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 8
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After a partnership of seven years with J. H. Cole, in which a large tract of land was held jointly, Mr. Dodge purchased nine hundred acres of land near the Calaveras river, the tract being a part of the famous Pico grant. Later he became the owner of thirty-two hundred acres in Merced county, which was used as a sheep range for high-grade Spanish-Merino sheep. Be- sides owning large tracts of land he was inter- ested in the development of coal mines near Mt. Diablo, and also held gold mining interests in Calaveras county. From the first he met with encouraging success in his agricultural efforts. His home farm was brought under cultivation, buildings were erected, and good grades of stock
were purchased. The owner became famous for the fine horses that he raised. The most im- proved farming machinery was bought to aid in the cultivation of the land. No expense was spared to secure the best results and the appear- ance of his ranch bore every testimony to a most intelligent oversight.
Along lines for the development of new agri- cultural activities Mr. Dodge was a pioneer. He was always among the first to purchase new farming implements or to experiment with dif- ferent crops. He was a pioneer in grape culture and with George West, in an early day, planted a vineyard of fifty acres comprising many vari- eties of imported wine and table grapes. The experiment proved successful and many were en- couraged thereby to enter this industry for themselves.
A house, said to be the oldest in the county, was on the ranch at the time of Mr. Dodge's purchase. It was constructed of logs and was located on the Calaveras river near the site of one of General Fremont's battles with the In- dians. A frame structure brought around Cape Horn was added to this and became the first dwelling of himself and wife, the latter, prior to her marriage, having been Miss Emily Bray. Of English lineage, she was born in Lancastershire, and came from England to California, where she married Mr. Dodge November 8, 1859, and where she remained until her death.
In 1866 Mr. Dodge erected a new dwelling house and necessary farm buildings. Later he donated the site for the Calaveras school, and contributed largely toward the erection of the school building and the maintenance of the school.
Though so successful in his early life in Cali- fornia Mr. Dodge later met with business re- verses. The grain market having been cornered he chartered ships to send his grain directly to Liverpool. This experiment had been success- fully carried out the previous year by J. D. Peters, but owing to a sudden fall in the price of grain Mr. Dodge suffered an exceedingly heavy loss.
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Mining investments which proved unfortunate and a succession of dry years brought about his financial embarrassment, from which he was un- able to recover. His death occurred July 26, 1894. A man of public spirit, he did much to promote the welfare of the county where for years he made his home. Especially was he kind in assisting others less fortunate than him- self to gain a foothold in the new land. By all who knew him he was held in the high respect and esteem of which he was so eminently worthy. In his family were the following children : Florence, deceased ; Henry L., who married Har- riet Benjamin; Clara, wife of M. T. Noyes; Emily M., Anna L. and Charles Holt, all resi- dents of Stockton.
JOHN C. THOMPSON.
Very early in the colonization of America the Thompson family became established among the pioneers of the New World, the first of the name making settlement upon Virginia soil, whose riches enabled him to gain notable pros- perity. John Thompson, a native of the Old Dominion, grew to manhood on a stock farm and at an early age acquired a thorough knowl- edge of the raising of stock, besides which he was given a good education in private schools. While living in the old home neighborhood he married Mary Adams Williams, a native of Vir- ginia, where for some years they continued to make their home. They were the parents of four children, all of whom were born in Tazewell county, Va. The second son is John C., whose name introduces this article. Another son, Hon. R. B., formerly a member of the legislature of California, died July 3, 1908, and is survived by his widow, a resident of Oakland, Cal. A daughter, Eliza Thompson Yerby, is a widow living in Los Angeles, and another daughter,
Mrs. Sarah L. Thompson Wheeler, makes her home at Milton, Calaveras county. Eventually they followed the tide of immigration that drift ed over the mountains into Kentucky and Mis- souri, and for six years lived in northwestern Missouri. The discovery of gokl called attention to the unknown riches of the Pacific coast an 1 John Thompson determined to try his fortune in that country. Having made the necessary preparations and disposed of his possessions in Missouri, during 1852, he and his family crossed the plains and after a fatiguing and eventful journey during which his wife died in the Big Meadows of the Humboldt Basin. now the state of Nevada, he arrived at his destination.
