William Wolfskill facts for kids
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William Wolfskill (born in 1798, died in 1866) was an important American-Mexican pioneer and cowboy in Los Angeles, California. He was also an agronomist, which means he was an expert in soil management and crop production. He started his work in California in the 1830s.
Before coming to California, William Wolfskill spent ten years as a fur trapper near Santa Fe, New Mexico. He earned enough money there to buy land. While in New Mexico, he became a Mexican citizen. This was very important because it allowed him to own land in California, which was part of Mexico at the time.
Wolfskill played a huge role in developing California's farming industry in the 1800s. He became the biggest wine producer in the region, growing many grapevines. He was one of the richest men of his time. He bought more land and started raising sheep and growing oranges, lemons, and other crops. He is famous for starting California's citrus industry. He also developed the Valencia orange, which became the most popular orange for juice in the United States. The city of Valencia, California was even named after this orange!
In 1842, William and his brother John Reid Wolfskill bought a large piece of land in the Sacramento Valley. They called it Rancho Rio de los Putos, which later became known as the Wolfskill Ranch. The brothers eventually split this land, which was near what is now Winters, California. John Wolfskill then started his own fruit orchards and vineyards there. Three other Wolfskill brothers also moved to California and worked with John in the northern part of the state.
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Early Life and Journey to California
William Wolfskill moved to New Mexico in 1821. At that time, New Mexico was a province of Mexico called Santa Fe de Nuevo México. He spent ten years trapping fur in the New Mexico area. The fur trade was very profitable, and it helped him save money for his future. In 1828, he officially became a Mexican citizen.
In September 1830, Wolfskill left Taos, New Mexico, with a group of mountain men, including George C. Yount. They traveled across the Mojave desert using a trail that had been mapped out. They arrived in Southern California in early 1831. Once there, Wolfskill and Yount went to the coast to hunt sea otter. Wolfskill later returned to Southern California, while Yount decided to go north. Yount eventually settled in the Napa Valley.
Farming in California
Since William Wolfskill was a Mexican citizen, he was allowed to own land. He bought a piece of land where downtown Los Angeles is located today. He started growing grapevines to make wine. Over time, he planted 32,000 grapevines on a 48-acre vineyard. At first, he planted "mission vines," which were brought to California by Spanish missionaries. Later, he added other types of grapes.
In May 1842, Wolfskill received a large land grant in the area that later became Winters, California, in Yolo County. His younger brother John joined him there. They named the property Rancho Rio de los Putos. This name came from a nearby creek. The Spanish colonists named the creek using a Lake Miwok phrase, puṭa wuwwe, which means "grassy creek."
This property later became known as the Wolfskill Ranch. John Wolfskill started growing fruit trees and grapevines there. Three younger Wolfskill brothers, Milton, Mathus, and Satchal, also moved to that region and worked with John. William and John Wolfskill later divided this land near what is now Winters, California.
Agricultural Achievements
By the time William Wolfskill passed away in 1866 in Los Angeles, he was producing 50,000 gallons of wine every year. He was by far the biggest producer of table grapes in California during the Mexican era. Historians consider him one of the three most important people in the history of California's wine industry. Wolfskill's friend and business competitor in Los Angeles was a French immigrant named Jean-Louis Vignes.
William Wolfskill was one of the wealthiest men in Southern California for his time. He owned large areas of land throughout the region. He used this land for many things, from raising sheep to growing orange groves. He is famous for developing the Valencia orange. This orange became the most popular juice orange in the United States and was widely grown in Southern California. It was also the reason why Valencia, California was named.
Wolfskill is also given credit for developing and building the first schooner (a type of sailing ship) in California.
John Bidwell, another early American pioneer in California, mentioned Wolfskill in his memories. He wrote about the European Americans he knew in early Mexican Los Angeles: Los Angeles I first saw in March, 1845. It then had probably two hundred and fifty people [not including Native Americans], of whom I recall Don Abel Stearns, John Temple, Captain Alexander Bell, William Wolfskill, Lemuel Carpenter, David W. Alexander; also of Mexicans, Pio Pico (governor), Don Juan Bandini, and others.
See also
In Spanish: William Wolfskill para niños
