Kings County
Biographies
CHARLES HENRY HOWARD
A man who is well regarded in Hanford and Kings county is Charles Henry Howard, who formerly had to do with ranching and with the oil industry, and who will be remembered for his prominence in the partition of the county. Maine is the native state of Mr. Howard, his birth occurring February 3, 1850. He attended the common schools of the Pine Tree State, which from time immemorial has been famous for its public educational system. When he laid away his school books it was to take up the implements of the carriage builder and in time he became expert in their use, setting up for himself as a carriage builder at Brownsfield in Oxford county, western Maine, where he prospered until the spring of 1884, when he came to California. In the fall of the same year he located in Hanford and for the succeeding eighteen years he most efficiently filled the position of superintendent of A. L. Cressy's ranch, a mile from the city. His principal concern there was with respect to stock-raising, and he soon developed into one of the best informed, most careful and most proficient stockmen in central California.
While Mr. Howard was thus employed he bought forty acres of land three and a half miles southwest of Hanford which he developed into a profitable vineyard and which has been for some time operated by tenants on sharing terms. He also made some investments in oil property which turned out quite well. In 1884 he married Miss Addie F. Harmon, a native of Maine, who passed away December 21, 1910. Gifted with all of the natural progressiveness of the down-east Yankee and imbued with the spirit of western progress, Mr. Howard has been interested in everything pertaining to the development of his community and helpful to all local interests.
History of Tulare and Kings Counties, California with Biographical Sketches - Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company, 1913
pp. 657
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
CLAUDE D. COATS
One of the prominent farmers and stockmen in the Paddock district, eight miles southwest of Hanford, Kings county, Cal., is Claude D. Coats. Mr. Coats was born at Dayton, Nev., December 9, 1860, a son of Thomas Coats, who was until the end of his career a leader in mining enterprises in that part of the country. The family had been at Fort Churchill four months during Indian troubles and were returning to their home in Virginia City, stopping at Dayton to look after some mining business when their son was born. In October, 1881, after his father's death, Claude located a mile east of his present ranch. He and his brother L. B. Coats rented one hundred and sixty acres and were associated in farming and stock-raising for fifteen years. Meanwhile Claude D. Coats bought two hundred and forty acres, which is included in his present home property. He moved onto the ranch in 1890 and has since made all the improvements for which the property is well known throughout the county. While his principal business is the raising of horses and hogs, he does some farming and has one hundred and twenty acres in alfalfa. Some years ago he bought and sold seventy-three and one-half acres about a mile distant from his homestead.
By his marriage in June, 1902, Mr. Coats united his life and fortunes with those of Miss Mattie Finley, a native of Contra Costa county, August 29, 1864, but a resident of Santa Rosa, Sonoma county. They have many friends in the country round about Hanford who rejoice in their success thus far and express the firmest faith in their future. Mr. Coats is a man of much natural public spirit who is interested in the growth and development of Kings county.
History of Tulare and Kings Counties, California with Biographical Sketches - Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company, 1913
pp. 657-658
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler