San Joaquin County Biographies
Ref: Page 1364
Transcribed by: Linda Diane Jackson 2/5/2010
PETER HEIL
Prominent among the most successful vineyardists of San Joaquin County is the independent packer, Peter Heil, who is widely and favorably known for his association with the Peppers Fruit Company of Lodi. He was born in Russia, on April 21, 1865, and was reared on a farm. In 1887, when he had attained his twenty-second year, he came across the ocean to the United States, and made his way to the West, at first as far as South Dakota, where he worked on the great Dakota farms. Later, he rented some land, and for four years farmed for himself. Then he removed to Pierce County, N.D., where he took up a homestead of 160 acres; and having built for himself a home, he proved up on this, and cultivated the land. At the end of eight years, when he had added many improvements in buildings, he sold out and prepared to reinvest the proceeds. He decided, however, to come to California; and so it happened that he came out to Lodi, arriving in December, 1905. He saw the old Green Ranch, and taking a fancy to a part of it, he bought twenty-five acres from J.W. Robinson. This was located near Victor, and he at once began to plant a vineyard of Tokay and Zinfandel grapes. He built a new set of buildings, including a fine residence, and installed two pumping plants—one of seven horsepower for the farm, and the other of two horsepower for the house, but these he has replaced with a ten horsepower motor. He put in cement pipes as a part of a first-class irrigation system, and also erected a packing shed. He has since sold off a part of this ranch, but he still has fifteen acres, and there he makes his home. In 1920, he produced twelve tons of Tokay, and seven tons of Zinfandel grapes per acre.
Mr. Heil has also bought and sold other vineyards with profit. Besides the home-ranch, he owns a Tokay vineyard of fifteen acres located one and a half miles south of Victor, which he bought in 1918 for $600 per acre. He installed a fine pumping plant, with cement pipes, and has made it one of the most productive in the county; in 1920 it yielded some sixteen tons to the acre. That year Mr. Heil received $1,000 in cash per acre. The same year, he purchased another vineyard of ten acres nearby, for which he paid $2,000 per acre; and this he has also improved with a good pumping plant and sold at an advance in price, and bought twenty acres, 3½ miles southwest of Victor. In addition to the above property, Mr. Heil owns a house and two lots in Victor, and five lots in Lodi.
In South Dakota, in the year 1890, Mr. Heil was married to Miss Caroline Newhearth, a native of Russia, who came to the United States with her folks when only one year of age. They have had eleven children, only seven of whom are now living. Emanuel and Ella were born in Dakota; and Leodine, Freda, Theodore, Eugene and Regina were born in California. The family attend the German Reformed Church of Lodi.
History of
SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY
CALIFORNIA
With A
Biographical Review
of
The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been
Identified with Its Growth and Development
from the Early Days to the Present
HISTORY BY
George H. Tinkham
HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
1923
San Joaquin County Biographies ~ Archive Biography Index ~ Archive Index
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