Butte County
Biographies
J. WASHINGTON BROYLES
J. WASHINGTON BROYLES.--A member of one of the leading pioneer families of Butte County, and a resident here since his birth, J. Washington Broyles is among the prosperous and enterprising ranchers of the state, carrying on the development work started by his father in the early days of our agricultural growth. Born on the old Broyles homestead, north of Cana, July 15, 1884, a son of Washington and Mary B. Broyles, whose biographies immediately precede, in this work, he received his preliminary education in the public schools of that district; later taking a course of study at Christian Brothers College, at Sacramento. On graduating from the commercial department of the latter institution, he returned home and was placed in charge of his father’s ranch at Nelson, consisting of eleven hundred acres. He leased adjoining land, cultivating eighteen hundred acres in all, and engaged in extensive grain-raising, using six eight-mule teams to put in the crops and a combined harvester to gather them when ripe. Mr. Broyles operated this large acreage successfully until his father’s death, and for two years thereafter, leasing the land from the estate and that adjoining, retaining the eighteen hundred acres in his operations.
Since 1911, Mr. Broyles has resided on his own ranch, north of Cana, where he owns two hundred five acres. He specializes in grain and stock-raising, and also has twelve acres in almonds and prunes. He built his residence here and altogether has a splendid ranch, with fine soil.
The
marriage of Mr. Broyles, which occurred in Oroville, January 24, 1914, united
him with Miss Grace Owens, a native of Walkerville, Mont., a daughter of
Benjamin and Ellen (Gephart) Owens, natives of Chico, Cal., whose parents were
early settlers of Butte County. Her father was a miner in Montana when he died.
The mother died in Chico. Mrs. Broyles was reared and educated in Idaho, coming
to Chico with her mother in 1910. Fraternally, Mr. Broyles is a member of Chico
Lodge, No. 423, B. P. O. Elks, and of the Eagles.
Transcribed by Vicky
Walker, 1/2/08.
Source: "History of
Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Page 596, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2007 Vicky
Walker.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County Biographies