USA > California > San Benito County > History and biographical record of Monterey and San Benito Counties : and history of the State of California : containing biographies of well-known citizens of the past and present. Volume II > Part 28
USA > California > Monterey County > History and biographical record of Monterey and San Benito Counties : and history of the State of California : containing biographies of well-known citizens of the past and present. Volume II > Part 28
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WILLIAM A. STOW.
One of the most thrifty ranches in Monterey county is that of which Mr. Stow is the owner, comprising sixty-six acres in close proximity to Salinas. The fact that he has spent his entire life in the midst of a farming community may in a measure account for the success which has come to him, for this without doubt has been of great benefit to him, but the inborn qualities of push and perseverance which are largely recog- nizable in his make-up have been no less neces- sarv.
W. A. Stow comes of a long line of southern antecedents, associated with Virginia for many generations, and in that state the father, J. J. Stow, was born. The rumors which followed the finding of gold in California brought him over- land to the Pacific coast in 1850, at which time he went to the mines in Tuolumne county, which were then attracting the attention of newcomers. Later he went to the mines in Oregon, but finally came back to California, rather the worse finan- cially for the experience, for when he located in the Pajaro valley, Santa Cruz county, in 1862, he had but $13 and an ox-team to his name. To one of his courageous spirit this was no cause for discouragement, but on the other hand seemed to spur him on to greater purpose. After locating in the valley he gave his whole attention to agriculture, and during the remaining years of his life he made a noteworthy success of his undertaking, and at the time of his death was known as one of the most prosperous ranchers
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in the Parajo valley. He passed away on the ever, for while he was still an infant in arms ranch which had been his home for thirty years this parent passed away, and the burden of car- ing for her family of young children thus de- volved upon the mother. For eight years she bore the struggle alone, and this too in the midst of surroundings common to a new and unde- veloped country, but finally the elder children were able to relieve her of much of the burden. in 1894, at, the age of sixty-four years. Here it was also that his son, William A. Stow, first saw the light of day in 1865, and in this vicinity also he was reared and educated in the public schools. From his. earliest years he had been accustomed to assist with the chores about the ranch, and, thus it happened that when he was seventeen years old he was able to assume entire charge of its management. Five years in this capacity gave him confidence to assume responsi- bilities on his own account, and accordingly, in 1888, he went to Vega, Monterey county, and operated a ranch in that vicinity for nearly ten years. From there in 1897 he went to San Miguel, where he farmed sixteen hundred acres of the best ranch land in that section of coun- try. In October, 1905, he came to his pres- ent property in the vicinity of Salinas, this com- prising the combined acreage of the old Casaboom and the J. W. Hohstadt ranches, which aggregate sixty-six acres. This is one of the most pro- ductive ranches in Monterey county, and at the price which he paid for it, $300 per acre, it has been a profitable investment.
Mr. Stow's marriage united him with Miss Emma Mills, a native of Santa Cruz county, though at the time of her marriage she was a resident of Monterey county. One son, Ray- mond, has blessed their marriage. At this writ- ing he is a lad of thirteen years and is attending the high school.
ALLEN FORSTER.
Though not one of the earliest settlers in Cali- fornia, still Mr. Forster is well worthy the name of pioneer, for upon taking up his residence in this commonwealth in 1858 he found it in a very primitive condition. As he looks back in re- trospect he notes the marvelous changes that have taken place during the past fifty years, in all of which he takes a commendable interest and pride, and in not a few of which he himself has had a part. The memory of boyhood days takes him back to Wayne county, Mich., where in De- troit he was born on Christmas day of 1836, in- to the home of Thomas and Ann (Kirkland) Forster. He has no memory of his father, how-
When he was fourteen years of age Allen Forster went to Oakland county, Mich., where for two years he continued his studies. From the time of the gold discovery in California he had followed the development of interest in the new west through reading and conversing with those informed on those matters, and uncon- sciously he was developing an interest in his own mind that culminated in 1858, when he bade good-bye to home and friends in Detroit and made his way to New York, preparatory to set- ting sail for California. Going by way of the Isthmus of Panama, he finally arrived in San Francisco in May, 1858, after a safe though not uninteresting voyage. He investigated the pros- pects and advisability of following mining by making a trip to the mines of Butte county, near Oroville, but instead of mining he decided to in- terest himself in lumbering and established him- self in the lumber section. During the two years in which he was thus occupied he was thrown in contact with ex-Gov. George C. Perkins, an ac- quaintance which ripened into a warm, personal friendship. From Oroville, where he had been interested in the lumber business, and where Mr. Perkins was at that time conducting a mercantile business, Mr. Forster went to Chico, and there he became acquainted with another man who had gained a wide reputation in this commonwealth and also throughout the west, Gen. John Bidwell. At that time the latter was without doubt the largest stock man in that part of the state, and for a time Mr. Forster was employed on his large ranch in Butte county. The experience there gained was invaluable to him, for it made him ambitious to become a land-owner on his own ac- count and resulted in the development of abilities that otherwise might never have been recognized. Purchasing a ranch at Butte Creek, he turned his- attention to the raising of fruit, which was an in- novation in this part of the country, but the venture proved a success.
John Domanovich
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
At the end of ten years, in 1868, Mr. Forster came to Monterey county, and in the vicinity of Natividad engaged in raising grain for five years. His next experience was at Chualar, where for four years he was employed at the Deep Wells stage station. As there was no railroad through the village stages made tri-weekly trips to Los Angeles, and in connection with the relay station was maintained a road house and a store. Many thrilling experiences could Mr. Forster relate of these days, when robbers held up stages at the point of the pistol and carried off the plunder. Tiring of the crudity and hardship to which this life subjected him he finally gave it up, and going back to Natividad established himself on a ranch and made it his home for sixteen years. During this time he accumulated sufficient means to en- able him to retire from active pursuits, and in 1889 he removed into the city of Salinas and has since made it his home.
Mr. Forster's marriage occurred November 22, 1860, and united him with Miss Matilda Jane Nance, a native of Indiana, and six children, four daughters and two sons, were born of their union, as follows: Anna Belle, the wife of F. A. Ab- bott, of Salinas; Charles A., of Pacific Grove ; Hattie, the wife of Arthur Hebbron; Grace G., the wife of Frank G. Griffin; Benjamin F., de- ceased; and Jessie, who with her father makes her home at No. 310 Pajaro street, Salinas. The wife and mother passed away in 1889, and thus for the past twenty years Mr. Forster has found his greatest comfort in liis children. Few resi- dents of Salinas have taken a more devoted in- terest in her welfare than Mr. Forster, who has given liberally of both means and time to fur- ther measures for the general good, this being especially true in matters of an educational trend, demonstrated during the twenty years in which he served as school trustee.
JOHN DOMIANOVICH.
Possessed of a temperament that fitted him for daring deeds and the endurance of frontier hardships, John Domianovich came to the United States and to California at a period when ample opportunity was afforded him for adven- ture. While he was not one of the earliest set-
tlers in the state, coming some years after the discovery of gold and its attendant excitement, he nevertheless came at a period no less im- portant to the final upbuilding of the common- wealth, the beginning of its agricultural activity. He lived to see his hopes and expectations in her behalf realized to some extent at least, and to share in the prosperity which came with the passing years.
John Domianovich was a native of Austria, born November 17, 1844, the descendant of an- cestors who from time immemorial had lived and died in the Fatherland. It was thus looked upon as a daring venture when, at the age of eighteen years, John Domianovich set out for the United States with the intention of making this his future home. Youth, courage and a determination to win his way in the New World were the chief assets with which he debarked from the vessel which had borne him across the Atlantic. From the place of landing he came direct to California, but it was not until 1878 that he came to Mon- terey county. For about one year he engaged' in ranching near Salinas, and thereafter returned to San Francisco and remained for two years. Locating once more in Salinas, he took up his residence on the Alisal ranch and managed it creditably for six years, and thereafter was on a ranch near San Ardo for one year. It was with the experience of the years just mentioned to his credit that Mr. Domianovich came to. King City in 1889 and settled on the Bernabe ranch, of which he was the proprietor for many years, or until his death December 23, 1908, at which time he was in his sixty-fifth year. He carried on diversified farming with more than average success, making a specialty of the rais- ing of wheat and barley, to which he devoted two thousand acres. He also raised horses, cattle' and hogs extensively, and whether of live-stock or grain, he received the highest market price for his products. Since his death his son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. C. T. Rutherford, have continued the management of the ranch along the lines which he found so successful and they in turn are meeting with equally good re- sults.
Mr. Domianovich's marriage occurred in 1875 and united him with Miss Elvira DeArce, a daughter of Frank DeArce, one of the early
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
Spanish settlers in Monterey county. Of the children born of this marriage four grew to years of maturity and are taking their place in the world's activities. Charles and Frank are in business for themselves; John is attending Santa Clara college, while the only daughter, Ella, is now the wife of Charles Rutherford, residing on the Bernabe ranch. For many years Mr. Do- mianovich had been affiliated with the Masonic order, and his funeral was conducted under the auspices of the lodge of which he was a mem- ber.
PETER AND NICHOLAS S. GARDNER.
The early years in the lives of the Gardner brothers were passed in a similar manner. Both were born in New York state, Peter in Columbia county in 1833, and the younger brother in 1841. The common schools furnished them with the rudiments of an education, to which self-culture added until now they are men of broad informa- tion, wide knowledge and versatile minds. Both became pioneers of California and have seen re- markable changes since they came to the Pacific coast, whose development they have watched with the deepest interest and whose progress they have promoted by their own high type of citizen- ship. In the afternoon of their lives they are liv- ing in retirement from arduous cares and are en- joying the fruits of former labors by which they were enabled to accumulate a competency for their declining days.
A desire to seek gold led Peter Gardner to leave his eastern home during 1852 for the un- known regions of the western coast. Traveling by way of Nicaragua he arrived in San Francisco in March of 1852 and tried his luck at mining in Placer county. It took him a very short time to discover that he was not adapted for a miner's life and he forthwith sought other means of earn- ing a livelihood. Going to Marin county he fol- lowed various occupations. For a time he en- gaged in the manufacture of brick, at another time he cultivated a farm, later conducted a hotel, and finally carried on a dairy. Meanwhile he formed an acquaintance with Hiram and Noah Corey and for years they were intimate friends.
Coming to Monterey county during February of 1902 Mr. Gardner bought twenty acres, where
since he has made his home, meanwhile setting out an orchard of one thousand apple trees. In addition he makes a specialty of bees, of which he has more than one hundred hives. The work on the small farm is not heavy and he prefers the work with the fruit and the bees to complete re- tirement from life's activities. After coming to California he established domestic ties. His only son, Casper J., is living in San Francisco. The daughter, Cornelia, is the wife of William Wil- son, of Oakland.
From the age of three years Nicholas S. Gard- ner was reared in Massachusetts. After his brother had settled in Marin county he decided to join him in the west and accordingly made the voyage via Panama, arriving in Watsonville in 1862 and securing employment in a sawmill. For a time he worked in Utah and for sixteen years he was employed in British Columbia, Washing- ton and Oregon, with two trips back to the old home during these years. Saw-milling was his principal business, but he also engaged in farm- ing and stock-raising. During 1903 he came to Monterey county to make his home with his brother, for he had never married and it was his wish to spend his latter years with his older brother. Both are stanch in their allegiance to the Republican party and both have been fre- quent attendants upon the county conventions, as well as participants in other party measures. For many years Peter served as school trustee in Marin county and there also he held office as justice of the peace. He has never affiliated with fraternal orders, but the younger brother was for twenty-one years active in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Both are pleased with their en- vironment in Monterey county and enjoy the es- teem of the friends they have won since coming to this part of the state.
GEORGE BEAUREGARD ROBERTS.
The Roberts family became established in Cal- ifornia during the period of the gold excitement, when George M. Roberts came here from the south in the hope of finding sudden wealth in the mines. Leaving Kentucky in the spring of 1852, he went direct to Sacramento and from there to Placer county and began his search for the cov-
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
eted golden treasure. The records do not so state, but from the fact that Mr. Roberts re- mained there but a short time it is safe to say that he did not meet with the success in the mines that he had anticipated. Be that as it may, it is known that he soon went to San Jose and began to work at his trade of carpenter and builder, which he had followed in the south, later going to Contra Costa county and continuing the same line of occupation. Since 1869, however, he has made his home in Hollister, where during his more active years he was busily engaged at his trade. His enterprise and activity have meant much to the upbuilding of the city and of San Benito county, for he has filled a number of pub- lic offices successfully, among them that of as- semblyman for one term. In his political belief he is a Democrat.
