Daniel Kindle Zumwalt

http://www.archive.org/stream/historyoftularek00mene/historyoftular...

http://books.google.com/books?id=M4MrAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA401&lpg=PA401&dq...

DANIEL KINDLE ZUMWALT

A descendant of an old Virginia family, Daniel Kindle Zumwalt was born near Joliet, Ill., January 24, 1845, of German extraction, his first American ancestor, George (or Adam) Zumwalt, having emigrated from the Fatherland in the eighteenth century, to become a settler in Virginia and later a pioneer in Ohio, which was then on the fringe of civilization. Jacob Zumwalt, son of the emigrant, went, in January, 1830, from Adams county, 0., to Hancock county, Ind., where he died December, 1833. Jacob, his son, was born in Ohio, September 15, 1807. He married, June 24, 1830, Susanna Kindle Smith, born in Ohio, June 12, 1811. With his father, his three brothers and his five sisters, he went to Hancock county, Ind., in 1830, and four years later he went to Will county, Ill., about ten miles from Joliet. There he remained twenty years, until March, 1854, when lie started with ox- teams overland for California. He farmed in the Sacramento valley until 1872, when he came to his farm near Visalia, Tulare county, where he died May 31, 1878. His wife died in Sacramento November 20, 1896, and they are both buried there. He was a Methodist and in many ways evinced great public spirit. His wife bore him children as follows:

Nancy (Mrs. Rockwell Hunt), who died in Sacramento in 1904;

Sarah M. (Mrs. James Shoemaker), of Santa Clara;

Joseph, born April 30, 1836, who died in Kern county, August 1, 1878;

John H., of San Jose, Cal. ;

Elizabeth (Mrs. Hawk), of Sacramento;

Daniel Kindle, of this review.

When his father came to California, Daniel Kindle Zumwalt and other members of their family came along-, and Daniel rode horseback and helped to drive the oxen. He was only nine and his youth exempted him from guard duty, but every other duty that fell to the lot of his elders was performed by him at one time or another. He attended the public and high schools of Sacramento, and was graduated in 1865, later taking the degrees of A.M. and A.B. at the University of the Pacific. Having been awarded a first-grade teacher's certificate, he taught school a year at Yolo, then came, in 1869, to Tulare county, where he lived out his allotted days. For twenty-three years he was land agent and attorney for the Southern Pacific Railroad company, his territory including Tulare, Kern and Fresno and what is now Kings county. He was one of the originators and organizers of the 76 Land and Water company, most of the capital for which he personally secured. Preparatory to the formation of the company, Mr. Zumwalt bought the water rights of Risley & Cameron and others and secured options on large tracts of land. As secretary of the company, he promoted its interests until its principal office was moved from Visalia to Traver. He was a prime factor and a stockholder of the Kaweah Canal and Irrigation Co. and was influential in the prevention of the diversion of the water from the settlers. In the course of his busy life he improved and developed lands of his own, and his estate owns a fine farm between Visalia and Tulare, which is devoted to dairying and the raising of Shorthorn cattle; in the improvement and equipment of this property he established a creamery. He was instrumental, also, in the setting up of another at Visalia.

In the construction of other canals than those mentioned above Mr. Zumwalt was active. With others, he was indefatigable in presenting proofs to the Interior Department, at Washington. D. C, of the necessity for the preservation of the redwood forests for future generations. It was he who enlisted the co-operation of Congressman Vandever of California, who secured the passage of an authorization of the setting aside of General Grant Park, which insures the preservation of the giant redwoods, there more numerous than in any other part of the Sierras.

