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 99

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

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 99

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Mr. Butler is a native of Illinois where he was born in Wayne County, April 5, 1886, a son of William M. and Charlotte (McDuffee) Butler. He was reared and educated in his native state in the public schools and early began to learn the details of farming. In 1906 he migrated to California, locating at Dinuba, and entered the employ of F. H. Wilson, of Tulare County, for whom he worked nine years on his various ranches. The experi- ence gained through this period of employment was very valuable and espe- cially helpful in the discharge of his responsible position later in life. He began at the very bottom and gradually worked his way to the top. Mr. Butler has concentrated his thought upon horticulture and viticulture and is a close student of nature. He worked for M. Pettit for two years and to him gives much of the credit for the success he has made in later years, for he was a kind employer, willing to impart helpful information to Mr. Butler, who was anxious to learn.

By reason of his superior knowledge and practical experience, Mr. But- ler was called to take charge of 160 acres in Barstow Colony, devoted to vines and figs, owned by W. M. Hopper, and from there, on May 15, 1919, he came to his present place as manager of the Hopper Ranch at Parlier, 150 acres of which is in orchard of peaches and apricots. During the busy season he has the oversight of about 100 people, at other times six or seven. This responsible position requires a thorough knowledge of the fruit industry.

In 1905, T. E. Butler was united in marriage with Miss Ethel Scott, a native of Sims, Il1., and the daughter of Frank Scott. Mr. and Mrs. Butler have two sons, Roy and Earl. Mr. Butler has exceeded his expectations as a successful viticulturist and orchardist, and his integrity of character, perse- verance and business methods justly merit the high esteem in which he is held in his community. 102

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JEFFERSON E. DAVIS .- The traditions of a distinguished American family especially prominent in the South are revived in the narration of the life of Jefferson E. Davis, an influential member of the City of Fresno Board of Police and Fire Commissioners, and an extensive stockman owning 3,000 acres of choice land in Fresno, Stanislaus and Merced counties. His father was William Hale Davis, a native of Mississippi and a second cousin of Jeffer- son Davis, President of the Confederate States. When a mere child, he came to Little Rock, Ark., and the Davis family therefore was one of the first white families that settled at that place. An aunt, Mrs. Mary Lemberger, W. H. Davis' sister, whose home is still at Little Rock, although now about 106 years old, paid a visit to Fresno relatives in the summer of 1912; she enjoys the distinction of being the first white child born at Little Rock.

William Hale Davis left Little Rock in October, 1849, and came across the plains in company with his brother-in-law, John Lemberger, traveling by way of Salt Lake City; and they had several fights with the Indians. Landing at Dogtown, in Tuolumne County, in April, 1850, they went to work in the mines there and in the fall of that year, Mr. Lemberger died. Just about that time the trouble with the Digger Indians began in Mariposa County, and Mr. Davis and his partner, Charles B. Watts (late of Watts Val- ley, Fresno County), both enlisted, as volunteers, under Brigadier-General Edward Fitzgerald Beale, and fought until the Indians were subdued. Dur- ing this campaigning, Mr. Davis had a thrilling experience such as would be likely to try any man's mettle. Sent by General Beale on a foraging ex- pedition to get meat for the company, he was caught in a terrible snowstorm and was lost in the mountains. Suddenly, as if he dropped from the skies, an Indian appeared, and tapping him on the shoulder, exclaimed, "Omega!" meaning "friend ;" the Indian then guided Mr. Davis to his tribe, which lived in the Yosemite Valley, and kept him until the snowstorm was over, when the chief showed him the sights and sent a guide to help him find his way back to General Beale's command. Thus Mr. Davis was one of the first white men to see the Yosemite Falls when the country round about was in its primeval state, and before travelers of any kind began to come there in num- bers. After the Indian troubles, he drifted on to Fort Miller, in Mariposa County, where he came into touch with Phineas Banning and other pioneers and military men besides General Beale.

He stayed in Mariposa County and mined until 1860, when he came over to the Kings River Bottoms and, settling on the river banks, engaged in farm- ing and stockraising until the fall of 1867, when the floods swept away his houses and drowned many of his cattle. He then took the remnants of his herds and drove to Watts Valley and there followed the cattle and sheep business until the time of his death, in November, 1870, when he passed away about fifty years of age.

William Hale Davis was married at El Monte in 1857 to Miss Sarah Jane Ellis, the daughter of Dr. T. O. Ellis, a physician, who was also a bishop in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South ; and he preached while riding horseback with his saddlebags and bibles all the way from Los Angeles to Stockton and Sacramento, establishing churches wherever he went. Mrs. Davis is one of the most wonderful pioneer women, of very strong character as may be inferred from the fact that she drove an ox team across the plains all the way from Texas, her native State. Born in Tyler County, she belonged to a family that, like the Davis', came from Mississippi. Dr. Ellis was one of the first school superintendents of Fresno County, and he twice filled that responsible office-in 1868-69 and again from 1872 to 1875. Left a widow in 1870 with a family of five boys and one girl, Mrs. Davis carried on the ranch- ing operations, kept the family together, and reared them with a good educa- tion. At the age of eighty-two she is still living on her ranch of 500 acres twenty miles southeast of old Fort Miller, and twenty miles northeast of Fresno; and there she has dwelt since 1874. She attended to all of her own

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business until 1916 when she sold her cattle to her son, John V. Davis, and leased him the farm as a stock ranch.

Except the eldest child, Thomas, who died when he was three years old, Mrs. Davis' children are all living. William T. resides with his mother on the ranch and is engaged in cattle raising; Jefferson Ellis is the subject of our review; Mary Frances is the wife of D. M. Baird, an extensive rancher of Fresno County elsewhere mentioned in this work; Eugene G. resides at Clovis and is a cattle raiser; John O., already referred to, runs the Davis ranch ; and W. H. lives at Fresno and is a vineyardist.

Jefferson Ellis Davis was born at Hornitas, in Mariposa County, on Jan- uary 21, 1863, while his mother was there on a visit, and grew up mainly in Fresno County. His educational advantages were limited, so that his knowl- edge is of a practical nature such as one might be expected to acquire through his work. As a boy, he began to drive horses, operate machinery and work on the farm, and at sixteen he managed the farm of the Davis estate.

In 1901 he was married to Miss Martha R. Taylor of Los Angeles, a graduate of the State Normal at Los Angeles and of the University of Cal- ifornia ; and formerly a teacher in Fresno County. Her father was Asher Tay- lor, the well-known pioneer, and his portrait is to be found with those of the early pioneers of San Francisco, including Flood, Mackay, Rowlston, and others. Since his marriage, Mr. Davis has been engaged in general ranching and stockraising. Mr. and Mrs. Davis have five children: Muriel R. grad- uated from the Fresno High School with the Class of '18; Warren Jefferson is still in attendance at that well-conducted institution ; William Emery, Bar- bara, and Gordon P.

A police and fire commissioner of Fresno with a record in each instance that is very good, Mr. Davis has always worked to elevate the standard of morality in the city and has very naturally been in favor of making Fresno a dry town. He is a member of St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church. In national politics, he is a Democrat.

JOHN H. GILBERTSON .- The enterprising and progressive black- smith of Coalinga, Jack Gilbertson, as he is familiarly known, is of Scotch ancestry, his grandfather, Henry Gilbertson, having been born in the land of the heather and of Bobby Burns, from which country he emigrated to Can- ada, afterwards moving over the line into New York State. He was a black- smith by trade and passed his last days in the Empire State. The father of J. H. Gilbertson was Thomas Gilbertson, a native of Canada, who followed the trade of blacksmith in New York State as well as in Pennsylvania. While he was engaged at his trade in the latter state, oil was discovered at the old Drake well, near Titusville, Pa. Later on he ran a shop at Bradford, Pa., and it was in this place that he died. John H. Gilbertson, the subject of this sketch, was born on May 10, 1877, near the famous old Drake oil-well, located near Titusville, Pa. His mother, in maidenhood, was Ellen O'Hara, a native of New York State, and she resides now at Long Beach, Cal. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Gilbertson were the parents of ten children, eight of whom are living, J. H. being the sixth child.

When eleven years of age, Jack Gilbertson moved with his parents to Bradford, Pa., and it was in the public school of this town that he received his early education. Following the footsteps of his father and grandfather, he learned the trade of a blacksmith, and in due time ran a shop in partner- ship with his father. He remained with him until he sold his interest and then he accepted a position with an oil-tool company, in West Virginia, where he was the blacksmith for the firm of Betman, Watson & Burnham, in Bel- mont, W. Va. After remaining here three years he returned to Bradford where he was in the employ of the Oil Well Supply Company, as a black- smith, continuing with them for five years. Having a desire to see the western states, Mr. Gilbertson migrated as far west as Kiefer, Okla., where he was

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foreman of the Independent Iron Works, engaged in building oil-well ma- chinery. His next move was eastward, as he located at Rochester, N. Y., where he secured employment with the Fredericks Structural Iron Works as foreman of their blacksmithing department. After remaining here a few months, Mr. Gilbertson moved to California, making his advent into the Golden State in 1906, locating at Coalinga, where he secured employment with the California Oilfields Limited, as a blacksmith, which position he filled for three years, when he left Coalinga for Tonopah, Nev. After serving nine months as master mechanic of the Tonopah Extension, he resigned and re- turned to Coalinga, where he accepted the position of head blacksmith for the Bunting Iron Works, which place he efficiently filled for five years, resigning in 1915 to engage in business for himself. Purchasing the blacksmith shop of Hansen & Borum, he opened a general blacksmithing business, also en- gaged in auto repairing and light oil-tool blacksmithing work. Mr. Gilbertson is an expert in his line of work, an enterprising business man who has the happy faculty of making friends, which accounts for his growing and pros- perous business, located on Front Street, Coalinga. From a boy Mr. Gilbert- son was reared in the oil region and has been through most of the prominent oil-fields and has had valuable experience in the making of oil-well tools. While with the Oil Well Supply Company in Bradford, Pa., he assisted in the making of the fishing tools that were exhibited at the Saint Louis Expo- sition.

Mr. Gilbertson was united in marriage with Miss Gladys M. Levey, a native of Iowa, and they have three children: Jack; Helen, and Norma. Fraternally, Mr. Gilbertson is a member of the Eagles.

JAMES P. GREGORY .- An enterprising and progressive resident of the Rolinda section of Fresno County, is James P. Gregory, merchant and rancher who has become one of the leading men in his community, where he is very popular. He was born near Chattanooga, Tenn., December 3, 1876, a son of Thomas and Sarah (Milam) Gregory, who were both born in that state. The elder Gregory was both a merchant and farmer, and conducted a mercantile establishment in Daisy, Hamilton County, and later in Hill City, Tenn. Subsequently he removed to the Cherokee Nation and engaged in farm pursuits at Vian and there he passed to his reward. Mrs. Gregory died in Tennessee. They were the parents of two children: James P., of this review, and Mrs. J. C. Bach, of Barstow Colony. By a former marriage Thomas Gregory was the father of three children, and by a later one, of one son, Lawrence, now in the United States Army.

James P. was educated in the public schools in Tennessee until his re- moval with the family to the Cherokee Nation in 1891, there he continued his studies in the public school and completed at the academy. During the inter- val he assisted his father on the farm. Having a desire to see the Pacific Coast country, in 1901 he left for California and came direct to Fresno. He soon found employment in the store at Kearney Park owned by the late M. Theo. Kearney, and there, by careful attention to the interests of his employer, he soon became known as a young man of ability and was made manager of the store.

In 1905, having gained a good insight into local conditions and become familiar with the methods of carrying on the general merchandise business here, Mr. Gregory saw a good opening for a like enterprise on White's Bridge Road, one-half mile east of Rolinda Station. He leased an acre of land and the small building that had been erected for him, and began on a small scale. There were but few ranches in the locality and the little store was the only building at the four corners. Being well and favorably known, he soon drew trade from former patrons of the Kearney store and gradually his business grew. Before three years had passed he was able to buy the land where his store stood and some besides, making two and one-half acres; he tore

Mr.and Mrs. John Bien

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down the old building and erected a more commodious structure and by close application to business prospered beyond his expectations. He it was who gave the name of Rolinda to the settlement ; also named Rolinda Avenue, running north and south. During the time he was carrying on the store he also farmed some land across the road from his store and raised some good crops. On account of ill health caused by too close confinement in the store, Mr. Gregory sold out the stock of merchandise in March, 1919, and then turned his attention to the development of a ranch of sixty acres that he purchased in July, 1918, and which is located on McKinley Avenue. Later, he expects to reenter the mercantile field at Rolinda. He is a member of the California Associated Raisin Company and he served as a deputy under Sheriffs Chittenden, McSwain, Thorwaldsen and Jones. As a republican he has ever sought to do his duty at the polls; also has shown an interest in educational affairs and is serving as a trustee of the Houghton school dis- trict. Fraternally, he is a member of Houghton Lodge of the Fraternal Brotherhood at Rolinda and of Pitiaches Tribe, I. O. R. M., at Fresno.

The marriage of James P. Gregory and Miss Bena Jacobsen, the daughter of P. C. Jacobsen, a pioneer resident of this section, was celebrated in Feb- ruary, 1904. Of this union six children have been born: Ruth, Emma, Edna, James, Clarence, and Parker, who add to the charm of the Gregory house- hold, and with their parents enjoy the good will and esteem of their many friends.

JOHN BIEN .- A prosperous rancher of the Biola district, John Bien is justly proud of his record and what he has accomplished through his own industry and thrift. Born in Dinkel, Samara, Russia, August 30, 1875, he is a son of George and Annie (Grommer) Bien, both residents of that country, and there the father's death occurred, in 1878; the mother still living in the old country. John is one of two brothers left living out of a family of three boys and one girl born to his parents. He was educated in the public schools of his native town and when six years of age went to live with his uncle, Conrad Bien, remaining with him until the age of fifteen. From that early age he made his own way in life, working out on farms for his board and twenty-five dollars a year, which stipend was increased a little each year, until when twenty-four years of age he was receiving fifty dollars a year, out of which sum he had to buy his clothes and incidentals-an illustration of the scant wages paid to young people in that country.

In the fall of 1898, the young man emigrated to the United States, and first located in Lincoln, Nebr., where he was in the employ of the Union Pacific Railroad. In the fall of 1900 he came to Fresno, and for seven years was in the employ of the Southern Pacific Railroad. In 1907 he left the rail- road work and was employed in a clothing establishment for eighteen months; then leased a ranch on Barstow Avenue, raised alfalfa and engaged in the dairy business for five years. During this time he bought his present ranch, in 1910, and for a time worked both places. He now has a forty-acre ranch on Biola and Barstow Avenues, fifteen miles northwest of Fresno, thirty-five acres of which are in Thompson and muscat grapes, and the bal- ance in alfalfa. He has made modern improvements on his property, built a fine residence and barns, put in a modern pumping-plant for irrigation purposes, and is prospering and reaping the fruits of his industry and enter- prise.

Mr. Bien's marriage, in Fresno, united him, on January 8, 1901, with Miss Annie Miller, born in Stahl, Samara, Russia, a daughter of Andrew and Marie (Grill) Miller, who came to California in 1900 and are now living in Dinuba. They were the parents of seven children, Mrs. Bien being the oldest of the family. Mr. and Mrs. Bien have had eight children born to them, six of whom are living: George, Fred, Amelia, Lizzie, Martha, and John, Jr. The

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family attends the Congregational Lutheran Church of Fresno. Mr. Bien is a member of the California Associated Raisin Company, and keeps in step with the march of progress which is sweeping throughout this section of the state.

HARVEY H. GEORGESON .- A hard-working, honest, gentleman is Harvey H. Georgeson, who was born in Berlin, Wis., on April 1, 1887. His father was originally known as L. P. Jorgensen, but owing to much con- fusion in the delivery of his mail, due to the presence of so many Jorgensens, he had his name changed to Georgeson.

The fourth eldest in a family of eight children, all of whom grew to maturity, Harvey H. lived in Wisconsin until 1895, when he came West to California and Fresno County with his parents. They located in the Madison school district, and there the lad attended school and obtained the foundation of a good education. He was given much work to do, however, as a boy, and so early learned viticulture and general ranching, at which he busied him- self until his seventeenth year. He then worked, until the fall of 1911, at logging, lumbering, and stationary engineering at Millwood, Pine Ridge and the Standard Lumber Company's plant.

On New Year's Day, 1912, Mr. Georgeson was married to Miss Clara V. Hansen, who was born at Malaga, Fresno County, a daughter of H. C. Hansen.

Following his marriage, Mr. Georgeson purchased his present ranch of twenty acres at the corner of Madison and Braly avenues. He laid out a fine vineyard and erected a residence with suitable buildings for farm use. His vineyard yields the best of Muscat and Thompson seedless grapes, and these command the highest prices in the market. Mr. Georgeson is both a member and a stockholder of the California Associated Raisin Company.

For the past six years Mr. Georgeson has also assisted in caring for the county roads in road district No. 1, and he runs the Holt caterpillar sivtv horsepower engine used in doing the road work.

Mr. and Mrs. Georgeson have two children, Gilbert and Stanley.

RICHARD I. FARRIS .- A representative of the splendid type of man- hood of the Middle Western States, Richard I. Farris was born in Lincoln. Logan County, Il1 .. November 23, 1876. His father, John H., was born in Kentucky, but removed to Illinois in his youth. He then went to Washington County, Iowa, where he engaged in farming for eighteen years. He first came to California in 1882, but he returned to Iowa again. In 1910 the Farris family moved to Fresno County where they engaged in the dairy business until the father's death, in 1913. He lacked eight days of reaching his eightieth year. The mother in maidenhood was Louisa Harrold ; she was born in Illinois, and is still living, residing in Fresno. To them were born four children: Mary, of Fresno; Richard I .; Morton, of Fresno; and Nora, now Mrs. Nowel, of Muscatine, Iowa. The father, by a former marriage, had four children, two of whom are living.

Richard I. was raised in Illinois until his sixteenth year. He followed farming there until 1896 when he went to Iowa, immediately beginning work with his father on the farm, and continuing there until the farm was sold, after which he engaged in farming for himself. In 1903 he made his first trip to California, and in 1910, having sold out, came again and located in Fresno County, where he entered into the dairy business on his father's place. Here great improvements have been made : they have a pumping-plant with twenty-horsepower engine and seven-inch pump, and the land is also under the Herndon canal system. They have fifteen cows in the dairy, and are raising alfalfa, also.

Mr. Farris was married January 23, 1901, to Miss Stella Coppock, daughter of William and Frances C. (Edwards) Coppock, who were natives respectively of Ohio and Pennsylvania. Mrs. Farris was born in Osborne County, Kans.

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Her parents were farmers in Iowa, and then in Kansas for a time, but later returned to Iowa. Her father was a Civil War veteran, a member of Company D, Fourth Iowa Cavalry. He has passed on, leaving his wife and nine chil- dren. Mrs. Coppock is now a resident of Iowa. Mrs. Farris is the fourth of this large family.

To Mr. and Mrs. Farris have been born four children: Velma, Wendell, Dale and Gertrude. They are all members of the North Side Christian Church, Fresno. Mr. Farris is a member of the Board of Trustees of Roose- velt school district, and of the San Joaquin Valley Milk Producers Associa- tion. He was made a Mason in Dayton Lodge, No. 149, F. & A. M., at Well- man, Iowa, and transferred his membership to Washington Lodge, No. 26, Washington, Iowa, of which he is still a member. The Farris family occu- pies a high place in the life of the community.

CLAIR E. HALIBURTON .- Of a long line of honorable ancestry, himself a worthy descendant, Clair E. Haliburton, proprietor of The Tog- gery, in the Amy Block, stands among the foremost business men of Coal- inga. The Haliburton family in the United States is large and all of that name are related by blood, being the descendants of two brothers, who came from Scotland to the United States before the Revolutionary War. One of them settled in North Carolina, and some of his descendants moved to Ten- nessee, and it is from this branch that Clair Haliburton is descended. His father was Henry Warren Haliburton, who was born in Dickson County, Tenn. His grandfather was Charles Haliburton who was born in North Carolina but who moved to Tennessee when quite young, and engaged in farming when grown. There are many Haliburtons in North Carolina, Ten- nessee, Missouri, Arkansas and Texas, and a few in Virginia, and they have become prominent in business and as professional men. More of them have engaged in the mercantile business than in other lines of activity.

Henry Warren Haliburton, the father, was reared in Dickson County. In 1846, when a young man, he migrated to Missouri, and located in Ran- dolph County, where he became in industrious and honorable citizen. Soon after the discovery of gold in California, in 1849, he crossed the plains, driving an ox team in a large train of wagons, and located in Plumas County. After following mining awhile he drifted into the stock business, at Globe, Tulare County, where he purchased a ranch and became successful and influential. He died in 1896 at the age of seventy-four years. The mother was Mary Martha Osborn, a native daughter of California, born in Tulare County. Her parents also crossed the plains in the early pioneer days of California. She died in 1894.

Clair Haliburton is the youngest of seven children, and was born at Globe, Tulare County, August 10, 1884. Following the death of his mother he lived with his sister, Mrs. A. J. Phillips, now of Tulare, until he had completed the public school course. At fourteen he began clerking in Ep- stein's store, at Visalia, receiving only five dollars a week, and out of this he had to board himself. He stuck to it for four months, and then began clerk- ing for C. O. Anderson, general merchandise, at Reedley, remaining with him over six months, when he came to Coalinga to enter the employ of A. P. May, as a clerk in the gents' furnishing department. He took a deep interest in his work, and was rewarded by being placed in charge of the department. After a period of three years he resigned, having decided to engage in bus- iness for himself.

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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 99

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