Читать книгу History of Fresno County, Vol. 6 - Paul E. Vandor - Страница 47

An enterprising orchardist and vineyardist who represents in his own family history one of the sturdy Americans who fought for the preservation of the Union, and whose wife is the direct descendant of an Ohio pioneer who once owned part of the site of Columbus, is William Sherman Richmond. He first came to California in the late eighties; and ever since he has been deeply interested and active in contributing toward the development of that part of the great state in which he cast his fortunes.

He was born in Memphis, Scotland County, Mo., on January 26, 1867, the son of Theodore W. Richmond, a native of Indiana, who came to Iowa, where he homesteaded. When the Civil War broke out, he raised a company and was elected captain of Company H of the Nineteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. He was present at the siege of Vicksburg, but was incapacitated by malaria for much service. After the war, he farmed in Scotland County, and there he died in his sixty-seventh year. His family was one of the old New York group and had its place in the history of the Empire State.

Mrs. Richmond was Elvira Irish before her marriage, and she was born in Indiana. Her parents came from' Connecticut, and they originated with the old Mayflower stock. After a useful life she passed away in Missouri, the mother of ten children, six of whom are still living. Albert C. is in Texas County, Mo.; Kate has become Mrs. Bull of Kalispell, Mont.; Frank M. lives at Ogallala, Nebr.; Carrie resides in Fresno; and besides the subject of our sketch, there is Emmett G. Richmond, also of Fresno County.

Brought up on a farm in Missouri, William S. attended the public schools, including the grammar grade and the high school of Memphis, and when twenty-two came to California in 1889, settling in the vicinity of Reedley and Dinuba. Fresno was then a very small town. He went to work on the grain farm for Crow & Agee, and with them he continued for a couple of years. After that he returned to Missouri and followed farming with his father.

In 1902 he came once more to the West and going to Lawton, Okla., settled in the Comanche and Apache country, and bought a relinquishment claim and homesteaded 160 acres. He improved it and obtained a patent signed by President Roosevelt. In 1909 he sold the property at a good advance, and with the proceeds came on to California. He was not long in discovering the superiority of Fresno County, and bought a ranch of twenty acres on Chittenden and Clinton Avenue in Roeding's Villa Colony; and there he engaged in horticulture. He set out peaches, apricots and a vineyard; then bought ten acres, added to that, and now he has twenty-five acres, all improved with a fine residence, comfortable barns and a desirable pumping plant. Besides peaches and apricots, he raises both Thompson and Malaga grapes. He is a member and stockholder in both the California Peach Growers, Inc., and the California Associated Raisin Company.

In Missouri, Mr. Richmond was married to Miss Linda Easterday, a native of that state and the daughter of Daniel Easterday, who was born at Columbus, Ohio, where her folks once owned much of the site of that city. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Richmond — Lucile and Virgil in Oklahoma, and Alvin in California. The family attend the First Methodist Episcopal Church in Fresno.

Mr. Richmond was made a Mason in Memphis Lodge No. 16, F. & A. M. in Memphis. Mo., and he is still affiliated there. In Oklahoma he was a trustee of the church, and superintendent of the Sunday School. He belongs to the Sons of Veterans and is a standpat Republican.