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 76
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FRED PEDRONE
Mention should be made of Fred Pedrone, partner with Giacomo Triglia in the Oberon Hotel. He is a successful young man and was born in Volta, Merced County, on November 19, 1894. His father was born in Italy and was an early settler of Volta district, where he had one of the first general stores. Fred was educated in the Sacred Heart Convent in San Francisco and worked in his father's store at Volta and later in the grocery department of the store operated by Miller and Lux in Los Banos. In 1916 he was taken into partnership with Mr. Triglia and has since been identified with him in his hotel enterprise.
Fred Pedrone married Miss Della Bibby, a member of an old family of Los Banos, and they have a daughter, June. He belongs to the Fraternal Order of Eagles of Los Banos.
LUTHER HENRY MOYER
A worthy representative of that class of enterprising citizens who have made the prosperity of California a possibility is Luther Henry Moyer of the firm of Moyer and Fessler, who conduct a successful general merchandise business at Cressey which was established in 1914. He was born at Troxelville, Snyder County, Pa., on October 13, 1882, a son of John Y. Henry and Sarah Jane ( Klose) Moyer, both natives of the same state, but of different counties, the former born in Snyder County and the latter in Union County. Five children
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were born of this union, three sons and two daughters, all of whom reside in Pennsylvania, with the exception of our subject. The Moyer family came originally from Holland and settled in Pennsylvania in an early day; both parents are still living in the Keystone State.
Luther Henry Moyer was educated in the public schools of Snyder County, Pa., was reared on his father's farm, and at twenty years of age started out for himself. He came to California and for fourteen years worked at the carpenter's trade in various places, including San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Clovis, Cressey, Corcoran, Visalia and Hanford. He located in Cressey in 1914 and on October 13 established his present business, which has steadily grown to its present proportions. On March 2, 1915, Mr. Moyer was appointed postmaster at Cressey and has served continu- ously and acceptably to the present time.
At Clovis, Cal., on June 2, 1908, Mr. Moyer was married to Miss Lettie Naomi Fessler, daughter of Franklin Pierce and Lovina (Benfer ) Fessler, both natives of Pennsylvania and both deceased, the father dying at the age of seventy-two and the mother at seventy. Mr. Moyer was brought up in the English Lutheran Church; fraternally he is a member of the Turlock Lodge No. 395, F. & A. M.
T. R. TRICK, M. D.
Among the leading professional men of Merced County is T. R. Trick, M. D., of Dos Palos. A native of Indiana, he was born in Wabash County, on August 25, 1893, and was educated in the public schools of his home locality. His desire was to become a doctor of medicine and he entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons in San Francisco. He graduated in the Class of 1921 with his coveted degree of M.D. from the medical department of the University of Southern California. For six months he practiced in San Francisco, then came to Los Banos, where he continued for another six months, and in February, 1923, located in Dos Palos, where he is gradually building up a lucrative practice.
Dr. Trick married Miss Ruth Galloway and they have a daughter, Ruth. Fraternally, Dr. Trick is a member of Sunset Lodge No. 352, F. & A. M., of Los Angeles. He is a member of the Merced County Medical Society, the California State Medical Society and the Ameri- can Medical Association. Since taking up his residence in Merced County Dr. Trick has become recognized as one of the very public- spirited men on the West Side and enters into all movements to pro- mote the welfare of town and county.
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RAFFAELE MORETTI, M. D.
A very successful physician and surgeon, as well as a versatile gentleman, Raffaele Moretti, M. D., of Los Banos, holds a high place in the estimation of the citizens of Los Banos, where he is carrying on a very lucrative practice. He was born in Florence, Italy, on March 25, 1876, and was educated in the schools of his city. Having finished the Cremona preparatory school he entered the University of Florence and graduated with the Class of 1904, as a Doctor of Medi- cine. He at once began the practice of his profession as county physician in Lucca, and after three years there he came to America, locating in Lawrence, Mass., in 1907, and practiced medicine and con- ducted a drug store for five years. Hoping to better his condition, Dr. Moretti came to Los Angeles in 1912, passed the examination of the State board and spent six months in Sacramento, after which he came to Los Banos in the fall of 1913, since which time he has been engaged in the building-up of a successful practice. He is a member of the Merced County Medical Society, the State Medical Society and the American Medical Association.
Dr. Moretti has been married twice. His first wife was Miss Lena Dini, by whom he had a daughter, Celsa, now a student in the University of California, taking a course in dentistry. His second wife was Miss Annie Massei, born in Worcester, Mass., and they have four children, Rosie, Josie, John and Lydia.
MRS. MARGARET C. CASSELL
Among the women of Merced County who have taken an active part in the advancement of educational, civic and social life of their community mention is made of Mrs. Margaret C. Cassell, who came to California in 1912 to join her parents, who had preceded her in 1911. She is the daughter of the late Joseph William and Lucinda Rice, both natives of Kentucky. Margaret C. accompanied her parents from Paris, Ky., to Pueblo, Colo., where her father was a rancher until 1911, when they came to Winton, Cal. The daughter attended the Pueblo schools, graduating from the high school in 1909, after which she began teaching in that State. After one year there, she joined her parents in Merced County.
On January 28, 1915, Miss Rice was married to Clifford J. Cas- sell, born near Lake View, Mich., now a salesman in the Ford garage at Livingston. Mrs. Cassell has four children : Clifford Joseph, Jr., Elinor Margaret, Helen June and Elizabeth Clay. Mrs. Cassell is
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an ex-president of the Woman's Improvement Club of Winton and is prominently connected with the Home Department of the Winton Center of the Merced County Farm Bureau. She assisted in the organization of the Parent-Teachers Association and is a positive force for the proper education of the youth of Winton and vicinity.
Mrs. Cassell was appointed by the board of trustees of the Winton Grammar School to fill a vacancy on the board in 1923, and at the election the following spring she was regularly elected for a three-year term, the two other members being H. M. Stutsman and W. C. Abbott. There are five well-qualified teachers in the Winton Gram- mar School, of which Miss Winifred Kennedy is the principal. Mrs. Cassell was the second incumbent in the Winton postoffice, serving from 1915 to 1918, and gave satisfaction to all patrons of the office. Politically she is a Democrat. With her mother, Mrs. Lucinda Rice, and Mr. Cassell, she is active in the Presbyterian Church at Winton, Mrs. Cassell being one of the Sunday School teachers, and active in the organization of the Sunday School. Mr. Cassell serves as one of the trustees and is the financial secretary. He is an Odd Fellow.
GIACOMO TRIGLIA
As the manager and proprietor of the Oberon Hotel in Los Banos, Giacomo Triglia has easily demonstrated his ability to handle diversi- fied interests. He was born in the farming district of Italy on October 21, 1874, educated in the schools of his native land and worked at various occupations until coming to the United States and California in 1904. He had no advantages except a willingness to work; he could not speak English and had only $115 as visible assets. His first employment was in the vineyards of the Italian Swiss Colony in Madera County ; three years later he arrived in Los Banos and en- gaged as a cook in the Oberon restaurant. Saving his money he was soon enabled to purchase the business and from that period he began to forge to the front. In 1919 when the entire business district of Los Banos was destroyed by fire, Mr. Triglia lost all he had, but with the determination to succeed he buckled down to hard work and in 1923 was enabled to build a modern structure of reinforced concrete 50x90 feet in dimensions on the site of the old Oberon Hotel. This structure, costing $50,000, was financed by the Bank of Italy of Los Banos. The building is of three stories, with twenty-two rooms, eight of them with bath, and there are eight public shower baths. The build- ing is steam heated throughout, has a fine lobby, a large and sanitary dining room with a lunch counter and grill, and is reputed to be among
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the best hotels in the San Joaquin Valley for its size. An addition is contemplated which will give him eight more rooms.
Mr. Triglia was married in Marseilles, France, in 1900, to Ade- line Grisanti, born in Italy. She has one daughter, Elizabeth Lucy. Mr. Triglia is a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles and the Foresters of America. He was a director in the First National Bank of Los Banos and is now a member of the advisory board of the Los Banos branch of the Bank of Italy. He has made and kept his many friends since coming to Merced County and believes in progress along every line.
ASHLEY S. PARKER, M. D.
