Fresno County Biographies

P. R. Fanning

Submitted by Sally Kaleta, May, 2007

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	P. R. Fanning, a rancher in West Park colony, Fresno County, 
was born in Illinois, in 1840. His father was a farmer, who, in 1844, moved to 
Titus County, Texas, purchased 320 acres of land and carried on farming there 
until 1853, growing cotton and grain. In that year, accompanied by his family, 
he journeyed westward across the plains to California, via the southern route 
through Arizona. He passed one year in Los Angeles, then three years at Santa 
Barbara, engaged in farming and stock-raising, after which he went to Mendocino 
County, there continuing the same pursuits. The subject of our sketch lived with 
his parents until 1866, when he was married, in Suisun City, Solano County, to 
Miss Lodema Church, daughter of M. J. Church, the father of irrigation in the 
San Joaquin valley. After his marriage Mr. Fanning settled in Lake County, and 
engaged in farming and stock-raising, dealing largely in sheep and hogs. In 1869 
he came to Fresno County, soon afterward, however, going to Kern County, where 
he owned and ran a sawmill one year. He then returned to Ukiah, Mendocino 
County, and started a grocery store, which he conducted with profit for three 
years. In March, 1873, he returned to Fresno County and engaged in the sheep 
business. In 1874 he established a store in Fresno, later associating himself 
with M. J. Donahoo in the hardware business, under the firm name of Donahoo & 
Fanning. He subsequently disposed of his interest in the hardware store, and 
engaged in the general merchandise business, which he followed until 1886, when 
he retired to his ranch. In 1885 he purchased 200 acres of wild land, which, 
with the aid of his sons, he has brought to a high state of productiveness. He 
began the stock business, but thinking land too valuable for that purpose, he 
turned his attention to vineyard and fruit interests, and now has seventy-five 
acres in vines and ten acres in trees. In connection with his sons, Mr. Fanning 
also rents about 2,000 acres which they sow in grain, using the heavy machinery 
and combined harvester. From 1888 to 1891 Mr. Fanning served as Deputy Assessor, 
under W. J. Hutchinson. He and his wife have two children, Frank P. and Fred R., 
both married and living in their comfortable homes, contiguous to the home 
ranch. 

Source: "The Memorial and Biographical History of the County of Fresno, Tulare 
and Kern, California," Lewis Publ. Co., 1892, pp. 455-456.