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


HENRY ENGELMANN.� One of the successful and progressive ranch- 
ers of the Barstow district, Henry Engelmann has developed two separate ranches 
in the county and brought them to a state of productiveness from the raw land, 
thus helping in the growth and increased wealth of this part of California. He 
is a native of Wolzgaja, Samara, Russia, born on the Volga River, September 
24, 1871, a son of Christof and Mary Catherine (Small) Engelmann, both now 
deceased, the father in 1880, aged sixty-six years, and the mother in 1872, aged 
only twenty-nine. 

Henry was the youngest of the family and was brought up on the home 
farm in Russia, where the family remained together after the mother's death. 
He was educated in the public schools and from fifteen years on, followed farm 
work, the only interruption being his term of service in the Russian Army, in the 
regular artillery; during this interval he learned the shoe and harness maker's 
trade, and was foreman in the shop. 

In 1900 the young emigrant came to California and settled in Fresno. Here 
he found employment at teaming, which work he followed for seven years. In 
1907 he bought a forty-acre ranch at Rolinda, on White's Bridge road, and set 
about improving it, putting in vineyard and alfalfa. This property he operated 
eight years, when he sold it and removed to Fresno. In 1918 he bought his pres- 
'ent ranch of forty acres in the Barstow district, about fourteen miles northwest 
of Fresno; he found here a fine soil to work with, and put in wells and a pump- 
ing plant on the property, which is in Thompson seedless grapes, alfalfa, and 
grain--a fine ranch and speaking well for the character of its owner. 

The marriage of Mr. Engelmann occurred in Russia in 1897, and united him 
with Miss Mary Elizabeth Engelmann, also born there, a daughter of Conrad 
Engelmann, farmer of that country. Seven children have been born to Mr. and 
Mrs. Engelmann : Katie ; Henry, Jr. ; Elizabeth ; Annie ; Jacob ; Philip, and 
George, all at home with their parents. The family attend the Lutheran Church 
of Fresno, of which organization Mr. Engelmann is ex-secretary. He is a mem- 
ber of the California Associated Raisin Company, and of the California Peach 
Growers, Inc.