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 157

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 157

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The eldest child of this union, Peter attended the public schools, grew up and enlisted in the Union Army, in August, 1862, becoming a volunteer in Company I, 118th Ohio Volunteers, that was mustered in at Lima, Ohio, as a part of the Army of the Ohio. For the first ten months he was placed on guard duty on the Kentucky Central Railway, and then he was with Burn- side in his campaigning in eastern Tennessee. He took part in the Siege of Knoxville and the fighting at Mossy Creek, Sweetwater, Loudon and Kings- ton, and on May 7, 1864, joined Sherman on his memorable Atlanta campaign, seeing service at Buzzard's Roost, Red Clay Station, Roccaca, Peach Tree, Ottawa River, Kennesaw Mountain, and Snake Creek Gap. He assisted at the Siege of Atlanta, and was at Lovejoy station under Thomas, getting into the battles of Spring Hill, Franklin and Nashville. Later he was transferred, via Washington, and Alexandria, Va .. to Smithville, N. C., and he saw the taking of Fort Anderson, Fort Wilmington and Fort Goldsborough. He marched to Salisbury. N. C., and did guard duty until June 28, 1865, when he was transferred to the head of Chesapeake Bay, and then brought on to Cleveland. In July, 1865, after having seen a great deal of the roughest ser- vice, yet never being wounded, he was mustered out and honorably discharged.

On returning home, Mr. Morgan farmed for a year, during which he worked at shoemaking while awaiting the prospective crop. The crop failed, and he continued at his last in Ohio. In 1868, at Spring Hill, in that State, he married Miss Mary Catherine Mathis, a native of the Buckeye State and the daughter of Allen Mathis, a farmer there, and then he moved to Kansas. The same year he located in what is now Harvey County, near Sedgwick, where he homesteaded 160 acres, which he improved and farmed and sold to his father. He then engaged in the hardware business in Sedgwick City, but when the grasshoppers and the panic of 1873 and 1874 came, he went out of business. He next became a carpenter and builder, and for three years he was the manager of a lumber yard. In 1889, he opened a lumber yard, hardware and furniture store at Edmond, Okla., but a month later he located at Newton, Kans., where, for a year, he was the manager of a lumber yard. After that he was in the employ of the Santa Fe Railroad, working first as carpenter and then as foreman in their bridge and building department. Not having proved up on the homestead, he was entitled to another try; and in 1891, when Kiowa and Comanche, Okla., were opened, he drew a number which gave him a new homestead fourteen miles north of Anadarko. Beginning with March, 1902, he located on it and improved it; and in 1905 he sold his claim.

The following year was memorable in his experience, for he came to California and found it, from the first, a promised land. He then bought the vineyard he has. a fine tract of forty acres in the Garfield District, only four- teen acres of which were at that time set out to vines; but with the aid of his son. H. C. Morgan, he planted the remaining section. While they were at Newton, Kans., in 1890, Mrs. Morgan died, the beloved mother of four chil-

Sauds Baker

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dren : Iza became Mrs. Frank W. Johnson, and died in California, the mother of a girl, Blanche ; and Harry C. is a viticulturist and, as a man of affairs, is associated with his father in the management of the ranch; Claude D. is in Carthage, Mo., where he has married Miss Aletha Ferguson ; Hattie D. died in Kansas.

Mr. Morgan has frequently proven a leader among his fellowmen. He was Justice of the Peace at Sedgwick City, when the country was new and wild, in the stormy days of Kansas, and frequently had cases to keep him busy for days ahead. He was a councilman at the same city, and also served as Mayor and as school trustee. In politics, he has become a Progressive Republican. Always interested in the welfare of the Civil War veterans, Mr. Morgan is a member of Atlanta Post. G. A. R., at Fresno, and has been Post Commander. He is a member of the San Joaquin Valley Veterans Associa- tion. and in 1916 was Commander and presided at the annual meeting in Clovis in that year. He is identified with the Unitarian Church at Fresno. He was made a Mason in Stokes Lodge, No. 205. Port Jefferson, Ohio, and then helped organize the lodge at Sedgwick City, Kans., where he was a Past Master. Finally, he was transferred to Newton Lodge, No. 142, and still retains his membership there. He also belongs to the Modern Woodmen, at Carthage, Mo.

SANDS BAKER .- The title of pioneer was justly merited by Sands Ba- ker, for he came to Fresno County many years ago and was closely identified with its best interests. The lives of the early settlers of Fresno County were one unbroken record of hardships and privations, but those who survived to the present day find ample compensation for the deprivations of the past. High above the fog and mist, nestling among the foot-hills of the Sierras, some forty-seven years ago was established a home of comfort, refinement and culture, by Sands Baker and his good wife, pioneers of Squaw Valley and substantial upbuilders of this section of the state.

A native of New York State, Sands Baker was born at Montezuma, on the Erie Canal. December 19, 1837, a son of George and Martha N. (Bentley) Baker, both of English extraction, who had immigrated to New York from Massachusetts. Early deprived of a father's love and guidance, when he was fifteen years of age, Sands Baker was taken to Oconto. Wis., by an uncle who was in the lumber business. Young Baker gained a good knowledge of that in- dustry, but he did not have any liking for it, his desire being to obtain a thor- ough education. He attended the public schools in New York state, then en- tered a seminary near Albany, where a thousand students were being prepared for professional careers. He next went to Madison, Wis., where he entered the high school and specialized in English until failing eyesight necessitated his relinquishing his studies. He went to Green Bay, Wis., and taught three years in the public schools. He was very successful and instituted several innova- tions that made the school work very efficient. He then traveled for his health and for recreation, through Minnesota, Iowa, and to St. Joseph, Mo., where he fell in with some men who pictured the wonders of California so vividly that the young schoolmaster was fired with the desire to try his for- tune on the western coast.

Leaving St. Joseph in the spring of 1860, with a party bound for the Pacific Coast, the journey was made with horses and mustangs, via Salt Lake. Finding feed short they abandoned their original course and came through Salt Lake Valley. Indians threatened to attack them but the danger was averted and the party arrived in Los Angeles in September. Mr. Baker went on to Visalia. While assisting in baling some hay at Rockyford, he met a county superintendent of schools who wanted to hire a teacher. At that time there were but two public schools in all of Tulare County. Mr. Baker established a private school, which he taught two years. Since he was in California, Mr. Baker decided to investigate so far as he was able and he went north into the mining sections and was employed as principal of the 63

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school at Downieville, in Sierra County. He closed the school at one p. m. and spent the rest of the time in the mines, but on studying the condition of the people so engaged he decided that mining was not his forte. He succeeded as a teacher, getting an advance of forty dollars per month in salary if he would continue the work. He eventually returned to Visalia and taught a private school for six months. He filled the position of government inspector of tobacco, gager of liquors and revenue assessor during which time he often was called to old Millerton, meanwhile acting as deputy assessor of Tulare County. Soon becoming known as an expert mathematician, he was often called in to figure interest on notes and accounts, and to straighten out tangled bookkeeping, being well paid for such services. He continued this until his health failed and he had to seek a change.

In October, 1872, the marriage of Sands Baker and Miss Sarah Josephine Drake was celebrated. Mrs. Baker was born in Ohio, but came to California with her parents in 1870. settling near Tulare Lake, and later in Squaw Val- ley. On the maternal side she is of old Virginian stock. Of this happy union there were born seven children: Martha A., married L, B. King; Royal R., married Nellie J. Hodges and they live near Farmersville : Chauncey M., mar- ried Olive E. Hargraves, a teacher ; Lulu M., became the wife of J. A. Mitch- ell of Dunlap: Blanche C., a graduate from the Stockton Business College (1902), is married to Charles F. Hubbard, a competent stenographer and bookkeeper : Elsie F., is the wife of James R. Hinds : Pearl A., was a teacher. now wife of C. F. Relander, and resides near Visalia ; and their adopted son, William Baker, is farming near Exeter.

In 1870. Mr. Baker had come to Fresno County and purchased a quar- ter section of land lying at the foot of the mountain that has become known as Baker's Mountain. To this tract Mr. Baker added from time to time until he had about 2.000 acres, 100 acres of which is under cultivation and the balance given over to the stock business. Considerable of the land is val- uable for its timber. On the ranch is grown fruits of all kinds and every variety of vegetables as well as a considerable acreage in alfalfa, the whole place being well improved. Besides this ranch he had some land near Visalia where he was engaged in the stock business. Mr. Baker had chosen his home place on account of a very fine spring that supplied sufficient water for nec- essary irrigation. The flow of this spring was interfered with at the time of the earthquake in 1906. Considerable attention was given to raising fine horses, and a fine stallion, a thoroughbred Percheron, owned by Mr. Baker, was the means of raising the standard of horses in this part of the country. He found a ready sale for many of his beef cattle at Hume, where is located the large lumber mills and village.

