San
Joaquin County
Biographies
WILLIAM F. BARNICOL
Stockton owes much of its present
industrial prosperity to the efforts of those who control its large
manufacturing enterprises, among them William F. Barnicol, founder and present
of the Sterling Iron Works, one of the leading productive industries of this
part of the state. He was born at
Belleville, Illinois, and after completing his public school course learned the
trade of a machinist, being employed by the Lentz Wire Nail Company at
Belleville, where he gained a thorough knowledge, and in 1889 he came to the
Pacific Coast, taking charge of the A. S. Halliday Wire Nail Works at San
Francisco, California. He continued to
fill that position until 1903, when he came to Stockton and was placed at the
head of the machine shop of the Shippee Harvester Works, where he remained for
a year, and then entered the Stockton Iron Works, with which he was identified
until he founded the Sterling Works, being associated with four others in the enterprise. Their first place of business was a small
shop 50 by 100 feet in dimensions, at 326 South California Street, and for a
year they devoted their attention to repair work. Later they engaged in building gas engines
and since 1914 have manufactured the famous Sterling pump, which was invented
and perfected by the partners in the firm.
It ranges in size from one to ten inches and is used extensively in
agricultural districts and in industrial plants. Under the capable management of Mr. Barnicol,
the president of the company, the business has expanded from year to year and
in 1920 they manufactured and sold 600 pumps, their sales for the year
amounting to $270,000. The other
officers are R. M. Bachelder, vice-president, and W.
W. Wilson, secretary and treasurer. They
make twelve different styles of pumps and all are thoroughly tested before they
leave the plant, which is equipped with a testing laboratory, in charge of an
expert engineer. Complete pumping plants
have been installed by the company on many ranches in the valley. The California Packing Company has four of
their pumps in use, while the California Vineyards have eleven.
Mr. Barnicol is a member of the San
Joaquin Lodge of Masons and he is also identified with the Independent Order of
Odd Fellows, belonging to Charity Lodge, No. 6.
He is bending his efforts to administrative direction and executive
control and has so directed the efforts of those in his employ that maximum
results are obtained at a minimum expenditure of time, labor and material. In his business career he has ever closely
adhered to the rules which govern unabating industry and unswerving integrity
and his influence is one of broadening activity and strength in the field in
which he is operating.
Transcribed by V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Pages
1271-1272. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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