Barnabas Tibbals, owner of a fine orange grove in Brockton Square, on the south side of Bandini Avenue, about two miles south of Riverside, purchased this place in August, 1887 and immediately commenced his horticultural pursuits. At this writing his land, consisting of ten acres, is all in orange trees, except a few deciduous trees and table grapes. About one-half of his trees are seedlings, and the rest Washington Navels. He has spent much labor in pruning, fertilizing and cultivating, since buying the place, and has now a very productive grove. The improvements on the place consist of a commodious two-story residence surrounded with ornamental trees and flowers, and substantial outbuildings.
Mr. Tibbals was born near Rochester, Monroe County, New York, in 1824. He was the son of Lewis and Betsey (King) Tibbals. His father was born in Cayuga County, New York, and his mother was a native of Suffield, Massachusetts. In 1826 Mr. Tibbals’ parents moved to Michigan, and located on what afterward became the township of Avon, Oakland County. They were, among the earliest pioneers of that section, the country at that date being wild and uninhabited except by roving tribes of Indians. The subject of this sketch spent his early youth and young manhood in hard labor upon their pioneer farm, deprived of all schooling except such as could be obtained in the pioneer schools of that date. He remained on the old homestead farm until his marriage, in 1852, and then started in farming on his own account. Mr. Tibbals was engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1884. He then established his residence in Ypsilanti, where he remained until moving to Riverside in 1887. Although not an old resident of Riverside, Mr. Tibbals is a progressive and public-spirited citizen, and a firm believer in the future wealth and prosperity that await the thorough horticulturist of the colony, and any enterprise that will tend to advance the interests of his section finds a ready supporter in him. He is a desirable acquisition of the Baptist Church and also a member of the Masonic fraternity, retaining his membership in Ypsilanti Lodge, No. 44, F. & A. M., of Ypsilanti, Michigan. In political matters he is a straight Republican.
Mr. Tibbals’ first marriage was in 1852, when he wedded Miss Isabelle S. Dewey. She died in 1869, leaving no children. In 1872 he married Miss Jennie Pardee, a native of Michigan, the daughter of Daniel T. and Juliana (Babcock) Pardee. Her father was a native of Pennsylvania, and her mother of Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Tibbals have two children: Jennie Isabella and Grace Edith. Mr. Tibbals’ father died in 1876, at the age of ninety years; his mother died in 1868, at the age of seventy-six years.