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 JOHN McBRIAR. Noteworthy among the leading citizens and business men of Tulare county is John McBriar, a man of more than average intelligence and ability, whose large and well -improved ranch lies midway between Reedley and Dinuba, being three and one-half miles from either place. Energetic and enterprising, in the prime of a vigorous manhood, he is re- spected and esteemed by a large circle of friends, neighbors and acquaintances, and is enjoying, as he well deserves, a generous portion of this world's goods. Like many other of our most prosperous and worthy residents, he was born and bred in a foreign country, his birth having occurred November 12, 1861, near Belfast, Ireland. His father, John McBriar, Sr., was born there also, and with the exception of a brief visit to Nova Scotia spent his life in that vicinity, being employed as a stockman. He was of Scotch descent, as was his wife, Mary Jamison, who was born in County Down, Ireland, and spent her entire life in her native isle. They became the parents of six children, five of. whom are living, only two of them being in America, namely: John, the subject of this sketch; and James, a member of the firm, and the manager of the Morton Baking Company, Detroit, Mich. The oldest child of the parental household, John McBriar was brought up on the home farm, receiving his early education in the national school. Leaving his native land when sixteen years old, he immigrated to Ontario, locating in Ottawa in 1878, and there being employed for a time in the Ironside mines. Going thence to the upper part of Michigan, he worked in the Calumet and Hecla copper mines for a while, and was afterwards similarly engaged in the phos- phate mines on the Lievre river, Lower Canada. Successful in his operations, Mr. McBriar went to Arizona in 1885, prospected in the silver regions of Tombstone for a few months, from there going to Guaymas, Mexico, and thence to La Paz, Lower California. Finding the peninsula rich in mineral resources, he remained there five years, three years of the time being foreman in the Trimbo mines. While thus employed, in 1886, Mr. McBriar spent one of his vacations in San Francisco. In 1889 he took an extended vacation, visiting San Francisco and Detroit, Mich., going from there back to his old home in Belfast, Ireland. After spending a week with his boyhood friends and companions he was ready to return to America, but continued his visit for four weeks, when he sailed for Quebec on one of the line steamers. From that city he journeyed by the Central Pacific Railroad to Vancouver, thence by boat to San Francisco, re- turning the same year to Lower California. Resuming his former position with his employers, Mr. McBriar continued as foreman in the mines until January, 1891, when he resigned on ac- count of ill health, being afflicted with miner's consumption. Coming directly to Lake county, Cal., Mr. McBriar spent four months at Bartlett Springs, where he recovered his former vigor. While there he formed the acquaintance of D. T. Curtis, of Reedley, who had large interests in the San Joaquin valley, and with him came here on a prospecting trip. Pleased with the looks of the country, Mr. McBriar purchased sixty acres of his present home ranch, and immediately began the work of converting the raw stubblefield into a productive estate. He set out twenty acres of Sultanas, planted a twelve-acre orchard, sow- ing the remainder to alfalfa. He erected a small dwelling, and this he has since enlarged, having new a substantial residence. Succeeding beyond his expectations as an agriculturist and horti- culturist, Mr. McBriar bought forty acres more in 1897, and two years later purchased eighty acres of adjoining land, and all of this he has checked and irrigated and sowed to alfalfa. In 1902 he invested in more land, buying one bunched and twenty acres, which he devotes to al- falfa, and also purchased eighty acres of improved land in section 15, but this he afterwards sold. He also has an unexpired contract of two years with D. T. Curtis for improving a ninety- acre vineyard, lying on the same section as his home ranch. Mr. McBriar married, near Dinuba, Mary A. Johnson, who was born in Ontario, a daughter of Thomas Johnson, of Dinuba, and they have two children, Agnes and Raymond. Mr. McBriar is one of the directors of the Alta Irrigation District, and is a trustee of the Windsor School District. Politically he is a straightforward Republican. Fraternally he was made a Mason in Reedley, and is a member and past grand of Reedley Lodge, I. O. O. F. He is also a member and past grand of the Reedley Lodge of Rebekahs, to which his wife likewise belongs. Mrs. McBriar is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and is much esteemed for her many fine qualities of heart and mind.