Sample, David Cowan

David Cowan Sample, born in Lexington, Mississippi, on February 12, 1849, was a pioneer stockman and entrepreneur who arrived in California in 1868 with empty hands and pockets. After serving as a Confederate scout under General Forrest and finding his family plantation devastated, he came to California via Panama and initially worked as a farm hand in Solano County and Dry Creek. He eventually entered the sheep business in Fresno County, gradually expanding his holdings to eighteen sections of land that included farming acreage, stock ranches, and citrus orchards. He raised sheep profitably until 1904, after which he transitioned to the cattle business and raised the standard of county livestock by focusing on high-grade shorthorn Durhams.

Beyond his ranching achievements, Mr. Sample became a prominent business leader in the city of Fresno through various commercial enterprises. He co-founded the buggy and wagon manufacturing firm Carl and Sample, served as president and manager of the Fresno Meat Company, and helped originate the Fresno Flume and Irrigation Company. In 1872, he married Sallie Cole, with whom he raised eleven children before her passing on December 27, 2017. A Mason and a staunch Democrat, he retired to his Fresno home in 1910 after a long career of hard labor that earned him the deep respect of his community.