Kings County
Biographies
NAPOLEON PETER KANAWYER
Peter Kanawyer, the first of the name to come to California, brought hither his son, Napoleon Peter Kanawyer, when he was a lad of fourteen years. He was born in Indiana in December, 1849, and was a small child when the family moved to the frontier of Iowa and from that state came to California. The family settled near Sacramento and later were pioneers at Grangeville in Kings county, where they became well and favorably known. Mr. Kanawyer married Viola Blunt and she bore him three children. Napoleon mar ried Cisly Collins and they have seven children: Napoleon, Doris, Cyril, Gertrude, Mervin, and twin babies, and they reside at Sanger in Fresno county. Thomas is next in order. Frances is the wife of Jay Robinson. Mr. Kanawyer died in 1908.
Thomas Kanawyer, the second son, was born in Tulare county, the part now set aside as Kings county, on September 26, 1879. He was reared and educated in the common schools and with the family moved to Fresno county, settling near Dunlap. He married Miss Margaret Main, born in Fresno county February 20, 1882. They are the parents of two children, Viola Frances and Margaret Ruth. In 1910 Thomas Kanawyer purchased three hundred and ninety-five acres of land which he is clearing and developing. One hundred and twenty acres of it is tillable and the balance is in timber and pasture. He keeps about one hundred head of stock on his place and has about thirty-five hundred cords of marketable wood.
With his mother he is the owner of several jenneys which are used for pack animals, and he is otherwise assisting his mother in the care of the family homestead. As a farmer he has won a place for himself in his neighborhood and as a citizen has proven his worth as helpful to the general interests. He is a Republican in politics but has never sought office. Like his father, who was a well known citizen, he is giving his attention to the building up of his own fortunes and in aiding public movements to the best of his ability.
History of Tulare and Kings Counties, California with Biographical Sketches - Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company, 1913
pp. 640-641
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
WILLIAM GEORGE BASSETT
Elsewhere in these pages appears an interesting biographical sketch of Mark Bassett, an Englishman, who came to Kings county from Fresno county in 1895 and has achieved more than state-wide reputation as a breeder of stock, hogs and poultry. Among his children was William George Bassett, who was horn in England, October 9, 1876, and is successfully farming eighty acres of his father's land at Armona, twenty-five acres being in vines and most of the remainder in orchard, his principal horticultural products being apricots and peaches. He also gives some attention to farming.
In the affairs of his community Mr. Bassett is patriotically interested and he is now filling the office of deputy sheriff by appointment of L. D. Farmer and is serving in his second term as trustee in the Armona school district. Fraternally he affiliates with the Hanford organization of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
In May, 1903, Mr. Bassett married Miss Chloe Pursell, of Hanford, Cal., who has borne him three daughters, who are here named in the order of their nativity : Mildred, Irene, Wilma Helen and Marjorie Ethel.
History of Tulare and Kings Counties, California with Biographical Sketches - Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company, 1913
pp. 715
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler