San Joaquin County
Biographies
CAPT. EDWARD SCOTT.
One of the pioneers of Stockton who became prominent in business, military, Masonic and social circles during the early growth of the city, was the late Edward Scott, a native of England, born at Wetherbends, Cumberlandshire, May 11, 1831, of Scotch parents. In 1841, when he was ten years of age, he accompanied his parents on their removal to New York City, and in the excellent schools of that great metropolis he received a good education, and was attending college when he heard of the discovery of gold in California. Like thousands of others, his ambition was stirred by the excitement connected with the discovery, and he decided to cast in his lot with the Pacific Coast. Leaving his books, he took passage in a sailing vessel coming around Cape Horn to San Francisco, and after a long voyage landed safely early in 1850. As was natural, he rushed to the mines, and for some years he followed mining at Angels Camp and at Douglas Flat. Not finding mining as remunerative as he expected, he gave it up and came to Stockton in 1857. He became associated with the Globe Iron Works, and as manager guided the business successfully for some years. On severing his connection with the company he became a partner of John Caine, under the firm name of John Caine & Company, hardware and implement dealers, a business firm that grew to large proportions and was widely known for its fairness in all of its dealings. Mr. Scott took an active part in the company's growth and development, giving his undivided time to its interests, and in a large measure to his ability and personality, as well as to his straightforwardness and honesty of purpose, the success of the business was due.
At Santa Cruz occurred the marriage of Capt. Edward Scott, uniting him with Miss Permelia Jenkins, a native of the state of Alabama, who had emigrated to Santa Cruz with her parents in an early day. She was a daughter of William and Anna (Oliver) Jenkins, natives of Wales and Alabama, respectively. Miss Jenkins was a woman of pleasing personality, cultured, refined and well-educated. She spent several years in educational work, and it was while teaching in San Joaquin County that she met and married Captain Scott. The family residence at 221 East Rose Street was built by Mr. Scott and was one of the first houses erected in that portion of the city. All too soon he was bereaved of his faithful wife. In 1877 she passed on, leaving him a son and two charming daughters. Mrs. Mabel Donaldson, who resides in Alameda, has two children: Dean, a talented violinst; and a lovely daughter, Mrs. E. F. Russell. The only son, Edward, died in 1890; and the youngest daughter is Mrs. Maude Dean, of Groveland, Cal. Mr. Scott continued actively in business until his passing. September 25, 1891, a man widely mourned and highly esteemed.
Captain Scott was a veteran of the Civil War, enlisting for service. He was commissioned 1st lieutenant in Company H of the 1st California Cavalry, and rose to the rank of captain; after the war he was always prominent in local military circles, being a member of Rawlins Post No. 29, G. A. R. Captain Scott was a Knight Templar Mason and was prominent in Masonic work. He was a member and vestryman of the Episcopal Church. Politically, he was an uncompromising Republican and very influential in the party hustings, but would never accept offices, though solicited to do so. California owes a debt of gratitude to such men as Capt. Edward Scott, who by their pioneering brought about the present day civilization of the Golden State.
History of San Joaquin County, California – Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 1923
p 1215
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler.
WILLIAM HENRY ADAMS.
A pioneer who has both witnessed and participated in the development of the Golden State, observing the great economic changes, is William Henry Adams, who resides about one mile due north of Acampo. He was born in County Fermanagh, Ireland, on December 29, 1867, the son of William and Rebecca (Elliott) Adams, farmer folk there. His father died when he was very young, but his mother lived to be eighty-five years of age. There were six children in the family. Robert lives at Lodi; Mrs. Fannie Pritchard resides in New York; Jennie died at the age of sixteen years; Mrs. Maggie Parker lives at Oakland, Cal.; Rebecca lives in Lodi; and William Henry is an orchardist and vinyardist near Acampo.
William Henry Adams attended the common schools—as often as he was able; but educational opportunities in Ireland then were limited. When seventeen years old, he came to the United States, arriving in San Joaquin County in 1884, where he has been ever since. He took out his citizenship papers in Stockton, and worked a year for his uncle, Henry Adams, on the Dry Creek road. He then worked for William Hickey in the Elliott district for two years, and after that for W. R. Strong in the Christian Colony, where he was engaged in the nursery line for nine years. After this he came to the Ogden ranch.
On November 16, 1898, Mr. Adams married Miss Florence L. Ogden, a native of Williamsburg, Iowa County, Iowa, and the daughter of Henry T. and Augusta (Smith) Ogden, natives of Ohio and Iowa, respectively. Her father was a farmer, and lived to be seventy-eight years old, while the mother attained her sixty-first year. There were five children in the Ogden family: Addison, Elmer, Vernon, Florence (Mrs. Adams), and Leon. When Florence was nine years old her parents came to California and lived for a short time in Oakdale, Stanislaus County. Then they moved to Snelling, in Merced County, where her father bought a half-section of grain land; and she was sent to the Snelling schools. In 1894, her father traded his grain land for seventy acres of land on the Cherokee road, one mile north of Acampo, and this he set out to almonds and a vineyard. Mr. Adams bought ten acres from one of his brothers-in-law, and for the last six years he has also rented and operated the seventy acres, living on it at the same time. In April, 1920, his father-in-law died, and the estate was sold to W. C. Petsinger, who now lives in the old home. Then Mr. Adams repurchased seventeen and one-fourth acres of the old Ogden estate adjoining his ten acres, making the present holdings of his ranch twenty-seven and one-fourth acres. He remodeled the home he now lives in, and in November, 1921, moved into it. He has an electric motor of ten-horsepower and a four-inch pump, and is able to command an abundant supply of good water. He has six children: Violet, at home; Elliott, a student at Reno, Nev.; Norma, a student in the State Teachers' College, San Jose; and Leon, Raymond and Harold, pupils in the Houston grammar school.
Mr. Adams has twenty acres of almonds, and is a member of the California Almond Growers' Exchange. He also has seven acres of Tokay grapes, and is a director of the Acampo Fruit Growers' Association. He is a stockholder in the Coast Tire & Rubber Company, and also in the Samson Tire Company of San Diego. Mr. Adams is a Republican in matters of national political import. Fraternally, he is a member of Woodbridge Lodge No. 131, F. & A. M. He has always been a hard-working man. When he came to California, for example, he worked from sunrise to sunset driving a six-mule team, and received only seventy-five cents for his labor. Recalling his own hard experiences, he tries to do the right thing by those who work for him.
History of San Joaquin County, California – Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 1923
p 1216
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler.