Yolo-San Diego-Nevada County CA Archives Biographies.....Wilber, Otis B. 1865 - ************************************************ 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 December 13, 2005, 6:42 pm Author: Tom Gregory OTIS B. WILBER There are thousands of men, not the least influential among whom is Mr. Wilber, to whom California has been the land of opportunity, whose modest ambitions have here attained fruition and whose industrious efforts have brought their own merited measure of prosperity. In an exceptional sense Yolo county has presented favorable openings to men of energy and intelligence, for, while great cities do not here rear their lofty structures toward the sky and mines of vast riches do not present their alluring fascinations to the prospector, the rich soil and the genial climate unite to attract the man whose aim is the acquisition of financial independence through the cultivation of the soil. Prosperous farmers are the rule and not the exception in this county and their success has given the region a high standing among agricultural communities. An investigation of various locations in the west, followed by settlement in Yolo county, convinced Mr. Wilber of the superior advantages offered by this part of the state and he has had no reason to regret the decision that made him a permanent resident of the vicinity of Davis. Of eastern family and lineage, he was born in Albany county, N. Y., in 1865, and grew to manhood in the same locality, receiving his education in the public schools. Upon starting out to earn his own livelihood he followed the tide of migration toward the west and at the age of twenty-one years became a settler of Minnesota. However, after nine months he decided to push on further toward the setting sun. On the 26th of November, 1886, he arrived in San Diego, Cal., a stranger and wholly without means. However, he was able to secure employment without delay and for two and one-half years he continued in the same neighborhood, going thence to Elko, Nev. On his return to California he settled at Truckee, but did not find conditions satisfactory, so he once again took up the search for a permanent location. This move in 1889 brought him to Yolo county and he was so well pleased with prospects that he became a permanent citizen and industrious farmer. The marriage of Mr. Wilber in 1899 united him with Miss Annette Marden, by whom he has one son, Harrison Marden. The family are earnestly identified with the Presbyterian Church and contribute to its maintenance. Ever since 1887 Mr. Wilber has been associated with the Odd Fellows, but he belongs to no other order, his time and attention being fully taken up with the duties of his agricultural affairs. Shortly after his arrival in the county he was engaged as foreman of the ranch of W. H. Marden and in 1900 he was given entire charge of the property. Since the beginning of his superintendency he has made many valuable improvements and has greatly enhanced the financial value of the estate, as well as the annual returns from its cultivation. At this writing the ranch contains five hundred and sixty-seven acres, forty-two acres having been purchased since the death of Mr. Marden. More than one-half of the almond orchard has been planted under the direct oversight of the superintendent and there are now sixty acres of the Hatch variety of that product. Some unusually large crops of almonds have been harvested and as the quality is the best they command the highest market price. The sagacious management of the almond orchard represents only a small item in Mr. Wilber's work as superintendent. A vineyard of Muscat grapes embraces twenty-seven acres and demands the most painstaking supervision. One hundred acres are under cultivation to barley and there are thirty-five acres in alfalfa, of which several crops are harvested during the season. The land has been brought to a high state of cultivation and ranks, among1 the finest farms of the county. In addition to the production of grain and the care of orchard and vineyard, Mr. Wilber devotes considerable time to the raising of stock. His judgment of stock is accurate and seldom at fault. One hundred head of high-grade cattle may be seen in the pastures, including twenty-five milch cows of the Durham breed. The dairy forms an important part of the ranch activities and the entire output of milk is sold to the state farm at Davis. At present there are about two hundred head of Poland-China hogs on the ranch and the superintendent is such a firm believer in pure-bred stock that he has paid as high as $50 for a stock hog, it being • his theory, not only with swine but with all kinds of stock, that often the best is the cheapest and that the stock-raiser must consider quality as of vastly more importance than price. 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] File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/yolo/bios/wilber140nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/ File size: 5.6 Kb