San
Joaquin County
Biographies
JAMES A. PIERCE
Among the excellent ranch properties
four and a half miles northeast of Acampo, San Joaquin County,
is one that is owned and cultivated by James A. Pierce, who has made his home
in this section for the past thirty-seven years. A native Californian, he was born at
Pleasanton, Alameda County, on September 17, 1871, a son of David and Rose
(Monahan) Pierce, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of
Ireland. During the year of 1853, David
Pierce came to California and went into the mines at Hangtown, remaining there
until he removed to Modesto, where he engaged in the hotel business for a few years. He later removed to Alameda County and there
remained until his death at the age of sixty-seven. Mrs. Pierce passed away at the age of
sixty-four.
James A. Pierce obtained his education
in the district schools of Alameda and Sacramento counties and when seventeen
years of age began working as a farm hand in the orchards of San Joaquin County
and by his hard work and economical habits saved enough money to purchase a
fifteen-acre orchard and vineyard, which he has operated ever since.
Mr. Pierce’s marriage occurred on
June 7, 1905, and united him with Miss Mary McTucker, also a native Californian,
born in the Elliott district of San Joaquin County, a daughter of Nathaniel and
Ione (Watson) McTucker. Her father,
Nathaniel McTucker, made his first trip across the plain in 1848, bringing with
him cattle and horses, and he was the first importer of fine horses to the
Pacific Coast. On his last trip to
Illinois he was married to Miss Ione Watson, at Berry, Pike County, and came
back to California via Panama, settling in the Elliott district
of San Joaquin County. Her father passed
away at the age of sixty-seven; her mother still lives at the age of
eighty-seven and is one of the few pioneers of that locality. They were the parents of six children, Mr. Pierce
being the youngest child. Mr. and Mrs.
Pierce are the parents of two children:
James Francis and Mary Alberta.
Politically Mr. Pierce gives his support to progressive, constructive
legislation, regardless of party lines, supporting the best man for public
office. Fraternally he is a member of
the Knights of Pythias of Lodi.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page
1087. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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