A family marks its proud Lodi heritage
Aug. 13—The descendants of Wilhelm "Columbus" and Charlotta Hieb installed a new headstone at the couple's gravesite in the Lodi Memorial Cemetery on Pine Street last summer.
The existing markers, Richard Hieb said, were flat pieces of concrete for both his great-grandfather and great-grandmother. Their last name was misspelled with the letter "M" instead of "B, he added.
"It took about six months from about the beginning when we decided to get (the headstone) to finding a place that's going to make and then putting it in the cemetery," Hieb said.
Wilhelm and Charlotta Hieb traveled from South Dakota to Lodi in 1897, and soon became one of the area's biggest population boosters.
He was a counselor and guide to many Germans from Russia, helping them find the proper soils to plant in their vineyard and earning the nickname of "Columbus," according to a 1975 News-Sentinel article.
"My great-grandfather, what he did, he loved this place so much, he sent letters back to SD and invited them to come out," Richard Hieb said. "He'd help them find land, and they'd build their houses. In the meantime, he let them stay at his house. He got nothing for that, but that's the way they did things back in those days."
According to the 1975 article about the Hiebs, the couple migrated from Odessa, South Russia some time in the 19th century. Wilhelm was 18 at the time.
In 1895, he and two friends, Jacob Mettler and Gottlieb Hieb — no relation — visited California from Menno, S.D., to see the countryside and find a good place to relocate.
Wilhelm liked the Los Angeles area for its orange groves, but the trio were searching for land on which they could cultivate grapes, according to the article.
The trio ventured north until they arrived in Lodi and found what they considered to be the perfect soil.
Returning to Menno, Wilhelm sold his property, and he and Charlotta brought their eight children to Lodi.
The Hieb family purchased 30 acres on Kettleman Lane, where they planted Zinfandel and Mission grapes, as well as raising cattle.
Soon afterward, Wilhelm started the Zion Reformed Church in his house, according to Richard Hieb. The church has since been re-christened Zion Lutheran Church and is now located on Ham Lane.
"(Wilhelm) transformed the city," Richard Hieb said. "People don't realize that. Before the Germans from Russia came, Lodi was a rowdy town. There was gambling, and before they came, there were about 14 saloons and four churches. Within 10 years after they came — 12 churches and four saloons."
Placing a new headstone at his great-grandparents' grave cost about $5,000, Richard Hieb said, adding he split the cost with his brother and sister.
He added that he's hoping to get a future school or park named after his ancestor as well.
"He doesn't get any credit for what he's done," Richard Hieb said. "He didn't care about any recognition. He was just a farmer."