At Tulare, May 20, 1890, Mr. Zumwalt married Emma F. Blackwedel, a native of Taycheedah, Wis. J. Henry Blackwedel, her father, born in Hemsliug, Hanover, Germany, was a son of John Blackwedel. who brought his family to the United States in 1847 and settled on a farm in Wisconsin, whence they moved later to Jo Daviess county, III. John Henry Blackwedel was a farmer in Wisconsin and later a merchant in Sauk City, Wis., and Galena, Ill., and later became a resident of Dubuque, Iowa, in which city he passed away November 29, 1863. Of literary tastes and education, he entertained writers and lecturers who visited him wherever he lived. He deserves a place in history as one of the sponsors of the Republican party. His wife, formerly Anna Meta Holterman, was born in Germany, a daughter of H. C. Holterman, who lived out his days there. She died in Dubuque, Iowa, in 1872. Two of their children lived to maturity, Mrs. Zumwalt and Mrs. Minnie Pillsbury. Of a former marriage two sons, Henry Herman and John Frederick, died in service, while members of Company I, Seventeenth Missouri Volunteer Infantry. Mrs. Zumwalt, next to the youngest, was reared and educated in Dubuque, came to Riverside in 1886 with her sister, Mrs. Pillsbury, and in 1887 came to Tulare county. She is a helpful member of the Methodist church and does much for Visalia Lodge No. 48, Independent Order of Good Templars, with which she has been identified since its organization by her late husband November 18, 1870. He was foremost in incorporating the Good Templars' Hall Association and in building the Good Templars Hall at Visalia and in so safeguarding it that it cannot be diverted from its intended use or pass from the control of the society. He was Grand Councilor of the order and for many years one of its most devoted and liberal supporters. He was a member and a trustee of the Methodist church of Visalia and in 1869-70 organized its Sunday school, of which he was long superintendent. Politically, he was in early life a Republican, in later years a Prohibitionist. His opinions on the liquor question are shared by Mrs. Zumwalt, who, as an ardent woman suffragist, has seen much in which to rejoice in these later days of awakening and of regeneration in matters political. She was a valued assistant to Mr. Zumwalt, standing beside him in all trials and encouraging him with her devoted wifely love. Their union was a very happy one, and at home, in church work or in lodge work their interests were mutual Mr. Zumwalt 's death occurred November 2, 1904.

The town of Traver, Tulare county, was laid out through Mr. Zumwalt 's instrumentality. So versatile was he that he carried on an abstract and land business, gave attention to stock-raising and dairying, patented a process for photographing and preserving records, and did many other odd and interesting things not directly connected with his chief pursuits. With the instincts of a true liusiness woman, Mrs. Zumwalt personally attends to business connected with her several ranches. She has a dairy ranch of twelve hundred acres near Tulare City. On her Deer Creek ranch of thirty-three hundred acres she raises many fine beef cattle. She has a quarter-section of land on the Tule river, of which eight acres are planted to oranges just coming into bearing, and she has other ranches which she rents out

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Tulare County Biographies - - Transcribed by Kathy Sedler

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DANIEL KINDLE ZUMWALT

       In the memorial annals of Tulare county and of this section of  California in general there are few names held in higher regard than are those  of the late Daniel Kindle Zumwalt and of his wife, who for many years not only  were recognized as among the most substantial citizens of Tulare county but were  regarded as leaders in good works, faithful to their church obligations and to  all the implied obligations of good citizenship, helpful in promoting all  measures looking to the betterment of conditions in the favored community of  which they long were a part. Daniel Kindle Zumwalt, realtor, abstractor,  landowner and promoter, who died at his home November 2, 1904, in Visalia, had  been a resident of California since the days of his boyhood, having been among  those who crossed the plains in the early '50's and there was perhaps no man in  this section of the state who had a more accurate acquaintance with local  conditions than he.

