David Osburn

My great uncle, David Osburn, came to California in the 1850s, right on the heels of the Gold Rush, and settled on the delta of the Sacramento River. Recognizing the area’s prime growing conditions, he ordered pear trees from the nearest available supplier: France. They arrived in 1860, and Stillwater Orchards was born. Word of the magnificent fruit from those trees soon spread. It’s said that sternwheel riverboats full of miners would pull up to Stillwater Landing, where the miners would start bidding for pears before the paddles stopped turning. Gold was plentiful and pears were as rare as rubies, often resulting in individual pears being traded for an ounce of gold ­ over $20 for a few bites of this rare and delicious new fruit!

James Elliot

Eager to grow the family empire, my grandfather, James, introduced other commodities to Stillwarter Orchards, including asparagus, cherries and peas. Demand and market conditions fluctuated through the years, and today Stillwater Orchards packs only pears, cherries, apples and kiwi. This photo of my grandfather was used as a postcard to buyers, letting them know that his pears were readily available.

David Elliot, Sr. & Jr.

Dad and I started David J. Elliot and Son in 1951. This photo was taken just two years before, in 1949, at the New York Auction, the common way in which fruit was sold at the time. The “Daily” label would always be auctioned for the highest amount because of its superior quality.

Elliot Family

Today, the Elliot family still packs a premium box of fruit. I’m proudly pictured here with my bride Bonnie, my son Richard and his wife Becky and my grandchildren Richard, Ryan and Rachel, the next generation of Elliot’s to continue our tradition of excellence.