San
Joaquin County
Biographies
MRS. CAROLINE C. GERARD
An interesting pioneer of San
Joaquin County, who did her share to aid in the development of the country
around Lodi, was the late Caroline C. Gerard, a native of England, where she
lived until she was seventeen years of age.
Then she came to the United States, making her home in New England; and
there she met and married John H. Gerard, also a native of England. He was a mere child when he was brought to
America by his parents, who settled in Saco, Maine. The straitened circumstances of the family
made it necessary for John H. to begin his self-support when other children of
a similar age were attending school. As
a boy he was employed in the cotton mills of Biddeford and Saco, Maine; so his
education was obtained by his faithful attendance at night school. His duties in the mill were confining, and he
felt his restrictions even more keenly as the reports of better prospects in
the west came to his attention both by means of the press and by word of mouth
from those who had returned to the east from the newly discovered gold mines. In 1855, after his marriage to Miss Caroline
Sterling, a young lady who was ambitious and heartily seconded his desire to
cast his lot in the Golden State, they made the journey to San Francisco, the
same year of their marriage, coming via the Isthmus of Panama route. They went to Calaveras County, where Mr.
Gerard mined for awhile; and then came to San Joaquin County, locating near
Woodbridge, in 1856, where he purchased 183 acres of virgin soil, the clearing
of which entailed much hard labor. Later
he acquired 640 acres northwest of Lodi and engaged extensively in the stock
business. He also owned 300 acres of
grazing land in Calaveras County. His
ranch near Lodi being heavily timbered he continued to clear off the timber and
brush until he had the entire tract under cultivation. Mr. and Mrs. Gerard had the distinction of
being the pioneers in the raising of grapes in this locality. In 1862 they set out six acres of vines, at
the same time also planting an orchard.
They worked together happily, both ambitious to improve their place, and
it was a sad blow to Mrs. Gerard when her husband passed away in 1882. He left an only son, James Stevens Gerard,
who is making his home on a part of the ranch.
Mrs. Gerard, after her husband’s
death, continued their ranching enterprise; and in time a goodly portion of the
ranch was set out to vineyard, which proved profitable. The place is now divided between her three
living grandchildren: Raymond, James
Stevens, Jr., and Mrs. Lillian Schleef, who make
their homes on their respective places.
Grandmother Gerard, as she was
familiarly known by her friends, was endeared to all who knew her. She continued in the even tenor of her ways,
doing all she could to build up and improve this wonderful county and thus
bring about the civilization of the present day; and at her passing, at the age
of seventy years, she left an honored name and was mourned by her family and
all who knew her.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page
852. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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