Description
The Locke-Hammond Family Papers contain: general and business
correspondence of Dean Jewett Locke (1849-1887); his journals (1849-1883); the
journals of his wife, Delia (1855-1922); records of the Locke Ranch
(1855-1899); records of the Locke & Co. store (1861-1890); and various
other materials.
Background
The Lockes were a pioneer California family and founders of the San
Joaquin County town of Lockeford (1855). Dean Jewett Locke (1823-1887)
graduated from Harvard Medical College (1849) and, in that year, traveled
overland to California with the Boston-Newton Joint Stock Association. He
established a ranch on the Mokelumne River with his brothers Elmer and George
(1851). Returning east to visit his family, Dr. Locke married Delia Marcella
Hammond (1855). They returned to California with Locke's father, Luther, who
was later Postmaster of Lockeford. Delia Hammond Locke's sister, Susan, came to
Lockeford as a school teacher (1858). She married George S. Locke, Dean Jewett
Locke's brother. Delia Hammond Locke kept diaries throughout her life that
detail events in Lockeford (1855-1922). Locke-Hammond family members were
active in civic, mercantile and religious affairs of the town they founded.
D.J. Locke was a physician, bridge operator, store owner, rancher and briefly a
steam ship owner. His wife and sister-in-law taught school and were active in
temperance and religious organizations. D.J. Locke and his wife had thirteen
children. Many of them remained in Lockeford, married and continued to
contribute to the life of the town. One of their daughters, Hannah, married a
Demangeot. Another, Theresa, married a Thorp. Both of these families remained
in Lockeford and contributed to the life of the town well into the twentieth
century.
Restrictions
Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as
the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply
permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the
researcher.