Butte County
Biographies
FRANKLIN E. STAFFORD
One of the most modern dairy plants of northern
California is the Lone Pine Dairy, owned and operated by Franklin E. Stafford,
and situated four miles from Chico, with a downtown office in that city. Mr.
Stafford deserves unlimited credit for the achievement of developing this
important industry from the most modest beginnings. He faced obstacles which
would have discouraged a less courageous and ambitious man, but these he
surmounted, and his present up-to-date methods of producing milk of the highest
grade and quality are unsurpassed.
Franklin E. Stafford was born at Hillsdale, Michigan,
April 21, 1871, a son of Charles and Mary (Pugh) Stafford, the father a native
of Michigan and the mother of Adrian, Ohio. Charles Stafford, who was a farmer,
was a pioneer of Michigan, his father having gone to Hillsdale by ox team in
the early days. Charles Stafford was a veteran of the Civil war, having served
two and a half years with Company B, First Michigan Sharpshooters. He was
also active in politics and served as justice of the peace. He and his wife
were the parents of four children, namely: Fred M., now a prominent farmer
of Tuscola county, Michigan; Franklin E.; Allan,
engaged in the real estate business at Lansing, Michigan; and Mrs. Hattie
Parker, of Michigan.
Franklin E. Stafford received his education in the common
schools of his native state, and when about fourteen years of age began working
on his own account in the timber country of northern Michigan. He had varied
experiences during these years and learned no less than four separate and
distinct trades, painting, carpentering, cooking, and dairying. He went to Los
Angeles, California, in 1906, and was employed as a cook in Nevada for one
year. He did carpenter work and painting in both Los Angeles and Chico, having
come to the latter city twenty-one years ago, after which he followed painting
for one and a half years.
Mr. Stafford entered the dairy business with one cow and
plenty of inspiration and optimism as his sole assets. His daughter, Florence,
sold the milk which this one cow produced. Mr. Stafford conducted this trade as
a sideline at the beginning, but he finally purchased a second cow, and when
his trade began to increase he added a third, fourth and fifth to his
equipment. He then determined to establish a dairy business as a regular thing
and make it his life’s work. Mr. Stafford now has twenty choice Guernsey cows,
and the milk which he produces is of extraordinary high test and quality,
selling for a slight advance on the customary prices. He first rented ten
acres, and bought lumber at ten dollars per thousand feet with which to
construct his cattle barns, his own habitation at the start being a tent. Subsequently
he bought his present place, which has upon it an attractive home, two large
silos, the most modern, sanitary equipment, electric lights – in fact,
everything to enable him to produce the excellent product which is sold to his
discriminating patrons. Mr. Stafford started the first milk delivery in Chico,
had the first automobile delivery, the first woman deliverer, the first Dodge
delivery truck, and on his farm had the first ammonia cooling system in this
county. Sanitation is the motto of the Lone Pine Dairy, and even a casual
observation of this milk plant will impress one with the fidelity with which
this ideal is followed. He has reason to be proud of the fact that as stated in
a California paper: “Obtaining a grade of 97.6 for milk with a bacterial count
of only 400 shipped from Chico to Oakland, the Lone Pine Dairy was awarded a
gold medal Thursday at the Pacific Slope Dairy Show at Oakland.”
Mr. Stafford has been thrice married. His first marriage
was in 1897 to Winifred Irven, a native of England, and to this union there was born a daughter,
Florence, who married Roy Knapp, an officer of the law at Chico. Mrs. Stafford
is now deceased. Mr. Stafford was married secondly to Lena Ziska,
who is also deceased. On June 12, 1928, he married Miss Clara Margaret Hayenga, who was born in Iowa, a daughter of Andrew and
Augusta (Brandt) Hayenga, the former a farmer and
fruit rancher, now deceased. His widow now resides at Chico.
Mr. Stafford is an independent voter and has never
aspired to hold office, although he has consistently been a public-spirited and
loyal citizen of Chico and Butte county. He is a
thorough student of the Holy Bible and leads a Christian life in every respect.
Mr. and Mrs. Stafford have all the comforts of life at their disposal, and are
popular members of their home community, having always dealt fairly, both in
business and socially, with their fellows.
Transcribed by Marie Hassard
31 May 2010.
Source: Wooldridge, J.W.Major
History of Sacramento Valley California, Vol. 2 Pages 132-134. Pioneer Historical Publishing Co. Chicago 1931.
© 2010 Marie Hassard.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County Biographies