San
Joaquin County
Biographies
WILLIAM J. RHOADS
Among the recognized and successful
leaders in the realty field of Stockton, William J. Rhoads, of 15 North
California Street, is eminent. A native
of the great Prairie State, he was born in Pekin, Illinois, on November 16,
1850, and as a youth started in railroading with the Pekin, Lincoln &
Decatur Railroad, now known as the Illinois Central. He was fireman, and then worked his way to be
both locomotive engineer and a master of transportation. In 1874 he made a trip to California, and
passed through Stockton on going south, and he worked on the construction of
the San Fernando Tunnel of the Southern Pacific Railroad, under Frank Freitas, general superintendent when 4,000 white men, and
10,000 Chinamen, were employed on the great work.
Returning to Pekin, Illinois, he
continued railroading, and later entered the Internal Revenue Department of the
United States under President Harrison, in 1892, he resigned and came to
California. He intended to locate at
Fresno, but on revisiting Stockton, viewing the waterfront and seeing the heavy
shipments of grain and the activity of the place, he perceived that Stockton
was destined, in time, to be a large city.
He therefore settled here, and here has ever since had his shoulder to
the wheel.
With Oullahan
& Adams, he entered the real estate and brokerage business at 108 East Main
Street, and after a year with that well-established firm, he set up in business
for himself at the corner of Market and San Joaquin streets. He next occupied the basement under the Stockton
Savings Bank, and at one time William Dudley was his partner. Later, he occupied a store on North Hunter
Street. Some fourteen years ago, he
moved to the corner of California and Main streets, and then he came to his
present place in the same block, at 15 North California Street, where some of
the notable deals in the history of Stockton real estate have been
consummated. For a number of years, and
up to death of Mrs. Maria Hubbard, he was agent of the M. S. Hubbard
estate. He specializes in country
property, nor could anyone be found whose knowledge and word
are of more value, in the matter of advice, to the would-be purchaser.
In 1896, Mr. Rhoads made the first
subdivision in San Joaquin County, the John Caine Ranch of 160 acres located
one and one-half miles east of Manteca; and having bought the property for $8
per acre; it was put on the market at $25 --$5 in cash down, and $5 per year,
until the balance was paid. Since that
time, Mr. Rhoads has sold land in that same tract at $500 per acre. A few years ago, he also sold, by
subdivision, the Sharp Tract of 450 acres east of French Camp, which he offered
in five to twenty acre pieces; and all of this tract
he disposed of, save 100 acres including the old home site, which he retained
and he made his home for eighteen years and then sold. This ranch was known as the Hedgeside Dairy Ranch.
When Mr. Rhoads married, he chose
for his wife, Miss Minnie O’Finley, a native of Union
County, Illinois, and the daughter of the popular sheriff of that county, who
had held that office for twenty-five years, and at one time also county clerk,
and prominent generally in political life.
Two sons have blessed the union:
Samuel is with the California Corrugated Iron and Concrete Company of
Oakland, and William is in the oil business.
There are three grandchildren.
Mr. Rhoads is a Mason, and belongs to San Joaquin Lodge No. 19 F. &
A. M., Stockton Chapter, No. 28 R. A. M., Stockton Commandery, No. 8 K. T. and
Aahmes Temple A. A. O. N. M. S. of Oakland.
He was made a Scottish Rite Mason April 26, 1887 in Peoria and holds
membership with the Peoria Consistory.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page
867. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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