Butte County
Biographies
CHARLES C. BROWN
CHARLES C. BROWN.--One of the well-kept and productive ranches in the
Durham district is that owned by Charles C. Brown. He was born in Montgomery
County, Ill., October 24, 1868, a son of O. C. Brown, also born in
Illinois and who came to California in 1872, locating in Hanford. He bought
railroad land in what was then Tulare County, planted an orchard and was
successful as a fruit raiser until he died. He married in Illinois, Eliza
Craig, also a native of that state, and she became the mother of six children:
Edward; William; Frank; John, deceased; Mrs. Cora Young, and Charles C.
The education of Charles C. Brown was
obtained in the public schools of Lemoore, Kings County, Cal., and his young
manhood was spent as a farm hand in the Lemoore section. He then spent three
years in the employ of The American Biscuit Company, at San Francisco, then
went to Colusa and was employed as superintendent of a ranch for a like period.
In 1899 he went to Durham, Butte County, and worked on the Ferson
ranch for two and one half years, then on the Yocum
and Morgue ranches until he undertook to operate independently. He leased part
of the Durham ranch and farmed it for five years and had fairly good luck. In
1908 he purchased his present place of forty-five acres near Durham upon which
he erected a modern house and substantial barns, and installed a modern
irrigating system. He has ten acres of almonds and twenty-two acres of prunes.
For the past five years his prune crop has averaged two and a half tons per
acre, annually. His best year with this crop was when it ran six and one half
tons of dry prunes per acre--a record-breaker. To more fully keep in touch with
the fruit industry he holds membership in the California Prune and Apricot
Association. Besides his own ranch, he is leasing one
hundred twenty acres of the Durham ranch where he has one of the best dairies
in the county, with ninety cows, and also leasing seventy acres of the Stanford
ranch, which is in alfalfa. He raises alfalfa and barley sufficient to feed his
stock. His cows are grade Holsteins, with a registered
bull. In partnership with William Murdock of Chico, he owns and operates the
Rose Creamery of that city, a successful enterprise.
Mr. Brown married Miss Grace Morgue, born
in Butte County, and they have four children: Percy D., Doris E.,
Eliza G., and Gene Marie, who add cheer to the home.
Mr. Brown is a member of Butte Camp, No.
1051, M. W. A., in Chico, and is a stockholder in the Commercial Bank of
Durham.
Transcribed by Marie Hassard
11 May 2008.
Source:
"History of Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Page 905, Historic Record Co, Los
Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2008 Marie Hassard.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County Biographies