San
Joaquin County
Biographies
JAMES A. ANDERSON
A brief review of the success of
James A. Anderson, one of the early settlers and developers of the San Joaquin
Valley, who passed to his reward in December of 1905, is interesting in that it
shows what may be accomplished by fair dealing, close application and
unremitting industry. He was a native of
Missouri, born in Livingston County on January 4, 1849, a son of James and
Margaret (Scott) Anderson, farmers of that county, where he remained until
1874, when he removed to California. He
located at Sacramento and entered the employ of the Williamson Company,
proprietors of the Capital Nursery, and during the nine years that he worked
for them, he gained a thorough knowledge of the business. During the year of 1883 he removed to Clements,
San Joaquin County, and conducted a nursery business until 1887, when he moved
to Lodi. There he leased a portion of
the Stoddard place, northeast of Lodi, on the river; here he set out an orchard
of peaches, plums, cherries and apricots, and many of these trees are still
standing and producing crops each season.
His nursery was on a part of the George E. Lawrence ranch adjoining, and
a sales yard was maintained in Lodi. Mr.
Anderson was a pioneer in the nursery business in San Joaquin County, as well
as the first manager of the first packinghouse in Lodi. When the Earl Fruit Company opened their
packinghouse in Lodi, he became their manager; this was in 1898. They occupied a part of the old freight depot
as a packinghouse. Mr. Anderson’s duties
were numerous and responsible, for he not only managed the packinghouse, but
was also outside man, buying fruit, covering the territory on a bicycle. After four years of service with the Earl
Fruit Company, he established his own business in Lodi, as an independent
packer and shipper, first packing his own fruit, and later packing and shipping
for other growers. Twenty years ago the
fruit industry was in its infancy and few cars were filled and shipped from
Lodi; frequently a half-loaded car was sent on to Sacramento to be filled for
shipment east. He erected a packinghouse
on East Oak Street and represented Sgobel & Day
of New York; this plant was destroyed by fire in 1921, and on the same site a
modern $20,000 packing plant was erected, constructed of hollow tile and with a
cement cellar, one of the most complete packing plants in the valley.
Mr. Anderson’s marriage united him
with Miss Mary L. Hummer, a native of Illinois; and they are the parents of
five children—four daughters: Alta; Hattie
S.; Ora B., now Mrs. Charles L. Villinger; and Mary L., the wife of W. A.
Spooner; and one son, James G. Since Mr.
Anderson’s death in December of 1905, the business has been carried on by his
daughter, Miss Alta Anderson, and his son, James G. Anderson, and has grown
from a small beginning to great proportions.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page
1116. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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