In politics Mr. Baker was a stanch Republican, having cast his first presi- dential ballot for President Lincoln. He had an honorable record in Fresno County where he served as a member of the board of education; deputy county assessor and often served on the county grand jury. He was the prime mover in having the road opened through from Sand Creek, which has proven a boon to the settlers in the foot-hills. He was a Mason. In the even- ing of life's span, with wife and children, grand-children and great-grand- children, he enjoyed the comforts due him for his many years of toil. He looked back on a life well spent and forward without regret, for he had done what he considered his duty to his fellow man and to his country. Mr. Baker died on April 13, 1918, and is buried in the cemetery on his home ranch : his funeral was one of the largest ever held in the hill section.

JOHN W. LOPER .- An honored resident of Fresno County since Jan- uary, 1883, John W. Loper was born in Clinton County. Ohio. December 3, 1838, the son of William and Lucy Ann (Garroutte) Loper, natives of New Jersey, of French descent.

In 1848. William Loper removed with his family to Hancock County, Il1.,

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and again in 1854 to Dallas County, Iowa, where he and his wife spent the re- mainder of their days.

John W. was sixth oldest of their ten children. He was reared on the farm and received his education in the log school-house of that period, learn- ing the rule of three and to write with a quill pen. He was married at Adel, Dallas County, Iowa, in 1859, to Miss Sarah Hoeye, born in Ohio.

Mr. Loper then purchased forty acres of land and after six months sold it at a profit. Next he bought eighty acres, later selling it at a profit. He then continued buying and selling farms and also swapping horses, and be- tween the two, as he says, he made enough money to bring his family to California. They arrived in Fresno in January, 1883. Eight days after his arrival he purchased twenty acres one and one-half miles south of the court- house, set it out to orchard and vineyard and continued there for six years, when he sold it.

Meantime. in 1885. he had located a homestead of 160 acres on Little Dry Creek and later bought 650 acres more. After moving onto it he began improvements and raised cattle, and as he prospered he bought land adjoining until he has over 2,000 acres. He also bought 160 acres of meadow land on Kings River, but sold it eight years later. He owned an apple orchard on Pine Ridge but he found it was too far from his ranch, so he sold it. He also owns some lots and a residence in Fresno. For over twenty years he raised cattle, using the brand 3L (combined), and in April, 1919, he sold his cattle and he now rents his land.

On December 11, 1912, he was bereaved of his faithful wife and helpmate, who was always an active member of the Christian Church. They were the parents of the following children : A. M., who is interested in and is manager of Madary Planing Mill : Mary, who was Mrs. Garman ; Lucy is Mrs. Zetz, and presides over her father's household; Wm., ranching on a part of the home ranch : H. W .. who has remained home and ably assisted his father in his farming operations.

Mr. Loper has been school trustee of his school district for some years and was clerk of the board. He was one of the organizers and is a member of the Christian Church in Fresno, and politically he is a protectionist and Republican.

PETER CHRISTENSEN .- Exceeding by two years the proverbial three score and ten allotted to man, Peter Christensen, in the afternoon of a well- spent life, is still hale and hearty, an inveterate worker and a man of strong executive force. He was born May 21. 1847. at Jutland. Denmark. His father. Christen Jacobson, a farmer and the owner of a small farm, and his mother, Magdalen (Christinsen) Jacobson, were born in Denmark and lived and died in their native country. The father lived to be sixty-six years old, and the mother attained the age of eighty. Mr. Christensen's maternal grandmother lived to the ripe old age of ninety-six. Of the eight children in his father's fam- ilv, four bovs and four girls, Peter was the only one who came to America. He recalls the German-Danish war of 1864 when two of his brothers enlisted. His brother Jacob fell in the war and the other brother lived to return home.

Peter received his education in the schools of his native land, was brought up in the Lutheran faith and confirmed at fourteen. When fifteen years of age he began to work out on near-by farms. He married Johanna Christensen and continued his work as a farm hand, but for two years was engaged in working for a government contractor in clearing up unimproved land pre- paratory to planting it to timber by the Danish government. Eventually he became foreman on a large farm in Denmark with ten men working under him. He worked long hours, from four A. M. until ten P. M. In 1892, Mr. Christensen came to Oleander. Fresno County. Cal., with his wife and their two children. He purchased ten acres, the nucleus of his home place, and added to his acreage subsequently until he had 100 acres. He gave thirty acres of this to his eldest son, and thirty acres to his eldest daughter. On the

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remaining forty-acre home place he has planted Thompson seedless vines, twenty acres of muscats, five acres of malagas, three acres of peaches and five acres of apricots. He has a beautiful place, and seven years ago built a fine house.

