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


WILLIAM HENRY TINNIN. Although a native of the same locality as that in which he 
now makes his home, Mr. Tinnin has traveled much throughout the west and by observation 
of the soil, climate and peoples of different regions, has not only become conversant with all 
of the Pacific coast country, but has deepened his original conviction that the San Joaquin valley 
has a soil and a future surpassed by none. The farm where he was born in 1871 is situated in 
Merced county, five miles from his present home, but at seven years of age he accompanied his 
father. A. C. Tinnin, and other members of the family to the farm two miles south of Newman, 
which since then has always been considered his home, although business interests have taken 
him into other parts of the country and abroad. The district schools afforded him fair advantages 
for acquiring an education. Possessing an excellent memory and splendid mental endowments 
he has acquired a breadth of information that renders his suggestions and opinions valuable. 
At the time of his father's death he was sixteen years of age, and although so young he never- 
theless afterward managed the home ranch with a wisdom of judgment not always surpassed by 
men of middle age. 

After having remained in charge of the home place for a long term, in 1899 Mr. Tinnin went 
to Honolulu with a large number of mules for B. T. McCullough, and while on the Sandwich 
Islands he received two cargoes of mules, which he sold at fair prices. On his return to Cali- 
fornia in 1900, he became a California buyer for the Western Meat Company of San Francisco, 
having, in addition to his territory in this state, the supervision of the buying in Oregon and 
Nevada. After two years he resigned and returned to the old homestead, which he has since 
rented from his mother. The farm is one of the finest in all of this region. It consists of one 
hundred and sixty acres, all under irrigation, well adapted to alfalfa, which he makes his prin- 
cipal crop. In his pasture are fifty horses and one hundred and fifty head of cattle, ninety of 
these being milk cows, of high-grade Durham, Holstein and Jersey breeds. The dairy business 
is one of his principal interests and has been conducted with profit. When the first creamery 
was built in the valley, under the supervision of the New Era Creamery Company, he became 
one of the company's first stockholders and at this writing is a member of the board of direc- 
tors. In addition to other interests he has engaged in dealing in and shipping hogs to the 
Western Meat Company. Fraternally he is connected with the Ancient Order of United Work- 
men and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. By his marriage in Petaluma to Miss 
Josephine Johnson, who was born in San Francisco, he has two children, Roswell A. and Susie 
L. While he is scarcely yet in life's prime he has attained a success that is as commendable as 
it is gratifying. In movements looking toward the development of local resources he has proved 
to be enterprising and liberal, enthusiastically co-operating with public-spirited projects and 
progressive plans originated for the benefit of the community.