Tulare County Biographies

HARRY QUINN

Submitted by Sally Kaleta, October 2006

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HARRY QUINN: Among the men who are connected with the sleep interests of 
Tulare County, none have attained greater success or prominence than he whose 
name graces this biographical sketch.
	Mr. Quinn was born in Ireland, December 25, 1843, son of Thomas 
and Margaret (Donaldson) Quinn, the latter of Scotch descent. His father was a 
farmer in Ireland. Harry lived at home until sixteen years of age, securing a 
common-school education and assisting in the farm work. At that early age he 
started out in life for himself and emigrated to Australia. On his arrival there 
he first went to the mines of the Melbourne colony and subsequently to the 
mining districts of Adelaide colony. There was, however, little in mining for 
him, and he gave it up and turned his attention to the sheep industry. Securing 
a position on a large sheep ranch as a common laborer, he began zealously to 
learn the various details of the business, being thus engaged for eight years. 
He came to California in 1868, traveled through the northern part of the State 
and Nevada, and afterward came to the Tule River, in Tulare County. Being much 
pleased with the country, he decided to locate here. He hired out as manager of 
sheep ranches until 1872, when he purchased of A. Leitch, of Stockton, a 
one-half interest in his band of 7,000 sheep, grazing at that time being free 
throughout the valley. In 1879 Mr. Quinn bought 160 acres, where his residence 
is now located, and the firm of Leitch & Quinn own over 10,000 acres as a range 
for their sheep. This land lies on the border in Kern and Tulare counties, and 
in the mountains. Their flock averages 12,000 sheep and is divided into five 
bands, with no sheep older than five years. One band of 2,000 sheep consists 
wholly of pure blood French merinos, valuable stock for both wool and mutton. 
With the increase from these sheep they will eventually stock their ranch. Mr. 
Quinn is a wise and careful manager, and, to avoid the possibility of a famine 
from dry years and short feed, sows annually 400 acres of grain for hay, and has 
300 acres in alfalfa, all of which is carefully stacked and stored, constantly 
keeping on hand a sufficient quantity of hay to carry his sheep through a 
possible dry year.
	In 1886 Mr. Quinn took an extended tour through the East, 
passing through twenty-two States. On this trip he was married, in Robeson 
County, North Carolina, December 15, 1886, to Miss Katie Robertson, a niece of 
Mr. A. Leitch and a daughter of John Robertson, a native of the Isle of Skye, 
Scotland, and Mary (Leitch) Robertson. Their union has been blessed with two 
children, Margaret and John Robertson.
	Mr. Quinn is a member of the I. O. O. F., and the A. O. U. W., 
and also of the blue lodge, chapter and commandery, F. & A. M., Visalia. He 
built his present large and handsome residence in 1890 at a cost of $5,000, and 
with the highly improved grounds surrounding the house: his place is the most 
beautiful and attractive in his section of the valley.
 
Source: "The Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of Fresno, 
Tulare, and Kern, California," Lewis Publ. Co., pp. 289-290.