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 II, Part 14

Author: Vandor, Paul E., 1858-
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company
Number of Pages: 1424

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ALFRED BAIRD .- An authentic history of Fresno County would be very incomplete without the life story of one of its most honored and success- ful pioneer settlers and extensive land owners, the late Alfred Baird.

Great honor is due these courageous pioneers who endured the hardships incident to life on the frontier and risked their lives crossing the Indian in- fested plains, to blaze the way for later civilization and the establishment of homes and ranches. The descendants of these early settlers possess an in- heritance of which they may well be proud and should speak the names of these valiant forerunners of civilization with pride and unbounded respect.

Alfred Baird was born in Richland County (now Ashland), Ohio. on November 16, 1829. a son of Josiah and Sarah (Ryland) Baird, natives of New York and Ohio respectively. The pioneer log home of Alfred's parents among the sturdy oak trees of the Ohio forest, was among his earliest recollections. His early schooling was received in a log building whose furniture consisted of slab benches, which afforded the children but little comfort, while the text books were very inferior to those used in the schools today and often the teachers were illy educated, yet children who were anxious to learn had no difficulty in acquiring a knowledge of the three Rs.

At the age of sixteen Alfred Baird became an apprentice to the carpen- ter's trade, in Ashland, Ohio, and after the expiration of two years' service as an apprentice he became a journeyman carpenter. In the spring of 1850, he left Ohio for McGregor, Iowa, where under the employment of a Mr. McGregor. he aided in the construction of some of the first houses in different towns in that section of Iowa, continuing in the building business for eight years.

Each day he earned enough to buy an acre of land and continued to invest in property until he had acquired 800 acres of land. Although prosper- ous to an unusual degree, Mr. Baird found the climate of Iowa too cold to be agreeable, so he sold out and in April, 1859, accompanied by his wife and two children, he started to cross the plains to California, and on October 8, they arrived safely at Kings River, Fresno County, subsequently settling in the Upper Kings River Valley, where he built a log cabin fourteen feet square. For a while he followed his trade of a carpenter in this locality, eventually taking up a homestead claim, building a comfortable house, and bringing a ditch from the mountains seven miles away. The terrible flood of 1861 de- stroyed his orchard and his new house, the barn being carried away by a strong current. Afterwards he engaged in the sheep business on shares, but the Civil War having caused a great depreciation in the price of wool, it was utilized in San Francisco for upholstering purposes; when the railroad was completed he was enabled to sell his wool for forty-five cents per pound. In 1868, Mr. Baird removed to Letcher, where he homesteaded a ranch and em- barked in the sheep business and by good management his flocks increased until he owned at one time 5,000 head of sheep. Selling out his sheep in 1887, he entered the cattle raising business, also devoting considerable attention to raising grain. In those early days no one supposed that the grazing lands were adapted for grain, but by accident some barley hauled to the cattle was tramped into the ground and the rains caused it to sprout, producing as fine a crop of barley as if it had been regularly planted on cultivated ranch land. People quickly realized the possibilities of the grazing lands and soon grain

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raising was supplanting the grazing of cattle. In other places where the land was almost too barren for sheep culture, it was found that it could be profit- ably utilized for vineyards and orchards, hence these occupations began to attract new settlers to this locality. By gradual purchase Mr. Baird acquired 6,000 acres of land in a body, situated fourteen miles east of Clovis, 3,500 acres being fine grain land. On section nineteen he erected a residence and the other buildings necessary to a model ranch. In addition to this vast tract he owned 640 acres known as the old Hughes place and another ranch near Visalia which contained 1,000 acres.

The first oranges in this part of the state were raised on his ranch. The pioneer work accomplished by Mr. Baird in stock-raising, ranching and hor- ticulture was a great aid in the development of this region of Fresno County where he resided for so many years.

At Washington Prairie, Winneshiek County, Iowa, on February 17, 1853, occurred the marriage of Alfred Baird and Lydia K. Baird, a native of Yellow Springs, Greene County, Ohio, who was born on December 2, 1829. Her father, Benjamin Beard, a native of Pennsylvania, who had been a prominent farmer in Ohio, Indiana, and Iowa, and had officiated as an elder in the Pres- byterian Church for fifty years, passed away in California at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Alfred Baird, having reached the advanced age of ninety- three years, and his wife, who in maidenhood had been Mary Ann Knott, a native of New Jersey, also came to California and spent her last days with her daughter, passing away at her home at the age of seventy-one years.

Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Baird were the parents of six children: Benjamin Morgan, now deceased; Addison, who died in Visalia at the age of twelve years : Lewis Edwin, also deceased ; Mrs. Sarah A. Rutherford ; Matie Ellen, who is also deceased ; Florence G., who is Mrs. Rollo Keeler, of Tulare County.

Mr. Alfred Baird was an ardent admirer of Abraham Lincoln and cast a ballot for him in 1860, at Scottsburg, but the returns showed no Republican votes cast. In religious matters he contributed to the support of the Pres- byterian Church, of which his wife has long been a member.

Mr. Baird and his wife lived to advanced years and spent their last years in the home of their son Morgan Baird, where they were tenderly cared for by Morgan and his wife. Mrs. Baird, who had been blind for many years, died in August, 1911, eighty-two years of age, and Alfred, after a long and useful life, passed away November 22, 1914.

ROBERT FRANKLIN ARMSTRONG .- Mr. Armstrong is one of the early settlers in the Lone Star district, having come here in 1889 with his father, and in 1891 having begun improving and planting the home ranch a half mile east of Lone Star. He was born in Madison County, Iowa, April 6, 1870, the son of William Armstrong, who was born in Holmes County, Ohio, four miles from Millersburg on Black Creek, May 2, 1849, and came to Iowa with his parents in the fall of 1852. The mother, Millie Stover, was a native of Iowa. The grandfather, John Armstrong, was born in Ireland and in his eighteenth year came to the United States; he was married in Ohio to Julia Bird, a native of Ohio.

R. F. Armstrong was fourteen years of age when his father settled in Fresno in 1884. He farmed with his father, raising grain near Fresno and Caruthers. He has always been loyal to his father, cooperating with him in every possible way. For five years they worked together, improving and planting, and then, in 1896, the son bought his first twenty acres, on which there are fifteen acres of muscat grapes. In 1901 he bought his second twenty, and in 1910 his third twenty, one mile east of Lone Star. This last is now in young vines and will soon be in full bearing. Ever since 1892 he has been engaged in growing raisin grapes.

On July 30, 1902, Mr. Armstrong was married, in Fresno, to Miss Myrtle L. Doyle, daughter of H. H. Doyle, an editor and newspaper man well

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HISTORY OF FRESNO COUNTY

known in Fresno, and his wife, Jennie (Long) Doyle, who live in Los Angeles. - Mrs. Armstrong was born in McPherson County, Kans., and was brought to California when but a child of four months. She came to Fresno with her parents in August, 1880. In 1882 the father was publishing the Daily Mirror in San Luis Obispo. The family lived in various localities where he followed the newspaper business, but they always liked Fresno County best. Here he was connected with the Fresno Republican. He is prominent in the counsels of the Republican party. Mr. and Mrs. Doyle had seven children, six of them girls, and only four are living, of whom Mrs. Armstrong is the oldest. She attended the grammar and high school in Santa Barbara County. She is now, and has been for the past four years, librarian at the Lone Star branch of the Fresno County Library. Mrs. Armstrong is a niece of the late Dr. B. W. Doyle, the pioneer dentist of Fresno County. She is prominent in the work of the Red Cross, and had charge of the work in Lone Star, while Mr. Armstrong took an active part in the Thrift Stamp Drive. They have three bright, hearty children living -- Arylie E., Hugh M., and Wilma Frances-and two children died in infancy.

Mr. Armstrong is a stockholder and member of the California Asso- ciated Raisin Company, and of the California Peach Growers, Inc. He holds membership with the I. O. O. F. in Fresno, and is an ex-trustee of the Lone Star school district. He has a younger brother, Leslie B., in France, a member of the Twentieth Regiment of Forest Engineers; and four sisters.

MRS. ANNA LINDQUIST .- A noble-hearted woman of exceptional ac- complishment in her work for the general betterment of the world, who adds to most excellent womanlv and motherlv qualities rare executive force and unusual business ability, is Mrs. Anna Lindquist, widow of the late Peter Lindquist, who owns, operates and resides upon the Lindquist home place of sixty acres on Harrison Avenue, three miles northeast of Kingsburg. She was born in Sweden, on March 25, 1848, the daughter of Erick and Anna (Larson) Erickson, who had a small but very comfortable farm. When her father died, he was fifty-six years old; although her mother reached the ad- vanced age of eighty. Her father had been previously married and had two sons : and by his second marriage he had, besides the subject of our sketch, a son and a daughter. She was brought up in the staid Lutheran Church of Sweden, and when fourteen was dulv confirmed.

