San Joaquin County
Biographies
CHARLES ALBERT RICH
CHARLES ALBERT RICH, a
merchant at Lodi, is a native of Winterport, Maine, born October 20, 1853, his
parents being George W. and Ann Rebecca (Camp) Rich; the former, a merchant by
occupation, was a native of Winterport, where he resided and carried on business
up to 1850, when he came to California, which was then the center of a large
immigration. He came via Panama. He spent some of his time in the mines, but
worked at his trade, that of machinist, the greater part of the time. At the
expiration of a year or two he went East, where he remained until 1859, when he
returned to California with his family, locating in San Francisco, and working
at his trade in the Globe foundry, where he remained about two years. In 1861
he located on the Calaveras river three miles north of Linden on what is known
as the Old Camp ranch. The ranch contains 320 acres. He made his home there
until 1867, during which time he did some work in the foundry in Stockton. Mrs.
Rich was a native of Vermont and moved to Bangor, Maine, when quite young; she
was there married to Mr. Rich. She died in 1866 and in 1867 Mr. Rich with
Charles A., his son, went back East, returning to this State in 1878; Mr. Rich
died in San Francisco in 1879.
C. A. Rich, the subject of this sketch, is
the only living member of his family. When quite young he joined his father at
Covington, Kentucky, where the latter was in the machine business and went into
the business with him. While there he also turned his attention to telegraphy.
In 1875 he went to Illinois, and was stationed principally at Beardstown as
telegraph operator for the Rockford, Rock Island & St. Louis Railroad,
remaining in the employ of the company for over a year. On account of the
severe malarial climate, he was compelled to leave there, coming back to
California in the winter of 1877. He located in Stockton and engaged in tending
hay scales, which his grandfather Camp had built in opposition to other
parties. He afterward went into manufacture of soap; the business not proving a
financial success he came to Lodi in 1878. July 20 he organized his general
mercantile business, which he has carried on ever since. He is the oldest
merchant now in business in Lodi. September 15, 1884, he was appointed agent
for Wells-Fargo, but was agent a year before this, having met C. O. Loory, the
former agent, and taken the commission himself. August 1, 1888, he was
appointed agent for the Pacific Postal Telegraph Cable Company, which he has
been running ever since. As a business man Mr. Rich has always assumed a
careful and safe system of conducting his affairs, which has won for him the
confidence of all and established him as a successful business man. He is a
gentleman, kind and courteous to all. In the welfare of Lodi he has always
taken great interest, and in the building up of this little city great pride.
He is a prominent member of the K. of P., and the Odd Fellows, and has held
some of the principal chairs in both lodges.
Mr. Rich was married, October 1, 1879, to
Minnie A. James, daughter of T. J. James; she is a native of California. They
have two children: George Albert and Fred Arthur.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
An Illustrated History of San Joaquin County,
California, Page 577. Lewis Pub. Co.
Chicago, Illinois 1890.
© 2009 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County
Biographies
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County
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