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 47

Author: Guinn, J. M. (James Miller), 1834-1918; Leese, Jacob R. Monterey County; Tinkham, George H. (George Henry), b. 1849. Story of San Benito County
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 454


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 47
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 47


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FRANK S. CLARK.


In Raymondville, St. Lawrence county, N. Y., Frank S. Clark was born, June 18, 1873, and when four months old was brought by his par- ents to Salinas City, thus making him one of the pioneer residents of this place. He is the son of William H. Clark. His school days over, he entered the employ of the Salinas City Bank as a clerk, and was promoted to the position of assistant cashier, which position was created for him in April, 1899. He served in this position


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until the death of W. S. Johnson in February, 1907, when he was chosen as cashier. In April, 1908, he resigned his position with this bank to engage in business for himself, having pur- chased an interest in the Monterey County Ab- stract Company, which now requires his time and attention.


Being interested in the cause of pure politics and good government, he became a candidate for the office of mayor of Salinas City in June, 1907, and was elected. During his term he gave the city a good, clean administration, and the city has made great progress during the two years. The New City Hall was erected at a cost of $40,000, and other public improvements were made, to all of which Mr. Clark gave much per- sonal attention.


Mr. Clark was married March 21, 1900, his life partner being Miss Leona L. Lang, and three children have blessed their home, Helen, Edith and Robert. Fraternally Mr. Clark is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He gives much of his time to church work, be- ing a member and elder of the United Presby- terian Church.


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LAWRENCE FLYNN.


A native of the Emerald Isle, Lawrence Flynn was born in County Clare, May 7, 1837, the son of Lawrence and Margaret (McKeogh) Flynn, the parents being natives and life-time residents of Ireland. Their son Lawrence had received such educational advantages as the schools of


his home locality had to offer, which at the best were meager and insufficient, but neverthe- less he made the most of them and laid a founda- tion which has stood him in good stead through- out his life. By this time he had reached his twentieth year he had become convinced that his home land did not hold the outlook for him that he felt he deserved, and after investigating conditions in the New World he determined to come here and make his start in life. Landing in the harbor of New York a stranger and alone, he did not consume any unnecessary time in the eastern metropolis, for his interests were cen- tered in the far west, and he immediately made arrangements for passage to California via the Isthmus of Panama. The voyage was accom- plished without any special set-backs or inci- dents, and in due time he reached Eldorado county, Cal. There Mr. Flynn had his first ex- perience as a miner. Subsequently he went to Placer county, where, at Michigan Bluffs, he bought a mining claim and continued his search for the yellow metal for some time. His ef- forts, however, were not as remunerative as he had anticipated, and his decision to turn his attention to a business with a more dependable income was a wise one. Going to Santa Clara county, he became interested in agricultural pursuits, and for three years carried on ranch- ing there.


For more than fifty years it has been the privilege of Mr. Flynn to witness the material development of California and by his own With this experience and knowledge of ranch- ing Mr. Flynn came to San Benito county in 1868, the county at that time being included in the territory known as Monterey county. The separation of San Benito county as an individual district took place in 1873, through the co-op- eration and untiring efforts of fifty of the most public-spirited citizens of the community, one of whom was Mr. Flynn. This was brought about by buying out the interest of Colonel Hollister. In the meantime Mr. Flynn had been earnest efforts as rancher and citizen to con- tribute to the permanent upbuilding of that por- tion of the state where he has made his home. During this long period of activity he has seen the entire country changed from a barren wil- derness into a region of productive farms and thriving towns. The stage-coach has been sup- planted by the modern limited trains, with their elegant equipment. The mining of gold, which had once been the chief industry, he has seen to give place to the raising of the golden grain . joined by two brothers, Patrick and John, and and the golden fruits that are famed the world over.


together the three brothers purchased two claims of one hundred and seventy-two acres each near the city of Hollister, devoting the land to rais- ing hay and grain exclusively. This partner- ship continued for many years, a happy and profitable association, which came to an end through the death of the two brothers, Patrick and John. For some years after this Lawrence


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Flynn ran the ranch alone, but the property is now rented to a tenant, and he is making his home in the city. Besides the brothers already mentioned, James Flynn came to California in 1863, and is now well known in mining circles in Eldorado county.


CARL NIELSEN.


Varied experiences of adversity and of success have fallen to the lot of Carl Nielsen since first be came to California, in 1885, when an adven- turous lad of sixteen years, longing to see more of the world than was possible within the narrow confines of his native Denmark. A robust con- stitution and a fair education in the Danish lan- guage comprised his sole capital, for he was en- tirely without means, and in a land of strangers he had only one friend, his brother, Peter M., who had come to California in 1881. Born in Denmark, August 17, 1869, he passed the days of boyhood on a farm and became familiar with agricultural pursuits as conducted in his native country.