Prominent in the medical profession in the central and northern part of California, and with an outstanding record behind him in Southern California, Ashley S. Parker, M.D., has taken rank in Merced County among the leading physicians and surgeons. A native of Marshall, Harrison County, Texas, he was born on April 5, 1871, and was educated in Louisiana and California. Coming to Riverside, Cal., in 1887, he graduated from the high school in that city, and later attended Tulane University, at New Orleans, from which he was graduated in 1893 with his degree of M.D. His first practice was in Fallbrook, San Diego County, Cal., and from there he went to River- side and practiced from 1897 to 1909. In the latter year he went to Needles, Cal., practicing until 1909; while there he was division sur- geon for the Santa Fe Railway with headquarters at Needles. While in Riverside Dr. Parker was physician to the Sherman Indian School; surgeon for the Salt Lake Railway; and he was also county physician of Riverside County, in charge of the county hospital for a number of years. He was president of the Riverside County Medical Society, and a member of the Council of the State Medical Society. He is now a member of the Merced County Medical Society, and the National Medical Association. Coming to Merced on February 21, 1921, he became associated in practice with Dr. W. E. Lilley, and his large and growing practice attests to the esteem he has gained in the community. Having a comprehensive knowledge of the great scientific principles which underlie his work, he has steadily increased his efficiency through research and study, keeping in touch with the most modern methods and discoveries, and these facts, added to his years of varied practice, make his services to humanity invaluable.
The marriage of Dr. Parker, occurring in March, 1896, at River- side, Cal., united him with Grace Guffin, a native of Indianapolis, Ind. She has made music her life study, and is an accomplised artist on the
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piano and organ, and is now organist and leader of the choir in the Presbyterian Church in Merced, besides devoting some of her time to teaching, giving recitals, etc. Four children have been born to Dr. and Mrs. Parker: Lewis; Sarah, also a musician; James, attending the University of California, and Ashley, a student at the Merced High School; all natives of California. Fraternally, Dr. Parker is a Mason, belonging to the Lodge, Chapter, Fresno Commandery of Knights Templar, and Aahmes Shrine of Oakland; he is a member of Merced Lodge No. 1240, B. P. O. E., and a charter member of the Merced Lions Club. His ranch interests consist of a cotton farm at Blythe, Riverside County; a forty-acre alfalfa ranch at Patterson, Stanislaus County, and ranch land at Planada, Merced County.
CHARLES A. DONAHUE
One of the painting contractors of Los Banos whose reputation for good work is well known is Charles A. Donahue. He was born in Hamilton County, Nebr., on August 31, 1885, the son of Charles L. and Elizabeth (Brown) Donahue, and was the third in a family of four children, the others being Mildred, Frank and Emma, the wife of Mr. Carlson of Tranquillity, Cal. The father was a carpen- ter by trade. The son was taken by an uncle, his mother's brother, A. Brown, when only seven years old, in 1892, who brought him to Dos Palos, Merced County, where he attended school, grew to young manhood and worked on ranches in the neighborhood until 1905, when he was twenty, at which time he began learning the painter's trade in Watsonville. This trade he has followed ever since. His first three years were spent in Watsonville. Then he came to Los Banos, and here he has since lived and been employed at his trade, working on many of the important buildings in the town and surrounding country. For some time he was a foreman for Miller and Lux and looked after the painting of the buildings on their many holdings. Mr. Donahue bought an acre and a half on the western limits of Los Banos and this he has been cutting up into building lots and selling; and he now owns four houses himself. Among the buildings that show his handiwork are the Birch, Central Creamery, Commercial Club Home and Hotel, Catholic Church, Methodist Church, and the Toscano home; also the enamel work on the new grammar school building.
On June 9, 1911, Charles A. Donahue was united in marriage with Miss Kate Jones, the marriage taking place in Stockton. She was born in the same town in Nebraska as was Mr. Donahue and they attended the same public school. She is the daughter of William and
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Alice Jones, farmers, who settled in Dos Palos in 1894, and was the ninth in a family of eleven children born to her parents. She has been prominently identified with the educational advancement of Merced County and was a teacher in the Volta grammar school. Mr. Donahue belongs to the Odd Fellows of Los Banos, and to the Encampment. He is a member of the American Legion Band of twenty-five pieces, he playing the tuba horn.
JAMES NEGRA
The logical connection between conducting a life insurance business and running a sheep ranch is not so apparent that the conditions of success in the one business would insure success in the other. Never- theless it is a fact that James Negra has been very successful as agent for the West Coast Life Insurance Company with offices in Merced and Los Banos, and it is chronicled that both he and his father made a success in raising sheep on their ranch. The father, Bernardi Negra, who is still living, was a native of Italy and came out to California in the early days before the railroad came to the West Side, and before the wagon roads were graded, and engaged in sheep-raising on a large scale. He was a personal friend of Henry Miller and was with him in many deals in livestock. In that day wool sold as low as three cents per pound and sheep for three dollars a head. James was born on his father's ranch three miles from Los Banos, on October 13, 1885, and was educated in the Monroe school in Badger Flat, Merced County, and he engaged in sheep growing on a mountain ranch, which he still owns. In 1922 he sold the sheep and took up the life insurance business.
