California Biographies

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 the state of California and biographical record of the San Joaquin 
Valley, California. An historical story of the state's marvelous growth from 
its earliest settlement to the present time.
Prof. James Miller Guinn , A. M.
The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago 1905
Notes: Missing Page: 865-866,983-984,1175-1176


GEORGE HEIDT. Actively identified with the agricultural interests of Tulare county is 
George Heidt, whose well-conducted farm lies about six miles northwest of the city of Tulare. 
Energetic, industrious, and possessing excellent business qualities, he has been uniformly suc- 
cessful in his labors, giving to whatever he has attempted his best efforts, and from a modest be- 
ginning has advanced to a good position, both socially and financially, among his fellowmen. A 
native of New York, he was born, October 17, 1856, near Pike Pond, now Kenoza Lake, Sulli- 
van county, being the youngest child of Peter and Mary Heidt, who emigrated from Germany 
to the United States, settling on a farm in Sullivan county, N. Y. 

Brought up on a farm, George Heidt attended the district school as a boy and youth, in the 
meantime becoming familiar with agricultural pursuits. After the death of his father, which 
occurred when George was seventeen years old, he was practically thrown upon his own re- 
sources, from that time becoming self-supporting. With his brother Edward he went to Pennsyl- 
vania, where for two years he was employed in getting out tan bark by contract. Returning to 
his old home, he worked there until April, 1877, when, in search of better opportunities for ad- 
vancing his financial condition, he came from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific coast, locating 
first in San Francisco. Securing employment as a wood chopper in San Mateo county, Mr. 
Heidt also worked for a Mr. Sweat for a time, and was subsequently in the employ of A. Fay, a 
dairyman, for five years. Industrious and thrifty, Mr. Heidt invested his savings in land, com- 
ing to Tulare county in 1882 and buying his present farm. The season proving a dry one, he 
went back to the coast, and during the summer worked in a lumber mill. Taking possession of 
his ranch in the spring of 1883, Mr. Heidt began its improvement, and succeeded in raising a 
good crop. The same year, having irrigated his land, he began to raise alfalfa, which he has 
since continued. For a number of seasons Mr. Heidt worked as a wage-earner on the coast, put- 
ting the money that he thus obtained in farm improvements, one year running a farm in San 
Mateo county. He has two hundred and twenty-seven acres of land in his ranch, forty acres of 
which he has sowed to alfalfa, the remainder, with the exception of a good-bearing family or- 
chard, being devoted to grain and pasturage. He pays much attention to stock-raising and dairy- 
ing, and is a stockholder in the Tulare Rochdale Association and the Co-Operative Milling 
Company. 

In San Mateo, Cal., Mr. Heidt married Laura Moore, a native of this state, and into their pleasant 
household nine children have been born, all of whom are living at home, namely : Charles, 
Ella, George, Frederick, Elmer, Lester, Albert, Elsie and Mary. Politically Mr. Heidt is a strong 
adherent of the Republican party, and has rendered good service a number of terms as school 
trustee, serving in both the Enterprise district and in San Mateo. Fraternally he belongs to 
Tulare City Lodge, I. O. O. F.