A Californian who had many interesting memories of the past, particularly of some of the efforts made to secure a right of way for the Santa Fe Railroad, was George R. Shipp, whose father once offered the company 160 acres for a town site, but years later, when they finally built they chose another route.
He was born in Holmes County, Miss., on October 29, 1865, and his father was William W. Shipp, also a native of Mississippi, where he first saw the light in 1834. He was reared in Holmes County and became a farmer; and he served throughout the Civil War. Grandfather Shipp was born in Kentucky, and later he removed to Mississippi. In that state William Shipp was married to Mary J. Strother, a daughter of Mississippi and in 1868 he brought his wife and three children to California. Leaving his family in Solano County, he made a trip down the coast and into the San Joaquin Valley, which he reached in the spring of 1868; and being impressed with Fresno County, he decided to locate here and took a preemption on Dry Creek.
He returned to Solano County for his family, and then he and Major Nelson purchased a flock of sheep and drove them to Dry Creek, where he engaged in stock-raising. He also homesteaded 160 acres and rapidly improved the land, and little by little he added more acreage; later he dissolved partnership with Major Nelson and they divided their band of sheep. The Major in 1877 (the dry year), drove his sheep to Arizona, but he lost them all. Mr. Shipp ranged his flock in the mountains and lost only 600 head out of 6,000. He prospered, bought more land, and finally had a ranch of 2,300 acres in a body. Aside from sheep-raising, he also engaged in the raising of grain. In the fall of 1887 Mr. Shipp sold the land and turned the entire stock over to his son George R. to run them on another ranch he owned on the San Joaquin River, and then he moved to Fresno where he lived retired for a time.
Later, however, he again engaged in sheep-raising on his San Joaquin River ranch, although he died at his home in Fresno in 1900. He was a prominent Mason and the father of ten children, two of whom died in Mississippi: Eliza C. has become Mrs. Ambrose of Phoenix, Ariz.; George R. is the subject of this sketch; John N. lives at Fresno; Lela M. is Mrs. Neil of the same city; and near by dwells Mary E., Mrs. Hopkins. Educated at the public schools in Mississippi district in this County and at a private school in Fresno, George assisted in caring for flocks from the time when he was eight years of age and soon became a well-posted and expert sheepman. When fifteen he took charge of the sheep on the range, and in 1887 he bought an interest in them. He also purchased an interest in the stock and took charge of them and the farm on the San Joaquin River, eighteen miles northeast of Fresno. Still later he leased land from the Bank of California, situated near Kerman, where he also ranged his sheep, in the summers taking them to the mountains.
Mr. Shipp also bought ranches near Reedley, and after that he bought in the Scandinavian Colony a vineyard ranch of thirty acres. Next he purchased 3,200 acres, the old home on the San Joaquin River, which he ran for five years and then sold. When sheep were excluded from the Forest Reserve, he started in the cattle business, and his brand, P. P., is one of the oldest in the county. In 1913 Mr. Shipp sold his ranch and located in Fresno, and later he bought his present ranch of 160 acres on Blackstone Avenue, sixty-five acres of which are in peaches. He is setting out the balance in Calimyrna and White Adriatic figs, and bids fair again to make a great success of his enterprise. At 305 Clark Street he built his residence.
At the City of the Angels in 1891, Mr. Shipp was married to Miss Abbie W. Webster, a native of Vacaville, Solano County, Cal., and a daughter of G. W. and Jane (Smith) Webster, born in North Carolina and Tennessee respectively, California pioneers of the intrepid company that crossed the great plains with ox teams in 1852 and was a farmer in Vacaville, where Mrs. Shipp was reared. Two children blessed the union: Georgia, who is Mrs. Rheiner, and Harold W., a graduate of the high school, who was a despatch rider in the United States Army serving overseas, he ranched near Fresno. Mr. Shipp was a democrat in national political affairs, and always an energetic supporter of non-partisan movements for the public weal. He belonged to Fresno Lodge, No. 439, B. P. O. Elks.
He was born in Holmes County, Miss., on October 29, 1865, and his father was William W. Shipp, also a native of Mississippi, where he first saw the light in 1834. He was reared in Holmes County and became a farmer; and he served throughout the Civil War. Grandfather Shipp was born in Kentucky, and later he removed to Mississippi. In that state William Shipp was married to Mary J. Strother, a daughter of Mississippi and in 1868 he brought his wife and three children to California. Leaving his family in Solano County, he made a trip down the coast and into the San Joaquin Valley, which he reached in the spring of 1868; and being impressed with Fresno County, he decided to locate here and took a preemption on Dry Creek.
He returned to Solano County for his family, and then he and Major Nelson purchased a flock of sheep and drove them to Dry Creek, where he engaged in stock-raising. He also homesteaded 160 acres and rapidly improved the land, and little by little he added more acreage; later he dissolved partnership with Major Nelson and they divided their band of sheep. The Major in 1877 (the dry year), drove his sheep to Arizona, but he lost them all. Mr. Shipp ranged his flock in the mountains and lost only 600 head out of 6,000. He prospered, bought more land, and finally had a ranch of 2,300 acres in a body. Aside from sheep-raising, he also engaged in the raising of grain. In the fall of 1887 Mr. Shipp sold the land and turned the entire stock over to his son George R. to run them on another ranch he owned on the San Joaquin River, and then he moved to Fresno where he lived retired for a time.
Later, however, he again engaged in sheep-raising on his San Joaquin River ranch, although he died at his home in Fresno in 1900. He was a prominent Mason and the father of ten children, two of whom died in Mississippi: Eliza C. has become Mrs. Ambrose of Phoenix, Ariz.; George R. is the subject of this sketch; John N. lives at Fresno; Lela M. is Mrs. Neil of the same city; and near by dwells Mary E., Mrs. Hopkins. Educated at the public schools in Mississippi district in this County and at a private school in Fresno, George assisted in caring for flocks from the time when he was eight years of age and soon became a well-posted and expert sheepman. When fifteen he took charge of the sheep on the range, and in 1887 he bought an interest in them. He also purchased an interest in the stock and took charge of them and the farm on the San Joaquin River, eighteen miles northeast of Fresno. Still later he leased land from the Bank of California, situated near Kerman, where he also ranged his sheep, in the summers taking them to the mountains.
Mr. Shipp also bought ranches near Reedley, and after that he bought in the Scandinavian Colony a vineyard ranch of thirty acres. Next he purchased 3,200 acres, the old home on the San Joaquin River, which he ran for five years and then sold. When sheep were excluded from the Forest Reserve, he started in the cattle business, and his brand, P. P., is one of the oldest in the county. In 1913 Mr. Shipp sold his ranch and located in Fresno, and later he bought his present ranch of 160 acres on Blackstone Avenue, sixty-five acres of which are in peaches. He is setting out the balance in Calimyrna and White Adriatic figs, and bids fair again to make a great success of his enterprise. At 305 Clark Street he built his residence.
At the City of the Angels in 1891, Mr. Shipp was married to Miss Abbie W. Webster, a native of Vacaville, Solano County, Cal., and a daughter of G. W. and Jane (Smith) Webster, born in North Carolina and Tennessee respectively, California pioneers of the intrepid company that crossed the great plains with ox teams in 1852 and was a farmer in Vacaville, where Mrs. Shipp was reared. Two children blessed the union: Georgia, who is Mrs. Rheiner, and Harold W., a graduate of the high school, who was a despatch rider in the United States Army serving overseas, he ranched near Fresno. Mr. Shipp was a democrat in national political affairs, and always an energetic supporter of non-partisan movements for the public weal. He belonged to Fresno Lodge, No. 439, B. P. O. Elks.
A Californian who had many interesting memories of the past, particularly of some of the efforts made to secure a right of way for the Santa Fe Railroad, was George R. Shipp, whose father once offered the company 160 acres for a town site, but years later, when they finally built they chose another route.
He was born in Holmes County, Miss., on October 29, 1865, and his father was William W. Shipp, also a native of Mississippi, where he first saw the light in 1834. He was reared in Holmes County and became a farmer; and he served throughout the Civil War. Grandfather Shipp was born in Kentucky, and later he removed to Mississippi. In that state William Shipp was married to Mary J. Strother, a daughter of Mississippi and in 1868 he brought his wife and three children to California. Leaving his family in Solano County, he made a trip down the coast and into the San Joaquin Valley, which he reached in the spring of 1868; and being impressed with Fresno County, he decided to locate here and took a preemption on Dry Creek.
He returned to Solano County for his family, and then he and Major Nelson purchased a flock of sheep and drove them to Dry Creek, where he engaged in stock-raising. He also homesteaded 160 acres and rapidly improved the land, and little by little he added more acreage; later he dissolved partnership with Major Nelson and they divided their band of sheep. The Major in 1877 (the dry year), drove his sheep to Arizona, but he lost them all. Mr. Shipp ranged his flock in the mountains and lost only 600 head out of 6,000. He prospered, bought more land, and finally had a ranch of 2,300 acres in a body. Aside from sheep-raising, he also engaged in the raising of grain. In the fall of 1887 Mr. Shipp sold the land and turned the entire stock over to his son George R. to run them on another ranch he owned on the San Joaquin River, and then he moved to Fresno where he lived retired for a time.
Later, however, he again engaged in sheep-raising on his San Joaquin River ranch, although he died at his home in Fresno in 1900. He was a prominent Mason and the father of ten children, two of whom died in Mississippi: Eliza C. has become Mrs. Ambrose of Phoenix, Ariz.; George R. is the subject of this sketch; John N. lives at Fresno; Lela M. is Mrs. Neil of the same city; and near by dwells Mary E., Mrs. Hopkins. Educated at the public schools in Mississippi district in this County and at a private school in Fresno, George assisted in caring for flocks from the time when he was eight years of age and soon became a well-posted and expert sheepman. When fifteen he took charge of the sheep on the range, and in 1887 he bought an interest in them. He also purchased an interest in the stock and took charge of them and the farm on the San Joaquin River, eighteen miles northeast of Fresno. Still later he leased land from the Bank of California, situated near Kerman, where he also ranged his sheep, in the summers taking them to the mountains.