James Negra married Lela Smith, a native of Merced County, and they have two children, James, Jr., and Jessie. Mr. Negra is a mem- ber of Merced Parlor No. 24, N. S. G. W.
M. L. SILVA
A native son of California who is filling a position of honor and trust is M. L. Silva, cashier of the Los Banos branch of the Mercantile Trust Company of California, formerly the Portuguese-American Bank of San Francisco. He was born on September 16, 1881, in Alameda County, a son of Frank and Rita (Mendes) Silva, both natives of the Azores Islands. The father's early experience was on
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a whaling vessel. He came to California in the early sixties, before the Central Pacific Railroad was built, and herded cows where now the residential part of San Francisco is situated. He was in Virginia City, Nevada, at the time of the great gold excitement and lived in the same boardinghouse with Mackie and Fair, who later became millionaires. The later years of his life were passed on his ranch in the Livermore Valley in Alameda County, where he ended his days.
M. L. Silva was educated in the public schools and business college. He began business for himself in Livermore, then for ten years was a deputy in the county tax collector's office in Oakland, after which time he entered the employ of the Bank of Italy and for five years was the assistant cashier of the Livermore branch. On November 1, 1922, he was appointed to his present position as cashier.
On September 4, 1908, Mr. Silva was united in marriage with Miss Anna Frances McCleud, born in Alameda County, a daughter of the pioneer, A. J. McCleud, and they have a son Andrew Francis. Mr. Silva is a member and Past President of Las Positas Parlor, No. 96, N. S. G. W .; belongs to the Woodmen of the World, both at Livermore; and to the Knights of Columbus of Merced. His many years of experience in the banking business have made of him an expert in his line and he holds a secure place in financial circles of Central California won solely on his merits.
MRS. LUCINDA RICE
Held in high esteem by all who know her, Mrs. Lucinda Rice is recognized as one of the guiding spirits for the betterment of condi- tions in Winton, Merced County. A native of Bracken County, Ky., she was married near Blue Lick Springs, Nicholas County, Ky., to Jo- seph William Rice, born in Robertson County, that state, on Septem- ber 29, 1860. They moved to Morton County, Kansas, but finding it too dry there moved back to Kentucky and settled in Bourbon County, near Paris, remaining until 1906, when they located in Pueblo, Colo., where Mr. Rice farmed leased land. In 1911 they came to Winton, Cal., and bought land in Merced Colony No. 3, put in alfalfa and built a home in Winton, which is still known as the Rice home. Selling their first piece of land they invested in a peach orchard of thirteen and one-half acres south of town, which Mrs. Rice still owns. Mr. Rice died on October 9, 1923. They had five children: Margaret C., Mrs. C. J. Cassell, mentioned elsewhere in this history; Irvin Galbraith, the eldest, proprietor of a general store in Manzanola, Colo .; Iva Ray, married to Nathan Wheeler, a machinist near Pueblo, Colo .;
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Bessie May, the wife of Franklin Poteet, a machinist in Pueblo; and Bernie E., who died at the age of fourteen.
Mrs. Rice was the first acting postmaster at Winton, preceding H. A. Logue, the first regularly appointed postmaster. By popular consent Mrs. Rice was allowed to distribute the mail, thus making her the first official. She is an active member of the Presbyterian Church at Winton, Mr. Rice serving as an elder from the date of the organi- zation of the denomination in Winton, of which both Mr. and Mrs. Rice were factors. She was one of the organizers of the Woman's Improvement Club and has never relinquished her interest in its activities. She was also instrumental in the organization of the Win- ton Center of the Merced County Farm Bureau and the local Home Department, and took an active part in establishing the Parent- Teachers Association. Hers is truly a benign influence which is felt in all things for the betterment of the community in general.
ALVA O. HORTON
As postmaster and druggist of Le Grand, Merced County, Alva O. Horton is well-known in that section of the county, and is prominent in both business and social circles. A native of Ripley County, Ind., he was born March 17, 1881, and went to Oregon when only five years old, and lived near Portland during his childhood, there receiving his education in the public schools. He graduated in pharmacy from the Oregon Agricultural College, at Corvallis, Ore., in 1904, and clerked for D. P. Adamson in his drug store at Prineville, that state, later working as clerk in the Tabler Pharmacy, on North Sixth Street, Port- land, for three years.
