San
Joaquin County
Biographies
CHARLES CODY
As one of the early settlers in the
now prosperous and thriving section of San Joaquin County in the vicinity of
Bellota, Charles Cody well recalls the transformation which has been brought
about in the intervening years, for when he first came to make his home here in
1869, grain fields stretched away on every side, which have been replaced by
orchards and vineyards. Mr. Cody has not
been an idle witness of the improvements, but he himself has been an active
factor in bringing them about, and today is classed among the most enterprising
and prosperous ranchers and poultry men in his locality. He was born at Placerville, California,
October 18, 1855, the eldest son of Patrick Henry and Caroline (Scott) Cody,
natives of New York and Missouri, respectively. Patrick Henry Cody was apprenticed as a
shoemaker at the time of the Mexican War in 1846 when he ran away to serve with
General Scott until the close of the war.
In 1852 the four Cody brothers left St. Louis, Missouri, with ox teams
to cross the plains to California. They
settled at Hangtown where they spent a few months prospecting, then James and Charles Cody returned to Missouri, Thomas and
Patrick Henry remaining in California.
In 1852 Patrick Henry Cody was
married to Miss Caroline Scott who had accompanied her sister, Mrs. Thomas
Cody, across the plains to California.
Mr. Cody then removed to Carson Creek, near Clarksville, California,
where he engaged in the stock business and became a prominent citizen of El Dorado
County; he also shipped milk and dairy products to Carson City and Virginia
City, Nevada; he also freighted over the mountains, much of the time driving
the teams himself until 1869. Patrick
Henry and his wife were the parents of three sons and two daughters: Charles, the subject of this sketch; Lillian
became Mrs. T. J. Baldwin and they had three daughters and one son; Latham H.
married and had one daughter and one son; James I. married and had one son, and
Mary E. became Mrs. B. N. Smallfield, and they have
one son. In 1869 Mr. Cody located at
Bellota, a station on the Calaveras River Road and here he followed
farming. He passed away in 1905, his
wife surviving him until 1908.
Charles Cody received his education
in the district school near his home and at an early age shared the duties of
the home ranch and for twenty-five years was identified with his father in the
grain and stock business at Bellota. On
September 11, 1904, he was married to Miss Mary Sarah Fanning, born at
Bellota. They are the parents of three
children: Carvell
Scott, deceased in infancy; Henry, and Charles C. Mr. Cody, with his brother, conducted a store
at Bellota for two years and was also assistant postmaster; later he was
superintendent of the Linden Creamery for two years. Four years ago he entered the poultry
business on his Bellota ranch, where he erected a modern plant, with a capacity
of 1,000 hens and he is formulating plans for extensive additions. He has served on the election board of
Bellota for many years and is in close touch with every citizen who takes an
active part in the affairs of public interest.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Pages
747-748. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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