Individual Details
James Arthur MEHRTEN
(Apr 1879 - 18 Mar 1961)
Obituary copied in "Passing in Exeter, An Anthology of Exeter'sNecrologies" at the Exeter Library, is hand dated Mar 20, 1961 and ison pg. 561.
"James A. Mehrten -
Exeter, Tulare Co. - Funeral services will be held Wednesday at 10 AMin the Hadley Exeter Chapel for James Arthur Mehrten, 81, who diedapparently of a heart attack Saturday afternoon on his ranch on theNorth Fork road in the Kaweah community. The Rev. John Buchholz willconduct the rites. Burrial will be in the Three Rivers Cemetery.
Mehrten was born in Lemon Cove, attended schools there, and hadranched in that area for 54 years. He married Amy Myrtle Odenbaugh inTulare in 1902.
Surviving are his widow; two daughters, Mrs. Norma M. Lowery ofLindsay and Mrs. Myrtle Cowell of Alameda, Alameda County; severalcousins, nephews and nieces in the Exeter District."
Another obituary in the same book, page 563, also dated 20 Mar 1961,is from Visalia Times Delta and has a photo. It says:
"County Native James Mehrten Taken by Death -
James Arthur Mehrten, 81, a Three Rivers area rancher for the last 54years, died suddenly Saturday afternoon at his ranch at Kaweah.
Mr. Mehrten, born in the Lemon Cove area below Three Rivers, had avaried career that included hauling mail freight by horse and buggy,carpentry and lumbering work and resort activities.
His apple orchard is one of the few commercial producing orchards leftin the Three Rivers area. Despite his age, he continued throughout hislife to take care of the orchard by himself.
He hauled freight for the old Mt. Whitney Power Co. when Power HOuseNO. 3 was built. Redwood shakes for the first buildings in GiantForest were rived out by Mr. Mehrten, and he helped build the oldcommunity hall, the clubhouse of the Three Rivers Woman's Club andother buildings in the area.
Mr. Mehrten started Silver City, a resort on the Mineral King road,and put up all the first buildings there. He operated the resort and astore for 17 years. At another time, he had a fresh fruit andvegetable stand in Giant Forest for 13 years.
The long-time Three Rivers resident carried mail to the earliest postoffice in Giant Forest up the old Colony Mill road, first by horse andcart and later by stage coach. He hauled both passengers and mail forBroder and Hopping, the first park tourist company.
When working as a checker for Sequoia Park at Cedar Creek he checkedin the first automobile ever to enter the park.
Mr. Mehrten was married in 1902 to the former Myrtle Odenbaugh ofTulare. She survives him.
Other survivors include his daughter, Mrs. Norma Lowery of Lindsay andMrs. Myrtle Cowell of Alameda, and several cousins, nephews and niecesliving in the Exeter, Lemon Cove and Kaweah areas.
Funeral services will be Wednesday at 10 a.m. in the Hadley Chapel inExeter. The Rev. John Buchholz will officiate. Burial will be in theThree Rivers Cemetery."
Birth date is 7 Sep 1879 per CADI and the Tulare County GENWEBcemetery listing. Differs from what I had.
MEHRTEN JAMES A 09/07/1879 MMN POPPY M CALIFORNIA TULARE03/18/1961 81 yrs
1880 census has same birth dates for Matilda M. and James Arthur. Ithas April, 1879 - age 10/12 for both. Using that since it has a muchearlier date.
"James A. Mehrten -
Exeter, Tulare Co. - Funeral services will be held Wednesday at 10 AMin the Hadley Exeter Chapel for James Arthur Mehrten, 81, who diedapparently of a heart attack Saturday afternoon on his ranch on theNorth Fork road in the Kaweah community. The Rev. John Buchholz willconduct the rites. Burrial will be in the Three Rivers Cemetery.
Mehrten was born in Lemon Cove, attended schools there, and hadranched in that area for 54 years. He married Amy Myrtle Odenbaugh inTulare in 1902.
Surviving are his widow; two daughters, Mrs. Norma M. Lowery ofLindsay and Mrs. Myrtle Cowell of Alameda, Alameda County; severalcousins, nephews and nieces in the Exeter District."
Another obituary in the same book, page 563, also dated 20 Mar 1961,is from Visalia Times Delta and has a photo. It says:
"County Native James Mehrten Taken by Death -
James Arthur Mehrten, 81, a Three Rivers area rancher for the last 54years, died suddenly Saturday afternoon at his ranch at Kaweah.
Mr. Mehrten, born in the Lemon Cove area below Three Rivers, had avaried career that included hauling mail freight by horse and buggy,carpentry and lumbering work and resort activities.
His apple orchard is one of the few commercial producing orchards leftin the Three Rivers area. Despite his age, he continued throughout hislife to take care of the orchard by himself.
He hauled freight for the old Mt. Whitney Power Co. when Power HOuseNO. 3 was built. Redwood shakes for the first buildings in GiantForest were rived out by Mr. Mehrten, and he helped build the oldcommunity hall, the clubhouse of the Three Rivers Woman's Club andother buildings in the area.
Mr. Mehrten started Silver City, a resort on the Mineral King road,and put up all the first buildings there. He operated the resort and astore for 17 years. At another time, he had a fresh fruit andvegetable stand in Giant Forest for 13 years.
The long-time Three Rivers resident carried mail to the earliest postoffice in Giant Forest up the old Colony Mill road, first by horse andcart and later by stage coach. He hauled both passengers and mail forBroder and Hopping, the first park tourist company.
When working as a checker for Sequoia Park at Cedar Creek he checkedin the first automobile ever to enter the park.
Mr. Mehrten was married in 1902 to the former Myrtle Odenbaugh ofTulare. She survives him.
Other survivors include his daughter, Mrs. Norma Lowery of Lindsay andMrs. Myrtle Cowell of Alameda, and several cousins, nephews and niecesliving in the Exeter, Lemon Cove and Kaweah areas.
Funeral services will be Wednesday at 10 a.m. in the Hadley Chapel inExeter. The Rev. John Buchholz will officiate. Burial will be in theThree Rivers Cemetery."
Birth date is 7 Sep 1879 per CADI and the Tulare County GENWEBcemetery listing. Differs from what I had.
MEHRTEN JAMES A 09/07/1879 MMN POPPY M CALIFORNIA TULARE03/18/1961 81 yrs
1880 census has same birth dates for Matilda M. and James Arthur. Ithas April, 1879 - age 10/12 for both. Using that since it has a muchearlier date.
Events
| Birth | Apr 1879 | Lemon Cove, Tulare Co., California | |||
| Census | 29 Jun 1880 | Kaweah & Mineral King, Tulare Co., CA, pg 18b. James Arthur, 10/12, born April (1879), CA, father born Germany, mother born NY. | |||
| Marriage | 7 Dec 1902 | Tulare, Tulare Co., California - Amy Myrtle ODENBAUGH |  | ||
| Residence | 25 Feb 1932 | Three Rivers, as stated in brother Bernard's obituary | |||
| Death | 18 Mar 1961 | Heart attack, per obit - Tulare Co., California | |||
| Burial | 21 Mar 1961 | Three Rivers Cemetery, Three Rivers, Tulare Co., CA | |||
| Reference No | 2719 |
Families
| Spouse | Amy Myrtle ODENBAUGH (1885 - 1965) |
| Child | Norma Mae MEHRTEN (1904 - 1997) |
| Child | Myrtle Evelyn MEHRTEN (1907 - 1993) |
| Father | Louis MEHRTEN (1831 - 1892) |
| Mother | M. Elizabeth POPPE (1841 - 1888) |
| Sibling | Bernard MEHRTEN (1860 - 1932) |
| Sibling | Charles MEHRTEN (1863 - 1880) |
| Sibling | William F. MEHRTEN (1868 - 1932) |
| Sibling | Louisa E. MEHRTEN (1875 - 1932) |
| Sibling | Matilda M. MEHRTEN (1879 - 1932) |
Endnotes
1. Tulare County Marriage Records.