For seven years after coming to California Carl Nielsen worked for wages, and in that long period he had only four employers, for he was so industrious and capable that an employer was loath to lose his services. The first independent venture made along agricultural lines was when he and a brother farmed at Gonzales for two years, but they met with no success. Next he leased a large tract near Chualar from David Jacks and engaged in raising barley, having five hundred acres in that grain. A severe and pro- tracted drought caused a total loss of crops, and for four years he labored under serious disadvan- tages, but eventually the seasons changed, prices of grain became much higher, and he accordingly met with encouraging success.


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The increasing prosperity that came from bet- ter seasons and better prices encouraged Mr. Nielsen and his brother to such an extent that they bought a raw tract of one thousand acres. Of this, four hundred acres belong to Carl, he having paid $35 an acre for the same. A ranch- house stood on the land, but no buildings had been erected for the storage of grain and shelter of the stock, and it became necessary for him to


make numerous improvements. The land has proved well adapted to the raising of potatoes. Barley also is a leading crop, he having threshed five thousand sacks from one hundred and twenty acres. A small dairy has been started on the ranch, with the expectation of increasing the same as opportunity arises.


The marriage of Carl Nielsen united him with Laura M. Pihl, who was born and reared at Chualar. They are the parents of five children, Clarence, John, Edward, Walter and Anita. It is the desire of the parents to give the children good educational advantages, and Mr. Nielsen maintains a warm interest in the neighborhood school, being in hearty sympathy with all work in the interests of education. The Democratic par- ty has received his support ever since he became a voter, but he has taken no part in politics, aside from serving as a delegate from Chualar to the county Democratic convention.


DANIEL C. MARTIN.


The ranch that is operated by the Martin broth- ers and is located between Salinas and Monterey, in the Corral de Tierra country, was developed by their father, the late Daniel C. Martin. He was born in Pennsylvania, of Scotch parentage. He grew to manhood in his native state and re- ceived such advantages as the means of the family would permit. Hearing about the won- derful land of sunshine and gold, he decided to try his fortunes in the new Eldorado and ac- cordingly outfitted for the journey across the plains in 1850, with oxen and the prairie schooner, that was a common sight on the plains at that time. He remained for one year, when he decided to return to his native place. He was not content to remain there, however, and again crossed the plains and located on the coast. He was engaged in freighting from Monterey and at the same time was interested in the stock business, both of which he carried on with fair success.


D. C. Martin was united in marriage in 1857 with Jane Blackburn, a native of Ireland, but who had come to this state in an early day and located in Monterey. Of this union seven sons were born and six of these are still living to


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brighten the declining years of their mother, who is living in San Francisco ; at the age of eighty- two years she retains her health and faculties and is endeared to her many friends by her kindly nature. The children are Daniel R., living in San Leandro, Alameda county ; William J .; Thomas ; John ; Robert ; and Andrew W., all of them finan- cially interested in Monterey county, where they are well and favorably known.


The father came to the Corral de Tierra coun- try in 1866 and bought a tract of land and be- gan its development and made it his home until he died in 1880, at the age of sixty-two. He was interested in the schools and in his district served as one of the trustees. His children were edu- cated in the Washington school near their home. The ranch that was secured by their father in an early day and was devoted to stock raising has greatly increased in value and productiveness with the passing of time and now ranks among the valuable places in the county. A. W. and W. J. have the management of it and are mak- ing a good success of their operations.


WILLIAM W. BLACK.


The city of Hollister has had in William W. Black one of its strongest upbuilders, both in a financial and social line, for parallel with his business enterprises has always been his best efforts toward a helpful and loyal citizenship. A native of the west, Mr. Black was born in Nevada county, Nev., February 15, 1867, the son of James and Elizabeth (Cross) Black, na- tives respectively of Missouri and Maryland. During the early pioneer days the parents left their home in the east and made their way across the country by means of ox-teams, which finally brought them to their journey's end. At the time of the birth of their son they were living in Nevada and two years later they came to California and settled in Hollister. As early as 1869 Hollister was a small town, but its outlook as a business center was unmistakable, no one recognizing this more clearly than did Mr. Black. Seeing a good opening for a furniture business; he opened a store of this character and in connection also maintained an undertaking business, both undertakings proving all that he


had anticipated. Politically he was a Demo- crat, and on the ticket of this party he was elected and served as treasurer and coroner of San Benito county for a number of years. He passed away in his home in Hollister in August, 1894, and was mourned universally throughout the city which had been his home for so many years, and to whose welfare he had contributed so much. Besides his wife, he left the following children to mourn the loss of a father's care and guidance ; William W., whose name heads this sketch; Edward W., a resident of Nevada; George W. and Lena, both making their home in San Francisco; Frederick, of Spokane, Wash .; and Sallie, the wife of J. W. Peck, of San Francisco.


