D. McGrath

D. McGrath is one of the old settlers and respected citizens of the Santa Clara Valley, Ventura County, California. He was born in Longford County, Ireland, in the year 1832, and his parents, Peter and Mary (Davis) McGrath, were also natives of the "Emerald Isle." He was the youngest, except one, of a family of six children, received his education in the country schools of his native place, and, at the age of twenty years, came to America. For six years he lived in the State of New York, after which he came to Alameda County, California, about the year 1861, and worked for wages on a ranch for nearly four years. He became interested in the sheep business and followed that occupation six or seven years. In 1876 he removed to Ventura County, and purchased his present tract of land, know as the Rice tract, which contains 1,300 acres. He has improved the property, planted trees, and, in 1879, built a large and comfortable house, in which to spend the evening of his days. When he first moved to the ranch he lived in a little clapboard house, but, under his management, the premises now have the appearance of comfort and affluence. Mr. McGrath has made farming his life business, his principal crops being barley and corn. 

    He was united in marriage, since coming to California, to Miss Bridget Donlon, daughter of James Donlon, of Ireland, and an aunt of James Donlon, the Ventura County Assessor. The have had thirteen children, ten of whom are living, four sons and six daughters. They were all born in California, and their names are as follows: Mary T., Maggie, Lizzie, Nellie, Josephine, Annie, James H., Joseph, Frank and Robert. Mary T. is the wife of Bernard Hanly, a resident of Oakland, California. The other children reside with their father. After many years of happy wedded life, and after rearing a large family of children, Mrs. McGrath died of heart disease, in 1888. She was a devoted wife, a loving and faithful mother, and a true and earnest Christian, and is greatly missed by her family and many friends. The whole family are members of the Catholic Church.

    In his political views, Mr. McGrath is independent, always selecting what he believes to be the best man. Mr. McGrath has seen and can appreciate the many changes that have taken place in Ventura County in the last few years. He came here at a time when people thought grain could not be raised in this section of the country; but all these fertile valleys needed was the hand of toil rightly directed. Enterprising and progressive men from different parts of the world have settled here, and the work of development has gone on until Ventura County is now one of the most attractive and productive counties of the great State of California.

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