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 II > Part 76
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ALLEN T. BORST .- A prominent citizen who has faithfully striven to aid in developing the commonwealth of California, is Allen T. Borst, the general manager of the Bunting Iron Works, who was born in Centralia, Lewis County, Wash., on January 21, 1873. His father. Joseph Borst, was a native of Schoharie County, N. Y., born October 17, 1821, and when a young man he crossed the plains in an ox team train in 1845, following the old Ore- gon Trail to Oregon City, where he wintered. In the spring of 1846 he con- tinued his journey to the Puget Sound country in Washington, where he was among the very first settlers of what is now Centralia, Lewis County. Here he located a donation land claim and settled down to improve the place for his home. He served in two Indian wars in Washington. He was married in Lewis County to Mary Adeline Roundtree, born in Illinois, June 1. 1838, the daughter of Dr. James N. Roundtree, a pioneer of Illinois. He served in the Black Hawk Indian War as a captain, and was commissioned a sur- geon in the Mexican War, but soon after joining the colors he was taken ill and obliged to return home. In 1852 he brought his family across the plains to Lewis County, Wash., where he was a pioneer physician and sur- geon, also serving in the Indian war. He spent his last days at Centralia. Joseph Borst was a successful farmer and stock-raiser, he also owned a ranch at Ellensburg, Eastern Washington, which he devoted to cattle growing, and where he passed away in 1885. His widow survives him, and resides at Centralia. Eight children were born to this worthy couple, four of whom are living.
The youngest of the living children, Allen T. Borst, attended the public schools in Washington and later entered Washington College, at Irvington, Cal., where he pursued the general business courses and graduated with honors. After that he took up farming in Washington, and remained there until June, 1897, in which year he located in Centerville, Alameda County, Cal., where he continued general farming and the raising of fruit. He liked the country and lived there until 1906. Two years before that he became private secretary to John A. Bunting, the well-known oil man and iron manu- facturer of San Francisco and Coalinga. This engagement led him, on July 1, 1905, to make his first visit to Coalinga, and thereafter, while private sec- retary for Mr. Bunting, he divided his time between San Francisco and Coal- inga until June, 1907, when he made Coalinga his home.
For a year Mr. Borst was assistant manager of the Bunting Iron Works, in Coalinga and then he took charge of the Shawmut Oil Company, owned by Mr. Bunting. He remained in that position until November 30, 1916 .. Upon the death of Mr. Bunting, on May 1, 1916, he became one of the execu- tors of the estate, and manager of the Bunting Iron Works.
Mr. Borst has always been deeply interested in educational matters and has served on the school board in every district in which he has lived. He is one of the trustees of the Coalinga Union High School and the Coalinga Public Library-the same officers serve for the two institutions-and he is president of both boards. He is also a member of the board of town trustees
a. J. Borsh
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of Coalinga, having been elected to that office in April, 1918. During the time he has been president of the school board the new high school building, costing about $90,000, was planned and completed, and it is one of the finest and most modern school buildings in the county. The new public library was also built during this time.
Mr. Borst married Elizabeth Overacker, a native daughter, born in Alameda County and a member of a well-known family of the early fifties, being a daughter of Howard Overacker, who was a prominent farmer in Alameda County. Two children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Borst: Deborah, now the wife of Tilghman K. Junken of Coalinga; and Joseph, a student in the high school. The family attend the Presbyterian Church, although they are members of the Christian Church. Mr. Borst is a member of the Growlers Club, the Woodmen of the World, the Chamber of Commerce and the United Artisans ; and he was a stockholder and director in the Bank of Coalinga, and also an organizer and director in the National Bank of Coalinga. When the three banks were consolidated as the First National Bank of Coalinga he was made a member of the directorate and still serves in that capacity. He is very solicitous for the future growth of Coalinga and the welfare of its citizens and always shows his willingness to do all he can to build up the city and enhance the comfort and pleasure of its people.
MILES O. HUMPHREYS .- A progressive and prominent California business man and rancher, who began life as a native son in Fresno County is Miles O. Humphreys, who was born at Wildflower on April 12, 1885, the son of John W. Humphreys, the well-known pioneer who is represented on another page of this book. He was the youngest of ten children, and his early life was spent on the Humphreys ranch near Tollhouse. He attended the public schools and was graduated from the Madera High School in 1906.
Pushing out into the commercial world, Mr. Humphreys entered the employ of the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York, and for two years had his headquarters at Fresno; later he was made superintendent, and continued in charge of the Fresno office until 1915, when he resigned to engage in the general real estate and insurance business in the firm known as Humphreys Brothers.
During these years Mr. Humphreys was interested with his brothers, J. W. and Ray, in stock-raising on the old Humphreys ranch, having purchased adjoining lands and in so doing increased the area of their farm-lands to 1,400 acres. In 1917, M. O. and J. W. Humphreys bought their brother Ray's interest in the ranch and real estate business, and continued as Humphreys Brothers, M. O. being manager of the real estate and general insurance end of the enterprise ; and as both have grown in volume, he is a very busy man.
In partnership with his brother, J. W. Humphreys, Miles owns 154 acres on the State Highway seven miles northwest of Fresno, which is highly im- proved. Forty acres make up a bearing peach orchard and sixty acres a bearing muscat vineyard. He also has twenty acres in alfalfa and thirty acres given over to a fig orchard. He is a member of the California Peach Growers, Inc., the California Associated Raisin Company, and the California Alfalfa Growers Association.
At Fresno, on May 16, 1907, Mr. Humphreys was married to Miss Zella M. Melvin, who was born in Fresno, the daughter of I. A. Melvin, a pioneer and successful stockman, who died in 1917 at the age of eighty-four. She was a graduate of the Fresno high school and has thus been able to give better attention to the education of her two sons, Miles O., Jr., and Faris Melvin.
When the commission was organized to plan for the future growth, need and beauty of Fresno, Mr. Humphreys was appointed by Mayor Snow, a member of the commission and was made chairman ; and how well he and his colleagues served is a matter of public record. In national political affairs, Mr. Humphreys acts with the Republicans, but he belongs to that ever- 93
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increasing number of good citizens who believe that in local affairs there should be no partisanship.
Mr. and Mrs. Humphreys are members of the First Presbyterian Church. For many years also he has been and is an active member of the Y. M. C. A., and he also belongs to Manzanita Camp, W. O. W., and to the Commercial Club.
CAMILLO R. LEONI .- A rancher and dairyman who is to be depended upon is Camillo R. Leoni, one of the stockholders in the First National Bank at Riverdale and a leader among the Swiss-Americans in Southern Fresno County. He was born at Cerentino, Canton Ticino, Switzerland, on Novem- ber 8, 1874, the son of John and Madaline (Pedrazzi) Leoni, who had a family of eight children, among whom Camillo was the fourth in the order of birth. The elder Leoni owned land and was a farmer and dairyman. An older brother, James, came to America and California first, and the year after, in 1888, Camillo followed, arriving in Marin County when he was only fourteen years of age. He worked for a year on the dairy ranches there, and then came to Fresno County.
At first he engaged to work out by the month on J. W. Downing's ranch of 320 acres, doing dairying and general farm work, later taking up with other employers, among them being "Uncle" Job Malsbury, and R. S. Gobby and S. Zanolini when they ran the John's ranch west of Riverdale, where Lanare now stands. Having saved his earnings for five years, he made his first payment on his first purchase of 160 acres, where he has lived ever since, milking from thirty to sixty cows and prospering.
When Mr. Leoni first bought his land and settled here, there were no levies and a great flood put all his buildings under water. His alfalfa was submerged, and he was compelled to take his family away in order to save them from drowning. He recalls also the Texas fever and the other cattle plagues, against which he has persisted and won out, so that now he is a well-to-do and influential man.
At Fresno Mr. Leoni was married to Miss Zelina Leoni, a native of the same canton in Switzerland; by whom he has had four children-Lillian, Henry, Milo and Roy. Mr. Leoni owns 160 acres two miles east, and a half mile south of Burrel, and 100 acres three-fourths of a mile west of that town. He is a stockholder in the First National Bank of Riverdale, which he helped to organize.
A. B. PETERS .- Among the wide-awake representatives of Fresno is A. B. Peters, distinguished for having laid out, at the corner of California Avenue and Cherry Street, additions to the city, thus doing much to build up the community, and for still taking a live interest in its growth and develop- ment. He came to Fresno in the early eighties, and he has seen the city expand so that now it is the pride of the Golden State.
He was born in Ezeroum, Asia Minor, on October 22, 1862, the son of P. K. Peters, who was born at Harpoot, where he became a merchant and farmer. Having married, he came to Philadelphia in 1877 with his family, sons-in-law and nieces, and after two years there moved to Milburytown, Mass. Various members of the family worked in the cotton mills, while Mr. Peters was engaged in the manufacture of carpets, and ran a factory. He did not like the narrow, confined life of the city, however, and wanted to engage in farming; so he came to California alone in the spring of 1882, traveled from San Francisco to Fresno, and then to Los Angeles, and thence back East. He liked it so well that he came back with his wife, and two sons; and after a month in Los Angeles, they decided to come to Fresno County, the prices for land being more favorable here. He bought forty acres in the Fresno Colony, paying ninety dollars an acre, making the pur- chase of G. G. Briggs, reserving twenty acres for himself and son A. B. Peters, and twenty acres for the other son Alex; and these parcels he improved, set- ting out vines and orchards. He built up a good ranch and made it his home
Mr& mrs Chas .E. Williams
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until he died on March 1, 1904. The mother died on August 9, 1897. They had five children, all still living.
A. B. Peters is the youngest in the family, yet he went to work at once in Philadelphia soon after his arrival there, being employed in a cigar store; while in Massachusetts he worked in the cotton mills. Arriving in Fresno in 1882, he worked in a cannery, continuing in that business for two and a half years, when he went to work upon a ranch. Later he leased ranches and ran them. He then started in business and ran a packing house; and after that he was in a planing mill enterprise.
He had continued farming all this while, and after his father died, he bought his father's interest in the twenty-acre ranch, having long been interested in it financially. He laid out Peters Second, Third and Fourth ad- ditions, each time subdividing five acres, and he still owns five acres and five lots. He himself planted all the trees on the avenue, and further beauti- fied the tract.
At Fresno Mr. Peters was married to Miss Beatrice Hekimian, by whom he has had three children-Hermina, Edward and Roxie. He and his family are members of the Presbyterian Church, Mr. Peters having been one of the church's trustees for years.
CHARLES ELLIOTT WILLIAMS .- The adage that "nothing suc- ceeds like success" applies in the accomplishments of Charles Elliott Williams, a prosperous rancher of Fresno County. He was born at Crestline, Richland County, Ohio, October 23, 1854, a son of Benjamin and Catherine (Tyler) Williams, both of whom were natives of New York State, born on the Hudson and in Ithaca, respectively. They were farmers in Ohio, as also in Illinois, to which state the family removed in 1863, finally settling in Flat Rock, Crawford County, where both parents died. The Williams family is traced back to England, while the Tylers are an old New York State family, members of which were in the Battle of Minnesink.
Charles Elliott Williams is the third in a family of six children, and was educated in the public schools of Crawford County, Il1. When he was twenty-one years of age he bought a farm near Flat Rock, where he followed farming until he came to California.
On October 13, 1887, Mr. Williams was united in marriage with Miss Emma E. Fry, a native of Henry County, Ind., the ceremony being solem- nized at Allison Prairie, Lawrence County, Ill. Miss Fry was the daughter of Maurice and Elizabeth (Bible) Fry, natives of Virginia who were early settlers of Henry County, Ind., and later pioneers of Allison Prairie, Ill. On her maternal side Mrs. Williams traces her ancestors back to Casper Branner, who settled in the Shenandoah Valley, Va., in 1750. In 1888, Mr. and Mrs. Williams located on Allison Prairie, Ill., where he became an extensive and successful farmer, operating over 700 acres of land. Seven children were born to them: Eva C., who is now Mrs. Calvert; Jennie May, who died when six years of age; Raymond L., in the United States Army, in a regi- ment of engineers, serving over seas ; Everett M., assisting his father; Myrtle J., now Mrs. Gladden ; and Hazel F. and Lester E., who are both at home.
On January 12, 1912, Mr. Williams and his family came to California, where he engaged in the mercantile business in Fresno, from February to October of that year, when he sold out to engage in farming, horticulture and viticulture on a twenty-acre tract eleven miles east of town on Ventura Avenue, in the Grandville district. Here he set out a family orchard and a vineyard of Thompson seedless raisin grapes, and has since devoted his time to the development of the tract. Mr. Williams is a loyal supporter of the public school system, as he is also of other institutions and organizations for the upbuilding of the county. He is a Democrat in politics, though not a radical, since in local matters he votes for the men best qualified for office.
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HARRY EDWARD SPENCE .- Born near Minneapolis, Ottawa County, Kans., February 23, 1871, Harry E. Spence came to California with his par- ents, Andrew and Caroline (Bell) Spence, when twelve years of age. They resided at Duarte, Los Angeles County, until 1888, when they moved to Bur- roughs Valley, Fresno County. He finished his education at Healdsburg College and then devoted his time to farming and stock-raising.
At Fresno, in 1898, Harry Spence married Miss Lutie Gilmer, who was born near Porterville, Cal., and whose father was Robert Gilmer, a native of Kentucky who crossed the plains to California in the fifties. After mining a few years he returned to Iowa, and there married Mary A Dye, a native of that state. He served over three years in an Iowa regiment in the Civil War as a second lieutenant. In 1873 they settled at Porterville, Cal., and after- wards at Selma, but in 1879 they moved to Burroughs Valley where Mr. Gil- mer improved a ranch and set out one of the first orchards in the valley. He died here and is survived by his widow. Mrs. Spence is next to the youngest of their seven children and was educated in the public schools of the valley.
Harry Spence was successful as a farmer and became owner of 400 acres in the heart of Burroughs Valley. For many years he also followed teaming to the mills in the Sierras and while thus engaged took a heavy cold through exposure, which resulted in his death, February 27, 1911. Since his death Mrs. Spence has continued stock-raising, being assisted in the manage- ment of the ranch by Mr. Spence's brother, Dulcy Spence ; they have extended their holdings, also owning ranches in Watts and Sycamore valleys. For many years they have engaged in the mercantile business in a store built on their ranch, where Mrs. Spence served as postmaster from 1899 until 1917, when she resigned.
Mr. and Mrs. Spence had four children: Vivian, Patti, Harry Gilmer, and Edward Sylvester. Mr. Spence served as school trustee, as well as Jus- tice of the Peace. He was a prominent man and yielded a wide influence for good. Mrs. Spence performs her civic duties under the standard of the Re- publican party.
WILLIAM E. BROWN .- An oil man who has steadily worked his way up until he now holds a responsible position with the Union Oil Company, is William E. Brown, who was born at Washburn, Maine, on December 30, 1866, the son of Simon Brown, who was born in Massachusetts and descended from a'family traceable back to the first settlers of Mayflower stock. Simon Brown was in the Civil War, a member of the Eighth Maine Regiment, and he was wounded by the bursting of a shell. Having farmed in Maine he later removed to Menominee County, Mich., where he engaged in lumbering; and then he went back to Maine. He married Harriet Hall, a native of Maine and a member of an old Massachusetts family, who also traces her ancestry back to the Mayflower. Mr. and Mrs. Brown came to California in 1910 to make their home with their son, W. E., at Coalinga. They were the parents of three girls and a son, among whom William is the third oldest.
He was brought up in Maine, attended the public schools there and then went to work on a farm, continuing at home until he was twenty-one. At that time he went to Michigan and spent about six years working in the lumber camps where he became a foreman; and he also engaged in charcoal burning. Then he moved back to Maine, and later went west to Indiana, where he began to learn the oil business, commencing at the Geneva field, in 1893, as a pumper. He worked up to driller, and then took drilling contracts. About 1900 he moved to Beaver Dam, Ohio, and there worked as foreman in the Lima oil field. He got to be more and more interested in oil fields and wells and in 1906 went to Illinois, attracted by the Casey oil district and the Bridgeport district, where he was a contract driller.
In 1910 Mr. Brown came to California and after a brief stay in Los Angeles, he located at Bakersfield and went with the Claremont Oil Com-
R.J. Perez.
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pany, in Kern River field, owned by the Union Oil Company. He became a district foreman and held that post until December 1, 1911, when he was transferred to the Clairmont lease at Coalinga, where he was made super- intendent. He is now district foreman of the Union Oil Company's holdings in the Coalinga district, which includes Clairmont, Section 24, and also of the Iredell, Section 13, and the Union, Section 8.
At Ishpeming, Mich., on January 3, 1901, Mr. Brown was married to Miss Emma Andrews, a native of Calumet, Mich., and the daughter of Jo- seph Andrews, who was born in England and came as a child to Wisconsin. In the southern part of that state he was brought up as a miner, and later he removed to Calumet. He died at Mrs. Brown's at Bridgeport. His wife was Sarah Lane, a native of England before her marriage, and she died at Quinnesec, Mich., the mother of four children, Mrs. Brown being the oldest. She was educated in the Iron Mountain, Mich., schools, and was engaged in teaching in Menominee County, Mich., until her marriage. Two children- Elva and Kenneth, are the pride of the Brown home, and both are. attending the Coalinga Union high school,-Elva in the class of 1920. Mr. Brown was made a Mason in Bridgeport Lodge, No. 386, F. & A. M., and he is still a member there. He belongs to the Growler's Club of Coalinga.
RUDOLPH J. PEREZ .- A native son of California and descendant of a pioneer family of the state, Rudolph J. Perez was born in Oakdale, Stanis- laus County, July 21, 1881. His father, Joseph E. Perez, was also a native Californian, a son of one of the old pioneer families in the state. His birth took place in Mariposa; and he later followed the trade of blacksmith in San Joaquin and Stanislaus Counties. When he located in Fresno Mr. Perez ran a shop at the corner of Fresno and K Streets, in partnership with a Mr. White. This partnership was dissolved in 1889, and in 1890 Mr. Perez located in Fowler and ran a shop there under the firm name of Perez & Post. He was one of the first men to erect a home on the west side in Fresno, first building at the corner of Sacramento and E Streets ; later he built a home on F Street near Stanislaus. His death occurred on December 17, 1892. All his life a progressive and enterprising citizen, he early saw a great future for Fresno and readily lent his help toward that end. His wife was Patricia Sanches, also born in Mariposa, Cal., and they were the parents of the fol- lowing children: Mrs. George E. Churcher, Peter J., Mrs. Ruth Howard of Sonora, Tuolumne County, and Rudolph J. The mother's death occurred in Fresno, October 28, 1904.
Rudolph J. Perez was a boy of seven years when his parents settled in Fresno, in 1888. He attended the public schools here and later became a chef in the hotels and cafes of Fresno. In 1903 he learned the trade of plumber with the firm of Donohue-Emmons Company, and in 1909 formed a partnership with V. J. Cox, under the firm name of Cox & Perez Plumbing Shop, with quarters at 2127 Kern Street. He sold out to Cox in 1911, and formed a partnership with J. W. Murray under the firm name of Murray & Perez, with a shop at 1225 I Street. The partnership continued until 1915, and since that date Mr. Perez has engaged in business alone at 1434 F Street, and has earned the title of "Honest Plumber" throughout the city and county. He is a member of the Fresno local and the State Association of Master Plumbers of California, and shows his interest by attending the con- ventions each year.
The marriage of Mr. Perez united him with Matilda Rogers, a native of Fresno County, and two children were born to them, Audrey and Dorothy. The mother passed away on September 8, 1910. Mr. Perez has been active in fraternal circles in Fresno, and is a member of the Eagles. He is a member of the Merchants' Association and can always be found in the front ranks when the advancement of his town is the issue.
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BENJAMIN W. KILBY .- An optimistic native son is Benjamin W. Kilby, is postmaster of Helm and the managing partner in the well-known firm of Eaton & Kilby, proprietors of the general merchandise store called "The Helm Store :" and the partners are Mrs. Hattie A. Eaton, widow of the late Fred F. Eaton, and Mr. Kilby.
The latter came here as a clerk for Mr. Eaton, when that pioneer also ran a general merchandise store at Burrel; and when Mr. Eaton died on November 30, 1916. Mr. Kilby lost the personal association of one of the ablest and most popular business men in the county. Helm is located on the Hanford and Summit Lake Railway, which runs from Hanford to Ker- man, having been built through here in 1912; and it is commonly known as the Hardwick-Ingle branch of the Southern Pacific.
Mr. Kilby was born at Coalinga on March 13, 1887, the son of William J. Kilby of the real estate and insurance firm of W. J. Kilby and Son of Coalinga. W. J. Kilby went there in 1885; and he is a dealer in real estate in that place, and owns several houses there. Five children were born of the Kilby union, and all are still living. Mollie is the wife of G. M. Hughes, the oil-man at Coalinga ; Benjamin W. is the subject of this interesting sketch; Trixie is the wife of C. N. Ayers, the machinist and garage-man of Coalinga ; Colon is a sophomore at the university at Redlands ; and Neta is a Red Cross nurse in the hospital at San Diego. Mrs. Kilby was Helen Murtiagh, a native of Ireland, and Benjamin's father was born at Freeport, Maine. Both parents are still living at Coalinga.
After working at different lines, Benjamin Kilby clerked for two years, and at the age of thirty was made a partner in the firm. He was married at Helm to Miss Pearl White, daughter of James White, and a granddaughter of Almond M. Bentley, the well-known pioneer. Two children blessed the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Kilby-Muriel and Beatrice.
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