Mr. and Mrs. Christensen became the parents of eight children: Ivar, who was born in Denmark, married Dovida Jeppsen of Oleander, and they have one child, a boy named Donald. Ivar owns the thirty-acre ranch on Maple Avenue just north of his father's ranch. Christian was also born in Denmark, and died soon after the family came to Oleander, aged ten months. Annie was born in Oleander, and is the wife of Christian Petersen. She owns the thirty acres just south of her father's place on Maple Avenue. Carrie is at home. Magdalene and Margaret died in infancy. Henry, fourteen years of age, is at home and is a student in Easton high school. Edna, aged twelve, is a student in the grammar school.

Mr. Christensen and his good wife are respected and esteemed not only by their Danish-American friends but by every one in the Oleander school district, where for many years he has been a member of the school board, and has served as trustee on the board. He is a stanch supporter of the public school system, and is a natural leader among his fellows. He and his family are prominent in the councils of the Danish Lutheran Church at Easton, of which they are members. He is a member of the Raisin Growers Association and the Peach Growers Association. Mr. Christensen spent $1,600 for Liberty Bonds, and bought liberally of Stamps, was active in Red Cross, Y. M. C. A. and united war work, and was out on the various drives. He has taken out his naturalization papers and affiliates with the Republican party politically. He has a Studebaker car and has taken numerous trips to the beach, has driven to San Francisco twice and to Santa Cruz twice, and has made numer- ous trips to mountains.

WILLIAM C. CLAYBAUGH, B. S. A .- A landscape architect to whom Fresno and vicinity are indebted for notable public improvements, a learned viticulturist and a gentleman of culture, is William C .Claybaugh, B. S. A., who is fortunate in having at his side an equally accomplished and charming wife. He was born in Monmouth, Warren County. Ill .. September 25, 1879, the son of Mathew Smith Claybaugh, a native of Ohio, who moved to Mon- mouth and did valiant service in the Civil War as a member of the Fiftieth Illinois Regiment. In 1884. the father settled in Iowa and in Mills County engaged in farming. Now he lives retired at Valley, Nebr. He married Miss Mary Elizabeth Moore. a Pennsylvanian. She is the mother of ten children, all of whom are living to do her honor.

The fifth eldest in the family, William C., was educated in the public schools in Iowa. He then entered the Ames Agricultural College, from which he graduated in 1905 with the degree of Bachelor of Scientific Agriculture, having had his junior year in the practical garden laboratory at St. Louis. He then engaged in landscape gardening at DeKalb, Ill., and also did some research work in Shaw's Botanical Garden at St. Louis. After that he spent a year in architectual and landscape work at Chattanooga, Tenn., and then for a few months he was in Chicago and Minneapolis pursuing the same line of laboratory studies.

In 1908, Mr. Claybaugh came to California, and at Alpaugh he associated himself with the Iowa Land and Water Company. There he was superintend- ent of works and had charge of the construction of canals and wells in the irrigation system. After two and a half years he came to Fresno, and then began that identification with this section which has proven of such benefit to the community.

On November 19, 1911, Mr. Claybaugh was appointed by Dr. Rowell as Superintendent of Parks, and later he was reappointed by Alva Snow, thus holding his position until 1917. when there was a change of administration. He gave to his responsibility his untiring and most painstaking attention,

الفرعية

JON Douglass

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and among the important work that he effected was the changing of Roeding Park. His plans were approved by eminent San Francisco landscape artists, and the results have met with general approval. He also laid out the parks on Ventura Avenue and maintained there the most beautiful and imposing natural effects, and it was he who designed Fairmont Park when it was given to the city.

At the close of his second term Mr. Claybaugh retired with honors as Superintendent of Parks, and in July, 1917, purchased his place of forty acres twelve miles northeast of Fresno. This he has devoted to a vineyard in which he has ten acres of malaga and twenty acres of muscat vines, with the balance in sultanas. He has constantly improved the place until now it is one of the choice ranch properties of the neighborhood. He is a member of the Melvin Grape Growers' Association and of the California Associated Raisin Com- pany.

