Tulare County Biographies

JAMES E. DUNLAP

Transcribed by Kathy Sedler

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

 
An extensive land owner and cattle dealer of Tulare county and one who has 
figured prominently in business affairs here is James Early Dunlap.. His father, 
John Dunlap, was a native of Missouri and a pioneer in Texas and in California, 
and met his death on the San Bernardino fair grounds by being struck by a sulky. 
His wife, a native of Texas, died there when James E. was five years old.
James E. Dunlap was born January 1, 1838, in Washington county, Tex., and here 
learned something about books in the public schools, and a good deal about 
handling cattle on the ranges which stretched for miles and miles in all 
directions round about his home. When he was in his seventeenth year he came 
overland to California with his father and others, and the Dunlaps located in 
Los Angeles county. In 1855 the younger Dunlap made his first visit to Tulare 
county, bringing Texas cattle to Visalia. He had started with about thirteen 
hundred head, but about nine hundred had died by the way for want of water. His 
father came to Tulare county in 1858 and bought one hundred and sixty acres of 
land of Mr. Lynn. James took up a homestead in Lynn's valley, and he has been a 
land owner in the county ever since, having owned at one time three hundred and 
twenty acres, but never less than one hundred and sixty acres. He has been an 
extensive handler of cattle for the market and from time to time has farmed 
considerable tracts to various crops. He deeded to the Bald Mountain Mining 
company a strip off the side of his ranch on which the mine of that corporation 
is located.
On September 23, 1860, Mr. Dunlap married Miss Lucy Ellis, a native of Texas, 
who has borne him six children: Thomas is deceased. Henry lives near 
Bakersfield, Cal.; John's home is at White River, Cal.; William James is well 
known in Tulare county; Emma married Henry Conner, and Mary is deceased. Mr. 
Dunlap's recollections of his early experiences in this county are those of a 
pioneer. At this time there are very few others living here who were here when 
he came. He relates that during the time of the Indian trouble his father camped 
near Deer creek; he has himself killed many bear and deer within the limits of 
the county. For some time after he came, there were few houses within a radius 
of many miles in any direction from the place of his settlement, the whole 
territory being open country, utilized as cattle ranges. He has prospered with 
the community in which lie lives, and while he has been winning fortune for 
himself has watched the development of a wilderness country into one of the rich 
and important counties of a great state; and as opportunity has offered he has 
encouraged and aided that development in a public-spirited way that has insured 
him the respect of all who have known him.
 
History of Tulare and Kings Counties, California with Biographical Sketches - 
Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company, 1913, pp. 592-593