John Mitchell Heiskell (Jr.) 1846-

John Mitchell Heiskell was the son of John M. Heiskell Sr. and Elizabeth "Betty" Leeper, both of Blount County, Tennessee. He was born on 12 November 1846 in Island Creek, Monroe County, Tennessee. John M. Heiskell Sr. was the brother of Tyler Davis Heiskell, who came to California in the Gold Rush of 1849. Tyler Davis states in a letter to his cousin, Mrs. Daniel List (Ann Elizabeth Heiskell), that the children of John Sr. also migrated to California. John M. Heiskell Jr. came by rail with his wife and child in 1869, and eventually settled in Fresno County to farm. He is mentioned in the History of Fresno County, California : with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with it s growth and development from the early days to the present written by Paul E. Vandor, and published in 2 volumes in 1919. See pages 1202 and 1205.

Source: Vandor's History of Fresno County

View of J. M. Heiskell's property, Dry Creek District (Fresno County). Source: Imperial Fresno (Fresno City & County Historical Society, 1979). His property is described on pages 38 and 39

John Mitchell Heiskell married Mary Jane Jack on 15 April 1867 in Blount County, Tenn., and had five children: William [J.], Marguerite, Betty, Robert [J] and Kate 2. John Mitchell Heiskell perished in an automobile accident near Fairmead (Madera County) on October 1, 1921, along with his second wife, Fannie Jane Walbridge Heiskell (no issue). 1

1 Thanks to William Secrest Jr., Local History Librarian at Fresno County Library, for this information.
2 aka Margaret, Bettie B. and Mrs. Fred Wolff.