       Mr. Zumwalt was born near the city of Joliet, Will county, Illinois,  January 24, 1845, and was nine years of age when in 1854 his father, Jacob  Zumwalt, came with his family to California, traveling across by ox team, and  settled at Sutter's Fort, Sacramento. For some years this family remained in  Sacramento, Daniel Kindle Zumwalt there growing up intimately familiar with the  growing interests of the rapidly developing community. He evinced admirable  aptitude for his studies and was sent to the then new College of the Pacific at  Santa Clara and became a member of the first class graduated from that  institution. During this course of instruction he had given his particular  attention to the study of law and upon leaving college settled at Visalia, where  he opened out in business as a land agent and was also retained as the local  attorney for the Southern Pacific Railway Company. He also acted as realty agent  for Tulare and adjacent counties in the apportionment of railway lands and early  became widely recognized as one of the best informed men in that section of the  state in matters affecting California realty values. In connection with his  realty operations Mr. Zumwalt opened a set of abstract books and was for many  years recognized as an authority on land titles throughout this section. As  property became his industry and energy, his affairs prospered and he became a  large landowner, among his landholdings having been the valuable tract for fifty  years known as the Zumwalt dairy ranch in the vicinity of Visalia, now owned and  operated by his foster-son, Walter M. Goins. In his relations to local  development work Mr. Zumwalt was enterprising and progressive and ever was  regarded as one of the county's foremost promoters. Included in the projects in  which he took a particularly active interest and which he promoted in his ,  usual energetic fashion was the Seventy-six Land and Water Company which is now  the Alta Irrigation District. He also was one of the locally influential factors  in having Grant park set off as a federal reserve. Mr. Zumwalt was an ardent  prohibitionist and though he did not live to see the coming of national  prohibition he will ever be recalled as the man who did as much as any other to  bring about that condition which has given to Tulare county the name of being  the "dryest" county in the state of California.

       On May 20, 1890, at Tulare, Daniel Kindle Zumwalt was united in marriage  to Miss Emma Frances Blackwedel, who was born in Taycheedah, near Fond du Lac,  Wisconsin, December 29, 1852, and who in 1886 had come to California to take  care of an invalid sister, Minnie I. Pillsbury, who died in Riverside, January  30, 1887.

       Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Zumwalt established their home in  Visalia and there their last days were spent. Mr. Zumwalt died on November 2,  1904, and his widow survived him for almost twenty years, her death occurring on  August 29, 1923. Mr. and Mrs. Zumwalt were ardent members of the Methodist  Episcopal church and for twenty-five years Mr. Zumwalt had served as  superintendent of the Sunday school of that congregation. In his political  alignment he was an equally ardent republican and was long recognized as one of  the leaders of that party in this county. Mrs. Zumwalt shared her husband's  philanthropic inclinations and following his death continued actively interested  in the promotion of those welfare projects to which he had been devoted. In his  memory she gave to his alma mater, the College of the Pacific, a cash gift of  five hundred dollars and a tract of eighty acres of valuable land. By will she  bequeathed to the conference claimants, church extension and foreign missions  movements of the Methodist Episcopal church a tract of eighty acres and also  bequeathed to the Presbyterian church an equal tract of land, while to her  niece, Meta Pillsbury Dunbar, and her grand­nephews, she bequeathed large  parcels of land, as well as generous gifts to personal friends.   To her  foster-son, Walter M. Goins, whom she had taken into her home and heart when he  was a child, was left the home ranch, a valuable property that now is being  operated in a large way.

       In recording the events in the life of Mr. Zumwalt it is but just to  state that Mrs. Zumwalt has been a most potent factor in his success, standing  beside him in all trials and encouraging him with her love and devotion. Their  union was an unusually happy and congenial one, and whether at home, in church  or in lodge work, their interests were mutual.

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http://www.shannontech.com/ParkVision/KingsCanyon/KingsCanyon.html

The famous naturalist John Muir first visited the area in 1873 and 1875 and quickly came to love it, but he became very concerned for its condition. Sharing his concerns, some began to consider the idea of preserving the natural wonders in the area. Considerable credit for the efforts which culminated in the establishment of the original park go to George W. Stewart, a Visalia newspaperman and conservationist, and Daniel K. Zumwalt of the Souther Pacific Railroad. The area surrounding the Grant Grove of giant sequoias was withdrawn from sale for logging in 1880. This same area around the sequoias was created as the fourth national park on the same day as Yosemite (October 1, 1890), in the same legislation and one week later than the second park. It was called General Grant National Park.

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One of the landmarks along the side of the valley is the Grand Sentinel south of the Kings River and Zumwalt meadow. The granite peak looms above the river and the valley,

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Zumwalt Meadow

   One of the lovelist areas in the valley, or throughout the park or in any national park, is Zumwalt Meadow. This extremely flat section of the valley on the shore of the Kings River, created by the titanic forces of glaciation, features a beautiful meadow with trees, wildflowers, and dramatic mountains along its edge. Some of the wildflowers can be seen below.

The meadow also contains a very pleasant 1.5 mile trail, the Zumwalt Meadow Nature Trail, which is show in the next picture as it crosses the edge of the valley.

