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 46
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 46
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The entire life of L. P. Chavoya has been passed in the central part of the state. His birth occurred August 10, 1862, at San Jose, Santa Clara county, and there he finished his educa- tion. He accompanied his parents to Monterey county, and in the vicinity of San Lucas took up agricultural pursuits. For a considerable period he continued as a farmer, and for eight years served as school trustee, but eventually he moved into the city of Monterey, and he is now con- ducting, with marked success and painstaking diligence, a wholesale and retail hay, wood and feed business. He has always been interested in the promotion of all movements having for their object the good of the community, and in Monte- rey he served as trustee of the high school. Dur- ing the year 1891 he married Miss Mary Heron, the daughter of Peter Heron, one of the pioneers of the state. She died in September, 1906, at the age of thirty-eight years, leaving two sons
and one daughter, Merle L., Harold J. and Marie A. The children are now students in the public schools of Monterey, and the elder son, in the absence of his father from the office, takes charge of the bookkeeping, showing considerable apti- tude for business affairs, notwithstanding his youth. September 18, 1909, Mr. Chavoya mar- ried Ida C. Kendall, a native of Nevada, but a resident of San Francisco at the time of her marriage. Fraternally Mr. Chavoya is a mem- ber of the Ancient Order United Workmen, Fraternal Brotherhood, American Yoemen and the Native Sons of the Golden West.
MARTIN TOMASINI.
One of the native-born sons of Switzerland who has made a success of life in Monterey. county, by indefatigable labors reaping a degree of success impossible in the country of his birth, is Martin Tomasini, an early emigrant from the canton of Ticino, where he was born July 31, 1851, and where he received such meagre ad- vantages as the schools of that age and country afforded. The year 1868 found him en route to California, whither two brothers had preceded him, namely, Baptiste, now of Point Reyes, and P. A., who died in 1890 after a long period of residence in the west.
It was natural that an emigrant from the great dairying country of Switzerland should seek em- ployment in the dairy business in California, and we find that Mr. Tomasini did not delay in find- ing work on a dairy farm in Marin county. There he was employed by H. Corey, the well- known farmer and honored pioneer, with whom he remained about eighteen months. For one year he rented land and carried on a dairy in Marin county. After five years in that county he came to the then undeveloped regions of Mon- terey county and settled in the Carmel valley twenty-five miles from Monterey, where he rented the Tularcitos ranch of twenty-two thousand acres and started a dairy comprising two hun- dred and eighty-five cows. Butter was manufac- tured in large quantities and shipped to the San Francisco markets.
ยท The care of the large drove of milch cows necessitated the employment of eleven men on the
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ranch. In those days separators had not come . cion Soberanes took place in 1875. Six children. into use and the cream was raised by the old- fashioned plan of milk-cans placed in tanks of cold water. When the butter was made and packed it was placed in a wagon and hauled to town with four horses. There were no roads opened and the usual trail carried the travelers along the river. Mr. Tomasini was the pioneer dairyman in the valley and on his large ranch he was wholly isolated from the world of activity and business, yet he was contented and success- ful until the drought of 1877 completely ruined the dairy industry and forced him to leave.
The next venture that engaged the attention of Mr. Tomasini was the buying out of a squat- ter and the proving up on a claim, where he re- mained until 1887, meanwhile bringing the land under cultivation and putting up needed build- ings. From this ranch he returned to the Tular- citos, of which he rented six hundred acres and stocked the land with sixty head of cows. One year later he removed to the Zabala ranch near Oak Grove school and there gradually estab- lished a dairy of sixty-five cows. The product was manufactured into butter and sold in the city markets. The ranch was leased on the share plan, but after only one year there he returned to the Tularcitos and again engaged in the dairy business there. After two years he sold out his stock and returned to his own place.
Going to Gonzales in 1898, Mr. Tomasini re- mained in that vicinity until 1906 and meanwhile for three years he rented seven hundred acres of the Doud ranch, which he stocked with one hundred head of milch cows. On that farm he made a specialty of cheese and manufactured a product of exceptionally fine quality. During 1906 he sold off his stock and returned to his own place in the Carmel valley, since which time he has been busily engaged in improving the property. As early as 1895 he started on this land an orchard of apple and pear trees and now has fifteen acres in fruit, in addition to a small vineyard of the finest quality of grapes. Since he bought the land he has cleared it of brush and timber, erected a substantial line of fences, and built the residence and barn, besides making other improvements demanded by the needs of the work and the care of the fruit.
The marriage of Martin Tomasini to Concep-
were born of the union, namely: Deo, who died at fourteen years of age; Christina, Mrs. Charles. Mckinney, of Salinas; David, who occupies a ranch adjoining the home place and who for sev- eral years served as roadmaster of this district ; Florence, who married W. T. Pettit, of Salinas ;. Elmer, who assists his father on the home ranch ; and Addie, also at home. The children were given fair educations and have passed their entire lives in Monterey county. Formerly Mr. Toma- sini served as trustee of Carmelo school and for five years he was clerk of the board of trustees of Tularcitos school. Politically he votes the Democratic ticket, has been a member of the county central committee of that party, for twenty years has been a delegate to the county conventions and many times has been chosen as. a member of the election board. When he came- to the valley there were no roads and he has been unwearied in his efforts to secure good high- ways through this part of the county. When the road was built from Lurellis to Monterey he was one of the most generous contributors to the fund for graveling and gave of his time and influence- to aid in the work.
HANS O. J. OLESEN.
The densely populated countries of the old world have given of their sons to aid in the agri- cultural development of the western continent. A considerable proportion of these emigrants have come from Denmark, bringing with them the principles of honesty, industry and frugality so indispensable to the development of the ideal citizenship. Among the Danes who have es- tablished themselves on the Pacific coast and have been factors in the changes wrought here during the past years, mention belongs to Mr. Olesen, who was born in Denmark October 8, 1866, and during 1889 crossed the ocean and the continent to San Francisco, with the intention of settling in Oregon and taking up unimproved land in that state.
Necessity often changes plans that were formed with the greatest care. The expenses of the trip were greater than the young emigrant expected and he found himself in San Francisco.
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with only fifty cents in his possession, so that further travel was impossible. Without any de- lay he proceeded to secure employment and for some time he worked for wages, following any occupation that offered the means of honest live- lihood. The wages were hoarded with the ut- most frugality. In due time he had accumulated sufficient capital to justify agricultural operations of his own and since then he has engaged in farming.
As a renter of a portion of the Cooper ranch Mr. Olesen began independent farming and for seven years he engaged in raising beets. During that time he had two bad years. In the best year he averaged twenty-three tons of beets to the acre and forty-five sacks of barley. The beets were shipped to Watsonville and brought fair prices. Removing to his present lease of land in 1901, he has since had control of three hundred and sixty-five acres and has made a specialty of black oats, but introduces other crops to a degree necessary for systematic rotation. The oat crop fluctuates with the seasons, the poorest crop hav- ing been eight sacks to the acre, while the high- est average was eighteen sacks. In addition to general farming he has engaged in raising horses and some very fine animals have been sold from his place.
The marriage of Mr. Olesen took place in Monterey county and united him with Minnie Hansen, a native of Denmark. They are the par- ents of four children, Agnes, Freda J., Thora and George. During 1892 Mr. Olesen had the pleasure of visiting his old home in Denmark, where he enjoyed a renewal of the old associa- tions with kindred and friends. His mother died in that country at the age of about seventy, and his father, now more than seventy years of age, is still living at the old home place. The family adhered to the Lutheran faith in Denmark and Mr. Olesen was confirmed in that church. Since becoming a citizen of the United States he has supported the Democratic party. It was his good fortune to have high-school privileges in his na- tive land and his education was above the aver- age of his day and locality. However, on coming across the ocean he found himself seriously handi- capped by lack of knowledge of the English language and it was not until some time after- ward that, through self-culture and his unaided
exertions, he was able to conduct business af- fairs in the language of the people around him. No one champions free schools with greater sin- cerity than he, and it has been his privilege, as trustee of the Santa Rita school, to promote the educational interests of the district. During the period of his residence in this county he has wit- nessed many changes and through personal ef- forts has aided in the agricultural development of the locality.
