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 CHARLES P. AVENELL.� Twelve miles south of Fresno on the Hanford branch of the Santa Fe system is the new and progressive raisin packing town of Monmouth, so named, by its founder and leading citizen, Charles P. Avenell, in honor of his native town, Monmouth, Ill. On his well-improved and productive farm of 320 acres known as the Willow Lake Ranch, enjoying all the comforts incident to a modern California country home Mr. and Mrs. Avenell, who was formerly Miss Bess Paul, and daughter, Alene, are living happily, among their friends and neighbors in what is rapidly becoming one of Fresno County's best raisin districts. When Mr. Avenell first came to this place in 1903, there were only four persons who had vineyards or orchards. It was then mainly a cattle country, the water and grass being very good. The four who had ventured to plant vines and trees here before 1903 were: J. S. Paul; C. N. Rasmussen ; F. L. Bennetts and C. T. Ward. The Santa Fe railway had been built through, but there was no station house and no switch, here, at that time. Monmouth now has a large brick raisin packing plant belonging to the California Associated Raisin Company at this point, and is now (October 1919) engaged in packing a $2,000,000 crop of raisins, which in point of quality, particularly sweet- ness, are pronounced the best of any received at any of the receiving points of said company. As a matter of historical interest it is well to review a few events in the progress of this growing town : The circumstance which brought Mr. Avenell here in 1903, was primarily the drouth of that year. � As will appear further on in this review Mr. Avenell, had been an extensive cattle raiser, feeder and dealer back in Illinois. � His son. R. L. Avenell, who now resides at Monmouth, Cal., had come out from Illinois to semi-tropic, Kern County, Cal., earlier in the year 1903, with 221 head of high grade short-horn heifers. The pastures in Kern County gave out and our subject started out in quest of a place where water and feed could be obtained. On viewing the land com- prising the present Willow Lake Ranch his experienced eye told him that this was the spot where he could keep his cattle alive, and finding the land for sale, he bought it and moved the cattle up immediately, in the fall of 1903. He soon made the acquaintance of his neighbors and together they planned to have a switch built and a station established. Mr. Avenell bought an additional plot of fifty-five acres where the station now is located, in the fall of 1904. During the same year, 1904, he built the commodious bungalow living house and assisted by his son, planted the grove of eucalyptus trees, (now almost forest trees) and proceeded with one improvement after another, and with the help of neighbors succeeded in having the station established and the switch put in at Monmouth, in 1906. The first residence building was erected by Avenell in 1906, and Monmouth was laid out and platted by him in 1907. The store was built in 1908, and the United Presbyterian Church was built that year. Monmouth today has a store, containing the postoffice, a blacksmith-shop and garage, a resident doctor and a resident minister, and a large new packing house owned by the California Associated Raisin Com- pany; an excellent grammar school with five teachers and 150 pupils; and a packing house for shipping green fruits. The last named institution was built as a cooperation packing house in 1912. In 1914 the California Associated Raisin Company rented it and began receiving raisins' at this point. In 1916 the company built the first unit, a large two-story brick, of their packing- house and in 1919 added to it, more than doubling its capacity. Mr. Avenell has been a very active spirit in building up this new and promising town, and at seventy-five, is active as ever. Not only at Monmouth, but at Fowler as well, has Mr. Avenell's constructive ability been felt. He helped organize the First National Bank at Fowler and served on its directorate until the institu- tion was sold in 1914. He gave largely of his means and time in building the United Presbyterian Church in Fowler, where he resided for several years, and continues to be greatly interested in all matters pertaining to the well- being of his community. This recitation of Mr. Avenell's good work in Fresno County, Cal., does not give one-half of his history however. Through abilities inherited from a line of strong and virile ancestors, by sheer force of merit, he acquired a competency in his native county of Warren, Ill. Mr. Avenell has twice been married. His present wife is a daughter of J. S. Paul, and is a lady of splendid attainments. Mr. Avenell's first wife was also a most excellent lady. She accompanied Mr. Avenell on two of the four trips he made to California while living in Illinois, saw