Among the children born of the marriage of George M. and Rebecca Jane (Clavenger) Rob- erts, the latter a native of Independence, Mo., was George B. Roberts, whose birth occurred in 1862, while his parents were making their home in Contra Costa county. He was a lad of seven years when the family home was transferred to Hollister, and there the greater part of his edu- cation was received, as there were few facilities for receiving an education in the neighborhood of his birthplace. Later he found employment on ranches in the vicinity of his home for a time, afterward going to San Jose, Santa Clara coun- ty, where for two years he was in school. From there he went to Santa Barbara, but after re- maining there about two years he determined to locate on a place of his own, and thus it was that in 1890 he came to Monterey county and pur- chased the ranch on which he has since resided. This consists of twenty acres of land near Chua- lar, on the Paraiso Springs road, a location which is admirable in that it is convenient to irriga- tion facilities and also in close proximity to mar- ket. At the time he purchased the land it was bare of any improvements and gave little proni- ise of reaching its present state of productive- ness. As soon as Mr. Roberts located here he began to improve the property by the erection of a comfortable residence for his family, suitable barns and fences, and such other improvements as go to make up a well-regulated ranch. As an evidence of his enterprising spirit it may be men-
tioned that he was the pioneer in the matter of irrigation in this district, his first attempt being made in 1898, since which time neighboring ranchers have followed his example with the re- sult that the whole community has experienced large increase in crops in return for the under- taking. For a number of years after locating on the property Mr. Roberts made a specialty of raising onions, having the entire acreage in this vegetable, and in the raising of which he was exceptionally successful, gathering three hundred sacks to the acre. In 1901, however, he changed the character of his ranch considerably by setting out fourteen acres of it to apples. The trees are now in fine bearing condition and are producing in both quality and quantity of fruit even more than he had anticipated.
Mr. Roberts' marriage in 1888 united him with Miss Carrie I. Moore, a native of Califor- nia, and at the time of her marriage a resident of Hollister. Four children were born to them, but one of the number is now deceased. George H. is attending Licks school of mechanical arts in San Francisco; Earl L. is also in the same city attending Wilmerding school of industrial arts; and Nellie is a pupil in the public school in Chualar. Unlike his father in his political be- lief, Mr. Roberts is a Republican, and he stanchly advocates the principles of his chosen party when- ever the occasion requires.
CIENEGA DE LOS PAICINES RANCHO.
Strangers touring the east are shown, as ob- jects of greatest interest, such evidences of colonial settlement as remain to the present day, but the people of the west, while cherishing with reverence the old missions and other ancient buildings, are more apt to entertain their guests with drives to spots made beautiful by the hand of Nature or the device of man. Among the "show places" of San Benito county there are few possessing greater interest than does the Cienega de los Paicines rancho, comprising ten thousand acres lying some twelve miles south of the city of Hollister. Its interest to the people of the county lies especially in the fact that it proves what it is possible for capital and energy to accomplish in this climate and with this soil.
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
Here are exhibited the most modern triumphs of irrigation ; here vast fields of alfalfa and large tracts of grain bear their ample harvests to repay the husbandman's toil; here are orchards bring- ing their yearly toll of prized fruits to enrich the products of the ranch; and here, too, may be seen imported stock selected from the choicest herds of the European breeders. All in all, the ranch is a property that once seen is never for- gotten by the admiring visitor.
The deeds to the vast property show that it was originally conveyed by a Mexican grant to one Angel Castro, whose daughter was the hero- ine of the play, "Rose of the Rancho." Later it was acquired by a capitalist, Alexander B. Grogan, who had accumulated a fortune through success- ful enterprises in Chile, and he it was who first developed the property, putting it in a high state of cultivation. After his demise it reverted to his heirs in Ireland and for twenty years was superintended by a local administrator. The es- tate then passed through a period of three years under two other owners and in 1906 was pur- chased by the Paicines Ranch Company, com- prising the following officers: H. J. Macomber, M. D., president, who for fourteen years was a practicing physician of Pasadena, this state, but noiv makes his home on the ranch, having entire charge of the property; A. K. Macomber, of Paris, France, secretary and treasurer ; and George E. Sykes, a prominent woolen manu- facturer of Connecticut, vice-president.
