Berry, William Jackson

William Jackson Berry, born in Washington County, Missouri, on June 14, 1840, was a prominent pioneer and oil developer who arrived in California by ox team in 1861. After working as an expert teamster hauling heavy mining machinery, he moved to Fresno County in 1864 where he helped survey the region and actively assisted in digging major irrigation canals like the Fresno Irrigation Canal. Alongside his agricultural pursuits, he relocated to Selma in 1888 to enter the real estate business and later made a trip to Alaska in 1898 with three of his sons. His industrious life concluded when he passed away at the age of seventy-nine in Ocean Park on July 18, 1919, leaving behind a profound legacy of community development.

His son, Clarence J. Berry, became one of the best-known oil operators in California and played a vital role in expanding the family enterprises. Following the Alaska trip, Clarence and his father heavily invested in the West Side oil fields of Kern County, purchasing and developing highly productive properties near McKittrick, Taft, and the Kern River field. Major oil operations were established in his honor, including the C. J. Oil Company and the Ethel D. Company, which was named after the wife of Clarence J. Berry. Through these successful ventures, Clarence helped cement the family position as prominent figures in the rapid development of the San Joaquin Valley oil industry.