Stanislaus County Archives - California Genealogy

Biography of John T. Davis

John T. Davis (b. November 1830), a successful capitalist based in San Francisco, is known for his extensive investments in farming across California. Originally from Illinois, Davis relocated to Texas in 1852 before settling in California in 1854. He initially farmed in Tulare and Stockton, later acquiring significant tracts of land in Stanislaus, San Joaquin, and Glenn Counties. By 1872, he leased his properties and focused on overseeing his investments. Married to Mary Marion in 1857, they have one daughter, Josephine Eltinge. A dedicated Democrat, Davis has been a notable figure in California’s development from its early days.

Biography of W. H. Osborn of Atwater

1925 History of Merced County - title page

As a dealer in real estate and an active member of the Merced County Republican Central Committee and as justice of the peace of Township No. 8, W. H. Osborn of Atwater has been closely identified with all forward movements for the upbuilding of Merced County and of this section of the San Joaquin Valley. A native son, he was born in San Francisco, on February 12, 1856, the eldest of six children (four living) of Henry Augustus Osborn, a pioneer of 1850 in California. He was born in Oxford, Connecticut, on February 13, 1829, grew up there until he … Read more

Biography of John C. James of Merced County

A retired pioneer of Merced and Stanislaus Counties, John C. James has been identified with the development of the San Joaquin Valley for the past sixty-five years, and in that time he has lived a life full of responsible work for the community at large and developed his own personal resources. He has been a factor for real progress and advancement in all of Central California. Born in Dodgeville, Iowa County, Wisconsin, on November 16, 1840, he was the eleventh child born to his parents, William and Eva James, natives of Cornwall, England, who came to the United States with … Read more

Biography of Elbridge Gerry Rector

A Mexican War veteran and a pioneer of 1849 in California, Elbridge G. Rector first saw the light in Sevier County, Tenn., on February 19, 1816. His father was Kenner Avery Rector, a Virginian, who participated in the War of 1812, and gained the reputation of being the best shot in General Jackson’s army. He married Elizabeth Randall, prominently connected with families of the Old Dominion. The Rector family was transplanted on American soil from German forebears who first went to Scotland, thence to Virginia, where, at the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, Charles Rector, a prosperous planter, accompanied by … Read more

Biography of George Paulsen of Santa Cruz California

History of Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties, California Volume 2 Title Page

George Paulsen, proprietor of the Sunshine Creamery at 17 Walnut avenue, Santa Cruz, was born on a farm in Schleswig-Holstein, Denmark, January 19, 1892. In young manhood he served for a year in the Danish army and then worked in a creamery, the two experiences affording him a practical knowledge of life that has been of value to him ever since. In 1913, or a short time before the outbreak of the World war, Mr. Paulsen crossed the Atlantic to America and soon made his way westward to California. For a short time he was in Watsonville and later was … Read more