San Joaquin County Biographies


This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm
JOHN BECHTHOLD.
 
        An enterprising and successful vineyardist who thoroughly understands 
what he is about, is John Bechthold, who was born in Russia on October 13, 1871, 
the son of Henry and Charlotte Bechthold, the former a farmer who came to 
America when John Bechthold was four years old, and settled near Menno, 
Hutchinson County, S. D., where he proved up on three quarter sections of 
government land�preemption, homestead and tree claim. This farm was sixteen 
miles from Menno, and there the father built a home, and as it was decidedly out 
on the frontier, his children had small chance for an education, though they 
received the best possible home training and comforts. Mr. Bechthold was one of 
twelve children: Henry, George (now deceased), Caroline, Lottie, Elizabeth, 
John, David (also deceased), Abraham, Mary, Katherine, Louisa and Christian, a 
half-brother.
        Mr. Bechthold stayed with his parents until twenty-one years of age, and 
then worked out on farms for wages, for a year. On February 7, 1893, near Menno, 
he was married to Elizabeth Baumbach, who was born near Krom, Russia, in the 
vicinity of Mr. Bechthold's birthplace. Her parents were George and Charlotte 
(Delck) Baumbach, and her father was a farmer. She was brought to America when 
she was one and one-half years old, and grew up in South Dakota, three and 
one-half miles from the Bechtholds, in Hutchinson Co. Her father also took up a 
homestead and preemption claim. There were eight children in his family. Conrad 
and Elizabeth were born in Russia; and Lena, George, Jack, Lydia, Katherine and 
David were born in the United States.
        After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Bechthold rented a quarter-section 
and later a half-section of grain land for farming; and they lived and farmed in 
South Dakota for about twelve years. During this time, Mr. Bechthold also bought 
eighty acres of land. During the second year of his residence in California, he 
sold these eighty acres in South Dakota. In 1904, he came to California and 
settled in San Joaquin County, near the junction of the traction line, one mile 
east of the junction station; and he bought ten acres of vineyard, where he 
built a home and lived for thirteen years. In 1917, he sold this and bought 
eighty acres of open farm land, where he now has a small acreage in alfalfa, and 
a small dairy. This farm is about five miles north and one mile east of Lodi; 
and there he has set out some forty-five acres to vineyard, making a specialty 
of Tokay, Zinfandel and Cornichon grapes. He has already sunk two wells, and 
will soon sink a third, and he has four inch pumps, with gas power, for 
irrigation. All the farm buildings, as well as his home, are the result of his 
own efforts. He has nine living children, all at home: George, Henry, Eli, 
Bertha, Otto, Esther, Bernice, Alvin and John, Jr.
 
History of San Joaquin County, California � Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 
1923
p   1115       
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler.