Fresno County, 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



FRANK J. BORELL. � A very successful farmer is Frank J. Borell who 
understands California ranching and he has had the good fortune to be 
assisted by a capable wife, and to be blessed with bright and progressive 
children. He was born January 22. 1894, at Waverly, Wright County, Minn., 
forty miles northwest of Minneapolis, the son of Louis Borell, who was born 
near Berlin, Germany, and who came to the United States when a youth and 
located, before the Civil War, in Minnesota ; and he bought raw land and 
timber at Waverly. He improved his farm, and soon had 300 acres in good 
condition. He lives retired at Waverly, numbering among his honors those 
that came to him through the wise administration of office as supervisor. 
Mr. Borell married Kate Knaeble, a native of Pennsylvania whose grand- 
father, J. Knaeble, was a pioneer of Minneapolis. She is also living, the 
mother of nine children, seven of whom are still living. 

Frank J. is the third oldest and the only one in California. Reared .on a 
farm, he attended the public school and when nineteen began the experience 
of five years in farming for himself. Later he became the owner of eighty 
acres of land, part of the old family place, which he improved with a resi- 
dence and other buildings. 

On November 17, 1900, he was married at Waverly to Miss Pearl Pan- 
nett, a native of the place, born November 17, 1883, and the daughter of 
George R. W. Pannett, who came from Cumberland, Md., to Minnesota, when 
he was nineteen years of age. He settled near Waverly, bought land and 
became a well-to-do farmer. He had two brothers who did valiant service 
in the Civil War. He now resides on Van Ness Avenue. Fresno. He had 
married Alice Dike, a native of Rushford, Wis., who is still living, the mother 
of six children, all in Fresno, among whom Mrs. Borell is the third oldest. 
Mrs. Borell was educated at Waverly, and after marriage the couple con- 
tinued to farm to grain and raise stock. In February, 1906, they rented their 
ranch and came to Fresno County and remained for a time to look around ; 
and liking the appearance of the land, they sold their farm and settled here. 

In December, 1906, they bought their present place of twenty acres, and 
since then they purchased the twenty acres adjoining, so that now they have 
forty acres together on California Avenue, four miles west of Fresno. These 
they have improved according to the latest word of science and practical ex- 
perience ; owing to the poor quality of the vines, they have taken them up, 
and planted all to alfalfa, returning only the Thompson seedless grapes; and 
now they have twenty acres of muscat, sultanas, and peaches and alfalfa, and 
they also have a well-appointed dairy. Mr. Borell is a member and stock- 
holder of the California Associated Raisin Company, and a stockholder in 
the Danish Creamery Association. 

Four children have blessed the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Borell : Adrey 
E., Raleigh A., Eldon W., and Lily Pearl; the boys are in attendance at the 
high school. The family attend the First Christian Church, of which Mr. 
Borell is a deacon. In national politics Mr. Borell votes with the Republican 
party; but in movements for the betterment of the community, he casts party 
lines to the winds, and works shoulder to shoulder with his neighbors and 
fellow-citizens. 

Mr. Borell's two oldest boys are interested in natural history, and are 
such close students that they are far advanced as naturalists. They have 
done much in taxidermy and already excel in that line of work. They have 
a choice collection of mounted birds and California animals, and give great 
promise of future accomplishment ; while Eldon W. is showing a talent as a 
pianist.