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 44
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 44
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Mr. Ober's marriage united him with one of his countrywomen, Miss Christine Wingren ; five children have blessed this marriage, and all are reflecting credit upon their worthy parents by the purpose and determination with which they are preparing themselves for usefulness in the world. Nellie, the eldest, looks after the home in Oakland; Lloyd Victor is a graduate of Heald's Business College and is now attending Van Der Naillen Engineering School in Oak- land; John Rodolph is a student in the Univer- sity of California ; Hattie is a pupil of the Poly- technic high school of Oakland; and Harry is attending the Mission school. As Oakland is more central and convenient for the children as a place of residence at the present time, they are living in the home recently purchased by the father in that city. Mr. and Mrs. Ober, however, still make their home on the ranch near Soledad. Mr. Ober has always been a stout believer in the necessity of furnishing good school advantages to the children, in whom are the future citizens, and as an evidence of his sincerity in this mat-
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ter may be cited the long term in which he served as an official on the school board. For over sixteen years he gave efficient service as trustee of the Mission district school, a position which he has only recently resigned. He was a delegate to the Irrigation Congress held in Sacramento in 1907 and takes a great interest in that subject.
JACOB PURA.
During the year 1849, made famous by the finding of gold in California, there was born on a farm, nestled among the hills of Switzerland, in Canton Ticino, one who was destined to be- come a settler in this western state. This was Jacob Pura, now a well-known rancher near Gonzales, and a resident of Monterey county since 1874. Up to the age of twenty years he was reared on the parental farm in his native land. The advisability of coming to the United States and making his start in life had been un- der consideration for some time, and in 1869 he was among the emigrants landed on our shores at the port of New York, thence coming to the west, and hither he secured passage with- out loss of time.
Mr. Pura's first experience in California was as a ranch hand in the vicinity of San Fran- cisco, where he remained for about a year, after which he was employed at making brick in Sacramento and other towns. Becoming inter- ested in mining, he went to the mines of Eldo- rado and Placer counties and tried his luck with the success of the average miner for about three years, when he abandoned the venture and con- tented himself with the more dependable work of the agriculturist. With the close of his min- ing experience he came to Monterey county, in May, 1874. For about a year thereafter he was employed on a dairy and cattle ranch, at the end of this time purchasing a quarter section of land in the mountains, which is still a part of his holdings. From time to time he has added to the original purchase, until it now includes five hundred and sixty acres, on which he raises large crops of hay, oats and barley, besides breeding and raising cattle and horses. The original home property lies just over the borders in San Benito county, and has of late years been un-
der the supervision of his sons, young men of ability and much promise in the community.
In 1898 Mr. Pura bought a half section of land near Gonzales, in the foothills, and two years later he bought an additional tract of one hundred and sixty acres, while in 1904 he still further added to his possessions by the purchase of another half section, owning in all in this locality eight hundred acres of foothill land. Of this, two hundred acres are under cultivation to barley, while the remainder is used as pasturage for his cattle. In addition to this ranch, which is the home place and well equipped with ade- quate buildings, Mr. Pura also owns four hun- dred and eighty acres of foothill land, which he purchased in 1908 from E. Archer. This he rents to a tenant.
In 1880 Mr. Pura was married in Gonzales to Miss Sylvina Mills, a resident of the state, and nine children have been born to them : Mary, at home with her parents ; Jeremiah, who resides near Soledad; Jacob, manager of his father's mountain ranch in San Benito county ; Henry, at home ; John and Fred, also on the San Beni- to county ranch; Matilda, the wife of Charles McCoy, of Oakland ; and Grace and Minnie, both at home.
Mr. Pura has taken a commendable interest in the well-being of his home communi- ty, this being especially true of educational mat- ters, and to no one is more credit due for the organization of the Pura district school in San Benito county than he, and for one term he served efficiently as trustee of the district.
JOHN G. ARMSTRONG.
