Merced-San Joaquin-Fresno County CA Archives Biographies.....Applegate, Lewis Hamer 1844 - 
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Author: John Outcalt (1925)

LEWIS HAMER APPLEGATE

   A retired rancher and banker of Merced County, who had a prominent part in
the development of ranch land and farming in the county, Lewis Hamer Applegate
is a native of Ohio, born December 21, 1844, the son of Perrine and Susan
(Frybarger) Applegate, natives of New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, respectively,
who became the parents of sixteen children. Lewis H. was reared on his father's
ranch and attended the common schools of the district, and the Goshen Seminary,
after which he taught school until he came to California, in 1870. His first
year after arriving in this State he spent in and about Stockton. In 1872, he
came to Merced County, but stayed only a short time and later farmed near
Turlock, Stanislaus County, until 1875. That year he returned to Merced County
to stay, and rented land six miles east of Merced. In partnership with David
Toal, he next leased the George Fancher ranch of 1160 acres on Bear Creek, and
raised grain. This was nine miles east of Merced, and was his home and the
center of his operations for thirty years. Mr. Applegate became a large
landowner, having 1340 acres at one time. He owned a section of land one mile
from Atwater, a forty-acre alfalfa ranch in Fresno County, and a twenty-acre
ranch in Yosemite Colony. His present holdings are the Muller and the Kerry
places, 600 acres, and a forty-acre ranch on Bear Creek. He made many
improvements on the above ranches, erecting ranch buildings and adding to the
conveniences of the houses. His ranch property is now rented and he lives
retired from active business cares, though still acting as a director of the
Farmers and Merchants Bank of Merced.

   Always active in the upbuilding of his section, Mr. Applegate was prominent
in the Grange, serving as Master for three years, and is a Past Master and
Overseer. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and a man to be
relied upon at all times to help in the general advancement of his community.
Two brothers and a sister of Mr. Applegate were residents of Merced County.
William Applegate, now deceased, farmed a part of his brother's land, and was
prominent in politics, being at one time a candidate for sheriff of Merced
County. John P. Applegate, another brother, now deceased, also farmed a part of
Mr. Applegate's land. One sister, Miss Addie Applegate, now residing in the
East, was prominent in church work, being a deaconess of the Methodist Episcopal
Church for over twenty years.

   It is men like Lewis H. Applegate who are the bulwarks of our nation, and in
their lives and labors are found the real reason why we have advanced to such a
leading part in world affairs in the past half century; for the work of each
individual of his caliber goes to make up the whole of a prosperous country, and
nothing is impossible of accomplishment with such shoulders to the wheel.


Additional Comments:
From:

HISTORY OF
MERCED COUNTY
CALIFORNIA
WITH A
Biographical Review
OF
The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been
Identified with Its Growth and Development
from the Early Days to the Present

HISTORY BY
JOHN OUTCALT

ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME
HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
1925


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