the land constituting the Willow Lake Ranch, and helped plan their future home here. She was very anxious to move out to California. While Mr. Avenell was out here busily engaged in preparing for the new home a telegram came calling him back to Illinois. After a short but severe illness she died, in March, 1904. Mr. Avenell was preceded to California by his two sons, namely, J. F. Avenell who engaged in the orange industry at Naranjo, Tulare County in 1902, and who later became the first cashier of the First National Bank at Fowler; and his second son, R. L. Avenell. Mr. Avenell is an honored survivor of our gallant band of Union de- fenders in the Civil War, and the organizer of several banks, but his main life- work and business, however, is and has been that of a farmer and stockman. The soil and climate at Monmouth, Cal., is particularly favorable to the production of Thompson seedless and Muscat grapes as well as table grapes such as Malagas. Of the 320 acres comprising the Willow Lake Ranch 100 are now devoted to raisin and table grapes and peaches. But Mr. Avenell has not yet given up his interest in stock raising. He keeps 100 head of cattle on his ranch and now and then ships out a carload of live stock � to the San Francisco and Los Angeles markets. Charles P. Avenell was born in Monmouth township, Warren County, Ill., February 8, 1845, a son of Thomas and Jane (Struthers) Avenell. Thomas Avenell was born in England, December 21, 1820, a son of Charles and Eliza Avenell, who, with their seven children came to Herkimer County, New York, whence in 1844 they removed to the vicinity of Mineral Point, Wis. Charles Avenell died in Iowa County, Wis., in 1877, aged ninety-two years, his wife dying at the same place in 1880. Thomas Avenell, the father of the subject of this sketch, began life as a poor boy. Came to Warren County, Ill., in 1841, where he bought eighty acres of improved land ; this he sold in order to buy a larger farm of 160 acres in Monmouth township, in said county and farmed it successfully until his death, which occurred January, 1894, his wife, the mother of Charles P. Avenell, dying in 1884. She was born in Rockbridge County, Ya., a daughter of William and Jane ( Lindsay) Struthers, natives of Scotland, who settled in Virginia and later removed to Ohio where they both died. Mrs. Struthers' first husband was John Brown, who came with her to Warren County in 1836, and died there, in 1842, leaving two children, Rev. William Brown, formerly pastor, at Fowler, Cal., and Thomas Lindsay Brown, who was drowned in 1858. Thomas and Jane Avenell had children as follows: Charles P.; James S. ; John B., who died in infancy and Elizabeth Jane, who married Conrad Albert. The father was married a second time to Jane Katharine Donahue who outlived him. Thomas Avenell became promi- nent as a farmer and stockman. He was an influential Republican and held several township offices. Charles P. Avenell received a common school education and entered Mon- mouth College in 1862. In 1864 he enlisted in Company A, One Hundred Thirty-eight Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry. His regiment was mus- tered into the United States service at Quincy, Ill., and served in the Army of the West, being stationed at Fort Leavenworth, Kans., where Mr. Avenell did garrison duty, and helped guard prisoners until honorably discharged in October, 1864. Returning to Monmouth township, Warren County, he began farming and became an extensive stock-raiser, stock-feeder and dealer. He became the owner of 1,820 acres of land there which he operated with success. In politics he has been a consistent Republican and in religion, an active and prominent member of the United Presbyterian Church. He was first married in his home township, June 6, 1866, to Miss Helen V. Law, who was born in Ohio, January 27, 1845, the daughter of James and Mary (Skinner) Law natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio respectively. Mr. Law was a prominent farmer and stockman. In 1855 he shipped the first carload of live-stock that ever left Monmouth by rail. Mr. Law died in 1884, while Mrs. Law died in December, 1899. Charles P. Avenell had four children by his first wife: Robert L. ; Thomas William, who died in 1888, aged fifteen years ; James Frank, and Helen J., who is the wife of H. P. Clark of Warren County, Ill. Charles P. Avenell was elected to the board of supervisors from his township and served for several terms. He was a member of the building committee, who had in charge the erection of the Warren County Court House. He has been active in Grand Army circles, especially as a member of the George Crook Post No. 81, G. A. R. at Kirkwood, Ill. In 1874 he helped organize the Second National Bank at Monmouth and served as a director from the time of its organization as long as he continued to reside in the state of Illinois.