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 YOUNG SPENCE.� A successful California viticulturist is John Young Spence, a native son who was born in the Scandinavian Colony, in Fresno County, on August 9, 1888. He is the son of Alexander D. Spence, a native of the Orkney Islands, Scotland, and a university-trained man who married, at Dumfermline, Miss Christiana Young. He was a professor of languages at the Dollar Academy in Dollar. Scotland, and having become interested in Fresno County lands, he came to the United States and Cal- ifornia, bringing his wife and six children. He arrived here about 1882 and located on twenty acres in the Scandi- navian Colony, and there he followed viticulture until his death, ten years later. His good wife passed away in 1909, the mother of eight children, three of whom are still living. One son, now deceased, was William Spence, the editor of the Sun Maid Herald, and he died in December, 1918. An older brother is David Spence, with the California Associated Raisin Company, while a sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Brown, resides near Clovis. The lad John was educated at the public schools of the Scandinavian district and the Fresno High School, and from a boy became interested in viticulture. As early as 1904, he and his brothers, William and David, pur- chased land in the Garfield district, and improved a fine vineyard, raising it from a mere stubble-field to a well-leveled tract, on which were set out the choicest of malaga, muscat and Thompson seedless grapes, as well as five acres of olives. He and his brother and sister now own eighty acres in vine- yard and orchard, the firm being incorporated as the Spence Vineyard Com- pany, with David A. Spence as manager. The Spence Vineyard is historically interesting as it was one of the first set out in this locality. Growing up to manhood amid the blessings of the American Republic and the comforts and luxuries of the Golden State, it was natural that Mr. Spence should develop a tiptop patriotism ; so that it is not surprising that he was among the first twenty-five men who left Fresno in the first draft for the" Great War. He volunteered for the first five per cent, of the draft in Sep- tember, 1917, and was in the 364th Infantry at Camp Lewis. On May 15, 1918, he entered the fourth officers' training camp, and on August 25 was commissioned a second lieutenant. On January 10, 1919, he was honorably discharged and returned home, to again take up work in the Spence Vineyards. The Spence brothers are members of the Melvin Grape Growers Asso- ciation and the California Associated Raisin Company, in both of which or- ganizations they are active in promoting those movements making for the broad and substantial development of California agricultural interests. Mr. Spence is a member of the Fresno Lodge, No. 439, B. P. O. Elks.