Mr. and Mrs. Pilegard were among the prime movers in the organization of the Danish Lutheran Church at Easton, Cal., of which they were faithful members and consistent Christians. Mrs. Pilegard is a tireless Sunday School teacher and worker. She is a hospitable, generous, public-spirited woman, and both she and her children are prime favorites in the community. Her husband, a pioneer of the Oleander section, was looked up to as the leader among the Danes in the Washington Colony in Fresno County, Cal., during his lifetime.
JOSEPH E. GRUWELL.
A man who is fully qualified to bring about the best results in road-making is Joseph E. Gruwell, a native son, born in Lakeport. Lake County, Cal, February 25, 1870. He is a descendant of an old pioneer family, his grandfather, Jacob Gruwell, having been a member of the California Assembly in the days when the state was new, from Santa Clara County, having crossed the plains in ox team train. His father located northeast of Hanford in 1875, where he owned an eighty-acre ranch, and where he made his home all the years up to his death July 4, 1913. J. E. Gruwell received his education in Eureka school district, in Kings County, when he was with his father. He later went to work for the Clark Brothers as ranch foreman. This firm engaged in farming on a large scale, having 3,500 acres of land. In those early days Mr. Gruwell worked with ten eight-horse plow teams and four drill teams. For six years he stayed with this firm, at the end of which time he homesteaded a quarter section of land in the Weed Patch country, Kern County, proving up in five years and returned to Kings County, where he farmed the Burris ranch, renting a quarter section nine miles northeast of Hanford, raising grain and stock. He next bought forty acres of raw land eight miles northeast of Hanford, which he improved with orchard, later disposing of this and locating in Coalinga in 1909. Here he opened a blacksmith shop on Forest Avenue, and put in all the machinery and improvements necessary for a modern shop, which he sold the same year. He then started and operated the largest stage line to the oil fields — four machines, including a twenty-five passenger White truck.
In 1914 he received the appointment of superintendent of roads. Here was his opportunity, and he has made many improvements in the roads in this district. He opened up the road from Coalinga to Kings County known as Lost Hills roads. A dirt grade road to the county line completed the road system between Coalinga and Huron. The Stratford road to Kings County line opened up direct communication with graded roads to all the above named points. Also improved the Coalinga-Fresno road with a dirt grade. He uses a Holt seventy-five horsepower tractor for road working and a Jeffries truck for hauling.
Mr. Gruwell invested in a corner lot in Coalinga on east E Street, where he built four houses which bring him in a good income. He was married in Hanford to Kate Barton, who was born in Eldorado County, Cal. She is a member of the Christian Church. Her father is H. D. Barton, who was a former supervisor of Kings County.
H. P. STEITZ, JR.
A business man who now presides over large affairs and who has been successful since he cast his lines in Fresno and who is deeply interested in the growth and development of the county, is H. P. Steitz, Jr., who was born at Skadofsky, Samara, Russia, on June 29, 1875, the son of H. P. Steitz, who was a farmer there, who married Catherine Elizabeth Doos, and brought his wife and four children to Fresno in 1891. For some years he followed a business career and is now Deputy County Assessor. He is also engaged in the real estate business, and his wife enjoys life with him at their Lilly Avenue home.
H. P. Steitz, Jr., is the oldest of the family, and was so well educated at the public and higher schools in his native land that he studied English at Saratov. This quickened his interest in the New World, and he was quite wide-awake when he arrived in Fresno on December 12, 1891. He attended night school for a time and then leased, with his father as partner, the Dr. Mukes vineyard. Later he worked for wages at viticulture, and next went to Del Rev and set out a vineyard for Mr. Nutting, receiving for his labor the title to twenty acres. He is a stockholder in the California Associated Raisin Company.
On July 1, 1895, Mr. Steitz was married to Miss Eliza Schwabenland, also a native of Russia. He owns a comfortable residence at 2030 California Avenue as well as other valuable city property; and eight children enjoy with their devoted parents the blessings of an American home. They are Edward, Leo. 'William, and Ida, all of whom assist the father in business, and Meda, Albert, Elma, and Allen.
After devoting himself to viticulture for many years, Mr. Steitz on December 24, 1909, began his mercantile career, opening a general merchandise business on South F Street under the firm name of Kinzel & Steitz. In January, 1919, however, he sold out his interest to his partner and later built his new store at 2038 California Avenue. He has a floor space 66 x 100 feet in size, and the firm is known as H. P. Steitz & Sons, his three sons now sharing the partnership.
Mr. Steitz is a member of the Free Cross Lutheran Church of Fresno, in which he has been a trustee. He is a member of the Eagles.
JOSEPH L. PRATHER.
Prominent among those identified with the agricultural development of California is Joseph L. Prather. He was born near Greensboro, N. C, on July 18, 1833, the son of Rev. Robert R. Prather, a planter, and a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Joseph's great-grandfather was born in England and crossed the ocean to North Carolina, where he became a planter. When the Civil War broke out, he served in the Confederate Army, defending the principles he believed to be right: in 1862, he was married to Miss Mary Hedrick, who was born near Lexington, N. C, in 1846, and was the daughter of Joseph Hedrick, a North Carolinian planter, whose father fought in the Revolutionary War. In the fall of 1865 Joseph Prather brought his family to Missouri, and in 1867 he took up his residence near Waco, Texas, where he was a farmer.
In June, 1872, the Prathers removed to California and Mr. Prather located a claim in the Mussel Slough country near Grangeville and also bought some railroad land. He helped build the canal and ditches, and gave an effective hand to opening up the country. However, he was fortunate in selling out before the Mussel Slough troubles, after which he removed to Wild Flower in Fresno County. It was the time of the building of the emigrant ditch, and he speedily located a claim and improved it, selling out at the end of eight years. He removed to Orange County, and commenced to farm and raise stock near Santa Ana; but eighteen months later he returned to Fresno County.
Then he located on 160 acres of railroad land thirteen miles south of Fresno that he had purchased, farmed and set out a vineyard; but the dry year and low prices of 1893 caused such heavy losses that he had to sacrifice his place. Since then he and his wife live retired, making their home with their sons on the ranch near Prather Post Office in Auberry Valley, which beautiful region takes its name from this pioneer family. Mr. Prather is now eighty-five years old, while his wife is seventy-two years of age, the mother of eleven children, nine of whom have grown to maturity: Joseph Everette Prather, with his brother Fred, owns the Prather ranch in Auberry Valley, but he is employed as a driller in the oil fields. John N. runs the Prather Brothers Lodge ranch. Bessie is Mrs. Trautwein of Fresno. Birdie died at the age of twenty. Allie is Mrs. Webb of Oakland; Richard is a blacksmith in Waco; Robert resides in Fresno; Lonnie is Mrs. Chas. E., of Albuquerque, N. M.; Fred is in the aviation section of the United States Signal Corps. Joseph E. and Fred Prather came to Auberry Valley about seven years ago, and bought this ranch, and two years later they began their improvements. They were joined by their brother, John N., who now runs the place. The latter from a lad was brought up to understand viticulture; and he also spent some time in the oil fields and at McKittrick, where he became a stationary engineer. All the five brothers are good mechanics, two of them having specialized in the steam engine, and three with the gas engine.
The Prather Brothers ranch comprises 440 acres in Auberry Valley, is well improved with two bungalows and other farm buildings, and is known as the "Lodge." It is watered by the Big Sandy, and the post office is located on the ranch. There fruit culture and general farming are