Merced-Plumas-San Joaquin County CA Archives Biographies.....Wherity, James Richard 1874 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 13, 2006, 3:57 am

Author: John Outcalt (1925)

JAMES RICHARD WHERITY

   The sterling personal characteristics which have placed Mr. Wherity in the
position of irrigation representative have been proof of his high standing in
his home community. He was born in Plumas County on July 24, 1874, the son of
Peter Patrick and Mary (Kelley) Wherity, natives of County Meade and Kilkenny,
Ireland, respectively. The father came to this State when a young man and upon
arriving at Yerba Buena in 1846, went on foot to Ellis' Point, now Point
Richmond. After the news of the discovery of gold he went to San Andreas and
engaged in mining and freighting. After his marriage he settled in Beckwith Pass
in November, 1874, and was engaged, principally in ranching. He and his wife
became parents of the following children: Eugene P., of Woodland; Mary, widow of
M. C. Judge, lives in Berkeley; Elizabeth, married Alex White and also resides
in Berkeley; Harry P., of Loyalton, Cal.; Ida, wife of Isaac Bobo of Woodland;
Nicholas, also living in Woodland; James Richard, our subject; and Annie, who
married Sam. Holtz and resides in Sacramento. The father died in Berkeley on
April 30, 1913, aged eighty-six years.

   James Richard Wherity's childhood was passed in Beckwith Pass attending the
local school after he was fourteen. Up to that time he helped his father on the
ranch, driving a combined harvester with thirty-two horses as a part of his
practical education. He had to walk three miles to the Island district school in
Plumas County, which to this day is one of the landmarks; later he attended
Downieville College, pursuing an English course. He then entered the law office
of Will Goodwin and U. S. Webb, now the attorney general of the State, in
Quincy, studied law and was admitted to practice in the courts of the State, on
February 22, 1897, and for the following five years he carried on a general
practice. He was later engaged in work at Roberts Brothers sawmill above
Loyalton. In 1901 he located in Lodi, Cal., and until 1912 he was the leading
contractor and builder, helping to erect many of the homes in that town. He
erected the arch across Pine Street, Lodi, that attracts much attention. He then
was in various places until 1915, when he located near Livingston and took up
ranch work and has developed a valuable property.

   James Richard Wherity was united in marriage with Bertha Ella Hatton, on
February 1, 1905, at Stockton. She was born in Mendon, Adams County, Ill., the
daughter of Parker Nicholas and Rebecca (Tuxford) Hatton, the former born in the
South in 1836, and married at Mendon, Ill. There were five children in his
family, including an adopted son: William Henry, of Portland, Ore.; Thomas,
fruit raiser of Lodi; Sarah Frances, wife of James Tout, of Tulare County; Mary
Etta, married Benjamin Tout and lives at Sultana; and Bertha Ella, wife of our
subject. She attended school at Mendon, Ill., and the Maplewood High School at
Camp Point, that State. At the age of seventeen, lacking one year of graduating,
she came to California with her mother as two sisters had located in this State
some time before. The father was a veteran of the Civil War and died in 1882, at
Mendon, Ill., at the age of forty-six, from the effect of his wounds received
during the war. The mother, who had been born in Cincinnati, Ohio, located at
Lodi, Cal., and there spent her last days, dying on July 8, 1914. Her ancestors
were of English extraction. On the paternal side, grandfather Nicholas Hatton
and his wife, a Miss Knotson, were born in Kentucky and Tennessee, respectively,
but were stanch supporters of the Union. Mr. and Mrs. Wherity have three
children: Hillard Richard, garage mechanic in Livingston; Effie Beatrice, high
school student; and Frances Aileen.

   Mr. Wherity appeared before the State legislature in 1901 in the interest of
the Anti-Japanese legislation, which has now become a law, being upheld by the
supreme court in November, 1923. He takes an active interest in the Farm Bureau
movement and is a member of the Livingston branch of the Merced County Farm
Bureau, serving as its secretary for several years. He is the legal
representative of the original Crocker-Huffman Land and Water Company, contract
holders, now the Livingston Irrigation District. He is a 100 per cent American
and interested in all movements for the advancement of his locality.


Additional Comments:
From:

HISTORY OF
MERCED COUNTY
CALIFORNIA
WITH A
Biographical Review
OF
The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been
Identified with Its Growth and Development
from the Early Days to the Present

HISTORY BY
JOHN OUTCALT

ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME
HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
1925


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