California Biographies

Source: History of Fresno County, California, with biographical sketches of 
the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with 
its growth and development from the early days to the present (1919)

History By Paul E. Vandor 
Illustrated, Complete In Two Volumes 
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1919
 
Notes: Missing+page1185-1186

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


JES ANDERSEN. � One of the most successful and progressive ranchers 
and pioneer residents of Fresno County, in the vicinity of Parlier, is Jes Ander- 
sen, an enterprising horticulturist and viticulturist, a native of Denmark, where 
he was born on September 4, 1858, near Ribe, in Jutland. His parents, Hans 
and Maria Andersen, were blessed with five children, Jes, the subject of this re- 
view, being the oldest and the only one living. 

In 1890, Jes Andersen immigrated to America and the same year arrived 
in Fresno County, Cal., where during the first summer he worked at his trade, 
that of a carpenter. The following year, 1891, he purchased his present place 
of twenty acres, which at that time was a field of wheat stubble, but he soon 
began to improve the place by planting vines and fruit trees, ten acres being 
devoted to muscat vines, four acres to peaches, one to apricots, two to seed- 
less grapes, the balance being used for buildings, yards, and for growing 
alfalfa. Having learned the trade of a carpenter and builder, in Denmark, he 
supplemented his income, while his crops were coming into bearing, with 
building houses and barns for other ranchers, as well as building the neces- 
sary buildings for his own ranch. By hard work, intelligent management, 
and the practice of those thrifty habits so characteristic of his fellow country- 
men, Jes Andersen met with a good degree of success in his undertakings. 
In 1902, he purchased from an heir of the Ross ranch twenty acres of land 
situated one mile east of his first place. This he also improved with vines 
and fruit trees, planting nine acres to muscat vines, three acres to seedless 
grapes, two acres to peaches, three to apricots. Mr. Andersen is a man of 
affairs in his community and has always given his support to every progres- 
sive movement for the uplift of the community. 

In 1899, Jes Andersen took a trip to his native land and while there he 
was united in marriage with Miss Anna Paulsen, and returned with his bride 
to his Fresno County ranch, in 1900. Mr. and Mrs. Andersen have been 
blessed with six children ; Marie, Pauline, Selma, Dagmar, Hans, and Paul. 
Mr. Andersen is a leader among the Danes of Fresno County, and is a very 
prominent member of the Danish Lutheran Church, of which he is a trustee ; 
also an ex-president of the Danish Brotherhood, an auxiliary organization 
having a hall two and one-half miles west of Parlier, used as a social center. 

Mr. Andersen has shown his interest in educational matters by serving 
for six years as a school trustee for Ross School District. Not only in hor- 
ticulture and viticulture has Mr. Andersen made a success, but his ability 
as a financier has been recognized by the assistance he rendered in the organ- 
ization of the First National Bank of Parlier. of which he is a stockholder; 
he is also a member and stockholder in the California Raisin Growers ; Cali- 
fornia Prune and Apricot Association, and the California Peach Growers; and 
is a stockholder in the Peach and Raisin Growers' Association. 

Hans Andersen, the father of Jes, immigrated from Denmark in 1900, and 
joined his son in Fresno County, making his home with his sons. The father 
passed away in 1917, at the home of his son Jes, having attained the advanced 
age of ninety-one years.