Monterey
County
Biographies
WALTER
STODDARD BATTERMAN
Walter
Stoddard Batterman, partner in Del Viento Rancho and Harvest Hill Ranch, Ballico,
California, was born June 9, 1897, in Butte, Montana; the son of Christopher S.
and Nellie Porter (Sell) Batterman.
Graduated from the University of
California in 1918, receiving his B.S. degree. Then taught agricultural
subjects in the Army for one year.
Mr. Batterman
began his career as a foreman on a small ranch. In 1921 he bought land and
moved to Delhi, California, where he built up a fruit ranch on the sandy soils
of that area. In the struggle with lack of soil fertility the depression of
1932 hit the farms a crippling blow and although he had answers to most of his
farming problems he had no more money left to put them into effect. However he
continued selling his ideas around and finally secured a bank loan for a trial
of his new methods. Results were both striking and profitable. Within ten years
he had paid off all of his debts and expanded his plantings. The prosperous
fruit area in the Delhi region was due primarily to methods which Mr. Batterman devised. Today he controls a thousand acres,
mostly in fruit, nuts and grapes, with a growing proportion irrigated pasture
and livestock.
Mr. Batterman
is partner in Del Vento Rancho and Harvest Hill Ranch, Ballico,
California. He is a member of the American Farm Bureau Federation since 1925;
director in the National Farm Loan Association since 1924 and chairman of the
Board of the Delhi Unit since 1928, resigning from the organization in 1947;
member and director of Merced Production Credit Association; and member of the
Advertising Committee of the Cling Peach Control Board.
Member of the Pioneers of
California; Thirty-second Degree Mason, Turlock California Blue Lodge, San Jose
Scottish Rite and Oakland Shrines Temple Shrine.
Mr. Batterman’s
first marriage was to Idalene Bray (divorced in
1947). His second marriage was to Mrs. Josephine Stewart (nee Walker of
Georgia). They reside in Pebble Beach, California.
Offices: P. O. Box 607, Ballico,
California.
Transcribed By: Cecelia M. Setty.
Source: “Eminent Californians 1953”,
by Lee E. Johnson & C. W. Taylor. Page 471, C. W. Taylor
Publ., Palo Alto, California, 1953.
© 2014 Cecelia M. Setty.