San
Joaquin County
Biographies
JESSE C. SADDLEMIRE
The student of history cannot carry
his investigations far into the annals of central California and San Joaquin
County without learning of the close connection of the Saddlemire family with the
development of agriculture. A worthy
representative of this family is Jesse C. Saddlemire, a prominent rancher and
stockman. He was born on his father’s
ranch on January 8 1880, and was schooled in the Willow district school, which
since 1905 has been known as the Tracy school.
Rufus Saddlemire, his father, was born in Schenectady, New York, in
1832, and was the recipient of a good education, at the same time learning the
hard work of a farm life before starting west.
Leaving New York on a sailing vessel, the party came around Cape Horn
and reached San Francisco early in 1850.
Leaving soon thereafter for the mines, Mr. Saddlemire located at Chinese
Camp, and was at the town of Sonora for a short time; and for nearly two years
he prospected and mined for the yellow metal.
He profitably spent the early part of 1852 in San Mateo County, on a
vegetable ranch, marketing his product in San Francisco. In the late fall of 1852, he removed to San Joaquin
County and settled on a ranch. The
country was then infested with wild beasts of forest and canyon, which were a
menace and hindrance to the early settlers.
There was also much trouble with the Indians and Mexican’s; but the true
pioneer spirit of Rufus Saddlemire conquered all obstacles, and he settled on
160 acres of choice bottom land, eighty acres of which is still in the
family. The patent deed to the 160 acres
received from the government is a cherished possession of the son. Rufus Saddlemire served as a deputy sheriff
of the county under Tom Cunningham during the nineties. He married Miss Helen Beverly, a native of
California, who passed away at the family home on January 11, 1893. During the month of April, 1921, a disastrous
fire occurred, destroying the old residence, which contained records and books,
together with many valuable heirlooms, the collection of a lifetime. The lumber of this house was brought overland
by wagon from San Francisco. The house
had stood all through the years, a comfortable and well-preserved home.
Two sons were born to Mr. and Mrs.
Rufus Saddlemire: Jesse C., of this
review, and George R., who is married and resides in San Francisco. Jesse C. Saddlemire and his father have
farmed together for years, and have witnessed the remarkable growth being now
within a stone’s throw of the city limits of Tracy. Rufus Saddlemire is now past ninety years of
age, and seventy years of his life have been spent on his ranch at Tracy, where
he enjoys the esteem of the entire community.
He and his son, Jesse C. Saddlemire, have always been loyal supporters
of the great irrigation project that has made Tracy and the surrounding country
what it is today, a community with inviting homes and great business
opportunities. Jesse C. Saddlemire was married
on July 15, 1922, to Mrs. Martha E. Newman, a daughter of Charles W. and
Caroline Layman Bartels, both born and reared in Germany, whence they brought
their family, consisting of Mrs. Saddlemire, then only two years old, and an
older brother, Albert, who died and was buried at sea.
Transcribed by V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page
1494. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2012 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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