San
Joaquin County
Biographies
CHARLES PROFIT ANDERSON
Among the successful vineyardists of
San Joaquin County, Charles Profit Anderson has made a decided success of his
viticultural activities and his home place near Ripon, known as the Cannan Vineyards, has long been known for the excellency of its table grapes,
principally Tokays. He is a native of
Stockholm, Sweden, born August 15, 1864, a son of Lars and Annie (Anderson)
Anderson, both natives also of Sweden.
Lars Anderson was born in 1817 and in 1865 came to America. The family consisted of nine children: Ellen, Martin, Betty, Fannie, William, Annie
are all deceased; Peter T. resides in Washington state; Nels L. owns a fine
citrus ranch at Lindsay, California, and Charles Profit, the subject of this
sketch. Lars Anderson located at
Chicago, Illinois, and later removed to Gladstone in the same state. He was a Republican in politics and received
his U. S. citizenship at Oquawka, Henderson County, Illinois. The father passed away in 1885, survived by
his wife who passed away four years later, in 1889.
Charles Profit Anderson entered the
public school at Gladstone, Illinois, at the age of six years and finished
school at the of thirteen and at eighteen years of age he left home to make his
way in the world. He selected acting as
his vocation and his first appearance was in Chicago as an Irish comedian,
receiving a salary of sixty dollars per week and expenses; then while in
Minneapolis, Minnesota, he signed up with Sells Bros. Circus for $125 per week
and all expenses and during 1885-6-7 received $500 per month for his work and
traveled all over the world. After
completing his contract with Sells Bros., he took up the study of electrical
engineering and entered the shop of Thomas A. Edison at Schenectady, New York,
where he spent four years; then he went to New Orleans and was employed four
months in the installation of an acetylene plant. He then entered business for himself and
removed to Corpus Christi, Texas, where he constructed a large light and power
plant and also installed an electrical system for a large storage plant.
On November 30, 1891, Mr. Anderson
was married to Miss Ella Stewart, a native of Texas, a daughter of James and
Eugenie (Gazelle) Stewart, an old New Orleans family of French descent. After his marriage, Mr. Anderson removed to
Fort Worth, Texas, where he became general manager of the Standard Light &
Power Corporation at Fort Worth where he remained for five years. Being advised by his physician to engage in
outdoor employment he moved to Edmond, Oklahoma, where he purchased 480 acres
of land which he farmed to wheat and also engaged in stock raising on a large
scale. At the time of the Galveston
storm and flood Mr. Anderson lost $6,000 and soon thereafter sold his place and
removed to Missouri, locating near Forsyth, and there bought a ranch of 1,000
acres where he extensively raised cattle and hogs. Again Mr. Anderson suffered severe reverses
and in 1903 he disposed of his holdings and removed to California, and in going
about from place to place was impressed with the advantages of the Ripon
section of San Joaquin County, so purchased 160 acres near the town. For two years he was hampered by ill health,
but the California climate proved beneficial and he was able to accomplish
splendid results in viticulture and he is considered a pioneer in this industry
in the Ripon section. His first
experience in setting out a vineyard was on thirty acres of his home place
where he got a ninety-five per cent stand, thus proving the adaptability of the
climate and soil for grapes. Mr.
Anderson also owns two other ranches, one of eighty acres near Avena, San Joaquin County; and the other one of twenty
acres in Sacramento County, and both places are being rapidly developed.
Mr. and Mrs. Anderson are the
parents of six children: Olive Ruth, the
wife of Wellington Manley, employed in the registry department of the
Sacramento post office and they have two sons; Ella DeVie
married William Smith and they reside in Los Angeles; Vera C. is the wife of
Virgil Merritt and they reside in Williams, Arizona; Charles Arnold is foreman
at the Ford garage at Colusa; Eugenie G. is the wife of James Smith and they
reside at Sacramento; Zenobia J. is at home with her
parents. In politics Mr. Anderson is a
Republican and a staunch advocate of prohibition and fraternally is a charter
member and a commander of Samson lodge, K. P., of Chicago. Mrs. Anderson is a talented woman, a graduate
of Corpus Christi College, Texas, and takes an active part in all civic affairs
of her locality and is a member of the executive committee of the South San
Joaquin County W. C. T. U. Mr. Anderson
finds great pleasure in fishing as a means of recreation and is classed as one
of the best anglers in the county.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page
861. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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