William Wolfskill (1798–1866)[1] was an American-Mexican pioneer, cowboy, and agronomist in Los Angeles, California beginning in the 1830s. He had earned money for land in a decade as a fur trapper near Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he had become a Mexican citizen. This enabled him to own land in California.
Wolfskill was highly influential in the development of California's agricultural industry in the 19th century, establishing an expanded viticulture and becoming the largest wine producer in the region. One of the wealthiest men for his time, he expanded his holdings, running sheep and cultivating oranges, lemons and other crops. He is credited with establishing the state's citrus industry and developing the Valencia orange.[2] It became the most popular juice orange in the United States and was the origin of the name of Valencia, California.
With his brother John Reid Wolfskill, in 1842 William bought a large parcel in the Sacramento Valley; they called this Rancho Rio de los Putos, later known as the Wolfskill Ranch. The brothers later divided this land, near what is now Winters, California. There John Wolfskill established orchards and vineyards. Three other Wolfskill brothers migrated to California, working first with John in the north.
^Iris Wilson Engstrand (1965). William Wolfskill, 1798-1866: Frontier Trapper to California Ranchero. A. H. Clark Co.
^"Valencia Sweet Oranges". Citrus Trees Online. Retrieved February 22, 2008.
WilliamWolfskill (1798–1866) was an American-Mexican pioneer, cowboy, and agronomist in Los Angeles, California beginning in the 1830s. He had earned...
developer WilliamWolfskill in the mid-19th century on his farm in Santa Ana, southern California, United States, North America. WilliamWolfskill (1798–1866)...
"Judge" Pleasants, a battle between American fur trappers, led by WilliamWolfskill, and a group of Tongva Indians occurred as follows: The story of the...
John Reid Wolfskill (September 16, 1804 – May 27, 1897) was a California pioneer who helped establish development of California's agricultural industry...
his partners. In 1866 they purchased Rancho Lomas de Santiago from WilliamWolfskill; largely unfarmable due to its steep, hilly terrain, it had been used...
whom I recall Don Abel Stearns, John Temple, Captain Alexander Bell, WilliamWolfskill, Lemuel Carpenter, David W. Alexander; also of Mexicans, Pio Pico...
1856, by Ozro W. Childs, in what is now the center of Los Angeles. WilliamWolfskill, who is considered the founder of the first commercial orange orchards...
Telfair Stockton, Thomas F. Hunt, Thomas Johnson, William Leroy Gable, William W. McKee, WilliamWolfskill. The Union Sulphur Co. also operated the Victory...
massacred after a raid of American and Mexican fur trappers led by WilliamWolfskill. José Antonio Yorba built an elaborate adobe hacienda, El Refugio...
and the Goshutes inhabited drier areas to the northwest. Settlers WilliamWolfskill and George C. Yount noted some Native Americans who called the river...
afterward, 200 reinforcements sent by Stockton and led by U.S. Navy Captain William Mervine were repulsed on October 8 in the one-hour Battle of Dominguez...
adobe structure was built in 1835 by "three American trappers" — WilliamWolfskill, Joseph Paulding and Richard Laughlin — as a home for Isaac Williams...
planted on his land in Los Angeles in 1833. he was quickly followed by WilliamWolfskill, another major early wine maker in California, who purchased his first...
other trappers in the American Southwest, including Ewing Young and WilliamWolfskill working the tributaries of the Colorado River in 1824, and with James...
included John Frohling, Pedro Sainsevain, John Leonce Hoover, and WilliamWolfskill. The University of Iowa Library holds the 1862 diary of an unknown...
Rowe, Albert Dibblee in partnership with William Corbett and a Mr. Barker, Leonard Rose and WilliamWolfskill, Alfred Chapman with Harris Newmark until...
in 1868. Teodosio sold the rancho to WilliamWolfskill in 1860. Joseph E. Pleasants took charge of Wolfskill's new cattle operations. Already overgrazed...
was married to his former pupil, Juanita Wolfskill, daughter of WilliamWolfskill and Magdalena (Lugo) Wolfskill, giving him family connections to several...
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