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 IRVING W. RIDER. Numbered among the successful farmers of Fresno county is Irving W. Rider, whose principal interests have been given to the dairy business since his location on his present property of one hundred acres. A native of Herkimer county, N. Y., he was born September 11, 1868, a son of Mathew Rider, a farmer by occupation. His grandfather Curtis Rider, who still resides on the old home place in New York state, was the descendant of sturdy Holland stock and gave to the American branch the many good qualities which distinguish that nationality. Mathew Rider married Frances Norton, also a native of Herkimer county, and the daughter of Samuel Norton, a farmer by occupation and a descendant of English ancestry. Mr. Rider died in his native state, but is survived by his widow, who still resides on the old home place. Of the two sons and one daughter horn to his parents Irving W. Rider was the oldest. He was reared on his father's farm, receiving a practical training along agricultural lines, while he attended the public school and Winfield Academy. In the fall of 1888 he came to California, locating first in San Francisco, shortly afterward, however, going to Oregon, where he en- gaged in farming in Klamath county for one year. Returning to San Francisco he became interested in the milk business, entering the employ of Uhls' X L Dairy & Bottled Milk Company, remaining thus occupied for four years. After one year in which he engaged in the livery business he became associated with E. Stewart in what was known as the Santa Clara Milk Company, a wholesale and retail milk business which was carried on in San Francisco for some time, having three different depots in the city and running fourteen wagons. The com- pany was incorporated with Mir. Stewart as president and Mr. Rider as vice-president. In 1899 Mr. Rider sold out his interest and removed to Stockton, where he established a parcel delivery, eventually disposing of this and spending some time in Santa Cruz and San Francisco, before locating on his present ranch. This ranch of one hundred acres he purchased in 1903, its location on Valeria avenue making it especially desirable. The entire ranch is under alfalfa, while he is engaged in the dairy business. With practically nothing as a beginning in the way of improvements his property now ranks with the best in this section of the county, every acre being under irrigation. He is an enterprising and energetic farmer, with practical and pro- gressive ideas, and well performs his part in keeping in the San Joaquin valley its prestige as an agricultural center. In Vacaville, Solano county, Cal., Mr. Rider married Lulu May Brown, a native of that place, and born of this union is one child, Russell Elwood. Mrs. Rider is the daughter of George S. Brown, a pioneer of 1857. He was born in Berkshire county, Mass., near Pittsfield, a son of Sherman and grandson of Daniel Brown, both of whom were natives of the same place. The great-grandfather was a native of Connecticut, in which state his parents had settled upon their emigration from England. He served as soldier in the Revolutionary war. Sherman Brown, who was a master mechanic and farmer, in 1850 removed from his home in Massachusetts to Fulton county, N. Y., where he followed these lines until 1852. In that year he came to California by way of the Isthmus of Panama and locating in Marin county engaged as a builder. Later he removed to Solano county and engaged in farming and stock raising. Some time before his death, which occurred when he was nearly eighty years old, he made his home with his' son, George S. Brown. He married Lucina Lester Warren, a native of Massachusetts, whose father was a farmer of that state, and whose descendants were active in the political life of the east, his grandson, Francis B. Warren, being a state senator. Mrs. Brown died in Solano county, leaving a family of six children. George S. Brown was born February 13, 1843, the oldest in his father's family, and was reared to young manhood in the eastern states, removing to Fulton county, N. Y., in childhood, where he attended the public schools. In 1857 he came to California via the Isthmus of Panama, and located in Marin county, where he engaged in the dairy business with his father. He there attended the Petaluma high school, remaining at home until attaining his majority, when he bought a farm near Vacaville, Solano county, and engaged in agricultural pursuits. He pur- chased adjoining land until he had three hundred and twenty acres, but afterward entered the mercantile business in Sacramento. Upon withdrawing from the latter occupation he returned to Solano county and engaged in the fruit business, setting out sixty acres to orchard. He eventually sold this and removed to Santa Cruz, where he engaged in the dairy business and farming until 1900, locating then in Los Banos and following the same occupation. Three years later he purchased his present ranch of one hundred acres, which is devoted entirely to alfalfa. In Sacramento he married Lucinda Peck, a native of Oregon, and born of this union were four daughters and one son, namely: Minnie, Lulu May, Alice, Erma and George. With his family he is a member of the Presbyterian Church. In political affiliations both himself and Mr. Rider are stanch Republicans. During the war Mr. Brown showed his patriotism by serv- ing as a member of a military company in Solano county.