HON. JOSEPH ROUTIER

Sacramento County

Biographies

HON. JOSEPH ROUTIER

HON. JOSEPH ROUTIER, fruit-raiser, ten miles east of Sacramento, was born in the Department of Somme, in the north of France, March 4, 1825. When he was twelve years of age his parents moved into Belgium, where he received the most of his education, remaining there sixteen years, of which ten years were spent in school. Then, in 1846, he entered the employ of the Valst Lambert, a large glass establishment near the city of Liege. Two years later he moved to Paris and lived there until he came to California. Sailing from Havre he came by way of Cape Horn, landing in San Francisco May 31, 1853; and he came directly to Sacramento for the purpose of superintending the planting of a large vineyard and orchard for Captain Folsom, who at that timed owned a large Spanish grant, namely the Paterson, above the town of Folsom, containing six leagues of land. The trees and vines he had ordered from France, and when they arrived at San Francisco they were all found to be dead. Notwithstanding, he expected to plant largely the next year, but Folsom died and the project was abandoned. Mr. Routier, however, remained on the grant. At present he has 120 acres, all in one body and well improved; it is ten miles from Sacramento. He has eighty-five acres in orchard and thirty in vineyard. During the twenty-five years he has been raising fruit, his orchard has been entirely free from insects and pests of all kinds. He has a great many French prunes and plums, a staple article in which he has had experience for many years. His experience and advice have been the means of others entering the same business. In 1886 he was awarded a gold medal for an exhibit he made to the Citrus Fair Association of Sacramento. In 1888 he had forty tons of dried prunes. Of French prunes he has twelve acres. One acre in full bearing will bring in an ordinary season five tons of dried fruit, which at five cents a pound yields $500. He raises also apricots, peaches, almonds, etc.; has a dozen orange trees in full bearing and in a healthy condition. In the vineyard most of the grapes are of wine varieties, from which he manufactures the wine himself. One ton of grapes will yield on the average 150 gallons of wine. His business has been large enough to justify the establishment, in 1870, of a railroad station near him, on the Sacramento & Placerville Railroad, which is called Routier Station; and the postoffice at this place, established about 1887, is also called Routier. Politically Mr. Routier was a strong Republican until about two years ago, when the American party loomed up so strongly, and then he joined the Democratic party. In 1877 he was elected to the Assembly; a few years later he was elected to the Senate on the Republican ticket, and was a member of that body four years, 1882-’86; and during that time there were two extra sessions. He has also been elected a justice of the peace three or four times, and is now holding that office. In 1886 he was appointed by Governor Bartlett upon the State Board of Fish Commissioners, and was elected president of the board, which position also he now holds. Mr. Routier was married in 1852, to Leonide Jadin, a native of France. They have had three children, two of whom died young. George, who was born April 20, 1859, grew up, and married Deborah Rodman. They had two children: Lucie, born March 7, 1878, and Louis, January 17, 1880.

Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.

Davis, Hon. Win. J., An Illustrated History of Sacramento County, California. Pages 705-706. Lewis Publishing Company. 1890.