Reyburn, James John

James J. Reyburn, born in Miami County, Ohio, on August 14, 1836, was a sturdy pioneer who contributed actively to early California development. As the son of John Stewart Reyburn and Nancy Davidson, he faced a challenging youth after his father passed away when James was a mere boy. He worked as a farm laborer and later invested in a flour mill in Iowa before moving to Missouri in 1866 to engage in farming and stock-raising. Seeking greater opportunities, he disposed of his eastern holdings and migrated west to California in 1873.

He initially raised wheat in Stanislaus County before moving to the Big Dry Creek district of Fresno County in 1875. In Fresno County, he preempted and homesteaded land, eventually acquiring 640 acres at Red Bank where he operated an extensive wheat farming business. He later established an eighty-acre orchard and vineyard northeast of Fresno and became well known for raising award-winning fancy chickens. James married Mary McDonald in 1859, with whom he raised five children, and he served his community as a local school trustee and dedicated church member before his death on March 25, 1914.