Mr. Shipp also bought ranches near Reedley, and after that he bought in the Scandinavian Colony a vineyard ranch of thirty acres. Next he purchased 3,200 acres, the old home on the San Joaquin River, which he ran for five years and then sold. When sheep were excluded from the Forest Reserve, he started in the cattle business, and his brand, P. P., is one of the oldest in the county. In 1913 Mr. Shipp sold his ranch and located in Fresno, and later he bought his present ranch of 160 acres on Blackstone Avenue, sixty-five acres of which are in peaches. He is setting out the balance in Calimyrna and White Adriatic figs, and bids fair again to make a great success of his enterprise. At 305 Clark Street he built his residence.
At the City of the Angels in 1891, Mr. Shipp was married to Miss Abbie W. Webster, a native of Vacaville, Solano County, Cal., and a daughter of G. W. and Jane (Smith) Webster, born in North Carolina and Tennessee respectively, California pioneers of the intrepid company that crossed the great plains with ox teams in 1852 and was a farmer in Vacaville, where Mrs. Shipp was reared. Two children blessed the union: Georgia, who is Mrs. Rheiner, and Harold W., a graduate of the high school, who was a despatch rider in the United States Army serving overseas, he ranched near Fresno. Mr. Shipp was a democrat in national political affairs, and always an energetic supporter of non-partisan movements for the public weal. He belonged to Fresno Lodge, No. 439, B. P. O. Elks.
He was born in Holmes County, Miss., on October 29, 1865, and his father was William W. Shipp, also a native of Mississippi, where he first saw the light in 1834. He was reared in Holmes County and became a farmer; and he served throughout the Civil War. Grandfather Shipp was born in Kentucky, and later he removed to Mississippi. In that state William Shipp was married to Mary J. Strother, a daughter of Mississippi and in 1868 he brought his wife and three children to California. Leaving his family in Solano County, he made a trip down the coast and into the San Joaquin Valley, which he reached in the spring of 1868; and being impressed with Fresno County, he decided to locate here and took a preemption on Dry Creek.
He returned to Solano County for his family, and then he and Major Nelson purchased a flock of sheep and drove them to Dry Creek, where he engaged in stock-raising. He also homesteaded 160 acres and rapidly improved the land, and little by little he added more acreage; later he dissolved partnership with Major Nelson and they divided their band of sheep. The Major in 1877 (the dry year), drove his sheep to Arizona, but he lost them all. Mr. Shipp ranged his flock in the mountains and lost only 600 head out of 6,000. He prospered, bought more land, and finally had a ranch of 2,300 acres in a body. Aside from sheep-raising, he also engaged in the raising of grain. In the fall of 1887 Mr. Shipp sold the land and turned the entire stock over to his son George R. to run them on another ranch he owned on the San Joaquin River, and then he moved to Fresno where he lived retired for a time.
Later, however, he again engaged in sheep-raising on his San Joaquin River ranch, although he died at his home in Fresno in 1900. He was a prominent Mason and the father of ten children, two of whom died in Mississippi: Eliza C. has become Mrs. Ambrose of Phoenix, Ariz.; George R. is the subject of this sketch; John N. lives at Fresno; Lela M. is Mrs. Neil of the same city; and near by dwells Mary E., Mrs. Hopkins. Educated at the public schools in Mississippi district in this County and at a private school in Fresno, George assisted in caring for flocks from the time when he was eight years of age and soon became a well-posted and expert sheepman. When fifteen he took charge of the sheep on the range, and in 1887 he bought an interest in them. He also purchased an interest in the stock and took charge of them and the farm on the San Joaquin River, eighteen miles northeast of Fresno. Still later he leased land from the Bank of California, situated near Kerman, where he also ranged his sheep, in the summers taking them to the mountains.
Mr. Shipp also bought ranches near Reedley, and after that he bought in the Scandinavian Colony a vineyard ranch of thirty acres. Next he purchased 3,200 acres, the old home on the San Joaquin River, which he ran for five years and then sold. When sheep were excluded from the Forest Reserve, he started in the cattle business, and his brand, P. P., is one of the oldest in the county. In 1913 Mr. Shipp sold his ranch and located in Fresno, and later he bought his present ranch of 160 acres on Blackstone Avenue, sixty-five acres of which are in peaches. He is setting out the balance in Calimyrna and White Adriatic figs, and bids fair again to make a great success of his enterprise. At 305 Clark Street he built his residence.
At the City of the Angels in 1891, Mr. Shipp was married to Miss Abbie W. Webster, a native of Vacaville, Solano County, Cal., and a daughter of G. W. and Jane (Smith) Webster, born in North Carolina and Tennessee respectively, California pioneers of the intrepid company that crossed the great plains with ox teams in 1852 and was a farmer in Vacaville, where Mrs. Shipp was reared. Two children blessed the union: Georgia, who is Mrs. Rheiner, and Harold W., a graduate of the high school, who was a despatch rider in the United States Army serving overseas, he ranched near Fresno. Mr. Shipp was a democrat in national political affairs, and always an energetic supporter of non-partisan movements for the public weal. He belonged to Fresno Lodge, No. 439, B. P. O. Elks.
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