Yolo County
Biographies
JOHN BEMMERLY
John
Bemmerly, who closed his eyes to earthly scenes on the 8th of
August, 1872, was a man of strong character, earnest purpose and great energy,
his industry and good judgment in practical things enabling him to acquire one
of the leading estates in the Sacramento Valley. He was equally prominent as a public-spirited
citizen, who commanded the highest degree of respect and esteem of his
fellowmen. Mr. Bemmerly was born in
Wurttemberg, Germany, on the 24th of February, 1824, and was
educated in the public schools of his home neighborhood. In 1847, at the age of twenty-three years, he
immigrated to America and located in New York state,
where he worked as a farm hand. In 1849
he joined the gold rush to California and for a time worked in the gold
mines. In 1851 he squatted on one
thousand acres of land in Yolo County, which had been purchased from the United
States government and was located about three and one-half miles north of
Yolo. This was a portion of the Knights
grant and Mr. Bemmerly took an active and effective part in assisting his
neighbors to fight the claims of the Knights heirs to the lands then occupied
by the settlers. In this fight the
latter was successful, thus perfecting their title to the land in
question. The home ranch was originally
one thousand acres and is still in possession of the Bemmerly family. Mr. Bemmerly also became the owner of a sheep
ranch of three thousand six hundred acres near Dunnigan and at the time of his
death was one of the largest sheep owners in the country.
On
October 14, 1860, Mr. Bemmerly was united in marriage to Miss Agnes Wimmer, who
was born in Baden, Germany, February 3, 1833.
She immigrated to the United States in 1854 and made her home in New
York until coming west. The death of her
husband left her with four small children and another one was born soon afterward,
so that she reared and educated five children.
From the first she demonstrated her superior business ability and in a
few years she was able to pay off all the indebtedness on the property and to
increase the Dunnigan tract to four thousand acres. In 1897 she turned this property over to her
children, keeping in her own name the home ranch. This she handled so wisely and judiciously
that she was able to increase her holdings to three thousand acres. Her death, which occurred in 1913, was the occasion
of deep regret among her acquaintances, for she possessed to a marked degree
the character and the charm of manner which make for friendships and esteem.
Mr.
and Mrs. Bemmerly were the parents of five children, three sons and two
daughters. John F., who died in 1906,
married Amelia Weber and had one daughter, Emily, now the mother of two
children, Elizabeth Mary Abele and Frederick Bemmerly. William J., who died in 1928, married a Miss
Davis and had one daughter, Beatrice.
Ernest, whose death occurred November 23, 1929, married Miss May West
and had one daughter, Margaret. Mary and
Agnes H. Bemmerly, the daughters of Mr. and Mrs. John Bemmerly, were closely
associated with their mother in the management of the extensive ranch holdings,
and at the death of the mother they took full charge of the estate. They inherited from her the distinctive
business ability which characterizes them and have been very successful in
supervising the estate. They are members
of the Roman Catholic Church at Woodland and are generous givers to all worthy
benevolent and charitable causes, as well as to such local measures as are
calculated to promote the civic welfare.
John
Bemmerly was a staunch Republican in his political
views and took a keen interest in public affairs. His religious connection was with the German
Lutheran Church. He was a man of kindly
and unaffected manner, was consistent and dependable in all the relations of
life and commanded the confidence of his fellowmen.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
Wooldridge, J.W.Major History of Sacramento Valley
California, Vol. 2 Pages 353-354. Pioneer Historical
Publishing Co. Chicago 1931.
© 2010 Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's Yolo
County Biographies