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 THOMAS STILWELL, an esteemed resident of Exeter, was born in Illinois, March 26, 1866, a son of Hiram Stilwell. The latter was a native of Indiana and a farmer by occupation. When but a mere boy he left his native state with his parents, and removed to Illinois. In i860 he went to Denver, Colo., during the gold excitement, but returned to Illinois the same year, where he remained until the fall of 1868. He then moved to Missouri, where he remained until 1880, when he went to Kansas. In 1882 he crossed the plains to Oregon and then came to California in 1885, and settled near Farmersville, and later at Camp Badger, where he was en- gaged in stock-raising until his death, which occurred May 10, 1896. His wife, formerly Ann Howard, a native of Indiana, survives him, now making her home near Exeter. They were the parents of five children, four sons and one daughter, all of whom attained maturity, Thomas Stilwell being the second in order of birth. He was reared in Illinois, Bates county, Mo., and Neosho county, Kans. In 1882 he came to California and began farming and stock-raising, which double occupation he has since followed. He now has a residence on the Portersville road upon his ranch" of four hundred acres, all devoted to the raising of graded cattle, Short- horns, etc., while he rents four hundred and eighty acres which is planted to grain. He mar- ried Emma Pickett, and they have one daughter, Agnes Lowell. Mrs. Stilwell is a member of the Roman Catholic Church, of Visalia. Fraternally Mr. Stilwell is identified with the Wood- men of the World. Mrs. Stilwell is a daughter of Dr. Daniel LaF. Pickett, who was born in North Carolina, Jan- uary 28, 1828, of Quaker parents. He attended a medical college in North Carolina, from which he graduated with the degree of M.D., after which he practiced in his native state for some time. He then went to Missouri and spent the winter of 1849-50 and thence, in 1850, crossed the plains by means of ox teams. He made his home in various places on the coast, spending some time in Oregon and Nevada. Eventually he came to California and bought a farm near Farmersville, Tulare county, where he practiced medicine in connection with his horticultural in- terests for many years. About thirty years ago he gave up the practice of his profession. In 1884 he homesteaded a ranch on the Portersville road, where he made his home until his death, January 2, 1905. Fraternally he was a prominent Mason, and politically cast his ballot with the Republican party. He served at different times as clerk of the school board, filling that office at the time of his death, and had also acted as justice of the peace. His wife, formerly Cath- erine Josephine O'Brien, was a native of Ireland, and died in San Diego. They had no. children, but reared as their own, Emma Pickett, now the wife of Thomas Stilwell, who gave to them the care and affection of a daughter.