San Joaquin County Biographies


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




MRS. AMELIA E. HOLLENBECK.
 
        Since 1870 Mrs. Amelia E. Hollenbeck has resided on her fine ranch home 
of 236 acres, near Stockton, on the Sonora Road, and in all respects is a 
representative citizen of California. She has manifested unusual skill and 
executive ability in the management of her business interests since her 
husband's death, and one would be safe in saying that she has not had a superior 
as a rancher among the women of the state. Her land is kept under the highest 
state of cultivation, and for many years she gave her personal attention to most 
of the details of her property interests, but now is content to transfer the 
responsibility to her son William. She was born in Livingston County, N. Y., 
March 8, 1840, a daughter of Ambrose D. and Rebecca L. (Everett) Taggart, her 
father a native of Pennsylvania and her mother of New Jersey. Her grandfather, 
William Taggart, was a Revolutionary soldier, and the Taggart family is said to 
be of Scotch-Irish lineage. Amelia was reared in Livingston County at the 
village of Danville, and through a portion of her youth lived in other sections 
of New York state until she was twelve years old. She then accompanied her 
parents to Three Rivers, Mich., where she grew to womanhood and there she became 
the wife of Josiah M. Griffin in 1862. By this marriage she had a daughter, 
Lenore B., who is now deceased. Her first husband volunteered his services to 
the Union during the rebellion and lost his life during the Civil War.
        In 1864 Mrs. Griffin accompanied her parents and other members of the 
family on their migration to California, the trip being made by the Panama 
route. From San Francisco they came to Alameda County, and thence after a short 
residence they moved to San Joaquin County in 1868, where her parents took up 
their abode near Stockton and lived there throughout the remainder of their 
lives. In 1869 she was united in marriage with John Hollenbeck, who was born in 
New York State, December 12, 1834. After their marriage they located on the 
ranch where Mrs. Hollenbeck still makes her home, and he was engaged in 
agricultural pursuits until his death, which occurred in 1874. They were the 
parents of four sons: William married Miss Amanda Jarvis of Stockton and they 
have four children�Everett, Claude, Robert and Elva; Walter F. is a rancher 
residing near Waterloo; Howard P. farms near Collegeville; and John A. is also a 
rancher. Six years ago Mrs. Hollenbeck divided the fine old homestead equally 
among her sons; however, she retains a life interest and continues to make her 
home on the ranch, where she has continuously resided for over a half century. 
She has been a stanch member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Stockton 
throughout her residence in the county.  Mrs. Hollenbeck has pioneered in San 
Joaquin County, and the comforts of life she now enjoys have been well earned, 
and she is held in high esteem by old and young alike.
 
History of San Joaquin County, California � Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 
1923
p   1469       
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler.