History of Fresno County, Vol. 5 - Paul E. Vandor

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      In his twenty-first year, Mr. Dewhirst was married to Miss Grace Dewhirst, by whom he has had four children, Victor, Roy, Fred, and William; and more than ever today his good helpmate shares his popularity. Both Mr. and Mrs. Dewhirst are members of the Methodist Church, and with their children they attend the First Methodist Episcopal congregation. Lately, Mr. Dewhirst purchased his former home on Second Street from W. R. Dale, where hospitality marked the family life, and once again drew together a wide circle of friends.

      W. R. GORDON.

      It is not often that a man is able to test his popularity with safety and success by absenting himself awhile from the scene of his former activities, but this has been done by W. R. Gordon who, to the great satisfaction of his numerous friends and his even more numerous acquaintances, returned to Selma with his family on April 1, 1919, and two weeks later took possession of the Economy Grocery, which occupies the south side of the store-room at 1940 East Front Street, Selma. His many years of experience both as clerk and proprietor have made him thoroughly conversant with the best brands and qualities of staple and fancy groceries, and he not only gives his personal attention to the wants of his patrons, but directs the neat and sanitary disposition of his stock. He is indeed a live wire, and it is not surprising that he is building up a good trade at Selma.

      W. R. Gordon was born at Warrensburg, Johnson County, Mo., on September 2, 1883, the son of W. B. Gordon who married Miss Ada Reed, a native of Little Rock, Ark., who still lives in Fresno, with her four daughters. When the lad was sixteen years of age, his parents came with him to Selma, and here his father served the city for four years as Councilman, dying in January, 1918, when he was fifty-nine years old. During his tenure of office especially, he was one of the strongest temperance advocates at a time when Prohibition was decidedly unpopular, and when the anti-saloon fight was up-hill work, and he stood firmly for a dry Selma. When he first went into the bitter fight, he ran a busy blacksmith shop and employed six men in a smithy that was among the best patronized in or near Selma; but as a result of his uncompromising attitude toward the liquor traffic, he saw his business dwindle to a point where, with only one helper, he could take care of all the work that came to his shop. Nevertheless, he persisted in his work of reform, and Selma became the first dry town in the San Joaquin Valley.

      W. R. Gordon is largely self-taught and self-made, having been rather a precocious boy when he was in the grammar schools in Missouri and at Selma. At thirteen he entered a newspaper office in Missouri, first as "devil," and later as typesetter on the Johnson County Star, and soon after arriving in Selma he resumed his work as a compositor, working after school and on Saturdays for John W. Aikin, editor and proprietor of the Enterprise at Selma. Later on he was made clerk in Unger's Stationery Store, and later still became a clerk for the Walter Scott Company, in Selma, remaining with the latter firm steadily for eight years. He next went to Coalinga and clerked for A. P. May for a year, and then he bought a store at San Joaquin, in Fresno County, where he also became postmaster, while conducting a successful general merchandise store.

      In the spring of 1919 he returned to Selma and bought out W. O. Staley, the former owner of the Economy Market, and took possession of the grocery department. Mr. Staley had owned and operated both the meat market and the grocery, but the former he sold to Jess L. Williams, who took possession the same day that Mr. Gordon did.

      On the second day of July, 1905, at Selma, Cal., Mr. Gordon was married to Miss Bertha Neer, a native daughter, whose parents, William and Mary (Bozeman) Neer, ranchers a quarter of a mile east of Selma, reared her in that favoring town. Mr. and Mrs. Gordon have two children. Louise and Marada. The family attends the Christian Church at Selma, and Mr. Gordon is a popular member of the Woodmen of the World.

      MRS. CHRISTINE A. PETERSEN.

      The home of Mrs. Christine A. Petersen, widow of the late John Petersen, superintendent and president of the Parlier Winery during his lifetime, radiates the hospitality and good cheer that its owner is ever pleased to extend to those who are so fortunate as to be guests within its walls.

      Mrs. Petersen is a native of Denmark, having been born in Sondre, Tylland, November 22, 1868. She is the daughter of Hans Iversen Vind and Anna Maria (Schmidt) Vind. Her father was a well-to-do farmer in Denmark, and both her parents were born and married under the Danish flag. As a result of the war of 1864, however, Schleswig became a province of Germany. Although her father died under the German flag his sympathies always remained with Denmark. In a family of six children who grew to maturity, Mrs. Petersen is the second child. Two children died in infancy in Denmark. The six children came to California, viz., Marie, who is the wife of Charles Sorensen, a chef residing at Fruitvale; Christine Adophine; Hans J., who died single in California; Petrine, the wife of Christ Andersen, a baker in San Francisco, where they reside; Jorgine A., the wife of Peter Hansen, a rancher near Parlier; and Peter Adolph, who is a rancher north of Parlier. After the death of the father of the family, his widow came to Selma. Cal. She was accompanied by her invalid son, Hans J., and divided her time between the homes of her children in various places in California and the home of her son, Peter Adolph Vind, in the Selma district. The mother lived to the advanced age of eighty-three, dying in California.

      Mrs. Petersen was reared in Schleswig and sailed alone from Hamburg on the steamship Harmonia. She embarked at Hamburg in the early part of September, 1885, and landing at Castle Garden, New York, lost no time in going to Salinas, Cal., where she arrived October 3, 1885. She met Mr. Petersen — a native of Denmark, born February 26, 1859 — in the Central Colony, four miles south of Fresno, where they were married May 31, 1889.

      As a young man, Mr. Petersen served his regular military course in Denmark, afterwards working on farms in that country. After coming to the United States he worked at various occupations and trades, finally coming to California. He owned 160 acres in San Bernardino County. Cal., then became interested in Fresno County viticulture. He lived six months in the Central Colony, then came to the Parlier district. (There was no Parlier station at that time). Later, he helped build the winery at Parlier and for five years served as its secretary and manager. For four years he was its manager and President. He then purchased twenty acres of unimproved land. Starting with nothing, the place is now well improved. In 1906, Mr. Petersen built a fine residence. The ranch is on the Consolidated Ditch and is planted to alfalfa, muscats, Thompson seedless, seedless sultanas, Malagas and peaches.

      Mr. Petersen died September 10, 1911, at the age of fifty-two and was buried in the Mendocino Cemetery. He was the first president of the Danish Brotherhood. His widow now owns the ranch.

      Mrs. Petersen bore her husband seven children. The oldest is deceased. Hannah is the wife of Mr. Henry Eckenrode, ex-soldier in the Philippines and in the United States Marines, who is now renting a ranch one and a half miles northwest of Parlier; they are the parents of one child, Bernice Christine. Henry George, twenty-four years of age, has just returned from France. He was transferred to the One Hundred Seventh Ammunition Train of the Thirty-second Division, and saw five months' active service in the Alsace, the Aisne-Marne or Chateau Thierry, and Soissons and Argonne sectors. He had several close calls. He was honorably discharged, May 31, 1919, at the Presidio, and reached home the next day. William Bryan joined the colors, and served five months at Camp Kearney, and became chief mechanic; he was honorably discharged at Camp Kearney and came home February 6, 1919. Walter Christian, a lad of seventeen, graduated in June, 1918, from the Selma High School; John and Antone M., twins, died in infancy.

      Mrs. Petersen is a charming and accomplished woman, and her well-ordered household bespeaks her qualifications as a fine housekeeper. She is a consistent Christian and an active church worker, and she and her family are members of the Lutheran Church, three miles west of Parlier on the Reedley road. Mrs. Petersen is also a member of the Red Cross.

      SAMUEL HAMILTON.

      A native son proud of his association with the great commonwealth on the Pacific Coast, Samuel Hamilton was born in the Red Bank district of Fresno County, on May 2, 1877, the son of Stephen Hamilton,

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