California Biographies Mendocino and Lake Counties, California Transcribed by Peggy Hooper This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm Source: History of Mendocino and Lake Counties, California With Biographical Sketches History by Aurelius O. Carpenter And Percy H. Millberry Illustrated, Complete In One Volume Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1914 VAN BUREN SLEEPER.� The name of Sleeper has been one of high standing ever since it was established in Lake county over a half century back, when Jerome Mack Sleeper, one of the ablest agriculturists in what is now the West Upper Lake precinct, came here and began farming and stock-raising. He is now operating a splendid estate of three hundred and six acres with the help of his sons, and is especially well known as a raiser of the White Crease- back bush beans, which have been proved most excellent for canning purposes and are consequently in great demand. A separate sketch of Jerome Mack Sleeper will be found elsewhere in this volume. Van Buren Sleeper, second son of Jerome M. Sleeper, was born November 6, 1881, at the old Sleeper homestead, and grew to manhood there. He at- tended the public schools, going to grammar school at Upper Lake and later becoming a student at Sweet's business college, in Santa Rosa, for one year, graduating from that institution in 1902. For one year afterward he worked in Sonoma county, on fruit ranches, and then engaged in the butcher business at Upper Lake, conducting it successfully for four years, at the end of which period he sold out to the present proprietor, Mr. Twiggs. When he gave up butchering he became a forest ranger, and has been engaged as such for the last five years, having been assigned as guard on Bartlett mountain every summer. During the remainder of the year he and his brother devote their time to operating the father's farm of three hundred and six acres at Upper Lake. Mr. Sleeper has the substantial qualities which have come to be asso- ciated with the name, and he has never been found wanting in the responsible public service which has been found to be most valuable in the conservation of local interests and the protection of property. Like the rest of the family, he is associated with the Democratic party in politics. In November, 1903, Mr. Sleeper was married to Miss Alma Scott, a native of the state of Pennsylvania, daughter of A. N. Scott, of Bachelor val- ley. To this union have been born two children, Lynda Geraldine and Leola Agile. Mrs. Sleeper is a member of the Presbyterian Church. The family home is about one mile west of Upper Lake on the Ukiah road in Lake county, where Mr. Sleeper built a beautiful bungalow in the year 1911. It is 28x48 feet in dimensions, painted white, has modern appointments and is comfortably fitted, being one of the attractive places in the neighborhood.