San
Joaquin County
Biographies
GEORGE R. McLEOD
A
citizen of outstanding influence and activity, George R. McLeod is one of the
best known grain experts in the state of California, his experience extending
over a period of twenty years, until recently serving in the capacity of buyer
and superintendent in charge of the agricultural department of the Sperry Flour
Company of Stockton. Experiments
conducted under his supervision as manager of this department of that company
have probably done more in developing the grades of wheat in the state than the
efforts of any other man.
Mr. McLeod was born in the Montezuma
Hills, Solano County, California, on a ranch, and at the age of twelve years
was driving a team and following a plow on his father’s ranch. For twelve years he engaged in farming at
home; then became wool buyer for the Koshland Company
of San Francisco. At the age of
twenty-eight he entered the grain buying field and became associated with the
exporting and importing firm of Erlanger & Gallinger,
traveling throughout California, Oregon, and a number of trips were made to
Australia in the interests of the company.
In the fall of 1906 he located in Oakdale, Stanislaus County, and for
four years was associated with the Oakdale Milling Company; thence to Stockton
with the Frank A. Guernsey Company, and the Dickinson Grain Company, and in
1912 he assumed charge of the new feed plant, the latest unit of the Sperry
Flour Company in Stockton, this plant being the largest feed plant west of the
Mississippi River. For the past six
years he has had charge of the big Sperry Flour ranch near Farmington, and the
ranch in the South San Joaquin Irrigation District. On these ranches experiments which have resulted
in many crop improvements have been carried on.
During the years of 1914-15 he was put in charge of the campaign to
increase the corn acreage in the state, promoted by the Sperry Flour Company. Not only has Mr. McLeod’s ability been shown
in his many experiments in soils, cultivation, feeding and cropping, but in the
management of big campaigns, he has been most successful. This campaign was to increase the supply of
corn, so that California could meet the demand without importing from the
east. Most gratifying results were
obtained, so that now enough corn is raised in the state to supply the demand
and from one to two million of dollars saved yearly and kept at home, which
formerly went east to buy the product.
In 1918 he was the active manager of a state-wide “grow more wheat”
campaign, conducted by the Sperry Flour Company. Thirty-five varieties of wheat were
experimented with and from them two varieties were found superior to any grown
in the state; they were of an earlier variety, of a better quality and produced
more bushels to the acre. These wheat
experiments were carried on from year to year until the early maturing wheat
now in general use resulted, and today there are about 176,000 acres grown in
California. This campaign attracted the
attention of all wheat growing districts of the United States and many letters
came to the company requesting information, not only from individuals but from
universities and colleges.
Early in March of 1922 the announcement
was received by the Stockton Chamber of Commerce from Major L. T. Grant,
director of the Twelfth District United States Veterans Bureau, to the effect
that Mr. McLeod had been appointed managing superintendent of the United States
Veterans Agricultural Training School now being established on Lindley farm,
Rough and Ready Island. The appointment
by Major Grant was made upon the recommendation of a committee representing the
Stockton Chamber of Commerce, appointed at his request for that purpose. In the selection of Mr. McLeod the committee
feels that one of the most practical men with wide experience in San Joaquin
farming problems and a man of real executive and initiative ability has been
secured. The duties of Mr. McLeod as
superintending manager will be to actively superintend all activities on the
1,170 acre farm and to see that the trainees at the big school are given
practical and worthwhile experience. Mr.
McLeod assumed charge March 7, 1923.
There are now sixty-eight students who came here who were found adapted
to agricultural life and are now located on their own farms.
Transcribed by V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Pages
1395. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2012 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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