Читать книгу History of Fresno County, Vol. 6 - Paul E. Vandor - Страница 24

Of a long line of honorable ancestry, himself a worthy descendant, Clair E. Haliburton, proprietor of The Toggery, in the Amy Block, stands among the foremost business men of Coalinga. 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 Tennessee, 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, Tennessee, 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 Randolph 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 Epstein'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 clerking 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 business for himself.

In 1905 he started a cleaning and pressing establishment on Front Street, but this soon gave way to the idea of a gents' furnishing goods store, new and up-to-date. For this purpose he borrowed $750 from his brother. In order to get a suitable location he purchased a building and lease for $685 cash, obtained credit and opened the Toggery. Later he took in as a partner, Louis Green who afterwards sold to a Mr. Martin, and the firm became Haliburton & Martin. They moved into the May Block and later into the Amy Block, where they built up a large business. In 1912, Mr. Martin sold to his partner, and the business has been the exclusive property of Mr. Haliburton, and it is one of the finest stores in Coalinga. He owes his success to close application and keeping his credit good, always meeting his obligations promptly.

With Messrs. Clayton and Hancock as partners, Mr. Haliburton brought the first privately-owned airplane to Fresno County; it is a Canadian-Curtiss J-N-4 Plane. They are using it commercially, as a passenger sight-seeing and advertising plane.

Mr. Haliburton was married in Coalinga to Miss Eva Buckalew, a native of Pennsylvania. They are the parents of two children, Emory and Richard.

Mr. Haliburton is a member of the Fresno Lodge of Elks, of the Coalinga Lodge of Eagles, and of the Chamber of Commerce. The success he has achieved is his own and no one begrudges it to him.