San
Joaquin County
Biographies
EDWARD MELLMANN
There are few men who can more
justly claim the proud American title of self-made man than Edward Mellmann,
who at the early age of fourteen years started out for himself in life, with no
special advantages to fit him for its cares and responsibilities. He was industrious and resolute, however, and
these qualities enabled him to overcome the difficulties and obstacles in his
path and work his way steadily upward to affluence. He was born in Hamburg, Germany, on June 27,
1858, the only child of Edward and Lena (Aubert) Mellmann. The father
was an expert blacksmith and passed away when only thirty-seven years old; the
mother preceding him by a few years; so that the son was early left an orphan.
Edward Mellmann attended public
school in Hamburg, and when only fourteen years old started out t o make his
own way. He was apprenticed to learn the
blacksmith trade, which apprenticeship covered a period of five years; then he
entered the Altinaw horseshoeing school, where he
remained for six months. At the end of
this time he enlisted in the German army, serving three years. Then he spent another six months in a horseshoeing
school; and after finishing school he was employed by the German government,
shoeing horses in the army, which he followed for two years. For the next five years he worked in various
machine shops and on farms; and then went to Copenhagen, where he worked at his
trade for two years. Returning to his
native city of Hamburg, he was married in August, 1888, and remained there
working at his trade until 1898, when he and his wife came to the United
States, and directly to Lodi, California.
Mr. Mellmann purchased a five-acre tract of land on South School Street
and erected a blacksmith shop. There he
followed his trade until 1920, when he tore down the shop and built his
residence. He has set the place to
vineyard and installed two two-and-a-half-inch pumps with two motors, one of
five horsepower and the other four horsepower.
Mrs. Mellmann is the owner of 133 acres on Prince Rupert Island, Canada,
which came to her from her brother’s estate.
Mr. and Mrs. Mellmann are the parents of six children. Edward, Jr., was killed near his home by a
Southern Pacific train when only sixteen years old. Caroline, now Mrs. Collins, has been married
twice, and resides in Oakland; she has four children; one by her first husband,
namely, Miss Bernice Aubert, now fourteen years of
age, a pupil in the Lodi High School, who lives with her maternal grandparents
at Lodi; and three by her second union, namely:
Belle Collins, Philip Collins and Rita Collins. Esther is Mrs. Judibaugh,
of Ventura. Lena is Mrs. Schmidt, of
Berkeley, and has one son, Edward. Dora
is Mrs. Richmond, of Oakland. Fred Mellmann,
the only living son, resides at home with his parents.
In national politics Mr. Mellmann is
a Republican. Fraternally he is a member
and Past President of the Herman Sons Lodge, and has been a delegate to the
state convention; and is also a member of the Foresters of America.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Pages
1199-1200. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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