San
Joaquin County
Biographies
MRS. REBECCA OHM
One of the few survivors of the
early day settlers of San Joaquin County, Mrs. Rebecca Ohm has borne an
important part in its development.
Although advanced in years, she has maintained her association with the
progressive, alert, and constructive element of the locality where she has
resided since 1867. With the exception
of three years passed in San Francisco, Mrs. Ohm has continuously resided on
the home place located about ten miles south of Banta. She is a native of Bremen, German, born on
January 14, 1846, her parents being German and Rebecca (Segelkin)
Von Bremen, who were also natives of Germany.
Mrs. Ohm was reared in her native country, where she remained until her
twentieth year, when with a brother and two sisters she came to the United
States, sailing from Bremen to New York City, and then via the Isthmus of
Panama she made her way to San Francisco, California, the trip covering a
period of six weeks.
The first marriage of Miss Von
Bremen occurred on February 12, 1869, and united her with William Riecks, a
native of Hanover, Germany, and to them was born three children: William H., the sheriff of San Joaquin
County; Herman A. and Carl F. In 1868 William
Riecks, who was born at Kiel, Germany, settled upon the ranch upon which our
subject now resides and was one of the early residents of the
neighborhood. He had come to California
in boyhood, crossing the plains in 1856.
He first engaged in agricultural pursuits in the Livermore district, and
subsequently settled in San Joaquin County.
He passed away on June 9, 1879, and was numbered among the worthy
pioneers who took advantage of the natural resources of the state and who in
carrying forward his own business interests also promoted the general
prosperity and welfare of this portion of California. On August 14, 1881, Mrs. Riecks became the
wife of Thomas Ohm, a native of Holstein, Germany, where he was born December
29, 1842. He came to California in 1866
by way of the Isthmus route, and settled in San Joaquin County in 1868. In 1881, following his marriage, he settled
upon the farm now occupied by his widow, and continued there until his death on
July 19, 1886. Besides being an
extensive grain farmer, for many years he was engaged in the general
merchandise business as a member of the firm of L. Borach
& Company at Banta, California. He
was a public-spirited citizen and was widely known in his locality, because of
his devotion to the general good. He
favored all measures for the promotion of the social, material, intellectual
and moral welfare of his community, and he held membership in the Lutheran
Church. Mrs. Ohm is also a member of
that church and is among the representative pioneer women of her district in
San Joaquin County. She has made many
friends, and her own home in the New Jerusalem School District has always been
noted for cordial hospitality. Mrs. Ohm
has seen many changes during the long period of her residence in California and
has watched the development of San Joaquin County as it has emerged from
pioneer conditions to become a factor in the progress and prosperity of the state. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Ohm:
Henry Thomas, who operates the home place; Bertha M., and Antonia. A.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Pages
975-976. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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