John Henry Oeste, also known as Johann Heinrich Oeste and J. H. Oeste, was born April 21, 1837, in Wanfried, Hessen Cassel, Germany to Jacob William Oeste and Anna Katherine Vogt. In 1858 at the age of 17 years he came to America and settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin until 1858. After traveling throughout the eastern United States for five years, he briefly returned to Milwaukee. After several restless months, he and a friend left for California in 1863. The trip took them, via Panama, to San Francisco and then on to Sacramento.
Needing work, John Henry accepted a job driving mule teams across the mountains. The high wages he earned, along with his thriftiness, allowed him to prosper and save a large amount of money. Eventually, he was able to purchase over 600 acres of property near Davis and proceeded to establish the John Henry Oeste Ranch. He was admired by many for his hard work, common sense, and frugality. In addition to raising beautiful crops of barley, wheat and oats he also raised sheep, hogs, and mules. From 1877 to 1905 his brother-in-law, H. S. Strippel, worked side by side with John Henry to develop and maintain the successful ranch.
Marie Elisabeth Strippel was born in Altenstadt, Germany August 11, 1843. She married John Henry Oeste in 1870. Together they had five children: Carl Theodore (1872-1944), Henry (1875-1951), Adolph (1878-1934), Julius (1883-1925), and Sophia (1885-1954). The children were all very hard workers and devoted to their parents. Of the five, only two married, Adolph and Julius. Adolph and his wife, Sadie Lillian Wurth of Winters, had the only child to carry on the Oeste heritage. Their son, Laverne Adolph Oeste, married Ethel Wildah Heidrick of Woodland in 1938. They had two daughters, Sharon Lee and Sharlene Kaye Oeste.
John Henry Oeste died January 27,1913, at the age of 75 years 9 months and 6 days at his ranch near Davis, California. He had not been feeling well for about three weeks and then contracted pneumonia which he did not survive. His wife, Marie Elisabeth, died at home on June 29, 1935, at the age of 91. She was well known throughout Yolo County for her kindness and loving disposition. Her death was the result of traumatic shock following a compound fracture of her forearm.
An adventurous teenager, John Henry Oeste arrived in America with grit and determination. Through his bravery, hard work and quiet manner he served as an inspiration to his family, neighbors and friends. His family is often referred to as a “Yolo County Pioneer Family”. He became a citizen of the United States and he lived the American dream.
Sharlene Oeste Stahl (1941-2021) was the last born Oeste, one of Laverne and Ethel Oeste’s two daughters, and a fighter for her family’s farm heritage and legacy. Her family still owns property in a partnership that continues to produce crops near Davis along W. Covell Blvd. between County Roads 98 and 99.