Tulare County Biographies

JOHN HOLMES HUNTLEY

Transcribed by: Craig A Hahn

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


     A pioneer of 1852, a busy and patriotically active citizen since 1865, John 
Holmes Huntley, of Visalia, Tulare county, was ever a factor in the upbuilding 
of his community whose influence has been potent all along. Born in Canajoharie, 
N. Y., September 7, 1829, a son of Oliver D. and Mary (Stark) Huntley, he was 
educated in the public schools of his native county and at Ames academy, and to 
a considerable extent in a bookstore in Albany, N. Y., where he was employed two 
years. His father was a native of Stonington, R. I., and his mother was born in 
Connecticut, a daughter of Joshua Stark, a farmer who passed away in New York. 
John Holmes Huntley was but six years old when his mother died. His father was 
brought up to the mercantile business and sold goods many years; his second wife 
was a sister of his first. By each marriage he had six children. He died at the 
age of sixty-five years. 
 
     John H. Huntley was the third child of his father by the first marriage and 
inherited industry and thrift from ancestors who had behind them unnumbered 
ancestors of Scotch blood. In 1852 when he was about twenty-three years old, he 
started for California by way of the Nicaragua route and arrived in November 
that year. In the Sonora mining district he kept busy and made some money buying 
and selling stock till October, 1861, when he enlisted for Federal service in 
the Civil war in Company E., Second California Cavalry. He was mustered in at 
San Francisco, was on duty for a time against Indians on the northern border, 
was transferred to Tulare county, served at the time of the Owen River outbreak, 
acting as sergeant-major of a detail of his regiment, and was mustered out in 
1864 a continuous service of three years and four days. In the mines of Nevada 
he speculated a year after the war, then went back to Tulare county and engaged 
in loaning money in Tulare, Kern and Fresno counties. From time to time he 
bought land till he owned eight hundred and forty acres in the San Joaquin 
valley, mostly devoted to stock-raising, and acquired a fine residence on the 
Mineral King road, two miles east of Visalia. 
 
     In politics a Republican, Mr. Huntley served his party in various offices 
of trust, having been internal revenue collector for Tulare, Kern, Inyo and 
Fresno counties for five years, until the office was abolished, and he was also 
gauger of liquors and surveyor of stills until he resigned. He was a member of 
Gen. Wright Post, G. A. R., of Visalia.
 
     On August 3, 1879, Mr. Huntley married at San Rafael, Nina R. Willfard, 
born at Southampton, Eng., and they were the parents of two sons, Willfard H. 
and Chester S. In 1900 he moved his family temporarily to Berkeley, in order to 
afford his children good educational advantages. In all matters that have 
advanced the social, political and educational welfare of Tulare county Mr. 
Huntley was always eagerly helpful, evidencing a public spirit commensurate with 
his conspicuous integrity. He passed away at the home ranch near Visalia, 
February 24, 1912.
 
     When the old high school in Visalia was built, Mr. Huntley bought the 
entire issue of bonds, amounting to $40,000, and as they ran from one to forty 
years, some of them have twenty-five years, yet in which to mature. He invested 
largely in ranch property in Tulare county, his first purchase of this kind 
being the Lewis creek ranch of one hundred and sixty acres, which he later sold. 
One of his holdings was the Cross ranch at Bakersfield, a hundred and sixty 
acres; another a second ranch in the Bakersfield neighborhood, a hundred and 
sixty acres, and both of these he rented. He bought the Cameron Creek ranch of a 
hundred and sixty acres, stock and timber land, and gave it to his son Chester 
S. Three hundred acres of the old Dr. Halsted ranch he bought and transferred to 
his wife and son. Mrs.. Huntley and her son have also large ranch holdings in 
Tulare and Kern counties and are extensively engaged in stock-raising. 
 
     There is one feature of Mr. Huntley�s biography of which he seldom talked 
in later days, yet which should be made a matter of record. Before the railroad 
came, he rode pony express three trips a month between Visalia and Fort Tejon. 
 
SOURCE:  History of Tulare and Kings Counties, California with Biographical 
Sketches - Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company, 1913  Pp 255, 256