Yuba County
Biographies
OLIVER PERRY ADKINS
An enterprising, progressive rancher, who certainly has something to show for his varied investment of time, labor and capital, and something that has both practical and scientific value, is Oliver Perry Adkins, a native son, proud of his association with the Golden State. He was born in the Cabbage Patch district on October 16, 1866, the son of Oliver and Frances Mariah (Willis) Adkins, the father a pioneer who came out to California from Missouri in 1852. The father and mother were both natives of Kentucky, and they had first migrated to the Iron State, marrying there, and then crossing the plains and mountains with ox-teams and prairie schooner. They first settled at Hangtown, where Mr. Adkins tried his luck at mining; but hey soon came on to McCourtney Crossing, on the Bear River, and mined there, and still later they tried for the dust at Albion Flat. In later years, Mr. Adkins busied himself with farm-work.
Ten children were born to this worthy couple. America is the widow of D. T. Hite; Louisa is deceased; John Thomas is in Oregon; William and Owen are deceased; Mary J. is in Placer County; Robert C. is at Chico; Oliver Perry is the subject of our instructive story; Benjamin is with Oliver; and Frances M. is Mrs. Murch of Lincoln.
Oliver went to the Yuba district school, before his father moved to a ranch six miles south of Smartsville, in the Lone Tree school district, one mile south of Lone Tree. The father passed his days on this farm of 214 acres, and died when past sixty years, survived by his devoted widow, who attained her eighty-ninth birthday on September 14, 1918, and died on March 1, 1919. Oliver worked at odd jobs, but mostly at some kind of ranch or mining work, and thus prepared himself for his present responsibility; for he and his brother Benjamin own the old home place, and operate it together, but each according to his particular bent. Oliver runs sheep and a few cattle, and raises bronze turkeys. Benjamin Adkins married Miss Clara Nevels, a native of Placer County, and an accomplished, popular lady. In politics, O. P. Adkins is a Democrat, while Benjamin is a Republican.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p. 1186
RALPH H. DURST
Among the men who have been connected with the hop-growing industry at Wheatland from the time of its inception, is Ralph H. Durst, a native of Austin, Nev., born March 28, 1865, but a resident of Wheatland since he was eighteen months old. His father, the late Dr. D. P. Hurst, was born near Greenville, Mercer County, Pa. He was a graduate M. D. from a medical college in Philadelphia and practiced his profession in Mercer County until he decided to come to California in 1853. He came around Cape Horn in a sailing vessel as ship doctor and, on landing in San Francisco, made his way to the mines, spending the first winter at St. Louis, near La Porte, where he practiced medicine, and with several partners was also interested in mining. Dr. Durst then came down into the Valley and practiced medicine at Colusa. During these years he put in several crops of grain, but two dry years, 1864 and 1865, resulted in a complete failure of crops and he then removed to Nevada City, Cal., where he followed his profession until 1867, when he located at Wheatland. Purchasing thirty-five acres just south of the town, adjoining the railroad, he built his residence. He is well remembered as the pioneer physician, practicing over a wide area in southern Yuba and Sutter Counties, and in Placer County. Dr. Durst planted the first alfalfa grown at Wheatland. He naturally had a great desire to follow agriculture, and in 1876 he bought the Riley ranch of 500 acres, west of Wheatland. In 1883 he planted the first hops on Bear River; that fall he added to his holdings by purchasing the Russian Ranch just southeast of Wheatland and extending back to Bear River, and on these rich bottom lands he raised hops, increasing the acreage devoted to that industry until he had 670 acres. He was active in reclamation work and in the building of levees, and he stood with the ranchers in the anti-debris fight. He retired from practice in 1885, on account of his health requiring an out-door life. He passed away in 1911, aged eighty-one years, and in his death the county lost one of its most enterprising men. Dr. D. P. Durst was married in Colusa, being united with Rose Frances Haines, a native of Pekin, Ill., a daughter of Jonathan Haines, a manufacturer in that city on the Illinois River. He invented and made the first header, and also invented and built the Buckeye mower. His implements were also shipped to the Pacific Coast, and he made several trips to California. The daughter, Rose F., was born August 18, 1836. She came to California and was engaged in teaching in Colusa, where she met and married Dr. Durst, the ceremony being performed in 1858. She was a cultured and refined woman, of pleasing personality, and was a splendid helpmate to her husband, lending her hearty encouragement to him to gain his ambition. She survived her husband until August 4, 1917, when she passed on, leaving a void not easily filled. Four children were born to this pioneer couple: John died at the age of forty-three; Murray passed away at fifty-two years; Ralph H. is the subject of this review; and Jonathan, a partner of Ralph H., lives in Oakland.
Ralph H. Durst was reared on the home ranch and was educated in the public schools. From a lad he assisted his father on the ranch and when he was eighteen years old his father set out the first hops grown on Bear River, so it was natural that he in turn became active in the growing and care of the hops from the beginning, and he has followed it and general agriculture ever since. After his father’s death he and his brother Jonathan took over the ranches and have since operated them as Durst Brothers. In the spring of 1923, Mr. Durst individually purchased a 260-acre ranch on the south side of Bear River, across from the old Durst ranch, where he engaged in horticulture, having already set out an orchard of eighty-five acres to cling peaches. Politically he is a staunch Republican. Fraternally he is a member of Sutter Lodge No. 100, I.O.O.F., Wheatland, in which he is a Past Grand, and he is also a member of the Rebekah Lodge.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p. 1187-1188