California Biographies, San Joaquin Valley

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


CAPT. WILLIAM WALLACE MACHEN. A man of strong personality. William Wallace Machen holds a 
prominent place among the representative citizens of Fresno, where he has made his home for nearly 
twenty years. He is a native of Barnsley, Yorkshire, England, where he was born February 17. 1836, the 
second in a family of seven children, of whom six are living, he being the only one on the Pacific coast. 
His father, W. W. Machen. was a manufacturer of cotton and linen goods in Barnsley, as was also his 
grandfather. The former brought his family to America in 1845 and located in Milwaukee, Wis., where 
a landing was effected by small boats at what was known as Walker's Point, no pier having yet been 
made. He was one of the first settlers of Black Earth, Wis., which was peopled by a colony from 
England. He remained in that location for about a year, when he removed to Janesville, Wis., at that 
time a crossroads, where he bought and sold lands. Removing to Dunkirk. Dane county. Wis., he 
farmed for twenty years, and upon his retirement from active duties located in Dallas county, Iowa, 
where his death occurred at the age of eighty four years. His wife, formerly Ann Hoag', was also a 
native of England, and died in Iowa at the age of sixty-six years. Two sons fought in the Civil war, 
Charles F. serving in the Thirty second Wisconsin Regiment, and being accidentally killed at Waupun, 
Wis. William Wallace Machen was also in the army, answering the first call in April, 1861. As the quota 
was full lie enlisted in Company D, Seventh Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and was mustered in August 
10 of that year. His regiment was sent to Washington, where they camped a quarter of a mile east of 
the Capitol building, thence they were sent to Chain Bridge and to Arlington Heights, on Robert E. 
Lee's plantation. In the beginning of 1862 they participated in the second battle of Bui! Run, at 
Antietam, South Mountain, the Wilderness, and at Gettysburg, where his brigade opened the battle. 
His regiment continued in active duty to Appomattox and the surrender of Lee's army. Mr. Machen 
was wounded three times, first at the battle of Gaines Mill, the first day of the battle of the 
Wilderness and at Cold Harbor, all flesh wounds received in the neck, hip and foot. He participated., in 
the Grand Review at Washington as aide to Gen. Henry A. Morrow. From the ranks Mr. Machen was 
promoted tc the position of captain of his company, which was mustered out of service July 14, 1865, 
of the original one hundred and sixty-eight who enlisted only fourteen remaining. 

Upon the close of the war Capt. William W. Machen returned to Dane county to take up again the 
peaceful pursuits interrupted by civil strife. He had made his home in Wisconsin from the age of nine 
years, receiving his education in the primitive schools of the time (where the desks were puncheon 
slabs laid on pins put in the walls, puncheon seats, etc.), and in young manhood followed the training 
given by his father as a farmer. He engaged in agricultural pursuits near Dunkirk until 1868, when he 
removed to Dallas county, Iowa, where he bought new land, improving a farm of three hundred and 
twenty acres. He became prominent in public affairs in the county, filling the offices of county 
commissioner and county recorder, the latter for a term of four years. Deciding to locate in the more 
remote west, he came to California in 1886 and began farming thirty-five hundred acres of land, which 
new adjoins the city limits of Fresno. He continued in that occupation for thirteen years, conducting as 
many as six ten-horse teams with combined harvesters, averaging ten acres to the team. His 
departure from agricultural pursuits was through his nomination in 1892 on the Republican ticket as 
county recorder. Fie was defeated by eight votes in favor of the Fusion candidate. Two years later he 
was re-nominated and elected over the Fusion candidate by a majority of three hundred and fifty-six 
votes. In January, 1895, he took the oath of office and continued to discharge the duties efficiently 
until 1899. Since that time he has engaged in the oil business, in 1898 organizing the Commercial Oil 
Company with himself as president. They located oil lands in Coalingo, where they put down two wells 
that were failures. They then leased a piece of railroad land where they put down eight wells, all of 
which are producers, they being the first to get a flowing well in section 31. They have since operated 
in this field and have made a gratifying success of the enterprise. In 1904 Mr. Machen resigned from 
the office of president, as he did not care to spend so large a portion of his time away from his home, 
and sold his holdings to the Associated Oil Company. He also organized a company in Bakersfield, in 
1899, known as the Comet Oil Company, with himself as president, and they operated on sections 4 
and 28. putting down eight wells, all of which are producers. This company has since also become a 
part of the Associated Oil Company. Mr. Machen owns a one-third interest in sixty acres adjoining the 
lands leased by the Commercial Oil Company and in Fresno owns a handsome residence at No. 103 
Glenn street. 

In Dane county, Wis., October 2, 1865, Mr. Machen was united in marriage with Sarah L. Bishop, a 
native of Cayuga county, N. Y., and they are the parents of seven children, namely : Edward L., of 
Fresno; Clara, the wife of DeWitt Blaisdell, of San Francisco; Arthur I., of Sacramento, Cal. ; George E., 
of Fresno; Elva ; Carl and Myrtle, the last three named being at home with their parents. Mrs. Machen 
is a member of the Presbyterian Church. Fraternally Mr. Machen is a member of the Benevolent and 
Protective Order of Elks and belongs to Fresno Lodge No. 247, F. & A. M., having been made a 
member of this latter organization in Stoughton, Wis. He belongs to Atlanta Post No. 145, G. A. R., of 
which he is post commander. Politically he is a stanch adherent of the principles advocated in the 
platform of the Republican party, and is ex-member of the county and state central committees.