Seeking a suitable location John Thompson came to San Joaquin county and selected land near New Hope, where he acquired the title to five hundred acres. Here he engaged in raising small grain, also cattle and horses. After two years he returned to Missouri and married Mrs. Jane Hardesty. He crossed the plains a secon 1 time to his California home, bringing again a large drove of cattle. Being a man of tireless energy and wise foresight he prospered in hi- undertakings and became one of the leading citi- zens of his county, where he rendered efficient service as a supervisor and in other ways identi- fied himself with public affairs. Reared in the Democratic faith and always stanch in his al- legiance to that party, he nevertheless favored the Union cause at the time of the Civil war and in 1861, upon being elected to the state legislature entered the office with the understand1- ing that his support would be given to the Union. During his service he never falterel in his allegiance to the Union and as a member of various important committees he proved help- ful to the welfare of the state and nation. In no matter, public or private, was his integrity ever questioned. His force of character leit its impress upon the early history of the county. where he continued to reside many years, The latter part of his life he spent in Oakland with his daughter, Mrs. H. C. Yerby, where he Mol in October of 1886, at the age of eighty three
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The gentleman who forms the subject of this narrative was born in Tazewell county, Va., in January of 1835, and in childhood gained a practical knowledge of the frontier through residence in Missouri during the pioneer days of that state. It was his good fortune to be the son of an advocate of liberal education, a man who devoted himself to giving his children the best advantages possible to the period. Hence, it was his privilege to receive instruction from a private tutor and later he was a student in Grand River College. Upon leaving school he devoted his entire time to work on the home ranch, where he soon gained a thorough knowl- edge of all kinds of stock. After attaining his majority he began to buy and sell horses and cat- tle, and prepared cattle for the home markets. In 1861 he formed a partnership with James P. Folger under the firm name of Thompson & Folger, which partnership was successfully con- tinued until the death of Mr. Folger in 1885, after which the business was incorporated under the name of Thompson & Folger Company.
From time to time the firm made investments in land until eventually it acquired its present holdings of about three thousand acres, where are to be found stock of fine breeds, good im- provements in the way of buildings, and the various accessories which tend to the success of the rancher or lighten his labors. In addition to his stock interests he planted and developed vineyards.
The marriage of John C. Thompson took place in 1863 and united him with Miss Caroline Rutledge, whose parents, John and Nancy Ful- ton Rutledge, migrated from Virginia to Cali- fornia during an early day and settled in San Joaquin county. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson be- came the parents of four children, viz .: Edward R., deceased, who officiated as city attorney of Stockton and was well known at the San Joa- quin County bar; Mrs. Richard C. Minor, of this city ; John H., who is secretary and a member of the Stockton Iron Works and of the H. C. Shaw Company; and Mrs. Edw. F. Haas, of San Francisco. The family residence is a sub-
stantial structure, standing at No. 107 West Vine street, Stockton. Fraternally, Mr. Thomp- son is a Master Mason, identified with Wood- bridge Lodge No. 131, F. & A. M. A number of industries receive the benefit of his co-opera- tion and counsel in addition to the ranches with which his name is most closely associated, and besides he acts as a member of the state board of managers of the state hospital, holds office as a director in the Farmers & Merchants Bank of Stockton, and is vice-president of the Bank of Lodi; these various positions indicating his high standing as a man of ability and as a pro- gressive citizen.
JACOB WAGNER.
During the year of 1849, memorable in the history of California by reason of its remarkable increase of population owing to the discovery of gold, a youth of nineteen years set sail from Germany for the United States in the hope of achieving a greater success here than his native land afforded. This was Jacob Wagner, who was born at Baden-on-the-Rhine, October 15, 1830, and whose education was received in the splendid institutions that are the pride of Ger- many. The ship on which he sailed cast anchor at New Orleans and he stopped there, lacking the means necessary for further travel. For a time he was employed as a gardener by different wealthy citizens. With the savings resulting from his industry and frugality he was able to pay for his transportation to California, and during 1852 he arrived in Stockton, where now he makes his home. At first he worked at gar- dening, but soon he began to butcher stock and sell meat, thus laying the foundation of the busi- ness to which he gave the best years of his life.
