Grounds, Ila T.

I. T. Grounds, born on an Arizona cattle ranch in 1878, gained extensive livestock experience under his father before moving to Fresno in 1903. After operating a Blackstone Avenue butcher shop, he purchased an eighty-acre ranch in the Biola district in 1911 to specialize in breeding pure-bred Shorthorn cattle and operating a dairy. His prize-winning herd earned multiple first-place awards at local exhibitions and led to his recognition as a charter member of the California Shorthorn Breeders Association.

In 1903, Grounds married Arizona native Minnie Starkey, and together they raised four children while actively participating in regional agricultural and civic affairs. He supported the local dairy industry as a stockholder in the Danish Creamery and served his community as the Clerk of the Board for the Biola school district. Looking toward future expansions, Grounds prepared to relocate to Colorado to join the massive Clay Springs Cattle Company as a major corporate stockholder.