Sonoma County CA Archives History - Books .....Sonoma And Marin District Agricultural Society 1877 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 24, 2006, 11:57 pm Book Title: Historical And Descriptive Sketch Of Sonoma County, California SONOMA AND MARIN DISTRICT AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. The Sonoma and Marin Agricultural and Mechanical Society was organized and held its first fair in Healdsburg, in September, 1859. The second fair was held in Petaluma, in 1860; the third in Santa Rosa, September 24, 1861; the fourth in Sonoma, October 7,1862. The name was changed to the San Pablo District Agricultural Society, and the fifth fair was held at Sonoma, September 15, 1868. The sixth fair was held at Napa, October 11, 1864. After that the society seems to have entirely collapsed. On the 6th of June, 1867, the Sonoma and Marin District Agricultural Society was organized, and was from the start a success. The society is out of debt. It has expended $35,000 in the purchase of land, erection of buildings, fences and repairs thereon. The large sum of $45,017 has been paid as premium purses on speed, programmes, running expenses of the fair, interest on loans, etc. The stock accommodations and grounds have been greatly improved during the past year, and the society may be said to be upon a solid financial basis. This success is largely due to the earnest efforts of some of the leading citizens of Petaluma and the enterprising farmers residing in the valley, among whom we may mention J. R. Rose, the first president; Lee Ellsworth, Prof. E. S. Lippitt, E. Denman, H. Meacham, and others. Following will be found a tabulated list of the presidents and secretaries of all the societies from the first organization to date: DATE. PRESIDENT. SECRETARY. 1859 W. P. Ewing A. B. Boggs 1860 J. Q.Shirley I. G. Wickersham 1861 Dr. John Hendley W. H.Crowell 1862 Wm. McP. Hill Col. J. Walton 1863 Nathan Coombs T. L.Schell 1864 A. T. Grigsby Jos. Howland 1865 Disorganized Disorganized 1866 " " 1867 J. R. Rose P. Cowen 1868 " " " " 1869 " " " " 1870 E. Denman J. Grover 1871 Lee Ellsworth " " 1872 E. Denman E. S. Lippitt 1873 J. R. Rose " " 1874 " " " " 1875 H. Meacham " " 1876 " " " " Since the reorganization of the society the fairs have been held every fall in Petaluma. The citizens have come liberally to its relief whenever it was necessary to do so. The society now is upon as good a footing as any in the State, and does much for Sonoma, Marin and Mendocino counties, by affording the opportunity to exhibit to hundreds who come from abroad, not only the fine horses, cattle, sheep, and other live stock of the district, but also the surprising products of our generous soil. Following are the receipts of the society, and the donations by the citizens, the city, and the State, for each year since its reorganization: DATE. RECEIPTS. 1867. Receipts from fair $7,328 1868. " " " 5,763 1869. " " " 5,984 " Donation by citizens 4,217 1870. Receipts from Fair 6,341 1871. " " " 5,800 1872. " " " 5,841 " Donation from State 2,000 1873. Receipts from fair 6,201 " Donation from State 2,000 1874. Receipts from fair 5,293 " Donation by citizens 6,000 " City bonds 5,000 1875. Receipts from fair 6,200 1876. " " " 6,049 _______ Total receipts $80,017 Additional Comments: Extracted from: HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE SKETCH OF SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, BY ROBERT A. THOMPSON, EDITOR OF "THE SONOMA DEMOCRAT." PHILADELPHIA: L. H. EVERTS & CO. 1877. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/sonoma/history/1877/historic/sonomaan351nms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/ File size: 4.8 Kb