Tulare County
Biographies
BLAMQUIST, CHARLES R.
This well-known contractor, builder and farmer of Tulare, Cal., was born in Sweden, January 8, 1866, and was there educated and fully instructed in the trade of the wagon maker. In 1884, when he was about twenty-two years old, he came to the United States and locating in St. Paul, Minn., found employment at his trade. In the fall of 1890 he went to Montana and there began his career as a contractor and builder. From 1891 to 1893 he devoted his energies to that business in Seattle, Wash., then came to Los Angeles, Cal., and acquired a half interest in the Los Angeles Fertilizer Company, which he retained until 1897. Then, disposing of his interests in Los Angeles, he went up to Lincoln and Yakima counties, Wash., where during the ensuing fourteen years he devoted himself to grain and stock-raising on eight hundred acres of land, occasionally doing a little building in order that his hand might not lose its cunning. We find him next at Klamath Falls, Ore., where he lived nine months and thence came to Tulare in July, 1909. Here he has devoted his attention principally to building, though in December, 1911, he bought forty acres of land two miles southeast of Tulare which he planted to alfalfa and is developing for dairy purposes.
At Tulare Mr. Blamquist has built twelve houses and he has built two others in the country nearby. Among these are the residences of N. E. Stanley, Mrs. N. Anderson, E. S. Higdon, Mrs. West and Mr. Martin, and also two for Charles Henley; the house which he erected for Alfred Crawford also deserves mention. By doing work in every way satisfactory he is gaining the confidence of the public, and his continued success is by no means in doubt. He affiliates with the Order of Fraternal Aid and in other ways manifests an interest in the social and business affairs of his community. At Pasadena in 1897 he married Miss Margaret V. Smith and they have the following children: Georgia, Miller and Newland. The success which Mr. Blamquist has achieved is purely that of the self-made man who is alert for opportunities and quick to grasp them, honest and straightforward in his dealings with his fellow citizens, and he commands respect by showing respect for the rights and opinions of others. He has in many ways shown an admirable public spirit.
SOURCE: History of
Tulare and Kings Counties,
California
with Biographical Sketches - Los Angeles,
Calif.,
Historic Record Company, 1913
Pp 509, 510
Transcribed by: Craig A Hahn
RICHARDSON, GUSTAVUS A.
In San Jose, Santa Clara county, Cal., Gustavus A. Richardson was born January 12, 1856, a son of Roswell and Louisa (Rodgers) Richardson. His father was a native of Plymouth, N. H., born June 24, 1797, a grandson of Samuel Richardson, who with his brothers, Ezekiel and Thomas, founded the town of Woburn, Mass., in 1641. Louisa Rodgers became his wife in 1849, in Clark county, Mo. In 1855 they came to California across the plains. After living in Santa Clara county three years, they moved to Tulare county, where Mr. Richardson died, July 4, 1877. His widow married George W. Hayden and died June 4, 1881, and was buried in the North Tule cemetery. There were born to Mr. and Mrs. Richardson four children: Martha Matilda, born September 15, 1850, died in 1863; Georgiana, born August 8, 1862, died July 5, 1888; Benjamin Franklin, born October 30, 1854, died November 2, 1880; and Gustavus A. is the immediate subject of this article.
A common school education was all that was afforded Gustavus A. Richardson in the days of his youth and he was only a small lad when he began to assist his father in the work of the ranch. When he was sixteen years old he took a bunch of horses to Salt Lake City and sold them and came back to Tulare county, being the only one to make the entire trip of the eight who started. In 1875 he went to Arizona and remained there until 1881, when he returned to Tulare county, where he controlled ranches until 1884. Then he homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land on the North Tule river, where he farmed about twenty years, during which period he added to his acreage by various purchases. At this time his ranch is one of the best and most productive in its vicinity. The family home has been in Porterville since 1911.
October 1, 1888, Mr. Richardson was appointed postmaster at Milo, Cal., and held the office until January 1, 1908, when he was succeeded by F. M. Ainsworth, in whose interest he had resigned October 1, 1907, Politically he is a Republican. Fraternally he affiliates with the Knights of Pythias, and is a charter member of Porterville lodge, No. 93, of that order. He married at Visalia, June 2, 1884, Mary Agnes (Braden) Ainsworth, daughter of John Braden, and widow of Andrew E. Ainsworth. Mrs. Ainsworth, who was a native of Kansas, had a son (A. E. Ainsworth) by her first marriage. He was born January 16, 1877, was graduated at the Stockton Business College and when he was only eighteen years old was awarded a teachers’ diploma. He taught successfully in public schools until his death, which occurred December 9, 1899. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Richardson, all natives of Tulare county: Roswell Guy, born at Milo February 22, 1886, was educated in the public schools and at the Oakland Polytechnic. Gustavus Alvah, born at Milo, February 5, 1888, was graduated from public schools at fourteen, and from the Porterville high school at nineteen and was a student at the Potts Business College in 1909-10, and has since been employed by the Pasadena Ice Company. Eunice Marguerite, born at Milo, June 21, 1890, was graduated from public schools at thirteen and from the Porterville high school in her eighteenth year. She married Wilko Cutler Knupp at Porterville, September 22, 1908. Her child, Benora Knupp was born May 31, 1909; Mrs. Knupp later entered the State Normal school at Los Angeles and was graduated therefrom June 23, 1911, and is now teaching in Tulare county. Roscoe Vinton Richardson, born at Milo, April 11, 1896, had two terms in the high school at Pasadena and is now attending the Porterville high school. While the children were attending schools in Southern California, Mr. Richardson purchased and maintained a home in Pasadena, which he still owns.
SOURCE: History of
Tulare and Kings Counties,
California
with Biographical Sketches - Los Angeles,
Calif.,
Historic Record Company, 1913
Pp 510, 511
Transcribed by: Craig A Hahn