San Joaquin County Biographies


This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


 
JAMES DRACE.
 
        An honored pioneer of San Joaquin County, James Drace passed away at his 
home at San Jose, Cal. August 8, 1918. He was born at St. Joseph, Mo., April 14, 
1834, being a son of James Drace, a pioneer farmer of Missouri who was born 
after the death of his father in Philadelphia. When nineteen years of age, he 
started across the plains to California with ox teams. He did what most of the 
early comers to California did, went first into the mines seeking for gold; then 
he began freighting from Stockton to the mines driving an eighteen-mule team 
over the rough mountain roads. He followed this occupation for seven years, then 
invested his savings in 160 acres of land and built a house on it, residing 
there until 1866, when he sold out and bought the home place on Mormon Slough, 
near Linden, now known as the Drace ranch.
        At Linden Mr. Drace was married to Miss Jane Potter, born July 3, 1847, 
a sister of Joseph Potter, a pioneer of Linden. Five children were born to this 
couple: Charles E.; Dora is the wife of C. H. Needham, of Wesley, Cal.; J. A. is 
associated with Charles E. in extensive ranching operations and reside in 
Stockton; Elizabeth is deceased; Alice M. is with the Associated Oil Company of 
San Jose, Cal. After more than thirty years residence in San Joaquin County, 
James Drace rented his home place to his son J. A. Drace, and removed to San 
Jose where he purchased a residence on South Fifteenth Street, and there resided 
until his death. He was preceeded by his wife who died in 1916. He was a charter 
member of the Scio Lodge I. O. O. F. of Linden, was a Democrat in politics and 
was a member of the Methodist Church.
 
History of San Joaquin County, California � Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 
1923
p   844       
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler.