Kings County Biographies


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



NAPOLEON B. EDMISTON
 
was born in Tennessee, April 25, 1827.  His father, Robert Edmiston, was of 
Scotch-Irish ancestry and was a native of Tennessee.  The subject of our sketch 
is the only surviving member of a family of five children.  The family moved to 
Arkansas when he was ten years of age, and he remained there until 1850, when he 
came across the plains to California.  He engaged in mining on Wood�s creek, one 
mile above Sonoma, and after being thus engaged there nine months he purchased a 
team and gave his attention to freighting from Stockton to Sonoma.  In 1852 he 
returned East, and with a partner drove 575 head of cattle across the plains to 
Stockton.  He purchased a ranch of 160 acres on the Mokelumne river, erected 
buildings and otherwise improved the property, and resided there eight years.  
The place proved to be a Spanish grant and he sold out for $175.  Later, 
however, it was discovered that the grant was void.  From there Mr. Edmiston 
went to Calaveras County and in the foothills took up 160 acres of land and 
began over again, building and improving.  This property ins now known as Mead�s 
valley.  He resided there until 1874, when he sold out and came to his present 
location, Orosi, Tulare County.  Here he bought a half section of land from the 
railroad company.  It cost him $5 per acre and is now valued at $100 per acre.  
On this property he has since resided.  He also has 160 acres of land in Fresno 
County.  For several years Mr. Edmiston has been raising wheat, and one year, in 
connection with his son-in-law, Mr. Bacon, he sowed 3,600 acres. He is more 
recently, however, turning his attention to orchard and vineyard culture.  He 
has forty-seven acres in vineyard, thirteen of which are bearing.
            In 1864 he wedded Miss Nancy A. Howell, a native of Arkansas, and to 
them were born five children, as follows:  Sarah J., wife of James A. Bacon (a 
history of whom will be found on another page of this work), Allan McDougal, 
superintendent of the Alta Irrigating Ditch, Theodate L., became the wife of 
John Toler, and to them one son was born; her death occurred September 23, 1887; 
Robert Lee died when a year and a half old, and Elizabeth Jessie, the youngest, 
now resides with her parents.
            Mr. Edmiston is a member and steward of the Methodist Church South.  
He is in politics a Democrat.  He has been a member of the School Board for 
years, and is one of the solid and reliable men of Tulare County.
 
Memorial and Biographical History of the counties of Fresno, Tulare and Kern, 
California
Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1892  p. 733
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler