San Joaquin County Biographies


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


 
RUDOLPH GNEKOW.
 
        Few residents of the changing, growing cities of California have the 
distinction of having lived on one corner for more than sixty years, but such 
was the record of one of Stockton's pioneer citizens, Rudolph Gnekow, who 
maintained his home on Main Street for that long period, during which he saw 
such a transformation in his locality as would have been unbelievable to any one 
not gifted with a prophetic mind who came here in the early days of California's 
statehood.
        Born near Breslau, Germany, in 1835, of Russian and Polish parents, 
Rudolph Gnekow ran away from the parental home when he was nineteen and on 
arriving in America crossed the plains to California in an ox-team train. He had 
learned the trade of a locksmith in his native land. Landing in New York, he 
started for California, and on arriving here stopped in San Francisco for a 
short time and then came on to Stockton, in 1856, and entered the employ of John 
Hart, blacksmith, and Bill Derrick, the stage builder. Here he bought the 
property on Main and Stanislaus Street, having a frontage of 104 feet on Main 
Street; and on this corner he built a blacksmith shop, where in the early days 
he shod the oxen used for transporting supplies to the southern mines, and also 
made wagons and carriages. He later erected a residence here, which was the 
family home for over sixty years, all of his children being born and reared 
there. In 1893 he bought the property now occupied by the Sutter Hotel, which 
was erected by a syndicate that had purchased the ground from Mr. Gnekow, the 
block which he had built being torn down to make room for the hotel.
        In 1872, Mr. Gnekow gave up blacksmithing and carriage building to 
engage in the real estate business. In early days he owned the half block now a 
part of the Holt Manufacturing Company's grounds on South Aurora Street, paying 
$300 for it and selling it for $350. He bought a part of the Walker tract and 
offered it to the Odd Fellows for a building site, but the lodge decided to 
build elsewhere and so did not take advantage of his generous offer. He became 
extensively interested in realty operations and was very successful, amassing a 
competence during the years of his activity.
        Always a Republican, Mr. Gnekow was very active in politics and served 
as city councilman of Stockton and as supervisor of San Joaquin County. He was a 
member of the old volunteer fire department, whose roster included the leading 
business men of the early days, and he was prominent in the ranks of the Exempt 
Firemen in later years. A devout member of the German Methodist Church, he 
taught a Bible class there for many years. He was a great student of the Bible, 
having read it through many times, and could quote any familiar passage. His aid 
was always freely given to any of the church's benefactions. He joined the Odd 
Fellows Lodge in 1861, becoming a member of all its branches, and at the time of 
his death was one of its two oldest living members. A gold medal was presented 
to him by his fellow members in celebration of the fifty-fifth anniversary of 
his membership in that order. He was a Past Noble Grand of Stockton Lodge No. 
11, and for many years held the office of treasurer. He was made a citizen of 
this country in 1855, and entered heartily into the spirit of his adopted land, 
never regretting the step that led him to cast in his lot on these shores. Among 
his other interests he was a director of the Stockton Savings & Loan 
Association. His passing away on January 13, 1920, depleted the fast-thinning 
ranks of those pioneers to whom full recognition is due for the labors they 
performed in the early days, making possible the comfort and progress of today.
        At Stockton, in 1860, Mr. Gnekow was married to Christiana Bollinger, 
who was born at Wurtemburg, Germany, and came to California by way of the 
Isthmus in the late fifties. Her brother, Gottlieb Bollinger, was a pioneer 
minister, building the German Methodist Church at Marysville, and later the 
German Methodist Church on South Sutter Street, Stockton, where he was pastor. 
Mrs. Gnekow passed away March 15, 1915, the mother of eleven children, nine of 
whom are living: Edward L., Frank W., Chas. D., William H., C. Cordelia, Dr. 
Emilie L., Nettie C. (wife of Thomas Bonney), Rudolph J. K., and Mrs. Rose E. 
Heeb. Dr. Emilie L. Gnekow, prominent among the medical fraternity of Stockton, 
attended the public schools of Stockton, took a course of training at Lane 
Hospital, San Francisco, graduated from Northwestern University, Chicago, in 
1901, and has been engaged in the successful practice of her profession ever 
since. She is a member of the Greek Medical Fraternity, a member and Past Grand 
of the Rebekahs, and a member of the Native Daughters of the Golden West and of 
the Women of Woodcraft, being examining physician of the latter two, and belongs 
to the San Joaquin Medical Society.
 
History of San Joaquin County, California � Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 
1923
p     563
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler.