JOHN B. STUDARUS

 

John B. Studarus, orchardist, etc., Brighton Township, was born in St. Gall, Switzerland, December 10, 1824, brought up on a farm, and when seventeen years old learned the trade of baker, following it five years in one locality. In 1847 he sailed from Havre to the United States in a sailing vessel, landing at New York after a voyage of forty-two days. With him came an old schoolmate named Nokear Stahele, who remained with him two years before separating. It was Mr. Studarus’ intention to go to Cincinnati, but on reaching Pittsburg he found the Ohio River so low that is was impossible to go down on the boat. He remained at Alleghany City, adjoining Pittsburg, until 1850, engaged in gardening, etc., for other parties, and then with his friend rented a dairy farm. He drove a milk wagon for his friend until his brother arrived from Switzerland; then he worked for another dairyman until the fall of 1848, when he went down the Mississippi to New Orleans; was there about three weeks without finding any work that suited him; and he left there, the Asiatic cholera breaking out in the city at the same time. Going to Cincinnati, he found employment. For the first three weeks he was engaged on the packet steamer running between Cincinnati and Madison, Indiana, in 1849. Became sick and lay up at a boarding house in Cincinnati for a few days. Being also out of money, he was obliged to accept the first offer of work that was made, and he drove a milk wagon in that city seven months, during the time the cholera was raging. Over 5,500 people died there in three months. In August he went to Pittsburg, sick. His old comrade took him to his house until he recovered; and while there he met a young lady whom he had known in Europe, Mary Reach by name, and married her, in Alleghany City, rented a couple of rooms and worked at whatever he could find to do until he heard of a family near Wellsville, West Virginia, named Arbuckle, who wanted a farmer to take charge, preferably a German. He and his wife went there and worked for wages six months, and then took part of the place on shares. Remained there until March 1853, when with two children they came overland to California. They were delayed two weeks at Weston, Missouri, twenty-eight miles below St. Joseph, by sickness of children. They arrived at Diamond Spring, El Dorado County, about the first of September; and a few miles from there, at a place called Logtown, Mr. Studarus commenced mining, being there somewhat over a year; then he came down into the Sacramento Valley, near where Brighton now is, and rented a farm on the American River for six years. He then, in 1857, bought the squatters’ title to the place where he now lives, a part of the old Folsom grant. The place comprises 338 acres, all in one body, most of it being river bottom. For several years his principal crop was barley; afterward broom-corn, Indian corn and melons. After the Central Pacific Railroad was completed the demand for fruit increased, and he commenced setting out trees and vines, until he now has 120 acres covered, nearly all in bearing condition. Mr. Studarus is one of the charter members, and at present a director, of the Sacramento Cannery, which was established in the summer of 1888, and he is also a charter member of the American River Grange. In his political sympathies he was a Republican during the war, but recently he has been Democratic. His wife died in October 1872, the mother of fourteen children, of whom nine are now living, three sons and six daughters. The following year he married Barbara Bollenbacher, who died December 10, 1884, the mother of three children: a son, Joseph and a daughter, are twins.