For a time Mr. Wagner had a market on Hunter street and then for six years he conduct-
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ed a market at Vallecito for the purpose of sup- plying the mining camps with fresh meat. At the expiration of six years he opened a market on American street, Stockton, where he contin- ued in business for about eighteen years. Mean- while he had bought lots and erected a building on American street and Weber avenue, and to this location he moved his market. In connec- tion with his local business, he engaged in buy- ing and selling sheep, cattle and hogs, and for fifteen years or more he owned a ranch of four- teen hundred acres on the lower Sacramento road, on which he pastured his stock. During the early period of his identification with the meat business, there were few improvements, and the industry was conducted under great handi- caps of hardships and exposure. Later, fortu- nately, improved methods were introduced, mod- ern machinery was purchased, a fine plant was equipped, and the business became much easier to manage.
After having engaged in the meat business for more than forty years and meanwhile having established a reputation for reliability, energy and thorough knowledge of the industry, Mr. Wagner turned his market over to his two sons, who have since managed it. Retired from for- mer activities, he spends much of his time at his comfortable home, No. 421 East Flora street. Stockton, where he enjoys the society of rela- tives and friends, and keeps in touch with the progress of the world through the perusal of current papers and periodicals. At the age of seventy-nine years, he still retains all of his faculties, and is mentally active as well as physic- ally robust. His marriage was solemnized in 1854 and united him with Miss Lena Kuhn, who was born in Prussia in 1834 and immigrated to California in 1853. They became the parents of ten children, as follows: Lena B., the wife of Henry Brack; Katherine, the widow of Herman Durtmann of San Francisco; Annie, wife of William Leslie: Bena, wife of A. Strong ; Louis ; Fred, deceased; Emma, the wife of W. H. Ben- nett; Amelia, who became the wife of Clarence McCall; Jacob; and Clara, the wife of William
Ludlow, of Oakland. All but two make their homes in Stockton, with the exception of twr married daughters. In younger years Mr. Wag. ner took considerable interest in fratern te all was active in the work of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knight, of Pythitis. time German Turn Verein and the Druid. He has been a liberal contributor to charities through out the county, besides giving to churches and schools.
NATHAN 1 .. BROWN.
As years are counted Mr. Brown would be called a late acquisition to the citizenship of Stockton, but in point of accomplishments dur- ing the four years of his residence here he com- pares favorably with old-established residents The descendant of a long line of New England ancestors. he was born October 20, 1804. 11 Waterville. Lamoille county. \t., where hi- parents. Ephraim and Sophia ( Brown) Brow :. lived on a farm. Under the shadow of the Green Mountains Nathan Brown grew from boyhood to a sturdy manhood, during these years attending the public schools of Waterville. working on the homestead farm, and finally qualifying as a contractor.
Mr. Brown's removal to California in 1903 was preceded by many years of painstaking work in the line of his profession as a contractor and builder in the east, hence his success one coming to Stockton is but the natural outer of application, diligence and peric tim ci workmanship. During the four years of his residence here he has erected over thiri houses, and is continually adding to the number under way, so great is the demand for his services.
In Vermont. June 5. 1889. Mr. Brown was united in marriage with Miss Hannah Hill. she
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
too being a native of the Green Mountain state. Five children have been born of their marriage, Lotta, Ralph, Harry, Guy and Glenn. Mr. Brown's mother is also a member of his house- hold, the father having passed away in the old Vermont homestead March 20, 1890. The family have a very commodious and handsome resi- dence in Stockton at No. 1306 South San Joa- quin street, where friends and acquaintances are hospitably entertained. Since taking up his residence in Stockton Mr. Brown has taken a deep interest in the welfare of his home city, giving generously of time and means toward any project that will redound to the benefit of his fel- low-citizens. Fraternally he is a Mason, being a member of the Royal Arch degree in the Masonic lodge in Jeffersonville, Vt.
JAMES M. WELSH.
The death of Mr. Welsh, July 26, 1904, was the cause of general, regret throughout the city of Stockton, where he had made his home for twenty-two years, during which time he had demonstrated an unselfish, wholesome interest in its upbuilding and had been a large factor in placing its affairs on a firm basis. This was especially true during his term as mayor of the city, an honor which came to him in 1884, he being the first to hold this important office under the new charter.
