Tulare County
Biographies
O. C. BLAYNEY
O. C. Blayney is a native of Washington
County, Pennsylvania, born in 1843. He was but a lad when his father moved to
Kansas and established his home on a farm in that State. There Mr. Blayney was
reared and educated and afterward engaged in agricultural pursuits. In 1863 he
was drafted and subsequently volunteered as a soldier in the civil war,
remaining in the service until peace was declared. He then resumed his former
occupation of farming and stock-raising.
In 1874 Mr. Blayney came to California, settling in Visalia, where he was
engaged in sawmilling for a time and afterward gave his attention to surveying.
After making a brief sojourn in San Luis Obispo County, he moved to Napa valley
and lived there six years, a part of this time acting as foreman on the large
estate of Senator Ewer. In 1881 he moved to Fresno County and settled on a ranch
of 160 acres, three miles east of Fowler, where he still resides. He owns a fine
vineyard of fifty acres, and is also extensively engaged in farming on rented
land. Few citizens of the community are more highly esteemed that he. He is
conservative in his views, quiet and retiring in his disposition, and possesses
many admirable traits of character, which account for his success and
popularity.
Mr. Blayney was happily married in the year 1866 to Miss Alice Stone. Of the ten
children born to them seven are now living.
SOURCE: Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of Fresno, Tulare and
Kern, California
Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1892, Page 583 Transcribed by Beverly
Green
G. A. BOTSFORD
G. A. Botsford, a resident of Visalia, was
born in Akron, Ohio, in 1838, the son of T. E. Botsford. He was reared in
Columbus, Ohio, and educated in the public schools of that city. He subsequently
took a commercial course in Cincinnati, and soon after his graduation went to
Marion County, Iowa, where he engaged in the mercantile business with his
brother for about two years. In 1858 he started across the plains to California,
spending one winter in Salt Lake City. In 1860 Mr. Botsford arrived in Los
Angeles, and for a time was engaged at bookkeeper for O. W. Childs. He then came
to Visalia, where he has since resided. He has been engaged in mining
considerably, and has made several trips East. In 1868 he laid out the town of
Ivanpaugh, Arizona, and built several roads in that Territory. For several years
past Mr. Botsford has been engaged in the real-estate and insurance business,
and has lands for sale in Fresno, Tulare, and Kern counties. At present he owns
ranch of some 12,000 acres near Hanford, devoted to wheat, and also owns other
lands in different places.
During Lincoln's administration Mr. Botsford served as Internal Revenue
Assessor, and was Register in the United States Land Office during Grant's first
and second terms. He has served as deputy assessor of Tulare County, and has
taken an active part in everything that has been undertaken for the improvement
of Visalia and the county. He was one of the first promoters of the Visalia &
Tulare railroad four years ago, and one of its heaviest stockholders. His
residence is on Court and South streets, and his office is 90 and 91 Court
Street.
In 1872 Mr. Botsford married Miss Harriet G. Edwards, a native of New York.
Socially he is prominently connected with the A. O. U. W. of Visalia, Lodge No.
52. He is one of the men who experienced some of the hardships of early days in
California, and to the energy and public spirit of such as he the prosperity of
the community is largely owing.
SOURCE: Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of Fresno, Tulare and
Kern, California
Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1892, Page 516, 617 Transcribed by
Beverly Green