San
Joaquin County
Biographies
MRS. FAUSTENA MONTORA ROLERSON
A distinguished resident of Stockton
who enjoys the esteem of all who know her is Mrs. Faustena
Montora Rolerson, who was
born near Belfast, Lincolnville, Maine, on January 5, 1845, the daughter of
Harrison P. and Ruth (Herrick) Taber, natives respectively of Kennebec and New
Brunswick, Maine. Her father was born in
October, 1820, and her mother in March, 1822; he was only nine years old when
he was thrown upon his own resources, the son of a farmer upon a rocky hillside
farm. However, at the age of
twenty-five, he was able to marry, and to well establish himself in New England
agricultural pursuits. Mr. and Mrs.
Taber were blessed with twelve children, eleven of whom attained maturity; and
our subject was the eldest of the number.
She inherits exceptional qualities from her father, who was a man of
resourcefulness, and who gained success to a marked degree before he passed
hence, in 1887, at the age of sixty-seven.
Mrs. Taber lived to be eighty-four and in 1904 made a visit of twelve
months to California and this county.
At Waldo, Maine, in 1868, Miss Taber
was married to Benjamin F. Rolerson, who was born on July 1, 1844, at that
place, and was also reared on the same kind of rocky, hillside farm. At the age of eighteen he enlisted in Company
I, 14th Regiment, Maine Volunteer Infantry, under Captain J. B.
Gardener, signing up on November 27, 1861; and as a soldier in defense of the
Union he served three years of the Civil War, and on January 13, 1865, received
his honorable discharge at Augusta, Maine.
Then he worked at farming, and three years later was married.
In 1875, Mr. Rolerson came out to
California, arriving at Stockton in May; and three years later, Mrs. Rolerson,
who had been visiting her folks in the meanwhile, devotedly followed her
husband to the Golden State. They went
to a farm on Rock Creek, Stanislaus County, and there spent three years; and in
1882, they moved into San Joaquin County and took up their residence on Roberts
Island. They bought a ranch of 350
acres, and started to develop it; but on account of floods and storms during
three seasons, which drowned their crops, they had hard, uphill work. They persevered, however, in Delta
reclamation endeavor, until success came their way, and they operated so
extensively until 1908 that now their names stand out prominently among those
who wrought the great changes there. Mr.
Rolerson died at Stockton on August 1, 1909, shortly after he had sold his
ranch and moved to the city, an honored pioneer, known to be generous to a
fault, and in excellent standing, as a Mason, an Odd Fellow and an Elk. He was also past commander of Rawlins Post,
G. A. R., of Stockton. He was active in
politics; always a staunch Republican, he served on the county committee as a
delegate to conventions. He served as
deputy assessor many years. His religion
was the Golden Rule; and he lived up to it, doing until others as he would be
done by.
Five children were born in the
family; but only four survived their lamented father. Lois is Mrs. L. Ammons, and lives at 731
North Edison Street, Stockton. She has
one daughter, Mrs. Ina Ames of San Francisco, who has one son, Charles
Ames. Elmer C., who won many friends is
deceased and left a daughter, Mrs. Ruth Mead, of Ventura. Edith A. is the widow of Henry Banta, and has
a son, Ralph, of Stockton. Flora M. is
the wife of John Smith, and resides at Geyserville. Berdena married R.
J. Heeney, of Roberts Island, whose life is also
sketched in this volume. Since 1909,
Mrs. Rolerson has resided in Stockton, making her home with her daughter, Mrs.
Ammons, who with herself is much interested in the work of the College of the
Pacific, not long ago removed to Stockton.
Mrs. Ammons has served as treasurer of Circle No. 64, Ladies of the G. A.
R., and both she and her mother take an active part in the work of this
order. Mrs. Rolerson never tires of
doing good, eager alike for the enlightenment of the young and the old.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Pages
979-980. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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