San
Joaquin County
Biographies
HOWARD MALCOLM FANNING
The life of this pioneer of 1850
began in Troy, New York, June 3, 1826; and in his passing, April 23, 1906, the
city of Stockton lost an esteemed and honored citizen. Howard Malcolm Fanning grew to manhood in the
vicinity of Troy; and on October 4, 1848, he assumed domestic responsibilities
at the early age of twenty-two, being then united in marriage with Miss Laura
Louise Butts, of Delaware County, New York.
In July, 1850, the young couple started for California, reaching their
destination the following October. They
made their way via the Isthmus of Panama, and Mr. Fanning was compelled to walk
across, there being a scarcity of mules.
Mrs. Fanning was the only woman on the ship from Panama to San
Francisco. By the time they reached the
Pacific side, many of the party had been taken sick with Panama fever, but
fortunately all recovered. They had
expected to be met by a steamer to take them to San Francisco, but were
disappointed in this and were compelled to take passage on a sailing
vessel. Severe storms drove them back
almost to the Sandwich Islands after San Francisco had been sighted, and the
superstitious sailors wished to cast Mrs. Fanning overboard; for since she was
the only woman on board, they believed her presence to be the cause of all
their misfortunes. From San Francisco,
Mr. Fanning and his wife came direct to Stockton, where they were met by his
brother, Harry T. Fanning; and here for a time he was engaged in the butcher
business, and later worked at the carpenter’s trade, receiving sixteen dollars
a day.
Harry T. Fanning, whose sketch
appears elsewhere in this work, was one of California’s earliest pioneers,
arriving in 1843. He was a sailor,
taking to the sea when but sixteen years of age. He served throughout the Mexican War. He became a very good friend of Captain
Weber, whom he met at Monterey, California.
Together they drove cattle from Sacramento to San Jose, and in doing
crossed that section of the country which is now the site of the city of
Stockton. They camped under the old oak
tree, situated at a spot which is now bordered by Sutter, San Joaquin, Park and
Flora streets. Harry T. Fanning cut his
name in the old oak tree, which was later cut down to make way for the growing
city. He and Captain Weber then and
there resolved to locate permanently at Stockton. They went to San Francisco in a sailboat,
bought lumber, which required two weeks to bring back to Stockton on a river
sailing vessel, and with it built the first frame house in Stockton.
In 1858, Howard Malcolm Fanning
purchased a ranch of 250 acres near Stockton, a part of an old Spanish grant,
and here he engaged in farming and raising fine horses, which he sold to the
government during the Civil War. At that
time O’Connor’s regiment was camped near the ranch, and Mr. Fanning delivered
milk to the soldiers from his dairy, and also made and sold butter. When Mr. Fanning sold out the butcher
business, he bought a lot on Weber and California streets which is now occupied
by the Majestic Market; here he started to build a home, which he soon sold at
a profit of $1,000, and this was the first $1,000 he ever acquired in
California. He then bought another lot,
where Gummer’s furniture store on East Weber Street is now located, and
proceeded to build another house, which became the Fanning home; and there the
two oldest and the two youngest children were born. The Fanning home was the scene of much
hospitality in the early days, and no stranger was ever turned away from their
door. Mrs. Fanning was the third white
woman to settle in Stockton and for a time was the only woman attending the
Presbyterian Church. With her husband
she entered heartily into the life of the community, to which her death, on
August 1, 1906, came as a distinct loss.
Mr. and Mrs. Howard Malcolm Fanning
became the parents of six children.
Clara Louise is now Mrs. Clara F. Bugbee. She married Mr. F. M. Bugbee, a son of the
Stockton pioneer, William Delos Bugbee, who came to California in 1853, and
settled two miles northeast of Stockton.
Together with her sister, Miss Delia J. Fanning, she resides at their
beautiful home at 1724 Mt. Diablo Avenue, Stockton. Mrs. Bugbee was born at the Fanning home on
East Weber Avenue, and according to Dr. C. C. Grattan was the fourth white girl
baby born in Stockton. The two Fanning
sisters have always been favorites in their native city, and are true types of
Stockton’s pioneer generation of daughters.
They keep a beautiful garden with plenty of flowers, and are in love
with nature and the great out-of-doors.
Mrs. Bugbee is an accomplished painter, having produced many art-works
of unusual merit. She is, furthermore,
gifted with originality and rare executive ability, and it was she who drew the
plans for their present beautiful residence, which contains many unique and
exclusive built-in features. Frank
Albert, the second child, died at the age of three years. Delia Jane, who was born on the old Fanning
ranch south of Stockton, has always been prominent and active in Stockton’s
musical circles, and is a member of the Stockton Musical Club, as well as of
the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Before coming to California, Mr. Fanning had learned the cabinetmaker’s
trade in his native state. Miss Fanning
has in her possession a mahogany sofa made by her father in Vermont in
1846. She also has an old chest made by
him in the east in the year 1843, while Mrs. Bugbee has in her possession the
first rocking-chair ever brought to Stockton, and a washstand made by her
father in the east. It was shipped
around the Horn. Another heirloom is a
set of China dishes which was bought by the mother at the first state fair held
in Sacramento in the early sixties, with the proceeds of her prize-winning
butter, made and exhibited by her at the fair, where it won the first
prize. Harry Howard Fanning was born
November 15, 1865, also on the old Fanning ranch. He married Catherine Ortman, of Stockton, by
whom he had one child, Louise Fanning, who on July 6, 1917, married Curtiss M.
Robbins, and is now the mother of one child, Richard Marshall Robbins, born
November 22, 1922. Mr. and Mrs. Robbins,
with their child, are residing at the corner of Sutter and Oak streets, in
Stockton. Harry Howard Fanning passed
away on November 21, 1918. Bessie and
Mary Alice died in infancy. Mrs.
Catherine Ortman Fanning is still carrying on the fine Fanning orchard and
vineyard on the Jack Tone Road, eight miles east of the city of Stockton.
Few citizens were more deeply
interested in the welfare of his home city than was Mr. Fanning, towards whose
betterment he was ever lending his best efforts. For a number of years he served as supervisor
of this township. He was a prominent
member of the Pioneer Society, serving at its president, and in fraternal life
was a Mason.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Pages
903-904. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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