Tulare County, California History Transcribed by Kathy Sedler This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor, OR the legal representative of the submitter. All persons donating to this site retain the rights to their own work. History of Tulare and Kings Counties, California - History by Eugene L. Menefee and Fred A. Dodge - Historic Record Company - Los Angeles, California, 1913 CHAPTER XVII. CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, POPULATION The early settlers in Tulare county ever made the establishment of schools and the organization of churches keep even pace with the forming of settlements. If a full history of the churches in Visalia could be written it would show a long line of suffering heroes; little comedy but much tragedy. There is a pathos about the lives of the pioneer preachers that is wanting in later times. The pastor of the city church, who devotes his week days to study in his library, with recreation in the garden, and social intercourse with his parishioners, can little appreciate the exalted self denial and often severe suffering that generally accompanied the circuit riders. Surely a person, to meet the exigencies of a pioneer preacher, with conditions as they were in Tulare county in the '50s or even '60s, must be ablaze with a Pauline passion for souls. It is with a feeling akin to reverence that one calls up the visions of pioneer days, and the keenest interest is aroused by the pioneer and his weal. This is especially true when considered along with the struggles and victories of the early churches. The days of the circuit rider, picturesque in his missionary zeal, have passed away, but they have left an afterglow that fills the heart with thankfulness and devotion. THE SOUTH METHODIST The first church in the county was the Methodist Episcopal South. In 1852, when Visalia consisted of undignified shacks and magnificent distances, before it was even selected as a county seat, a congregation of this faith was organized here. Rev. O. P. Fisher, the presiding elder of the Pacific Congress, and the Rev. M. Christianson took charge of the congregation and held services as opportunity presented itself. The first house of worship, however, was not constructed until 1857. James Persian, a leading member and himself one of the largest donors, undertook the task and a small brick church was erected on Church street, near Acequia, about where the telephone exchange is now situated. At that time the Rev. E. B. Lockley was pastor in charge and the membership was fifteen souls. The present church building, on the corner of Court and School streets, was erected in 1872, and enlarged and improved in 1905-'06, and a new parsonage built in 1911. There have been twenty-four pastors in charge of the flock here since the organization. The present membership is about one hundred and fifty. Rev. W. J. Fenton took charge in 1911, and under his care all branches of the work are progressing. THE BAPTIST CHURCH The Baptist church has had a varied experience in Visalia. There was a small congregation in the '50s that held services in the oak-grove west of the schoolhouse, and later, jointly with the South Methodists, occupied the first church building erected in Visalia. The Rev. James A. Webb, the "Bible Poet" as he called himself, occupied the pulpit at the times when services were held. This eccentric individual was engaged in, and it is said, finished the translation into verse of the entire Scriptures. Not until the early '70s was a building erected. This, located on Main street between Court and Locust, was later destroyed by fire and the congregation disbanded. In 1907 the Rev. E. M. Bliss came to Visalia as a missionary and in March of that year succeeded in organizing a congregation with twenty-one charter members. The congregation rented Good Templars Hall, and there held services until the completion of the present commodious and attractive building. This is an imposing structure of concrete blocks, on the corner of Garden street and Mineral King avenue. The north transept has two stories. The cornerstone of this building was laid April 18, 1910, and the dedicatory services held February 1, 1911. Rev. J. M. Conley preached the sermon at the laying of the cornerstone and at the dedication. The Rev. Robert J. Burdette of the Temple Baptist church at Los Angeles assisted at the dedication. The membership has increased rapidly and now numbers about ninety. SUNDAY SCHOOLS About the time of the founding of the first church in Visalia came the organization of a Sunday school. All the church people united in maintaining a Union Sunday school. In its issue of December 11, 1863, the Delta said this school was in a flourishing condition with about one hundred children in attendance. There were at the time only eighty children in the day schools. A little later a school was maintained by each denomination separately. THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH On December 9, 1866, a band of fourteen men and women organized a Presbyterian church in Visalia. This was of the Old School order. Rev. William Edwards was in charge, and the congregation met in the small building on the corner of Church and Willow streets. Later this building was destroyed by fire and, the membership being small, the congregation disbanded. The Cumberland Presbyterian people had become so strong that, under the pastorate of the Rev. Mr. Smith, they organized a church in 1878, with a following of about sixty. They purchased