Tulare County Biographies

W. W. CAUGHRAN

Transcribed by Beverly Green

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

 
W. W. Caughran was born in Sevier County, Arkansas, March 24, 1836. His parents 
were James and Levina (Pierce) Caughran, natives of Illinois. They had a family 
of twelve children, the subject of this sketch being the eighth child. He was 
educated in a log schoolhouse, one of his teachers being A. H. Garland. In his 
young manhood Mr. Caughran clerked in a store. When the war broke out he entered 
the Confederate army, Second Arkansas Mounted Riflemen, under Captain Brown, and 
served through the war. Under General Johnston he surrendered at Greenville, 
North Carolina, in 1865. After the war he engaged in the cotton trade and 
general merchandising in Arkansas till 1870, when he started across the plains 
to California, via the Southern route. His first stop was made at San Diego, 
where he remained ten months, and then came to Visalia. At first he leased land 
and farmed for a year. The next two years he fenced land and took care of stock 
for his brother, Robert E. He then traded for property in Visalia, and for 
several years carried on the livery business. He has since purchased a fine 
stock ranch two miles south of Visalia. He also owns fine residence property on 
Bridge and Willow streets. Mr. Caughran came to California a poor man, but by 
his industry, economy and push, he has been eminently successful as a business 
man.

He was elected by the Democratic party as County Treasurer, which office he held 
four years. He served two years as Councilman, and two years as Mayor of the 
city. He is prominently connected with the A. O. U. W., in which order he has 
held various offices.

Mr. Caughran was married in Arkansas, March 9, 1870, to Emily Pettigrew, a 
daughter of Charles and Catharine (Gross) Pettigrew. Of this union the following 
children were born: Charles E., Guy, Maud, Grace, James, who died at ten years 
of age, and May, who died at the age of seven years.

SOURCE: Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of Fresno, Tulare and 
Kern, California\par; Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1892, Page 709, 710