San Joaquin County
Biographies
FRANK R. LEEPER
Frank Robert Leeper is numbered
among California’s native sons and is now residing at Stockton. He was born at Angel’s Camp, May 4,
1865. His father, Robert B. Leeper, was
a California pioneer of 1852, and was one of the valued citizens of Angel’s
Camp. He was born in Cass County,
Illinois, on the 16th of September, 1836, his parents being Robert
and Julia (Runyan) Leeper, natives of West Virginia and Pennsylvania, respectively. In 1828 they removed to Illinois, becoming
pioneer settlers of that state. They
located on a farm and made it their home throughout their remaining days. They were members of the Presbyterian Church
and were people of the highest respectability. They left their property to their son, Robert
B. He was reared in the state of his
nativity and became a man of broad reading and intelligence. He always kept well informed on topics of
interest and the questions of the day and his opinions were the result of
mature deliberation and earnest consideration of the questions involved. He came to California in 1852, making the
journey across the plains with a government train of one hundred head of
cattle. He was then seventeen years of
age, full of life, energy and spirits.
He relates an incident showing how he exchanged a red flannel shirt with
an Indian for a pair of trousers. The
shirt had shrunk considerably in washing, but the Indian strutted around in it
with little else on, to the great amusement of the men in the train.
When Mr. Leeper arrived in Stockton
he had a cash capital of fifty cents and this he invested in crackers and
cheese. In order to earn a livelihood he
engaged in herding cattle for a time, but a little later he might have been found
driving a delivery wagon in San Francisco for Shepherd Brothers, at
seventy-five dollars per month. They
invited him to invest his wages in town lots, but he declined. Later the stakes which designated the
division of the lots were covered with sand and no one could identify the
property. Subsequently Mr. Leeper came
to Angel’s Camp and engaged in placer mining.
He was afterward the discoverer of the Utica Quartz mine, which he
operated for a number of years. In 1884
he sold the property to Charles D. Lane for ten thousand dollars. It became one of the greatest producing mines
in California and is still being worked, many men being employed there. Three years after the disposal of the mine,
Robert Leeper sold the Jackson mine, which adjoined the other, for eight
thousand dollars. His work in those
mines and his faith in this section of the country were the two most important
elements in the development and growth of Angel’s Camp. In 1898 he built a fine brick block in the town,
which is still in the possession of the family and is now rented by a large
mercantile firm.
Robert B. Leeper was an active
member of the Democratic Party, doing all in his power to advance its
interests. He was a liberal member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and passed
all of the chairs in both branches of the fraternity. In business he was active and successful and
he contributed liberally of his time, money and influence for the upbuilding of
the town and the advancement of its interests.
His word was regarded as a synonym for everything that is straightforward
and honorable and over his life there falls no shadow of wrong or suspicion of
evil. His neighbors and friends had the
utmost confidence in him and their trust was never betrayed in the slightest
degree. His staunch integrity furnished
to his fellow townsmen and to his family an example that is well worth of
emulation and his memory remains as a benediction to all who knew him.
Robert B. Leeper was married in 1863
at Angel’s Camp to Miss Susan B. Stephens, a native of Missouri, who was reared
in Racine, Wisconsin. She was the
daughter of Christopher Stephens. They
had two children, Julia, the wife of Theodore Whitlow, and reside in Angel’s
Camp; and Frank Robert, of this review.
The father departed this life in 1899, dying in the comfortable home
which he had built at Angel’s Camp, near the Utica mine.
Frank Robert Leeper, who until
recently occupied the old home place, was in his boyhood very active and
energetic. His neighbors and the older
people sometimes accused him of being very “mischievous” for he was full of
life; but it has always been found that the men who amount to the most in the
world are of that character in youth.
Later their energy is turned into channels of usefulness and they become
prominent, substantial and reliable citizens.
Thus it has been that Mr. Leeper, as he grew to manhood, “put away
childish things” and is now spoken of as following closely in the footsteps of
his father, being an honest, enterprising and progressive citizen. He pursued his education in the public
schools of Angel’s Camp, in the Hopkins Academy, of Oakland, and was graduated
at the Pacific Business College in December, 1891.
On the 3rd of February,
1892, Mr. Leeper was united in marriage to Miss Lottie L. Fisher, a native of
San Francisco. Unto them were born two
children, but one is now deceased. The
surviving son is a bright little lad who was born on the 30th of
September, 1895, to whom they gave the name of Robert F. The wife and mother also passed away. She was a most lovable woman, a member of the
Second Presbyterian Church of San Francisco, and a devoted Christian woman who
had many friends. In 1896 Mr. Leeper
again married, his second union being with Miss Eunice Ford, of Oakdale,
California. This marriage was blessed
with one child, named Ford Arthur. On
October 16, 1900, in San Francisco, Mr. Leeper married Ida E. Howell, of
Stockton, and moved to Stockton, where he has his two boys with him.
The business affairs of our subject
are of an important character. He owns
and operates a five-stamp mill near the Leeper & Bennett mine, and he is
now working that mine, which is a satisfactory producer. Like his father, he is a stalwart Democrat
and in 1893 he had the honor of being appointed postmaster of Angel’s
Camp. He at once began the improvement
of the office by putting in new lockboxes and adding many other
conveniences. During his incumbency the
receipts of the office were greatly increased, and it was raised from an office
of the fourth class to one of the third class.
Mr. Leeper is widely and favorably known throughout the state, his
abilities well fitting him for a position of leadership in political, business
and social life. The terms of progress
and patriotism might be considered the keynote of his character, for throughout
his career he has labored for the improvement of every line of business or
public interest with which he has been associated, and at all times has been
actuated by a fidelity to his country and her welfare.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
“A Volume of Memoirs and Genealogy of Representative Citizens of Northern
California”, Pages 134-136. Chicago Standard Genealogical Publishing Co. 1901.
© 2010
Gerald Iaquinta.
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