San Joaquin County Biographies
Ref: Page 1416
Transcribed by: Linda Diane Jackson 10/9/2009
DONALD M. BIGGS
One of the most notable and successful stockmen of San Joaquin County may be found in Donald M. Biggs, who has been for over thirty years actively connected with the sheep and cattle industry of the Coast states, and is known throughout California, Oregon, Washington and Nevada as one of the best posted along these lines. Being a native son of California has been no small factor in the success of Mr. Biggs, his native city being San Francisco, where he first saw the light of day on August 29, 1874. His parents, John H. and Mary (Bowen) Biggs, natives of England, were both California pioneers and both came around the Horn in sailing vessels, landing in San Francisco in 1848, and for many years Mr. Biggs followed mining throughout the northern part of the state; later he became a trusted employee of the Baker & Hamilton Company of San Francisco, and both spent the remainder of their days in that city, having been among the first settlers in the Mission district. This worthy pioneer couple were blessed with five children, four boys and one girl. The sons were all engaged in the stock and butcher business with J.G. Johnson and Son of the same city. At the youthful age of sixteen he became a stock buyer for Eugene Aby of San Francisco; later served in the same capacity for J.G. Johnson and Son. For a number of years he has been chief buyer for the Union Sheep Company, owned by H. Moffatt and Company of San Francisco, among the largest dealers in sheep and cattle in the West; their extensive Ione Ranch situated near Ione, Cal., consists of 34,000 acres on which range their thousands of sheep and cattle. They ship from 10,000 to 20,000 head of sheep monthly to the Eastern markets. Mr. Biggs's buying operations for this large company take him from Bakersfield, on the south, north through California, Oregon, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Arizona and New Mexico, where he buys thousands of head of sheep and lambs each month, shipping them to the San Francisco and Eastern markets. In his line of work there are few equal to Mr. Biggs, for his years of practical experience, coupled with an intelligence surpassing that of the average citizen, have made his efforts tell so that he is, without doubt, one of the best-posted stock buyers in the West. During the thirty years that he has been actively connected with this industry, he has covered the Coast states many times a year.
For over twenty-five years Mr. Biggs has made his headquarters and resided in Stockton. He was one of the early members of the Stockton Lodge No. 218, Elks. His love for California in general and Stockton and the San Joaquin Valley in particular has never waned through the years.
History of
SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY
CALIFORNIA
With A
Biographical Review
of
The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been
Identified with Its Growth and Development
from the Early Days to the Present
HISTORY BY
George H. Tinkham
HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
1923
San Joaquin County Biographies ~ Archive Biography Index ~ Archive Index
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