PETER B. GERMAIN

Sacramento County

Biographies

PETER B. GERMAIN

PETER B. GERMAIN.--A successful, prosperous rancher whose modern, scientific methods and high standards in business negotiations have entitled him to substantial returns, is Peter B. Germain, a native of Three Rivers, in Quebec, Canada, where he was born, April 30, 1856, the son of John B. and Henrietta (Trottier) Germain. His father and mother were born on the banks of the Saint Lawrence River, Canada, our subject's grandparents having been frontier settlers of Ermandier, Canada. Grandfather Germain lived to be seventy-five years of age, while Grandmother Germain survived him and saw her eighty-sixth year. John B. Germain saw one year more of life than his father, and his devoted companion. Peter's mother , also lived to be eighty-six years of age. They had eleven children, of whom Arselia was the eldest; then came Ferdinand, Napoleon, Emma, Henry, Joseph, Peter, Mary, Josephine, Clara and Adolph. Peter Germain attended the Canadian grammar schools, and when eighteen years old, left home to come into the United States and made his way West to California. At Stockton, he worked for two years for William Fairchild, who lived out on the Stockton-Waterloo Road; and then he went to Petaluma, but soon returned to Stockton, to spend three years in various engagements. Coming into Sacramento County, he was married on April 30, 1889, to Miss Esther C. Carr, who was born on the Carr ranch, near Clay Station, and was the daughter of Seymour and Mary (O'Neal) Carr. Seymour Carr was a native of Syracruse, New York, born September 1, 1840, who later removed to Des Moines, Iowa, in the winter of 1851-1852, where his parents died. In 1859, he crossed the plains to California, arriving September 1, and he worked at mining for a short time, then farmed, and in 1870 settled on a ranch of 240 acres, near Clay, Cal., where he spent the remainder of his days. He died on May 14, 1912, in his seventy-second year; his good wife also breathed her last in her seventy-second year, passing away June 15, 1909. Seymour Carr was identified most honorably with public life. He served two terms in the State Legislature as assemblyman, and for about twenty years was justice of the peace in his township. He was a school director, a member of the Grange and also an Odd Fellow. Mr. and Mrs. Seymour Carr were blessed with seven children. Alice is Mrs. Thomas L. White of Pacific Grove; Esther C. is the wife of our subject; Elmour is at San Jose; Ella A. has become Mrs. Hauschildt; William is on the home place; Maud is Mrs. William Henning, of Forest Hill; and James is with William. Esther C. Carr attended the Alabama District School in Sacramento County, and there laid the foundation of that excellent training by which she has been able to become such a valuable helpmate to her husband.

After their marriage, Mr. Germain purchased a quarter-section of land near Clay Station, and still owns 140 acres of this tract. The place has six acres of vineyard, and the balance of the land is a stock farm. Mr. Germain has served as road overseer in his district, and has been a trustee of the Alabama school district. In national politics, he is a Republican; in local affairs, always a good non-partisan booster.

Six children were granted to Mr. and Mrs. Germain. Mary E. passed away in her twentieth year. Emma A. is a graduate from the Fresno Teachers' College, and Clara M. is a graduate from the Western Normal at Stockton, and both are teaching at Fresno. John S. graduated from the teachers' college at Chico, June 7, 1923. On March 10, 1923, he married Frances Requa. The younger ones are Peter W., a graduate of the Galt high-school class of 1922, and Josephine E. John served in the late World War. He entered the service in October, 1917, as a member of Company L. 363rd Infantry, 91st Division, trained at Camp Lewis, but was taken down there with the scarlet fever and rheumatism, through which he suffered far more than many who went overseas, and survived great physical dangers; and he was honorably discharged, as a corporal, in March 1919. What he modestly and uncomplainingly did for his country, even though he was denied the privilege of going to European battlefields, will always be a source of satisfaction to himself and his friends.

Transcribed by Sally Kaleta.

Source: Reed, G. Walter, History of Sacramento County, California With Biographical Sketches, Pages 317-318. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA. 1923.