San Joaquin County
Biographies
E. D. MIDDLEKAUF
E. D. MIDDLEKAUF.--No young
man in San
Joaquin County has earned a greater reputation for energy, business
tact and ability than he whose name heads this sketch. He is a native of Maryland, born at Hagerstown June 2, 1863, and when he was three years of age, the
family removed to Rockford, Illinois. His father, who had been a fruit raiser and
nurseryman in the East, established a nursery at Oregon,
Ogle County, Illinois, which he conducted until 1879, when he removed with
his family to California. E. D. Middlekauf was educated at Rockford, and while in Illinois
got his first insight into the nursery business. When they came to California, they embarked in the nursery business about two miles from Stockton on the Linden road, where they carried on that business until 1885,
then established a nursery at Linden. The next year they started the Acampo nursery. In
November, 1887, the subject of this mention bought out his partners--Messrs. H.
C. and D. E. Harrison, and he carried on a prosperous business at the Linden and Acampo nurseries until February, 1889, when he
sold out. He then established another nursery on Roberts Island, where he has eighty acres of land. He grows here all
kinds of fruit trees suited to California climate, as well as the greatest variety of vines,
and shade and ornamental trees. He has established a very large trade,
extending from Sacramento to Los
Angeles, and in December,
1887, consummated the largest sale of trees ever made in this State, when he
disposed of 36,000 trees to W. M. Williams, of Fresno. Among these were 2,000 orange trees, but the
remainder were principally peach and apricot. During that season he disposed of
over 200,000 trees and about 100,000 vines. From the nurseries which Mr.
Middlekauf has conducted many notable orchards have been set, among which may
be mentioned the following: that of Eaton & Walsh, 8,000 trees; Campo Dinco
& Co. (San Joaquin bridge), 15,000 trees; Carr & Co. (Woodbridge),
12,000 trees; Frank P. Madden (Burson) 100 acres, 16,000, among them 500 orange
trees; Dr. Meseroll (five miles east of Stockton), twenty-five acres in trees
and vines; M. Peters, twenty acres; S. Sanguinetti, eighty acres; the Curtis
place (one mile north of Stockton), sixty acres; and many others too numerous
to mention here. In every instance the owners of these places speak in the
highest terms of the progress made by their trees and vines, and the results
produced from them.
His interests in the nursery line, it will
be thus seen, are very extensive, yet Mr. Middlekauf, who is a mechanical
genius, has made an equal success in the line of invention. His cork-puller and
his self-acting carriage and farm gate, are both of great merit and valuable
inventions, and business men have applied for part interests in them. He has
invented a churn by which one makes butter in a minute and a half regardless of
temperature.
Mr. Middlekauf is a member of Truth Lodge,
No. 55, I. O. O. F., of Stockton.
He is an indomitable worker, and has made an enviable reputation for fair
dealing and business energy.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
An Illustrated History of San Joaquin County,
California, Pages 348-349. Lewis Pub.
Co. Chicago, Illinois 1890.
© 2009 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
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