JOSEPH A. PUGH.
As chief engineer of the Monterey Packing Company, Mr. Pugh is demonstrating his me- chanical ability and he occupies a place among the well-known men of the city of Monterey, where he has made his home since 1904 and where he owns a neat residence at No. 310 Adams street. Of western birth, he has spent his entire life in the region west of the mountains and has been identified with many movements of importance as contributory to the permanent progress of our commonwealth. No one pos- sesses greater faith than he in the well-being and prosperity of the west and his interest naturally is centered especially in that portion of the coast country where it is his good fortune to reside.
A son of Samuel H. and Mary (Greer) Pugh, Joseph A. Pugh was born September 3, 1863, in Ormsby county, Nev. His father and mother were natives of Indiana and Missouri respective- ly, and the former in 1854 crossed the plains from Indiana to Nevada. During 1867, when their son was four years of age, the parents came to Cali- fornia and settled near Sacramento. Four miles from the capital city, on the old emigrant trail, the father opened what was long known as the Washington hotel. Emigrants to the coast stopped here in large numbers. Many pioneers who afterward became famous were fed and shel- tered beneath this old roof. In the early days the hotel was connected with the stage station and was a half-way house for the old-fashioned coach that formed the principal mode of transporta- tion of passengers and mail. Later the building was enlarged and remodeled. It still stands in a fair state of preservation, a landmark of frontier days, bringing back memories of pioneer hap- penings to the many who enjoyed its bounteous
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hospitality. For more than forty years Mr. Pugh conducted the famous old hotel and there he remained until his death, which occurred No- vember 20, 1908. Throughout the entire Sac- ramento valley he was well known and his death removed one whose name carried recollections to many of his kindly treatment and warm hos- pitality extended to the stranger beneath his roof.
While yet a mere boy, in 1874, Joseph A. Pugh became an inmate in the home of his uncle, James P. Pngh, in the Salinas valley in Monte- rey county. The uncle owned a large grain and fruit farm and the boy soon learned to be helpful in the many responsibilities incident to such work. After having remained with him until 1884, he then started out for himself and worked in different parts of the county until he settled in Monterey in 1904. Before accepting his present position with the Monterey Packing Company he had gained considerable experience while filling the position of master mechanic with the Monterey Gas and Electric Light Company and also acted in the same capacity with the Pacific Grove and Monterey electric road, enter- prises which have had much to do with the ma- terial development of Monterey county. Fra- ternally he is connected with the Woodmen of the World. His marriage took place in Salinas in 1896 and united him with Miss Mary Beas- ley, a native of California. They are the parents of two sons, Earle and Meyrl.
WILLIAM HENRY CLARK.
In the era when Salinas was an insignificant hamlet as compared with what it is to-day, Will- iam H. Clark became a pioneer of the village, and for the past thirty-six years he has been an in- terested witness of its growth. Not a little of this advancement is traceable to himself, for every measure that has had the good of the town at heart has received his unqualified interest and co-operation. At no time since he took up his residence here has he seen values or business take a backward step; on the other hand, he bas noted a steady advance and healthy growth along all lines of activity. As an evidence of this he cites the fact that land valued at $100 per acre in those early days now sells readily for $300 and is in steady demand.
