Orr, William

William Orr was born on Prince Edward Island, Canada, on April 15, 1848, to Captain William Orr of Scotland and Janet Semper. Reared on his family Atlantic Coast farm, he preferred agriculture over his father seafaring lifestyle and immigrated to San Benito County, California, in October 1869. In November 1873, he purchased a band of sheep and moved to Fresno County, establishing his early headquarters at Polvadero.

In 1884, William acquired land about twenty miles southeast of Coalinga, taking a preemption and homestead that eventually expanded into a 4,000-acre ranch along the Fresno and Kings County line. Despite severe financial setbacks during the dry year of 1877, he built his livestock enterprise to include up to 10,000 head of sheep alongside cattle raising operations. A staunch Republican and stockholder in the Hanford National Bank, he actively supported local education by helping construct the first schools in his district.