Biographies
HON. JOSEPH ADAMS FILCHER
Ten years or more before the
trans-continental railroad had brought the east and west into direct connection
an Iowa family made the tedious journey across the plains with a "prairie
schooner" drawn by ox-teams. Accompanying the expedition was a lad of
about twelve years, Joseph A. Filcher, who was born in Burlington, Iowa, August
3, 1846, and to whom the trip presented less of hardship than of opportunity.
With all the enthusiasm of early life he helped to drive stock the entire
distance. Whether enduring the heat of the desert summer or
threading a narrow pass through he mountains, he was alike hopeful with the
optimism which blesses youth and energetic with the patient industry of those
who have been trained to endurance of hard work. When he first saw
Sacramento in 1859 the city was in the infancy of its history and presented the
erudities inseparable from frontier civilization.
Shortly after coming west he settled with his parents on a farm near Marysville
and there he worked for some years to bring the land under cultivation and
develop a productive farm. Meanwhile it had not been possible for him to secure
an education and he was ambitious to advance in the world. As soon as he could
be spared from the parental home he started out to earn his own way and to
secure an education. Nor were his efforts in vain, for he worked his way
through the State Normal and became a man of wide information.
The acquisition of a thorough education
qualified Mr. Filcher for the work of a school-teacher and this profession he
followed during early manhood, after which for twenty years he was owner and
publisher of the Placer Herald at Auburn, Placer County. It is said
that this is the oldest newspaper in existence in the entire state. The press
which he used was the first ever brought into the state, Samuel Brannan having
brought it from New York to San Francisco on a vessel around the Horn. When its
days of usefulness were ended it was placed in the Golden Gate park, where it now is on exhibition.
The marriage of Mr. Filcher in 1873
united him with Miss Clara Tinkham, a native of
Maine. They are the parents of three children now living. George W., who
resides in San Francisco, is connected with the railway mail service. Ralph E.,
of Chicago, is extensively interested in the real estate business and in
colonization work. Irma married Pierre Meyers and lives in Sacramento. For
years Mr. Filcher has been well known among the Democrats of the state. At the
time of Cleveland's second election as president he was chosen a presidential
elector. When the electoral college held its meeting
he was selected as a messenger to carry the returns to Washington. During
1878-79 he served as a member of the state constitutional convention. Beginning
in 1883 he held the office of state senator for four years and the meantime
gave to his district the most conscientious of service. A candidate in
1888 for state railroad commissioner, he was defeated by only a very small
majority.
Upon the election of Mr. Hendricks as
secretary of state of California Mr. Filcher was selected to complete his
unexpired term as state prison director and in that responsible post gave
faithful service as well as universal satisfaction. For eleven years he was
manager of the state board of trade. Later for five or more years he held a
position as secretary of the State Agricultural Society, from which post
he was promoted to his present office as manager of exhibits. Fraternally he
has been very prominent in the Improved Order of Red Men and has held every
state office within the power of that organization to confer, including that of
representative to the national convention for two terms. Largely through his
tactful efforts as a leader in the California Editorial Association, of which
he served two terms as president, the national convention of 1903 was brought
to San Francisco and the success of that gathering is a matter of state
history.
Perhaps in none of his manifold activities
has Mr. Filcher been more successful than in his labors as representative of
California as commissioner to national and international expositions. He was
appointed sole commissioner by Governor Budd to the Cotton States Exposition
held at Atlanta, Ga., in 1895, and to this he gave intelligent service in the
interests of California. Two years later he represented the state at the
International Horticultural Exposition held in Paris and the following year he
acted in the same capacity at the Pan-American Exposition, Buffalo, N. Y. During 1904 he gave his attention as state
commissioner to the California section at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition,
held in St. Louis. He was president of the Commissioners Association at
Portland and at Seattle and was vice-president of Commissioners Association at
the St. Louis Exposition in 1904. The remarkable success attending his work
caused him to be chosen state commissioner to the Lewis and Clark Exposition at
Portland in 1905 and the Alaska Yukon Exposition at Seattle in 1909. In 1911 he
began to work actively in behalf of the Panama Canal Exposition to be held at
San Francisco in 1915 and made a tour of the state in order to secure the
participation of all the counties to the fullest extent possible. Skilled in
detail, comprehensive in information, widely acquainted with business leaders
of the United States and Europe, more experienced possibly than any exposition
worker in the entire country, he is admirably qualified to bring such movements
to a successful issue and to fill with honor any position conferred upon him in
connection with their management. In April, 1912, while actively engaged in the
above enterprise, he was nominated, without solicitation on his part, for
candidate as city commissioner under Sacramento's new charter, being one of ten
nominated from thirty-five candidates, and on May 18, 1912, he received the
second highest vote of the ten, the honor bringing with it a four-year term.,
and subsequently he was assigned by his associates to the position of
commissioner of finance. Resigning his position with the State Agricultural
Society and the Panama Pacific International Exposition, he assumed the duties
of his office July 1, 1912. At the age of twelve years he reached Sacramento,
having ridden horseback across the plains, and
barefooted he drove his father's herd of cattle. He ended his journey on the
road running along side of the present plaza, in front of the city hall,
September 6, 1859. Since that time he has accomplished much for his city and
state, and now holds the strings of the purse of the city on which he first
cast his eyes fifty-three years ago.
Transcribed by Sally Kaleta.
Source: Willis,
William L., History of Sacramento County,
California, Pages 1014-1016.
Historic Record Company,
© 2006 Sally Kaleta.