Person:Joseph Spier (4)

Joseph Spier, a prominent horticulturist of Visalia, and an early settler of California, was born in Saratoga County, New York, November 15, 1826. He is of English ancestry, and three generations of the family, including himself, were born in the State of New York, all having the same name. Grandfather Joseph Spier was one of the brave soldiers who fought to free the colonies from the dominion of King George. The Spier's father married Jerusha Taylor, a native of his own state, and descendant of Holland ancestry, who settled on the Mohawk river. To them were born four children.

   The subject of this sketch was educated in New York.  He learned the sign-writer's trade and ornamental painting, and developed much taste and talent in decorative and also in landscape painting.  He emigrated to Illinois in 1844, being in Chicago in August of that year, growing up with that country.  He lived in Chicago, Elgin and Peoria at different times.
    In 1852, Mr. Spier came to California, Tuolumne County, and in company with others he mined in various mining districts of California, often meeting with good success, finding as high as $500 per day.  Like nearly all the early miners of California he would be rich one day and lose everything the next, and nothing daunted, start in again and make more.  While in Tuolumne county he improved a nice home, but when the mining interests declined he sold out for a trifle.  In 1868, he located inTulare County, being at that time financially embarrassed, and took up a government claim of 160 acres.  The county was then a great cattle range.  He went to work and made improvements on his land, but sold his claim, as he was unable to keep it.  Shortly afterward he purchased forty acres of land, the property on which he now resides and which is now within the city limits of Visalia.  Gradually, as he was able with his own labor, he improved this property by planting it with fruit trees of every variety grown in California.  He has seedling orange trees twenty years old, grown from seed he himself planted.  On the 6th of May, 1891, the writer of this sketch had the pleasure of eating an orange plucked from one of these trees.  Mr. Spier has also gone into the nursery business quite extensively.  In partnership with his son, he is doing a large business, employing several men as assistants.  In 1890, they sold 60,000 young trees, and that year, for the large variety of fruit exhibited at the agricultural fair, received the sweepstakes.  Mr. Spier also delights in the cultivation of choice flowers, and in this his wife takes equal pleasure.  During all his horticultural experience in this county he has been constantly making experiments to discover the varieties of trees and fruit best suited to his locality, and at considerable expense has gained valuable information.  Some of his young trees have been sent to all parts of California and to portions of Oregon.  In the production of table grapes he has also been very successful, and has a large variety of the best kinds.
    Mr. Spier is one of the pioneers in the use of water both for mining and agricultural purposes.  In 1854, with Andrew Fletcher, Dr. Windler, John Jolly and others, he organized a company and built one of the most extensive ditches of that time, being over six miles in length; and the organization was incorporated as the Stanislaus and Tuolumne Water Company.  Mrssrs.. Spier and Fletcher superintended the construction of this immense water-course, which cost $2,000,000.  The company met with strong opposition by rival water companies, and they were finally financially swamped.  Mr. Spier always relied upon his talents with the brush to help him out in case of financial failure in business, and never has parted with his artist outfit, frequently being called upon to paint some fine silk banner or some scenic work for the ladies' socials and dramatic entertainments.  He has not confined himself to the artistic part of painting, being one day working on a fine silk banner, the next painting the side of a house; the next painting a fine carriage, and the next day he might be seen on the stage of a theater, flinging colors on a big canvas flat to be used in some extravaganza soon to be brought out, etc.  Nor did he confine himself to painting alone.  Being a natural mechanic, he frequently worked at other mechanical business or professions.  The knowledge of engineering, acquired while ditching in an early day, make him quite proficient with the transit, and many times he has been called upon to survey mining claims involving intricate underground engineering work.  But particularity did the knowledge acquired in early days prove to great benefit in locating ditches or canals in this and other portions of the state.
    In 1861, in company with two others, he built a flouring-mill near Columbia, one of the partners being a professional miller.  After on year, the miller being dissatisfied, the partner bought him out, and therefore Mr. Spier became his own miller, making a superior quality of flour and taking first premium at the Stockton district fair.  In 1863, during the last of April, in company with two others, Mr. Spier crossed the Sierra Nevada range on foot.  There were no inhabitants for 60 miles, and only a blazed trail to follow.  They had to carry their own blankets and provisions, and traveled 20 miles over deep snow.  On this trip Mr. Spier discovered a new pass, through which the Sonora road now runs, being near 1,000 feet lower than the other one passed over by the trail.
    Mr. Spier was married in 1848, at Saratoga, New York to Miss Sarah M. Green, a native of Saratoga and a daughter of Daniel D. A. Green, who was born in Albany, N.Y.  The Greens descended from an old American family who make their home at Greensend, R.I., the place taking its name from the first family who first settled there and passed through many trying scenes in the Revolution.  The celebrated Greening apple originated on this farm.  Mr. and Mrs. Spier have had five children, two sons and three daughters, only two of whom survive, viz.: Josephine, wife of George Hale, now residing at Sonora, Tuolomne county; and Charles A., who is in partnership with his father.  Their oldest son Thurlow, lived to be 21 years of age, and died at their home in Visalia.
    Mr. Spier was made a Mason in 1847, at the age of twenty-one, and is still a member in good standing.  Among his other paintings he has made three allegorical pictures in Masonry, namely, sunrise, High Meridian, and Sunset.  They are creditable paintings and illustrate his talent in that direction.
    In his early life Mr. Spier was a Whig.  At the organization of the Republican party he joined it and voted for Fremont.  When the Greenback party organized he united with it, and he now works in the ranks of the Farmers' Alliance.  He strongly favored the new Constitution of California, and was chairman of the Workingman's Committee of his county.  At his own expense he published a campaign paper in their interest, and every candidate he worked for was elected.  Mr. Spier, as is readily seen by a perusal of this sketch, is a man of versatility of talent.  He has done much in many ways to advance the interests of California, and is well and favorably know by many of the pioneers of this state.
    Such, in brief, is a sketch of one of the most prominent citizens of Tulare county.

Memorial & Biographical History of the Counties of Fresno, Tulare, and Kern, California. 1890, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing company, page 321.

Cotton Grown Here As Early as 1867

    In 1871, a group of Englishmen put in a thousand acres of cotton in Kern County, but once again lack of an outlet prevented success.  Spear Jackson, Joseph Spier and Dr. Dennis Ray planted 40 acres of cotton near the Cutler Park area in 1873, obtaining an excellent yield, but it served only to prove what was already known, that cotton would grow well inTulare County.  In 1875 Joe Spier and Stephen Barton shipped five tons of cotton from Visalia by rail.

Visalia Times-Delta (Visalia, Tulare, California) Thursday, 25 June 1959, page 15.

Spier, Rankin & Co.

    Deeds show that T. M. Rankin, Jos. Spier and H. S. Miller purchased a small lot 141 feet, north and south, by 146 feet east and west about 3/4 of a mile south of Columbia on the Sonora road on the north side of the Tuolumne County Water Co. flume which crossed the road at Union Hill and put up their flouring mill.  In Dec. 1862, Rankin sold out to the two others who continued the business.  On May 1, 1866, Spier sold out to Miller who took E. W. Shaw as a partner in 1867.  By April 18th of that year, the mill had been removed from the first site where they relied on the Tuolumne Co. Water Co. for their water supply to Mountain Brow on Mormon Creek, about one mile below Springfield.  He sold his residence property in April, 1867, after disposing of his interest in the flouring mill the previous year.

Personal Notes

    He first appears in the assessment records as having a house on Gold St. west side, Lot 15, Block 4 for which he continued to be assessed while he lived in Columbia.  On May 10, 1856, he purchased the lot on the west side of Broadway, next south of McKenty's Brick building and advertised as a Sign, Ornamental and Carriage Painter.

In September 1857 he ran a longer advertisement: The subscriber is prepared to paint signs of all dimensions, from common cloth, to the best Gilt, at short notice and at the lowest rates. Likewise all kinds of house painting, graining, glazing, and paper hanging. A large lot of paints, oils, varnishes, brushes, glass, putty, glue and other articles usually found in a paint store. Also, a large and well selected stock of paper hangings, just received for sale cheap for cash. J. Spier- - - Sept. 12, 1857.

Jos. Spier

    Who is there in these diggins that don't know Joe Spier?  Well Joe has just finished painting a couple of scenes for the Columbia Opera House that would be a credit to an artist of far greater pretensions than Joe; as we believe everyone that may see them will admit.  And when it is state that the only design for these scenes for the Columbia Opera House, were such as Joe's fancy led him to adopt, and that they were the work of only a few hours, no one will deny him that credit he deserves, for their excellence.

Columbia Times (Columbia, Tuolumne, California) 20 August 1864.

Portion of a letter from Owensville- - -

    You all about Columbia remember the little cast iron water wheel, built by Joe Spier, and for some time standing in the brick building opposite the shop of Haskell, White & Ford, and which a great many said would not turn a good sized coffee-mill, well, that is the wheel now in the Owensville Mill, and which under a head of 63 feet, has out 20 feet of 1 inch lumber per minutes and which the main charge will run on time agains any water wheel in Tuolumne County, on a wager of from $500 to $1,000.  I will write you again and keep you posted in regard to the valley.  Rambler

Tuolumne Courier (Tuolumne County, California) 20 August 1864.

    Several Columbians have returned from over the mountains, during the week- - Messrs. Jos. Spier & Spier Jacson, from Owensville: P. Mullan and J. Moulton from Mogul; I. Christian from Markleeville and several others whose names we have not learned.

Tuolumne Courier (Tuolumne County, California) Sept. 17, 1864.

All the above information provided has been taken from Barbar Eastman's notes (Columbia State Park, Columbian, California).

The End Came Death of Joseph Spier Yesterday Afternoon An Old Pioneer Passes Away Peacefully Some of the Stirring Events of This Old Settler, Whose Life Has Been an Active One - - The Funeral Tomorrow Morning

    Joseph Spier, the aged nurseryman, whose condition has been critical for weeks, passed away yesterday afternoon at his residence on Goshen avenue.
    The death of the deceased removes from our midst, an old pioneer, who cast his fortune with this community in early days and finally passed away enjoying the respect of all.  H was an honored edition of this city, and his death will be regretted by a wide circle of friends.  He was a man of positive convictions and conscientious in all his dealings.
    He left a widow and two children - - C. A. Spier of Visalia and Mrs. Joseph Hale of Sonora, Tuolumne county - - to mourn his loss.
   The funeral of the deceased will take place tomorrow (Friday) morning at 10 o'clock and the services will be conducted by the Masonic Lodge, of which order he was a member.
    The deceased was born in Saratoga county, New York, November 26, 1826.  Three generations of his ancestors were born in New York and all had the same name.  His grandfather was a Revolution Army soldier.  The deceased learned the sign-writer's trade and ornamental painting, and early developed much taste and talent in decorative and landscape painting.  He emigrated to Illinois in 1844.  In 1852, Mr. Spier came to California and engaged in mining at Columbia, Tuolumne county, often meeting with success.  Like all early miners, he was rich one day and poor the next.  When the mining industry became dull, he moved to the (Tulare) county, arriving here in 1868.  He took up a government claim of 160 acres, but relinquished it.  Shortly afterward he purchased forty acres of land, the property lying now within the city limits of Visalia.  He improved the tract of ground by planing fruit trees of every variety.  In his orchard is probably the oldest orange tree in the county.  Assisted by his son, Charles, they engaged actively in the nursery business.  In 1890, they sold 60,000 young trees, and their fruit received many premiums at fairs of quality.  During all these years the deceased was engaged in experimenting in fruit culture, making discoveries to the varieties best suited for growth in the valley.
    Mr. Spier was one of the pioneers in the use of water for mining and agricultural purposes.  In 1854, with others he organized a company and built one of the most extensive ditches at the time, and the organization was incorporated as the Stanislaus & Tuolumne Water Company.
    The deceased always relied on his paint brush to tide him over financial difficulties, and some of the scenery of early day theaters was his handiwork.  He was a natural mechanic and frequently worked at other mechanical businesses or professions.
    IN 1861 he was in the flour milling business at Columbia, Tuolumne county, and one time was awarded a premium for the best flour on exhibition at the Stockton district fair.  In 1863, in company with two others, Mr. Spier crossed the Sierra Nevadas on foot.  They had to carry their own blankets and provisions and for 20 miles they traveled over deep snow.  Ont his trip Mr. Spier discovered a new pass through which the Sonora road now runs, being nearly 1000 feet lower than the one passed over by the trail.
    Mr. Spier was married in 1848, at Saratoga, N. Y., to Miss Sarah M. Green, a native of Saratoga.  The Green family were early settlers of this country, and their homestead was at Greensend, Rhode Island.  On this farm the celebrated Greening apple originated.
    Mr. and Mrs. Spier have had five children, only two, named above, surviving.
    The deceased was made a Mason in 1847, at the age of 21, and has been a member ever since.  Among his other paintings he made three allegorical pictures in Masonry, as follows: Sunrise, High Meridian and Sunset.
    In early life the deceased was a Whig.  At the organization of the Republican party he voted with it and for General John C. Fremont.  When the Greenback party organized he united with it, but in latter years he was a Populist.  He strongly favored the new constitution of California, and was chairman of the Workingmen's Committee of this county during the campaign.  At his own expense he published a campaign paper in their interest.
    Such in brief are some of the stirring events in his life.  He was a man of indomitable will and industrious worker.  He has always been closely identified with the development of the county.
    Peace to his ashes.

Attention Masons

     All members of Visalia lodge, F. & A. M., are directed to appear at lodge room tomorrow (Friday) morning at 9 o'clock to attend the funeral of our deceased brother, Joseph Spier.  All sojourning members are also requested to be present.

Wm. Kettner, W.M.

Daily Delta (Visalia, Tulare, California) Thursday, 29 December 1898, page 1.

Joseph Spier Dead

     Joseph Spier, the nurseryman-pioneer, died at his home in this city this afternoon.  Mr. Spier was a native of the state of New York and came to California from Saratoga, New York in 1852.
    He settled in Tuolumne County, where he was engaged in mining, building ditches, painting and running a flour mill.  He moved to Tulare County 31 years ago and settled on a piece of ground on the Kings River north of Hanford.
     Twenty six years ago he purchased the land his family now resides on in Visalia.  He was engaged in the nursery business and at the same time carrying on his trade of carriage, house and sign painting.
    Mr. Spier was an expert with the paintbrush, way back in the 50's painted scenes for the theaters in Columbia and Sonora.
    Joseph Spier and Sarah M. Green were married in Saratoga, New York in November of 1848.
    He leaves a wife and two children: Mrs. Joseph Hale of Sonora and C. A. Spier of Visalia.
    He was a Mason.

Visalia Times Delta (Visalia, Tulare, California) 28 December 1898.

Will of Joseph Spier

    I, Joseph Spier, of the City of Visalia, County of Tulare, State of Californi, being of sound mind, but poor health, in order, to save my family trouble, when I am gone do make this my last will and testament.
    To my Daughter Josephine, I bequeth, my mother's enlarged picture sent me by Mr. Mills, also my god ring containing a braid of my mother's hair.
    To my son Charles A. Spier, I give my Bancrofts Library, complete.  All other books, pictures and papers, I give to my wife Sarah M. Spier, for her to do with the same as she sees fit.
    My daughter having a good home at present, and my son Charles, having for some years, staid with us and done the best he could for our comfort.
    Therefore, I, bequeath one half of all my real and personal, estate to the said Charles A. Spier, and the other half to my wife Sarah M. Spier.
    The said Charles A. Spier to have full power to settle up said estate, and make the aportionment as before written.  And the said Charles A. Spier, shall not be required to file any bond, to administer upon

Robert Board has this document.

1867 - - Spier, Joseph 33 yrs., born: New York, painter, Columbia, 2 July 1866.

Tuolumne County Great Register of Voters (California Room, California State Library, Sacramento, California).

1880 - - Spier, Joseph, 52 yrs., born: New York, Painter, Visalia, March 1, 1879.

1884 - - Spier, Joseph, 56 yrs., born: New York, Painter, Visalia, 26 April 1884

1886 - - Spier, Joseph, 41 yrs., born: New York, Painter, Visalia

1892 - - Spier, Joseph, 65 yrs., 5' 8", light complexion, gray hair, brown eyes, mole on left side of nose, Born: New York, Visalia.

1894 - - Spier, Joseph, same information as in 1892.[Board.FBC.FBK.FTW]

    Joseph Spier, a prominent horticulturist of Visalia, and an early settler of California, was born in Saratoga County, New York, November 15, 1826.  He is of English ancestry, and three generations of the family, including himself, were born in the State of New York, all having the same name.  Grandfather Joseph Spier was one of the brave soldiers who fought to free the colonies from the dominion of King George.  The Spier's father married Jerusha Taylor, a native of his own state, and descendant of Holland ancestry, who settled on the Mohawk river.  To them were born four children.
   The subject of this sketch was educated in New York.  He learned the sign-writer's trade and ornamental painting, and developed much taste and talent in decorative and also in landscape painting.  He emigrated to Illinois in 1844, being in Chicago in August of that year, growing up with that country.  He lived in Chicago, Elgin and Peoria at different times.
    In 1852, Mr. Spier came to California, Tuolumne County, and in company with others he mined in various mining districts of California, often meeting with good success, finding as high as $500 per day.  Like nearly all the early miners of California he would be rich one day and lose everything the next, and nothing daunted, start in again and make more.  While in Tuolumne county he improved a nice home, but when the mining interests declined he sold out for a trifle.  In 1868, he located inTulare County, being at that time financially embarrassed, and took up a government claim of 160 acres.  The county was then a great cattle range.  He went to work and made improvements on his land, but sold his claim, as he was unable to keep it.  Shortly afterward he purchased forty acres of land, the property on which he now resides and which is now within the city limits of Visalia.  Gradually, as he was able with his own labor, he improved this property by planting it with fruit trees of every variety grown in California.  He has seedling orange trees twenty years old, grown from seed he himself planted.  On the 6th of May, 1891, the writer of this sketch had the pleasure of eating an orange plucked from one of these trees.  Mr. Spier has also gone into the nursery business quite extensively.  In partnership with his son, he is doing a large business, employing several men as assistants.  In 1890, they sold 60,000 young trees, and that year, for the large variety of fruit exhibited at the agricultural fair, received the sweepstakes.  Mr. Spier also delights in the cultivation of choice flowers, and in this his wife takes equal pleasure.  During all his horticultural experience in this county he has been constantly making experiments to discover the varieties of trees and fruit best suited to his locality, and at considerable expense has gained valuable information.  Some of his young trees have been sent to all parts of California and to portions of Oregon.  In the production of table grapes he has also been very successful, and has a large variety of the best kinds.
    Mr. Spier is one of the pioneers in the use of water both for mining and agricultural purposes.  In 1854, with Andrew Fletcher, Dr. Windler, John Jolly and others, he organized a company and built one of the most extensive ditches of that time, being over six miles in length; and the organization was incorporated as the Stanislaus and Tuolumne Water Company.  Mrssrs.. Spier and Fletcher superintended the construction of this immense water-course, which cost $2,000,000.  The company met with strong opposition by rival water companies, and they were finally financially swamped.  Mr. Spier always relied upon his talents with the brush to help him out in case of financial failure in business, and never has parted with his artist outfit, frequently being called upon to paint some fine silk banner or some scenic work for the ladies' socials and dramatic entertainments.  He has not confined himself to the artistic part of painting, being one day working on a fine silk banner, the next painting the side of a house; the next painting a fine carriage, and the next day he might be seen on the stage of a theater, flinging colors on a big canvas flat to be used in some extravaganza soon to be brought out, etc.  Nor did he confine himself to painting alone.  Being a natural mechanic, he frequently worked at other mechanical business or professions.  The knowledge of engineering, acquired while ditching in an early day, make him quite proficient with the transit, and many times he has been called upon to survey mining claims involving intricate underground engineering work.  But particularity did the knowledge acquired in early days prove to great benefit in locating ditches or canals in this and other portions of the state.
    In 1861, in company with two others, he built a flouring-mill near Columbia, one of the partners being a professional miller.  After on year, the miller being dissatisfied, the partner bought him out, and therefore Mr. Spier became his own miller, making a superior quality of flour and taking first premium at the Stockton district fair.  In 1863, during the last of April, in company with two others, Mr. Spier crossed the Sierra Nevada range on foot.  There were no inhabitants for 60 miles, and only a blazed trail to follow.  They had to carry their own blankets and provisions, and traveled 20 miles over deep snow.  On this trip Mr. Spier discovered a new pass, through which the Sonora road now runs, being near 1,000 feet lower than the other one passed over by the trail.
    Mr. Spier was married in 1848, at Saratoga, New York to Miss Sarah M. Green, a native of Saratoga and a daughter of Daniel D. A. Green, who was born in Albany, N.Y.  The Greens descended from an old American family who make their home at Greensend, R.I., the place taking its name from the first family who first settled there and passed through many trying scenes in the Revolution.  The celebrated Greening apple originated on this farm.  Mr. and Mrs. Spier have had five children, two sons and three daughters, only two of whom survive, viz.: Josephine, wife of George Hale, now residing at Sonora, Tuolomne county; and Charles A., who is in partnership with his father.  Their oldest son Thurlow, lived to be 21 years of age, and died at their home in Visalia.
    Mr. Spier was made a Mason in 1847, at the age of twenty-one, and is still a member in good standing.  Among his other paintings he has made three allegorical pictures in Masonry, namely, sunrise, High Meridian, and Sunset.  They are creditable paintings and illustrate his talent in that direction.
    In his early life Mr. Spier was a Whig.  At the organization of the Republican party he joined it and voted for Fremont.  When the Greenback party organized he united with it, and he now works in the ranks of the Farmers' Alliance.  He strongly favored the new Constitution of California, and was chairman of the Workingman's Committee of his county.  At his own expense he published a campaign paper in their interest, and every candidate he worked for was elected.  Mr. Spier, as is readily seen by a perusal of this sketch, is a man of versatility of talent.  He has done much in many ways to advance the interests of California, and is well and favorably know by many of the pioneers of this state.
    Such, in brief, is a sketch of one of the most prominent citizens of Tulare county.

Memorial & Biographical History of the Counties of Fresno, Tulare, and Kern, California. 1890, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing company, page 321.

Cotton Grown Here As Early as 1867

    In 1871, a group of Englishmen put in a thousand acres of cotton in Kern County, but once again lack of an outlet prevented success.  Spear Jackson, Joseph Spier and Dr. Dennis Ray planted 40 acres of cotton near the Cutler Park area in 1873, obtaining an excellent yield, but it served only to prove what was already known, that cotton would grow well inTulare County.  In 1875 Joe Spier and Stephen Barton shipped five tons of cotton from Visalia by rail.

Visalia Times-Delta (Visalia, Tulare, California) Thursday, 25 June 1959, page 15.

Spier, Rankin & Co.

    Deeds show that T. M. Rankin, Jos. Spier and H. S. Miller purchased a small lot 141 feet, north and south, by 146 feet east and west about 3/4 of a mile south of Columbia on the Sonora road on the north side of the Tuolumne County Water Co. flume which crossed the road at Union Hill and put up their flouring mill.  In Dec. 1862, Rankin sold out to the two others who continued the business.  On May 1, 1866, Spier sold out to Miller who took E. W. Shaw as a partner in 1867.  By April 18th of that year, the mill had been removed from the first site where they relied on the Tuolumne Co. Water Co. for their water supply to Mountain Brow on Mormon Creek, about one mile below Springfield.  He sold his residence property in April, 1867, after disposing of his interest in the flouring mill the previous year.

Personal Notes

    He first appears in the assessment records as having a house on Gold St. west side, Lot 15, Block 4 for which he continued to be assessed while he lived in Columbia.  On May 10, 1856, he purchased the lot on the west side of Broadway, next south of McKenty's Brick building and advertised as a Sign, Ornamental and Carriage Painter.

In September 1857 he ran a longer advertisement: The subscriber is prepared to paint signs of all dimensions, from common cloth, to the best Gilt, at short notice and at the lowest rates. Likewise all kinds of house painting, graining, glazing, and paper hanging. A large lot of paints, oils, varnishes, brushes, glass, putty, glue and other articles usually found in a paint store. Also, a large and well selected stock of paper hangings, just received for sale cheap for cash. J. Spier- - - Sept. 12, 1857.

Jos. Spier

    Who is there in these diggins that don't know Joe Spier?  Well Joe has just finished painting a couple of scenes for the Columbia Opera House that would be a credit to an artist of far greater pretensions than Joe; as we believe everyone that