San
Joaquin County
Biographies
W. E. FITZ GERALD
A veteran of the Civil War, W. E.
Fitz Gerald was born in Clinton, New York, February 5, 1840, where he received
a good education in the Clinton public schools, then removing to Rutland, Vermont,
he went to work in the marble quarries until the breaking out of the Civil
War. At the first top of the drive Mr.
Fitz Gerald volunteered his services to his country, enlisting April, 1861, in
Company H, 1st Vermont Cavalry, being mustered in for three months
and was sent south with his company, taking part in the Battle of Big
Bethel. On the expiration of three
months he was mustered out and returned to Vermont. He immediately reenlisted in the same company
and registered for three years and served until after the close of the
war. He was honorably discharged
October, 1865, having taken part in many engagements, among them, Gettysburg,
Antietam and many others, serving under Custer and Kilpatrick. Mr. Fitz Gerald was fortunately never wounded
and served actively all the time.
On his return to Rutland, Vermont,
he became stationary engineer in the marble quarries, continuing for a period
of two and a half years and then removed to the great West, when he helped on
the construction of the Union Pacific Railroad, on the Central Pacific and was
present at the driving of the Golden Spike at Promontory Point in 1869. Next we find him in Texas, cattle ranching in
Brown County; then for ten years in the hotel business at Brownwood. He then went to Colorado, engaging in mining
at Boulder. At the time of the opening
of Oklahoma he made his way thither and took a homestead of 160 acres, which he
improved and farmed for eight years. In
1913 he disposed of his holdings there and coming to California, he settled in
Humboldt County, but in 1915 he removed to Stockton where he is in the employ
of the Southern Pacific Railroad.
Mr. Fitz Gerald was married in Texas
to Miss Rhoda Taylor who was born in Mississippi and they have had four
children, three of whom are living:
Ella, Mrs. Rechland of Grass Valley; Mrs.
Josephine Rudesen of Stockton and Elizabeth, who
makes her home with her parents. Mr.
Fitz Gerald is a Republican and a member of Rawlins Post, G. A. R.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Pages
719-720. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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