The life which this narrative depicts began at Bovina, Delaware county, N. Y., February I, 1834, and closed in Monterey county, Cal., March 5. 1904. The intervening years represented a lifetime of activity mainly devoted to general farming and stock-raising. The humble home in Delaware county where he was trained under the wise direction of his parents, John and Isabel (Coulter) Armstrong, was the center whence radiated influences for good affecting his entire existence. At an early age he was taught rev- erence toward God and toward the aged. Prin- ciples of industry, honor and religion were im-
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planted within his breast, and these he carried with him through a long and busy career.
The marriage of John G. Armstrong and Christina Smith was solemnized in New York state December 24, 1861. Three children were born of their union, John A. (represented else- where in this volume), Edwin (deceased) and Nellie. After having farmed on his own account for six years in Delaware county, Mr. Arm- strong in 1868 came via the Panama route to California, accompanied by his family. Before leaving he asked his pastor for a church cer- tificate, being desirous to identify himself with religious workers immediately after he landed at his new location. For thirty years he maintained a Sunday school at Blanco and for a long period he served as an elder of the United Presbyterian church. The depth and fervor of his religious feeling were indicated by the integrity of his character and his unfailing kindness to all. As a pioneer cattleman he built up a large business on his ranch near Blanco and since his death his surviving son, John A., has been president and general manager of the company he established and incorporated.
JOSEPH BALESTRA.
At the time when Joseph Balestra came to California, twenty-five years ago, he brought with him a practical knowledge of the dairy business, which with the passing of years he has put to good account and has since become known as one of the expert dairymen of Monterey coun- ty. A native of Switzerland, he was born Sep- tember 24, 1856, and there too the greater part of his boyhood and youth was passed. Early in life he became familiar with farm and dairy duties through assisting his father, and as he grew to manhood he followed in his father's footsteps in the matter of occupation. Settling down to his chosen occupation in his native land he subsequently formed domestic ties and was apparently contented with the outlook before him, until he began to realize that the New World was ripe with opportunities and advantages of which his own country knew nothing.
This realization caused Mr. Balestra to make preparations to come to the United States, where not only his own prospects would be brighter,
but here also a better outlook awaited his chil- dren. The year 1884 found him debarking from the ocean vessel at New York, and from there he immediately took passage to California. From Gilroy, Santa Clara county, which was his destination on coming to the west, he soon came to Salinas, Monterey county, where he readily found work on the dairy farms which abound in this part of the country, and for five years was thus occupied. This experience made him self-reliant and desirous of undertaking a ranch of his own, and thus in 1889 he began the career for which he was well fitted, as his success of the passing years has demonstrated. , His first venture was on six hundred acres of rented land in Alisal canyon, which he conducted as a dairy ranch for three years, after which he ventured still further by renting the Buena Esperanza ranch of eleven hundred and sixty-five acres. For a number of years he conducted the prop- erty as a renter, but since 1903 he has been the proud owner of the property, which he believes to be one of the finest tracts of land in Monterey county. Dairying is his principal industry, for which purpose he keeps one hundred cows, and besides this he has two hundred acres in grain and sixty acres in potatoes, both of which com- modities yield abundantly and bring excellent prices. In addition to his home enterprise Mr. Balestra also owns a one-third interest in the dairy conducted by Joseph Violini in the Chualar district, where a dairy of one hundred and fifty cows is maintained. Altogether Mr. Balestra has reason to be proud of the success which has come to him since taking up his residence in California, for here he has made a competence, secured a good home, and has been enabled to give his children good educations and other ad- vantages which would not have been possible in his native country.
While still a native of Switzerland Mr. Ba- lestra was united in marriage with Miss Antonia Benedetta, also a native of that country, and at the time he came to America three children had been born to them. Leaving his wife and family in the old home he came to the United States in 1884, and five years later he had accumulated sufficient means to send for his family to join him. The re-united family took up their abode on the ranch in Alisal canyon, finally, however,
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coming to the ranch which they now occupy near Chualar. As has been stated, three children were born in Switzerland, Joseph, Philip and Mary (the latter now Mrs. Jildo Mutto), and since coming to the United States seven more have been added to the family, as follows: Maggie, Flora, Josephine, Edward, Irene, Peter and Ro- sie. All of the children, with the exception of the married daughter, are at home with their parents. Fraternally Mr. Balestra is a member of but one order, the Salinas Lodge of Druids. In 1909, after the crops had been gathered and disposed of, Mr. Balestra and his wife made an extended visit back to their native country to renew old associations.
AUGUST A. ANDERSEN.
Yet another of the residents of California who is far removed from the scenes of his childhood is August A. Andersen, whose recollections of boy- hood take him back to an island just off the coast of Denmark. There he was born, August 25, 1856, into the home of Lars H. and Christiana (Hansen) Andersen. The parents were farm- ers, and August A. became quite familiar with the duties of farm life when he was little more than a child. Between this work and attending the common schools near his island home his time was thoroughly occupied until he reached his seventeenth year. The fact that an elder brother and two sisters had come to the United States and settled was a great incentive in decid- ing him to do likewise, and thus it happened that when he reached this age he bade farewell to home and parents and set out to join his brother and sisters in the New World. Disembarking on these shores in 1873, he there boarded a train for California, with Watsonville, Santa Cruz county, as his destination. This now flourishing town then contained only one substantial brick building, the other habitations and buildings be- ing of a hastily constructed character, ready to give place to better things as soon as the de- mands required. For two years he worked as a hired hand on a ranch, and thereafter for seven years he clerked in a grocery store, both of which experiences were beneficial in broadening his knowledge of American ideas and methods
of business. Subsequently, in partnership with his brother-in-law, he leased five hundred acres of land near Watsonville, which they carried on successfully for about one year, when Mr. An- dersen sold out his interest in the property and leased land in the same vicinity on his own account. During the first years of his residence there he made a specialty of raising grain, reap- ing excellent crops and receiving good prices therefor, but after the sugar factory was started in Watsonville he turned his attention to raising beets and made a specialty of this commodity for three years. As this industry spread, Mr. Andersen was sought by the Spreckels Com- pany to superintend the starting of ranches in San Juan, San Benito county, they having leased for the purpose one hundred and sixty acres of land. On account ot the poor accom- modations afforded in the locality for his family, however, he remained there only one year, when he come to Monterey county. Locating near Spreckels, he leased one hundred and forty acres which he devoted to beet-raising, and finally pur- chased the property in this vicinity on which he now resides. This comprised two hundred and six acres, for which he paid at the rate of $55 per acre, and later, in 1908, he added to this by the purchase of one hundred and seventeen acres for which he paid $45 an acre. At the time of purchase the land had no improvements what- ever, but with his characteristic energy Mr. An- dersen has transformed the place until it would be difficult to believe that it had been evolved from the uninteresting and apparently unpro- ductive land which he settled upon in 1907. Be- sides building fences and suitable barns he also erected a substantial and commodious residence, finely located and probably one of the most costly residences in this part of the county. Beet-rais- ing with him has become a science, he being able to produce at the rate of twenty-two tons to the acre, and in addition to this he also raises grain extensively.
In 1886 Mr. Andersen formed domestic ties by his marriage with one of his countrywomen, Miss Minnie Petersen, who came to this coun- try when she was twenty-two years of age. Five children have been born of this marriage, the first four natives of Santa Cruz county, and the youngest born after the removal of the family
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to Monterey county. Named in order of their birth they are as follows: George Martin, Laura Christina (the wife of John Nelson, of Santa Cruz), Gussie Louis, Henry Milton and Edna Ione. All of the children have been given the best of opportunities, not only of gaining an education, but also along the line of accom- plishments, and all are able to contribute to mak- ing the home life pleasant and instructive. Mr. Andersen himself is a great reader, keeping him- self well posted through the reading of the best magazines and books, and in every way is pro- gressive and enterprising. He is also a believer in good schools, and has been a large factor in raising the standard of the curriculum in the schools in his district. Politically he is a Re- publican, and although he is greatly interested in his party's welfare, he has never consented to accept office.
MARK L. JOLLY.
