USA > California > Merced County > A history of Merced County, California : with a biographical review of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 55
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In 1890, Mr. McMaster and his family arrived in Merced, Cal., with his entire reserve capital amounting to $312. A brother, C. W. McMaster, had preceded him to California and was located in Horni- tos, owning and conducting a goat farm. The brothers started a joint business in general ranching, three miles from Hornitos, and also farmed the Chamberlain place in Merced County, two years, after which J. J. McMaster sold out his interests to his brother. In 1893 he started ranching on his own account as a grain-raiser on the Al Sylvester place near Hornitos, and five years later went to Cathey Valley and for five seasons farmed there, doing well each year. He then enlarged his equipment and stock, and entered grain-raising on an extensive scale, farming the Garibaldi ranch of 1800 acres for a period of five years; and while he had seasons when losses occurred, he always made up for it the next, and come out very successfully in
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the long run. He put in grain on the Wolfsen ranch, in Merced County, one year with excellent results, and rented the Earle ranch nine years steadily, making good, but only as a result of hard work and good management, the secret of all agricultural success.
In the meantime Mr. McMaster had made investments in an alfalfa and dairy ranch at Le Grand, his present home place, fifteen acres on the edge of town. He continued in the grain business until after the World War, and sold out in 1919, after realizing on two of the fullest crops in his experience; he was at that time farming on a large scale near Valley Home, Stanislaus County.
Mr. McMaster is a stockholder in the Le Grand Bank, a share- holder in the Le Grand Mercantile Company. With the exception of two occasions, when he has been absent from California on visits to Ontario, he has remained in the Golden State since his first arrival on January 19, 1890.
The marriage of Mr. McMaster, on December 24, 1880, at Smithfield, Brighton Township, Ontario, united him with Miss Fannie Bray, a native of Huron Township, that country, and daughter of a well-established family of Canadian farmers. Seven children have been born to them, as follows: Mrs. Martha Pate, of Le Grand, mother of seven children; Robert, of Merced, who has four children ; Charles, deceased; Roy, of Merced, who has two children; Mrs. Stella Clendennin, of Le Grand, who has five children; Harry, of Plainsburg, ex-service man of the Ninety-first, A.E.F., serving over seas for nine months and in the United States for ten months; and Lily (a twin of Harry), living at home.
Mr. McMaster received his United States citizenship papers in Merced, March 20, 1895, and he has always been active in local affairs. He is a Democrat in politics, and a worker for the cause of right in all matters. He has done jury service, and held the office of school trustee, among other public duties. As he says, his favorite hobby is right living; for he firmly believes that obedience to law and truth is a power for good in one's success, helping to bring out char- acter, while at the same time requiring character, and that "stick-to- itiveness" is the greatest item in success.
YOSEMITE VALLEY RAILROAD
The Yosemite Valley Railroad is a standard gauge, steam rail- road, extending from Merced to El Portal, Cal., the boundary of Yosemite National Park, a distance of approximately eighty miles. The first twenty-five miles traverse the fertile San Joaquin Valley, entering the Merced River Canyon at Merced Falls, and follows this
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beautiful canyon to its eastern terminal at El Portal. By virtue of its operation, Merced is in reality the Gateway to the Yosemite National Park.
The road was built by a group of San Francisco capitalists headed by Frank G. Drum, with a view of affording rail access to the won- derful Yosemite National Park. Construction work was begun in 1905, and the road was open for operation in 1907. The road is exceptionally well built for mountain construction, being located on a maximum grade of two per cent and maximum curvature of eighteen degrees, the main line being laid with new seventy-pound Bessemer rails. At the present time, the road owns eight oil-burning locomo- tives, 245 freight train cars of various kinds and eight passenger train cars.
The company has its general offices and its shops and roundhouse in Merced, employing approximately 200 men and having a monthly payroll averaging about $25,000, the official personnel being as fol- lows: President, F. T. Elsey; General Manager, W. L. White; Superintendent of Motive Power, F. L. Higgins; Chief Engineer, G. H. Nickerson; Auditor, J. W. Swords; General Agent, P. F. Harding; Trainmaster, S. B. Castle.
While the primary object of the construction of the road was for the transportation of tourists to the Yosemite National Park, a con- siderable freight tonnage has been developed in the past ten or fifteen years, consisting principally of lumber and other forest products. The Yosemite Lumber Company deliver logs to the Yosemite Valley Railroad Company at El Portal. They are transported to Merced Falls, at which point are located sawmill and box factories. The logs are there manufactured into lumber and box shooks and the products are then shipped from Merced Falls to all points both State and interstate. During the year 1924, a total of 9204 carloads of logs, representing approximately 60,000,000 feet of lumber, were transported, and a total of 2253 carloads of lumber and box shooks was shipped from the mills at Merced Falls. In addition to the lumber traffic, the company handled a total of 2000 carloads of other commodities and 17,500 tons of less than carload freight during the year 1924.
The passenger travel by rail to Yosemite National Park shows a gradual increase each year. During the calendar year of 1924 a total of 23,000 passengers were handled from Merced to Yosemite National Park as compared with a total of 13,000 in 1916.
The Yosemite National Park is open and easily accessible from Merced every day in the year by way of the Yosemite Valley Rail- road. The trip from Merced by rail is one of great scenic beauty, the railroad traversing the Merced River Canyon, crossing and re-
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crossing the Merced River with fine engineering skill, and the river is rarely out of sight and hearing.
One is reminded of the past historic days when the pioneers of 1849 were panning and sluicing the river in search of gold. Ruins of the first bank and mint in the State of California are to be seen on this trip, and it is an interesting monument of an epic period :
"The Days of Old, The Days of Gold, The Days of '49."
Upon arrival at El Portal, a short and enjoyable stage ride of fifteen miles brings one to the heart of Yosemite, the glories of which have passed into literature. Yet all the pens that have essayed to describe it can have conveyed but little of its charm unless you have visited the wonderful spot. Giant cliffs, wonderful waterfalls, and the magnificent big trees, the oldest living things in the world, are in- cluded among its wonders. It is idle to enumerate. No single fea- ture wins admiration. It is the harmonious whole, blending majesty with color, form and action, that woos all the sense with siren touch. It is this sense of the supremely beautiful incarnated which makes Yosemite the desire of all travelers.
GEORGE K. SIMPSON
Well known as a successful farmer and vineyardist, George K. Simpson is counted among the energetic agriculturists of the Livings- ton section of Merced County. A native son of Merced County, he has witnessed its almost marvelous development and progress, and has well performed his part in those transformation scenes that have changed the wild and uncultivated tracts of land into waving fields of grain, productive vineyards and fruitful orchards. A son of Thomas Jefferson Simpson, he was born on December 7, 1871, in Merced County, within one mile of the town of Livingston.
A native of Tennessee, Thomas Jefferson Simpson located in Texas while still a young man and was there married to Miss Rebecca Hardy, a native of Virginia, but reared in Texas. During the Mexi- can War, when only sixteen, he volunteered his services, but the war was over before he reached the front. Then he helped an uncle who had a contract to furnish horses to the United States government; this was a hazardous undertaking, fraught with hardships and dan- gers, but was accomplished without serious mishap. He came to Cali- fornia via Panama in 1852, and engaged in mining for a time; return- ing to Texas he was married, and in 1858, with his wife and eldest
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son, returned to California via the Isthmus of Panama. He again engaged in mining, then conducted a store at Don Pedro, Tuolumne County ; later he removed with his family to Snelling and engaged in ranching. He next purchased 214 acres near Livingston, on the Mer- ced River, where the Central Pacific Railroad built a bridge across that stream. It is related that Thomas Jefferson Simpson was the only farmer in this vicinity who ever received money from the rail- road company for a right-of-way; but it was accomplished by force, even resorting to carrying a shotgun and forcing from the company's agents and employees, pay for the right-of-way. Five children blessed this union : Ben, the eldest, born in Texas, is now an employe of the Sugar Pine Lumber Company at Sugar Pine, Cal .; Otis, a rancher, lives across the road from our subject; Virginia, married John Gard- ner and is deceased; Thomas Jefferson, Jr., deceased; and George K. is the subject of this sketch. The mother of our subject passed away when he was only fourteen years old; the father lived to be fifty- eight years old.
George K. Simpson attended the district school near his father's farm and at an early age went to work for Hammatt and Crowell on their ranch near Livingston. In 1920 he located on his present home place, which consists of forty acres owned jointly by himself and William T. White. When Mr. Simpson located on this place it was wholly unimproved. In the spring of 1920 he made his first plant- ings of Thompson seedless grapes; this was before there was any irrigation project and he pumped the water and watered his newly planted vineyard by hand. This section is ideal for raisin culture and now the land is irrigated by the Merced Irrigation District and soon the vineyard will be in full bearing.
In 1914 Mr. Simpson was married to Miss Alice De Neves, a daughter of M. J. De Neves, a prominent rancher and fruit grower of Atwater, Cal., who died April 1, 1925. Mr. and Mrs. Simpson are the parents of three children : George K. Jr., Virginia Alice, and Hauleymay Elizabeth. Mr. Simpson is a consistent Democrat and pays due attention to principles and qualifications of candidates.
MODESTO V. BALEME
One of the well-known ranchers of Merced County, Modesto V. Baleme has been identified with agriculture here in the San Joaquin Valley for over forty years, and it has been a long journey from the poor boy, who landed in a new country without funds, or even a working knowledge of the new language, to the successful man who is now an integral part of the country's citizenry. Born June 15,
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1852, in Canton Ticino, Switzerland, he is the son of Andrew J. and Mary (Bary) Baleme, both natives of that country, and farmers by occupation. Educated in the public schools of Switzerland, he came to the United States when a lad of sixteen, arriving in 1868, and with no knowledge of English, started to look for work to earn a living.
The young adventurer worked his way to California, and here took a job on the De Martini dairy ranch, near Petaluma. There he worked steadily for two years, and then, for the next twelve months, worked for Charles Love, on the coast of Marin County. He saved his money, and was soon able to send home his fare, which had been advanced him. His good mother died in 1871. In the evenings, when his day's work was finished-and it was a full day's work, in those days-he learned the English language, being helped by the tutoring of Mrs. Love, for he was fortunate in having unusually kind employ- ers. After the three years spent in ranch work, Mr. Baleme went to San Francisco, and for the following three years was employed as a stevedore in the metropolis. From there he went to Stockton, and there worked for Meyer Brothers for three years on their grain ranch. He then came further north again, and took a position as foreman on the K. Fly ranch. in Napa Valley.
In 1883, he came to the San Joaquin to stay, first locating in Tur- lock, where he entered the employ of the late J. B. Osborn, and finally went into the employ of the late J. W. Mitchell, extensive stockman and rancher, as a teamster and warehouseman. He re- mained in his employ as foreman at Central Camp, and later estab- lished another camp, named Modesto Camp, and here he made a wonderful success as a buttermaker; the M. B. brand was known throughout the valley, and was the most popular butter carried in the Merced stores. Mr. Baleme made weekly trips to Merced with produce, and had no trouble in disposing of his output, for it was the best seller on the market. In the meantime, he made an investment in land on his own account, purchasing forty acres, six miles west of town, later adding ten acres to his holdings, and engaged in grain- raising ; as his sons matured, he took them on as partners, at the same time conducting a more extensive business on leased lands, marketing his wheat, which was the principal crop, at Garibaldi Mills, Merced. In 1920, he sold out his mules to the Heinz Company, and bought a 75-h. p. C. L. Best tractor, and invested in his present ten-acre home place, one mile from Merced, where he enjoys the comforts of a newly-built, strictly modern home. He has set out his acreage to peach trees, which will soon be in bearing, making his place one of the show places of this section. He also owns residence property in Merced, and other desirable securities, and can surely be said to have reached success through his own unaided efforts, adding value to the
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section he chose for a home, and doing his share in its development.
The marriage of Mr. Baleme, in Modesto, in 1886, united him with Louise Hamilton, who was born in San Jose, the eldest of seven children in the family of Alex Hamilton, whose father was a Forty- niner, and he himself came to California in 1858. He married Mary Ferrett, a native of New Orleans, and his death occurred at the age of sixty-three; in 1870, the family moved to Paradise City. They were also farmer folk. Thirteen children blessed the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Baleme : John A., of Cressey ; James E. ; Loretta Berry ; Albert V .; Louise M. Furtado; Helen Ellis; George F .; Josephine Tetzlaff ; Fred M .; Walter W .; Mary E .; Irene Lorraine ; and Emma N. Adams. There are nineteen grandchildren in the family. A Re- publican in politics, Mr. Baleme received his citizenship papers in Merced. Fraternally, he has been a Knight of Pythias since 1884, when he joined the Turlock lodge.
STILLMAN ROBERT SWAN
Another pioneer resident of Merced County may be found in the person of Stillman Robert Swan, who for more than a third of a century has been identified with the agricultural interests of this sec- tion of the State. It was in Oxford County, forty-seven miles from Portland, Maine, that Mr. Swan was born, on October 3, 1854, the son of Joseph Greeley Swan, who owned and farmed 200 acres in Oxford County, and who married Miss Temperance Allen, born at Wales, Maine. The Swans are of Welsh extraction; the paternal grandmother, Betsy Howe, was a descendant of General Putnam, of Revolutionary War fame, and the paternal grandfather, William Swan, a millwright by trade, was a drum major in the war of 1812. Stillman Robert Swan is the youngest of three children, the others being Sarah, who become the wife of John Swan and passed away in Merced, and Sylvia Howe, who became the wife of Albert L. Cressey, of Modesto, both now deceased.
Stillman Robert Swan received a common school education in his native State; he walked four miles to attend a high school, which was located at Denmark Corners. At Brownfield, Maine, on Christ- mas Day, 1876, Mr. Swan was married to Miss Addie A. Harnden, born in East Fryeburg Township, Oxford County, Maine, a daughter of Elbridge Harnden, Jr., a farmer and freeholder in Oxford County, who passed away at the age of forty-two years, leaving his widow and two children: Addie Augusta, the wife of our subject, and Ina M .. who became the wife of Elmer Dayton Jones, and died in February, 1895. Mr. and Mrs. Swan farmed the old home place in Oxford
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County, Maine, for eleven years; then they decided to come to Mer- ced County, California, where Mr. Swan's two sisters were residing. Mr. Swan rented land from his brother-in-law, Albert L. Cressey, and farmed to wheat, rye and barley for twenty-one years on 1700 acres of land two and a half miles south of Livingston. Prosperity attend- ed his untiring industry and perseverance, and he bought twenty acres which he developed to fruit, and later sold and is now living in Livingston, retired from active business cares. Mr. Swan was pain- fully injured in an automobile accident in 1922 which incapacitated him for over a year. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Swan: Grace H., a partner with her brother, S. H., in the Steam Laundry in Livingston; Stillman Herbert, married Minnie A. Condon and is head of the Steam Laundry in Livingston; Claude Elbridge, a State traffic officer, living at Merced. During the World War he served in the machine gun corps and at the close of the war was discharged with the rank of corporal. Claude married Lucy Baker and they have one daughter, Geneva Louise. S. R. Swan has been active for the betterment of his locality and has been a member of the board of trustees of the city of Livingston since its incorpora- tion. In politics he is a consistent Republican. He was among the first to subscribe to the capital stock of the First Bank of Livingston, and is a director. Although retired from active duties, Mr. Swan retains an interest in the Livingston Steam Laundry.
REV. GEORGE D. DOYLE
People familiar with the advancement of the Catholic faith on the Pacific Coast within the last third of a century unhesitatingly attribute a share of its growth to the untiring efforts of Rev. Father George D. Doyle, who since 1922 has been pastor of Our Lady of Mercy at Merced. George D. Doyle was born in Philadelphia, Pa., on October 18, 1868, the son of Thomas E. and Margaret (McKee) Doyle. Thomas E. Doyle was an artist of considerable ability and was par- ticularly adept on interior decorating. Both parents are now deceased.
George D. Doyle acquired a liberal education. He attended gram- mar and high school in his native city, then pursued the classical course in the University of Pennsylvania, studied philosophy at the St. Charles Seminary at Overbrook and gained his theological training at St. Paul's Seminary at St. Paul, Minn. He was ordained to the priest- hood by Archbishop Ireland, June 8, 1895. Following his ordination he taught in the seminary at St. Paul for six years ; then he came to the Coast as a missionary under Bishop Conaty, who had charge of the In- dian reservation in San Diego. Father Doyle remained on the reserva-
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tion for thirteen years, and during this time he restored the Pala Mis- sion, which was later, in 1916, destroyed by the flood of the San Luis Rey River, but was rebuilt by father Doyle. When the Indian school at Banning was built, Father Doyle was put in charge; he organized the Indians and built chapels. In 1906 the Banning Indian school was destroyed by fire and Father Doyle was instrumental in its restoration at a cost of $75,000. Father Doyle was then transferred to Needles, Cal., and while there the church was destroyed also by fire. Father Doyle took charge of rebuilding a new church and remained there for two years when he went to Madera, remaining there until he took up the work at Our Lady of Mercy in Merced.
In a local newspaper in Merced of May 30, 1914, is the following historial review of the diocese where the church of Our Lady of Mercy is located. "Situated at the extreme southeasterly limits of the archdiocese of San Francisco, stands St. Patrick's Church, an edifice perhaps not of a very commanding appearance, being, in fact, built of wood, but around whose sacred precincts have foregathered many of the old pioneers of California, and within the sacred doors of which the same venerable priest whose name is intimately associated with its structure, still performs his solemn duties. Father McNa- mara, hale and hearty despite his advanced age, celebrates the sacri- fice of the mass and performs the varied duties connected with his calling. He is known to everyone, not alone in Merced, but almost throughout the entire section of the territory, as his labors in the State have extended over a period of forty-three years. The church edifice and parochial residence are reminders of what might aptly be called the early pioneer life and buildings of California, for certainly in appearance they are woefully unlike many of the substantial and ornate churches gracing other cities. However, the parishioners are content, devout in their duties, and relatively speaking, the congrega- tion is a large one. Father McNamara, of the old school, ripe in years and a close student of books, is a beloved priest on whom the shadows of age linger as if loath to show their hand, but willing rather to reveal the fount of a long and active life."
The first settlers were of Catholic persuasion, consisting of a num- ber of hardy men who were in the section. The fall of 1868 saw their coming, and being fairly satisfied, these pioneers lacked only the spiritual comforts afforded in Catholic teachings to make their lives complete. They besought the aid of Archbishop Alemany, who re- ferred the matter of a visiting priest to the parish of Mariposa. Two parishioners, Patrick Carroll and Michael Dougan, under the in- struction of the Archbishop, induced Rev. T. Fitzpatrick to visit Merced, where he celebrated holy mass and conferred the sacraments, the ceremonies being necessarily performed in the private dwelling
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of a parishioner. Father Fitzpatrick continued his service at odd intervals, the distance being great and the roads hard to travel. He was succeeded by Rev. Michael McNaboe, who labored along the line of his predecessor.
In the year 1871, Father Michael McNamara succeeded Father McNaboe as pastor of Mariposa parish, and in the year 1872 the Catholics in Merced set about the task of building a church of their own. A parochial residence was also built at that time, and with its completion and consecration, by Archbishop Alemany, came the appointment of Father McNamara who remained the pastor of St. Patrick's Church. The duties of Father McNamara up to and in- cluding the years 1887 called for many exactions, the parish being wide and scattered, embracing all of Mariposa and Merced Counties.
In 1916, after forty-three years of faithful service, Father Mc- Namara was called to his reward. His body now lies in the splendid edifice since erected.
A few months after the passing of Father McNamara the Most Rev. Archbishop Hanna appointed Rev. T. J. Brennan pastor, who, recognizing the fact that, due to the increase in population, the time was now ripe for a modern structure, proceeded immediately to raise funds for the splendid edifice which stands today a monument to his zeal. Father Brennan was succeeded by Rev. Edward M. Looney in 1918, who in turn was succeeded in 1920 by Rev. T. J. Kennedy. Upon the erection of the diocese of Monterey and Fresno Father Kennedy was withdrawn to San Francisco and Rev. George D. Doyle of the Los Angeles diocese was appointed pastor of Our Lady of Mercy.
When the diocese of Monterey-Fresno was established in 1922 the diocese of Sacramento contributed Mariposa County and the archdiocese of San Francisco assigned Merced County to the new jurisdiction. Our Lady of Mercy Parish, Merced, was the only English-speaking parish in the two counties having a decent church.
The change of the name from St. Patrick's to Our Lady of Mercy took place when the new church was finished under Father Brennan by permission of the Archbishop. The humble parish house was replaced by a modern parochial residence.
The parish embraces all of Mariposa County, and Merced County as far north as Buhach, and west as far as Los Banos. The large attendance at St. Patrick's gives evidence that the faith of its parishioners is still as strong as that of its earlier members, who received only the visiting ministration of a district priest.
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