San
Joaquin County
Biographies
BRADNER CURTIS
It is ever interesting to recount
the life events of the pioneer, who endured the privations of this new country
and passed through the hardships and dangers incident to a sea voyage in a
sailing vessel following the gold discovery in California. Bradner Curtis was
born in Williamson, Wayne County, New York, January 9, 1825, and in young
manhood he learned to be a pattern maker and was employed by his brother, who
engaged in the foundry business and in manufacturing agricultural implements,
up to the time he left for the West.
During his school days Bradner Curtis formed the acquaintance of Miss Kezia Benton, who was born in Canajoharie, New York,
December 20, 1822, was educated in Canajoharie Academy, on the Mohawk River,
and still later was a pupil in Cortland Academy, both in New York State. She was a daughter of Hiram and Cynthia
(Hodge) Benton, on her mother’s side being a descendant of a colonist who came
in the Mayflower. The acquaintance of
the young people formed during school days ripened into a deeper affection that
resulted in their marriage September 23, 1849.
In December of the same year, they sailed from New York harbor bound for
California, on a vessel that had formerly done service as a packet, but had
been reconstructed for use as a sailing craft.
Eight months were consumed in the voyage, although they were at no time
out of sight of land, and while passing Valparaiso they could hear the natives
calling to them. Some of the delay was
due to the fact that at Cape Horn they were compelled to lay
over for one month, owning to heavy storms prevailing at the time. They reached San Francisco in July, 1850, and
after remaining there for two days, having been met in the meantime by Mrs.
Curtis’ two brothers, Hyland and Byron Benton, the latter conducted them to
Mormon Gulch, near Tuttletown, Tuolumne County, where the brothers lived while
they teamed from Stockton. Mr. Curtis
also became interested in mining and started a trading camp there, but finally
hired a man to help him at that, while Mrs. Curtis took charge of the trading
camp and she baked pies and pastry, which were rapidly bought up by the miners
and Indians. Mr. Curtis was the first
man to build a sluiceway on the creek at Columbia and this creek was named
after him. Mrs. Curtis was the first
white woman in the mines near Sonora, Tuolumne County. They remained in that vicinity for about
three years, during which time he made sufficient money to enable him to start
ranching here.
Removing to Stockton from Tuolumne
County, Mr. Curtis bought 320 acres of land just north of the city, some of it
being purchased for twelve dollars per acre; this land was a part of a Spanish
grant which Captain Weber had bought in the early days. The assessed valuation of this land is now
$220 per acre; this ranch was farmed to grain.
Thirty acres of this tract was sold in 1885 to the Caledonian club for
$10,000; later it was bought by the Stockton Electric Railroad Company and sold
by them to the City of Stockton for $30,000.
It is now Stockton’s amusement park, known as Oak Park, and is valued at
$75,000. Mr. Curtis named this thirty
acres Goodwater Grove, from a fine well of cold water on the place; this grove
was used as a picnic ground for many years by the residents of Stockton. Mr. Curtis bought a block of land in Stockton
from Charles Whale, bounded by Center, Commerce, Vine and Rose streets. At the time of purchase it was a grain field
and Mr. Curtis built a house on this property and made his home there until his
death, March 4, 1881. Later Mrs. Curtis
moved a house from the ranch and these two houses are still standing on the
property. Mrs. Curtis has reached the
advanced age of 100 years, December 20, 1922.
Mr. Curtis was a prominent Odd Fellow for many years, holding a
membership in Charity lodge. Mrs. Curtis
erected a family vault in the Odd Fellows’ cemetery at Sonora, where in life
Mr. Curtis had made his first start.
Four children were born to Mrs. and Mrs. Curtis: Mrs. Belle K. Jackson, born in Tuttletown;
Frank B. and Forest D., both deceased, and Fornia S.,
all born in San Joaquin County.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Pages
381-382. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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