San
Joaquin County
Biographies
ELMER A. HUMPHREY
A wide-awake citizen of Lodi is
found in Elmer A. Humphrey, the district manager for the Earl Fruit Company,
pioneers of the fruit shipping industry of California. He was born in Winters,
Yolo County, California, on September 6, 1877, a son of Elijah A. and Kate
(Still) Humphrey. His father, a native
of Virginia, came to California in 1859, crossing the plains in an ox-team
train, a saddle and harness maker by trade, and conducted a shop at old Liberty
in the northern part of San Joaquin County.
He was offered one hundred sixty acres of land in exchange for the
finest saddle he had in his shop by the late Senator Langford, but refused to
make the trade, thinking the land was not worth the price of the saddle; the
160 acres of land located in the northern part of the San Joaquin Valley is
worth $100,000 at the present time. His
father was a charter member of Woodbridge lodge No. 131, F. & A. M., one of
the oldest lodges in the state, and was one of its first officers. His mother crossed the plains with her
parents with an ox-team train in 1852, a native of Missouri, riding a horse all
the way. She is the daughter of Joe
Still, who first crossed the plains in 1849 to California, and returning, brought
his family back with him in 1852 and was captain of the train on the second
trip. Captain Still farmed on Dry Creek
near Liberty. Kate Still taught school in the Liberty district at the age of
fifteen, and received her pay from the state.
She married Elijah A. Humphrey when she was seventeen years old and they
were the parents of nine children, all of whom are living. E. A. Humphrey removed from Liberty to Yolo
County about 1870, and located in Winters, where he
was in the saddle and harness business.
He established a reputation for quality in the marking of harness. The father passed away in 1890; the mother is
residing in Winters at the age of eighty-one.
Elmer A., seventh of the nine
children, attended school at Winters, Yolo County, but was not privileged to go
very long before he was obliged to go to work, starting at the age of twelve
years, when his father died, to make his own way. He has known much hard work through all the
years, but his determination to succeed was never lost sight of and his present
success is the merited reward for his years of earnest toil. He owns 135 acres in full bearing fruit and
vines in the Acampo district; and has recently purchased 320 acres in Kern
County, which is being set to orchard and vineyard. Mr. Humphrey became manager of the Earl Fruit
Company in 1902 and during the fruit season 250 cars were shipped from San
Joaquin County and there were three companies in the fruit industry; in 1920,
8,000 carloads were shipped from the county and there are now forty-two
companies in the fruit shipping industry; in 1902, when Mr. Humphrey became
manager of the company, thirty carloads of fruit were shipped from San Joaquin County
by his company, and in 1920 the Earl Fruit Company shipped 1,200 carloads. It has been largely through Mr. Humphrey’s
efficient management and business ability that the business has grown to such
proportions, and the company has shown in a substantial way its appreciation of
his worth. In 1922, with others, he was one of the founders of the Citizens
National Bank and is one of its directors.
He is a member of the Lodi Business Men’s Association.
The marriage of Mr. Humphrey, in San
Francisco, united him with Miss Marjorie Taggert of Arizona, and they are the
parents of one son, Earl A. Mr.
Humphrey’s influence in San Joaquin County is felt far and wide and he has
contributed in so small manner to the well being and upbuilding of the county.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page
1235. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County Biographies
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County Genealogy
Databases