Alameda County
Biographies
JOHN WALPERT
JOHN WALPERT. A pioneer citizen of Alameda county, John Walpert has been engaged
in agricultural pursuits in this section since 1856, and has met with a success
which numbers him among the representative men of the community. A native of Germany,
he was born in Tryse, January 26, 1826, and spent his boyhood years at home.
When eighteen years of age he was apprenticed to learn the tinner’s trade,
after which he traveled for five years throughout Germany
and Austria
as a journeyman. In 1851 he came to the United
States, and after landing at Baltimore
he followed his trade for about six weeks in that location, when he went to Philadelphia, thence to Louisville, Ky.
In April, 1853, he started overland for California,
working his way across the plains by driving cattle. The party with which he
traveled reached Hangtown in September of the same year, when, for the
following six weeks Mr. Walpert engaged in mining. He then located in San Francisco and engaged at
his trade, but not finding it sufficiently lucrative accepted instead a
position as dishwasher in a restaurant. Not content with this employment, he
came to Alameda
county, and near Alvarado was hired to dig potatoes, and for three years thereafter
worked on a ranch for $45 per month. The greater part of this money he saved
and loaned, and eventually lost it all. He once more went to the mining
district, but for a time was employed by a merchant. He then worked in the
mines and made $4,000. Returning to Alameda
county he bought a squatter’s claim to one hundred and sixty acres about ten
miles from Haywards and near Decoto, for $300, and as the property around him
came into the market he continued to add to his land until to-day he owns four
thousand acres. This extensive ranch is devoted to general farming and cattle
raising, while he has also an extensive chicken yard. In 1869 he came to
Haywards and built the beautiful residence where he now makes his home, the
fifteen acres comprising the land of the place being devoted to orchard and
pasture.
Mr. Walpert married Mary Rhulmann, a native of Alsace, and born of this
union were three children: Clara and Lillian, at home, and Oscar W., who
is married and lives on the ranch and works for his father. In his political
convictions Mr. Walpert was formerly a Democrat, but is now a stanch,
though liberal, Republican, and for several years served as trustee of
Haywards.
Transcribed by Marie Hassard 22 September 2015.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages
788-789. The Chapman Publishing Co.,
Chicago, 1904.
© 2015 Marie
Hassard.
ALAMEDA
COUNTY BIOGRAPHIES
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