A premium book for the Maine State Fair at Lewiston led me to explore the ad for Saddleback Farm in East Baldwin, Maine. This exploration led me to the Pierce family. Henry Pierce left Maine searching for his destiny during the California gold rush. Upon his arrival in San Francisco, Henry obtained an unused biscuit making machine and through his industry and hard work accumulated a fortune that allowed him to invest in land and other profitable ventures. His brothers joined him and a nephew, Orestes. Henry purchased an old trotting park and founded the Santa Rosa Stock Farm, the farm whose prized foal was Lou Dillon.
It seems that all of the Pierce men journeyed to California leaving their sister on the farm. When she died the instructions in her will required that the buildings of Saddleback Farm be torn down and that her car be buried in the well. Her chauffeur drove off with the car, but all the buildings were taken down. Today only the remnants of foundations give the hint of a farm that once raised prized Jersey cows for butter production.
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