San
Joaquin County
Biographies
JAMES C. DEWEY
In the death of James C. Dewey on
August 10, 1917, Stockton lost one of its prominent and highly respected
citizens. His career was a long, busy
and useful one, devoted to the upbuilding and development of the city of
Stockton from pioneer days, and while promoting the material welfare of the
community he also gave an active and liberal support to those measures which
tended to advance its intellectual and moral status. His life was filled with good deeds and
kindly thoughts, and all who knew him entertained for him the highest regard,
by reason of his upright, honorable life.
He was born in Ontario, Canada, March 17, 1845, and came to California
via Panama in 1866. Upon his arrival in
San Francisco he went to Virginia City by stage, where he clerked in a general
merchandise store. In 1874 he was
married to Miss Kathryn Campbell, who came west to California with her
brother-in-law, Daniel O’Connell, a merchant at Virginia City. Mr. Dewey then went to work in a stamp mill
and saved his money in order to enter the hotel business, when he purchased the
Burlington Hotel at Virginia City, which he conducted successfully until the
panic of 1878; he then removed to Stockton practically penniless and started
anew to make his fortune. In 1880 he
brought his family to Stockton and the home was established on Union Street
between Church and Hazelton streets. He
was engaged in the contracting business in Stockton for about twenty-six years
and he built up a second fortune; then about sixteen years ago he established a
grocery business at the corner of Church and Stanislaus streets, which he
continued for four years, until 1910.
From 1908 to 1913 he served as councilman of the Third Ward in Stockton
and retired to private life after a record of faithful and efficient
service. He was bereaved of his wife on
October 10, 1904, and on August 10, 1917, he passed to his reward, mourned by
his family and numerous friends. The
mayor of Stockton ordered all flags at half-mast in respect to the memory of
this honored pioneer. Six children
survived this worthy couple: Anna, Mrs.
J. L. Swass, residing at Atlanta; George is now deceased; James resides in
Stockton; Edward lives in Oakland, California; Harry and Robert reside in
Stockton, the latter being an ex-serviceman in the U. S. Navy on board the S.
S. Foote. Mr. Dewey passed away at the
home of his daughter, Mrs. Swass, who has always been identified with all
movements of progress and development and was closely associated with her
father in the social life of Stockton, where she has been active n musical
circles, possessing a beautiful voice and has appeared in opera in California
and the eastern states. Since giving up
her professional career she is devoted to her family and home, but enjoys
assisting on local programs to the delight of her audiences. She is the daughter of a worthy father and
her genial social nature has gained her many friends. She was married at Stockton, California,
August 20, 1906, to Joseph L. Swass, the oldest sons of Antone and Maria Swass,
late highly respected pioneers and prominent orchardists of Watsonville,
California. Mr. Swass, who was born at
Hayward, California, took a very active interest in his father’s affairs. He moved to the Atlanta section of San
Joaquin County in 1913 and is the owner of two ranches there and is a leading
spirit in all matters pertaining to southern San Joaquin County. He has one sister, Miss Mary Swass, a
graduate of the University of California, and is and for several years last
past has been a teacher of Spanish at the Santa Ana high school; he also has
two brothers, Frank and Henry Swass, prosperous farmers in the same vicinity.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page
547. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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