Zumwalt Meadow is named after Southern Pacific Railroad executive D.K. Zumwalt, who got land some of the land in this area set aside as a forest preserve in the early 1900's.

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http://www.shannontech.com/ParkVision/KingsCanyon/KCZumwalt.html

Zumwalt Meadow along the banks of the Kings River is one of the most pleasant places in the park. The bank of the river forms the north edge of the meadow and mountains, such as the Grand Sentinel (shown below) form the south boundary. Deer may often be seen browsing for food in the meadow.

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Another history of Tulare County has a similar but occasionally paraphrased version of the biography. Google OCR is missing some text:

http://books.google.com/books?id=4O41AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA632&lpg=PA632&ot...

. . . . 

ber, 1833. His son, also called Jacob, was born in Adams county, Ohio, September I 5, 1807, and there grew to manhood. June 24, 1830, he was united in marriage with Susanna Kindle Smith, who was born in Adams county, Ohio, June 12, I811. In company with his father and father's family, besides himself consisting of three sons and five daughters, he removed to Hancock county, Ind., in 1830, as a farmer making his home in that locality for four years. He then removed to Will county, 111., in 1834, locating ten miles from Joliet. Twenty years later, in March, I854, he crossed the plains with ox teams, and until 1872 followed farming in Sacramento county. In that year he located in Tulare county and engaged in farming in the vicinity of Visalia until his death, which occurred May 3t, 1878. He is buried in Sacramento, in which city his wife died November 20, 1896. In religion he was a faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and a supporter of all movements calculated to advance the general welfare. To Mr. and Mrs. Zumwalt were born the following children: Nancy Ann, who became the wife of Rockwell Hunt and died in Sacramento in 1904; Sarah M., the wife of James Shoemaker, of Santa Clara; Joseph, born April 30, 1836, and who died in Kern county, Cal., April 1, I878; John H., located in College Park, Cal.; Elizabeth, Mrs. Hawk, of Sacramento; and Daniel Kindle, the subject of this review.

Daniel K. Zumwalt was nine years old when the memorable trip across the plains was made, his duty being to ride horseback and drive the cattle. With the exception of standing guard at night every duty that fell to the lot of the grown members of the party likewise fell to him. Upon his father’s location in Sacramento he attended the public schools and later the high school, graduating from the latter' in 1865. Intent upon securing a good education, be afterward entered the University of the Pacific, from which he graduated with the degree of A. B. and later received the degree of A. M. Securing a first grade state teacher’s certificate he taught school for one year in Yolo, Cal., after which, in 1869, he came to Tulare county, which was his home up to the time of his death. He improved and developed lands of his own, the estate now owning a large farm between Visalia and Tulare, which is devoted to dairying and to the raising of Short-horn cattle. For twentythree years Mr. Zumwalt acted as land agent and attorney for the Southern Pacific Railroad Company, his territory extending over Tulare, Kern, Fresno and what is now Kings county, and during this time he sold more land than any other man in the section. His ability and management were made manifest at the time of the Mussel slough difficulties. Shrewd and far-sighted, Mr.

Zumwalt perceived that the proper development and upbuilding of the county must come through irrigation, and bent every effort to bring about a satisfactory system. He was one of the organizers and promoters of the 76 Land and \IVater Company, the principal capital being obtained through his efforts, as well as the men best qualified to carry the plan to successful issue. Of the original incorporators only one is now living, I. H. Jacobs, of the firm of Simon, Jacobs & Co. Mr. Zumwalt secured the cooperation of Dr. H. P. Merritt, Francis E. Bullard, Charles Traver and Thomas Fowler, who was one of the suggesters of the scheme, and P. Y. Baker, who was Mr. Zumwalt’s partner, securing the co-operation of C. F. J. Kitchener. As a first step in the formation of the 76 Land and Water Company Mr. Zumwalt purchased the water rights from Risley & Cameron and others, and secured options on large tracts of land for

the benefit of the company, and as secretary of _

the company gave to the project his co-operation and support up to the time of the removal of the principal place of business from Visalia to Traver. He was also associated with the building of numerous other canals, being a prime mover in the K'aweah Canal & Irrigation Com

party, in which he was a heavy stockholder, and

was deeply interested in legislation to bring about some means whereby the water could not be diverted from the use of the settlers. In the improvement and equipment of his own property he established a Creamery on his ranch and assist

ed materially in the building of one in Visalia.

