San Joaquin County
Biographies
JOSEPH SPENKER
JOSEPH SPENKER was born March
29, 1834, in Dargun, Mecklenburg-Schwerin,
Germany, his parents being Maria (Druse) and Joseph Spenker. The father, and also the grandparents of the
subject were farmers. The father came to America in 1861 and located at Toledo,
Ohio. In 1864 he went to Tennessee, and engaged in the employ of the Government
as bridge and breastworks builder: while there he was killed, at the age of
sixty-four. The mother died in her home in Germany in 1860, aged fifty-two. In
the family there were nine children, five boys and four girls, six of whom are
living.
Joseph, the subject of this sketch, was raised on a farm, as was his father before him. He came to America in 1854, landing in New York, remained there three days, then spent a few years in traveling, settling at last in Stephenson County, Illinois; from there he started for California in 1859, crossing the plains with ox teams, starting April 15, and landing at Murphy’s Camp, September 16, same year. He traded his horse for a mining claim, but soon found out that he had been slightly taken in. Accordingly he started for Stockton on foot, but obtained a ride to Stockton: passage money one dollar. For the following five years he worked for Thomas Yolland by the month, at $20 per month; at the end of the first three months his wages were increased, however. During those five years he purchased land as follows: southwest quarter of section 32, 3 north, 6 east, for which he paid $750, and which he still owns. In the fall of 1864, he had accumulated sufficient means to go to farming for himself, and has been a constant resident and farmer of that section since that time. He purchased his present home in 1873, containing 320 acres in Elkhorn Township; he also owns the north half of section 33, township 4 north, range 6 east. He owns 240 acres in Stanislaus County.
Mr. Spenker was
married in July 26, 1870, to Miss Anna Schliemann, a native of Holstein,
Germany, born March 24, 1847. They have two children, a boy and a girl--Otto
and Jessie, both at home. Mr. Spenker came to
California with no money, but has earned for himself by industry and economy a
good share of this world’s comforts. He is a member of Woodbridge Grange, No.
84. He has two brothers in Stanislaus County,--John and Fred, and a sister,
Mrs. Elizabeth Hansen, who is also a resident of said county.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
An Illustrated History of San Joaquin County,
California, Pages 411-412. 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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