Like a large majority of those who now make their home in California, William H. Clark is a native of the east. Born in Raymondville, St. Lawrence county, N. Y., August 9, 1839, he is a son of Joseph and Rizpah (Field) Clark, both of whom were natives of New Hampshire, but who rounded out the latter years of their lives in the Empire state. The recollections of his boyhood take him back in memory to the happy, care-free times spent in the old home in Ray- mondville, where in years later he lived to ex- perience the breaking up of home ties to respond to his country's call to arms. When he was twenty-two years of age he enlisted as a mem- ber of the Ninety-second New York Regular Volunteer Infantry, and from the time of his enlistment until May 1, 1862, he was in active service. At the battle of Fair Oaks he was wounded and lay on the battlefield for thirty hours, only to suffer further pain and humilia- tion by being taken prisoner and cast into Libby Prison. On July 9 following he was removed to the camp at Belle Island, and about a month later, August 5, he was exchanged. His wounds were of such a serious nature that he was incapaci- tated for further service, and after remaining in the hospital for many months he was finally discharged, December 11, 1862. Returning to his home in Raymondville, he remained there un- til the fall of the following year, when, think- ing a change of scene and climate might be of benefit to his health, he made a visit to relatives in Nevada. The change more than fulfilled his expectations, for in addition to regained health he enlarged his business experience, having car -. ried on a successful drug business in Washoe for five years. Returning to his eastern home once more, he remained there for five years, and then, in 1873, retraced his steps to the west, this time, however, making his way to the Pacific coast and locating in California. Salinas was his objective point, and this has been his home continuously ever since. He had not been in the town long before he had laid well-defined plans for a busi- ness undertaking and soon afterward opened an insurance office, having taken the local agency of the Fireman's Fund Insurance Company. In addition to writing insurance he also did con- siderable collecting, and still later he established a warehouse business in partnership with H. S.
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Ball. Of later years, however, he has concen- trated his efforts more especially on the real es- tate business, which, with the collecting and loan- ing of money, is proving a very remunerative and congenial occupation.
Mr. Clark's marriage occurred in New York state in 1869 and united him with Miss Margaret Scott, a native of Scotland, and two children were born of their marriage, namely: Frank S., ex-mayor of Salinas, and Lotta T., the wife of Edwin Armstrong, also of this city. While Mr. Clark was living in Meadow Lake, Nevada coun- ty, Cal., he joined the Odd Fellows order, be- coming a member of Meadow Lake Lodge, and receiving his initiation on the summit of the Ne- vada mountains in 1866. He is also a member of Alisal Lodge, No. 163, I. O. O. F., and for fifteen years was secretary of his lodge. During his early voting days Mr. Clark invariably espoused the cause of the Republican party, vot- ing for both Lincoln and Grant, but in later years he has given the weight of his influence to the Prohibition party.
REV. AZARIAH MARTIN.
For many years the Martin family lived and flourished in western Missouri, and it was in that locality that Azariah Martin first saw the light of day in January, 1824. His father being a farmer he early in life became acquainted with the duties which fall to the lot of all farmer's sons, and the lessons of practical usefulness which he then learned he found of inestimable benefit even in his early boyhood. This was caused by the death of his father when he was only twelve years of age. Thrown upon his own resources at a time in life when his companions were en- joying freedom from care and responsibilities, he nevertheless took a philosophical view of the situation and without finding fault with his lot he diligently set about earning his own support and also assisted in lifting the responsibilities thus suddenly placed upon his mother. Teach- ing school during the short term when they were in session proved one source of income, and at other times he worked on the farms adjacent to his home, in fact, whatever honest employment came his way he made the most of as far as his strength would permit.
The finding of gold in California, however, tended to unsettle plans in Mr. Martin's career, for the year 1850 found him harboring a strong inclination to come to the west, and during the same year he carried out this desire, crossing the plains with an ox-team. The journey ended at Hangtown, Placer county, where he engaged in mining for a short time, after which he went to Gilroy, Santa Clara county, where he engaged in teaching school. Having a natural adaptation for teaching he was very successful in this call- ing and during his residence in Gilroy did much to advance the standard of education. In 1856 he went to Monterey county where he served two years as district attorney, and it was while filling this office in the town of Monterey that he decided to take up the work of the ministry. This was brought about from the fact that he had access to a large library containing religious literature, and the inspiration which followed the reading of this led to his taking a regular course of study for the Methodist ministry. After pre- paring for the ministry he went direct to the con- ference at San Jose and thereafter for many years his voice was heard teaching the Word and making earnest appeals to his hearers to enter the straight and narrow path.
