Solomon Jewett (March 13, 1835 – December 26, 1905) was an American rancher and pioneer in Kern County, California. [1] He was prominent as a sheep farmer and banker together with his brother, Philo D. Jewett. [1] [2]
He was born in Weybridge, Vermont on March 13, 1835. [2] His father Solomon Wright Jewett had been a sheep famer and dealer in Weybridge, who travelled to Europe to import sheep to the United States. [3]
In his early career, Solomon Jewett worked as a schoolteacher in Racine, Wisconsin, and as a ferryboat operator on the Missouri River in Nebraska in 1858, and undertook an aborted journey to Pike's Peak in 1859. [2]
At the age of eight, he drove a flock of sheep from Vermont, where he was born, to Albany, New York. [1] He arrived in San Joaquin Valley, California, in 1860, and from there moved to Kern County. [1] Jewett trailed herds of Merino sheep into California, [4] first raising sheep on the Tejon ranch. [1] He then formed a partnershp with his brother Philo D. Jewett, at the 40,000 acres (16,000 ha) Rio Bravo ranch north of Kern. [1] In 1874, they sold their land and flocks to the Wool Growers' Association, [1] and moved to land north of Bakersfield, which became known as Jewett's Lane. [2] [5]
Solomon then bought land north of Bakersfield and large flocks of sheep, which he finally sold in 1899, after which he switched to cattle. [1]
In 1865, Jewett planted cotton and built a cotton gin in Kern County, shipping the output to Alameda to be manufactured into fabric. [6] In 1865 they were growing 130 acres (53 ha) of cotton there, sending it to Oakland for ginning. [7]
He had in the meantime diversified into alfalfa farming, at three plots: one 640 acres (260 ha) at the Beardsley Canal, one 640 acres (260 ha) one at the McCaffery Canal, and one 320 acres (130 ha) one at the Emory ditch. [2]
In addition, he opened the first general store in Bakersfield, established its first bank, and founded the Buena Vista Oil Company, which later became the Jewett Oil Company. [1] He was founding co-president of the Kern Valley Bank, which opened in 1874 on the corner of 18th Street and Chester Avenue in Bakersfield. [2]
His partnership Jewett & Blodgett secured rights of way for railroads to be laid to the oil field in McKittrick to Maricopa. [2]
In 1872 he was chairman of the county board of supervisors in Bakersfield, when the county seat moved there. [2]
He died in Bakersfield, California on 1905-12-06. [2]
The Kern County Wool Growers' Association sold Rio Bravo on to Louis C. Olcese and John Barker, [5] and after operating as a sheep ranch into the 20th century [7] it was later the home of Merle Haggard. [5][ dubious – discuss]
Solomon Jewett (March 13, 1835 – December 26, 1905) was an American rancher and pioneer in Kern County, California. [1] He was prominent as a sheep farmer and banker together with his brother, Philo D. Jewett. [1] [2]
He was born in Weybridge, Vermont on March 13, 1835. [2] His father Solomon Wright Jewett had been a sheep famer and dealer in Weybridge, who travelled to Europe to import sheep to the United States. [3]
In his early career, Solomon Jewett worked as a schoolteacher in Racine, Wisconsin, and as a ferryboat operator on the Missouri River in Nebraska in 1858, and undertook an aborted journey to Pike's Peak in 1859. [2]
At the age of eight, he drove a flock of sheep from Vermont, where he was born, to Albany, New York. [1] He arrived in San Joaquin Valley, California, in 1860, and from there moved to Kern County. [1] Jewett trailed herds of Merino sheep into California, [4] first raising sheep on the Tejon ranch. [1] He then formed a partnershp with his brother Philo D. Jewett, at the 40,000 acres (16,000 ha) Rio Bravo ranch north of Kern. [1] In 1874, they sold their land and flocks to the Wool Growers' Association, [1] and moved to land north of Bakersfield, which became known as Jewett's Lane. [2] [5]
Solomon then bought land north of Bakersfield and large flocks of sheep, which he finally sold in 1899, after which he switched to cattle. [1]
In 1865, Jewett planted cotton and built a cotton gin in Kern County, shipping the output to Alameda to be manufactured into fabric. [6] In 1865 they were growing 130 acres (53 ha) of cotton there, sending it to Oakland for ginning. [7]
He had in the meantime diversified into alfalfa farming, at three plots: one 640 acres (260 ha) at the Beardsley Canal, one 640 acres (260 ha) one at the McCaffery Canal, and one 320 acres (130 ha) one at the Emory ditch. [2]
In addition, he opened the first general store in Bakersfield, established its first bank, and founded the Buena Vista Oil Company, which later became the Jewett Oil Company. [1] He was founding co-president of the Kern Valley Bank, which opened in 1874 on the corner of 18th Street and Chester Avenue in Bakersfield. [2]
His partnership Jewett & Blodgett secured rights of way for railroads to be laid to the oil field in McKittrick to Maricopa. [2]
In 1872 he was chairman of the county board of supervisors in Bakersfield, when the county seat moved there. [2]
He died in Bakersfield, California on 1905-12-06. [2]
The Kern County Wool Growers' Association sold Rio Bravo on to Louis C. Olcese and John Barker, [5] and after operating as a sheep ranch into the 20th century [7] it was later the home of Merle Haggard. [5][ dubious – discuss]