History of Fresno County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Volume I, Part 145

Author: Vandor, Paul E., 1858-
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company
Number of Pages: 1362

USA > California > Fresno County > History of Fresno County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Volume I > Part 145

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he is a true-blue Republican ; he was city trustee of Fresno and was chairman of the building committee which supervised the erection of the City Hall. He was also president of the board of education of Fresno for four years.

Mr. and Mrs. Sunderland have four children living: Le Roy is a plumber at Turlock, is married and has one child, Al. E .; Hazel has become Mrs. Carl La Maine, the wife of the Dinuba druggist; Netta is a graduate of the high school and Fresno Junior College; and Pearl is still in the Fresno high school. Mr. Sunderland resides with his family at 727 Mildreda Street.

He was made a Mason in the Las Palmas Lodge, F. & A. M., Fresno, and he is a member of the Fresno Chapter, R. A. M., of the Fresno Commandery, Knights Templar, the Fresno Consistory of the Scottish Rite, and Islam Temple, San Francisco. Mrs. Sunderland is a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, and is a prominent leader. Besides belonging to the Odd Fel- lows, Mr. Sunderland is a prominent Woodman. He was the charter Counsel Commander at the time of the organization of Pine Burr Camp, W. O. W., at Clovis, and he organized the first uniform drill team of the Woodmen of the World in the Valley, and his membership was transferred to Manzanita Camp, No. 160. W. O. W., Fresno. In 1902, at the Head Camp session in Los Angeles, Mr. Sunderland was elected Head Adviser, and at the next Head Camp session in 1907 in Seattle, he was elected chairman of the Law Committee. In 1910, at Portland, he was elected Head Banker of the Pacific Jurisdiction embracing nine western states, and since then he has been re- elected at each Head Camp session to the same high and honorable office. Through his office is handled each month approximately $250,000. so that much accuracy and work on his part are entailed.

Mr. Sunderland has much natural ability as an actor, and in Kansas City he had considerable experience in dramatic art. On coming to Temperance Colony he organized a dramatic company, and for two winters he gave sev- eral plays, so successful that with the proceeds the hall in the colony was built. In Clovis he again called into existence a dramatic club, which gave plays through a period of several years. The first play was given in the old warehouse there, and later the new hall was used; and in this commendable intellectual and social activity, he enlisted the active cooperation of such men as J. G. Ferguson, Fred Ewing and others. Inheriting this dramatic talent to a high degree, Miss Netta Sunderland is now studying dramatic art in Los Angeles. All in all, Mr. Sunderland has led a most useful life, in which hard work has been again and again rewarded, and through which he has contributed to the betterment and to the increased happiness of the world.

JAMES G. GREGORY .- A representative fruit-grower, and a resident of Fresno County for thirty-two years. James G. Gregory has developed many pieces of property from grain and sheep-grazing land into valuable fruit- ranches, and, be it said, his places give evidence of the thrift and intelligence of the owner.

Mr. Gregory was born in the State of Oregon on August 14, 1873, the son of Levi N. and Sarah Jane Gregory, both born in Missouri, but residents of California since 1881. Mrs. Gregory passed away some years before her husband, and he died in 1914, aged about seventy-five years. They had seven children, three now living: W. A. and B. W. Gregory, in Tulare County ; and our subject.

J. G. Gregory attended school in Oregon until his parents came to Cali- fornia, after which he completed his schooling here. At an early age he be- gan working on ranches, especially in the fruit sections, until he became an authority on orchards and vineyards. He soon became a landowner, and since then he has owned many different ranches, all of which he has sold at a profit. One of these, near Parlier, consisted of 167 acres divided as follows: 55 acres of Thompson's, 60 acres of muscats, 10 acres of prunes, 15 acres of

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apricots and 16 acres of peaches. These acres yielded a handsome sum in 1917 when he had 300 tons of Thompson's, 120 tons of muscats, 22 tons of dried fruit, 28 tons of prunes, $2,500 worth of apricots. He also had ten acres in alfalfa. The return from all his products for the year 1917 was $34,000. He bought the ranch in 1916 and after gathering the 1917 crop he sold the place and bought 60 acres near Fowler and 50 acres near Hanford, all in fruits of various kinds, and these he sold in 1919. He now owns 280 acres in Vinland Colony on the river bottom, all fine land and in vines and orchard ; also he became owner of 480 acres of grain-land in Glenn County, in the vi- cinity of Orland. He has been a fruit-grower all his active life in the county and has great faith in the future of Fresno County.

