When he died, January 9, 1892, it was recognized that one of the most progressive of our pioneers had been taken from the scenes of his energies, and the universal testimony of citizens was that his loss would be deeply felt in the town. Since his demise Mrs. Ducker has continued to make her home at their city residence, besides which she owns some country property and business blocks and is also a member of the Stockton Chamber of Commerce and yet identified, not- withstanding her advancing years, with many movements looking toward the permanent devel- opment of the town and the ultimate highest prosperity of its inhabitants.
CHRISTIAN NEUMILLER.
The subject of this sketch was born in Wolfer- sheim, Canton Zweibrucken, in Rhenish-Bavaria, Germany, February 16, 1835. In 1855 lie came to the United States and served an apprentice- ship to the baker's trade and afterwards as a journeyman-baker in the cities of Baltimore, Md., Alexandria, Va., and Washington, D. C., until 1858.
It was in the latter year that Mr. Neumiller came to California by way of the Isthmus of Panama, arriving in San Francisco October 18, 1858; on October 24 of the same year lie came to Stockton, San Joaquin county, and on January I. 1859, he entered the employ of the state of
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California in the bakery department of the State Hospital at Stockton as chief baker, and he con- tinued in the active charge and management of this department until September 1, 1908, when he retired. This service was continuous with the exception of a period of about five years, or from 1867 to 1872, during which time he engaged in farming in San Joaquin county. Upon his re- tirement from active employment, he had com- pleted an honorable service and remarkable rec- ord as a state's employe extending over forty years.
Since Mr. Neumiller's arrival in Stockton in 1858, the city has always been his home, except- ing the time when he was engaged in farming, when he lived near the town of Collegeville, in San Joaquin county, about ten miles distant from Stockton.
In June, 1865, Christian Neumiller was mar- ried in San Francisco to Mary Mey, of Suf- flenheim, Alsace (formerly France, now Ger- many), who came to the United States in 1853 and to California in 1863, and who died in Stockton, August 18, 1905. The family of Christian and Mary Neumiller consisted of two daughters and two sons, namely : Mary E. Minta, widow of the late Judge Wesley Minta, of Stockton; Miss Emma C. Neumiller, William C. Neumiller, treasurer and tax collector of San Joaquin county ; and Charles L. Neumiller, a member of the law firm of Ashley & Neu- miller, all living and residing in the city of Stockton.
JOSEPH HARRISON TAM.
A cosmopolitan population was attracted to California by the discovery of gold. Men of broad education and the highest culture mingled with adventurous pioneers whose only education had been gained in the school of experience.
The rich and the poor met on the friendly basis characteristic of the frontier, where all were one in their solicitous desire for the upbuilding of their new home, the country of their adoption. Prof. Joseph Harrison Tam, an honored pioneer of 1849, and a native of Pennsylvania (born in November, 1812), had taught for years prior to the discovery of gold and when the news came of that event in western history he was filling a chair in Boonville (Mo.) College, where for ten years he had been an efficient instructor. The call of the west touched a responsive chord in his heart. His books were closed and his professorship resigned, while he turned his face toward the setting sun and took up the life of a frontiersman.
Nine families crossed the plains together from St. Joseph, Mo., where they outfitted with wagons, teams and necessary supplies. The jour- ney was ended in nine months, during which time the most exciting event was an encounter with the Indians, resulting in no further trouble than the stampeding of the cattle. Mr. Tam brought with him his wife, who bore the maiden name of Sarah Glassford, and their daughter, Josephine, who was eighteen months old at the time of leaving home. Another daughter, Amelia, was born while the party were crossing the Rocky mountains. The family first settled in Marysville, Yuba county, but later moved to a farm in Sonoma county, where the third daughter, Julia, was born. During 1850 Mr. Tam took up land eight miles from Stockton and embarked in general ranch pursuits, making a specialty of raising grain and stock. Fruit and vegetables were raised in large quantities for some time. The ranch comprised one hundred and sixty acres of tillable land and the same amount of tule land. While living at the ranch he gave the land for the Live Oaks Methodist Episcopal Church and its cemetery, and his son, James Henry (commonly called Harry) was the first to be interred in that burial-ground.
After having spent ten years on the ranch Mr. Tam retired from farming and came to Stockton, where he died in June, 1891. His
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"wife also passed away in this city during the same year, at the age of sixty-six years. A man of fine judgment, scholarly mind and broad men- tal endowments, his citizenship was of value to this locality, and his work as correspondent for various San Francisco papers gave adequate rep- resentation to this section in the cosmopolitan dailies. As a Republican he took a leading part in national and state campaigns. In religion he was identified with the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was active in the San Joaquin So- ciety of California Pioneers and had a wide ac- quaintance among the pioneers, having traveled much throughout this state. Among his most in- fluential friends was Captain Weber, with whom he was intimate for years before his death. On coming to Stockton he bought a house on Fre- mont street, but later moved to Main street, oc- cupying a residence where the curiosity shop now stands.
As previously stated, the eldest child of Mr. Tam was Josephine, born at Macon county, Mo., while he was an instructor in Boonville College. The second daughter, Amelia, married B. F. Rogers (at one time chief of police of Stock- ton), and died in 1887. The third daughter, Julia, is the widow of Russell A. Myers, of San Jose. The eldest son, James Henry, died in childhood. The fourth daughter, Mrs. Augusta Richards, is the wife of a physician in Santa Cruz. The second son, Judge Joseph H. Tam, of Klondyke, was for years a prominent lawyer and jurist in San Francisco. The youngest son, John T., died in 1898 in Stockton. The sons and daughters were reared in California and received excellent advantages in local schools. The eld- est daughter has been twice married. Her first husband, David J. Martin, came to California in 1854 and later gained success in the sheep business. Fraternally he was prominent in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. At his death, December 14, 1902, at the age of sixty- eight, he left five children, namely: David S., an employe of the street-car company in Oak- land; Helen, who is the wife of William Tuttle, of Reno, Nev .; Arthur T., employed on the
street-railway in Oakland; Cora, who married C. J. St. Louis, and resides at Sacramento ; and Avan Covert, who is connected with the Logan photograph gallery in Stockton. During 1905 Mrs. Martin became the wife of S. S. Stewart, a pioneer of 1864 in California and one of the early settlers of Stockton, where they now reside at No. 1328 East Washington street. The Stock- ton Presbyterian Church has in Mrs. Stewart an active worker and generous contributor, and lier activities are further increased by membership in the Auxiliary of Pioneers and the Daughters of Rebekah.
AMOS G. SHIPPEE.
Pleasantly located in San Joaquin county, not far from Stockton, Amos G. Shippee has here been engaged in the cattle business for about thirty-three years, and in his free and independent life has met with marked success. His home and its surroundings are creditable to his industry and enterprise, everything being kept in good re- pair and at all points indicating the supervision of an intelligent and able man.
A native of Rhode Island, Mr. Shippee was born in East Greenwich December 3, 1861, the son of Isaac and Frances (Gardiner) Shippee. The father was also a native of Rhode Island. where he followed farming throughout the greater part of his life, a calling in which he was especially successful. The boyhood and school days of Amos G. Shippee were passed in his na- tive city, East Greenwich, and after leaving school he continued on the home farm taking an in- terested part in advancing his father's business until 1876. At this time, although he was only fifteen years of age, he started out alone to come to the west, and upon reaching California, made his way at once to Stockton, where an uncle, L. U. Shippee, was engaged in the stock business.
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An association of the two then formed continued amicably and to the profit of each until brought to a close by the death of the elder man in 1896. After the death of his relative Amos G. Shippee continued in the stock business alone, selecting a ranch in San Joaquin county in close proximity to Stockton, which comprised eight hundred acres of excellent land for stock-raising purposes. This he has well stocked with horses and cattle, mak- ing a specialty of the latter, however, buying and selling cattle and supplying feeders for ranchers in all parts of the state. His principal market, however, is San Francisco.
The marriage of Mr. Shippee occurred in 1892 and united him with Miss Harriet Jolly, who was, like himself, a native of New England, the daugh- ter of John Jolly, one of the pioneers to Califor- nia in the famous year of 1849. Mr. Shippee and his wife have a comfortable residence in Stockton, at No. 247 West Fremont street, where they entertain their many friends, for both are popular in social and fraternal circles in the city. Mr. Shippee is identified with the Odd Fellows order, holding membership in Truth Lodge No. 55, and in his political sympathies he is a Re- publican. Among those who know him best Mr. Shippee is recognized as a man of ability and fair judgment, being conservative as well as suc- cessful in his business affairs, and his honesty and straightforward dealings are also proverbial.
JOHN CUNNINGHAM HOULT.
Inventive genius in a high degree was a char- acteristic of this pioneer of the '50s and, had it been his fortune to live in a manufacturing region at a somewhat later period of our nation's his- tory, undoubtedly he would have attained remark- able financial success ; even in the midst of unfav- orable circumstances he won a large measure of
success and established an industry that gave added prominence to the business enterprises of Stockton during an early day. The old common- wealth of Virginia was his native place and he was born October 26, 1832, in Marion county, which is now a part of West Virginia. Few advantages brightened his boyhood days. Early he became inured to labor. At an age when col- legiate advantages would have made easier his later years, he was forced to take up the burden of self-support and also aid others of the family, which he did by means of following the black- smith's trade.
A tedious but uneventful voyage by way of Cape Horn brought Mr. Hoult to California early in the '50s. His first location was twelve miles east of Stockton on the Sonora road, where for several years he carried on a blacksmith shop. Shortly after settling here he bought eight hun- dred acres of land and began its improvement and cultivation, making a specialty of the rais- ing of grain. He was a man of keen, thoughtful intelligence, and he soon ascertained that grain- raising was unprofitable here on account of no facilities for harvesting. The existing system rendered impossible any profits for the farmer. Studying the matter carefully, he conceived the idea of building a combined harvester, as that machine is now known. The completion of the task was one of great difficulty, owing to lack of necessary tools yet he persevered, and in 1876 he was able to use his new invention in harvest- ing eight hundred acres of grain, which he did without taking the machine from the field.
As the first successful operation of the harvest- er had taken place during the year of the great Centennial at Philadelphia, Mr. Hoult named it in honor of that event, and for years the Centen- nial combined harvester was the only successful machine of the kind in the United States. Dur- ing the winter of 1883, having previously great- ly improved the original invention, he began the manufacture of harvesters in Stockton, and con- tinued the business until March of 1892, when the works were destroyed by fire. Upon being re- built, the plant was operated by his three sons,
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D. J., W. J., and J. F., and the sale of the machines continued until the year 1896, when the world- wide financial stringency caused a cessation of business activities.
Possessing wide information and keen mental endowments, the advice of Mr. Hoult was sought often by friends, and his integrity was so well established that those who knew him regarded his word as equal to a bond. His death occur- red at Stockton March 9, 1905, and was mourned by family and friends, to whom he had endeared himself by his kindly disposition and unfailing generosity. In 1854 he married Miss Hannah Higgins, and of their union nine children were born who still survive, namely: Mrs. Elizabeth Toothman, of Watson; Mrs. Susanna Straight, of Mannington, Marion county, W. Va .; Thomas, David, William.and Frank, and the Misses El- len, Lizzie and Margaret, all of Stockton.
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