San
Joaquin County
Biographies
JOHN A. RATHJEN
Among the agriculturists of San
Joaquin County John A. Rathjen has made a fine business and industrial record
at Tracy. He is engaged in general
farming, but makes a specialty of the raising of barley and wheat. He annually harvests fine crops and has
become one of the foremost representatives of the grain-raising industry in
this section of the state. He was born
on the John Rathjen ranch May 24, 1884, his father being the venerable pioneer
who settled in San Joaquin County in 1872, and whose life history likewise
appears below, on this page.
John A. Rathjen received a good
public school education in the Banta district school, finishing in 1901. Inheriting the traits of industry and thrift
from his forebears, he worked at home and on neighboring ranches on combined
harvesters and at ranch work, when a mere lad, working many seasons for Hans
Christian Lorenzen on his river ranch. He is the eldest son in a family of six
children and naturally his father looked to him to assist in the management of
the home ranch, the birthplace of all the children. Since the death of his father on June 14,
1919, he has resided on the home place with his mother and been the active
manager of the extensive grain farm, consisting of 320 acres devoted entirely,
at the present time, to the raising of barley and wheat. Mr. Rathjen is a strong advocate of
irrigation and is, at the present time, assisting in the establishment of an
irrigation district that will transform the Rathjen acres, so that other crops
can be planted. Mr. Rathjen is a staunch
Republican in politics, and has favored all worthy institutions and causes,
being especially loyal to the public school system and the cause of
irrigation. Having spent his entire life
in this locality he is well known and has many friends.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page
975. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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