Butte County
Biographies
EARL WIGHTMAN
EARL WIGHTMAN.—Among the most
potent of all agencies in recent years for the rapid advancement of California
horticulture, must be mentioned the Chico Nursery Company, one of the leading
spirits in which, contributing ever to its development, is Earl Wightman, the
secretary and treasurer, who was born near Booneville, Mendocino County, on
August 7, 1873. His father, Henry Wightman, was a native of New York
State, as was his grandfather of the same family. The latter, a wagon-maker,
removed to Ripon, Wis., and there Henry Wightman was reared. After he had
finished learning his trade, and had worked at the making of wagons, that is,
when he was twenty years of age, he crossed the plains in 1861 to California,
and with his ox teams reached Red Bluff, where he stopped for a while. He
worked at the carpenter’s trade, and was engaged on the first courthouse of
Tehama County, and thereafter traveled through different parts of California
until he located in the Anderson Valley, Mendocino County. Here he built a
wagon shop, and also followed the carpenter’s trade. As a millwright, he helped
build the early mills on the Coast, notably those at Albion, Little River,
Mendocino City and Salmon Creek. He now resides with his son Earl, having
reached the fine old age of four score years.
Mrs. Wightman was Miss Julia Ball before
her marriage. She was born near Booneville, and was one of the first white
children born in Anderson Valley. Her father was Jefferson David Ball, a New
Yorker who came to California across the plains in the early fifties. He mined
for a while, but drifted into Mendocino County, and was one of the first white
settlers, with Mr. Anderson, in the valley named for him. He engaged in
raising stock, and was as prosperous as he was industrious. Mrs. Wightman
died in Anderson Valley, in her forty-third year, the mother of six children,
five of whom are still living.
The second oldest in the family, Earl
Wightman was brought up and educated in Anderson Valley. He learned the
carpenter’s trade, at which he worked until he was twenty-three. He also
attended the Stockton Business College, and graduated from its excellent
courses, thus fitting himself to serve as bookkeeper for the Wagner Leather
Company in Stockton. His next move was to Briceland,
in Humboldt County, where he went as manager to the same company; and as they
were putting up various buildings, and had some road problems to solve,
Mr. Wightman found the best of opportunity to extend his experience. He
started their extract plant, put in the engines, the crushers, etc., and
continued there for three years.
When he resigned from this position, Mr.
Wightman came to Chico; and in June, 1904, he entered the employ of the old
Chico Nursery Company, where he had charge of the office until 1907. Then, with
others, F. X. Bouillard and
T. E. Harlan, Mr. Wightman purchased the nursery business; and
with the organization of the new Chico Nursery Company, he became secretary and
treasurer. While the new organization means new blood, new methods and new
results, the present firm and its establishment is historically interesting as
the successor of the nurseries started here in 1851 by General Bidwell, and
long so productive and so famous. The Chico Nursery Company was incorporated in
1902, and now possesses some two hundred acres of stock, plants and trees,
under splendid irrigation. The company issues an attractive, scientifically
edited catalog, and sells its rare products all along the Coast and in the
mountain regions. It has a well-equipped packing house, located at First and Cedar
Streets, and switches and spurs from both the Southern Pacific and the Northern
Electric companies’ lines.
Mr. Wightman was married at Eureka to Miss
Hulda Linser, who was
reared in Mendocino County; and she is the mother of two children, Evelyn and Louise.
Mr. Wightman belongs to Chico Lodge, No. 423,
B. P. O. Elks; the Odd Fellows Lodge and the Encampment, in
which he is a Past Chief Patriarch; the Stockton Parlor of the Native Sons of
the Golden West; the Pacific Coast Nurseryman’s Association; and the California
Nurseryman’s Protective Association. In politics, he is a Progressive.
Transcribed by Marie Hassard
16 October 2009.
Source:
"History of Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 1246-1247, Historic Record Co, Los
Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2009 Marie Hassard.
Golden Nugget Library's
Butte County Biographies