Yuba County
Biographies
ROLLIE S. CHRISTMAN, D.V.M.
Among the enterprising and public-spirited men of Yuba and Sutter Counties, and one of the best-known veterinary surgeons in Northern California, is Rollie S. Christman, whose ability has placed him at the head of his profession. He is now serving his community as meat inspector in Marysville, by appointment of the city council. A native of California, he was born at Selma, Fresno County, on March 30, 1889, a son of Hezekiah and Mary (Cox) Christman, both natives of Missouri. Hezekiah Christman came to California in 1866, crossing the plains in an ox-team train, and upon his arrival here located in the town of Fresno, at that time a very small place, before intensive farming and the raisin industry had been thought of. With his foresight, he saw the great possibilities of the section, with its good soil and the abundance of water obtainable, and he at once embarked in the real estate business, meeting with good success for that early period. He took an active part in local affairs and served for a time as a deputy sheriff. Fresno continued to be his home until 1902, when he sold his holdings and returned to the Middle West, this time locating in Canadian County, Okla. He invested in a cattle range and made a success of that business. His good wife had passed away in 1893, while they lived in Fresno, leaving six children, of whom Rollie S. was next to the youngest.
Rollie Christman completed the high-school course in the Fresno city school, after which he spent three years as a medical student in the University of California, and then for four years attended the College of Veterinary Surgery at San Francisco, graduating in 1916, with the degree of D.V.M. He began his professional career in the twin cities of Marysville and Yuba City, making his home in the latter place for the first two years, after which time he moved to Marysville, having acquired a large practice in Yuba and Sutter Counties. He maintains a modern hospital and laboratory for the treatment of domestic animals. His institution ranks with the best in Northern California.
Dr. R. S. Christman was appointed city health officer of Marysville by the city council, March 3, 1924, and in this capacity he is devoting time and attention to the maintenance of sanitary conditions in the city. His official duties as meat inspector and city health officer, together with his professional services, leave him but little time for outside activities. He is a member of the executive committee of the National Association of Veterinary Surgeons, and was one of five delegates appointed to represent California at the international convention at Quebec, Canada, in 1923. He also belongs to the State Veterinary Association, in which he has served as secretary and as president, filling each office for one year. He is a member and an ex-president of the Sacramento Valley Veterinary Medical Association, and a member of the executive committee.
Dr. Christman was united in marriage with Miss Pearl Charlton, born in Missouri; and they have two children, Clyde Theo and Mildred Laverne. The Doctor is a member of the Lions Club and Marysville Lodge, No. 783, B.P.O.E. He also is a member of Enterprise Lodge, No. 70, F. & A.M., in Yuba City. Mrs. Christman is a member of the Eastern Star. In memory of his college days, Dr. Christman is a member of the medical fraternity Lambda Nu. He is interested in all manly sports, especially boxing, football and baseball, and he is particularly active as a member of the Sutter Gun Club and takes a keen delight in hunting wild ducks and geese. He is president of the Yuba and Sutter Coursing Club. Deeply interested in all that pertains to the welfare of his adopted locality, he utilizes every opportunity to further projects designed for the good of the greatest number. Along professional lines he keeps abreast of all modern innovations.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p 691
C. WESLEY REED
A self-made man in the full sense of the word, C. Wesley Reed was born at Marysville, on November 11, 1897, the eldest son of Howard and Edith (Cooley) Reed, whose sketch is given elsewhere in this volume.
C. Wesley Reed was reared on his father’s farm near Marysville. In 1917, he enlisted in the U.S. Marines, and thereafter served until he became very ill with a severe case of fever, when he was sent home a convalescent. After attending the Sacramento High School for two years, he entered the University of California, where he studied for some time. He then was employed by Balfour, Guthrie & Company, at the breeding establishment on their Contra Costa farm near Brentwood, and two months later was made superintendent. He occupied this position for two years, learning thoroughly the entire stock business on this very extensive ranch. In 1920, in partnership with another man, he farmed to beans in San Joaquin, but the crop proved a complete loss. In 1922, he returned to Yuba County and made a new start on the Reed ranch. During the fruit season of 1922 he was placed in charge of the Riviera orchard as superintendent for T. C. Judkins, attorney, of San Francisco, the present owner. This property, which is located in Sutter and Butte counties, is now being put into a high state of cultivation, and is widely known for its choice 160 acres of river-bottom land, twelve miles north of Marysville and Yuba City, on the west bank of the Feather River. They raise prunes, French and Imperial, and extra choice canning peaches, with a score of other California fruits, the orchard covering about 120 acres of the quarter-section. In 1923, he took charge of the clearing of forty acres of bottom land, and has employed nine men steadily. He has started the growing of cover crops, and has instituted several other features that have proved of benefit to the fruit growers of the community. He is a member of the Farm Bureau, and of the Calpha agriculture fraternity, of Davis, Cal. Fraternally, he is a Mason, belonging to the Blue Lodge at Gridley, Cal.
Mr. Reed was married in the spring of 1923 to Miss Alma Hansen of Yuba County; and they are now residing upon and operating one of his father’s ranches, the Howard Reed ranch, in Sutter County, about two miles southeast of Bogue Station. This ranch has eighty-five acres of peaches, prunes, and plums, to which he is giving the best care and attention. Although he could have chosen a life of leisure, Mr. Reed preferred to work forward toward a definite goal, and therefore took up outside work in order to gain a well-rounded and thorough knowledge of business enterprise and ranching in general. His life has been characterized throughout by industry, perseverance and progressiveness; and the prosperity which has come to him is well deserved.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p 692