Sylvester W Waltz

from a 1919 biography in The History of Fresno County

S. W. WALTZ A successful, highly respected farmer and viticulturist, who has a fine ranch property and knows how to take good care of it, is S. W. Waltz, who came to Fresno County in the great boom year of 1887.

Thirty years before, on February 20, he was born at Vevay, Switzerland County, Ind., the son of Joseph Waltz, a native of Pennsylvania, who settled in Indiana and grew to be one of the prosperous farmers there. He married Burry A. Courtney, a daughter of the Hoosier State, a woman of character and amiability, who became the mother of ten children, seven of whom are still living. Joseph Waltz died in 1885, and Mrs. Waltz died later.

The voungest in the family, and the only one in California, S. W. Waltz was brought up on a farm and attended the public school. When he was twelve years of age he began to do farm work in earnest, driving the teams and helping get in the harvest; and after the death of his father he continued to work on the home farm and to assist his mother, until she died.

Before coming to California, Mr. Waltz was married in Indiana to Miss Australia Chittenden, a native of that state, who had relatives here. On his arrival he went to work in the vineyards, and in 1891 he bought his present place of twenty acres in the Scandinavian Colony, six miles northeast of Fresno, which he improved in many ways. He built a residence and barn, set out a fine vineyard of Malaga, Thompson, Sultana and wine grapes, and planted some of the land to alfalfa. The ranch is under the Gould Ditch, and profits from almost perfect irrigation.

Mr. Waltz takes a keen interest in all that pertains to his departments of agriculture, and is one of the livest members of the California Associated Raisin Company. In February, 1892, Mr. Waltz' wife breathed her last.

Later, Mt. Waltz married a second time, his bride on this occasion being Mrs. Nellie (Henderon) Trevathan, a native daughter born near Solbyville, Merced County.

By her Mr. Waltz has had two children Harry Roy and Dorris. By her first marriage Mrs. Waltz had one child, Clifford Trevathan, who resides near Kerman. Mr. Waltz belongs to Fresno Lodge. No. 186, I. O. O. F. He is also a member and Past Chief Patriarch of the Encampment and belongs to the Canton ; and both Mr. and Mrs. Waltz are members of the Rebekahs. Public-spirited and ever interested in all that makes for the improvement of the neighborhood, and particularly for the advancement of the cause of education. Mr. Waltz has for three years served as a school trustee of the Scandinavian district. In national politics he is a Republican, but in local administration and civic improvements he knows no party lines and endorses and supports the right man for the right place.

• Updated from Find A Grave Memorial via father Joseph H. Waltz by SmartCopy: Jun 26 2015, 20:58:54 UTC