San Joaquin County
Biographies
HENRY F. ELLIS.
A leader in every movement for the advancement of his home district, Henry F. Ellis of Lodi, manager of the Stewart Fruit Company here, had an interesting career in the newspaper field before becoming associated with the fruit industry. A son of California pioneers, Mr. Ellis was born in Napa County, January 23, 1866, his parents being Ralph and Caroline (Everets) Ellis, both now deceased, the former a native of New York, while Mrs. Ellis was born in Indiana. Ralph Ellis came to California in the gold-mining days and located at Downieville, Sierra County, where he was agent for Wilson and Evarts, who conducted a bank there. Gold dust was then used to a great extent as a medium of exchange, and Mr. Ellis used to carry it across the country to Marysville, making frequent trips through this wild, unsettled district. He was for some time county clerk of Sierra County, and on removing to Napa County held the office of sheriff there from 1865 to 1870. He also farmed in that county and built and operated the first grist-mill in the state at St. Helena. In 1870 he came to San Joaquin County and for seven years farmed south of Stockton, going then to Lodi, where he ran a flour mill. He sold this in 1881 and established the "Lodi Sentinel," a weekly newspaper, displaying characteristic versatility and initiative in taking up this entirely new line of endeavor. Later he turned this paper over to his son Frank, and with another son, W. R. Ellis, went to Woodland and bought the "Woodland Mail." He was a charter member of the Lodi Lodge of Masons, and was its first master. Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Ellis were the parents of five children: W. R. Ellis, of Sacramento, former secretary of the California State Highway Commission; Frank, of Stockton; Henry F., of Lodi; Mrs. Freeman B. Mills; and Mrs. Margaret E. Porter.
Henry F. Ellis was fourteen years old when the family came to Lodi, and he was educated in the public schools and at Woodbridge Academy. He entered newspaper work with his father on the "Lodi Sentinel," becoming its editor, and later went to Woodland, where he was city editor of the "Woodland Mail," spending ten years there. In 1909 he gave up newspaper work and became local agent at Lodi for the California Fruit Exchange, a position he held for twelve years. In 1904 Mr. Ellis represented San Joaquin County at the St. Louis Exposition, having an attractive exhibit in the Agricultural Building, and he brought back fifteen prizes.
In January, 1918, Mr. Ellis became district manager for the Stewart Fruit Company, this being one of the largest concerns in this line in the state, with shipping and packing houses all over California. They ship strictly on a commission basis, and in 1920 sent out 410 cars of deciduous fruits and grapes from Lodi. About six years ago Mr. Ellis bought an eighty-acre vineyard for $20,000, and improved it, putting in a pumping plant; and at the end of four years he sold it for $64,000. In 1909 he purchased sixty acres of raw land, planted part of it to Tokay grapes, and later set out the remainder to prunes. In 1920 the grapes produced six tons to the acre, and he has refused $2,000 an acre for the property.
Mr. Ellis was married on August 11, 1887, to Miss Lochie Green, a native daughter of San Joaquin County and a member of an old pioneer family. Two daughters have been born to them: Carrie E., a graduate of the Lodi high school, the San Jose Normal and the University of California, is the teacher of domestic science in the Lodi high school; Frances M. graduated at the Lodi high school and the San Jose State Normal, and teaches in the Lodi grammar school. Prominent in educational affairs, for ten years Mr. Ellis served as trustee of the Lodi union high school and of the Lodi grammar school. A Republican in politics all his life, he is now city recorder of Lodi; and he is also a member of the board of trustees of the Lodi Public Library. During the World War he took an active part in all the Government programs, and was secretary of the Lodi Liberty League. He became a charter member of Lodi Parlor No. 18, N. S. G. W., when he was only eighteen; and he and George E. Lawrence are now the only living charter members of the lodge. Well-known in Masonic circles, he is a member of Lodi Lodge No. 256, F. & A. M.; Stockton Commandery, K. T.; and Islam Temple, of San Francisco.
History of San Joaquin County, California – Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 1923
p 915
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler.
J. O. BEAUCHAMP.
A worthy representative of one of the pioneer American families is J. O. Beauchamp, the well-known rancher and realtor living about three and a half miles to the west of Escalon, where he owns nearly forty-six choice acres. He was born in Pike County, Mo., on April 18, 1865, the son of James W. Beauchamp, a native of Pike County, long active as a farmer and stockman in Missouri, in which state he has spent his days. He is still living, 92 years of age, while his wife (whose maiden name was Susan S. Nalley), also born in Pike County, is eighty-two years old. Her father, Davenport Nalley, was born in Virginia, and settled in Pike County in pioneer days, where he became a prosperous farmer and stockman. Mr. Beauchamp's paternal grandfather was born in Kentucky, brought out his family to Pike County, and there settled upon a farm. He was a member of the Christian Church, and a local preacher, and his influence for widespread good was recognized in Pike County. Mr. Beauchamp's mother was his father's second wife. They had six children, five of whom grew up; Mr. Beauchamp is the eldest, and is the only one residing in California. The maiden name of Mr. James W. Beauchamp's first wife was Sally Biggs, and by her he had two children.
J. O. Beauchamp attended the public schools, including the high school, in his home district, at Paynesville, Mo., and then went to a business college at Bowling Green in the same state, a town identified with the career of his second-cousin, Champ Clark, now so distinguished in American history. He was the son of John Hampton and Aletha Jane (Beauchamp) Clark, and his full name was James Beauchamp Clark; but when he began practicing law in Bowling Green, he abbreviated his name to Champ, and by that shorter appellation he was later known.
Senator Champ Clark, while on a lecture-tour to the Pacific Coast, visited Mr. Beauchamp at his home in Santa Rosa; the relationship was confirmed and the two worthies had a delightful time together.
On Christmas Day, 1889, Mr. Beauchamp was married at Clarksville, Mo., to Miss Elizabeth Jeans, of that town, a daughter of Newton Jeans, a farmer who was born and reared in Pike County, and who came out to California with Mr. Beauchamp and here breathed his last. His wife's maiden name was Margaret Watts; the Jeans, Watts, and Beauchamp families were all Missouri pioneers. John Watts, an uncle of Mrs. Beauchamp, came to California in 1849, and became interested in a project for supplying water to the miners in the mining country in which he lost about $80,000; later, he went into business at Stockton, and later still settled at Blocksburg, in Humboldt County, where he owned a stock farm, and where he died. He lived to be seventy-three years old, and died well-to-do. These families were all originally from Kentucky.
After their marriage, Mr. Beauchamp bought his father's home-place in Pike County, Mo.; but on account of his wife's ill health, he sold out, and came to California in 1899. Settling at first in Humboldt County, he spent the next three years at Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, where he ran a dairy-ranch joist outside of Santa Rosa; and later on he moved into the city and subdivided the "Roseland" tract, realizing a good profit from his venture. He moved to his present place in 1917, and now deals quite extensively in real estate, mostly farm lands and ranches near Escalon. He is an exceptional judge of land values. Two children have been granted Mr. and Mrs. Beauchamp: Ruth is now the wife of G. R. Shriver, rancher and insurance agent at Santa Rosa; and Margaret is at home. The family attend the Christian Church.
History of San Joaquin County, California – Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 1923
p 915
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler.