Lists birth as near Wakeland, IN in 1866 in the material which he added to the Fred R. Wakeland's "Uncle Ike" letter.

Moved with parents to Boone Co. Nebraska in 1885. Several teaching credentials and a teaching contract in Nebraska exists for him. Came to Santa Rosa in 1891. Worked as a carpenter and built several houses in the Santa Rosa area. Bought an Apple ranch in Forestville, 1910, and rebuilt the farm house there.

His biography is listed in the History of Sonoma County, California, by Honoria Tuomey (Chicago: The S. J. Clark Publishing Co., 1926), Volume 2, page 889:

J. J. WAKELAND

Among the worthy citizens of Sonoma county whose residence here has contributed in no small degree to the prestige of the community is J. J. Wakeland, whose splendid farm home is near Forestville. He is a man who, while laboring for his individual advancement, never forgot his obligations to the community and never withheld his support from any measures and movements for the general good.

Mr. Wakeland is a Hoosier, having been born in Morgan county, Indiana, on the 6th of July, 1866. He is a son of Preston D. and Sarah P. (Hawkins) Wakeland, the father a native of Butler county, Ohio, and the mother of Marion county, Indiana. Turner R. Wakeland, his paternal grandfather, was a lifelong resident of Ohio. Preston D. Wakeland went to Nebraska in 1885, being a pioneer of the locality in which he settled, and there he engaged in farming for a number of years prior to his removal to Cedar Rapids, Nebraska, where his death occurred in 1895. He was long survived by his widow, who died in Forestville, California, in 1919, at the age of ninety years. She was one of a family of ten children, who had the very unusual record of all living to be over eighty-five years old.

J. J. Wakeland was educated in the public schools of Indiana and Nebraska, and after completing his studies he engaged in teaching school for several years in the latter state. After his marriage, in 1892, he followed farming in Nebraska, continuing that vocation there until 1900, when he came to Santa Rosa, Sonoma county, California, and engaged in the contracting business. In this line he was eminently successful, building many of the best residences and other buildings throughout this section of the county during a period of about ten years. In 1910 Mr. Wakeland bought fifteen acres of land, about a half mile north of Forestville, which at that time was partly planted to cherries and grapes. He took these out and planted the entire ranch to Gravenstein apples, now having a fine and good bearing orchard. In 1919 Mr. Wakeland remodeled his residence, which is now one of the most attractive and comfortable homes in the locality.

On November 3, 1892, Mr. Wakeland was married to Miss Sadie Roselma Davis, who was born in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, a daughter of Frank and Marian (Loughran) Davis, and to them has been born a daughter, Helen A., who took a training course for nurses in Mt. Zion Hospital, San Francisco, where she was graduated in June, 1925.

Mr. Wakeland is a member of Lodge No. 4, Knights of the Maccabees, at Santa Rosa. In 1921 he and his family had a delightful automobile trip of fifteen thousand miles, during which they visited many points of interest, including Crater Lake, Oregon; Yellowstone Park; the Grand Canyon; Brice's Canyon and Zion Canyon in Utah; the Tippecanoe battlefield in Indiana, and the scene of the historic massacre at Fort Hall, Idaho, where the Indians nearly wiped out a large train of emigrants bound for Oregon in the late `40s. As a man of ability, sturdy integrity and usefulness, and as a citizen of the utmost loyalty to high ideals, Mr. Wakeland has always stood high in the esteem of all who knew him, for his career has been marked by those qualities of character which ever commend one to the favorite consideration of his fellowmen.

Sarah P. Wakeland lived next door to John and Rose on Tupper Street in a house which he built. The daily comings and goings of her son and daughter-in-law are enumerated in the diary kept by her in 1905. The two houses which Uncle John built on Tupper Street still exist as of 1993, along with his farm house in Forestville.

John re-copied the "Uncle Ike" letter which contains the Wakeland family history, that is a source for some of this genealogy. He added some additional material to that letter (which my grandmother had added additional date material and corrections):

July 8, 1941

Continuation of Wakeland history from year 1800 to July 8, 1941; by I, John James Wakeland of Forestville, Calif. Age 75 years --Geneology [sic] of my father starts with his Grandfather -- my Great Grandfather and his wife.

Great Grandfather and Grandmother:

Charles Wakeland of Virginia

Permelia Wakeland (wife)

born

"

1777

1776

Grandfather and Grandmother:

Turner R. Wakeland

Claremont,

Co.

