JOSEPH BUSHART

Sacramento County

Biographies

JOSEPH BUSHART

JOSEPH BUSHART.--A pioneer of the Carmichael district, Joseph Bushart has probably done more development work here than any other of its residents, as he was the first member of this colony to purchase land and settle here, in 1910. A native of Germany, he was born in Wurttemberg, March 24, 1857. He received a good education in the public schools and then entered the lumber camps of his native country as a mill hand, continuing until he was twenty-one, when he entered the German army. After three years he was given his honorable discharge, and he immediately set out for the United States, arriving in New York in April, 1881.

Here Mr. Bushart went to work for the packing-house of D. J. Keefe, and two years later was put in complete charge of the pickling and curing department of the large Brooklyn plant of this concern. He remained with them for twenty-five years, becoming one of their most capable and trustworthy employees, and seeing the capacity of the plant more than doubled. When the plant was acquired by Swift & Company, Mr. Bushart remained with them for five years longer, and it was with a marked degree of reluctance that his resignation was accepted when he decided to take up his residence in California. On arriving here he purchased land in the Carmichael district and immediately set to work to develop it to orchard. He not only has been an eye witness to the transformation of this region, formerly a wild pasture and stubble-field, but has done much contract development work for others in setting out orchards, and now after eight or ten years they are ready to locate on their properties, which in the meantime have been given such excellent care by Mr. Bushart.

In New York, in 1891, Mr. Bushart was married to Miss Bertha Strickland, also a native of Germany, who became acquainted with her future husband while on a visit to her sister in New York. One daughter was born to them, Augusta, who married E. W. Jones; her husband passed away in July 1921, survived by five children: Beberle, Robert, Wendell., Hazel and Alma. Mrs. Bushart passed away in 1913 at their home at Carmichael, and her loss was deeply felt by her family and the whole community. Mr. Bushart received his United States citizenship papers in New York in 1891, and has ever since been a stanch citizen of his adopted country. He has for many years been a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen.

Transcribed by Priscilla Delventhal.

Source: Reed, G. Walter, History of Sacramento County, California With Biographical Sketches, Page 625. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA. 1923.