San
Joaquin County
Biographies
LAWRENCE M. LARSON
A noted traveler and lecturer, asked
to epitomize Sweden, replied: “This is
the home of the honest man.”
Exemplifying in his life the salient traits of his race, L. M. Larson
became one of the leading and respected farmers and dairymen of San Joaquin
County. He was born in Sweden, March 24,
1850, and was there reared and educated.
His parents, also natives of that country, are now deceased. Lawrence M. remained in his native land until
he was eighteen years of age, then in 1868 he boarded the steamer “City of
Baltimore,” in the harbor of Gothenburg, and after a voyage of fifteen days
(being accompanied by his brother-in-law Carl Anderson and his wife, from
Sweden) he landed at New York, after which he at once made his way to Goodhue
County, Minnesota. While in Minnesota he
attended school for two winter seasons, and thus greatly improved his knowledge
of English as well as adding to his general information.
On reaching the Pacific coast in 1873
he came direct to San Joaquin County, where he was engaged in farming for a few
years, and then removed to Stanislaus County, which continued to be his place
of residence until he moved to Manteca in 1896.
He settled on his ranch at Manteca, where he owned and cultivated eighty
acres of land, twenty acres of which is in the town limits. He was most progressive in his methods of
farming and his labors were attended with excellent results. His ranch is under a high state of
cultivation, made so by irrigation. He
was a very strong advocate of irrigation and his own work proved the value of
this plan of making the soil fertile. He
engaged in the dairy business and was a director of the Cowell Creamery
Company.
Mr. Larson was married in October,
1884, to Miss Reora Talley, who was born in Scott
County, Indiana, and is a daughter of the late James Talley. The mother, Elizabeth Talley, makes her home
with her daughter, Mrs. Larson. The Talley’s
came to California in 1863 and have resided in San Joaquin County practically
ever since. Mr. and Mrs. Larson are the
parents of five children: Hugo is
married and has one son, Herbert, and they reside in Oakland; Bertha is Mrs. Valdeman Christiansen, and resides at Coalinga; W. Torkel is married and resides at San Antonio, Texas. He is a first lieutenant of aviation; Chester
resides at Long Beach, and is an oil driller.
He served overseas in the U. S. Army and was honorably discharged April
25, 1919; Willard is taking up mining engineering at the University of Nevada,
resides at Long Beach and in the employ of Shell Oil Company of California. Mr. Larson usually voted with the Democratic
Party, and he served as trustee of the Union school district before there was a
school in town, and was the first assessor of the South San Joaquin Irrigation
District, serving until 1914. He was one
of the original sponsors of irrigation, and helped fight the project through to
its culmination, giving his time and means to put the South San Joaquin project
on its feet. Mr. Larson was very active
in the incorporation of the city of Manteca and his influence and activities
figured largely in the success and consummation of the bond issue. He was president of Rochdale
butcher market. Retiring from active
farming pursuits, Mr. Larson gave his attention to his real estate holdings and
his hobby was the reading of good books, his favorite author being
Dickens. He passed away on September 18,
1922. Mrs. Larson has been truly a
helpmate to her husband in all of his interests and she owns the Maple
apartments in Manteca and other property.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page
433. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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