A native of Scotland, James M. Welsh was born in Dundee in 1845, the son of John Welsh, a grain and commission merchant in that city. When their son was five years of age the par- ents immigrated to America, locating in Canada ten miles from the city of Toronto. At the time he had reached the age of eighteen years James Welsh had determined to fit himself for the builder's trade, but after mastering it he did not
follow it very long, giving it up to come to Cal- ifornia. Leaving New York in July of 1868, he finally arrived in San Francisco via the isthmus after an uneventful journey. His understand- ing of the builder's trade naturally led him to seek employment either in that or a similar line, and the latter he found in the McCreary Flour- ing mill at Tehama. From there he went to the Antelope mill at Red Bluff, later going to Sac- ramento, where he had charge of that branch of the McCreary mill until 1872, when he went to Oregon City, Ore., where he had purchased two mills. Four years later he bought an inter- est in the Eureka mills at Walla Walla, Wash., after which the firm became Welsh & Co., and so remained until November, 1881. At this time he went east, taking his family for a pleasure trip, and remaining until the spring of the fol- lowing year, when he returned to California and located in Stockton. It was some time after his location here that the Crown mills were built, with Schwabacher Brothers, Balfour, Guthrie & Co. and James M. Welsh as proprietors, doing business under the corporate title of the Stock- ton Milling Company. Mr. Welsh had been a resident only two years when he was chosen as the city's chief executive, he being the first one thus honored after the adoption of the new char- ter, and for three years he proved his efficiency for the office, to the great satisfaction of those who had been responsible for his election. Va- rious other interests claimed a share of Mr. Welsh's time and thought besides the business and public affairs already mentioned, among them the Alta Fire Insurance Company and the Stockton Land, Loan and Building Association, in both of which he served as president, in the latter association from the time of its organiza- tion, and he was also a large stockholder in the California Navigation Company, in this also serving as president from the date of its organ- ization. He was also president of the San Joa- quin County Valley Bank and a director of the Samson Iron Works.
Mr. Welsh was married March 15, 1871, in New York, to Miss Mary E. Wheeler, who was
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
born there, and three daughters blessed their marriage, as follows: Grace, Mrs. W. E. Elli- ot, of Oakland; Beatrice, Mrs. Stuart P. Elliott ; and Maude, the wife of F. C. Dutton, of San Francisco. Fraternally Mr. Welsh was a meni- ber of Morning Star Lodge No. 68, F. & A. M., for five years was master of Walla Walla Lodge No. 7, and was a member of the Chapter and Commandery of the same Washington city. He was a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite Mason, and was also a member of Truth Lodge No. 55, I. O. O. F., of Stockton. Throughout his career in the west, both in a public capacity and as a business man and private citizen, he won a host of friends on account of his unswerving devo- tion to his duty and his honesty of purpose, and all who knew him admired him for his many pleasing traits of character.
CHARLES HENRY HOLT.
The life history of Charles H. Holt is one of unusual interest. Through a career which began in 1843 and ended in 1905, he was a witness of much of the remarkable development of the United States, no part of which was more inter- esting to him than the Golden state, where he had made his home from the time he was twen- ty years of age. The records show that the fam- ily is of English origin, the first representative of the name in the New World being Nicholas Holt, who settled in Andover, Mass., during the colonial period, and from him Charles H. Holt was descended in the seventh generation.
In the years which intervened the name be- came well and favorably known throughout the New England states, especially in New Hamp- shire, and in Loudon, that state, the birth of Charles H. occurred October 23, 1843. in the home of his parents, William Knox and Harriet 23
(Parker) Holt. The name of William K Holt was well known throughout that part of the state as a lumber manufacturer, owning and managing a large mill in Loudon. By the time Charles H. Holt had reached the age of twenty years his school days were over ( attending school in Bos- ton) and he had taken up the responsibilities of his own support. Instead of settling in the calt, however, he satisfied his ambition to come to the Pacific coast country, where he behevel a larger opportunity awaited the ambitious young man than in the more crowded New Fugle ! states. Thus it happened that he set out for California in 1863, coming by way of the I thi us of Panama and locating in Hydesville, Hum- boldt county, where for two years he engage l 1 teaching school.