In 1869 she came to America and settled for a while at Ishpeming. Mich., and four years later she married Peter Lindquist, a native of West Mollond, Munk Torp, Sweden, where he was born on July 23, 1843. He came to Amer- ica as early as 1870, and went to Marinette, Wis .; and later he came to Ish- peming, Mich. He was a shoemaker by trade and established himself in that business ; and in that line he continued until 1875 when, finding his occupation too confining. he decided to take up farming. He moved to Henry County, Iowa, and in 1877 to New Sweden, the same state; and the following year he took up a homestead in Phelps County, Nebr., and in time proved it up. In 1887 he and his good wife moved still further west, to California ; and having looked over Kingsburg and come to appreciate the advantages here, he bought the ranch land where Mrs. Lindquist now lives. After improving it hand- somely, he lost it through a mortgage; but he bought it back later and ac- quired another eighty acres, so that he owned at one time 120 acres.

In addition, Mr. Lindquist owned a section of 640 acres in Tulare County, on the other side of Kings River, which he bought for colonization. He sold some, and had he lived, he would have become wealthy. As it was, he was forced to borrow; and when he died, on November 22, 1904, and his widow became the administratrix, she had no option but to sell all of the Tulare land ;

mrs anna Lindquist

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HISTORY OF FRESNO COUNTY

after which the 120 acres was divided, sixty acres going to Mrs. Lindquist, and ten to each of the six children then living.

Eight children really blessed the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Lindquist and honored the name of their lamented father: Charles G. married Anna Carlson, and is a rancher; and they have three children-Burt, Irene and Margery. Alfred T. married Christine Plote, a native of Minnesota ; and he is ranching near Kingsburg. Tilda O. married Thomas F. Gardner, and lived for a while at Selma; she had two sons, Marion and Laurence; and both of them, while attending the Kingsburg high school, now reside in Kingsburg. Victor is farming near Kingsburg, on the west. Albert, who owns with Victor the ranch of 160 acres west of Kingsburg, married Lillian Lightheart. Fritz died when he was twelve years of age. George A., who graduated from the Kingsburg high school and also attended the College of the Pacific at San Jose for a couple of years, ordinarily makes his home with his mother, but is now serving his country in the United States Army.

Mrs. Lindquist, who endeavors to be a Christian and lets her light shine particularly through the organized work of the Swedish Methodist Episcopal Church, of which she is a member, as was her devout husband also, is known as an uncompromising Prohibitionist, and no one who understands the shadow cast by strong drink and gambling over her family circle will question the propriety of her views and acts in endeavoring to banish from society one of the worst curses that has deranged and enchained man.

THOMAS H. ZINN .- As superintendent of the Sanger Lumber Com- pany, T. H. Zinn became closely identified with the interests of Fresno County during the ten years that he held that responsible position. A native of Missouri, he was born in 1862, the son of George and Martha Zinn, na- tives of Indiana. They were parents of eight children: Nancy J., who was the wife of G. W. Finks, and who died in 1918: Lovis, who died when young ; Jerome V., associated with his brother Thomas H. in the Sanger Feed and Fuel Company ; Clara E., who became Mrs. G. M. Zinn; Richard, who died in early childhood; Lillian the wife of William Rhodes; Thomas H., our subject ; and Joseph P.

T. H. Zinn was reared and educated in Missouri. The major portion of his life has been spent in the lumber business in one way or another. In 1903 he migrated to the Golden State and in 1909 he located in Fresno County. For ten years he held the important position of superintendent of the Sanger Lumber Company, whose extensive plant covers sixty acres situated in the city of Sanger. While with this firm he had under his supervision from ninety to one hundred men. The superintendent of such an extensive business has a multitude of duties and great responsibilities, and that Mr. Zinn for so many years successfully managed the affairs of the company proves him to be a man of force of character and business acumen.

In 1888, T. H. Zinn was united in marriage with Miss Nancy Peyton, a native of Texas; and of this union three children were born: Edna T., wife of a Mr. Clark who is now in the service of the United States as a civil engineer, during the World War; and George P. and Thomas H., Jr. Mr. Zinn owned a small ranch which was devoted to a vineyard, located within the city limits of Sanger, and this he sold in 1918 at a good profit. On June 1, 1918, he resigned from his position with the lumber company, and has since given his entire time to the interests of the business of the Sanger Feed and Fuel Company, which he and his brother have owned for some years. Thomas H. Zinn is an active member of the Baptist Church, which he serves as a deacon. He is greatly interested in the upbuilding of the prosperous and growing city of Sanger, and has had the honor of serv- ing as a trustee of the city and also of the Sanger High School.

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T. C. WHITE .- Something more than ordinary business sagacity is needed to attain to the success reached by T. C. White, the capitalist, and more than the good will of his fellow men is deserved by him for his con- tribution to the establishing here of the soundest commercial and financial conditions. Born in 1850 at Essex, four miles from Lake Champlain, Chit- tenden County, Vt., he was the son of Calvin and Hannah (Furman) White, both of good old New England stock; and in the public schools of Essex he obtained his elementary education. Later he attended Burlington College in the same state.

Coming to California in 1877, he located in Fresno County, soon pur- chased land, and in time, developed Central California's first raisin vine- yard. As a raisin grower, he came to occupy offices of responsibility and also gained an international reputation. He was once president of the old Pro- ducers Packing Company, the first co-operative raisin association in the state, and a prime mover and organizer as well as a director and treasurer of the California Raisin Growers Association. His products have taken many premiums, among which may be mentioned the special gold medal of the Mechanics Institute Fair at San Francisco. He also received a special gold medal from the San Joaquin Valley Fair, and diplomas and awards from state and world fairs. In 1893 he was chosen as the judge for the State of California to award the premiums for all products at the World's Fair at Chicago, and such practical knowledge of fruit culture as has been necessary in his own fortunate growing, made him the best of judges at well-known fairs-an honorable appointment frequently conferred upon him. Mr. White is more or less familiar with every phase of the fruit industry as they are represented in California, and has also grown deciduous fruits.

On November 27, 1877, Mr. White was married to Miss Augusta Fink, born in Wisconsin, by whom he has had one son, Harry F. White, for some time past associated with his father in business.

In 1892, Mr. White entered the real estate field, and in realty he is now making new conquests. He has bought and sold thousands of acres, and by helping to secure better transportation facilities, has enabled the settler more rapidly to realize from his investment, and the community to sooner build up. As a firm, T. C. & H. F. White are extensively interested in San Joaquin Valley lands, while the son also represents the North River and City of New York Fire Insurance Company. Mr. White owns the corner of I and Merced Streets, 150x150 feet, 50x150 feet having been improved with a three-story building many years ago. Seeing the need for a modern theater building, and the time being ripe, he improved the balance of the lot with the New White Theater, 100x150 feet. This is one of the most modern theaters in the state, special attention having been given to ventilating, cool- ing, heating, safety and fire escapes. The theater has a seating capacity of 1,500, and is the largest in the Valley. The front is built four stories and is fitted up especially for the University Club, of which Mr. White is an hon- orary member. He also owns other valuable business and resident property in Fresno, and also valuable ranch property in Fresno, Kings and Madera Counties.

Mr. White has for years been an important factor in the civic life of the county, has served several times as a member of the board of super- visors, and now and then as chairman of that body. While acting as the chairman, the old canal or ditch on Silvia Road and Fresno Street had be- come a nuisance, and dangerous as well. Silvia Road was in his road dis- trict and he gave orders to the overseer to fill it in above Fresno Street out- side of the city. It was begun and finished on a Sunday, thus stopping the water from running into Fresno Street. The people of the city at once be- gan to fill in the ditch in town, thereby doing away with the nuisance and Fresno Street has become a leading thoroughfare. Mr. White has been a director of the Twenty-first Agricultural District many years. In 1889 he

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helped to organize the first National Bank of Fresno, and has been a member of the board of directors ever since, also served as vice-president and secre- tary; he is also interested in other Central California banking institutions. He is a large stockholder and a director in the Fresno Hotel Company, a corporation which, in 1913, erected at a cost of about $350,000 and today worth over half a million dollars, the fine Hotel Fresno, and this last invest- ment is but a fair illustration of the manner in which Mr. White has always sought to build up the city. As a wide-awake, untiring "booster," he has served as president of the Fresno Chamber of Commerce.

C. E. BEAUMONT .- Among the leading lawyers of the Fresno Bar is C. E. Beaumont, who was born at Mayfield, Ky., August 27, 1883, a son of E. S. and May V. (Wortham) Beaumont, the former a well-known news- paper man in his locality. C. E. Beaumont attended private and public schools in his native state and also the Kentucky State University, and later took the study of law at Cumberland University, in Lebanon, Tenn., from which he was graduated in 1910. He then came direct to Fresno and for a time was employed in the office of S. L. Carter, and later with the law firm of Harris and Harris. Going then to Fort Worth, Texas, he was admitted to practice law and spent one year in that city. His previous residence in California, however, had given him an opportunity to get in close touch with the people, and he liked the country. He felt the call to return so strongly that he came back to Fresno and had an office with E. A. Williams for two years, when he entered the office of the district attorney on March 1, 1914, as a deputy. He performed the duties of his office with much satis- faction to all concerned, and at the same time was widening his circle of friends in various parts of the county. Being familiar with the duties of his office, he decided to become a candidate for district attorney of Fresno County, made a vigorous canvas of the voters, and at the primary election held in August, 1918, received a majority of the votes cast, which eliminated his two opponents and elevated him to the office, a signal honor. His suc- cess in office is the result of hard work, good business management and judgment, and his selection of able assistants.

C. E. Beaumont was married on December 6, 1915, to Miss Lucy Mad- den, of Fresno, who shares with her husband the good-will and esteem of all who know them. They are members of the First Presbyterian Church. Mr. Beaumont is a member of the Masons, the Elks, the Knights of Pythias, the University Club and the college fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilom. Politi- cally he is a Democrat. He is a supporter of the various movements for the advancement of the state and county where he has elected to make his home.

ADEN A. LOWE .- Aden A. Lowe, the enterprising agent for the Willys Overland automobiles and the former accommodating proprietor of the Kerman Garage, was born in Parnell, Mo., in 1891, the son of George S. Lowe, a native of Illinois. His father was a thorough-going farmer, who did his part in maintaining the reputation of the Iron State for bumper crops; but having become convinced that California offered inducements not to be found in the East, he brought his family West in 1907, and settled at Kerman. From the beginning he engaged in ranching, and with a couple of well-selected vineyards he went in for viticulture. Later, giving up farm- ing, he sold and bought business properties ; and in that field he is now en- gaged, making Kerman his headquarters. Mrs. Lowe was Frances Glaze before her marriage. Of her union with Mr. Lowe eight children were born, of whom six grew to maturity. Aden was the sixth of these, in the order of birth. He attended the well-organized schools in Missouri, and with his folks came to Kerman in 1907. For three years he assisted his father, under whose guidance he learned to cultivate foresight and to be conservative while at the same time willing to venture.

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When he was nineteen, Mr. Lowe started out for himself, opening a barber-shop in Kerman. Of pleasing personality, he never wanted for patron- age; and in the barber-business he remained until 1915. Then he sold out and began in the business wherein he has been so exceptionally successful- the auto trade. He became agent for the Willys-Overland automobile, for the Kerman section of Fresno County, and also opened a garage. He formed a partnership with Mr. Patterson, under the firm name of Patterson & Lowe, and became one of the proprietors of the Kerman Garage. This busi- ness was carried on successfully until January 1, 1919, when, desiring a wider field, he dissolved partnership with Mr. Patterson and secured the agency for the same car for Madera County. He secured the lease of a new brick fire-proof garage, 55 by 150 feet, on C and Sixth Street, Madera, where he is now located and where, by his assiduous attention to every want of his many patrons, he has the satisfaction of offering thoroughly reliable service and convenient accommodation to the touring public and local car owners.

In Fresno Mr. Lowe was married to Miss Bertha Leisman, a native of Missouri, by whom he has had one son, Raymond. Few men could boast of a happier home. Mr. Lowe is a member of the Woodmen of the World. In politics he is a Democrat.

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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 II, Part 14

Author: Vandor, Paul E., 1858- Publication date: 1919 Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company Number of Pages: 1424

Author: Vandor, Paul E., 1858-
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company
Number of Pages: 1424