San Joaquin County
Biographies
EDWARD COOPER CLOWES
E. C. CLOWES. - The Stockton
Nursery conducted by this gentleman is located two and one-half miles north of
Stockton. It originated in the nursery started by William B. West at Camp Seco, Calaveras County, in 1853, which was removed by him
to San Joaquin County, in 1860. From that time until 1880 Mr. West carried on
the business one mile south from the present location,
and it was removed to the present site in the last named year. The ground at
present occupied by the nursery was devoted to wheat growing in former years.
The ranch formerly contained 487½ acres, but 100 acres
have been sold off, and of the remainder seventy acres are devoted to the
nursery.
F. B. Clowes
carried on the business from 1880 until his death in 1885, and then E. C. Clowes took charge. There were then devoted to nursery
stock about thirty acres, to which the present proprietor has added forty more.
Here are grown fruit and ornamental trees suitable to this climate, vines of
all kinds, ornamental shrubbery, and in fact everything in the nursery line.
Mr. Clowes ships stock all over the Pacific coast,
and as far away as Florida. Since 1887 he has been shipping large quantities of
trees and vines to Mexico. Every years
he adds to the stock, and now carries double that of any previous year. The
success of the nursery has been phenomenal, as all old customers remain
patrons, and assist in adding others to the list, while new territory is being
all the time developed. Strangers are often taken to Mr. Clowes’
place, by those interested in San Joaquin County, to show what this climate
will do, and things are always in such shape as to make a favorable impression.
The best principles known to the trade are applied in rooting, grafting and
other departments of handling stock, and some methods which are original with
Mr. Clowes and found to be superior to the ordinary
custom, are in use here.
E. C. Clowes,
with whose name this article commences, is a native of California, born in San
Joaquin County, June 9, 1859, his parents being B. S. and M. L. (Cooper) Clowes, both of whom were natives of Hempstead, New York.
The family came to California via Panama in 1852, locating in San Joaquin
County. The father was in partnership with his brother-in-law, J. B. Cooper,
until 1872, when the latter died, and was thereafter without a business
associate until his own death, which occurred in 1879. His widow and two sons
survive him. The sons now living are: Charles C. and E. C., the subject of this
sketch. E. C. Clowes was educated in Stockton and at
the State University, where he attended until 1882. He then left college to
engage in the nursery with his brother, F. B., whose health was failing. Since
the death of his brother he has been proprietor of the business. He was
married, in Alameda County, to Miss L. B. Wheeler, a native of California, born
in Stockton, a daughter of Roscoe Wheeler, who came to this State in the spring
of 1850.
Mr. Clowes
is a member of Stockton Parlor, No. 7, N. S. G. W. He is a bright,
liberal-minded business man, and has made a great success of the Stockton
nursery, successfully competing, on merit, with the best establishments of the
Pacific Coast.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
An Illustrated History of San Joaquin County,
California, Pages 481-482. Lewis Pub. Co. Chicago, Illinois 1890.
© 2009 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County
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