In December, 1897, Mr. Gregory was united in marriage with Miss Metta C. Patterson, a native daughter, born in Shasta County and the daughter of J. M. Patterson. Four children have come to them: Leonard; Carl ; Sherrill ; and Roy. Mr. Gregory is a man of high ideals, and his family enjoys the respect and good will of their many friends. They are members of the Chris- tian Church, in which Mr. Gregory is a deacon. He has been a member of the various associations of raisin-growers and holds stock in the California Associated Raisin Company and the California Peach Growers, Inc. He be- lieves in progress and supports all measures to further his ideals.

JAMES ROSS .- Of the many foreign-born citizens who have enriched the country by their coming here, none have contributed more to advance the science of gardening and the higher orders of agriculture than the industrious and far-seeing Scotch, and, among these, few, if any, deserve more esteem and good-will than James Ross, whose intelligence and hard work have enabled him to improve some property and make of it a fine place, and who now has a valuable Thompson seedless vineyard. He was born near Aberdeen, Scot- land, on February 21, 1868, the son of John Ross, a farmer and representative of an old and historic family. His mother was Jane Milne before her mar- riage, and hers also was a name that long had a place among those of estab- lished Scotch households. James was the oldest of the three children, and he was reared and educated in the land of his birth. There he learned to farm ; and there he acquired the stamina and shrewdness which, guided by the highest and noblest of principles, have helped him forward on his way in the New World.

At the beginning of the nineties James Ross crossed the ocean and the American continent to California, and reaching Los Angeles, remained there for a year. In twelve months, however, he became convinced that Fresno County offered the best opportunities to the newcomer with small capital, and so he came here and settled, commencing work in a livery stable. At the end of a year, he switched off to ranching for grain, and drove a big team in the grain fields, finding work on the Jeff James ranch and also at Wheat- vale, where he was soon singled out as above the average in capacity, and was put in charge of places. In 1904 he entered the employ of R. N. Barstow and continued with him as foreman for five years, and then, for three years, he was with the Fresno Canal and Irrigating Company, now the Fresno Land and Canal Company, where he was given the responsible task of caring for the ditches.

In 1913, Mr. Ross bought his present place of forty acres, his choice showing good business judgment and thorough understanding of agricultural conditions. It was the rawest land, but the soil was rich, it was well located, and he set to work with energy to check it off and improve it. He set out eight acres of Thompson seedless grapevines, planted most of the balance to alfalfa and, established a small dairy, equipped in the most up-to-date and sanitary manner. He built a residence, barns, and outbuildings, the whole constituting a profitable business machine.

By 1909, Mr. Ross was able to make a trip to his old home, where he spent some six months enjoying again the scenes of his boyhood and the

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companionship of old friends. While there he was married to Miss Annie Cuthill, a native of bonnie Scotland who was born near Arbroath, Forfarshire ; and they had two children, Mildred and Gertrude. They attend the Presby- terian Church, in which they were reared.

Mr. Ross is an active member of the California Associated Raisin Com- pany. In national politics he is a Republican, working always for improved American conditions. He is an Odd Fellow, and belongs to Lodge No. 343 at Fresno. Mr. and Mrs. Ross are awake to every proposition making for a bet- ter community, as well as better agricultural conditions and a greater com- mercial prosperity, and are always among the first, in local civic affairs, to lend a helping hand.

WILLIAM H. LEWIS .- Among the enterprising and industrious ranch- ers of the Kerman section of Fresno County, who are engaged in viticulture and horticulture, especial mention is made of William H. Lewis, who resides on his highly improved ranch in the Empire district, located on Vinland Ave- nue. He has been a resident of the Golden State since 1897 and a citizen of Fresno County for over eleven years.

William H. Lewis is a native of the Empire State, born near East Ham- lin, Monroe County, N. Y., July 6. 1872. a son of Jeremiah and Charlotte (Goodrich) Lewis, both of whom were natives of New York state. The father followed farming in New York until 1881, when he migrated with his family to Montana, locating near Lewistown, now in Fergus County. Jeremiah Lewis engaged in cattle-raising for many years until his health becoming im- paired, in 1907, he sought a milder climate and it was but natural that he came to California where he had a son residing, W. H. Lewis, the subject of this review. He did not long enjoy the cheerful sunshine and salubrious atmos- phere of California, for he passed away in 1908. His widow makes her home with her son W. H. Lewis.

