San Joaquin County
Biographies
CHARLES W. HUNTING.
LUTHER HUNTING.
The distinction of being a native of California and the son of a California pioneer belongs to Charles W. Hunting of Lodi. He was born on Roberts Island, San Joaquin County, on October 25, 1882, a son of Luther and Marietta (Peters) Hunting, the former a native of Iowa and the latter of California. His father crossed the plains to California in 1863 and located near Acampo and engaged in farming pursuits. Charles Hunting, the grandfather, brought his family in 1863 and became the owner of 640 acres of land near Acampo. There he spent the balance of his days, raising grain and stock. Luther Hunting inherited 80 acres and set 32 of it out to vineyard. Charles W. is the youngest of a family of four children, the others being Mrs. H. Smithson; Edward, deceased; and Mrs. J. A. Carroll. His father died in 1907, aged about 63.
Charles W. was educated in the district schools and the Stockton Business College. After finishing his course at these he returned to the home ranch and further improved the property his father had begun. Later he became a clerk in a grocery store in Acampo and in 1913 removed to Lodi and found employment with the City Fuel & Ice Company. By close application he steadily advanced until in 1918 he was made manager of the company, which was originally established by the late Charles Sollars many years ago and in 1918 was purchased by the City Fuel & Ice Company; this company also operates a bottling works. Mr. Hunting's degree of success has been accomplished by hard work and a determination that tolerates no defeat.
Mr. Hunting's marriage, November 8, 1908, united him with Miss Mary Vest, a native of Missouri, and they are the parents of three children, Josephine, Warren, and Kenneth. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Fraternal Brotherhood; in local affairs he belongs to the Lodi Business Men's Club. Public-spirited and willing at all times to support measures for the advancement of his native county, Mr. Hunting can be counted upon to lend a hand for the welfare of county and city.
History of San Joaquin County, California – Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 1923
p 520
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler.
WILLIAM H. THRUSH.
GEORGE THRUSH.
A California agriculturist who well has merited, by his progressive, scientific industry and his practical results of value to others as well as himself, all the prosperity which has finally crowned his efforts up to the present day, is William H. Thrush, whose splendid ranch on the Waterloo Road has become as fine a demonstration as would be possible of the productivity of San Joaquin County soil. A native son, he was born in the Harmony Grove district of this county, one mile west of the Harmony Grove schoolhouse, on March 14, 1864, the only son of George and Dora Elizabeth (Ebeling) Thrush, both now deceased.
George Thrush was born in Pennsylvania and when a small boy he was taken to Ohio by his parents, where they lived a short time and then removed to Missouri, where he grew to manhood and lived until he came west in 1862. He had married in Missouri and settled down to farm-pursuits until the news of the discovery of gold induced him to come to California. Leaving his wife and daughters—all then small children—he started overland with a mule and an ox team and a companion, in the '50s, and in due time arrived at his destination. Some time after locating in this state he and his friend took the smallpox and his friend died; and as soon as he had recovered from the disease he went back East to join his family and at the same time determined to make a permanent location in the Golden State. Settling his affairs he outfitted and with Mrs. Thrush and daughters made the long overland trip, driving an ox-team, while his wife drove a mule-team, taking the Salt Lake route to California. He was accompanied by Henry Ebeling, the youngest brother of his wife, and he later died in this state. Upon arrival here Mr. Thrush hauled supplies to the mines and later engaged in ranching in the Harmony Grove district, where he settled upon his arrival. He sold out his holdings in that locality and bought 640 acres near Modesto and raised grain there until 1871, when he concluded he would try farming back in Missouri once more. Renting his land and equipment, with his family he returned to Missouri, bought and stocked a good farm, but only lived there six months, when he turned again to California. He lived for a time in San Jose and Santa Clara, then came to San Joaquin County in 1874, bought 320 acres of land on the Waterloo Road, eight miles from Stockton, and from that date this section remained his home until his death, September 8, 1907, at the age of seventy-eight years. Mrs. Thrush died at the age of sixty-three.
The following children were born to this worthy couple: Ellen married Russell Kincaide of Long Beach, and died in 1922, leaving two boys and four girls; Louise is the widow of D. I. Hancock and makes her home with her only daughter, Mrs. Ed Branstead, near Stockton; Marine became the wife of William Bonham and has two sons and one daughter; Edith is the widow of Henry Leffler and the mother of three boys; Fanny is the widow of Nicholas Bacon of Stockton and has one boy and two girls; Alice is Mrs. Wilkes Foreman of Oakland; the seventh in order of birth is William H., our subject; Dora married Thomas Brierly of Oakland and they have one daughter. The last two children were born in California.
William H. Thrush remained at home with his father until he was twenty-one and then started to farm for himself. He leased 160 acres near Linden and raised grain for three years, then came back to the old Thrush ranch on the Calaveras River and in 1892 bought eighty acres of the home estate; later he added ninety-five acres adjoining, part of the Martin property, and this he farms to grain with the exception of about four acres that he has planted to alfalfa. In 1914 he bought fifty acres of bare land near Linden that he has leased for a period of years and which will be set to fruit trees and vines. Mr. Thrush also owns considerable real estate in Stockton, which makes it more natural that, as a public-spirited citizen and loyal Republican that he should favor any legislation encouraging and protecting agricultural and industrial development. He has made his own way since leaving home and his success is the result of his own efforts.
At Stockton, August 26, 1885, Mr. Thrush was married to Miss Allie Anderson, a native of Carson City, Nevada, and the daughter of William H. and Jane (McBride) Anderson. Her father was born in Hamilton County, Ind., August 22, 1838, and now makes his home with Mr. and Mrs. Thrush. When a child he was taken to Van Buren County, Iowa, by his parents and there reared and educated. He came across the plains to Nevada in 1864, mined and freighted for two years. In 1866 he came to San Joaquin County and until 1886 farmed leased land in the vicinity of Waterloo, then he spent fifteen years in Mendocino County lumbering and since then has lived retired. He is of Scotch ancestry, his paternal grandfather having served in the Revolutionary War. Mrs. Anderson was born in Ohio of Irish parents and she died at the age of thirty-six, leaving two children; H. G. Anderson, an employe of the General Petroleum Company in the Coalinga oil field and Mrs. Thrush.
History of San Joaquin County, California – Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 1923
p 523
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler.