San Joaquin County
Biographies
BORCHERT H. VON
GLAHN
Known throughout San Joaquin County,
not only for his successful participation in practical agriculture, but also
for his untiring efforts in the support of all worthy movements for the
development and prosperity of the county, B. H. von Glahn, a native son of
Stockton, California, born August 14, 1859, resides in the Van Allen School
District, nineteen miles southeast of Stockton on a portion of his father’s
ranch, originally taken up as government land in the ‘50s. He is the eldest son of Christopher von
Glahn, one of the earliest settlers of Stockton and a pioneer farmer of the Van
Allen district. Christopher von Glahn
arrived in California in 1855, with his wife and daughter, coming from New York
City via the Isthmus of Panama, and from San Francisco they proceeded directly
to Stockton, where they resided until 1859.
In that year they settled on the ranch, on the French Camp Road near
Atlanta, which has ever since been the family home. Here Christopher von Glahn took up Government
land, being among the first settlers to arrive for permanent residence in this
vicinity. He was a hard worker and an
able manager, and at his death he left an estate of 640 acres with all its
valuable improvements, one of the landmarks in southern San Joaquin
County. Christopher von Glahn was born
near Bremerhaven, Germany, September 26, 1824, being the son of Frederick W.
and Anna von Glahn, also natives of Germany.
He was reared to young manhood and was equipped with a fair education
before leaving his native land. He was
twenty years old when in 1844 he immigrated to America. He embarked on a sailing vessel at
Bremerhaven, and was sixty days in getting to New York City, where he was
engaged in the grocery business until he set out for California in 1855. He was married in New York City in May, 1852,
to Miss Catherine Boschen, who was born July 2, 1827,
also near Bremerhaven, being the daughter of Henry and Katherine (Muhler) Boschen, both natives of
Germany. Mrs. von Glahn had immigrated
to America in 1848 and she and her husband had a happy married life extending
over more than forty years. Seven
children were born to them: William
Henry died in infancy; Catharine M. resides in Stockton; Anna C. is the wife of
Anderson Allen, a biographical mention of whom may be found elsewhere in this
volume; Borchert Hinrich,
the subject of this sketch, Frederick William is a prosperous rancher in the
Van Allen District; Henrietta R is Mrs. J. R. Hitchcock, resides at San
Francisco; Rev. Christopher H. von Glahn, D. D., is pastor of the Methodist
Episcopal Church at Paterson, New Jersey.
Christopher von Glahn took much interest in the progress and welfare of
his community and served for several years as a trustee of the Van Allen School
District, and for a portion of the time was clerk of the board. He was Republican in politics and a member of
the Atlanta Methodist Church, where for several years he served as
steward. On February 16, 1896, he
surrendered the duties of life and passed on to his reward at the age of
seventy-two years, his wife surviving him until 1911.
Borchert
H. von Glahn received a good education in the Van Allen district school, and
has been in contact with the practical affairs of life since an early age. His marriage occurred on Christmas Eve, 1884,
and united him with Miss Georgie M. Farrow, a native
of Maine, a daughter of George Farrow, who lost his life in the Civil War; her
mother, whose maiden name was Delilah Sherman, passed away at Lathrop,
California, in January, 1892. Six
children have blessed the home of Mr. and Mrs. von Glahn: E. Gertrude, a graduate of the San Jose
Normal School, followed the profession of teacher five years and is now the
wife of C. A. Moore, residing at Modesto; Lila C. is Mrs. A. F. Landon and
resides in the Van Allen district; Anna L., a graduate of the College of the
Pacific and a post-graduate of Stanford University, is now the wife of G. A.
Cowan, city editor of the Chico Enterprise; Delmar resides in Stockton; George
F. is at home and assists in the operation of the ranch; while Genevieve is a
stenographer in the office of Levinsky and Jones,
attorneys-at-law, Stockton, California.
Soon after the death of Christopher von Glahn his estate was divided
among his children and B. H. received 106 acres as his share and on this ranch
he makes his home. He has been very
successful in his farming pursuits and in 1909 he erected a comfortable and
commodious residence and his orchard of apricots and peaches and his vineyard
of Tokay grapes reward him for his labor in large profits. Mr. von Glahn has served for a number of
years as trustee of the Van Allen School District and in politics he is a
Republican. His sons, Delmar and George
F. are members of Stockton Parlor, N. S. G. W.
Mr. von Glahn has been an active member of the Methodist Episcopal
church since he was eighteen years old and for more than twenty years held of
the office of superintendent of Sunday School in that church at various places,
namely: Atlanta, Oakdale, Lone Tree, and
Escalon, being at present a trustee and an active member of the church at
Escalon. As was his father before him,
he is public-spirited in all matters of local interest, and during his long
residence in the county has made himself a factor for progress and advancement
in all lines.
Transcribed by V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page
1557. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2012 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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