Kings County Biographies


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



 
ECCLES, ALEXANDER CLARKE
 
     Educated at Balmoral Agricultural College, Belfast, Ireland, an institution 
established under the patronage of Prince Albert, consort of the late Queen 
Victoria, Alexander Clarke Eccles, of Kings county, Cal., who was for a time 
horticultural commissioner for that county, was exceptionally well-fitted for 
the duties of that office and he is widely known as one of the scientific 
farmers of Central California. 
 
     It was at Belfast, Ireland, that Mr. Eccles was born March 12, 1854. He 
remained there until he was thirty years old, for a time devoting himself to 
practical farming. He came to the United States in 1884 and after tarrying 
briefly in Kansas and Oregon, came to Redding, Shasta county, Cal., where he 
became a naturalized American citizen. From Redding he went to Chico, Cal., and 
for three years he was foreman on the fruit farm of General John Bidwell. Then 
he came to Kings county and set out thirty acres of vineyard, northeast of 
Hanford, one-third of which he received for his work. After that he was made 
superintendent of the Del Norte Vineyard & Fruit Company and was in charge of 
its one hundred and sixty acres of fruits and vines for twelve consecutive 
years. After the termination of that service he bought forty acres of land two 
miles and a quarter east of Lemoore and put his brain and hands to the work of 
its improvement. He now has thirteen acres in vineyard and ten acres in orchard. 
On this place he built a fine house and established his home. Later he bought 
eighty-five acres at Hardwick, which is under alfalfa, and devoted to dairy 
purposes. 
 
     In 1909 Mr. Eccles was appointed horticultural commissioner of Kings 
county, an office which he filled with much ability and for the duties of which 
he had a distant liking, but which he was compelled in 1911 to resign because of 
impaired eyesight. Personally he is popular throughout the county, being a 
stockholder in the Kings County Fruit and Raisin Company, a member of the 
Knights of Pythias, Woodmen of the World and Foresters of America. He is a 
member of the Armona Baptist church. His career here has been one of success, as 
will be readily understood when the comparatively late date of his coming is 
considered in connection with the fact that when he arrived he had but one 
dollar and is now worth $40,000. In 1901 he married Miss Maggie May Chamberlain, 
who was born in the state of Washington but was then a resident of Kings county. 
They have three children�Alexander Clarke, Ruth May and William Sloan. 
 
SOURCE:  History of Tulare and Kings Counties, California with Biographical 
Sketches - Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company, 1913
Pp 501, 502
Transcribed by: Craig A Hahn