Deciding to enter business for himself, he bought the drug store at Philomath, Ore., and ran the establishment for five years. He then came to Merced County and first worked as clerk in the Cody Drug Store at Le Grand, and later in Cody's store in Merced, also in the Maze Drug Store there. In 1920, he bought the Cody store at Le Grand, and has since that time been proprietor of this establishment, running it as an up-to-date drug store and catering to the wants of his many patrons in Le Grand and surrounding territory. He was appointed postmaster of Le Grand by President Harding, in 1920, and combines that office with his business interests, carrying on his duties efficiently and to the satisfaction of his many friends in the community. He is secretary of the Le Grand Board of Trade, and has always been interested in civic advancement; while in Philomath, Ore., he was a member of the city council for two years.
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The marriage of Mr. Horton, occurring at Atwater in 1918, united him with Belle Adams, a native of Los Angeles County, and a graduate of the University of California, Southern Branch. She has taught in Los Angeles County and in the district schools of Merced County, and now holds the position of principal of the Le Grand Grammar School. One daughter has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Horton, Betty Jean. Fraternally, Mr. Horton belongs to the Modern Woodmen, and the Redmen, having passed all the chairs in both.
CARL ROSE
A prosperous rancher of Irwin is Carl Rose, who resides on his well cultivated ranch of forty acres in the Hilmar Colony. The com- fortable competence which he now enjoys proves what it is possible to accomplish here by a man who possesses patience, foresight, energy, and a calm and wise judgment. He bought his first twenty acres in 1905 and made the necessary improvements, including the sinking of his well and the building of his house, but it was several years before he was able to add another twenty acres. He follows mixed farming, including the raising of trees, vines, alfalfa, beans, etc.
The third of seven children, Carl Rose was born at Smaaland, Sweden, on July 6, 1876, a son of Carl and Helen Peterson, frugal and upright people who passed their time in agricultural pursuits. The father attained to the age of eighty-two and the mother passed away at the age of sixty-three. Growing up on his father's humble place, Carl was taught to work. There was a particular intimacy between him and his elder brother Ed .; and when the latter emigrated to America, Carl longed to follow him to seek the enlarged opportunities which his brother reported. Five years later, 1896, he also was able to bid good-bye to his home and sail for America, his destination being Lancaster County, Nebr., where his brother was, and for three years he worked out on farms; then he and his brother rented a farm for the next two years, after which they divided up and Carl went back to Sweden for a six months' visit, while Ed. came on to California and settled in the Hilmar Colony. Being pleased with conditions here he wrote Carl to come on and join him, which he did in 1905.
In 1916, Carl Rose was married to Miss Emma Loomis, a native of California and daughter of Rev. C. H. and Carrie (Strid) Loomis, the former for many years pastor of the Free Methodist Church at Santa Clara. Mr. and Mrs. Rose attend the Baptist Church in Turlock. In politics they are consistent Republicans.
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While living in Nebraska he took an interest in American politics, and though a Republican he became an admirer of William Jennings Bryan, who was then a resident of Lancaster County. Though many years have passed he is still an admirer of the Great Commoner and happy in knowing that he has never compromised with grafters and crooked politicians.
C. A. MORD
A man who commands the respect and esteem of his fellow citizens in the Hilmar and Irwin sections of Merced County is C. A. Mord, blacksmith at Hilmar. A native of Sweden, he was born November 5, 1882, the son of August and Olivia Mord, natives of that country who came to America when our subject was a child of one year. They first settled at Oakland, Nebr., and seven years later moved to Warsaw, Knox County, that state, where the parents are still living. They had ten children in their family, C. A. being the fourth, and the eldest of five boys. He attended the common schools of Nebraska and was reared on the prairies. He learned how to farm successfully in that country and also learned the trade of the blacksmith in his father's shop, and later went to Warsaw, where he worked in a shop two years. In 1915 he came to California and went to work in the blacksmith shop of A. O. Johnson in Irwin as a journeyman. Six months later he entered the service of A. Hochlightner and remained with him two years. Then he decided to go into business for himself and he erected the first unit of his shop in Irwin, but later moved it to Hilmar and made an addition to it for the better conduct of his grow- ing trade. In 1918 he built his residence in Hilmar.
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