When nine years of age, William H. accompanied his parents from New York state to Montana, where he was reared to manhood. He attended the public school of his district, which was three miles distant from his home. When he was old enough William rode the range on his father's ranch and being a very ambitious youth he started to develop a herd of cattle of his own when but sixteen years of age, and continued in the business until twenty-two years of age. About that time he sold his stock and drove to Idaho, locating for two years near Genesee. Mr. Lewis strongly desired to locate in the Golden State, in consequence of which he drove from Idaho to California, locating in San Benito County, in 1897. He followed ranching for eight years, five of which were spent on the ranch of C. N. Hawkins. In May, 1906, he removed to Berkeley where he was engaged in carpentering and in December of the following year located in Fresno County, on a ten-acre tract in the Em- pire district, west of Madera Avenue. He improved this place by planting an orchard and setting out a vineyard and in addition leased 100 acres of alfalfa land and engaged in dairying. Mr. Lewis sold this ranch in 1912, and subse- quently purchased his present ranch of twenty acres on Vinland Avenue, in the Empire district, which is devoted to a vineyard of Thompson seedless grapes and a peach orchard. Again Mr. Lewis decided to engage in the dairy- ing business, and for the purpose leased alfalfa land, bought a carload of cows in Nevada County and shipped them to his ranch, where he conducted a dairy for three years, after which he disposed of this business. His present ranch is highly improved and since locating there he has built a residence and installed a pumping-plant.

William H. Lewis was united in marriage on August 5, 1893, with Miss Jennie M. Batdorf, a native of Kansas, the ceremony being solemnized in the state of Montana. This union has been blessed with eleven children : Jesse J .. a graduate of Kerman high school who also attended the Fresno Normal school, and served in the United States Army as a member of Coast Artillery ; Verna, also a graduate of the Kerman high school and living at home; Helen,

LM. Frederick d. Family.

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a graduate of Kerman high school and now a sophomore in University of California, at Berkeley; Harold, Arthur, Alice, Carl, Thelma, Lloyd, Ethel, and Darrell are all at home.

Mr. Lewis is a charter member of the Beulah United Brethren Church, has been a trustee since its organization, and is now president of the board. He is highly esteemed in the community for his sterling qualities and is inter- ested in every worthy movement to advance the interests of the horticul- turists and viticulturists of the county, and is a member of, and stockholder in, both the California Peach Growers, Inc., and the California Associated Raisin Company.

L. M. FREDERICK .- A resident of San Joaquin Valley for forty years and the owner of a well improved ranch of ninety acres situated two and one-half miles northeast of Fowler, is L. M. Frederick, a very optimistic and justly popular raisin-grower. He is a native of the Hawkeye State, born August 20, 1854, at Monticello, Iowa, a son of L. S. and Mary (Torrence) Frederick, both natives of Ohio and in which state they were married. This union was blessed with nine children, the fourth child being L. M .. the subject of this sketch. His father kept a country store at Monticello, Iowa, and in 1858 moved his family to Adams County, Ill., and it was in that state, on a farm sixteen miles from Quincy, that L. M. was reared. He attended the public schools of Adams County and later was a student at the Christian University, Canton, Mo., for two years.

His first business undertaking was as a buyer and shipper of live stock. He became a buyer for the firm of Smith and Farley of Chicago. His opera- tions included the buying and shipping of horses and mules as well as cattle and hogs to the Chicago market. He was extensively engaged in this line of business from 1874 to 1877. He bought extensively throughout the state of Missouri but mostly in Adams, Pike and Hancock Counties in the state of Illinois.

In 1877 a combination of circumstances, especially the panicky times in- cident to the demonetization of silver, caused his financial failure. Un- daunted by discouragements and financial losses, Mr. Frederick started again, by working as a farm hand for wages. In 1878, he decided to come out to Fresno, Cal., and after his arrival, he went to San Joaquin County where he worked for wages in the wheat fields. After following this kind of work for several years he became interested in wheat farming, going to Tulare County, near Visalia, where he rented a ranch from 1880 to 1883. His farming operations then ended in another financial failure and again he was compelled to work for wages and he continued as a farm hand for another three years. His next business venture was to go to Stanislaus County, where he likewise engaged in farming. He met with reverses in Stanislaus County, also, but, possessing indomitable courage and a large degree of self-confidence, he would not yield to discouragements, being confident that he would succeed in time. For the next few years he was variously engaged. Among other things he did was to take up a homestead in western Fresno County which he proved-up in due time. He moved down to Hanford and there he tried his hand at various lines of business and occupations. While there the tide finally turned in his favor, and he did well. In 1905, he moved to the city of Fresno and busied himself with ranching, and also tried the real-estate business. He made a fortunate investment in Fresno in the month of February, 1906, when he purchased property on L Street, which has steadily increased in value, and four years ago he exchanged it for the ranch of 110 acres, where he has resided and worked ever since. He sold twenty acres of this ranch to his son LeRoy M., a few years ago, and when this son entered the army, Mr. and Mrs. Frederick took charge of both ranches-a task which calls for hard work and careful management; but a peep in at their place shows that they are masters of the situation. They have one of the best cultivated ranches and one of the nicest homes in the county.

