Yolo-Tulare County CA Archives Biographies.....Meier, Robert A. 1884 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 23, 2006, 10:35 pm

Author: Tom Gregory (1913)

ROBERT A. MEIER

    An experience with conditions in different parts of our own country and in
the territory of Alaska gives to Mr. Meier a comprehensive knowledge of
climates, soils, business opportunities and practical advantages of various
localities. The opinion formed through this experience leads him to favor
Woodland and Yolo county as offering an excellent opening to young men in the
line of both agriculture and business. Since coming to this city he has acted as
manager of the Woodland Alfalfa Products Company, also as selling agent for the
alfalfa mill at Orland and in addition as Yolo county agent for the Ford
automobile, these diversified lines of business activity bringing to him
prestige and prominence. The plant of which he is manager has a capacity of
twenty-five tons per day and is operated by electricity. This being the only
mill of the kind in the county, there naturally exists a wide demand for its
products and we find that there is a steady sale here and in every part of the
coast region. Under the able supervision of the manager the plant turns out a
satisfactory product that finds approving buyers throughout this part of the state.

    Born in Minneapolis, Minn., March 13, 1884, Robert A. Meier is the younger
son of the late August and Wilhelmina (Heimerdinger) Meier, both of whom died in
Minneapolis. The father had lived in Illinois as a boy and young man and there
enlisted in an Illinois regiment during the Civil war, serving at the front
until the expiration of his period of enlistment. Later he became an early
settler in Minnesota, and there met and married Miss Heimerdinger, whose parents
had been pioneers of the northwest and had been established in Minnesota prior
to the famous Indian massacre in that state during the Civil war. The parental
family comprised two sons and one daughter. The elder son, Fred, is now the
manager of the beet sugar plant at Visalia.

    Upon the completion of the studies of the Minneapolis grammar and high
schools, Robert A. Meier entered the Pillsbury Military Academy at Owatonna,
Minn., and continued his studies there for several terms. Later he spent a year
in the University of Minnesota. Upon starting out to make his own way in the
world he went to Washington and engaged in mining for two years with more or
less luck. Next he sailed for Alaska with the intention of prospecting and
mining in the Klondike region. Making his headquarters at Nome, he traveled
through various parts of the mining district, prospected here and there, took up
some claims and met with his share of prosperity and adversity while endeavoring
to find gold. Five summers and four winters were spent in the far north. During
one of these winters he was stormbound on Candle creek, two hundred miles above
Nome, where often the thermometer registered as low as seventy below. In spite
of the rigors of the environment he found much to interest him in the isolated
northern country and regards his experiences there as profitable if not always
pleasant. Upon his return to the United States he settled in California and
engaged in well-drilling at Porterville, where he operated two steam rigs.
During July of 1912 he came from Porterville to Woodland and entered upon the
duties of manager of the Woodland Alfalfa Products Company, besides which he
later took up the agency for the Ford automobile in this county. Accompanying
him to this city were his wife and daughter, Bernice, the former having been
Miss Gertrude Cunningham, a native of Pike City, Sierra county, this state, and
a resident of Fresno at the time of her marriage.


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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