San Joaquin County
Biographies
FRANCIS MARION FUQUA.
FRANCIS MARION FUQUA was born
in Ralls County, Missouri, September 4, 1848, his parents being Alfred G. and
Mary A. (Wilson) Fuqua, the latter a Kentuckian by birth. Alfred Fuqua was also
a Kentuckian; when he was quite young his parents moved to Missouri, where he
grew to manhood and was there married. In 1854 he came with his family to
California, crossing the plains with ox teams. They proceeded to Pleasant
Valley, El Dorado County, where Mr. Fuqua died two months later. The family
consisted of five sons and three daughters, of whom one son and one daughter is
now deceased: the others are at present residing in San Joaquin and Calaveras
counties. Mrs. Fuqua finally came to this valley and settled on a part of
Justus Schomp’s place, where she remained up to within eight years ago, when
she exchanged places with Schomp, and removed to her present place, situated a
mile east of Cherokee Lane, containing 160 acres.
Mr. Fuqua was six years old when he
crossed the plains with his parents. He made his home with his mother until he
was eighteen years of age, during which time he was employed at farm work,
clearing up the land and clearing away the brush. Having a boy’s natural
instinct for sport he traveled all over the country chasing jack rabbits with
dog and gun. When eighteen years old he apprenticed himself to the blacksmith
trade, under James Sturgel, of Woodbridge, with whom he remained about a year
and a half. He then opened a shop of his own at Liberty, on Dry Creek, where he
carried on the business for about two years. He then quit blacksmithing and
went to farming, first renting his mother’s place for two years, then rented
the place on which he now is for two years. At the expiration of the two years
he bought the ranch, and has devoted his whole attention to farming up to the
present time. When he first took the place there was nothing on it, and having
no capital he went at it himself, cleared away the brush and farmed it. Suffice
it to say that since that time he has paid for it and made all the improvements
himself, all through his own energy and industry.
Mr. Fuqua was married in 1873 to Mary F;
Wilson, a native of Mason County, Missouri, where they were married. Their
family consists of five daughters and one son--one son being deceased. They are
as follows: Delbert, born December 16, 1874, died November 20, 1875. Alice,
born April 16, 1876; Lena May, May 1, 1879; Mertie, December 3, 1880; Jessie
Pearl, May 28, 1882; Elsie, January 28, 1885; and Francis Marion, March 9,
1889.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
An Illustrated History of San Joaquin County,
California, Pages 278-281. Lewis Pub.
Co. Chicago, Illinois 1890.
© 2008 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County
Biographies
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County
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