Yolo County
Biographies
John Wesley ANDERSON
The genealogy of the Anderson family is traced to Scotland, but several generations have been identified with American history. John Anderson, who was born in Virginia shortly after the immigration of the family, became a builder and there still stand in the Old Dominion many fine old buildings that are monument to his skill in construction. For years he was the leading contractor and builder in Stafford county, Va., where he owns a fine plantation of two hundred and forty-four acres. At the close of the Civil war he began to rebuild the place which had been devastated by soldiers. In time the farm became once more an attractive homestead, where hospitality reigned and good cheer abounded for stranger and friend. At that place he died when sixty-five years of age. There also in 1895 occurred the demise of his wife, Delphia (Curtis) Anderson, a life-long resident of Virginia. Sixteen children formed their family and ten of the number attained majority.
The sixth child in the large family, John Wesley Anderson, was born at the old homestead near Fredericksburg, Va., September 21, 1848, and completed his education in Wallace academy. From 1872 until 1874 he was employed in Baltimore, and during 1875 he came to the Pacific coast with his brothers, M. O. and J. H., the former of whom served as captain of the San Francisco police force for fifteen years and the latter ranked as sergeant on the same force. Coming to Yolo county, John Wesley Anderson secured a position as superintendent of the Oakshade orchard of three hundred and forty acres situated one mile east of Davisville. For ten years he continued in the same position. Upon leaving that place he superintended the planting of three thousand acres of fruit trees in the Orangevale colony of Sacramento county. Next he superintended the planting of an orange grove in San Diego county. Upon the ranch in Yolo county which he had previously purchased he settled in 1891 and since then he has visited every part of the west where fruit is grown, studying the soil and climate in relation to fruit possibilities.
For a long period Mr. Anderson has been a leading worker in the Presbyterian Church, in which he has served as a trustee and as Sunday-school treasurer. Politically he votes with the Republican party. His marriage took place in Yolo county and united him with Miss Clara Cecil, a native of Missouri, their union being blessed with two daughters, Mary Cecil and Alma. The family still reside one-half mile east of Davis, where Mr. Anderson owns ninety-five acres, planted to table grapes, prunes, pears and almonds. Throughout this entire region he is known as an expert in fruit culture and his judgment is sought wherever the relation of fruit trees to soil or climate is brought into question. When chosen horticultural commissioner it became his duty to inspect all nursery stock prior to exportation and seldom indeed was his decision questioned, for throughout the entire county the growers of fruit early came to realize that his interests were their own and that adherence to his sagacious judgment would redound to their own financial advantage.
Transcribed by Bea Barton
Source: “History of Yolo County, California” by Tom Gregory. Published by the Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1913, pages 608 – 611.
William A. LILLARD
Closely following the discovery of gold was the advent of the first representative of the Lillard family in California, for during the summer of 1850 John Lillard crossed the plains, braving the dangers of the deserts and the perils of the mountain passes in order to reach the land so suddenly made famous the world over. While he engaged in mining for two years, no special success rewarded his exertions and he returned thereupon the old Missouri home. The busy years that followed did not banish from his mind the memories of the delightful climate of the west and the many advantages offered by the country, but it was not until as late as 1885 that affairs so shaped themselves that he found it convenient to remove permanently to the shores of the western ocean. Upon his second trip to the west he was accompanied by his son, William A., who was born near Independence, Jackson county, Mo., December 20, 1857. John Lillard was born in Kentucky and was taken to Missouri when a babe by his parents. He served in the state militia and also served in the Civil war. His wife, formerly Ruth Hamilton, was native of Missouri.
William A. Lillard received a common school education in his native locality. After his arrival in California he settled near Davis, Yolo county, and since then he has leased and operated a number of ranches with fair success. The first lease gave him possession of the Robert Armstrong ranch over the creek in Solano county, where he had charge of fourteen hundred acres. In one year from four hundred and fifty acres of that ranch he harvested ten thousand five hundred and fifty sacks of barley and from the entire property he sold as high as $15,000 worth of produce as a result of a single season’s effort. Other farms operated by him were the William Montgomery ranch of two hundred and forty acres, the John Winters ranch and the Mitchell place.
Removing to the vicinity of Plainfield and buying one hundred and sixty acres, Mr. Lillard began farming operations for himself. Later he bought three hundred and adjoining and now owns four hundred and eighty acres in one body. He also owns six hundred and seven acres of the old Henry Brinck place, six miles east of Winters, on Putah creek, under irrigation. On it is a one hundred and twenty acre orchard of peaches, apricots, prunes and plums, in full bearing, this being one of the best orchards in California for its size. The remainder of the land is devoted to grain and alfalfa. On his own ranch he has at different times raised from twenty-five to thirty sacks of barley to the acre. In connection to the ranch that he owns he is now leasing the Harby ranch at Davis, comprising four hundred and eighty acres. During the season of 1911 he raised on three hundred acres near Davis a large crop of barley which sold for $5,200. To aid him in his extensive agricultural operations he has bought and utilized the most modern machinery. Nothing needed in the care of crops is lacking from his equipment. For the more satisfactory care of the grain he bought a combined harvester and threshing machine nineteen years ago and since then he has been able to complete his harvesting operations promptly and effectively. While grain raising is his specialty, he does not neglect stock interests, but keeps on the land an adequate supply of stock and is interested particularly in the raising of horses and mules, especially the latter, for which his ranch is well known. In his neighborhood he is regarded as a man of progressive farming tendencies and sagacious judgment as to crops. Movements for the general welfare receive his support and he exhibits the devotion of county and commonwealth characteristic of all true citizens.
Two years before he came to California Mr. Lillard was married at Independence, Mo., June 21, 1883, to Miss Laura Martin, born near Cincinnati, Ohio, the daughter of Jacob and Charity (Hitchcock) Martin, the former born in Perry county and the latter in Fairfield county, Ohio. They removed to Missouri in 1868. The father served in the Fifth Ohio Cavalry in the Civil war and died in Missouri, as did also his wife. Mr. and Mrs. Lillard have six children, as follows: Thomas W.; Alice, the wife of James Brady, of Davis, and the mother of one child, James William; Gertrude, who married Ollie Hoag, of Davis, and has one daughter, Thelma; Walter E., Ruth C. and William R.
Transcribed by Bea Barton
Source: “History of Yolo County, California” by Tom Gregory. Published by the Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1913, pages 611 – 612.