WILLIAM GOUGH.  In Ohio, Preble county, William Gough, who lives two miles northwest of Orosi in Tulare county, was born Oct. 12, 1838.  There he was reared and educated and obtained a practical knowledge of farming and of different kinds of useful labor.   He was about twenty-two years of old when, in 1860, he came to California, the party of which he was a member being under command of Captain McFarland, who had twice before crossed the plains to and fro.  The train consisted of sixty-two wagons and the party included one hundred and twenty men and thirteen young women.  The route was by way of Omaha, Lone Tree, along the Platte, Salt Lake City, the sink of the Humboldt and thence through beautiful California valleys to Sacramento.  The Indians were menacing and succeeded in running off a good many cattle, but none of their attacks were fatal to any member of the party.  Forty or fifty cattle died by the way and at Rabbit Hole Springs one member of the party passed away.  For a number of hears Mr. Gough lived in Sacramento, most of the time engaged in teaming between that point and Nevada.  He drove a ten-mule team and the rates on freight ranged from six cents to fifteen cents for one hundred pounds.  From Sacramento he came down into Kern county and filed on one hundred and sixty acres of government land which he later relinquished in order to move to Visalia to engage again in teaming.  For seven years he drove a stage back and forth between Visalia and Havilah.  It was after he took up his residence in Visalia that he married Miss Malinda J. Pemberton, a native of Missouri and a daughter of the Hon. James E. Pemberton.  With his brother as a partner Mr. Pemberton conducted the first general store in Visalia.  He was elected to the state legislature for the session of 1865-66 and served with much ability.  Later he was elected treasurer of Kern county on the Democratic ticket and re-elected on the same ticket with the Republican indorsement.  He was elected for a third term and died in office.  A man of much business ability, he became one of the leading cattlemen of the county.  Mrs. Gough has borne her husband four children, Ruby A., Anna P., Elmo and Leroy.  Ruby A. married R. E. Montague and lives at Orosi.  Elmo, who is a graduate of the public schools, married Beulah Howard and they live on the Robert Place; they have three children, Howardine, Eugene and an infant.  Leroy took for his wife Ethel Tellyer and lives on Sand creek, Squaw valley.
     When Mr. Gough came to this spot little or no farming had been done in the vicinity and cattle were fed on the plains, over which deer and antelope roamed almost unmolested.  In the swamp were many elk and their bear was a pest of all who tried to raise hogs.  He has participated in and aided to the extent of his ability the development of the community from that time to the present, and as a Republican has been influential in local affairs.
Source: HISTORY OF TULARE and KINGS COUNTIES, CALIFORNIA - Published by Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California - 1913 - Page 566