San
Joaquin County
Biographies
GEORGE HOLDSWORTH
A highly-esteemed pioneer whom
posterity will always delight to honor and whom Californians, ever mindful of
what they owe to those who “made straight the paths in early days,” will
certainly never forget was the late George Holdsworth, who breathed his last in
Stockton on December 6, 1921, having attained to his eightieth year. He was born in Halifax, England, on September
7, 1842, and came of good old English stock, than which none better ever helped
to found and develop a New World. His
father, also named George Holdsworth, was a genuine ‘49er who reached
California in the thrilling Argonaut days, but early settled in Stockton where
he engaged in teaming, one of those occupations at that time essential to the
welfare of almost everybody, and to no one more than to the gold-digger
himself. He furnished sand for building
operations, first transporting the same from the islands in a scow, and hauled
the first load of sand used in the construction of the first building of the
State Hospital on North California Street.
Our subject was seven years of age
when the family settled at Kenosha, Wisconsin, where he grew up and attended
the public schools, and learned the trade of carriage painter in Edward Bane’s
carriage shop. He arrived in Stockton on
November 13, 1859, and soon after went to work for William Miller, the
well-known carriage manufacturer and a carriage painter. He was employed at his trade for thirty years
at the Miller factory at the southwest corner of Channel and California
streets, where the Sequoia apartments now stand; and he enjoyed the friendship
and entire confidence of his employer throughout the long years of their
association together. For a short time,
about a year, he was in business for himself, in a shop in the St. Charles
Hotel Building; and at one time he owned a ranch at Wallace, in Calaveras
County. Before the advent of the
railroads, also, he drove a peddler’s wagon through the mountain towns, selling
tinware, clothing and shoes, and the old wagon he drove
stands today in the back of his old home, at 136 East Church Street. The old home, now standing, was built by him
over fifty years ago, and it is in a fair state of preservation. He worked with his father in early days
supplying sand for building materials in Stockton, and at one time was employed
on the river steamer “Pert.” After
giving up carriage painting, he followed teaming in Stockton for a number of
years, and became well known and highly esteemed by his fellow-citizens. He was a member of the old Volunteer Fire
Department, and later the Exempt Firemen’s Association.
At Stockton in the year 1866, Mr.
Holdsworth married Miss Mary Robertson, a native of San Francisco, where she
was born in 1849, the daughter of a California pioneer
who died in August, 1902. Eleven
children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Holdsworth, and three died in childhood. Edward, however, reached the age of
forty-six; Lulu, the age of twenty-one; and James, the age of twelve. The five living children are: William, the pilot of the steamer J. D.
Peters; Charles, a teaming contractor of Stockton, who started as a boy of
thirteen, and joined his father in teaming, later taking over the business for
himself; Thomas, who is a member of the fire department of Stockton; George, who
is employed in house-moving with Fisher Bros.; and Miss Sadie. I. Holdsworth,
who was married February 3, 1922, to Mr. Walter M. Zwinge
and resides at 138 Church Street, the old home place. All were born in Stockton, save Thomas, who
first saw the light in Calaveras County.
During the latter years of Mr. Holdsworth’s life, he enjoyed the loving
care and attention of his devoted daughter, Sadie, who kept house for him and
nursed him through his illness, and who otherwise rendered the service of
affection, without money and without price, because no worldly value can ever
be placed upon such divine ministrations.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Pages
572-575. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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