San Joaquin County
Biographies
CHRISTOPHER HENRY HARROLD.
CHRISTOPHER HENRY HARROLD, a
rancher of Douglass Township, was born in England, September 28, 1843, a son of
C. B. and Charlotte (Shelton) Harrold, natives of Syston, in Leicester, both
now deceased. The family emigrated to New Zealand late in 1848, the voyage
around the Cape of Good Hope consuming five months. They were only nine months
in that country when, the news of the discovery of gold in California being
confirmed, they sailed for San Francisco, where they arrived in May, 1850,
after a voyage of six weeks. Thence they came to Stockton, where they remained
until October. In partnership with Henry Thornlac, C. B. Harrold purchased the
Oak ranch, and kept a wayside tavern known as the Blue Tent, on the Mokelumne
Hill road, about two miles east of Bellota. In 1851 they erected a more
permanent structure, which was used as a tavern for five or six years, though
the travel had dwindled away after 1853. About the close of 1855 the elder Mr.
Harrold bought out his partner’s interest in the ranch, and personal property
for about $3,000. They had long been associated, having learned the trade of
cabinet-making together in England. Mr. Harrold now gave more attention to his
farming, finding a market in the mining regions to the east. He did his own
teaming to and from the mines, with such other work in that line as happened to
come in his way. In 1869 he went into the sheep-raising industry, keeping a
herd of from 1,800 to 2,000 head, for which the chief market was San Francisco.
Wool fluctuated in price from 6 to 16 cents a pound, but in 1872 rose to the unprecedented
figures of from 40 to 60 cents. The family moved to Los Angeles in 1876 for the
benefit of the parents’ health, and remained there until 1881, except C. H.,
who returned to farming in this section in 1879.
The father died December 6, 1883, aged
sixty-seven, and was followed a year later, December 5, 1884, by the mother,
who was six months his junior. They had been married more than forty years, and
had brought up a family of four daughters and one son, the subject of this
sketch; Emily Rachel, now Mrs. Albert C. Doan, of Los Angeles; Mary Harriet,
now Mrs. Austin C. Shafter, of the same city; Julia E., now Mrs. H. W.
Sylvester, of Stockton; Charlotte Jeanette, now Mrs. Dean, of that city.
C. H. Harrold, the subject of this sketch,
received a fair education for the time and place in which his lot was cast
forty years ago, and was brought up to farm work. Upon the death of his father
he inherited equally with his four sisters, most of the shares he has since
purchased. He owns 200 acres at the home place, of which 120 are bottom land,
and 1,280 of foot-hill “plains” farther south, on which he mostly raises wheat,
with cattle, sheep and hogs for the market, besides a few horses chiefly for
his own use.
Mr. C. H. Harrold was married February,
1885, to Miss Mary Harker, of Oakland, a native of Canada, where both her
parents died, the father in his eighty-fifth and the mother in her eighty-third
year. Mr. and Mrs. Harrold have one child, Mary Amantha, born December 19,
1885.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
An Illustrated History of San Joaquin County,
California, Pages 277-278. Lewis Pub.
Co. Chicago, Illinois 1890.
© 2008 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
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