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 JAMES WILLIAM CENTER POGUE. It is especially pleasing for the biographer to write a sketch of a man who is as deserving as Mr. Pogue. A son of John Pogue, he was born in Greene county, Tenn., June 1, 1839. The father was also a native of the same state and was a son of another John, who was born in Virginia of Scotch-Irish descent. The first of the fam- ily to come to America were three brothers, who landed on the James river in 1740. All owned plantations below Richmond and were very wealthy people. The grandfather of our sub- ject was a first lieutenant in a Virginia Light Horse Cavalry and served with distinction dur- ing the Revolutionary war. The father, John, was a farmer and stock-raiser in Tennessee, where he died at the age of about fifty years. He married Sarah McConnell, who was born in Tennessee, and whose father immigrated to this country from the north of Ireland. She died in her native state on the same day as her husband, and they were buried in the same grave. Of this union but one child was born, James William Center, although he had several half brothers and sisters, two of whom came to California, but are now deceased. Left an orphan at the tender age of three months, James William Center Pogue lived with his grandmother Pogue until her death, when he was but two years old. After this he went to live with a brother and sister, who moved to Missouri, where he was given the advantages of a subscription school education. At the age of seventeen he, accompanied by his brother and sister, started for the Pacific coast. The trip was made overland with ox teams, the start being made on April 15, 1857. From Missouri the old trail to Fort Bridger was followed, and from there the Dawson route was taken as far as Humboldt. Then the party took the Honey Lake trail to Red Bluff, arriving at the latter place late in September. After a short stop at Red Bluff, the journey was continued to Santa Rosa, where the brother, John, purchased land and engaged in farming, Mr. Pogue remaining with him until 1859. In that year he was united in marriage with Nancy M. Blair, whose father, Rev. Jonathan, was a pioneer Presbyterian min- ister of California. Soon after marriage Mr. Pogue removed to Little Lake valley, Mendo- cino county, where he took up a government claim of eighty acres and engaged in the stock business until 1862. In that year he came to Tulare county, where he has since made his home. The first location Mr. Pogue made was at Venice, on the St. John's river, where he followed farming and teaming. In 1864, with the money he had saved from his earnings, he purchased two hundred and forty acres on Bravo lake. This tract he improved, and after a time engaged in the stock business, but the flood of 1868 proved very disastrous, washing away much of his land. It was a hard blow, but with an energy that has made for him his present posi- tion of affluence, he again started in, this time locating at Limekiln, on the Kaweah, where he was soon the owner of five hundred acres of land, on which he resumed general farming and stock-raising. As time passed he continued to add to his first purchase, and later became inter- ested in the sheep business with two partners, C. W. Crocker and W. H. Wallace. This com- bination continued for several years, and at one time they owned ten thousand acres, which was known as the Cove ranch, Mr. Pogue being the superintendent. Mr. Wallace died in 1881, and after the division was made with the estate. Mr. Pogue purchased the interest of the other part- ner, becoming the sole owner of six thousand acres. On this he carried on an extensive stock business for several years, much of the land still remaining in his possession. In 1877 Mr. Pogue began experimenting with the growing of oranges and lemons. Up to this time it was thought impossible to grow this fruit in this section on account of the frosts. Twenty orange and lemon trees were set out in his orchard, the irrigation being done the first year with buckets, but the following year a ditch was made, and as the trees grew they showed great vitality and were not injured by the frost. In 1885 George Patten examined the fruit and ad- vised Mr. Pogue to send sample boxes to the Los Angeles fair. This was done and as a re- suit the fruit received a high award and created quite an excitement among horticulturists, which was responsible for the starting of the citrus fruit industry in Tulare county. A demand for land was at once made and Mr. Pogue disposed of four hundred acres at $75 per acre. Since then he has sold to various people, in all disposing of over one thousand acres, all of which is devoted to the growing of oranges and lemons. Thus the name, ''Lemon Cove,"' came in a per- fectly natural manner. Under great disadvantages Mr. Pogue dug the Lemon Cove ditch, which is now owned by a company, but at the time it was constructed no one would invest in the enterprise, as the plan was not considered feasible. Every one knows the result, as this whole country is now irrigated with ditches. As a result of the marriage of Mr. Pogue and Nancy Blair the following children were born : Martha L., who became the wife of W. H. Moffett of Visalia ; Nancy E., now Mrs. Crook- shank of Dinuba ; J. Earl, postmaster and head of Pogue Bros., Lemon Cove; Thomas A., of Pogue Bros. ; Sarah Eva, who is a professional nurse, having graduated from the Hollenbrock Sanitarium, now lives in San Francisco; Olive, now Mrs. F. M. Mixter of San Francisco, and Nora Alice, the wife of Dr. D. V. Montgomery of Lemon Cove. The mother of this large fam- ily is now deceased, dying in 1891. In politics Mr. Pogue is a Democrat, and at different times has been very active in county affairs, having served two terms as supervisor. He was also school trustee for eight years, and during this time did much to assist in building up the schools of his district. Fraternally he is a Royal Arch Mason and also belongs to the Visalia Commandery K. T. In religious mat- ters he is a Presbyterian. In all these various organizations he has taken an active interest, helping in every way possible to further their welfare. By industry and economy he has at- tained a position which he is well qualified to fill. Throughout the county he is well known, and in all sections has hosts of friends. By developing and experimenting with the citrus fruit industry he has done more than the ordinary man for this county. It is now one of the greatest sources of income for thousands, and places Tulare county well up as one of the leading coun- ties of the state.