It was in 1869 that Mr. Holt inaugurated the business which was to make his name known in the business world throughout the west, the hard wood lumber and wagon material business which he then started at No. 27 Beale Street, San Fran cisco, being the nucleus of what has since de- veloped into the Holt Brothers Company of San Francisco and the Holt Manufacturing Company of Stockton. Mr. Holt was sole proprietor of the business for about two years after ite es tablishment, when, in 1871, he admitted into the partnership .A. Frank, W. Harrison and Benjaren Holt. The growth of the business in the mean- time had warranted them in enlarging their plant, which thereafter included Nos. 27, 29. 31 an 1 33 Beale street, besides which they Stablishel an maintained a branch office in Concord, N. H In 1877 the personnel of the firm was enlarged through the admission of A. H. Bacheller, a brother-in-law of Mr. Holt. In 1879 Mr. Holt bought property at Nos. 30 and 32 Main street and erected a brick building.
As the business grew and prosperel it was de- cided to establish a factory solely for the me- facture of wheels used in their business, anl miter looking about for a site suited to their necole Mr. Holt established the plant in Stockion, in 1885, under the name of the Stockton Wheel Company, Benjamin Holt being placed in charge Three
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
years afterwards, in 1888, Charles H. Holt and Benjamin Holt bought out the interest of A. Frank and W. Harrison Holt, and in 1892 they incorporated the San Francisco house as the Holt Brothers Company and the Stockton Wheel Company the as Holt Manufacturing Company. The success and steady growth of both of these undertakings have been made possible through the executive and financial genius of Charles H. Holt and through the inventive ability of Benjamin Holt, all of which have combined to build the business to large proportions and enabled them to weather the financial storms which from time to time have been visited upon the business world. The death of Charles H. Holt occurred suddenly. July 7, 1905, in Spokane, Wash., whither he had gone on a business trip, preparatory to interest- ing himself in the development of the country. At the time of his death he was president of the Holt Brothers Company, of San Francisco; vice-president of the Holt Manufacturing Com- pany, of Stockton; president of the Houser- Haines Manufacturing Company, of this city ; and a director in the Farmers and Merchants Bank of Stockton.
The marriage of Charles H. Holt occurred April 9, 1874, and united him with Miss Jeanette Noé Finch, the niece of Capt. D. B. Finch, who ran the first line of steamers to enter the harbor at Puget Sound. Three children were born of this marriage, Grace F., Edith Knox and Charles Parker. The wife and mother passed away on April 5, 1905, the death of Mr. Holt following three months later. From the time he settled in California until his death Mr. Holt had made his home almost continuously in Oakland, where, in the Lakeside district, he owned a beautiful resi- dence. In his political sympathies Mr. Holt was an old-line Democrat, and was a great admirer of Grover Cleveland. Socially he was a mem- ber of the Athenian Club of Oakland, the San Francisco Club, and in his religious affiliations was identified with the Methodist Episcopal Church, toward the upbuilding and maintenance of which organization he gave liberally of his
means. The death of Mr. Holt was the cause of universal mourning throughout the city and vicin- ity in which he had lived for so many years, dur- ing which time he had won the love and esteem of his fellow-citizens. Such men as he build for all time and leave a monument to their memory in substantial form, as well as a heritage to their posterity and an example worthy of emulation.
HON. DENIS J. OULLAHAN.
The family represented by Denis J. Oullahan boasted an ancestry which had given to its de- scendants sturdy qualities of manhood and in- sured the success of their careers. Generation after generation had added lustre to a name al- ready held in high repute in the Emerald Isle, where Robert Oullahan was a prominent civil engineer, being an attaché of the Royal Engi- neer Corps of the British army. His son, Denis J., was a native of the city of Dublin, born in 1824, and in that city he was given every educa- tional privilege, attending first the grammar school, later colleges and higher institutions of learning, and finally began the study of medicine. Had he continued to the end of the course and followed the medical profession he undoubtedly would have been a brilliant addition to the ranks of this noble calling, but as he was of an exceed- ingly sensitive nature the study of medicine be- came distasteful to him and he abandoned the project of becoming a physician.
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