Sonoma County Biography
John D. Bailiff
Among the men who gave the strength of their best years toward the development of the resources of Sonoma county few are more kindly remembered than the late John Bailiff, and the work which he so nobly began and which he laid down at h is death, December 27, 1900, is being carried forward by his son and namesake, John D. Bailiff. A native son of the state, the latter was born in Sonoma county August 31, 1875, and when he was only one year old the family settled on the ranch of which he is now the proprietor, near Santa Rosa, and he has therefore known no other home. When he attained school age he became a pupil in the public schools of Santa Rosa, attending both the grammar and high schools of the city, after which he became associated with his father in the maintenance of the ranch.
John D. Bailiff was a young man of twenty-five years of age when the death of his father left the care of the ranch upon his shoulders. That he had an aptitude for the calling of the agriculturist has been unmistakable, amply demonstrated during the past ten years of his management of the property. Here he has three hundred and ninety-six acres of fine land, one hundred and fifty of which are in barley, while seventy-five acres are in vineyard, in connection with which he maintains a winery. Some idea of the size of the latter industry may be gathered from the statement that between twenty-five and forty thousand gallons of wine are manufactured every year, and as the product is of excellent quality it is in demand at the highest market price. Stock-raising is also an important feature of the ranch, an average of from seventy-five to one hundred cattle being fattened for market annually. The raising of fine horses is an industry in which he engages with deep interest, being a lover of the horse, and a number of fine specimens of the Belgian breed may be seen upon the ranch. These he raises for his own use, and not for profit. Taken as a whole the Bailiff ranch is one of the finest and most profitable ranch properties in this section of Sonoma county, and the successive owners of the property have in their turn been ranked among the most substantial and energetic citizens and upbuilders that the county has ever known.
The first marriage of Mr. Bailiff occurred in 1900 and united him with Miss Margaret Hoover, of Napa, who did not long survive her marriage, passing away in January 1901. His second marriage was celebrated January 18, 1905, uniting him with Miss Edith M. Tuttle, a native of California, and one child has been born of this union, Vernon D., born January 9, 1906. Following in his footsteps of his father in the matter of politics, Mr. Bailiff is a Republican, and like him, too, has never sought or desired public office.
History of Sonoma County, California
History by Tom Gregory : Historic Record Company, 1891
Los Angeles, Ca. 1911
Transcribed by Roberta Hester Leatherwood
November 28, 2007
Sonoma County Biographies ~ Archive Biography Index ~ Archive Index
Copyright © 1996-2011; This Web page is sponsored by Supporters on behalf of the California portion of The USGenWeb Project by The Administrative Team of the CAGW. Although believed to be correct as presented, if you note any corrections, changes, additions, or find that any links provided on this page are not functioning properly please contact the Archive Coordinator for prompt attention to the matter.