The earliest recollections of Mr. Jolly are as- sociated with scenes in Monterey county, where he was born in 1873 at Salinas and where he re- ceived a district-school education at Paraiso Springs, his parents having removed hither when he was three years of age. Upon leaving school he started out for himself at the age of eighteen and first went to Hollister, where he secured employment as a laborer. From that time until 1902 he was engaged in various oc- cupations in different parts of the state, mean- while gaining an experience helpful to him in later ventures and also acquiring a thorough knowledge of different soils and the best meth- ods of cultivating the same. During the year 1901 he was interested in learning the poultry business, studying the methods employed in that industry by all of the large poultry-raisers in the vicinity of Hollister and meanwhile acquiring a fund of helpful information on the subject.
Forming a partnership with his sister, Miss Marion M. Jolly, and returning to the old home- stead at Paraiso Springs where he had been reared, Mr. Jolly embarked in the poultry busi- ness. He and his sister owned one hundred and sixty acres with a house on the same; they had $250 in cash and seventy-five white leghorn chickens. None of the facilities necessary for
the poultry industry had been put on the place and at first they labored under serious disad- vantages. For a year water was hauled to the farm, but he now has a fine pipe system laid for two miles, so that water is piped from Paraiso Springs to different parts of the ranch and to every building thereon. Forty acres are occu- pied by poultry yards and buildings. There are twenty-four colony houses with a capacity of two hundred hens each, and at this writing there are one thousand laying hens on the ranch. Two brooder houses with a capacity of four hundred each furnish facilities for the care of the young chickens. In addition there is an incubator cellar, a feed shed, barn and a packing house for the handling of the eggs.
The original estate has been increased so that Mr. Jolly now has three hundred and twenty acres. One hundred and thirty acres are under cultivation to grain and the balance is pasture, furnishing an abundance of grass and hay for the horses and cattle raised on the ranch. In the task of caring for the poultry, improving the property and managing the ranch, Mr. Jolly has had the advantage of the active assistance and wise counsel of his sister, who has been in partnership with him since coming to the old homestead, and the two have accomplished much through the exercise of energy, intelligent ef- fort and laborious application.
WILLIAM ROMIE THOMPSON.
To trace the lineage of the Thompson family is to review a portion of the early history of Kentucky, when people of that name became identified with the struggling settlement in the midst of the forest primeval. Later generations continued to reside in the Blue Grass state and aided in its agricultural development, proving themselves to be citizens of genuine worth and the utmost loyalty. An honored representative, of the name was Charles Thompson, who was born in 1845 and who died ere yet old age had lessened his activities. Surviving him is his widow, Frances (Sissell) Thompson, who at the age of sixty-three years enjoys excellent health and retains all of her faculties unimpaired.
During the residence of Charles and Frances
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Thompson in Marion county, Ky., their son, Will- iam Romie, was born November 22, 1870, and in the schools of that section he gained a fair education. Coming to California in 1889 he spent several months at Spence Switch and then became a student in Chestnutwood Business Col- lege at Santa Cruz. During the year 1900 he married Maud Smith and established a home of his own. Three children have been born to them, Charles, Addie and Ronal.
After having been employed in San Jose for some time, Mr. Thompson became connected with the Spreckels Sugar Company and later for three years engaged in farming at Gaffey Switch. From there he removed to the Jefferson ranch near Castroville, remaining three years, and then removed to the Thomas Martin ranch and en- gaged in raising the various products suited to the soil and climate. There have been periods of depression and misfortune since he came here, but on the whole it may be said that he has en- joyed gratifying prosperity. The high prices of recent months have been most helpful to the raisers of potatoes and oats and he with others has enjoyed large returns for his labors along these lines of farming. So closely has he given his attention to agricultural pursuits that he has had little leisure for participation in local affairs. However, he favors all movements for the prog- ress of the people and the development of the county and is quick to give his co-operation to such measures, believing that whatever will aid local advancement will be of benefit to every citizen of the county.
ANTONIO E. VASQUEZ.
