Kings County
Biographies
E. LORD
whose hardware store is on Front street, Hanford, and who figures prominently as a successful business man of the town, dates his birth in Dover, Delaware, in the year 1840. His father, E. Lord, Sr., was a merchant of fifty-one years continuous experience, the family having settled in Delaware about 1806.
The subject of our sketch was educated in the public schools of his native town, and at the age of eighteen entered upon a four years apprenticeship to the tinner’s trade in Wilmington. In 1867 he commenced a business career at Ravenswood, West Virginia, where he opened a small tin and stove store, continuing there until 1870. That year he moved to Glenwood, Missouri, and established himself in the same industry, conducting his business there with marked success until 1879, the year in which he came to California. Arriving in this State, he settled in San Francisco and purchased an interest with Martin Kelly in the manufacture of files and edge tools. This, however, proved a losing investment, and after five months the business was closed out and Mr. Lord lost all of his capital invested, amounting to $3,260. Thus reduced to penury, he began working at his trade by days’ wages, which he continued until 1881. That year he came to Visalia, borrowed $200 and opened a small tin shop in a room 10 x 12 feet. By close application to his business, often working night and day to accomplish his purpose, he pushed steadily forward, and in two years he netted $4,000 from his borrowed capital. He bought out the two shops in Visalia and became the sole representative in his line of business in that town. In July, 1887, he came to Hanford and purchased the hardware store of Frank Blakely. Again misfortune beset him. The very day the transfer was made a destructive fire swept over the town, and the new purchase was wiped out of existence, Mr. Lord thereby losing $600. Foreseeing the business activity which would necessarily follow, within ten days he was again established, and his shop was the only one of the kind in Hanford. In September of that year he disposed of his interests in Visalia, and settled permanently in Hanford. He purchased 30 x 150 feet on Front street, and built his present fine store, 30 x 96 feet, with full basement for storage purposes. He keeps a large stock of hardware, tinware, stoves and agricultural implements, and has a work room fitted up for his tin and plumbing business. Having bravely met and surmounted all obstacles as they presented themselves, Mr. Lord is now comfortably situated and in the enjoyment of a very extensive patronage.
In Parkersburgh, Virginia, in 1866, he wedded Miss Sarah Foster, and their union is blessed with five children, William P., Nellie, Edith, Katie and Pauline.
Memorial and Biographical History of the counties of Fresno, Tulare and Kern, California
Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1892 p. 740-741
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
HENRY W. BYRON
dates his birth in Ohio, February 22, 1840, and his advent to California in 1857. His father, Peter Byron, a native of England, came to America when a young man, and in Pennsylvania married Mary Hesketh, a native of that State. To them were born seven children. Their son James served his country with that heroic band of soldiers who took the city of Mexico, and in that struggle lost his arm. Two other sons, William and Philander, were volunteers in the Union army, and both lost their lives in the service. Henry W., their youngest son, was reared on his father’s farm in Illinois, and was educated in the district schools.
At the age of seventeen, our young friend, filled with the spirit of adventure, started for California. After an uneventful journey he arrived in El Dorado County, where he mined for fourteen months with moderate success. At the end of that time he went to Australia, and was engaged in the mines there until 1864, making and losing money and making it again. In the Colony of Victoria he and two others each took out ₤3,000 sterling from the Bendigo mine on Jenny Lind Flat.
In 1864 Mr. Byron married Miss Rosina Gallard, a native of Australia, and soon after sailed with his bride for California. He settled at Antioch, Contra Costa County, and took up 160 acres of land where Byron Station is now located. In 1869 he sold this property and came to his present ranch in Tulare County, half a mile from the village of Lemoore. The country here was then all unimproved, and the stockmen did all they could to discourage settlers. Mr. Byron took up a quarter section of government land and at once began the work of improvement. Since that time he has been an important factor in the growth and development of this portion of the country. He was one of the twenty-five settlers who organized the King’s River Ditch Company and opened a new era for this country, brought the water with its life-giving power to the thirsty soil, and made the wilderness to produce in abundance all varieties of delicious fruit. Mr. Byron has seventeen acres in apricots and nectarines, and forty acres in raisin grapes, all bearing abundantly. He is also carrying on general farming, and sows annually about 1,200 acres of wheat.
Mr. and Mrs. Byron are the parents of seven children, one having died in infancy. Those living are as follows: Lincoln H., Olive A., Albert, Rupert, Eddie and Willie. All the children are at home except Lincoln, who is married and has one child. Olive has exhibited considerable talent as an artist, and their parlor is ornamented with a number of fine landscape paintings, the work of her brush.
Mr. Byron is a Republican, an I.O.O.F., and A.O.U.W., a Red Man, and a member of the Farmers’ Alliance, being vice-president of the latter organization. He has been president of the King’s River Ditch Company ever since its organization, eighteen years ago. He and his estimable wife maintain the same cordial and hospitable ways of the early settlers, and the stranger, as well as their many friends, both old and young, is sure of a hearty welcome at their door.
Memorial and Biographical History of the counties of Fresno, Tulare and Kern, California
Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1892 p. 749=750
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler