The first white family to settle in Eshom Valley was the William Thomas Osborn Family. Born in Georgia in 1827, Osborn made his home in Eshom Valley in 1849. In 1862, he married Lavena Smith and they eventually had three daughters, Mary, Olive, Helen, and one son, James.

This is one of the older homes in the valley. This picture was taken in 1905, showing the Osborn family and friends. Mr. Osborn had passed away several years before. Those pictured are L-R: Front row - Beth Wolfenbarger, Helen Rhodes and Ludie Cloudis. Center row - H. Kelsey, Olive Osborn, Clarence Perkins, and Jack Parker. Back row - Mrs. William Osborn, Mrs. H. Kelsey, Mrs. Helen Osborn Rhodes, Mrs. Cloudis, Tom East, and Frank Hill.

They ran several head of cattle in Eshom Valley and hired many local Indians to help with the cattle, to farm and to assist with household chores. One Indian in particular, was Sally Osborn, wife of Bob Osborn. Bob in later years had his own cattle spread.

William T. Osborn temporarily moved to Visalia to serve as Supervisor of Tulare County from 1878 through 1881. He passed away in March 1884.

Soon after gold was discovered at Coloma, John Marshall notified his cousin, Michael Hart of this find. Hart and his wife, Sarah arrived in Sacramento in 1850 where they operated a store and hotel. After deciding the area was too crowded and moved to Eshom Valley in 1868. They settled in the upper valley near Eshom Falls. They had five children, Margaret E., Jane, Ann, Bill and Alice. Margaret E. married Bill Garten, Jane married Bill Downing. Ann settled in lower Eshom Valley with her husband, Bud Moore. Alice and her husband, Walter Kirkland, first lived near the home place and then moved to Dinuba. Bill married Lillie M. Bennett and moved to Dry Creek.  

Other early settlers to Eshom Valley were Cooper, Hill, Moore, Foster, Pattee, East, Huffman, Lacy, Carpenter, Osborne, Topper, Watts, Evans, McKee, Downing, Dunn, Hunt, Barton, Crose, Pelton, Workman and Robinson.