How a California city was named after a New Jersey Senator and Mexican-American War veteran
(KTXL) — The City of Stockton in Central California owes its name to a man who fought against slavery in Africa but was not an abolitionist at home...
(KTXL) — The City of Stockton in Central California owes its name to a man who fought against slavery in Africa but was not an abolitionist at home, who was a pivotal figure in the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War and the Civil War, and who was the grandson of one of the signers of the United States Declaration of Independence. Robert F. Stockton was born on Aug. 20, 1795 in Princeton, New Jersey and was the son of U.S. Senator for New Jersey Richard Stockton. In 1810, at the age of 16, the young Stockton would withdraw from Princeton University, a place where his family had strong ties, to join the United States Navy, according to the Trustees of Princeton University.