Yolo County CA Archives Biographies.....Bidwell, Charles T. 1845 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 23, 2006, 9:03 pm

Author: Tom Gregory (1913)

CHARLES T. BIDWELL

    The enterprising spirit that led Mr. Bidwell to seek a location in the newer
regions of the undeveloped west formed the nucleus of his subsequent success,
whereby, through an intimate identification with varied lines of commercial
activity, he has become one of the influential citizens of Woodland,
contributing personally to the permanent prosperity of the place and occupying
an honorable position in the annals of the local history. For years he was one
of the leading grain-buyers in Yolo county, but later he abandoned that field of
commercial activity and entered the real-estate arena, in which through his
thorough knowledge of land values he has risen to prominence. Besides the close
attention to all business details, he has found leisure for the management of a
large vine-yard and has studied grape culture exhaustively, so that he is
considered an authority on the subject. Added to other duties, he now fills the
office of city trustee, to which he was elected in April of 1911 for a term of
four years. That office he regards as a trust from the people and it is his
endeavor so to discharge its duties as to secure for the citizens needed
benefits, substantial reforms and practical improvements.

    Prior to his arrival at Woodland in 1872 Mr. Bidwell had lived in Michigan,
where he was born in Albion during the year 1845, where also he was educated
(attending Albion College) and where he had engaged in book-keeping and clerical
work during the years of young manhood. While still making Michigan his home he
there married, in 1868, Miss Florence Swain, a native of the state. Four years
after their marriage they came to the west and purchased a home in Woodland,
where they reared their children, David B., Alice E. and Charles C. The daughter
is now the wife of H. P. Snavely and resides in Woodland. After an engagement of
two years as a book-keeper in this city, during 1874 Mr. Bidwell was admitted as
a partner into the firm of Thomas & Hunt, grain-buyers, and a successful
business career was then entered upon. Selling his interest in the concern in
1880 he formed a partnership with A. J. Hall under the title of Hall & Bidwell.

    For a number of years the firm engaged extensively in the buying of grain,
but finally the partnership was dissolved and Mr. Bidwell conducted the business
alone for five years. When eventually he retired from the grain business he
entered upon real-estate activities under the firm title of Bidwell & Wright,
but in a short time the title was changed to Bidwell & Reith and continued as
such until 1909, when the junior partner purchased the entire business, Mr.
Bidwell retiring to private life. Fruit culture has been one of his "hobbies."
He believes that California has no soil more adapted to the raising of fruit
than that of Yolo county and he has put his belief into actual experience
through the cultivation of a vineyard of eighty acres, which he owns and which
is located three and one-half miles south of Woodland. Table and raisin grapes
are sold in large quantities from this fine vineyard and buyers always express
their gratified surprise at the size and quality of the product, as well as the
enormous output from the vines. Without question the land is well adapted to
vine culture and unquestionably also the owner understands the art of securing
the best possible returns from the investment. In the midst of his duties as a
citizen, city trustee, viticulturist and man of affairs, he found leisure for
intimate identification with the Republican party, for close study of its
progress and for intelligent work in its interests, and both by precept and by
example he has given to this cause such assistance as comes from the sturdy,
substantial influence of an honorable life.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

HISTORY OF YOLO COUNTY CALIFORNIA
WITH
Biographical Sketches
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
TOM GREGORY
AND OTHER WELL KNOWN WRITERS
ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME

HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA [1913]


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