San
Joaquin County
Biographies
MRS. AMELIA E. HOLLENBECK
Since 1870 Mrs. Amelia E. Hollenbeck
has resided on her fine ranch home of 236 acres near Stockton on the Stockton
Road, and in all respects is a representative citizen of California. She has manifested unusual skill and
executive ability in the management of her business interests since her
husband’s death, and one would be safe in saying that she has not had a
superior as a rancher among the women of the state. Her land is kept under the highest
cultivation, and for many years she gave her personal attention to most of the
details of her property interests, but is now content to transfer the
responsibility to her son William. She
was born in Livingston County, New York, March 8, 1840, a daughter of Ambrose
D. and Rebecca L. (Everett) Taggart, her father a native of Pennsylvania and
her mother of New Jersey. Her
grandfather, William Taggart, was a Revolutionary soldier, and the Taggart
family is said to be of Scotch-Irish lineage.
Amelia was reared in Livingston County at the village of Danville, and
through a portion of her youth lived in other sections of New York State until
she was twelve years old. She then
accompanied her parents to Three Rivers, Michigan, where she grew to womanhood
and there she became the wife of Josiah M. Griffin in 1862. By this marriage she had a daughter, Lenore
B., who is now deceased. Her first
husband volunteered his services to the Union during the rebellion and lost his
life during the Civil War.
In 1864 Mrs. Griffin accompanied her
parents and other members of the family on their migration to California, the
trip being made by the Panama route.
From San Francisco they came to Alameda County, and thence after a short
residence they moved to San Joaquin County in 1868, where her parents took up
their abode near Stockton and lived there throughout the remainder of their
lives. In 1869 she was united in
marriage with John Hollenbeck, who was born in New York State, December 12,
1834. After their marriage they located
on the ranch where Mrs. Hollenbeck still makes her home, and he was engaged in
agricultural pursuits until his death, which occurred in 1874. They were the parents of four sons: William married Miss Amanda Jarvis of
Stockton and they have four children:
Everett, Claude, Robert and Elva; Walter F. is a rancher residing near
Waterloo; Howard P. farms near Collegeville; and John A. is also a
rancher. Six years ago Mrs. Hollenbeck
divided the fine old homestead equally among her sons; however, she retains a
life interest and continues to make her home on the ranch where she has
continuously resided for over a half century.
She has been a staunch member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of
Stockton throughout her residence in the county. Mrs. Hollenbeck has pioneered in San Joaquin
County, and the comforts of life she now enjoys have been well earned, and she
is held in high esteem by old and young alike.
Transcribed by V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George H., History of San
Joaquin County, California , Pages
1469-1470. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2012 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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