Kings County Biographies

Transcribed by Kathy Sedler


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


 
HENRY WASHINGTON BYRON
 
A career of much unusual activity and usefulness has marked Henry Washington 
Byron as one of the valued citizens of his community, he having been a strenuous 
worker in the pioneer days, evincing high traits of character and forceful will. 
Much credit is due him for his work and expense in securing the winery at 
Lemoore and the organization of the Kings County Raisin and Fruit Association, 
which has proved a splendid influence for good among the fruit growers of the 
community. Henry W. Byron makes his home a mile north of Lemoore, Tulare county. 
He is a son of an Englishman, Peter Byron, who located in Pennsylvania and there 
married Mary Hesketh, a native of that state and of Dutch stock, and took her 
with him to Ohio. Six children were born to Peter Byron and wife. James served 
in the Mexican war as artilleryman and during an engagement lost his left arm by 
a premature discharge; Philander served in the Civil war and was a prisoner at 
Andersonville ; William was also in the Civil war, being a prisoner at Libby 
Prison; Olive became the wife of Mr. Greensides and went to live in Ohio; 
Elizabeth married in Peoria county, Ill., and lived at Elmwood, Ill.; and Henry 
Washington, born in Ohio, February 22, 1840, was so named because of the date of 
his birth.
When Henry W. Byron was seven years old he accompanied his parents to Illinois, 
where he lived until 1859, coming then to San Francisco by way of the Isthmus of 
Panama, and in 1860 was a miner in Placer county. In the year last mentioned, 
following the lure of the gold-seekers, he went to Australia, where he mined 
until 1864. Returning to San Francisco he made his way to Somersville, Contra 
Costa county, where he worked in a coal mine until August, 1869. Then, with $25 
in his pocket, he started in a spring wagon to move to Visalia, but at the ferry 
at Kingston he heard such glowing accounts of the land in the Mussel Slough 
country he drove to that point and took up one hundred and sixty acres where he 
now lives. He soon found employment digging ditches and making barriers of 
willow trees as protection against wild cattle and horses. Two years later he 
and twenty-five other men organized and constructed the Lower Kings River ditch 
which was a boon to the whole section of country. After eight years of grain 
farming he began setting out vineyards, his first venture having been on forty 
acres. The next year he started a fourteen acre apricot and nectarine orchard 
and put some land under alfalfa. He now has seventy acres of vineyard and 
fourteen acres of fruit trees, and except for eight and a half acres which he 
gave for a cemetery the remainder of his homestead is under alfalfa. During 
recent years he has interested himself in oil and has become a stockholder in 
the following companies: The Devil's Den Consolidated, the Tressciretos Oil 
Company, the Alamo Oil Company, the Pluto Oil Company and the Lemoore Oil 
Company.
While in Australia Mr. Byron was married to Rosina Gallard, daughter of Matthew 
and Frances Ann (Smith) Gallard, both natives of England, near Kent. Mrs. Byron 
was born in New South Wales, Australia, and is one of a family of ten children 
born to her parents. Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Byron, as follows: 
Lincoln H., of Lemoore; Dr. E. H., of Lemoore; Dr. W. P., of Lemoore; Dr. 
Albert, of Oakland; Olive and Rupert, both deceased; and Frank Mark, who died in 
infancy.
Fraternally Mr. Byron has long affiliated with the Odd Fellows. In Australia, in 
1862, he identified himself with the Manchester Unity, the forerunner of 
American Odd Fellow lodges. When he returned to California he joined the lodge 
of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Somersville, Contra Costa county, 
from which later he was transferred to the Lemoore lodge. He was identified also 
with Manhattan Tribe, No. 2, I. O. R. M., of Somersville, the second tribe 
organized in California, and later joined the tribe at Lemoore. He was a member 
of the Ancient Order of United Workmen until his lodge gave up its charter. In 
all the affairs of his community he takes an active interest. Until 1903 he long 
was president of the Lower Kings River Irrigation Ditch Company, and in all his 
various connections with concerns in this community he has evinced the habits of 
honorable dealing, straightforward and conscientious in every detail, and loyal 
and active in his citizenship.
 
History of Tulare and Kings Counties, California with Biographical Sketches - 
Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company, 1913
pp. 676-677


HENRY W. BYRON
 
dates his birth in Ohio, February 22, 1840, and his advent to California in 
1857.  His father, Peter Byron, a native of England, came to America when a 
young man, and in Pennsylvania married Mary Hesketh, a native of that State.  To 
them were born seven children. Their son James served his country with that 
heroic band of soldiers who took the city of Mexico, and in that struggle lost 
his arm.  Two other sons, William and Philander, were volunteers in the Union 
army, and both lost their lives in the service.  Henry W., their youngest son, 
was reared on his father�s farm in Illinois, and was educated in the district 
schools.
            At the age of seventeen, our young friend, filled with the spirit of 
adventure, started for California.  After an uneventful journey he arrived in El 
Dorado County, where he mined for fourteen months with moderate success.  At the 
end of that time he went to Australia, and was engaged in the mines there until 
1864, making and losing money and making it again.  In the Colony of Victoria he 
and two others each took out ₤3,000 sterling from the Bendigo mine on Jenny Lind 
Flat.
            In 1864 Mr. Byron married Miss Rosina Gallard, a native of 
Australia, and soon after sailed with his bride for California.  He settled at 
Antioch, Contra Costa County, and took up 160 acres of land where Byron Station 
is now located.  In 1869 he sold this property and came to his present ranch in 
Tulare County, half a mile from the village of Lemoore.  The country here was 
then all unimproved, and the stockmen did all they could to discourage settlers. 
  Mr. Byron took up a quarter section of government land and at once began the 
work of improvement.  Since that time he has been an important factor in the 
growth and development of this portion of the country.  He was one of the 
twenty-five settlers who organized the King�s River Ditch Company and opened a 
new era for this country, brought the water with its life-giving power to the 
thirsty soil, and made the wilderness to produce in abundance all varieties of 
delicious fruit.  Mr. Byron has seventeen acres in apricots and nectarines, and 
forty acres in raisin grapes, all bearing abundantly.  He is also carrying on 
general farming, and sows annually about 1,200 acres of wheat.
            Mr. and Mrs. Byron are the parents of seven children, one having 
died in infancy.  Those living are as follows:  Lincoln H., Olive A., Albert, 
Rupert, Eddie and Willie.  All the children are at home except Lincoln, who is 
married and has one child.  Olive has exhibited considerable talent as an 
artist, and their parlor is ornamented with a number of fine landscape 
paintings, the work of her brush.
            Mr. Byron is a Republican, an I.O.O.F., and A.O.U.W., a Red Man, and 
a member of the Farmers� Alliance, being vice-president of the latter 
organization.  He has been president of the King�s River Ditch Company ever 
since its organization, eighteen years ago.  He and his estimable wife maintain 
the same cordial and hospitable ways of the early settlers, and the stranger, as 
well as their many friends, both old and young, is sure of a hearty welcome at 
their door.
 
Memorial and Biographical History of the counties of Fresno, Tulare and Kern, 
California
Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1892  p. 749=750
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler