Clara Probst Lytle was a leading realtor in Marysville. Born in Dubuque, Iowa, she was the youngest of six children born to Mary Blahl Probst of Pennsylvania and merchant John B. Probst, who had immigrated from Bavaria, Germany, at the age of 12. Her father died in 1874, while Clara was still a child. Her mother then moved the family to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where Clara attended public schools and graduated from Minneapolis Business College. Clara married Pleasant W. Lytle of Minnesota, and the two moved to Bedford City, Virginia, until 1907, when they moved to Tierra Buena. In Tierra Buena they bought a 35-acre farm from the Sutter county Land Syndicate and then claimed the 1200-acre Elener tract as pioneers. They planted alfalfa, vineyards, an 18-acre prune orchard, and a 12-acre almond orchard. They also advertised the Elener tract to others, successfully persuading at least 40 families to settle on it. They were Episcopalians and had two daughters, Gladys and Mary.
In 1907, Clara and Pleasant established the Lytle Land Company, a real estate business in Marysville. They later opened a branch office in Tierra Buena. Pleasant died in 1914, and Clara then assumed sole management of the business until 1919, when she established a partnership with E. M. Boyd, renaming the firm the Lytle-Boyd Land Company. Clara campaigned for many civic improvements in Tierra Buena, including road improvements, the construction of a new railroad station, and the establishment of Tierra Buena School District, where she served as clerk of the Board of Trustees for eight years. She persuaded the Sutter County Land Syndicate to donate the land for and build the first schoolhouse for Tierra Buena School District, at no charge to the district.
Links
Mrs. Clara P. Lytle from History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, 1924