| Born in Saratoga Co., New
York on 15 Nov 1826, Joseph was the son of Joseph
and Jerusha (Taylor) and younger brother of James
G. and Mary, wife of Hamilton Bishop. He was
married 08 Nov 1848 in Milton, Saratoga Co., New
York to Sarah M. Green, daughter of Daniel and
Margaret (Sherman). The family moved to Illinois
in where their eldest daughter Ida
"Josephine" was born; and in 1852 moved
to California where the three younger children
were born - those being sons Edmund and Charles;
and daughter Clarissa Grace who was born 19 Sep
1863 and died at the age of six years, seven
months and 7 days. While in Tuolumne Co.,
California Joseph mined in various districts of
the state but was a painter by trade as noted in
the 1860 census. He had
been educated in New York where he learned the
sign-writer’s trade and ornamental painting,
and had a talent for landscape painting.
In 1868
Joseph and his family located in Tulare County
where he was enumerated in the 1870 and 1880 census records.
He gradually began to improve his property in
Visalia by planting fruit trees of every variety
grown and went into the nursery business where he
employed several men as assistants. In 1890 he
had sold 60,000 young trees, and for the large
variety of fruit exhibited at the agricultural
fair, he received the sweepstakes.
Considered
a man of versatility and talent, Joseph Spiers
did much to advance he interests of California.
He died in Visalia on 29 Dec 1898, his wife
survivng him nearly fifteen years. She passed
away at the age of eighty-three years, one month
and nine days. Both were laid to rest at the
Visalia Cemetery.
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