San
Joaquin County
Biographies
ERNEST GIESEKE
A man of force and ability, Ernest
Gieseke enjoys an enviable record of thirty years of public service as peace
officer and constable of Tulare Township, San Joaquin County, and his residence
in Tracy covers more than forty years.
He was born on January 4, 1850, in Hanover, Germany, and was fortunate
in receiving a good education before he left his native country. In July, 1868, he boarded a westbound steamer
at Hamburg, and in due time reached New York City; however, he had determined
on California as his final destination, and soon after his arrival in America
he took passage on the steamer San Diego de Cuba for Aspinwall, from there
crossing the Isthmus by railroad; thence by steamer up the coast to San Francisco,
arriving during August of 1868. He spent
two weeks in San Francisco, and then took passage on the steamer “Old Julia,” a
fast boat used on the river for express and passenger service, as the railroad
had not been built. He found employment
as a ranch hand throughout the county and on a large sheep range near San
Joaquin City became well acquainted with the late Hal Fiske, pioneer capitalist
and philanthropist. In those early days
wild game was in abundance, and Mr. Gieseke enjoyed his share of it.
The marriage of Mr. Gieseke occurred
at Stockton and united him with Miss Marguerite Yost, a daughter of the late
Mrs. Christian Yost-Ludwig of Tracy.
Mrs. Gieseke is a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but came to San
Francisco, California, with her parents in 1867 and the following year located
in Ellis, and ten years later settled in Tracy.
Mr. and Mrs. Gieseke are the parents of three children: Henry W. is married and resides in Tracy and
is employed by the Southern Pacific Railroad; Albert is married and resides at
San Pablo, and is employment by the Standard Oil Company; Pearl is the wife of
James N. Lamb, residing at Tracy, and they have one son.
Mr. Gieseke received his U. S.
citizenship in Stockton in 1871. He
became prominent as an agriculturist and engaged extensively in raising grain
on the west side; he then took up the breeding and raising of thoroughbred
stock and in 1878 removed to Tracy and established the Pacific Stables and
conducted a livery business. He was
noted all over the state of his fine animals and was well known as a trader and
breeder of fine horses. During his
residence in Tracy, he has acquired some very fine income property, has
constructed and owns several fine residences which he rents. Mr. Gieseke has been most active in
educational matters and served on the board of trustees for many years. Fraternally, he helped to organize the
Knights of Pythias No. 18, and is a charter member and past officer, and past
grand of the Odd Fellows’ Lodge of Tracy.
In the discharge of the duties of his office as constable, he was daring
and relentless; if he started after a criminal, sooner or later he captured
him; among them C. Phillips, the jail breaker and criminal, and another the
grain sack thief who operated throughout the San Joaquin Valley in 1901. Mr. Gieseke worked in co-operation with
Sheriff Cunningham for six years and the association grew into a strong
friendship. During the ‘90s he served as
a member of the Republican County Central Committee and was twice a delegate to
the state convention. He is a liberal
contributor to the Red Cross and other local benevolences and cheerfully gives
of his time and means toward all movements for the general progress of his home
city.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Pages
811-812. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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