Born in Bedford County, in the Old Dominion State, September 15, 1844, Josiah C. Joplin was reared on a farm and received the training accorded to children in the pioneer days. However, he had some educational advantages, though limited, in the private schools of that vicinity. He always improved such opportunities as were presented to him and by careful and extensive reading became a well informed man. Six of the Joplin brothers served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War, Josiah C. enlisting in March, 1862, in Company A, Second Virginia Cavalry. They were first in Colonel Ashby's command, in Stonewall Jackson's Valley campaign, until Colonel Ashby was killed at Port Republic. After arriving at Richmond, his regiment became a part of the First Brigade, under Gen. J. E. B. Stewart, and was in the engagement at Meadow Bridge, Va., when General Stewart was killed. He served under Generals Beauregard and Robert E. Lee, participating in the battles of Antietam, Gettysburg, Richmond, and the Wilderness and others of equal importance. During his service he was slightly wounded in three different battles.
After the war was over Mr. Joplin returned to Franklin County, Va., where the family had moved during hostilities. He remained there but a short time and then went to Mississippi and Arkansas, spending three years in these states. He eventually returned to Virginia, and spent three years there in agricultural pursuits. While there he was united in marriage with Rebecca C. Boyd, a native of Virginia, born June 18, 1845, a daughter of Andrew Boyd. Her uncle, Hon. W. W. Boyd, was a member of Congress when Virginia seceded and he withdrew and joined the Confederacy and became a member of the Confederate Senate. The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Joplin: Andrew Boyd, John Booth, James A., William P., Joe and Otho, deceased. Four of the boys are located in this county, and James A. is at Parker, Arizona.
In 1876 Mr. Joplin decided to remove his family to California and it was here that he found the land of "golden opportunity," for he found health and an opportunity to rear his children under a wider scope than he had found in the eastern country. He came direct to the present limits of Orange County, but then Los Angeles, County, and has made this his home ever since. At the time of his arrival it was but sparsely populated and the thriving cities and towns of the present were but in their infancy. He located a 160-acre homestead in Belle Canyon, residing there seventeen years as a possessory claim before it was surveyed so he could file his homestead claim. He also purchased 320 acres from two settlers adjoining him and 286 acres from the Southern Pacific Railroad, and this he put under cultivation, engaging principally in stock raising and bee culture.
It can be truthfully said that no man has been more interested in the development of the county than Mr. Joplin, and through participation in every progressive movement he became well acquainted with every well-known citizen within its boundaries. He has willingly given of his time and means to promote the welfare of the entire county, and no man has ever been more loyal to its citizens, for he has always guarded well every trust reposed in him. One of the most important projects fostered by Mr. Joplin and which did much to advance the interests of the county was his connection with the World's Fair in Chicago in 1893. He personally collected an exhibit of the products of this county and his management of the exhibit there won for him much praise. So successful was he in this undertaking that he was chosen to superintend the exhibit of the county at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition at St. Louis, Mo. Mr. Wiggins, who was the superintendent of exhibits from the seven southern counties of California, gives him credit for being the first to make a success of chemically processing fruits for exhibits. Mrs. Joplin prepared a special exhibit of domestic canned fruit, for which she received a medal and diploma at the World's Columbian Exposition at Chicago.
Politically, Mr. Joplin has always adhered to the principles of the Democratic party, and although Orange County usually has been strongly Republican, he has served several consecutive terms as county treasurer. He was first elected in 1898, from January 1, 1899 to January 1, 1903, then he was again elected county treasurer in 1906 and has been reelected every four years, or in 1910, 1914 and 1918. The last two times he was elected at the primaries. When requests were made through the legislators to the State Legislature for an increase in salary, Mr. Joplin refused to ask for an increase, saying that the county was paying him enough. No wonder that he stands high with all parties.
Mrs. Joplin by her many charitable deeds, kindness and modesty greatly endeared herself to the people of Santa Ana and Orange County, because she always stood for truth, uprightness and a high standard of morals, and never failed to give substantial encouragement to all movements in that direction, thus she was universally mourned by everyone when she passed away on March 20, 1911. She was a faithful wife and mother, having always been the greatest help and encouragement to her husband in his ambitions and naturally very proud of his success and the political honors he had received. With the same high standard and principles in view she trained and reared her children to be God-fearing, law-abiding and useful citizens, and her great regret at passing was that she could no longer see to the ministering of comforts to them, and before her death she wrote and left a letter addressed to her children, admonishing them to live right and useful lives and follow the example of their father, who had gained such a high place in the estimation of the public. She had been ill for several years and knew that the end was coming, so in her loving and thoughtful way she made a distribution of her keepsakes and household furniture and dishes, giving each one the things she knew they liked and that she wished them to have.
Always active in the interests of education, Mr. Joplin was instrumental in the organization of the Trabuco and Olive school districts. He took an active part in the founding of Orange County and his Trabuco precinct obtained the banner, because all votes were for county division and the organization of Orange County, and not one vote against it. One of the organizers of the Humane Society of Orange County in about 1900, Mr. Joplin has been its president ever since and very active in its work. He was one of the organizers and president of the first Fish and Game Protective Association of Orange County, and was one of the promoters of the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce, serving as director for several years. He is prominent in the ranks of the Odd Fellows and was one of four organizers of the Orange County Veteran Odd Fellows Association, serving as its first president, and takes an active interest in the Orange County Historical Society. Some years ago Mr. Joplin sold his large ranch and since then has bought two small ranches, comprising a little over 300 acres of land in Belle Canyon, and these he devotes to stock raising and horticulture.
