Tulare County CA Archives Biographies.....Balaam, Alfred September 5, 1839 - January 17, 1919
************************************************
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:
Steve Harrison raleighwood@juno.com March 3, 2008, 4:11 am

Author: unknown

“ALFRED BALAAM
It was in Louisville, Ky., that Alfred Balaam, stockman and farmer, ex-sheriff 
of Tulare county, was born September 5, 1839, a son of George and Sarah (Swain) 
Balaam, natives of England.  The family moved from Kentucky to Arkansas and 
from there to Texas, and from the Lone Star State came with a train of fifty ox-
wagons across the plains to California in 1853, settling at El Monte, Los 
Angeles county, where they remained until the end of December, 1857.  They then 
set out for Tulare county, where they arrived soon after January 1, 1858.  The 
head of the family took up land a mile west of Farmersville, entering it at the 
government land office, a raw tract of one hundred and sixty acres, on which he 
raised horses, cattle and sheep.  He was a man of ability who took a leading 
part in local politics, served in the office of justice of the peace and 
promoted the best interests of the community as long as he lived.
The following nine children of George and Sarah (Swain) Balaam are named in 
order of birth: George, the eldest, is dead; Sarah Ward; Ann Ward; Martha is 
the wife of Joseph Homer; Frank S.,; Alfred; Edward; Mary Van Gorden is dead; 
and Mrs. Emily Van Gordon [sic] resides at Watsonville.
Alfred Balaam was educated in the public school near his boyhood home and early 
worked with his father at stock-farming.  Later he farmed for himself and at 
one time operated a half section of land.  At this time he owns thirty-one 
acres near Farmersville, Tulare county, which he devotes principally to hay, 
alfalfa and Egyptian corn.  For sixteen years he has filled the office of 
roadmaster and has been instrumental in introducing great improvements in local 
roads and bridges.  By appointment of Sheriff Wells, he served as deputy 
sheriff under that official and in 1885 was elected sheriff of Tulare county, 
which office he filled for one term with great efficiency and integrity.  A man 
of abundant public spirit, he has always promoted the prosperity of the 
community.
In 1862 Mr. Balaam married Anna Whitlock, a native of Ohio, who bore him two 
children, Charles and Nellie.  His present wife, whom he married in 1869, was 
Miss Marion Bequette, a native of California, and children as follows were born 
to them: Ida Higdon, Carl and Edward.” END



Additional Comments:
"History of Tulare and Kings Counties, California with Biographical Sketches"
by Eugene L. Menefee and Fred A. Dodge
Los Angeles: Historic Record Company, 1913
Pages 757-758


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/tulare/bios/balaam995gbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/cafiles/

File size: 3.1 Kb