Dean Jewett Locke
Encyclopedia
Dean Jewett Locke was the founder of the pioneer town, Lockeford, California
. As a student of the Harvard Medical School
, he was a trained physician, but he contributed to the small community in many more professions. The house he lived in is now a historical landmark in California
.
in 1823. As soon as he had graduated from school, he made a trip to the Golden State
in search of gold, traveling with the Boston-Newton Joint Stock Company as their physician
. Realizing that it was more prosperous to own land, he and his brothers, George and Elmer, built a small ranch along the Mokelumne River
in the San Joaquin Valley
in 1851. He later returned to the East to visit family in 1854, and it was there he met Delia Hammond. They married in 1855 and Dr. Dean and his new wife packed off to the ranch along with D.J. Locke’s father, Luther Locke, who would later become the first postmaster of Lockeford. The Locke ranch became a starting point for the town Lockeford. The home that Dr. Dean had been living in previously was rebuilt into a small frame house for his wife, which would later be known as the Locke House. He was a generous contributor to the community and the town of Lockeford. He constantly strove to make Lockeford a beacon of trade and prosperity in the West. Locke gave land for the sites of three churches and a school. Later on, additional property was signed off for the construction of a railroad depot, which he hoped would bring in trade and settlers, as well as making Lockeford a stopping point for two other railroads that were nearby, the San Joaquin Railroad and the Sierra-Nevada Railroad. Along with donations of land, D.J. Locke was very generous with his monetary wealth as well. He purchased railroad cars and the constant competition with other nearby towns, such as Woodbridge
and Lodi
, drove him to purchase a steam boat in an attempt to make Lockeford an inland port. At the end of his days, Dr. Dean Jewett Locke on, 64, was not only a physician and a rancher, he was also a store owner, a bridge operator, and the owner of a steam ship, until his ship, the Pert, ran aground. Dr. Dean Jewett Locke remained a generous contributor to the community of Lockeford until his death on May 4, 1887.
The Locke House began as a small log cabin that housed Dean Locke when he first arrived in California but was soon remodeled when he brought his wife, Delia Hammond to live with him on his ranch. This little cabin on the San Joaquin Valley
was transformed into a homey frame house. In 1865, it was once again remodeled into a three-story brick house, to contain the growing number of children. The house also had a barn. Other additions were eventually made, such as a water tower in 1881, and another two stories in 1882. With these additions, the house contained twenty-two rooms, and five stories. The house was built in the neo-Georgian style. The Locke House accommodated Locke, his wife, and their thirteen children. It could also house the occasional visitor, relative, or a patient of Dr. Locke’s. At the time of the Civil War
, the barn was used by the Mokelumne Light Dragoons as headquarters. The Locke House is currently owned by the Eklund family who run “The Inn at Locke House.”
Lockeford, California
Lockeford is a census-designated place in San Joaquin County, California, United States. The population was 3,233 at the 2010 census, up from 3,179 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lockeford is located at ....
. As a student of the Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School is the graduate medical school of Harvard University. It is located in the Longwood Medical Area of the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts....
, he was a trained physician, but he contributed to the small community in many more professions. The house he lived in is now a historical landmark in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Life
Dean Jewett Locke was born in New HampshireNew Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
in 1823. As soon as he had graduated from school, he made a trip to the Golden State
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in search of gold, traveling with the Boston-Newton Joint Stock Company as their physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
. Realizing that it was more prosperous to own land, he and his brothers, George and Elmer, built a small ranch along the Mokelumne River
Mokelumne River
The Mokelumne River is a river in Northern California. The Upper Mokelumne River originates in the Sierra Nevada mountain range and flows into Pardee Reservoir and then Camanche Reservoir in the Sierra foothills. The Lower Mokelumne River refers to the portion of the river below Camanche Dam...
in the San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
in 1851. He later returned to the East to visit family in 1854, and it was there he met Delia Hammond. They married in 1855 and Dr. Dean and his new wife packed off to the ranch along with D.J. Locke’s father, Luther Locke, who would later become the first postmaster of Lockeford. The Locke ranch became a starting point for the town Lockeford. The home that Dr. Dean had been living in previously was rebuilt into a small frame house for his wife, which would later be known as the Locke House. He was a generous contributor to the community and the town of Lockeford. He constantly strove to make Lockeford a beacon of trade and prosperity in the West. Locke gave land for the sites of three churches and a school. Later on, additional property was signed off for the construction of a railroad depot, which he hoped would bring in trade and settlers, as well as making Lockeford a stopping point for two other railroads that were nearby, the San Joaquin Railroad and the Sierra-Nevada Railroad. Along with donations of land, D.J. Locke was very generous with his monetary wealth as well. He purchased railroad cars and the constant competition with other nearby towns, such as Woodbridge
Woodbridge, California
Woodbridge is a census-designated place in San Joaquin County, California. Woodbridge sits at an elevation of . The 2010 United States census reported Woodbridge's population was 3,984....
and Lodi
Lodi, California
Lodi is a city located in , in the northern portion of California's Central Valley. The population was 62,134 at the 2010 census. The California Department of Finance's population estimate as of January 1, 2011 is 62,473....
, drove him to purchase a steam boat in an attempt to make Lockeford an inland port. At the end of his days, Dr. Dean Jewett Locke on, 64, was not only a physician and a rancher, he was also a store owner, a bridge operator, and the owner of a steam ship, until his ship, the Pert, ran aground. Dr. Dean Jewett Locke remained a generous contributor to the community of Lockeford until his death on May 4, 1887.
Locke House
The Locke House began as a small log cabin that housed Dean Locke when he first arrived in California but was soon remodeled when he brought his wife, Delia Hammond to live with him on his ranch. This little cabin on the San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
was transformed into a homey frame house. In 1865, it was once again remodeled into a three-story brick house, to contain the growing number of children. The house also had a barn. Other additions were eventually made, such as a water tower in 1881, and another two stories in 1882. With these additions, the house contained twenty-two rooms, and five stories. The house was built in the neo-Georgian style. The Locke House accommodated Locke, his wife, and their thirteen children. It could also house the occasional visitor, relative, or a patient of Dr. Locke’s. At the time of the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, the barn was used by the Mokelumne Light Dragoons as headquarters. The Locke House is currently owned by the Eklund family who run “The Inn at Locke House.”
External links
- http://lockeford.com/history.htm
- http://www.theinnatlockehouse.com/about.html
- http://www.travel-watch.com/lockehouse.htm
- Diaries of Delia Locke, wife of Lockeford founder Dean Jewett Locke, from 1855-1879 are available online at the University of the Pacific Library Digital Collections.