San Joaquin County
Biographies
CHARLES BELDING
CHARLES BELDING.--Prominent
among the old-time Californians now actively engaged in business pursuits in Stockton, stands this gentleman, a native of Hampshire County, Massachusetts. He was born July 12, 1831, his parents being Joshua
and Rosetta (Cooley) Belding. His father was at different times a merchant and
a farmer, and both parents were born in Massachusetts. They moved to Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, locating in the Wyoming Valley when Charles lacked about two month of being six
years of age. At the age of sixteen years he went to Mauch Chunk, to enter the
service of Asa Packer, the great coal and iron magnate, continuing in his employ
about three years. Early in 1852 he left New York for California, embarking on the steamer Daniel Webster, crossing
the Isthmus by the Nicaragua route from San Juan del Norte to San Juan del Sur,
and thence on the steamer Independence to San Francisco, arriving February 24, 1852. The next day he stepped
off the deck of the Kate Kearny at the Stockton wharf on his way to the mines. After a few months’
experience there he went to Tuolumne County, and was at Hawkins’ Bar and Oak Springs, until
August. For several months he sold vegetables for a farmer, making two or three
trips a week to the mining camps, on each of which he would sell a load
covering the bottom of a lumber wagon for $60 or $70. Coming to Stockton, he entered the employ of Lippincott & Vaughn,
who had started in the business of soda-water manufacturing in July, 1852. The
firm of Chase & Co., the first to get started in this line, had commenced
business two or three months before, but
Lippincott & Vaughn would have started even prior to that had not their
machinery been unduly delayed in its voyage around Cape Horn. Mr. Belding
remained with that firm much of the time until the spring of 1855; then John B.
Vaughn, a younger brother of one of the firm and Mr. Belding bought out a
soda-water factory at Murphy’s, and there carried on the business. In October,
1856, Mr. Belding sold out and went East. He returned to Stockton in April of the following year, and bought an
interest in the business of his old employers, the firm then becoming
Lippincott & Belding. This partnership continued until December, 1870, when
Mr. Belding bought out Mr. Lippincott and has since that time carried on the
business alone. Since 1863 he has also conducted the business of manufacturing
soda water at Marysville.
Notwithstanding his large interests in
this line, however, Mr. Belding classifies himself as a farmer, and in that
direction he has indeed extensive investments. In his two ranches, located in
San Joaquin and Butte counties, he has 1,700 acres of splendid valley land, and
both places are kept up to the highest standard. They are devoted to wheat as a
principal crop, and also livestock, in which line he now has about 100 head of horses
and colts, all reared by him. They are roadsters of Hambletonian stock and farm
horses from Clydesdale and Woodworth stock. He gives his personal attention to
the management of his ranches, and has been uniformly successful in making them
profitable. His farm books are as carefully kept as those of any business
house, and with him farming is no chance affair.
He belongs to San Joaquin Lodge, F. &
A. M., and is a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church. He is a Republican
politically, and takes a lively interest in affairs of a public nature. In
1878-’79 he was Mayor of Stockton, and for nine years was Public Administrator
of this county; has also been member of the City Council, City Assessor, School
Trustee, Trustee of the City Library, etc. He is a man of strict business
habits, and holds the highest reputation for honorable and considerate methods.
He was married in Calaveras County, April 28, 1859, to Miss Josephine L. Latimer, a
native of Michigan, who came to California in 1852, via Nicaragua. Her parents, Daniel and Bethsheba Latimer, both died
in this county. Her father for several years carried on an extensive mercantile
business at North Branch. Mr. and Mrs. Belding have four children: Walter L.;
Juliet, wife of Ralph E. Lane; Laura L., wife of Berkeley W. Moore, and Herbert C.
Mr. Belding’s life affords a lesson that
should have its effect. He made his own start in the world, and by strictly
honorable means achieved success in a degree of which any man might be proud.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
An Illustrated History of San Joaquin County,
California, Pages 389-390. Lewis Pub.
Co. Chicago, Illinois 1890.
© 2009 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
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