Merced County
Biographies
CHARLES D. MARTIN
The fortunes of Charles D. Martin have been more or less intimately identified with the State of California since 1882. His life has been a varied and eventful one and its record is entitled to a place in the history of the State and more especially of Merced County, which has been the scene of his activity since 1884. Mr. Martin was born in Watertown, N. Y., on July 13, 1863, a son of James and Abigale (Pinney) Martin. James Martin was also born at Watertown and was a successful candy manufacturer during his life. Mrs. Martin was a native of Vermont and both are now deceased.
Charles D. Martin completed the grammar and high school courses in Watertown, after which he took private instruction in civil engineering. In 1882 he came West to San Francisco and entered the employ of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company, remaining for two years. He then came to Merced, in the interests of Charles Crocker, to assist in the construction of the canal location, which was known at one time as the Merced Irrigation Company, and still later as the Crocker-Huffman Land & Water Company, and in June of that year he was given entire charge of the engineering department. Some years later he had full charge of the distribution of water. Mr. Martin had the supervision of the development work of this company for twenty-seven years. From 1886 to 1890 he was county surveyor of Merced County. In 1911 he entered private practice but was retained as consulting engineer for the Crocker-Huffman Company. Mr. Martin is now occupying the position of city engineer for Merced; in this position his more than ordinary ability and experience find an ample outlet, and this locality is indeed fortunate in securing such an able man.
The marriage of Mr. Martin united him with Miss Hallie Bost, born in California the daughter of John and Mary (Fitzhugh) Bost. Three children have blessed this union, viz.: Beatrice it; now Mrs. Allan B. Ruddle; Rosalind is the wife of Delwin Shumann; and Alan Bost, who entered the service of the United States and served during the World War, arriving at New York the day the armistice was signed. He married Isabelle Kerrick, of Stockton and they have one child, Kerrick Martin. Mr. Martin is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and belongs to the California Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. Politically he is a Republican.
History of Merced County, California – Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 1925
page 461-462
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
JOE CLEVELAND COCANOUR
JOHN BOYD COCANOUR
A man of excellent business ability and thrift, Joe Cleveland Cocanour is a worthy representative of the successful business interests of Merced County and the San Joaquin Valley and he is held in high esteem as a man and citizen throughout the entire community. A native of California, he was born in Merced, on July 30, 1883, the son of John Boyd and Mary E. (Mitchell) Cocanour. John Boyd Cocanour was born in Lancaster County, Pa., on April 15, 1813, and when he was eleven years old he went to New Orleans. In 1832 he located in Fort Wayne, Ind., where he worked at the trade of carpenter until 1850. In that memorable year he left for California via Panama and arrived in San Francisco on August 12. He went at once to the mines and after a short time spent in seeking for gold he turned his attention to raising cattle, realizing that a surer way to independence would be found in that line of work. He ranged his stock along the Merced and San Joaquin Rivers and met with good success, having as high as 8000 to 10,000 head of stock. He used to hold his rodeo on Bear Creek near the present site of Merced. He took an active part in the political life of the country and served as supervisor of Mariposa County before Merced was organized, and when the latter county was formed he became a member of the supervisorial board here, serving in all fourteen years. He was one of the prime movers in establishing the Merced Woolen Mills and was a large stockholder in it. With the changing of conditions Mr. Cocanour disposed of his cattle in 1872 and thereafter devoted his time to agriculture. He was one of the builders of the Madera Flume and lost a fortune in its construction, as did the other promoters of the project. In 1877 he married Miss Mary Mitchell; and they had three children: Mary Alma, of Merced; John Roy, in the San Joaquin; and Joe Cleveland. For several years prior to his death John Boyd Cocanour was superintendent of the County Hospital. He passed away on November 26, 1893 at the age of eighty years. Mrs. Cocanour is still living in Merced.
Joe C. Cocanour attended the Merced public schools and when he was about twenty-five years old he entered the retail grocery business but during 1923 he changed to the wholesale grocery and produce business and is building up a wonderful trade. Besides shipping in carload lots he is also a wholesale distributor for Merced. During the busy season he employs 100 people and is the largest truck-shipper in this locality.
As early as 1915 Mr. Cocanour began packing and shipping tomatoes, first on a small scale and continuing until his business has grown from year to year until he now operates two packing houses and ships hundreds of cars of tomatoes to all parts of the United States every year. It was directly through his efforts that the Merced Tomato Products Co. is building a $100,000 plant at Merced for canning tomatoes, specializing on tomato paste. Through extended tests it has been found that the Merced tomato is best adapted for that product. The 1925 acreage will total 2000 acres. Besides tomatoes, Mr. Cocanour has the largest single tract of land in sweet potatoes in California that has ever been planted.
Mr. Cocanour was united in marriage with Miss Della May Dean, a native daughter of Merced, and they have two children, Donald and Jane. Fraternally, Mr. Cocanour is identified with Merced Lodge No. 208, I. O. O. F.; Merced Lodge No. 1240, B. P. O. E.; and Yosemite Parlor No. 24, N. S. G. W. In politics he supports the democratic candidate in national elections but in local affairs considers the man best fitted for the position. He is deeply interested in the growth and development of the county and State and supports liberally with his time and means those projects that have for their aims the upbuilding of the commonwealth.
History of Merced County, California – Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 1925
page 462-463
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler