Biographies
MRS. JENNIE A SCHULZE
MRS.
JENNIE A. SCHULZE.—A
representative of an old and honored family in the Golden State
is Mrs. Jennie A. Schulze, a native daughter of California. Her father, Charles Graves, was born in
Vermont and came to California in the early gold days, and for a time followed
mining. He was married on Grand Island,
Colusa County, to Mrs. Maria (Knight) Cronemiller, a
native of Vermont, who crossed the plains in early days with her first husband,
Mr. Knight, and on the way demonstrated her pioneer spirit by helping to drive
the team through the hostile Indian country.
After their arrival they located in Sacramento County, where they
resided until Mr. Knight's death. After
their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Graves farmed for a while at Lincoln, and located
in Sacramento, where Mr. Graves engaged in the building business. He spent his last days with Mrs. Schulze,
passing away at the age of seventy-eight years, the mother having passed away
in Sacramento.
Jennie A. Graves was the only child of this
union. Her education was acquired in the
public schools in Sacramento, and also at Howe's Academy and Bainbridge
Academy. After completing her studies
she was engaged in teaching school in Sacramento County for four terms, until
her marriage, which was solemnized in Sacramento, October 18, 1891, when
William M. Schulze became her husband.
He was born in 1864 near Sheldon, Sacramento County, a son of William J.
and Louise Schulze. The father was born
in Germany. Soon after arriving in the
United States he made the trip across the plains to California, in the early
fifties, locating in Sacramento County.
He was a blacksmith by trade and ran a shop at Richmond, on the
Sacramento River; and later he established the first blacksmith and carriage
shop at Sheldon. He also purchased a
farm, in time acquiring 480 acres lying to the northwest of Sheldon. Finally he gave up blacksmithing to devote
all of his time to raising grain and hay.
In 1889 he retired from active work and moved to the capital city, where
he made his home until his death in 1894, the age of fifty-eight years, his
widow surviving him until January, 1920.
William M. Schulze was one of a family of
nine children born to this pioneer couple, eight of whom grew to maturity. He received a good education in the public
school, and from a lad made himself generally useful on his father’s farm, thus
becoming familiar with the ranching as it was done in the Sacramento
Valley. After reaching his majority he
chose farming as a life pursuit and leased the Will Lindsey ranch at
Franklin. Meeting with success in
farming it to grain, he then purchased the old Winkleman
ranch; but after some years he sold this and purchased his father’s old ranch
at Sheldon, which he farmed to grain. Of
this ranch he sold off 320 acres, still retaining eighty acres, which he set
out to orchard of peaches, prunes, and almonds, and to vineyard, installing two
electric pumping-plants for irrigating the trees and vines. Mr. Schulze was handy with tools, and a good
mechanic, and so kept his place up in splendid shape. He was an energetic farmer and an enthusiast
in his appreciation of the great natural resources and exceptional advantages
of this wonderfully favored section of the world. However, he was not permitted long to enjoy
the fruits of his labors for he passed away on May 25, 1919, at the age of
fifty-five years, mourned by his family and his many friends. Fraternally, Mr. Schulze was a member of the
Odd Fellows, and of Encampment of the same order, and also a member of the
Grange.
Mr. and Mrs. Schulze’s union was blessed
with the birth of four children. Wesley
Edward is operating the home ranch; he is married and has two children. Lora May is the wife of R.W. Wilson, of San
Francisco. William Perry and Lester
Kenneth are still at home with their mother.
Mrs. Schulze is enterprising, and deeply
interested in the growth and development of her community. She is a member of the Elk Grove Grange, and
is a stanch Republican in politics.
Being a strong advocate of temperance, Mrs. Schulze was greatly in favor
of the passing of the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution. She is a member of the Elk Grove Methodist
Episcopal Church and it’s Ladies Aid Society, taking
an active part in its benevolence.
Transcribed by Suzanne Wood.
Source: Reed, G. Walter, History of Sacramento County, California With
Biographical Sketches, Page 371. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA.
1923.
© 2007 Suzanne Wood.