"

1880

Manetta (Arthur) Wakeland

Hanover

County

Virginia

"

1804

Children of above:

Preston D. Wakeland

Butler

Co.

Ohio

"

1831-1896

Arthur A. Wakeland

"

"

"

"

1823-1889

John James Wakeland

"

"

"

"

1833-1900

Permelia Wakeland

"

"

"

"

No record

My Fathers Family Children of Preston D. and Sarah P. Wakeland.

Edwilda J. Wakeland

Marion

Co.

Ind.

"

1855-1864

Turner R. Wakeland

"

"

"

"

1857--1892

10/12/57

Clytus C. Wakeland

"

"

"

"

1859--1944

10/26/59

Eliza J. Wakeland

"

"

"

"

1861--1931

10/27/61

John J. Wakeland

"

"

"

"

1866--1954

7/6/66

Charley A. Wakeland

"

"

"

"

1869--1903

7/4/69

Walter Leroy Wakeland

Boone

Co.

Neb.

"

1895

1885--1866

Son of T.R. & Alice (Fowler) Wakeland - living.

Eldon Preston Wakeland

Boone

Co.

Neb.

Son of C.C. & Juretta (Knoy) Wakeland

born

1897 d 1915

Jan 1916

Children of John B. and Eliza (Wakeland) Thompson

Vera Thompson

Boone

Co.

Neb.

born

1889-living Santa Rosa

died 1966

Will Thompson

Boone

Co.

Neb.

"

1892-died 1931

Electa Thompson

Boone

Co.

Neb.

"

1896-living Napa

Sallie Thompson

Boone

Co.

Neb.

"

1899-living Napa

(Children of Charley & Maggie (Baggs) Wakeland)

Francis Wakeland

Boone

Co.

Neb.

"

1899-died 1914 Nov, 10th

Ruth (Wakeland) Kidwell

Seb.

Calif.

"

1901

--living

Helen Artimesia (Magnani) Wakeland

"

1901

Adopted daughter of John J. and Rose (Davis) Wakeland
now, Mrs. Marion Winter of Claremont, Ill.

The writer John Wakeland born near Wakeland Indiana 1866. Moved with parents 1885 to Boone Co. Nebr. When 19 Years of age and in 1892 was married to Sadie Roselma Davis whose mother was born at Gibrater<sic> Mediterranean Sea.

My Aunt Nancy Jane Hawkins, born in North Carolina 1815, She was the first professional nurse in Indianapolis Capital of Indiana and did nursing at the front during part of the Civil War of 61 to 65. Died at Indianapolis aged 89 years, a sister, my mother died in my home Forestville, Calif. at age of 89.

When J.J. Wakeland, C.C. Wakeland and Roy Wakeland; nephew, passes away, the Wakeland name, as to Fathers family, will be extinct.

To who may be interested in continuing this geneology [sic] to the younger generation of nieces and nephews may do so by copying from a list from a parent.

Uncle John

"Uncle John" was a story teller and the family historian of his generation. He was a primary source and aid for my grandmother, Electa Wendt, when she became interested in family history. A forceful though friendly and intelligent individual, my father had several favorite stories about him. There is a picture of Uncle John with my parents which I am also in, though I have no recollection of him.

Obituaries from clippings which my grandmother had (Santa Rosa Press Democrat?):

John Wakeland

FORESTVILLE -- Retired apple rancher John J. Wakeland died at his home, 7431 Covey Rd., late Friday of a heart attack. He was 89.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday from the chapel of the O'Leary Funeral Home. Burial will be at Gilliam Cemetery, Graton.

Mr. Wakeland was a native of Indiana. He had moved to Nebraska with his parents when a youth and came to Santa Rosa in 1891 to work as a carpenter.

He bought an apple ranch near Forestville in 1910 and retired in 1935. Mr. Wakeland was a member of the Forestville Church of Christ.

Surviving is a daughter, Mrs. Helen A. Smith, Forestville.

WAKELAND -- July 2,

1954. John J. Wakeland, beloved father of Helen A. Smith of Forestville. Loving uncle of Vera Curtis of Santa Rosa, Mrs. Milton Wendt and Mrs. Sally Wendt, both of Napa, and Roy Wakeland of Forestville. A native of Indiana; age 89 years.

Friends are invited to attend the funeral services Tuesday, July 6, at 1:30 p.m. at the chapel of the O'Leary Funeral Home, Sebastopol. Interment Gilliam Cemetery, Graton.