ALLAN THOMAS SPENCER

 

A most interesting representative of large and far-reaching interests in Northern California is Allan Thomas Spencer, the well-known rancher living near Kirksville, about seventeen miles to the northwest of Knights Landing, the efficient and popular president of the California State Reclamation Board, and the equally able and acceptable president of the California Wool Growers’ Association.  He was born in Cascade County, Mont., on May 9, 1881, the son of John and Martha (Donahue) Spencer, his father having been a native of Ireland, while his mother was born in Canada, first seeing the light near Toronto.  His father was a miner in early days, came West to Nevada in the late sixties, and for a few years mined near Austin, Nev.  In 1872 he went to Montana and became an extensive stock-raiser at Sunnyside until 1898, when he removed to Alberta and secured from the Canadian government a lease on a 150,000-acre ranch for livestock purposes, a part of the public domain, surrounded by a large range, and there engaged in stock-raising on a large scale.  He was the first settler in that section of the country to engage extensively in the stock business; and he continued for many years in that line of activity.  During these years he wintered in California, making his home in Palo Alto, where he died in 1910, survived by his widow and four children.

Allan T. Spencer obtained his educational training at various places, topping off his studies at the Department of Mining, of the University of California, where he finished in 1906, after which he was associated with his father in mining enterprises at Round Mountain, Nev., for a couple of years.  In 1910 he bought 5000 acres on the Sacramento River, in Sutter County, seventeen miles northwest of Knights Landing.  This was land that had been cleared from its primitive state by five old-time settlers who had lived in the vicinity for forty-four years, and at the time when Mr. Spencer purchased it, it was called the Big Ranch, and was owned by N. Meyers & Company.  Since then, Mr. Spencer has sold off much of the land to individuals, until he now owns only 1700 acres, on which he still carries on an extensive stock business.  He usually runs about 3000 head, although in the spring grazing season he has over 7000 head of sheep.  He has three different flocks of pure-bred registered sheep: pure-bred New Zealand Romney Marsh, pure-bred Hampshire, and “Romeldale” sheep.  The last-named are a new breed of sheep he has developed for raising under conditions in California.  He has sent specimens of them to various parts of the State for experimental purposes, and finds the results very satisfactory.  He has exhibited specimens of each breed at the California State Fair in Sacramento and has received more than his proportion of premiums.  He also raised pure-bred Duroc hogs.  His ranch is irrigated by water taken from the Sacramento River by means of private pumping plants.

Mr. Spenser, though a Republican, always endeavors to vote for the best men and the best measures, regardless of party ties or behests.  In January, 1923, he was appointed by Governor Richardson a member of the State Reclamation Board, and on the organization he was chosen president of the board; and he is also a member of the Governor’s Agricultural Advisory Counsel.  He is president of the California Wool Growers’ Association, a director of the National Wool Growers’ Association, and vice-president of the American Romney Breeders’ Association, and is director of the Sutter County Chamber of Commerce.