the property of the Baptists, consisting of the lot on the corner of Main and Locust streets and the building thereon. An opportunity presented and the property was sold and two lots on the corner of Oak and Locust streets purchased. The building was moved and is still used. This property was purchased by the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, incorporated. But the decision of the churches at Decatur, Ill., in May, 1906, announcing the union of the two branches of the Presbyterians, has caused trouble in the congregation. Some hold that the title should be in the Presbyterian Church and others that it still remains in the Cumberland. The former have possession, and a few of the Cumberland brethren are meeting in a rented hall. The others have arranged to erect a fine new building of concrete blocks, and the congregation, under the leadership of Rev. C. H. Reyburn, is growing. THE LUTHERANS The Lutheran Church organized a congregation in Visalia in 1907, under the care of William Grunow, pastor. A commodious church building was erected on South Court street. About a year later a parochial school was opened with about forty pupils. THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH The Episcopal church is one of recent date in Visalia. Previous to 1880 occasional services were held as circumstances permitted. Revs. W. H. Hill, Powell, and D. O. Kelley, were the principal missionaries that conducted these infrequent services. In May, 1880, the Mission St. John was organized for the entire county, and comprised the towns of Visalia, Tulare City, Hanford and Lemoore. The Mission was under the charge of Rev. D. O. Kelley, with headquarters in Hanford. On February 9, 1887, the Mission of St. Paul was organized in Visalia. During the same year, under the care of Rev. C. S. Lindsley, a building was erected on a lot donated by Mr. Jacobs, on North Church street. In 1898 the Rev. C. M. Westlake, the pastor in charge, secured the advantageous corner of Encina avenue and Center streets. The old building was moved to the new location. In 1904, under the care of Rev. H. C. Carroll, the rectory was built and in 1909 and 1910 the church was enlarged and improved and the parish house built. The St. Paul's Mission, Visalia, and the St. John's Mission, Tulare, have been associated as one charge. To these was recently added St. John's Mission, Porterville. The church has a membership of about ninety. Nine priests have served the local church. THE CATHOLIC CHURCH The Catholic church existed for several years in Visalia before a building was erected. Rev. Father D. F. Dade was the priest who for many years cared for the flock. As early as 1860 he is reported to have celebrated mass in the old courthouse. In the late summer of 1861 he obtained the use of an old barn and opened a parochial school. In memory of the birthplace of the Savior, he named his school the Academy of the Nativity. On October 18, 1868, at the corner of Church and Race streets, he laid the cornerstone of the brick church now standing there, and dedicated it, Church of the Nativity. March 28, 1909, the Rt. Rev. Thomas J. Conaty, of the diocese of Los Angeles, laid the foundation of the present imposing church building on the lot south of the old building. The erection of this fine structure of concrete blocks was due largely to the devotion of the Rev. Father Foin. The church in Visalia has been ministered to by eleven priests. METHODIST EPISCOPAL The Methodist Episcopal church was among the first Protestant bodies to establish themselves on the Pacific slope. August 15, 1851, eleven preachers met in San Francisco and held the first Methodist Conference on this coast. Their field of labor was from Canada to Mexico. But it was not until 1858 that an organization was made in Visalia. The class was organized by John McKelvey, in charge of this circuit. W. N. Steuben and wife and Mrs. Lucinda Kenney were the first members. The congregation had no settled place of worship until 1867, when, under the pastorate of T. P. Williams, there was a building erected on the corner of Court and Willow streets. A Sunday school was organized in 1869 by D. K. Zumwalt. In 1902 C. A. Bunker was pastor and work was commenced on a new church building. The building was not finished until the pastorate of Mr. Livingston, Mr. Bunker's successor. In November, 1908, the church, with A. L. Baker as pastor, celebrated its fiftieth anniversary, called the Golden Jubilee, in a week of special and appropriate services, at which many of the previous pastors were present and assisted. CHRISTIAN CHURCH The Disciples of Christ were represented at an early date in Visalia. Some previous efforts had been made by them to form an organization, but nothing was accomplished until in August, 1857, when fourteen men of this faith under the leadership of William Higgens, met and organized the First Christian Church in Visalia. They met under a shelter of willow boughs in the lot between Court and Locust and Center and Oak streets, west of the present residence of Mrs. S. C. Brown. For lack of chairs, trunks of trees were used for seats. Of the fourteen charter members, C. P. Majors of near Visalia, is the only one on this side of the Great Divide. At the organization, William Higgins was chosen minister and elder, and John K. Morris, elder, and W. R. Owen and C. P. Majors deacons. The congregation made the shelter of willows the place of meeting till late in the fall of that year, and then used the schoolhouse. For lack of a church bell, Elder Higgins improvised a cow's horn and by the sonorous blasts from this unique instrument, called the humble worshipers together. The congregation later met in various places, among which were the courthouse, Centennial hall, Good Templars' hall, the South Methodist church, the Presbyterian church, and the City Hall. An unfortunate controversy arose among the members over the use of the organ in the services, and for some time the ill feeling engendered by this controversy greatly retarded the growth of the congregation. After several years of rather acrimonious feelings by the efforts of E. B. Ware, then state evangelist, the members "forgot it," got together, bought the lot on the northwest corner of Court and School streets and in 1890, dedicated the present fine building. Among the early ministers were : T. N. Kincaid, Alex. Johnson, A. W. DeWitt, H. Tandy, J. E. Denton. Since the building was erected some of the ablest ministers in the state have been stationed here. Among these ministers were W. H. Martin, now of Southern California, Peter Colvin, of Santa Rosa, T. A. Boyer of Oakland, and J. A. Brown, in the evangelistic field. Frederic Grimes took charge of the church in 1911, and has been a strong man in the Bible school and all departments of church work. The Bible school, numbering nearly three hundred, is an enthusiastic one. THE TRAINING OF THE YOUNG In tracing the history of Tulare county, it is found that the people have ever been prompt in the matter of providing educational facilities for the children. The school and the church have attended the early pioneers. We of today provide our children with the best modern educational facilities by the simple expedient of readily voting "yes" on all propositions for school bonds. There was a time in Tulare county when, other problems of life far less involved than now, the solution of this question was one of great difficulty. Within the hearts of the early pioneers, however, the determination was strong to give to their offspring a greater measure of learning than they themselves had enjoyed, and it came about that in 1853 a school was established in Visalia. Remember that this was at the very time in which each settler, surging with ambition, was busy inaugurating his individual enterprise. One was building a sawmill, another a store, another a gristmill, others were sending afar to procure the seed for farming; some were guarding their stock, the first furrows were being turned. Remember, too, that in a county extending from Mariposa on the north to Los Angeles on the south and from Nevada on the east to the summit of the coast range in the west, there were but eighteen children, between the ages of five and seventeen. You can readily imagine how much these children were needed to help at home. But they started a school. There was no building yet, just a school, and thirteen pupils attended. In 1854 the first school district, embracing the entire county, was organized, and the first schoolhouse, made of rough boards set on end, was erected near the site of the present Tipton Lindsey grammar school in Visalia. The population of Tulare county increased by leaps in the next succeeding years, but it was largely transient, composed of the horde of miners flocking to the new gold fields of the Kern. The school census of 1860 exhibited a healthy, but of course, not a corresponding growth. By that year there had come to be five schools in the county, which cared for four hundred and sixty-five children, distributed as follows : Visalia, two hundred and eighty; Elbow, one hundred and twenty-four ; Woodville, one hundred and fifty-two ; Persian, eighty-five. The public school system was developing normally, keeping pace with the needs of the people, but it was deemed insufficient. The following notice about a proposed seminary for Visalia appeared in the Delta of December 31, 1859, and shows that people then were thinking of higher education: "Seminary. A subscription is in circulation for the purpose of building a seminary near town on a lot donated for the purpose by J. R. Keener. The subscription list we saw was liberally signed. Attached to about half a dozen names was the sum of $3,700. The proposition is to make it a joint stock company. Rev. B. W. Taylor, and a lady are to take charge of the institution." In 1859 Rev. B. W. Taylor, of Los Angeles, arrived and broached a project for opening a private school, in which the higher branches of learning should be taught. His plan met with immediate favor and a joint stock company was formed to finance it. Henry Keener donated a lot, and subscriptions in an amount sufficient to erect and equip a large two-story building were soon secured. The building was erected in the southwestern part of town at the corner of Watson avenue and the Tulare road and the institution named The Visalia Select Seminary. For a time the Reverend Taylor and his wife were the only instructors, but later M. S. Merrill, of Los Angeles, was added to take charge of the newly created primary department. In 1861 Rev. Father Dade opened a private school called The Academy of the Nativity. The title was suggested by the fact that the building which it occupied, located about where Visalia's Catholic church now stands, was originally designed as a stable. Father Dade's scholarly attainments were such as to well qualify him for his position. Modern languages and Latin were among the branches taught, and the elements of a classical education, so highly esteemed in those days, was imparted. This school, though taught by a priest, was strictly non-sectarian, and its patrons, sending their children there solely on account of the educational facilities afforded, became numerous. The boys and girls were instructed separately, the reverend father tutoring the former and Miss Hattie Deming the latter. The establishment of these two schools at so early a day amidst a population so sparse, clearly indicates the progressive spirit of the early pioneers and exhibits anew the cropping forth of the cherished longing to place their children on a higher intellectual plane than it had been the lot of the fathers and mothers to ascend. And Visalia became the educational center of the valley. From as far south as Tejon and as far north as the Merced river, students came, for everywhere the idea was strong to secure for their children the best. The seminary and the academy flourished for a number of years �in fact, until their usefulness was over, which came to pass from the betterment of the public schools and the establishment near the big centers of population of colleges, universities and normal schools of high order. Tulare's schools are now among the best in the state. There were at the close of 1911 one hundred and fourteen primary and grammar schools in the county, employing two hundred and twenty-six teachers. There are also seven high schools in the county and three joint high schools, employing sixty-one teachers. There were in 1910-1911, 6,845 pupils in the grammar and primary grades and 892 in high schools. There were 523 graduates from the grammar grades and ninety-six from the high schools. POPULATION For a number of years the population of Tulare county did not increase very rapidly. When the county was organized, in 1852, the total white population was estimated at one hundred. the census of 1860 it was given as three thousand; in 1870, 4,533; 1880, 11,281; 1890, 24,574; Kings county was cut off in 1893, and still, the census for 1910 gave old Tulare 35,543: the present population has been closely estimated at 47,500. The census figures for 1910 of some of the different cities and villages are given below. To arrive at their present population add from thirty to forty per cent: Angiola 44, Auckland 22, Badger 13, Dinuba 970, Exeter 660, Frazier 29, Hot Springs 22, Kaweah 28, Lindsay 1814, Orosi 590, Pixley 64, Porterville 2696, Tulare 2758, Visalia 4550, White River 94, Woodville, 76, Farmersville 550. One thing was very noteworthy by the last census, and that was the rapid increase of population of rural districts as compared with the incorporated towns. All showed a marked rate of increase, but the country's rate was much larger. It would seem that the cry "back to the farm" is being heard. The whole county showed a rate of ninety-three per cent, increase in ten years. PROPERTY VALUES The best index to the prosperity of a people is the assessment roll. As that ebbs or flows, so will the prosperity of the citizens. The first assessment roll of Tulare county, in 1853, consisted of a single sheet of foolscap paper and there was not a single piece of real estate assessed. The property in the county consisted entirely of horses and cattle. That year, when the Bounty treasurer went to Benicia to settle with the state, the state comptroller and the state treasurer had no knowledge that there was such a county as Tulare in existence. However, the state officials accepted the small sum (about $75) that Tulare county tendered toward the support of the state government. The assessment roll of 1855 is a curious document. It contains three hundred and forty-two names, this including those to whom a poll tax only was assessed. It totals $437,225. Three parcels only of real estate were included. These were Jones & Robedee, 320 acres�$640; San Amelia ranch, eleven leagues, $50,000; Ignacio Del Vallo, acreage not given, $100,000. S. C. Brown was rated at $550; John Cutler at $960, and Richard Chatten at $410. In the roll of 1858, Andrew G. Harrell's name appears; he possessed forty head of Spanish cattle and one horse, of a valuation of $1,040. The wealthiest residents of 1855, according to the assessment. outside of Mr. Del Vallo and the San Amelia ranch owners were: Elisha Packwood, $23,735; Pemberton Bros., $14,075; S. A. Bishop, $21,875; Reuben Matthews & Co., $10,070; Patterson & Hazelton were given as worth $1,210. The assessment roll of 1860 showed the following: Acres of improved land, 20,313; number of horses and mules, 4,245; number of cattle, 42,373 ; number of sheep, 16,521; number of swine, 32,546; bushels of wheat, 40,268; bushels of corn, 6,355; bushels of Irish potatoes, 4,067; bushels of sweet potatoes, 1,656; pounds of wool, 16,900; pounds butter, 30,380; pounds cheese, 14,970; gallons of wine, 1000; tons hay, 980; schools, five. Real estate valued at $372,835; machinery. $32,763; livestock, $1,212,381. Total debt of the county, $33.262.46. In 1880 the values had increased somewhat and the total assessment roll showed property values to be $6,411,378. In the next ten years property had taken a double somersault. The assessment roll showed for 1890, $21,740,817. In 1893, Kings county, with the rich towns of Hanford and Lemoore, was cut off from Tulare, yet the assessment roll for 1910 showed the people of Tulare still possessed $37,475,140 worth of property listed by the assessor. Surely the people are to be felicitated. Each year sees an advance in the rate of increase.