Stanislaus
County
Biographies
JOHN W. TULLOCH
Through almost his entire life John
W. Tulloch has resided in California and is one of the respected and
enterprising citizens of Stanislaus County, where he carries on farming three
miles east of Oakdale. He was brought to
this state in 1852 from his native state of Missouri, his birth having occurred
in Hannibal, on the 23rd of May, 1850. His father, David W. Tulloch, was born in
Albemarle County, Virginia, in 1814, and when a young man emigrated
westward to Missouri, where he was united in marriage to Miss Sarah White, a
daughter of John White, who fought in the War of 1812, participating in the
Battle of New Orleans. He also defended
the rights of his country in the war with Mexico. The paternal grandfather of our subject died
in Missouri, but John White, the maternal grandfather, crossed the plains to
California in 1849, and three years later returned to the Mississippi valley
and brought out to the Pacific coast a party of settlers. This was in the year 1852. Mr. Tulloch’s parents with their family
accompanied Mr. White on the long journey across the plains from Kansas City to
Sacramento. They made the trip with oxen
and were six months upon the way. During
that time Mrs. White, the grandmother of our subject, died of cholera at Green
River and was buried there. Ex-Governor
Bradley, of Nevada, was of the party, as was also Major Lane, who was an uncle
of Mr. Tulloch and the father of Charles D. Lane, who became one of the most
prominent and successful mining men of California.
The parents of our subject first
located at the Fourteen Mile House, on the Stockton and Sonora road, the father
conducting the hotel at that point. A
little later, however, he turned his attention to mining near Sonora, and in
1858 removed with his family to Knight’s Ferry, where he purchased an interest
in the flouring mill, having two partners.
In 1861, however, he sold his interests to his partners, taking a
mortgage upon the property. In 1862 the
mill was washed away by a flood and he was obliged to take the mill-site in
payment. He then rebuilt the mill, in
1863, and continued its operation until 1873, when he removed to Fresno County,
where he engaged in the sheep-raising business.
Subsequently, however, he sold out there, returned to Knight’s Ferry and
in 1883 repurchased the mill, continuing in that business until 1896, at which
time his life’s labors were ended in death.
He was then eighty-two years of age, a man highly respected for his
probity of character, for his ability and for his influence which was ever
exerted in behalf of the right, of progress and of advancement. His fellow townsmen, recognizing his ability,
elected him to the office of supervisor of San Joaquin County, in which
capacity he served for a number of years.
In his business affairs he was very successful and was at one time the
largest tax-payer in his county. His
wife departed this life in 1882. Mrs. Tulloch
was a member of the Presbyterian Church, while Mr. Tulloch was a member of the
Christian Church.
John W. Tulloch, whose name
introduces this review, is the eldest living of the family of five children,
only two of whom are now living. He
enjoyed excellent educational privileges, completing the work of the sophomore
year in the State University of California.
He then turned his attention to the sheep-raising industry, with which
he was connected for a number of years, and later he was extensively and successfully
engaged in farming until 1887, when he was elected the assessor of Stanislaus
County, in which capacity he served so acceptably that he was re-elected,
discharging the duties of that office with promptness and fidelity through a
period of eight years. On retiring from
office he resumed farming and is now the owner of one thousand acres of land,
which he operates in connection with an additional twelve hundred acres which
he leases. He is one of the extensive
wheat-raisers in this portion of the state.
In the period of the early development of California mining was almost
the sole industry of the people, but the rush of emigrants was so great that
all could not profitably engage in the search for gold, and some in consequence
turned their attention to other pursuits.
Thus it was learned what splendid resources California offered to the
agriculturist and horticulturist, its fields and gardens giving an almost
phenomenal yield in return for the care and labor bestowed upon them. Mr. Tulloch is among those who are
successfully following agricultural pursuits, and he is thoroughly conversant
with the best methods of farming and is a man of undaunted industry and
enterprise, as is indicated by the excellent results which attend his
operations.
In 1875 Mr. Tulloch was united in
marriage to Miss Anna Bell Patterson, of San Joaquin County. Their marriage has been blessed with four
children: Earl P. and Charles W., who
are at home; Anna Bell, now a student of the State University; and John W., who
died in 1879, an infant.
Mr. Tulloch became a charter member
of Fresno Lodge, F. & A. M., was honored with election to the office of
master and is now the master of Oakdale Lodge, No. 275, in which he is laboring
earnestly to promote the welfare of the craft.
He also belongs to the Royal Arch Chapter. Throughout his life he has been a staunch
Democrat and is widely known as a man of integrity and uprightness, reliable as
a citizen, straightforward in business life, and faithful in friendship and to
the ties of private life. Since his
second year he has resided in California and feels a just pride in the
advancement and progress of the state.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
“A Volume of Memoirs and Genealogy of Representative Citizens of Northern
California”, Pages 754-756. Chicago Standard Genealogical Publishing Co. 1901.
© 2011
Gerald Iaquinta.