Mr. Martin's identification with San Benito county dates back to the year 1866, at which time he came to Hollister and settled on a ranch not far from town. He carried this on for nine years, and then gave it up and resumed school teaching, finally being chosen to fill the position of county superintendent of schools of San Benito county, a position which he filled credit- ably for two terms. After selling his ranch he moved into the town of Hollister and made this his home from that time until his death, which occurred in February, 1908, at which time he had reached the ripe age of eighty-four years. His death was mourned by young and old alike, for all who knew him loved him for his kindly, genial nature, and many have cause to be thank- ful that their lives came in contact with his, for through his leading they were led from dark- ness to light. From the year 1874 unil his death he attended and delivered the invocation at the graduating exercises in the grammar and high schools of Hollister, also delivering the ad- dress to the pupils, which was always permeated
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with sound advice for the new life upon which they were entering.
Before coming to the west Mr. Martin had formed domestic ties by his marriage in Mis- souri, in 1849, to Miss Frances Brown, and they lived to celebrate their golden wedding in 1899. Mrs. Martin is still living, as are also three of the thirteen children born of her marriage. The eldest of the living children, Ann M., is the wife of H. B. Harris, of Hollister; the other daughter, Frances A., is the wife of F. M. Der- rickson, of Los Gatos; and Norman H. is a resident of San Francisco.
ADOLF BURCHARD.
The success which has attended the arduous efforts of the German-American residents of Monterey county is encouraging, nor has Adolf Burchard been less prosperous than his fellow- countrymen on the western coast. Over thirty- five years have come and gone since, at the dawn of young manhood, he left the lifetime home of his parents in Holstein, Germany, where he him- self was born, February 17, 1857, and where he received the excellent educational training for which Germany is noted. When the time came for him to think seriously about his future course in life he decided to come to the United States, and more particularly to California, concerning whose favorable opportunities he had heard much through friends who had preceded him.
As soon as he debarked from the vessel Mr. Burchard came to Monterey county, Cal., where, in the vicinity of King City, he was successful in finding employment on a sheep ranch. Later he engaged in the sheep business on his own ac- count in the same locality, remaining there alto- gether for about seven years. In 1881 he removed to Pine valley and continued the same business for a couple of years. On account of restrictions and regulations in regard to the range, the sheep business finally became unprofitable, and in 1883 Mr. Burchard disposed of his sheep and devoted his land to the cultivation of varied crops, put- ting one hundred and sixty acres under the plow. Subsequently he increased his holdings by home- steading a claim of one hundred and sixty acres, and he also proved up on a pre-emption claim in
Wild Horse canyon, but this latter piece of land he has since disposed of. In addition to cultivat- ing his own acreage in Pine valley of three hun- dred and twenty acres, he also has the super- vision of the James Rice ranch of like amount, the M. J. Campbell ranch of equal size, as well as the Bergeman ranch of one hundred and sixty acres. The greater part of his own acre- age is in barley, although the raising of cattle, horses and hogs contributes no inconsiderable part to his annual income. Not only has Mr. Burchard equipped his ranch with all the requi- sites that belong to a well-regulated enterprise, but the artistic side has been developed as well, trees and shrubs being artistically arranged about the grounds, and, taken as a whole, it marks the owner as a man of enterprise and thrift.
The marriage of Adolf Burchard and Rebecca Rolston, a native of Illinois, occurred May 18, 1881, and six children have been born to them, several of whom have established homes of their own. The eldest of the family, John H., a resi- dent of San Jose, is married and the father of three children, Clarence H., Linda and Frederick. Annie, who became the wife of P. J. Jessen, of San Lucas, has four children, Thelma, Adolf, Marion and Irene. Charles is still at home with his parents. Ada, Mrs. L. A. Woods, has two children, Lawrence and Lyle. The two youngest children, William and Emma R., are both at home. Good schools have enlisted the support of Mr. Burchard, as have all other progressive movements, and the organization of the Sherman school district was due large- ly to his efforts. For over six years he served the district efficiently in the capacity of trustee.
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