Perhaps one of the most far-reaching and memorable achievements of Mr. Zumwalt was securing the preservation of a greater part of the redwoods. He with others was indefatigable m presenting proofs to the Interior department of the value and nature of many of the lands in the Sierra Nevada mountains, and the necessity of preserving the forests for future generations’. In the fall of 1890, while in \lVashington, D. C., he enlisted the co-operation of General Vandever, congressman from California, and within two or three days of the adjournment of congress secured the passage of a measure to set aside General Grant Park, which insures the preservation of those monsters of the forest, which here stand more compact than in anv other part of ‘the Sierras. Progressive, liberal and enterprising, the results of his efforts have not yet been measured, but shall go down the years which shall bring continued prosperity to Tulare county and shall continue to add honor to the name which he made lustrous‘with good. and great deeds. His death occurred November 2, 1904, his last resting place being in the city of

Visalia. the scene of his labors for so many years.

In Tulare May 20, 1890, M1‘. Zumwalt was united in marriage with Emma F. Blackwedel, who was born in Taycheedah, near Fond du Lac, Wis. Her father, J. Henry Blackwedel, was a native of Hemsling, Hanover, Germany, from which country her grandfather, John Blackwedel. came to America with his family in November, 1847. The month following he settled 011a farm in Wisconsin, later moving to Jo Davtesslcounty, Ill. J. H. Blackwedel was first a tanner 1n Wisconsin, and later engaged in mercantile pursuits in Sauk City, Wis, Galena, Ill., and Dubuque, Iowa, in which latter place his death occurred November 29, 1863. A man of considerable ability and superior education, the Blackwedel home, both in Wisconsin and Illinois, was the rendezvous of lecturers and those of literary tastes whenever they came to his home town. Mr. Blackwedel was well and favorably known throughout the state of wisconsrnuwhere he was one of the sponsors of the Republican part)His wife, formerlyy Anna Meta Holterman, was also a native of Germany, and the daughter of H. C. Holterman, who died in Gennany. MP5» Blackwedel died in Dubuque in 1872. The:] were four children in the Blackwedel househol‘ who grew to maturity, of whoro two 59115, HQ": Herman and John Frederick. died whilev semn: in Companv I, Seventeenth I\'I1SSOI.11‘1\‘Ollllllff1e Infantrv. ‘A daughter, Minnie I., became].wife of Francis I. Pillsbury, and‘camle to Lalfornia, her death occurring in RIVCI‘SHIC: ary 30. 1887. Next to the youngest, MTS- ‘(lied walt was reared in Dubuque, where she astggflshe both public and private schools. In 1 Pinscame to Riverside with her sister, MrsTulm bury, and the following year came tOltEiS‘ couhtv. She is a member of the hietlwillsmfigc copal'Church and is identified with \ m w I _

- Y - , . zumwatwas No. 48, I. O. G. T.. of Wl‘llCl'l Mr I ‘NOW-m’ also a member and which he orgafl'tlfl ‘ . ber 18, 1870. He was foremost 1n_1l}¢°l'l)O the Good Templar's Hall Asso'clatiotlaha and building Good Templar’s Hall in 'tlhas 1mm put such safeguards around rt that 1 or passed been perverted from its original 11Se out of the hands pfhthe slocrlega

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ness, patented a process for photographing and preserving records, and was also engaged in stock-raising and dairying. While in Sacramento, from 186i to 1865, Mr. Zumwalt joined Company l-I, Fourth Regiment, Fourth Brigade Califoniia State Militia, serving as first lieutenant of the company and first lieutenant and quartermaster of his regiment.

In recording the events in the life of Mr. Zumwait it is but just to state that Mrs. Zuniwalt has been a most potent factor in his success, standing beside him in all trials and encouraging him with her love and devotion. Their union was an unusually happy and congenial one, and whether at home, in church or in lodge work, their interests were mutual.