San Joaquin County Biographies

Ref: Page 1299-1300

Transcribed by: Linda Diane Jackson 2/19/2010

ADOLPH JOHNSON

An active factor in the upbuilding of the city of Stockton and its environs, particularly as a subdivision specialist, and having an intimate knowledge of the real estate and investment fields of Central California, Adolph Johnson is well qualified to rank as a leader in investment circles. His thorough training in the dairy business has also made him an authority in this field, especially in the selection of dairy herds, his reputation having been gained through his practical experience. Maintaining an office at 44 South San Joaquin Street, Mr. Johnson does a general real estate, investment and insurance business, paying particular attention to the subdivision of suburban home property.

A native of Iowa, Mr. Johnson was born at Emmetsburg, Iowa, June 27, 1881, and was reared on the home farm there, attending the country schools. Coming to California in 1901, he located at Fresno, where he worked for Mr. Simon Easthouse, whom he had known in the East, and who had large dairy and stock interests in Fresno County; for three years he remained here, becoming familiar with all the details of the dairy business. Ambitious to progress in the world, however, Mr. Johnson saved his money and in 1904 came to Stockton where he took a course in the Stockton Business College. Later he secured a teacher's certificate and for eight years taught school in San Joaquin County, and during this period spent in the rural districts he became interested in farming and land buying.

In 1917 Mr. Johnson entered the real estate business in Stockton and since that time he has met with unqualified success, selling many attractive home sites, improved and unimproved properties, and other fine holdings. Among his profitable transactions have been a number of dairy farms which he has built up and sold at splendid advances. One, a thirty-acre farm east of Stockton on the Linden Road, he improved and sold for $13,000. On a tract of sixty-five acres of bare land on the Calaveras River he planted twenty acres of alfalfa, installed a fine pumping plant, built a $9,000 dairy barn, stocked it with forty-five Holstein cows and sold it for $40,000 in April, 1920. This is one of the best-equipped dairy farms in the county, and has since been sold for $52,000. Mr. Johnson is a member of the Milk Producers' Association of Central California, and is considered one of the best judges of dairy cows in this part of the state, and his expert knowledge is eagerly sought by farmers who plan to establish dairies; in fact, Mr. Johnson has bought a number of dairy herds for prospective dairy farmers, who knew they could place full confidence in his judgment.

Mr. Johnson has been very active in the subdivision of city and suburban property as follows: In 1917 he put on the market City Park Terrace, surrounding Victory Park, Stockton. This consisted of 100 acres, costing $75,000, which he divided into 600 lots, all of the property being sold on easy terms and many homes have been erected there. Bungalow Park, a tract of twenty acres north of the Grunsky school, is built up with 120 homes. Lakeside Terrace property also met with quick response, sixty-eight lots being sold in less than sixty days. He has also put the following suburban property on the market: City Farms, on Cherokee Lane, forty acres divided into quarter-acre lots and sold to working men; sixty acres on the traction line on Cherokee Lane; a subdivision east of Stockton on the Linden Road divided into five and ten-acre farms; Sunny Slope Farms, 100 acres on the traction line subdivided into small farms; twenty acres on the Linden Road, called the Johnson Garden Farms. Thus Mr. Johnson has been active in attracting to this section hundreds of new settlers and adding to Stockton's reputation as a city of homes. Recognized as one of Stockton's most progressive citizens, he was one of the committee that engineered the bond issue for the building of the new city hall and municipal auditorium.

Mr. Johnson was united in marriage at Stockton May 22, 1907, to Miss Cleva Bacon, a daughter of Bedford Bacon, who for more than forty years has been a resident of San Joaquin County. Two children have come to bless their home: Robert Bacon and Alice May. Mr. Johnson is a member of the Masons and the Stockton Ad Club.

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