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


CARL CHRISTIAN. � A very energetic and enterprising- resident of 
Fresno County who has made a success of viticulture and horticulture and made 
an estimable place for himself in the community is Carl Christian who was born 
on the Volga River in Tarlikofka, Samara, Russia, April 24, 1880. The youngest 
of nine children born to Phillip and Marie Catherine (Rinehart) Christian who 
reared their family on a farm and are still living and engaged in husbandry in 
that country. Carl received a good education in the local schools and at the same 
time learned to farm. After his school days were over he was apprenticed at 
the bricklayer's trade, working at it during the summer, while winters he worked 
at the shoemaker's trade, becoming an experienced workman in both lines and 
followed these trades until twenty-one years of age, then he entered the Russian 
Army serving in a cavalry regiment stationed at Keifskibolk, Russia. This was 
during the Russo-Japanese war, his regiment being used to suppress a local revo- 
lution in which some of the soldiers had joined the Revolutionary party. In the 
engagements that followed Mr. Christian was twice wounded. After serving five 
years and five months he was honorably discharged as a non-commissioned 
officer, returning home in December, 1906. In January, 1907, he was married to 
Miss Mary Bideen, and in March, 1907, they started for Fresno, arriving here 
May 16, 1907. 

In October of the same year he purchased a twenty-acre ranch on Jensen 
Avenue near the Highland school. This he improved from raw land to a vine- 
yard of Muscat and Thompson seedless raisins as well as a peach orchard. 
Bringing it to a high state of cultivation he sold it four years later at a good 
profit. He then resided in Fresno and contracted for curing peaches during the 
season and also working at the bricklayer's trade until he purchased fifty acres 
in Kutner Colony devoted to vineyard and orchard, selling it two years later 
at. a very satisfactory advance. Mr. Christian then purchased twenty-eight acres 
also in the Kutner Colony devoted to vineyard and two years later also sold this 
at a good advance. Next he leased a ranch on Olive Avenue, near Fresno, for a 
year and then purchased a 100-acre ranch in Gray Colony, setting a part to 
vineyard and also leased land and raised grain. A year later he sold this ranch 
more than doubling his money. Mr. and Mrs. Christian have one son, Phillip. 

They are members of the Free Cross Lutheran Church, Mr. Christian having 
been a member of its Board of Trustees. He is a stockholder in the California 
Associated Raisin Company as well as the California Peach Growers, Inc. He 
is an original stockholder in the California Post, a weekly newspaper in Fresno. 
He performs his civic duties as a Republican.