San Joaquin County
Biographies
NEWTON WALTER MAHAFFEY.
A very enterprising citizen of Stockton who is connected with manufacturing interests that assist in the upbuilding of Stockton is Newton Walter Mahaffey, who was born at Stanford, McLean County, Ill., June 15, 1864. His father, Jonas L. Mahaffey, traced his ancestry back to the Revolutionary War. Great-great-grandfather Mahaffey was a soldier in that struggle and served as one of Washington's body guard. A family tradition handed down tells of how by his keen perception and quick action Mr. Mahaffey at one time saved the General from capture by a traitorous plan. Jonas L. Mahaffey was engaged in farming and also had a grist and sawmill when the Civil War came on. Nevertheless he enlisted, serving as fifer with the colors. The mother of our subject was Christania Price, who afterwards married Joseph T. Rees and now lives in Stockton.
Newton was her first born, being brought up on the farm in Butler County, Iowa. When he was eleven years of age he removed to Kansas with his mother and stepfather, where they located on a homestead in McPherson County, and there he pioneered it, assisting in breaking the raw prairie where they improved three different quarter sections of land. After completing the district school he entered Lindsborg College, continuing his studies until within three months of graduation, when he had a serious spell of typhoid fever which prevented his graduation that year. After this he continued on the home farm until his marriage in McPherson, March 18. 1891, when he was united with Miss Mary Gibson. who was born at Sandy Hill, Washington County, N. Y., a daughter of Daniel Joslyn and Mary Ellen (Horsley) Gibson, natives respectively of Vermont and Montreal, Canada. The Gibson family are an old New England family who were pioneers of Vermont, while the Horsley family is an old and prominent English family, traced back to the tenth century. Grandfather Horsley emigrated from England to Montreal, where he died in middle life leaving a widow and thirteen children, and she came to Sandy Hill, N. Y.
Daniel Joslyn Gibson was a mason and builder. On the outbreak of the Civil War he was a widower with three children, nevertheless he volunteered his services and enlisted in Company I, 16th Regiment Heavy Artillery, New York Volunteers, serving until the close of the war. After the war he married Miss Horsley and he continued the building business, moving to Clyde, N. Y., where he resided until he died at the age of ninety-two years. The mother passed away at the age of eighty-two years.
Mary Gibson graduated from the Clyde, N. Y. high school, after which she engaged in teaching in Wayne County, N. Y. She had a sister, Mrs. Smith Babcock, living at McPherson, Kans., and came out on a visit and it was there she met Newton Mahaffey and their acquaintance resulted in the marriage. Wishing to cast in their lot with the Golden State the young couple came to California in October, 1891. Mrs. Mahaffey had an uncle, John Horsley, who had come to California as a '49er and was a pioneer in Amador County, where he built the Silver Lake Road, as well as several other early toll roads. After spending
several months in Amador County Mr. Mahaffey came to Stockton, where he assisted in building the electric road. In the fall of 1892 they located at Burson, Calaveras County, and there engaged in farming for a while until he entered the life insurance field, representing the Fidelity Mutual Life Insurance Company, in which he met with excellent success. However, in 1899, he located in Stockton, where he engaged in contracting and for many years has specialized in contract roof painting. Having made a study of the best ingredients necessary to make the most desirable roof paint he has originated a formula and is engaged in manufacturing Mahaffey's cement roof paint, which has become popular and in general use throughout this section of California, and he has the largest business as roofing contractor in this county. He resides at 1346 East Market Street with his family and this place is also the headquarters for his business.
Mr. Mahaffey has been interested in mining for many years, owning the Hose mine in Plumas County, a quartz mine with a five-stamp mill. He also has the Maypole mine at Mokelumne Hill. He is also interested in the McCree Petroleum Corporation, operating at Tulsa, Okla., a successful oil company.
Mr. and Mrs. Mahaffey's union has been blessed with five children: Frank and Harry are twins; the former was with the postoffice department in San Francisco during the war and is now assisting Mr. Mahaffey in his business; Harry is with the Standard Oil Company. He enlisted in the U. S. Marine Corps and served overseas during the World War. During this time he qualified as an expert rifleman. Ruth is a graduate of Stockton high school and the Western Normal and was engaged in teaching in her home city for seven years. She was very prominent in campfire work, serving as campfire guardian and playground director. She is now the wife of Prof. A. W. Dowden. who served in the Medical Corps during the World War. They reside in Los Angeles, where Mr. Dowden is physical director at the Southern Branch, University of California. Walter and William are attending Stockton high school. Mr. Mahaffey is a member of the Sons of Veterans, while with the same patriotic zeal his wife is a member of Colonel Roosevelt Circle, Ladies of the G. A. R.
History of San Joaquin County, California – Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 1923
p 1519
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler.
CHRISTIAN C. ABERSOLD.
A prominent and favorably known stock and grain farmer of the Mossdale district of San Joaquin County is Christian C. Abersold, who owns and operates successfully a fine ranch of ninety acres, which is devoted to raising grain, alfalfa and also a small dairy is conducted. A native of Switzerland, he was born in Canton Berne, February 14, 1864, and at the age of two years accompanied his parents, Gottlieb and Elizabeth (Leman) Abersold, to America where they settled near Winesburg, Ohio, in 1856. The father was a thrifty man and was soon the owner of a farm near Beach City, Ohio, where a family of twelve children were reared, nine of whom are living at present. Both parents have passed away.
Christian C. Abersold received a good education in the schools of Ohio and the practical experience and knowledge received on his father's farm was a valuable asset when he started out for himself. He and his older brother John came to this county in 1885 and went to work on the ranch of P. G. Sharp. John Abersold passed away in July, 1887. Mr. Abersold, our subject, remained on the ranch and soon became foreman, and two years later rented the stock and ranch, farming the land to wheat. He then rented the J. W. Graves ranch near Lathrop, where he farmed for a year, then moved to the Billy Johnson Live Oak Stock Farm, conducting same until 1898, when he rented the Clapp ranch and after one season there removed to the Boice place, from which he moved to Lathrop taking over the Lathrop Hotel in the fall of 1903, which he conducted for five years with fine success. He then sold his interests and purchased his present farm of ninety acres near the San Joaquin River bridge at Mossdale, and this has been his home ever since, on which he has erected a comfortable residence and fine outbuildings. This ranch is farmed to grain and alfalfa and Mr. Abersold conducts a small dairy. He has been caretaker of the highway bridge for a number of years.
The marriage of Mr. Abersold at Vernalis, San Joaquin County, on November 10, 1897, united him with Miss Myrtle P. Graves, a daughter of Mrs. Eliza A. Graves, widow of Newton H. Graves. She was born near Lathrop, June 1, 1879, and attended the East Union school and when about fourteen years old removed with her parents to the West Side. They are the parents of ten children, eight of whom are living: Alfred Newton married Miss Loretta Long and they reside at Stockton; Orpha Irene, deceased; Selma C. is Mrs. Henry Hartman, and they have one child, Henry, Jr.; Ida Myrtle, deceased; Charles Franklin; William Vance; Pearl Elizabeth; Frank Ernest; Mary B.; and Ruby G. Mr. Abersold is a Republican in politics and for fourteen consecutive years he has served as trustee of the Mossdale school. Mrs. Abersold has taken a prominent part in the civic and educational affairs of her locality, serving as treasurer of the Parent Teachers' Association of the Eighth district and in April, 1922, was elected president of the association. Mr. Abersold became an American citizen while residing in Ohio and he has never regretted that he cast in his lot with the citizens of the Golden State.
History of San Joaquin County, California – Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 1923
p 1519
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler.