User:Nweil/sandbox/Moses J. Church

Moses J. Church (1819–1900) was a nineteenth century blacksmith, agriculturalist and businessman. He pioneered and built a system of canals for irrigation in the San Joaquin Valley, turning it from arid land used for cattle, into a widely recognized hub for agriculture. His efforts greatly contributed to the rise of Fresno, California as a city.

Career
In 1868, Church built a cabin on government land in the San Joaquin Valley and a corral for his 2000 sheep. https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=PRP18930715.2.13.1&e=---en--20--1--txt-txIN

Legacy
he helped introduce irrigation to the arid valley building it into an agricultural capital

He and his family traveled by covered wagon from New York to California in the 1850s A blacksmith by trade he made tools for those who had been lured by the gold rush

the Churches moved to the valley Moses Church said There they struck up a friendship with AY Easterby who owned land where Fresno is now The land was agriculturally promising Church told Easterby but it needed a dependable water supply.

Seventh Day Adventist

Church reaffirmed that With Easterby he helped build a canal to bring water from the Kings River They (mined the Fresno Canal and Irrigation Co to oversee water distribution With hard work the canal grew to be 100 miles long making it the first big irrigation project in the valley he said Around it the crops flourished he continued making a “bright green spot in- the dry desert” The promising land attracted more settlers and even the Central Pacific Railroad

Church Colony

Paid by Capt A Y Easterby in 1868 to irrigate his wheat farm.

Champion Flour Mills

Donated land and water for Mountain View Cemetery