San
Joaquin County
Biographies
JOHN NICHOLAS SOUTHREY
An old settler who is also a veteran
of the Civil War is John N. Southrey, who was born in London, England, a son of
William and Frances (Floyd) Southrey, natives of Aylesbury, England, who migrated to Quebec, where William
Southrey was a letter press printer.
Later they came on to St. Louis, Missouri, afterwards locating in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and he followed his trade until the Civil War, 1861,
when he enlisted in the Seventy-third Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, serving
for about two years, when he was honorably discharged on account of physical
disability. He and his wife spent their
last days in Stockton in the home of our subject.
John Nicholas was the third oldest
of eleven children and was reared in London until sixteen years of age, having
the advantages of excellent public schools.
In 1852 he came to Quebec, where he learned the carpenter’s trade. Later he followed that trade in St. Louis and
then in Philadelphia. In 1861 he
enlisted in Company A, Third Pennsylvania Cavalry as
bugler of his company. He was a musician
and played both piano and violin. He was
wounded in the battle of Williamsburg and was captured by the rebels at that
battle and sent to Libby Prison in 1862, and thirty days later was paroled and
he returned home. He remained at home,
and having never been exchanged could not go back into the army, for he would
not break his parole. He was finally
discharged in Philadelphia, working at his trade until 1868, when he came to
Stockton, engaging in contracting and building.
Mr. Southrey was married in
Stockton, August 6, 1871, to Miss Mary Elizabeth Hammond, born on the Waterloo
Road near Stockton, a daughter of Alden and Elizabeth (Gorham) Hammond, born in
Newport, Rhode Island, and Nantucket, respectively. In 1849 Mr. Hammond came to California and
here he prospered. He resided on his
ranch until his death, January 4, 1923, eighty-eight years old, his wife having
passed away August 6, 1910. Mrs.
Southrey is the oldest of their family of five children, four of whom are
living.
Mr. and Mrs. Southrey resided in
Stockton until 1874, when he purchased his present place on the Linden Road,
about one-fourth mile out of Stockton.
This place he has improved with a vineyard and cherry orchard. He has been a close student of fruit growing
and is well posted in horticulture, serving for many years as president of the
county board of horticulture, performing that duty ably and well, without a
cent of remuneration until it was placed on a salary. He has been greatly interested in the cause
of education and served acceptably as trustee of Fair Oaks School District many
years. Mr. and Mrs. Southrey have been
blessed with two children: Mary Ellen is
Mrs. Durand of Searchlight, Nevada; Florence died at the age of thirty-six
years on November 29, 1921, a sad blow to the family. Mr. Southrey is a member of Morning Star
Lodge of Masons, and while in Philadelphia was a member of the Odd
Fellows. He is a member of Rawlins Post
No. 23, G. A. R. Politically he has
always been an ardent Republican.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page
728. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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