California Biographies Transcribed by Peggy Hooper This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm Source: History of the state of California and biographical record of the San Joaquin Valley, California. An historical story of the state's marvelous growth from its earliest settlement to the present time. Prof. James Miller Guinn , A. M. The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago 1905 Notes: Missing Page: 865-866,983-984,1175-1176 JOSIAH OTIS LOVEJOY. The sturdy traits characteristic of the Scotch race, when transplanted to New England soil made of the Lovejoy family leaders in religious affairs and patriots of the highest type. Prior to the first war with Great Britain, Ebenezer Lovejoy left his native Scotland and accompanied by his wife, a lady of English birth, settled in Massachusetts, where for forty-seven years he was a deacon in the Congregational Church at West Andover. At the outbreak of the Revolution he left his plow and entered the army, where he served as a non- commissioned officer through the entire period of the struggle. As an inheritance to his son, Jo- siah Ballard Lovejoy. he left the endowment of an honorable name, an unspotted character and a loyal devotion to his country and his God ; and the son, following in his footsteps, officiated as a deacon in the Congregational Church until his death in 1847 an d manifested, throughout his career as a shoe and leather merchant in Boston, the upright and manly traits which had been his heritage. By the marriage of Josiah Ballard Lovejoy and Martha Stickney, who was born at Duxbury, Mass., and died at West Andover, seven children were born, of whom three sons and three daughters lived to maturity. Of the daughters Phoebe M. is a resident of Philadelphia, Pa., Annie is deceased, and Addie makes her home at West Newton, Mass. Of the sons, Josiah Otis, the eldest, is a pioneer and influential citizen of Tulare, Cal. George Walter, who served in a Massachusetts regiment during the Civil war, is a machinist by trade and lives in Tehachapi, Kern county, Cal. ; while in the army, where he served from the first battle of Bull Run until the close of the war, he lost two fingers by a wound received in the engagement in front of Richmond. The youngest son, Wisner, served as an engineer in the United States navy throughout all of the Civil war ; after receiving an honorable discharge he took a position as engineer on a vessel bound for China, but when off Cape Hatteras the vessel was wrecked and all on board perished. At the family home in Duxbury, only a short distance from the famous Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts, Josiah Otis Lovejoy was born March 29, 1833. As a boy he lived iii Boston and attended the schools of that city. When still a mere child, in 1845, his uncle took him to sea on a trading vessel, bound for Honolulu. In 1847 he rounded the Horn to the Sandwich Islands, the trip there and back consuming one year. On his return he shipped on the Minstrel to East India via the Cape of Good Hope, Calcutta, Singapore and Shanghai, and remained with his uncle in the Indies until December, 1851, when he returned to Boston. Two months later he started for California on his uncle's ship, Roebuck, which cast anchor at San Francisco on the 4th of July, 1852, after a voyage of one hundred and fifty days from Boston. On disembark- ing from the ship he proceeded to San Jose and Mission San Jose, thence to Santa Clara, where he worked with a saw-milling firm for two years, and in October, 1854, began to mine at Mariposa. The following year he bought a sawmill on Snow creek and took the contract to build the county jail at Mariposa, which work he successfully carried out. For twelve years he ran the mill, and meanwhile was elected justice of the peace, which office he held for many years. From 1867 until 1871 he served as county judge of Mariposa county. During May, 1871, Mr. Lovejoy removed to Tulare county, and in July established his home at Tulare, where his family joined him in December. The town was just started; the roof was being put on the depot when he reached the town, and other buildings were conspicuous only by their absence. For two years he conducted the hotel, but after the great fire he discontinued the business. For sixteen years he acted as justice of the peace, also as notary public, and meanwhile engaged in the real estate and insurance business, also bought land and conducted dairy and fruit farms for several years. By the erection of a residence at a cost of $10,000 he furnished a valuable improvement to the town and encouraged other citizens in the building of substantial homes. He still owns his country residence. From the organization of the Kaweah Canal Company he served as its secretary until the stock was sold to the Tulare irrigation district. Be- sides other valuable interests he has been a pioneer in the oil fields. During 1864 he located the Buena Vista claims in township 30, range 21, and township 30, range 22. The importance of drilling and the use of drilling machinery were not understood then as now, and it was his plan to utilize the surface flow in the manufacture of illuminating oil by the aid of a small refinery. During 1887 he was one of the locators of the Sunset claims, township 11, range 23, and town- ship 11, range 24, and since then he has served as secretary of the Sunset Oil Company, with office at Tulare. While living at Mariposa, on Christmas day of 1857, Mr. Lovejoy married Miss Emma Green, who was born in Washington, D. C, and in 1855 came to California by way of Panama, accom- panying her father, Gardner Green, who for some years followed mercantile pursuits in Mari- posa county, but later engaged in the manufacture of lumber. Thirteen children were born to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Lovejoy, and the following are now living : Otis Hart, a stockman in Glenn county; Guard, an engineer on the Southern Pacific Railroad, with headquarters at Portland; Wisner, who formerly held the office of district attorney at Weiser, Idaho ; Mrs. Emma Erwin, of Santa Rosa; Mrs. Mary J. Warren, a resident of Belvedere, Marin county, Cal. ; Mrs. Grace Canelo, of San Francisco ; and Mrs. Jessie Garrison, of Tulare. Mrs. Lovejoy is identified with the Congregational Church and reared her sons and daughters in that faith. In politics Mr. Lovejoy is a stanch Democrat and at one time served as chairman of the county central com- mittee. Local movements of a progressive character receive his co-operation and support. From the first inception of the public schools in Tulare, he has been an ardent supporter of education, and by constant application with others succeeded in bringing the schools to their present high standing. As a member of the Tulare Board of Trade Mr. Lovejoy 's efforts have been especially noteworthy, and as president of the board of trustees of the free public library he has ren- dered valuable assistance. From the first he was a friend of the movement to start a library and when the movement was launched he was chosen one of the trustees, serving as a member of the board for years, and later being honored with the office of president. In fraternal affairs he is con- nected with the Knights of Pythias, is a past officer in the lodge and encampment of Odd Fellows, and a past officer, also for sixteen years a trustee of the grand lodge, Ancient Order of United Workmen.