Butte County
Biographies
JOSEPH K. UHL
JOSEPH K. UHL.--A successful horticulturist of Chico, Butte County, Joseph K. Uhl was born at Mapleton, Monona County, Iowa, November 30, 1872. His father Kasper Uhl, was a native of Germany who came to America and settled in Iowa when he was a young man. He married Mary Blankenhorn, and they homesteaded and bought land in Monona County until they owned two hundred acres, which Mr. Uhl farmed until his death, in 1886. Mrs. Uhl lived there until 1904, when she removed to Rimbey, Alberta, Canada, where she now lives. She sold her Iowa farm in 1911. Of her nine children, six are living, of whom Joseph K. is the eldest.
Joseph Uhl was reared on the farm and attended the local schools until his father died, then he became an able assistant to his mother in the management of the farm, going to school when not needed at home. On June 30, 1897, he was married and, two years later, with his wife, moved to Colorado and bought a farm near Hillrose, Morgan County. This he improved and farmed until 1905, when he sold out and, in February, 1906, came to Chico. He remained here for three months, then went to Alberta, Canada, and at Bentley, opened a general store, which he conducted until 1910. Selling out in January, he came back to California and spent two years at Fruto, Glenn County, engaged in ranching, assisting his wife’s great-uncle, Andrew J. Anderson, with the work of his large ranch. In 1912, while on a visit to Butte County, Mr. Uhl bought the ranch where he now lives, consisting of twenty acres, which was part of the Sixth Subdivision of the Bidwell Ranch. Mr. Uhl located on the place and improved it by setting out almonds, peaches and prunes. He has his own dry yards where he cures his own fruit. In the interest of the fruit business he is a member of the California Peach Growers’ Association and the California Almond Growers’ Association.
The lady who became the wife of Mr. Uhl was Miss Mattie Opsal, born in Monona County, Iowa, a daughter of Stephen Opsal, born in Dane County, Wis., where his father was a pioneer farmer. He moved to Iowa, settling first in Pottawattamie County, then in Monona County, where he farmed until he sold out to come to California. He married Emma Wheeler, born in Amador County, Cal. Grandfather Gus Wheeler crossed the plains in pioneer days, with ox teams and the usual outfit used by the immigrants. In this same train was a young lady, Martha Anderson, a sister of A. J. Anderson, also a pioneer of California. The young folks were married en route. On account of ill health Grandmother Martha Wheeler went back to Iowa, being accompanied by her daughter, Emma Wheeler, then a lass of twelve years. There she was reared and later met and married Mr. Opsal. They came to California in about 1900, and now reside in Chico. Mrs. Uhl is the oldest of five children and was reared and educated in Iowa.
Mr. and Mrs. Uhl have had three children: Leonard, who died in Hillrose, Colo., aged three months; Roy Clark, a graduate of Chico High School, Class of 1918; and Ethel Leona, a student at the Chico High School. The political preference of Mr. Uhl is for the Republican platform.
Transcribed
by Joyce Rugeroni.
Source: "History of
Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Page 1259, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2009 Joyce Rugeroni.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County
Biographies