Thirteen hundred acres of the vast estate have been brought under irrigation by means of a system which cost $25,000, and embraces twenty-five miles of ditches filled from one of the largest reservoirs in the state. The water rights in the valley for many miles are owned by the company, whose property contains various reser- voir sites that eventually will be used for the benefit of the residents of Hollister valley. Fifty persons reside at the ranch and for their benefit a postoffice, store and blacksmith's shop are maintained. There is also a hotel on the ranch. All of the buildings were erected in accordance with modern methods of architecture and the whole forms a harmonious combination pleasing to the eye. The' pastures contain one thousand head of grade Durham cattle and one hundred head of registered blooded imported cattle, the
whole forming a herd of unrivalled quality and wide reputation. A stable of fine horses, em- bracing one hundred and fifty head, is also main- tained, the heads of which are registered Per- cherons and Belgians imported from Europe, while in addition there are standard and thor- oughbred trotters of famous American strains. Although the company has owned the estate for a few years only, already the effects of its executive ability are being realized, and a satisfactory in- crease in the value of the tract has gone hand in hand with the development of its resources. The company owns an interest in the San Benito County Land and Water Company and has been a generous contributor to all movements for the agricultural development of the county, whose progress its own gratifying success has greatly stimulated.
DR. JOHN H. HARVEY.
The identification of the Harvey family with the development of California dates from the period immediately subsequent to the discovery of gold, the first of the name on the coast hav- ing been Isaac Julian Harvey, who during the summer of 1850 crossed the plains in a wagon drawn by oxen. A native of Indiana, he was born in Wayne county, December 28, 1816, and grew to manhood amid the scenes familiar to his earliest recollections. April 14, 1836, he was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Mel- lette, who was born in Monongalia county, W. Va., April 22, 1819, and during girlhood accom- panied relatives to Indiana. Five daughters and five sons were born of the union, namely: Julia M., Fronie E., Elna Josephine, Sarah Jessie, Ma- bel, Absalom Benton, John Mellette, Isaac Julian, William M. and Richard T., but of this large family the only survivors are Fronie, Elna Josephine and Mabel. There are nineteen grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
One year after crossing the plains to the west, Isaac. Julian Harvey returned east via steamer and joined his family in Indiana, whence, in 1852, he again crossed the plains. On this trip he was accompanied by three of his children, Absalom Benton, Fronie E. and William M., and they brought with them a drove of cattle. For a time they remained in the vicinity of
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Marysville, where they recuperated and later sold their cattle. During 1853 they removed to Plumas county, where I. J., assisted by his son Benton, started a store and also a hotel, continu- ing the two lines of business for eight years. Meanwhile they built the first toll-road in Plu- mas county. From that location in 1868 they came to Monterey county and engaged in gen- eral merchandising on the site of the store now occupied by the Wahrlich-Cornett Co., building up a large trade that extended many miles in every direction. On the organization of the vil- lage of Salinas the office of mayor was tendered to I. J. Harvey, who was the first incumbent of the position and filled the post with dignity and wise judgment. With his son he was foremost in the upbuilding of the town and many early enterprises owed their inception to the civic pride of the two men. Politically they were ar- dent Republicans. It had not been the privi- lege of the grandfather to secure an education, but he was quick to learn and by observation be- came the possessor of a broad fund of informa- tion. To his son, Benton, he had given all the advantages possible to the day and locality and the latter was well informed upon all important subjects. Both were charter members of Salinas Lodge, I. O. O. F., and contributed largely to the local work of the order. After a long and honorable career I. J. Harvey passed away in Sa- linas in 1899; his wife had died November 14, 1891, at the age of seventy-two years. In re- ligion they were sincere and devoted members of the Baptist church and endeavored by their lives to exemplify the truths of Christianity.
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