In January 1876 the Elk Grove Building Company was incorporated and began building structures in Elk Grove.
Elk Grove, California Business in 1880
Elk Grove had a population of 400 and sat on the line of the Central Pacific Railroad, sixteen miles for Sacramento
2 – Hotels
* “Railroad House” built by M.H. Davis in 1876
* “Elk Grove Hotel” built by Elk Grove Building Company in 1976
1 – Elk Grove Flour Mill built by H.S. Hill in 1976 – Ran by steam power and produced 80 barrels of flour per day
2 – General Merchandising Stores
1 – Hardware Store opened in 1977
1 – Tin Store opened in 1877 – A.J. Longenecker, proprietor
1 – Meat Market – J.W. Martin, proprietor
1 – Furniture Manufacture – D.J. Nelson, proprietor
2 – Drug Stores – Dr. C.S Bradford & A.W. Vance, proprietors
1 – Harness Shop – Clarence Parker, proprietor
1 – Variety Store – W.H. Talmadge, proprietor
1 – Warehouse built by Lewis Bower in 1877 for $5,500 with a storage capacity of 2,000 tons of grain & 600 tins of hay
1 – Dress Maker – Mrs, Longenencker, proprietress
2 – Millinery Stores – Mrs. F.M. Jones and Mrs. Mau, Proprietress’
1 – Boot & Shoe Store
1 – Carriage and Wagon Manufacture – John D. Hill, proprietor
1 – Blacksmith – james T. Chinnick, proprietor
3 – Vineyards
* George Kerr – 60 acre vineyard
* Joseph Kerr – 33 acre vineyard
* S. Treat – 20 acre vineyard
The Elk Grove area was part of the San Joaquin Township (“a small geographical area,” kind-a-like a county in a county) and included Dry Creek and parts of Alabama, Franklin, Brighton, and Lee Townships. On October 20, 1856, the Board of Supervisors established the boundries.
In 1880, Sacramento County published a list of “Patrons” of the San Joaquin Township with basic information. There were probably more, but these were what was listed, in the order of the date of purchase of their parcels:
1849 – Parker, W.F. – 340 acres for $10, 000 – Sailor, Mining, Farming, Stock Raising.
1849 – Kelly, Andrew – average for $15,000 – Lead mining, Farming, Kept Hotel in Sacramento.
1850 – Bond, A.E. – 320 acres for $3,600 – Masonry, Farming, Stock raising, School Trusty.
1850 – Drew, E. – 160 acres for $1,600 – Farming, School Trusty, Enrolling Officer
1850 – Healy, Edward – 57 acres for $1,100 – Mining, Farming
1850 – Hill, H.E. – unknown – Wagon making
1850 – Johnson, S.O. – unknown – Landlord of Railroad House at EG, Dep Co Assessor, Constable.
1851 – Schulze, William J. – 480 acres for $12, 500 – Sailor, Mining, Farming, Stock Raising
1851 – Sehlmeyer, J.F. Louis – 116 acres for $2, 500 – Mining, Mill Business
1852 – Bayless, Mrs. V.M. – 320 acres for $6000 – Unkown
1852 – Hobbs, Digory – 800 acres for unknown – Farming, Merchandising, Sheep raiding, Teaming
1852 – Hoover, S.M. – 1200 acres for unknown – Farming, Stock raising, “Pioneer Teamsters” of California
1852 – Kerr, George H. – 140 acres for $3,500 – Farming, Carriage Making, Fruit, Makes Wine, Raisons, Vinegar
1852 – Kerr, Joseph H. – unknown – Blacksmith, Farming, Fruit, First to Plant Vineyard.
1852 – Stewart, Norman J. – 250 acres for $6,000 – Farming, Stock Raising, School Trusty
1852 – Theobald, W.H. – 320 acres for $3,000 – Farming
1853 – Byington, E.I. – unknown – Printer’ Trade, Hotel Business, Moving Buildings
1853 – Coon, David – 360 acres for $5000 – Constable
1853 – Maitland, Mrs. Mary – 160 acres for $1,500 – Unknown
1854 – Bartholomew, K.P. – 169 acres for $3,000 – Farming
1854 – Dickson, Charles – 480 acres for $15,000 – Farming, Dairy, Stock Raising
1854 – Woodard, A – unknown – Farming, Stock Raising
1855 – Kennedy, W.H. – 320 acres for unknown – Farming
1856 – Beans, B.F. – 320 acres for $8,000 – Lumber Trade
1856 – Everson, J. – Merchandise for $20,000 – General Merchandising, Justice of the Peace, School Trusty
1856 – Jenkins, Mrs. A.M. – 180 acres for unknown – Unknown
1856 – Lewis, Edmund Jr. – 160 acres for $4000 – Farming, Teaming
1856- Thompson, Thomas J. – 80 acres for $2,500 – Farming
1859 – Brown, S. – 160 acres for $3,000 – Farming, Lumber, Mill Business, General Merchandise
1859 – Byron, Roger – 313 acres for $4,500 – Farming, Fruit Raising
1859 – Clinton, Alex – 160 acres for $5,000 – Carpenter, Mining, Farming
1859 – Gage, Delos – unknown for $1,200 – Farming, School Trusty
1859 – Sholl, John – 160 acres for unknown – Wagon Making
1860 – Dart, Levi S. – 150 aces for $3000 – Farming, Sheep Herding, Teaming over mountains mines
1860 – Dixon, Alfred – 800 acres for $15,000 – Farming, Practical Law, Stock Raising
1860 – Jenkins, Thomas – 160 acres for $5,000 – Unknown
1861 – Freeman, O.S. – 811 acres for $35,000 – Farming
1863 – Allin, Richard – 55 acres foe $4,000 – Farming, Blacksmith
1863 – Wackman, A.K. – 300 acres for unknown – Farming
1864 – Garrett, Manuel – 320 acres for $12,000 – Farming, Sheep Raising, School Trusty
1864 – Lewis, James – 165 acres for $4000 – Unknown
1866 – Hunt, George L. – 320 acres Rents – Lumber, Mining, Farming, Rents from Mrs. E. Foulks
1869 – Iler, J.W. – 500 acres for $25,000 – Farming, Stock Raising, Grows Corn & Alfalfa, Large Oak Grove
1870 – Everson, W.E. – unknown – Merchandising, Owns town property in Elk Grove
1872 – Aldrich, Levi – 120 acres for $3,000 – Farming
1872 – Budahn, C.F. – 240 acres for $4000 – Unknown
1865 – Hill, J.D. – unknown – Wagon Making
1875 – Ogle, Daniel – unknown – Butchering
1876 – Chinnick, James, T. – House, Shop for $1,000 – Blacksmith, Carriage Maker
1876 – Longenecker, A.J. – unknown – Tinsmith, Merchandising