San
Joaquin County
Biographies
JEAN OSPITAL
Possessed of a temperament that
fitted him for the endurance of frontier hardships, Jean Ospital came to
California in 1891 when large opportunities were afforded for the exercise of
his natural talents. Many and varied
have been his experiences in the meantime, but he has surmounted them all and
has become recognized as one of the prosperous citizens in San Joaquin County,
where he has resided for almost a quarter of a century. He was born at Bigorre,
Basses-Pyrenees, France, November 27, 1869, on the ranch of his father, Pierre
Ospital. Jean attended public school
near his home and at an early age helped his father in the stock business,
among his earliest recollections being herding sheep, thus learning by practical
experience the lessons that were to prove of inestimable value in later
years. He was also employed on
neighboring ranches, receiving as compensation for his work, sixty dollars per
year. In 1891 he left home for America,
and on arriving in California, the first year was spent in sheep herding near
Huron, California, then for the next six years he herded sheep in the vicinity
of Los Banos; following this he removed to the Wheeler ranch near Bellota and
soon thereafter was hired by Mr. Prather as foreman, remaining over seven
years. Meantime he had saved sufficient
money to start into business for himself and with three partners owned 1500
sheep which they grazed on leased land.
Sixteen years ago the partnership was dissolved and Mr. Ospital started
with 1,000 sheep and has made such splendid success that he is one of the best
known sheep men in California.
On October 19, 1907, in Stockton,
Mr. Ospital was married to Miss Fannie St. Julian, a native of Navarro, Spain,
but reared in Basses-Pyrenees, France.
She accompanied some friends to San Francisco about twenty years
ago. Mr. and Mrs. Ospital are the
parents of five children: Josephine;
Peter; John; Julia; and Madalaine. Mr. Ospital owns a fine residence in Tuxedo
Park, Stockton, but makes his headquarters on his ranch, known as the Old
Conrad place, twenty miles east of Stockton on the San Andreas, Bellota and
Linden Highway.
Transcribed by V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page
1490. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2012 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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