Long before the era of American domination in California began the Spanish family of Vas- quez had established themselves on the coast and successive generations roamed over the vast un- populated ranges in the days before the keenest ear could hear the tread of the oncoming mil- lions of settlers. The change brought its neces- sary results. The family hitherto had clung ex- clusively to their own language, but now a knowl- edge of the English tongue became indispensable. Furthermore, to a large extent English customs had to be adopted, and thus commenced the
transformation that marked American rule in the west.
Antonio E. Vasquez was born in December, 1863, in what is now known as the Buena Vista district, being a son of Antonio Marie and Asun- cion ( Boranda) Vasquez, natives of California and lifelong residents of the state. For nine years the father was employed in the Buena Vista district and in 1864 he brought his family to the Carmel valley, where he bought a squat- ter's claim and proved up on the land, which in all comprised three hundred and twenty acres. It was his misfortune to he wholly without means, which enforced many hardships upon him and his family. Their first home in the valley was built of shakes. Potatoes cost $7 per hundred. Desiring to utilize them to the utmost he cut out the eyes for planting and had the balance of the potatoes prepared for the table. Through the most indefatigable exertions he finally brought his land under improvement and stocked it with fine cattle.
Those who were acquainted with Antonio Marie Vasquez bear testimony to the fact that he was thoroughly honest, untiringly industrious and warm-hearted, and that he supported all pro- gressive movements as far as his means permit- ted. Politically he voted the Republican ticket. For some years he served as a trustee of the Carmelo school, in which his children were edu- cated. In the home now occupied by his son. Antonio E .. he passed his declining days and here he died in 1884, at the age of sixty-four ; his wife died at Pacific Grove when sixty-seven years of age. They were the parents of five daughters and two sons, namely: Mrs. David Castro, Mrs. Luis Wolter, Mrs. J. M. Harney, Mrs. E. E. Swetnam (deceased). Mrs. Elvira M. McAnney; Antonio E. and Ismael (de- ceased).
The only surviving son in the family is An- tonio E., who at the age of seventeen was given charge of the ranch of twenty-three acres. As early as 1884 he planted eighteen acres in apple trees and other fruits of the best varieties and since then he has found his orchard the source of a valuable addition to his income. After the death of his father he aided the family in every way possible and conserved the interests of the estate by industry and wise watchfulness. In
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politics he supports the Republican party. At this writing he acts as clerk of the board of trus- tees of Carmelo school. In 1906 he was deeply bereaved by the death of his wife who, before her marriage, was Constance Steffani. Two of their children had preceded her in death. Those now living are Edwin, Flora, Earlene, Leola, Ermina, Ora, Leo and Constance. The young- est child was taken by her grandparents, with whom she now lives in Salinas.
JAMES BERTELSEN.
Numbered among the Danish-American resi- dents of Monterey county is James Bartelsen, a native of Denmark, born in 1852, but ever since 1871 a resident of the United States, and a citi- zen thoroughly loyal to every interest of his adopted country. On coming to this land he spent one year each in Indiana and Illinois, and in 1873 settled in California, where he has since accumulated a competency by dint of earnest ap- plication.
The first year in the west was spent as a wage- earner in San Francisco, from which city Mr. Bertelsen removed to Santa Cruz county and settled at Watsonville. A few years were spent in the employ of others and he then began to raise grain on rented land. The discourage- ments that fall to the lot of every man starting out in a strange country and without means fell to his lot, but were bravely met and stubbornly conquered until at last he rose to a position among the capable ranchers of the district. Dur- ing 1881 he came to Monterey county and set- tled on a ranch near Salinas on the Alisal, where for two years he cultivated one hundred and forty acres. Tlience he removed to a large tract of land in the vicinity of Soledad, where he made his home until 1908, meanwhile having charge of one thousand acres of the Thomas Fields ranch.
Land acquired by Mr. Bertelsen in 1908 now constitutes his home and the scene of his ranch- ing activities. Near Metz Station he has a ranch of four hundred and forty acres, of which ninety acres are in crops of grain, thirty-five acres in alfalfa, ten acres in orchard and the balance in meadow and pasture. The raising of
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