EARNEST F. WICKMAN

Butte County

Biographies

EARNEST F. WICKMAN

EARNEST F. WICKMAN.—An agriculturist prominent in the history of grain development in California, and especially a leader in scientific farming in Butte County, is Earnest F. Wickman, who was born on a farm near Hanover Germany, April 9. 1850. He there attended the excellent common schools, after which he worked at the shoemaker’s trade, until he concluded to migrate to the United States, where opportunities awaited young men of energy and perseverance.

About 1869, Mr. Wickman came to America and moved as far west as Illinois where, for five years, he worked for wages in Will County. Wherever he accepted work, his skill and his willingness brought good results and produced a helpful impression, and at the end of the period mentioned he had by industry and frugality a very respectable savings to his credit. In 1874, Mr. Wickman arrived in Butte County, Cal., and straightway he resumed his activity on ranches, working as a farm-hand until 1877. Then for a while he rented some land, and finally he bought the acreage he desired, until he owned eleven hundred acres. For twenty-six years he raised gain in Butte County. Many of his seasons netted him ten thousand dollars, and he received for his best crop, one year, the handsome sum of eighteen thousand dollars.

For a number of years, Mr. Wickman farmed on the plains northwest of Biggs, but in later years he cultivated his one hundred ninety acres half a mile west of Gridley. At still another time, he tilled and planted fifteen hundred acres in the county. When he came into the section the land was covered with brush, and there were no county roads, but now, while he is living in comfortable retirement, he is able to travel back and forth over some of the best of thoroughfares, and to witness improvement and developments he and his early contemporaries never dreamed of.

As an outlet for some of his enterprising spirit, Mr. Wickman, in1890, built the Pacific Hotel in Gridley. He never ran this, although he still owns it. Years ago, however, he sold out most of his holdings and retired to private life.

When Mr. Wickman married he chose Miss Ida U. Davis, a native of Siskiyou County, for his wife, and their union has been blessed with two daughters: Mrs. Minnie Wolf, of Gridley, who has two sons, and Mrs. Nellie Ohrt, of Woodland.

Transcribed 2-6-08 Marilyn R. Pankey.

Source: "History of Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Page 694, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.

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