Fresno County, 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


JOHN M. QUALLS. � The honor of being a descendant of one of the 
old pioneers, as well as that of having been born in California, belongs to 
Sanger's popular postmaster, John M. Qualls, who was born in Ventura 
County, Cal., May 10, 1872. 

He is the son of Nicholas Qualls, a native of the Old Dominion, and 
Ann (Fahey) Qualls, who was born in the Emerald Isle. The father, Nicholas, 
removed from Virginia to Missouri in early days when the latter state was 
one of the frontier states of the West, and in 1850. lured by California's 
treasure of gold, wended his way still further westward across the plains 
that intervened between that fair land of promise and his Missouri home. 
Three years were spent in the gold mines of California before the elder 
Qualls again returned to Missouri, where he remained for the succeeding 
thirteen years ere he again crossed the plains with ox teams in 1867 and 
located in Ventura County, Cal, engaging in the bean-raising industry for 
the next two years, and being one of the pioneer bean-raisers there. He 
then located in Fresno County and ranched and raised sheep seven miles north 
of Sanger on the Academy Road. In the early eighties he sold this ranch 
and moved to a ranch three miles north of Sanger, now known as the Karren 
ranch. Here he purchased 320 acres of land for $1,200 � in those days land 
was cheap. This he sold later for thirty dollars per acre. He afterwards 
owned a ranch of 480 acres, two miles north and one-half mile west of 
Sanger, part of which he planted to vines. His death occurred in November, 
1906, and Mrs. Quails died on May 13, 1919. He was a member of the Pres- 
byterian Church and held the office of school trustee of the Fairview district. 
His widow was his second wife, and he was the father of eleven children by 
the two marriages, namely: James M.. of Seattle; William B., of the state of 
Washington ; Mrs. W. J. Bonnifield, of Salinas, Cal., children by the first 
marriage. Edward, a rancher of Clarks Valley, Fresno County; Mrs. F. T. 
Eaton, of Williams, Cal.; Mary E., single, of Sanger; John M., postmaster at 
Sanger; Daniel B., deceased; Mrs. Frank Perry, of Sanger; Robert: and 
Maude, a teacher in the Fresno schools, children by the second marriage. 

John M. attended the public schools in Sanger and completed his educa- 
tion in a business college at Stockton, and was with his father on the ranch 
until twenty-five years of age. He then started farming on a forty-acre 
ranch deeded him by his father, in the Fairview district. His ranch was 
finely improved and planted to Thompson seedless, Malaga and Muscat 
vines and peaches, with a border of fig trees, all of which he developed him- 
self. This he sold in April, 1919. 

For four years he was field deputy for County Assessor Cummings. In 
politics he is a Democrat. An active worker for his party, he worked in the 
interests of the Democratic Central Committee and was indorsed by that 
body for postmaster of Sanger. He was appointed by President Wilson and 
took office in July, 1913. He has made a very competent official, conducting 
his office in a business-like manner, and has many friends. 

John M. Qualls was united in marriage, on July 3. 1915. with Miss Elsie 
Tippett, a native of California and a daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth 
(Jones) Tippett, the latter also a native daughter of the Golden State. Mrs. 
Quails was a teacher in the grammar schools in Sanger prior to her mar- 
riage. Mr. Quails is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South ; 
has served as a member of the board of Fairview school district ; and also 
served on the election board of that district. He was a member of the first 
cooperative raisin-growers association and still has stock in the California 
Associated Raisin Company, also in the California Peach Growers, Inc. He 
is public-spirited, and much interested in the future possibilities of Fresno 
County, and is held in high esteem by all who have the pleasure of his 
acquaintance.