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Farmington News
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Hopefully my readers are enjoying reading about Old Farmington. I am sure a lot has changed around Farmington since the book was written. If you have more information please send it to me via e-mail at the address below. I love local history, especially about the area I am living in.

From the "The History of Old Farmington" by Ruth Hewitt Herbert and Aileen Groves:

All the ranchers around Farmington had big houses, most of them two-story, in the early days. Mr. Nate Harrold built two big houses for his daughters when they were married. One was located a short distance off the Escalon-Bellota Road about two miles from town - and the other on Gawne Road. In the 1870's, Herbert Benton built a big two-story house on his 590 acres a 1¼ mile east of Farmington on the Sonora Road. The house was torn down several years ago. Around the same time, William Funk built a big two-story house on his 480 acres about two miles west of Farmington on the Sonora Road (now highway 4). This is the same location as the big barn he built for his race horses. In the 1860's Joseph M. Groves bought a hotel in the Mother Lode and tore it down, marking each board, and brought it down to his 320 acre ranch "three-quarters mile" east of Farmington on the Sonora Road. It was a beautiful two-story building with a big porch going all around the building. It burned in 1928. All the land has been sold except a small acreage where Virgil Groves, a grandson, has his home. There are now three homes on the frontage of the acreage owned by Robert Barton, Leland Smith, and Richard Vierra. The rest of the land was sold for farming. The Robert Patterson home built in the same era on Sonora Road still stands; the Bill Sanguinetti's live there now. It was built on Patterson's 600 acre ranch and just had one story. Bud Sanguinetti now owns this ranch and it is the home of his prize-winning Herefords. This ranch is located 2½ miles east of Farmington on the Sonora Road. Ruth Herbert's father, W.T. Hewitt, owned 1,100 acres of land 1½ miles west of Farmington on Sonora Road (now highway 4). He built a big nine-room two-story building on Hewitt Road in 1886. It still stands. He also built a barn which was the largest in San Joaquin County. It was torn down but the house still stands. It is owned by the Peffers and they live in the old house. When they had Draft Horses, which were shown at fairs, they were kept on this ranch. M.L. Hewitt owned 320 acres about 1 ½ miles west of Farmington on the Sonora Road and in 1886 built a two-story house which was used until it was torn down and a beautiful new home was built by the John Chiappe family who now own this land. In 1920, Arthur Hewitt sold land north of Little John for orchards. Cherries and walnuts were planted. This was the beginning of walnut planting and orcharding in Farmington. A big two-story house, which still stands, is owned by M. Kel Carson, a United Airlines pilot. It is located a mile west of Farmington and was owned by M.J. Drais. The old M.J. Drais's two-story house, which was called the Kate Drais was torn down and replaced by a new residence. It is still in the Drais family. The Bruno Trombella family is presently residing therein. Another two-story building was located on the Tom Brooks ranch which was located 3 miles above Farmington on the Sonora Road. It is now a walnut orchard, and its last owners were the Farmington Land Co. It is now owned by John Isernhagen. James and Edward Holman built a two-story building on their ranch in back of the Funk barns west of town. It was known as the Dorland Ranch before the Holman's took over in the early 1900's. Mr. and Mrs. Dominic Mattesich came and settled on 160 acres of land 6 miles southeast of Farmington in 1884. She came from Ireland and he came from Russia. Mrs. Lena Seward, their daughter, still lives on the home place. Mrs. Mattesich was a member of the Methodist Church of Farmington as is her daughter, Lena.

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Farmington United Methodist Church holds Bible study every Tuesday Night starting with a light dinner. Please join us for music, food and worship. AA meets every Monday evening at 6 p.m., open to everyone.

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July 6th is National Fried Chicken Day. July 7th, National Strawberry Sundae Day.

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Big Happy Birthday to Caroline Kroon and Crystal Kalebaugh-Xavier, Wednesday, July 6th, and to Steve Brodie, Thursday, July 7th, and Happy Birthday to Breanna Brodie on Sunday, July 10th.

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I would still like to hear from you. Have you taken a trip? Have you had out of town visitors? Let me know of family birthdays, anniversaries and new arrivals to your family. Whatever you want to add to the Farmington News is welcome.

Please contact me if you have items for the Farmington News column. E-Mail me at farmingtonnews@gmail.com or phone 896-6697.