Tulare County Biographies

Addison J. Bump

Submitted by Sally Kaleta, October 2006

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	Addison J. Bump is a widely and favorably known early settler of 
California, having come to the State in the year of its birth. A sketch of his 
life will be found of interest to many, and is as follows: 
	Mr. Bump was born in Madison County, New York, July 6, 1825, son of 
Elihu Bump, also a native of the Empire State. Grandfather Gideon Bump was born 
in Vermont, was a farmer, and, it is believed,  a Universalist. Addison J. was 
reared and educated in New York. In 1850 he crossed the plains to California, 
making the journey with ox teams, and after his arrival here engaged in mining, 
at first near Placerville and subsequently on the Cosumnes river in Sacramento 
County. He had moderate success, found as high as $50 in a day, made a deal of 
money and also lost it. Coming easy, it went the same way. After mining for some 
time, he turned his attention to the cattle business, buying in Los Angeles 
County and driving to Sacramento County, and this was fairly successful.
	After having remained in California five years, Mr. Bump returned 
to New York and was married to Miss Adelia C. Bunnell, a native of the town of 
Lima, Livingston County, New York, and a former school-mate of his. She is a 
descendant of Connecticut ancestry. To them seven children have been born, all 
grew to maturity and are still living. Their names are as follows: Ella, wife of 
Ross W. Miller, resides in Tulare County; Elizabeth, wife of Richard Dally, 
Solano County; Charles  A. is a clerk in the United States Land Office at 
Visalia; Frank N., Hattie and Lottie (twins), and Clara are members of the home 
circle.
	Two years after his marriage, Mr. Bump came with his wife to this 
State and settled at Cook's Bar, on the Cosumnes river, Sacramento County, where 
they kept hotel two years. From there they removed to Freeport on the Sacramento 
river, where he built a store and was engaged in the general merchandise 
business for six years. Disposing of his interests at that place, he went to 
Forestville, Sonoma County, and built the first store in the town and also a 
nice home; opened a branch store on the Sacramento river and continued the 
business there about four years. He again sold out, and for the next three or 
four years we find him engaged in business at Walnut Grove on the Sacramento 
River, after which he disposed of his mercantile interests and retired from 
business. On Mokelumne river he then purchased 160 acres of land, built and made 
improvements on the property, and not long afterward sold it.  A few years 
later, in connection with F. B. Huston, he engaged in a general merchandise 
store and hotel-keeping at Courtland, and was in business there until his health 
became impaired. He had, in the meantime, become the owner of 320 acres of land 
in Tulare valley; and to this, in October, 1886, he came and built his present 
home, and began wheat farming. He has since purchased 160 acres of land at 
Orosi, forty acres of which he has planted to Muscat grapes and five acres to 
budded Washington navel oranges, both vines and trees being in a flourishing 
condition. This land is situated about six miles east of Dinuba, in a vicinity 
where the soil is unsurpassed by any in California; and Mr. Bump has the 
distinction of being the pioneer orange-grower in this section of the county. 
	In politics he is a Republican. Personally he is vivacious, 
courteous and obliging, and his many estimable qualities have surrounded him 
with a large circle of friends.
 
Source: "The Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of Fresno, Tulare 
and Kern, California," Lewis Publ. Co., p.