Contra Costa County
Biographies
JOHN N. DENKINGER
JOHN N. DENKINGER. Among the numerous citizens of worth
who from a small beginning have achieved success in the field of agriculture,
the name of John N. Denkinger must not be
overlooked. For more than forty years he has been closely identified with
farming pursuits in Contra Costa county, Cal., which
is still his place of residence. In choosing the occupation of a farmer
Mr. Denkinger but followed in the footsteps of
his father, Lawrence Denkinger, a native of Ahiengen, Wurtemberg, Germany,
who followed farm pursuits all his life, passing to his final rest in 1878,
aged seventy-five years. He wedded Miss Francisco Mak,
a native of the same place, who died in 1835 when but thirty years of age. Of
the seven children born to her and her husband, two were sons and five
daughters.
Having but little opportunity for attending school,
Mr. Denkinger obtained but a meager education in
the schools of his native place. He was born January 30, 1830,
remaining at home until he attained his majority, and assisting his father with
farm work. He then took passage for America in the hope of bettering his
fortune, landing in New York City in January, 1853. Proceeding to Buffalo, he
remained there a couple of months, then pushed on to Ottawa, Ill., and engaged
in farm work in that vicinity for three years. He subsequently determined to go
to California, and making the trip by way of the Isthmus of Panama, he arrived
in San Francisco January 15, 1856. A little later he engaged in farm
work near San Jose and for four years he gave his undivided attention to this
work, spending the following two years in farming on his own account.
It was not until the fall of 1863 that he found a
permanent location in Contra Costa county, purchasing
at that time two hundred acres of unimproved land on the Pacheco grant in the
Mount Diablo valley. He immediately began to improve and cultivate this farm,
and from time to time added improvements, also acquiring more land, until he
now has three hundred and thirty acres, mostly under cultivation. The balance
of the land was utilized for grazing purposes, as Mr. Denkinger
also raised stock quite extensively. Since his recent retirement from farm
pursuits he rents his land and makes his home with his son-in-law, Andrew Gehringer, who also resides in the Mount Diablo valley. By
his marriage in San Francisco on December 27, 1863, Mr. Denkinger was united with Miss Emily Balz, who was born in Wurtemberg,
Germany, September 10, 1835, and died August 30, 1900, aged
sixty-five years. The children’s names are Marie, George A., Emilie, and
Friedrich. Two are deceased. Marie is the wife of A. C. Gehringer, and Friedrich, the youngest, is a resident of
Chicago. Politically a Republican, Mr. Denkinger
has served both his party and his community as school trustee. In his religious
belief he favors the Catholic faith.
Transcribed by Marie Hassard 03 April 2016.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties, California
by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages
1067-1068. The Chapman Publishing Co.,
Chicago, 1904.
© 2016 Marie Hassard.
Contra Costa County Biographies