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In 1883, L. M. Frederick was united in marriage with Miss Ida E. Griggs, daughter of John and Angeline E. (Williams) Griggs, both of whom are well known in San Joaquin County. The mother of Mrs. Frederick was born in the Green Mountain country, Vt., and is now living at Modesto, Cal., at the advanced age of eighty-three years; the father having passed away at Traver, Cal. Mrs. Frederick has one sister living, namely, Lillie Belle, the wife of F. A. Littlefield, a prosperous dairy farmer near Escalon, San Joa- quin County, Cal.

Mr. and Mrs. Frederick are the parents of four children: Albert is an electrician in the employ of the Pacific Electric Company at Stockton. LeRoy M. is at Brest, France, where he is serving as a military police officer, having been detailed to that service since the signing of the armistice. He trained at Camp Fremont before being sent over to France, where he served as signal-service man in the Machine Gun Company of the Eighth Infantry, until the armistice. He is still, July 4, 1919, in France. Lillie May is now the wife of C. C. Crowell, a rancher at Turlock. Jessie E. is the wife of J. C. Holland, contractor, builder and rancher at Turlock.

Mr. Frederick possesses a very cheerful disposition, is a true optimist, always looking on the bright side of life, which makes him justly popular in his community. Besides his splendid ninety-acre ranch two and one-half miles northeast of Fowler. Mr. Frederick also owns the Lone Oak, sixty- five-acre stock-ranch, twenty miles due south of Fresno, in the north edge of the Laguna de Tache Grant, in southern Fresno County, where Mr. and Mrs. Frederick lived and farmed many years ago, and where they have many friends who, in that locality, shared the joys as well as the discomforts of a pioneer experience.

MRS. RUTH L. HAYES .- The noble part women have had in the history of California, contributing their intelligence, heroic endeavor and in- domitable courage to bring the Golden State up to the high-water mark of ac- complishment, and to what extent the thousands of progressive women among the citizens of Fresno County are a guarantee of a still more glorious future. may be seen in the life-story of Mrs. Ruth L. Hayes, a refined, well-posted and inquiring lady of pleasing personality, and of more than ordinary interest on account of her gift as an entertaining conversationalist.

She was born in Greensburg, Knox County, Mo., the daughter of Alex- ander H. Dalton who was a native of Tennessee and came to Missouri, where he married Mrs. Martha (Williams) Trimble, of Scotch-English descent leading through Washington County, Ind. They were farmers in Missouri, but California began to look good to them, and in 1882 the mother brought the family to the Coast and bought land near Lemoore. There she improved an orchard and vineyard and took such good care of them and herself that she still resides on the old place, having attained her eighty-eighth year on Christmas, 1918.

Mrs. Hayes is the only child of this marriage, and received her education in the schools of Lemoore, thence going to Portland, Ore. There she met Dr. James L. Hayes, a native of Alabama, who was reared at LaFayette, Ore., where he practiced as a graduate of the St. Louis Medical College, class of 1892, having previously spent two years at Rush Medical College in Chicago. The acquaintance grew into romantic friendship, and the friend- ship led up to marriage, but she was bereaved of her husband six months after she became his wife. He was a Mason, a Knight of Pythias, a member of the Ancient Order United Workmen and the Woodmen of the World; and in all these organizations he stood high and was honored of all men.

Resolving, despite this sorrow and loss, to make her own way in the profession of nursing, Mrs. Hayes entered the Mt. Zion Training School for Nurses in San Francisco, where she was graduated with honors in Jan- uary, 1900. She followed her calling in San Francisco, and then in Kings

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and Fresno Counties; but in the meantime she also became interested in horticulture and viticulture.

