Wilson, Ernest T.

Ernest T. Wilson was born on May 3, 1878, in Ralls County, Missouri, to J. Henry Wilson and Margaret Farrell. After being raised on his father’s farm and attending local public schools, he began farming independently in 1895 and briefly moved to Wyoming in 1899. Seeking better opportunities, he arrived in Fresno County, California, in October 1900, working initially on the Sharon estate dairy and later taking charge of a local grain ranch.

Over the following years, Ernest successfully developed and sold multiple agricultural properties in the Barstow section and the Barstow Colony, eventually settling on a vineyard ranch in the Madison district. He married Ellen Esbjörnson in the Empire Colony, and together they raised three children: Lewis Henry, Edwin Lloyd, and Ruth Evelyn. A member of the Fraternal Brotherhood and a Republican in national politics, he actively supported the California Peach Growers, Inc., and the California Associated Raisin Company.