Wall, Elmer Thomas

Elmer Thomas Wall was born in Johnson County, Missouri, on May 2, 1872, to Lieutenant James M. Wall and Nancy B. Gray. His father, a Confederate Civil War veteran who owned an 800-acre stock farm in Missouri, relocated the family to California in 1888 for his wife’s health. At sixteen years of age, Elmer accompanied his parents to California and immediately engaged in the fruit-growing business alongside his father. He initially purchased and improved a forty-acre tract near Malaga, southeast of Fresno, which he later sold before acquiring his permanent Selma ranch in 1916.

Throughout his career in Fresno County, Elmer established himself as a leading viticulturist and prominent raisin-grower in the Selma section. He married Addie J. Barr in 1894, and together they raised three children: Gladys, Thelma, and Warden. In addition to his agricultural pursuits, he served as a school trustee at Malaga for fifteen years, performed jury duty, and actively supported the Selma Baptist Church with his family. His life of industry and community service earned him lasting respect as a dedicated citizen and successful viticulturist.