San
Joaquin County
Biographies
WILLIAM HENRY KOONTZ
A man of recognized enterprise and
ability, who is also a native of San Joaquin County, is William Henry Koontz, a
man of influence and substantial position in his locality. He was born at Thornton, California, November
16, 1880, a son of Henry and Clemence (Hay) Koontz, natives of Ohio and
Illinois, respectively. When the father
was two years old his parents removed to Illinois, where he was reared,
remaining in that locality until he passed his twentieth birthday, when he came
to California. He had been educated in
the schools of Illinois, such as existed in a pioneer region, and after
arriving at years of maturity emigrated to the Pacific
Coast via the Isthmus route. Arriving in
San Francisco, he proceeded at once to San Joaquin County and settled upon a
ranch in the New Hope district, where he spent the balance of his life. On June 29, 1874, he was married to Miss
Clemence Hay; and they became the parents of six children: John L.; Elizabeth, deceased; William Henry,
of this review; Katie, Mrs. L. R. Burrow; Clemence A., Mrs. Robert Thisby,
deceased; and George M. The father lived
to be seventy-seven years old; the mother passed away at the age of thirty-two.
William Henry Koontz received his
education in the New Hope district school, and assisted his father on the home
place until his twentieth year, when he started out for himself. He leased 400 acres in the tule lands of San
Joaquin County, where he raised hay and beans.
When his father’s estate was divided, he received thirty acres as his
share, which he cultivated for a number of years and then sold.
On February 2, 1903, at Thornton,
Mr. Koontz was married to Miss Alice Thornton, also a native of San Joaquin
County. She is a daughter of Arthur and
Emma (Greives) Thornton, the former a native of
Scotland and the latter of Ohio. Her
father was born in 1838 and came to America with his parents in 1852, settling
in Iowa. His parents removed to Kansas,
where the grandmother died; the grandfather, William Thornton, was buried on
the plains in 1854. Arthur Thornton
started across the plains for California in 1854, in the employ of the
Government. Arriving in Salt Lake City,
he remained there for the winter, and the following spring again resumed his
journey. He had been commissioned by the
Government to take some horses, wagons and mules to a fort. This being accomplished, he again set out for
California. Upon his arrival at Benicia,
he left the employ of the Government and went to work at odd jobs for
wages. He finally settled in San Joaquin
County and was the proprietor of the New Hope Hotel for many years, and also
operated a blacksmith shop and general mercantile business. He married Miss Emma Greives,
and they became the parents of six daughters:
Mary Alvernia, Mrs. W. J. Bates; Clara B., Mrs. Lawton; Maggie Lander,
deceased; Jessie C., residing at Thornton; Alice T., Mrs. Koontz; and Georgie
M., deceased. Both parents are now
deceased. Alice Thornton received her
education in the Thornton schools and later entered the College of Notre Dame
at San Jose, where she finished her education.
Mr. and Mrs. Koontz have had one child, who died in infancy. Mrs. Koontz was severely injured some time
ago in an automobile accident, which necessitated an operation to remove
portions of the fractured skull. She is
fortunate to have recovered sufficiently to enjoy good health once more. Mrs. Koontz received a gift of a ten-acre
ranch from her father, which is devoted to the growing
of apricots, and she is also interested in her father’s estate with her three
sisters. Politically Mr. Koontz gives
his support to the Republican Party.
While he is not a member of any church or fraternal organization, he is
known as a citizen of high principles and a supporter of “whatsoever things are
of good report.”
Transcribed by V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page
1473. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2012 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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