Purchasing twenty acres at Orosi, in Tulare County, she set to work improving the land; and such was the intelligence, together with the industry, expended on the problem that, although the field was new to her, she brought the ranch to a high state of perfection, devoting it to sultanas, muscats and figs.

In 1910, persuaded that her more imperative duty lay along the new path of this agricultural venture, Mrs. Hayes, although in constant demand as a professional nurse gave up that work, and has since devoted all of her time to her ranches. In February, 1917, she purchased twenty acres in the Dakota Colony, Fresno County, and this she reserves for the cultivation of peaches, Thompson seedless grapes and alfalfa. While personally superintending both ranches, she makes her home on her Fresno ranch which is an ideal residence retreat.

Mrs. Hayes is a member of the Luzerne Chapter of the O. E. S., at Hanford, and both within and outside of that society she has a host of es- teeming and well-wishing friends. Her success in horticulture and viticul- ture reflects in the highest degree creditably on the neighborhood, in which she has become a leader in good works making for better citizenship.

MRS. MARY J. GOBBY .- Among the well-rewarded heroines who, by their years of faithful work and self-sacrifice have helped to make California the land of opportunity and the realm of happy homes, must be mentioned Mrs. Mary J. Gobby, widow of the late Peter Gobby, who owned a ranch of 320 acres two miles west of Riverdale and another ranch of eighty acres north of Riverdale. He was born in the village of Niva, Canton Ticino, Switzerland, on March 11, 1858, and although the oldest of three brothers he was the last to come to California. Louis Gobby came first and two years after his arri- val in Petaluma he sent back money for his youngest brother, Rocco, to join him, in 1886; and two years after that Louis and Rocco remitted passage money for Peter.

Peter Gobby returned to Switzerland in 1891, and that year he was mar- ried in his native canton to Mary Jane Guglielmoni, who was born in Niva and who was, therefore, familiar with the scenes of his boyhood. Her father was a successful bridge-contractor in Switzerland ; he later went to Australia during the gold excitement and was quite lucky for several years in seeking the shining dust. On his return he resumed bridge-building ; and he then married Mary Agatha Calanchini and became the father of three children : Mrs. Gobby, the eldest; Martin, who died when he was twenty-three years old at Crescent City, Cal. ; and Charles, who married May Baker of Riverdale, and who owns 100 acres and is a dairyman at Burrel, in Fresno County.

Mrs. Gobby's father died when she was eight years old : her mother passed away when she was eighteen, and she was married in her twentieth year. She remained seven years in Switzerland after her marriage, during which time Peter Gobby went back and forth between California and Switzerland : and five children were born to her in the old country. One of these died and four accompanied her to America. She has had fourteen children, twelve of whom are still living: Adeline, at home; Josephine, a trained nurse in San Francisco; Arthur and Oscar, who served in the World War for Uncle Sam : Pauline, Mary, Emma, Elvin: William, who is ten: Albert, who is eight; Walter, who is six, and Allen Bon Homme. Two died in infancy, the one in Switzerland and the other here. Mr. Gobby died on July 15, 1917. He was a director in the creamery and he sold the right of way to the railway running through Riverdale.

At first Mr. and Mrs. Gobby lived in "The Adobe" on the Johns Tract. Her husband rented 6,000 acres of the Burrel estate, and for several years husband and wife worked almost day and night. They kept from 120 to 150

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cows, made cheese and hauled loads of cheese to Fresno. Peter Gobby oper- ated the cheese factory himself and Mrs. Gobby helped him. They also lost fifty valuable cows through the Texas fever, and at one time had to struggle very hard to get a start again. Finally, Peter Gobby became a stockholder in the First National Bank of Riverdale and the First National Bank of Laton, Fresno County. He served as a director in the Riverdale Cooperative Creamery from its organization in 1911 until the time of his death.

One of the happy results of the hard work and self-denial by Mr. and Mrs. Gobby is that no mortgage burdens the two ranches operated by her with the help of her sons and daughters. They live on the large dairy farm of 320 acres two miles west of Riverdale, and reside in a commodious two- story frame country house built a few years before Mr. Gobby died. Mrs. Gobby is a hard-working, intelligent and plucky woman who kept close tab on the business end of the ranching operations. She had a good education in Switzerland and she has acquired the English language here. In her various business operations she has amply demonstrated her executive ability.

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History of Fresno County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Volume I, Part 145

Author: Vandor, Paul E., 1858- Publication date: 1919 Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company Number of Pages: 1362

Author: Vandor, Paul E., 1858-
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company
Number of Pages: 1362