At San Jose, on June 27. 1914, Mr. Claybaugh was married to Miss Edna Ellen Rowell, born near Bloomington. Ill .. the daughter of William Franklin Rowell, a brother of Dr. Rowell, who located in Fresno County, at Easton. in 1883. He became a well-known viticulturist and horticulturist, and died at San Jose. Mrs. Claybaugh graduated from the Washington Union High School, and in 1903 from Stanford University where she received the degree of Bachelor of Arts. She engaged in educational work and became Dean of Women in the Fresno State Normal. She was also made a member of the National Geographical Society. Now she is the mother of three daughters, Mary Ellen, Edna Elizabeth, and Cynthia Louise, and is active in the Congre- gational Church, which her husband and family also attend.

For years Mr. Claybaugh was a member of the American Association of Park Superintendents, the American Forestry Association and the American Genetic Society, while in national politics he has long been an influential Re- publican. He is a member of Fresno Lodge. No. 439 B. P. O. E.

G. M. DOUGLASS .- The traits of honor, integrity, and thrift are exem- plified in the life of G. M. Douglass, the viticulturist and horticulturist, who has charge of the extensive ranches of Mrs. A. Verwoert, one located in Kutner Colony and one situated two and one-half miles southwest of Sanger and a third located near Hanford. He is a native of the Hoosier State, having been born near Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, June 22, 1863, but reared in Kansas, to which state his father moved and where G. M. Douglass remained until 1887, when he migrated to California and was located for some time at Visalia.

Grandfather Jerry Douglass was born in Scotland and was a cabinet- maker, coming to Indiana where he followed farming, also having a cabinet shop as well as a wagon and carriage shop on his place. G. M. Douglass' parents were John A. and Amelia S. (Mitchell) Douglass, to whom eight children were born: G. M., of this review, Rose, who is Mrs. Morris ; D. M .; James L. ; E. E .: Estelle, who is Mrs. Paine ; John; and Alfreda, now Mrs. Carl Verwoert. Mr. Douglass' maternal grandfather, Gabriel Mitchell, was born in Kentucky. He became a farmer in Indiana, where he died at seventy- nine years of age. Mr. Douglass' father, John A., came to Hanford, Cal., in 1890, where his wife died. He now resides in Pasadena at the age of seventy- seven years.

G. M. Douglass was reared on the farm, receiving his education in the public schools. He engaged in farming for himself after he reached his majority. In 1887 he came to Visalia, Cal., where he followed ranching. About the same time he located a homestead two and one-half miles south- east of Coalinga, onto which he moved in 1889 and began grain-raising. He helped to haul the first rig into the Coalinga oil-field for Chanslor & Can- field. This was the rig that struck oil.

After this, Mr. Douglass spent some time in Hanford where he was en- gaged in the grocery business, then spent three and one-half years in Oak-

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land, until 1912, when he took charge of a lemon grove at Visalia. In 1916, he came to Fresno County as superintendent of his sister's ranches, taking a keen interest in their productiveness. He is especially qualified to fill this responsible position for his sister, as he had had experience tending large ranches previous to his coming to Fresno County, wherein he gained valuable knowledge concerning the cultivation of the soil, as well as the management of men.

Mrs. A. Verwoert inherited property from her husband, but before her marriage she taught school and invested her savings in property which she added to the estate left her, and by wise speculation and careful manage- ment she acquired more land until now she is the owner of 650 acres which are located in separate ranches, and devoted to vines and orchard. As the manager of this large estate. Mr. Douglass has greatly increased both the quality and quantity of the crops, evident proof of his ability as a superin- tendent.

Mr. Douglass was married, in 1890, at Coalinga, to Miss Myrtle Lane, born in Missouri, but this union was unhappy and resulted in a divorce. To them two sons were born: Earl W. and Leslie L., both of whom are now serving their country in the World War. Leslie L. is a member of Com- pany A. Coast Artillery, stationed in the Philippines; Earl W. is valiantly serving in the Ninety-first Division "somewhere in France." The second time Mr. Douglass was married he was united with Miss Ruth Warren, who passed away in Tulare County. On January 29, 1917, Mr. Douglass was united in marriage with Mrs. Susie (Suddeth) Belcher, a native of Lincoln County, Mo., and a daughter of James and Anna A. (Dockins) Suddeth, born in Kentucky. Her father served in a Missouri regiment in the Civil War. Mrs. Douglass was reared and educated in Illinois. She came to California in 1904.

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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 157

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