Blasingame, Alfred H.

Alfred H. Blasingame, born near Vallicita in Calaveras County on December 28, 1855, was the oldest child of the prominent pioneer and stock-raiser J. A. Blasingame and Mary Jane Ogle. In the fall of 1869, he traveled with his parents to Alabama and Texas before embarking on a hazardous journey back across the plains to California while guarding a drove of cattle. He received his education principally at the school in Academy, completing his studies around 1872. Following his schooling, he actively assisted his father on the family ranch until his father passed away in 1881, at which point he assumed charge of the extensive property.

Upon taking over the ranch, Alfred partnered with his brother Lee A. to engage in the sheep business, managing an expansive operation of up to 15,000 head of sheep. Around 1911, he disposed of his sheep interests to successfully focus on cattle-raising, establishing his headquarters on a well-watered portion of the original family ranch. On February 8, 1905, he married Harriet S. Cole at Academy, and the couple later relocated to Clovis in 1914 with their four children, Mary Jane, Alfred, Jr., Julia, and Kate. Managing a herd of about 1,200 cattle recognized by the H brand, he maintained a strong professional footprint as an active member of the State Cattle Growers Association.