San Joaquin County
Biographies
WILLIAM GEORGE WHEATON
WILLIAM GEORGE WHEATON, a
rancher of this county, residing in Stockton, was born in Honiton, Devonshire,
England, June 29, 1840, a son of William and Emma (Du Chemin) Wheaton, natives
of that shire. The mother, born in 1812, is living in Exeter, England, in 1890;
the father, left an orphan at the age of eight, became a man of some local
prominence as a merchant and contractor, and lived to be over seventy, dying in
England about 1883. Grandfather George Du Chemin was born in London, the son,
as is believed, of a French emigrant of the revolutionary period, lived to be
over eighty; his wife, by birth a Miss Wilcox, died at the age of fifty.
The subject of this sketch received a
fairly good education, and was employed by his father as a clerk from the close
of his school days until about a year after his marriage. W. George Wheaton was
married in East Teynmouth, August 30, 1869, to Miss Julia Whitmarsh, born in
Exeter, March 27, 1842, a daughter of Thomas Webb and Louise (Du Chemin)
Whitmarsh, a cousin. In 1870 Mr. Wheaton engaged with a partner in silk
manufacture at Chard, Somerset, under the style of Payne & Wheaton, and
about three years later sold his interest to Mr. Payne. He then embarked in a
business venture in Honiton, which proved short-lived and unprofitable, and on
November 30, 1875, he left Bristol with his wife and children on the steamer
Somerset, for New York city. On their arrival they took train for Stockton,
reaching this city December 22, 1875, and settled in their present home on
Sutter street, between First and Second streets, which Mr. Wheaton purchased
the following year. In 1878 he bought 240 acres on the Lone Tree road, in Dent
Township, 160 on the “West Side” in 1882, and 160 near Clements in 1884, all of
which he rents to working farmers. Mrs. Wheaton, a lady of education and of
special talent in music gave lessons in that line, chiefly on the piano, for
twelve years. She died at her home August 16, 1888, leaving two children: Ada
Julia, born in Axminster, Devon, England, June 8, 1870, and Mary Louise
Bentley, born in Perry street, near Chard, Somerset, April 21, 1872, both
educated at home by their devoted mother. The elder sister took charge of her
mothers’ pupils and has continued teaching in that line to the present time.
The younger sister also is a good musician, and both, with their father, are
members of St. John’s Episcopal Church of this city.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
An Illustrated History of San Joaquin County,
California, Pages 645-646. 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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