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 CHARLES RICHTER. The Richter family, represented in Fresno by Charles Richter, an en- terprising and esteemed citizen, came originally from Germany, the emigrating ancestor, John M. Richter, locating in Philadelphia, Pa. He engaged in that location as a merchant tailor un- til the fall of 1837, when he removed to Springfield, Ill. In conjunction with his mercantile busi- ness he also conducted a small hotel, where he had the honor of entertaining both Lincoln and Douglas, as well as Judge Treat. Five years later he removed to Dewitt, Dewitt county, where lie followed the same business, and during his residence in the latter place performed the duties of postmaster for twenty-five years. His death occurred in that place at an advanced age. His wife, formerly Annie Hagen, was a native of New Jersey, who died in Dewitt. They were the parents of two children, Albert, who died in San Jose, Cal., and Charles. The birth of Charles Richter occurred in Philadelphia, Pa., February 20, 1833, and at the age of four years he was taken to Illinois, where he was reared to manhood. Abraham Lincoln stopped several times in their home in Dewitt, and the first money Charles Richter ever earned was a Spanish quarter which Mr. Lincoln gave him for wading a creek and cutting a fishing pole with the latter's knife. Also while a resident of Dewitt he heard Peter Cartwright preach in Hur- ley's grove. He received his education in the subscription schools, which were held in a log cabin, with puncheon seats and desks, mud and stick chimney, quill pens and other primitive con- ditions incident to the day. As he grew to young manhood he assisted his father in the store and postoffice, and after the death of the latter in 1862 he became postmaster and conducted the store also. In the meantime, in 1854, when a boy of twenty-one, he made a trip across the plains to California, traveling by ox teams from Illinois via St. Joseph, Mo., thence to Fort Kearney and Fort Laramie, the only two places on the route where they saw houses and signs of civilization. The journey occupied six months, but the little company arrived in safety, after which Mr. Richter engaged in mining on the Feather river. He continued for three years in that occupation, and met with a reasonable degree of success. In 1857 he returned to Illinois by way of the Isthmus of Panama and took up his home occupations once more. He became prominent in public affairs in Dewitt, being elected township supervisor two terms and also presi- dent of the board of trustees of the town for many terms. In 1876 he went to the Black Hills, through the Indian country, where he remained for about four months, then returned to his mercantile business. He eventually resigned the office of postmaster and engaged as a manu- facturer of drain tile, carrying on an extensive business until 1885, in which year he was ap- pointed postmaster by Mr. Cleveland. He retained this office for three years, when he re- signed and came to California, locating in Fresno, where he bought three hundred and twenty acres of land three miles south of the city and set one hundred and sixty acres of the tract to raisin grapes. Later he disposed of a part of it, continuing in the cultivation of the remainder for three years, when he sold the entire property and for a time continued in the purchase and sale of vineyard property. He also purchased property in Fresno, where he made his home. He now owns two small vineyards three miles east of Fresno. During the first gold excite- ment in Alaska he went on a prospecting tour to Cook Inlet. For the past eight years Mr. Richter has also been engaged in mining interests in Fresno county, having opened a mine sev- enty-five miles east of Fresno, near the summit of the Sierra Nevada mountains, where he built a quartz mill in 1904, which is operated three months of the year by water and the balance by steam power, five miles of ditches having been built to run the water. He also made a road to haul the machinery to the mill, everything- being modern and thoroughly up to date. This is known as the Badger Mine, and has proved a success thus far. He is also interested in other mines in the same section. In Dewitt county. III., December 3, 1857, Mr. Richter was united in marriage with Rachel Wil- son, a native of Ohio, and a daughter of Amos Wilson. The latter was a native of Maryland, an early settler of Ohio, and eventually a farmer in Dewitt county, Ill. Of the eight children born to Mr. Richter and his wife six attained maturity, namely: John A., of Fresno, a vineyardist and deputy United States internal revenue collector; H. W., in business with his father ; Viola, the wife of Nathan Trego, of Dewitt; Annie, deceased, was the wife of Charles Leasure ; Alberta, the wife of T. W. Fresh, of Fresno; and Ollie, the wife of James McDonald of Fresno. Frater- nally Mr. Richter was made a Mason in Anion Lodge of Dewitt, Ill., and now belongs to Fresno Lodge No. 247, F. & A. M. In national politics Mr. Richter is a Democrat, but he cast his ballot for Abraham Lincoln, whom he personally knew and honored for the sterling qualities known to all the country.