San Joaquin
County
Biographies
FRANK
REICHMUTH
Among the prosperous and enterprising representatives of the agricultural interests of San Joaquin County is Frank Reichmuth and on his fine
estate on Lincoln Highway in the vicinity of Lathrop he has given ample evidence of his progressive spirit and up-to-date methods. He was born in Canton Schwyz, Switzerland, March 8, 1884, a son of Joseph and Louisa (Stucker) Reichmuth, both natives of Switzerland and both are now deceased.
Frank Reichmuth had the opportunity only for a limited education, not being able to attend school after his tenth birthday. In 1904 he bade farewell to his native land, taking passage from Havre, France, on the S. S. Britannia for New York, the trip covering a period of nine days. His brother, Joseph, had preceded him to this country and is now a well-to-do and prominent dairy farmer of the Salinas Valley. From New York he proceeded to San Francisco, where he worked for two years driving a retail milk wagon; then he established his own retail milk route and within four years had built up a business that required two wagons, which covered the territory as far as South San Francisco. Disposing of his business at a good profit in 1910, he removed to Knightsen and for the following year and a half conducted his first dairy business with a marked degree of success. He then had a splendid opportunity to sell his business, and then located in San Joaquin County on the Oakwood stock farm, nine miles southwest of Stockton, where he was employed as foreman. One year later he purchased a share in the business with Joseph Fassler, and in 1916 they had a herd of 300 mulch cows and 450 head of other stock, and the partnership continued until 1918, when Mr. Reichmuth conducted the ranch on his own account, and in 1921 he purchased 170 acres of the original Oakwood stock farm. The same year he purchased the Thomas Thomsen home place, a landmark of early days, consisting of 205 acres, but he has since disposed of ninety acres of this ranch and the balance is being rapidly developed into vineyard and alfalfa fields. Mr. Reichmuth has spent considerable money in substantial improvements and has developed a splendid irrigation system. A reservoir containing 1,000,000 gallons of water has been constructed, the water being distributed to the land by gravity flow through concrete pipes. In 1912 Mr. Reichmuth visited his native land, and upon returning to the United States spent two months in traveling from state to state, in all visiting twenty-four states. In 1921 Mr. Reichmuth again returned to his native land, and was married to Miss Hilda Gyr, daughter of J. Gyr, a prominent and wealthy merchant of Canton Schwyz. They are the parents of a baby girl, Cleo, born at Lathrop. Mr. Reichmuth is an active member of the Chamber of Commerce at Lathrop and he enjoys the confidence and esteem of his neighbors and friends. He came to America empty-handed, but taking advantage of the splendid opportunities offered he has worked his way steadily upward to prosperity.
Transcribed by V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham,
George H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page 1503. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
©
2012 V. Gerald
Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County Biographies
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