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 RUDOLPH, JR.� A scientific vineyardist, who has improved a 
valuable ranch while forging ahead to substantial success, is Henry Rudolph, 
Jr., who first settled in Fresno in the early nineties. He was born at Samara, 
near Saratof, Russia, on November 18, 1873, the son of Henry Rudolph, a 
grain-farmer who came out to California in 1892. He engaged in viticulture 
and continued in that field until he retired. Now, at the age of 79, he resides 
at Fresno with his good wife, who was Catherine Sieler before her marriage. 
They had eleven children, eight of whom came to Fresno ; and seven are now 
living. 

Henry, the second youngest, was educated at the public schools and 
brought up on a farm until he was seventeen. Then, on his birthday, he left 
Saratof for the United States, being the first of the brothers to come to 
Fresno, although a brother August came soon after. A month later he landed 
in Fresno, and the next morning went to work on Shields Avenue. When he 
was able, he improved a farm and followed farm work. He bought twenty 
acres on Walnut and North Avenues, where he had a vineyard and orchard, 
and next he purchased forty acres on Shields and Chittenden Avenues, in the 
Arizona Colony. He made a fine peach orchard and Sultana vineyard there, 
farming it for three years ; after which he sold the property and located in 
Fresno. 

With H. P. Steitz he established a grocery on F Street, at the end of the 
town, and for a couple of years they did business under the name of Steitz 
& Rudolph ; then he sold his interest to Conrad Kinsel. In 1914 he bought his 
present place of sixty acres in Vinland, at the corner of Madera and Dakota 
Avenues, and there were twenty acres of Thompson seedless, and eight acres 
of peaches; and he improved the rest by setting out Thompson vines. Now 
he is active in the California Associated Raisin Company, and the California 
Peach Growers, Inc. 

At Fresno, Mr. Rudolph was married to Miss Katie Schwabenland, a 
native of Russia, and they have five children: Emma, Mrs. Clarence Kutter 
of Vinland ; Henry L., with his father ; William, with the California Asso- 
ciated Raisin Company ; and Carl and Freda, at home. Mr. Rudolph is a Re- 
publican in national politics, and first and last he is an American.