San
Joaquin County
Biographies
ANDREW McCORMICK
It is very interesting to write the
story of a successful businessman, who is also at the same time very
progressive, enterprising and liberal, giving of his energy and best endeavor
to improve and build up the community where he resides. Such a man is Andrew McCormick, a
representative business and mining man of Stockton, who was born in Sonora,
Tuolumne County, California, December 17, 1861. Ever since 1854 the McCormick family have
been prominently identified with the history of California, for Daniel McCormick,
the father of our subject, a native of Ireland, came from Philadelphia around
Cape Horn in a sailing vessel in 1854 and settled near Sonora. He had immigrated in youth to Manayunk, near Philadelphia, where he married Margaret
McCormick, also a native of Ireland, who had also come to Philadelphia in her
youth. After his
arrival in Sonora Mr. McCormick engaged in mining for a short time, his family
joining him a few years later.
Later on he became proprietor of a general merchandise store in Sonora. In those days gold dust was the medium of
exchange for all supplies. This dust he
sent to the mint in San Francisco and aside from some gold pieces he received,
the balance was deposited to his credit with Donohue, Kelly & Company, San
Francisco, from which he checked it out.
Later he engaged in the cattle business and operated a butcher shop and
in time became a large landholder. He
passed away at the age of fifty-five, his widow surviving him until 1908,
passing away at the age of seventy-three.
Mr. and Mrs. McCormick had six
children, all boys: John was in charge
of the Stockton business of the M. McCormick Company; he served as councilman
and died in San Francisco in 1907; James died at Sonora in 1905. These two were born in Philadelphia, while
the four youngest were born at Sonora.
Daniel died in Stockton about 1910; Joseph passed away in Stockton in
1902; Andrew is the subject of this review; Frank, who was president of M.
McCormick Company until his death in 1908 passed away at their Linden ranch
where he had gone for a few days on account of his health. Their mother was a woman of wonderful
business acumen and kept the boys together in business, advising them to work
for themselves and be united in their efforts.
She was energetic and active and left her impress on the community for
her sterling qualities and her strong personality. Her influence for good was appreciated by the
people, and at her passing she was deeply mourned by her family and friends. Her memory was very dear and precious to her
sons and her advice was followed, for they continued in business together until
they passed away, dwelling together in harmony and peace and cooperating
agreeably, each doing his part and aiding in making the business a success.
Andrew, the fifth son, was born at
Sonora, California on December 17, 1861, and was reared on his father’s ranch
and received his education in the public schools. At an early age he went into partnership with
his brothers and engaged in the cattle business and in connection ran a meat
market in Sonora, at one time owning 9,000 acres of land in Tuolumne County on
which ranged 900 head of cattle. In 1884
the brothers bought 320 acres of land near Linden and raised grain for a period
of seven years; then in 1891 they purchased a meat market in Stockton on Center
Street owned by John Gross, where they carried on a large business, at the same
time maintaining the meat market at Sonora; later their business was removed to
the corner of Main and Center streets, where they remodeled the old building
for a modern butcher shop and cold storage plant; later this became the
headquarters with branch stores in many other parts of Stockton. Aside from the raising of stock, they bought
cattle from all over Sacramento and San Joaquin counties for their own abattoir
and also shipped to San Francisco. They
built a large abattoir on the French Camp Road on a tract of 600 acres. After doing business for some years as
McCormick Bros., they incorporated as M. McCormick Company, in honor of their
mother. She had always been their
guiding star and by her influence had kept the family together in
business. When his brothers had passed
away, Andrew assumed full charge of the business and continued it and in the
course of time increased it to large proportions, putting in all of this time
in looking after the business, ranches and cattle, as well as the mines. After making a success of the business, he
finally divided the property among the heirs and meantime he purchased some of
the interests. He continues to hold the
M. McCormick Company and carries on his business that way; he still owns the
two ranches, one on French Camp Road and the Linden ranch on which he has
installed four pumping plants, devoted to the raising of vegetables and fruit; the
French Camp ranch is also irrigated with a pumping plant. In 1884 Mr. McCormick moved to his ranch near
Linden and made his home there until he removed to Stockton in 1900. He owns a number of valuable gold producing
mines in Tuolumne County, including the Golden Gate mine, the Draper, and the
McCormick mine, which he is developing.
He is the vice-president of the Sacramento Gas Company, which was
formerly the Sacramento Natural Gas Company, established by a brother, John
McCormick and two associates; this company being the first to develop natural
gas in Sacramento.
The marriage of Mr. McCormick united
him with Miss Zelma Paradis, a native of Manistee,
Michigan, and they are the parents of three children: Jack P., Elaine, and Daniel. By a former marriage Andrew McCormick has one
son, Le Roy, who was in the merchant marine during the World War. Mr. McCormick is a member of Stockton Lodge
No. 218, B. P. O. E. he
is a truly self-made man in every sense of the word, for he has forged his way
upward step by step until he has become a man of means and independence,
wielding a wide influence for good in his community. A man of pleasing personality, with affable
manners, he is well informed and it is a pleasure to meet and converse with
this interesting pioneer.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page
372. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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