San Joaquin County
Biographies
ELLSWORTH ARCHER.
A well-informed man on the fruit packing and shipping industry of the San Joaquin Valley, Ellsworth Archer is the efficient field superintendent of the Pacific Fruit Exchange at Lodi. Nineteen years of his life were spent on a farm in Antrim County, Mich., where he was born at Eastport on April 14, 1877. He was reared on the Michigan farm and attended the public schools of his native state. Upon leaving home he went to Chicago, where he spent ten years as coachman in many of the millionaire families, and for three years was coachman for C. H. McCormick. In September, 1905, he removed to California and settled in Lodi, purchasing a ranch of forty acres in the Christian Colony district. This tract of land was in old almond trees; he grubbed out twenty acres of them and planted it to peach and young almond trees, now in full bearing and very productive. He spent ten years in the development of his home place, living on it until 1915, when he removed to Lodi. In 1921 he traded his place for a 180-acre ranch located north of Woodbridge, known as the Washington ranch. Ninety acres of this is devoted to growing grapes, and seventy-five acres is in Bartlett pears. The ranch is improved with a fine residence, and good tenant houses and farm buildings.
Mr. Archer has been closely identified with the development and growth of the Christian Colony, having planted and taken full charge of many orchards there; he still has some under his care belonging to non-residents of the state. During the year of 1915 he became associated with the Pacific Fruit Exchange as their field superintendent; and on account of his thorough knowledge, through years of active experience, he is considered an authority on packing and shipping.
The marriage of Mr. Archer at Atwood, Mich., united him with Miss Dora Paukett, a native of Ohio, and they are the parents of four children: Helen, a graduate of Lodi high school, and now Mrs. Earl Botts of Lodi; Eva, in Lodi high school, class of 1924; and Nathan and Norton. Mr. Archer and his family are members of the Christian Church, Lodi, and take an active part in furthering its work and supporting its benevolences. He is an elder and a member of the board of trustees, as well as treasurer of the church. For five years he was superintendent of the Bible class; and he was a member of the Building Committee that has just completed the new $80,000 church, which the congregation enjoy greatly. Mrs. Archer is also active in church work. She is a talented musician, as are all the children; and the family have an orchestra that favor the church with excellent music. Mr. Archer is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias. He has never regretted casting his lot in California, particularly in San Joaquin County, which he considers the most favored spot in the whole world.
History of San Joaquin County, California – Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 1923
p 1116
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler.
AARON RUSSELL BECKWITH.
A worthy representative of one of the most interesting of California pioneer families is Aaron Russell Beckwith, a native of Porterville, Tulare County, where he was born on March 26, 1888, the son of C. J. and Lena (Jefford) Beckwith, the former an extensive grain-farmer. When our subject was five years of age, his parents removed to Woodland, Cal., and there engaged in agricultural pursuits. They had nine children, and six are living today. The father came from Ohio in 1862, and the mother's family also hailed from the Buckeye State.
Aaron Beckwith attended the grammar school at Woodland, and when only fourteen years of age entered the service of the Southern Pacific Railroad. He accepted various jobs at first, and then was placed in the maintenance of way department. For nine years he remained with the Southern Pacific, working on the Stockton division, and most of the time having his headquarters at Tracy. On August 23, 1909, he was married at Sacramento to Miss Violet A. Noble, a native of Galt, Cal., the daughter of George W. and Elizabeth Noble, and a member of a family who came to Sacramento County many years ago. Mrs. Noble is still living at Galt. A son, Mrs. Beckwith's brother, made his home at Tracy until 1915, when he moved to the present ranch, known as the Noble Ranch, located on Dry Creek, about four miles from Galt. This ranch consists of 246 acres, and is the property of Mrs. Noble; and here Mr. Beckwith is conducting a dairy. He has twenty acres of alfalfa, and the rest of the land is in pasture.
Mr. and Mrs. Beckwith have one son and one daughter, Chester Russell and Grace Elizabeth. Mr. Beckwith still retains his membership in the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen. When Acampo and its wonderful environment shall have been fully developed, the influence of the life and work of Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Russell Beckwith will be felt and always duly recognized. Mr. Beckwith's uncle, Byron, started the irrigation ditch in the Woodbridge district, and also opened the first drugstore at Lodi, which he later sold to Graham. He afterwards moved to Colusa, where he died.
History of San Joaquin County, California – Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 1923
p 1119
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler.
HENRY BECHTHOLD.
A native of the Isle of Krem in the Black Sea, Henry Bechthold has nevertheless been an American, to all intents and purposes, during his life, for he was but sixteen years old when brought by his parents to the United States. He was born on September 5, 1860, a son of Henry and Lottie (Baumbach) Bechthold, also natives of southern Russia, where they were farmers. In 1876, when but sixteen years old, Henry Bechthold made the journey with his parents from Russia to Hutchinson County, S. D., where his father took up a homestead and timber claim. Henry is one of a family of eleven children, namely: Henry, George, Colena, Lottie, Elizabeth, Marian, Katherine, Abraham, John, Deph (deceased), and Louisa. The father died at the age of fifty-six, and the mother at the age of forty.
Henry Bechthold had no educational privileges, but his years of wide experience and observation have served to make him a well-informed man. He remained at home with his parents until his marriage on June 25, 1880, which united him with Miss Wilhelmina Klauss, also a native of southern Russia, a daughter of Lewis and Wilhelmina (Haus) Klauss.
Her father, Lewis Klauss, brought his family to America and homesteaded a tract of land in Hutchinson County, S. D. After their marriage, the young people remained on a farm until 1903, when they sold out and came to California. They settled in Lodi, and Mr. Bechthold purchased fifteen acres just north of Lodi on the Cherokee Lane, the Mokelumne River bounding his land on the south; later he added twenty-six acres, making in all forty-one acres. Two years ago he sold two acres of bottom land; and on the remaining thirty-nine acres he erected a house, where he has since resided with his family. He first planted five acres to vineyard and ten acres to peaches, but later pulled out the peach trees and planted the ten acres also to vineyard; and his fifteen-acre vineyard is now the finest in the Lodi section. His land is irrigated by water pumped directly from the Mokelumne River. Mr. Bechthold has recently built a gasoline and oil service station, costing about $2,000, on one corner of his ranch; and he is engaged in running this business, while his sons lease the home place. Mr. and Mrs. Bechthold are the parents of twelve children: Adolph, Lottie (now Mrs. Fritz, of Fresno), Malvina (Mrs. M. Gatzert, of Lodi). Lida (Mrs. J. D. Christner, of Lodi). Fred, Robert, Christ, Henry Jr., William, Emily, Edwin and Benjamin. The last three still reside at home. Mr. Bechthold is a Republican. He and his family are members of the Baptist Church of Lodi.
History of San Joaquin County, California – Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 1923
p 1119
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler.