Читать книгу History of Fresno County, Vol. 6 - Paul E. Vandor - Страница 25

A hard working, progressive and excellent dairy farmer is A. E. Haslam, the rancher who owns 230 acres of superior land one mile southeast of Riverdale. He is the original butter maker in that town, and has the distinction of having first demonstrated the special advantages of this section for the butter industry. He is a stockholder in the Riverdale Cooperative Creamery.

Mr. Haslam was born in London, England, the son of William Haslam, who was a native of the world's metropolis and came to America when our subject was only a year old. He settled awhile in New York City and built up a large cigar manufacturing business, through which he became comfortably fixed. He had married Elizabeth Ford, also a native of England, the ceremony taking place in that country; and they became the parents of four boys and a girl.

Crowing up in New York City, Mr. Haslam read the New York Tribune and he heeded Horace Greeley's advice. "Young man, go West and grow up with the country." At twenty-five years of age he came to California and at first worked in San Luis Obispo County at grain farming. He farmed for himself and had a sad experience, for prices fell to such an extent that they broke him.

He then came to Riverdale and worked for Uncle Job Malsbury, who came to California in 1853 and located near Riverdale in 1885, and he was married to Miss Emma W. Holton, a native of St. Andrew's, New Brunswick, Canada. She was a teacher in the public schools at Conejo, in Fresno County, and one child, Margery, eleven years of age, was born to this union. Mr. Haslam had been previously married in San Luis Obispo County to Miss Ida M. Turner, a daughter of James Turner, the well-known pioneer of Riverdale who moved to this section with Mr. Haslam. She became ill and died during the first year of their residence, and she left two children. Willard married Mabel Baird and is a rancher owning eighty-six acres at Riverdale, and they have two children— May and Kenneth: Isabel, the wife of J. T. Hunter, a carpenter and builder, is the mother of four children — Dorothy, Edward. Marion and the baby.

Mr. Haslam bought his present place sixteen years ago from C. G. Milnes, and he donated a right of way to the Hanford & Summit Lake Railway. He also owns forty acres a mile to the west. He is the financial manager of the United Brethren Church of Riverdale — a living growing congregation, thanks largely to Mr. Ha-slam's excellent work. Mr. and Mrs. Haslam are consistent Christians, dwell in a fine ranch house which is one of the very best in Riverdale, and are patriotic citizens, always interested in advancing the welfare of the community.