San
Joaquin County
Biographies
JOHN C. GRAVES
No life history is more interesting
to chronicle than that of the California pioneer, the man who in his prime
entered the wilderness and claimed the virgin soil as his heritage, who was not
afraid to venture into the vastness and endure the hardships, but willing to
put his shoulder to the task of development so that future generations might
enjoy the comfort and luxury of present day civilization made possible through
the blazing of the trail by our honored pioneers. Such a man is John C. Graves, venerable and
esteemed pioneer of Stockton, who was born in Warren County, Missouri, February
5, 1842. His father, Henry B. Graves, a
native of Virginia, was descended from an old and prominent southern family,
while his mother, Lurina Howell before her marriage,
was born in Kentucky, likewise of a well-established and leading family of the
south. This worthy couple migrated to
Missouri and there as farmers laid the foundation for their competency. In 1849 they removed with their family to Grant
County, Wisconsin, locating near Lancaster, where the father purchased a farm
and it was here that John C. Graves was reared to manhood and in the great outdoors
he acquired his great strength and physical stamina which has remained with him
and stood him in such good stead to this day.
In those early days in southern
Wisconsin the opportunity for an education was limited; nevertheless, Mr.
Graves advanced himself in scholarship through his application, being of a
studios nature. He was closely
associated with his father in conducting the home farm until he reached his
majority, when on November 2, 1862, at Lancaster, Wisconsin; he took the
important step which brought so much happiness to his life, when he was united
in marriage with Miss Sarah C. Shanley, who had been his
schoolmate. She was born near Lancaster,
Wisconsin, June 5, 1844, a daughter of Thomas and Mahala
Rachael (Ingraham) Shanley,
natives respectively of South Carolina and Virginia, who were also descended
from prominent old southern families.
They migrated to Wisconsin and were pioneer farmers in Grant
County. The following year Mr. Graves
prepared for the long journey across the plains, his earthly possessions at
that time being none other than a team of horses and wagon. He generally drove the lead team of the
outfit captained by John B. Harelson, the party consisting of thirty-five
wagons and 140 persons. They began their
journey on May 2, 1864, but it was not until September that they reached their
destination in the Golden state. They
followed the old telegraph road all the way, a line which was also followed by
the engineers who made the survey for the first transcontinental railroad. Among the party were three old settlers of
San Joaquin County, David Reynolds, Nathan Harelson and John McKinsey. David Reynolds was also from Grant County and
was a schoolmate of Mr. Graves and the warm friendship that sprang up has
continued pleasantly all through life.
It was not an uncommon sight on their journey across the plains to see
primitive Indian camps, but luckily the travelers were not molested; in fact,
no complaining was done on the part of the emigrants. Their first night in California was at the
Tower House in Salt Spring Valley and pushing on they arrived at Dutch Point,
seven miles south of Stockton on the French Camp Road on September 2, 1864.
Mr. Graves’ first experience in the
San Joaquin Valley proved to him the fertility of the soil here but prices for
freighting were so high that after one season of farming he decided to engage
in freighting. He was so occupied from
1865 to 1867, his outfit consisting of eighteen horses with a span of mules in
the lead, hauling five wagons loaded with supplies from Stockton for the
southern mines. On his return trip his
wagons were loaded with copper ore from the Copperopolis mines, which he
brought to Stockton. In those early days
there were no bridges nor graded roads so everything
depended on the ability of the teamster to bring the valuable cargo to its
destination, and as a teamster Mr. Graves had well qualified himself. He has a picture in his home showing his
freighting outfit taken at Madam Felix’s roadhouse near Tower Hill in 1865, and
it is one of his most cherished possessions.
In 1868 Mr. Graves purchased his
first land, a tract of 320 acres which remained in his possession until
1888. By subsequent purchases he added
to it until he had over 800 acres. In
the meantime he also farmed in connection 1100 acres near Banta for six years
and also owned a desirable farm of 560 acres of river bottom land two and a
half miles south of Ripon on the Stanislaus River, a portion of which was
heavily timbered. The timber was cut and
sold for fuel in Stockton and six years later he sold this ranch to good advantage. Each of these enterprises was attended with
signal success. In 1885 he moved his
family to Stockton on account of the better school facilities. In 1890 he started a subdivision of his farm,
selling it off in forty acre tracts and at the present time there are located
twenty-five splendid ranch homes within the boundary of the original grain farm
of 800 acres. This subdivision was
completed in 1911. Mention must be made of
the plan by which Mr. Graves made a successful disposition of these choice acres. The tracts were sold to desirable people and
on terms so liberal that not one purchaser failed to carry out the terms of
agreement.
Mr. and Mrs. Graves after coming to
Stockton first resided on Magnolia Avenue.
This place they sold on the completion of 1907 of their present spacious
and comfortable home at 922 North Edison Street. Mr. Graves is deeply interested in good roads
and has devoted much valuable time in the interest of county highways, among
others the Austin Road, which with Engineer Brush he helped to survey and
improve. Mr. Graves was a prominent
member of the Union Grange and in politics he is a Republican.
Six children blessed the union of
this worthy pioneer couple: Fannie Ellen
is the wife of Frank Graves of Ripon; Luvenia Rachael
is the wife of Charles Norman of Manteca; Lillie Ann married George Fox of
Stockton, and their son, Louis, is the managing editor of the Stockton Independent;
Henry Thomas is a merchant of Stockton; Sarah Etta died when twenty-three; Virdie is the wife of Robert Reed of Stockton. A quiet celebration of their golden wedding
was held at the home of their daughter, Mrs. Frank Graves, at Ripon, November
2, 1912, and again at her home November 2, 1922, they celebrated their sixtieth
anniversary or diamond wedding. Mr. and
Mrs. Graves are now enjoying the freedom from care which they sustained so many
years in managing their extensive ranch interests. Every movement for the upbuilding of Stockton
and San Joaquin County has received Mr. Graves’ hearty cooperation, and public
and private charities have reason to be thankful to this highly esteemed and
honored couple for their many benevolences.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Pages
480-485. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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