As he was only two years old when his par -. ents removed from his birthplace in Nevada to Hollister, Cal., Mr. Black has no recollection of any other home than this, for thereafter he always made this city his home. After receiving a good education in the local schools he began his experience in the business world as an em- ployee of the Sperry Flour Company, and dur- ing the time he remained with the company he rose from one position to another, his ability and devotion to duty meeting with a just reward. The death of his father in 1894 made a change in his plans. He was looked upon as his father's successor in business and has since filled this position creditably. For a time after he assumed control of the business he carried it on under its founder's name, but a later change made him the owner in name as well as in fact. The growth of the business under his management lias necessitated removal to larger quarters and today the business enterprise maintained by W. W. Black ranks with the largest and best con- ducted in Hollister. As a business man his name is a familiar one all over the state, and it is no doubt that his popularity in this respect led to his election as county coroner and public ad- ministrator, both of which offices he fills with equal efficiency.


Mr. Black's marriage occurred in 1896 and united him with Miss Clara Johnson, who like himself was a native of the west, although her birth occurred in California. Mr. Black's frater- nal affiliations ally him with the following orders : Masons, Odd Fellows, Foresters, Independent


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Order of Red Men and Native Sons of the Gold- en West. In his political belief he is a Demo- crat, believing in the principles of his chosen party as unswervingly as did his father before him. In closing this sketch of Mr. Black it is but just to say that he keeps in touch with modern methods and thought, and as one of the progressive, broad-minded men of Hollister is always found in the rank of citizens seeking the best welfare of its residents.


MONTEREY COUNTY ABSTRACT CO.


The above-named company had its inception in 1895, when H. J. Weeks and F. Blackie, Jr., formed a copartnership for the recording of real-estate titles. The original records were taken on the system known as the Weeks port- folio abstracting system, which was invented and patented by Mr. Weeks. Subsequently Mr. Weeks sold out his interest to H. S. Pence, a brother of the well-know attorney, Wallace M. Pence, and upon the death of the former in 1896 the latter succeeded to his interest and has since managed the affairs of the company. The other officers of the company are F. Blackie, who is president of the corporation and has been connected with it ever since its organization ; and Frank S. Clark, secretary. In May, 1908, Mr. Clark became a stockholder of the company and since his election as secretary he has been engaged as chief searcher of records. Before associating himself with the company Mr. Clark was connected with the Salinas City Bank as cashier, a position in which accuracy and pre- cision are indispensable, qualities which are no less necessary in his present position.


The records kept by the company are all in book form, indexed both by the property and by the name, with details of every piece of property and instrument of record in the county, and thus every instrument affecting a given piece of land may be properly segregated and posted accordingly.


The company issues daily a transcript of rec- ords filed in the office of the county recorder, and this is circulated among business men, bankers and real-estate men throughout the county and also in San Francisco. The records


are taken daily in a note book kept for this purpose and are transcribed from the note book for the Daily Abstract, are also posted daily in the books and records of the company, so that almost immediately after a given instrument is filed in the recorder's office the company has all the details in its office and transcribes them at once in its records. Every conveyance is en- tered in at least three different places, each entry thus acting as a check to the accuracy of the others.


Ever since the organization of the company Wallace M. Pence has acted as its attorney and has directed the general management of the business. The fact that he has given the subject of real property careful study and research ac- counts for his versatile knowledge concerning all the intricacies affecting titles to real estate. Under his direction the company has issued thousands of certificates of title, and the case is yet to be found where his judgment of the title has proven erroneous.


VINCENT TAVERNETTI.


When one considers the difficulties attending the immigrant to American shores, his un- familiarity with language and soil, the success attained by many is little less than remarkable. Vincent Tavernetti eventually acquired a stand- ing among the successful men of Monterey county and now he has a competency which en- ables him to enjoy life in leisure and contentment. A large portion of his savings is invested in tlie old homestead now managed by his sons, and he further owns in Gonzales the property occu- pied by the blacksmith and butcher shops, the saloon and warehouse, also owns in this village the comfortable cottage that he' occupies, and residence property in Soledad.


Vincent Tavernetti was born in Canton Ticino, Switzerland, October 26, 1849, and made his home there until 1869, when he came via the Isthmus of Panama to the Pacific coast. He secured employment first at San Jose, where he worked for some months. During February of 1870 he removed to the vicinity of Watsonville and there engaged in farming until the fall of 1873, when he returned to Switzerland and the


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following year married Miss Paulina Rianda, who was born and reared in that country. Ac- companied by his young wife, in 1875 he came again to California and during the summer he was employed in Gonzales, after which he settled near Salinas on the Santa Rita ranch.


Removing during the fall of 1876 to the Soberanes ranch near Gonzales, Mr. Tavernetti rented two hundred acres and remained there for two years. He then moved across the river to the San Vincentia ranch near Camp Phora, where at first he rented three hundred acres. From time to time he increased his acreage un- til finally he had charge of twenty-one hundred acres in one body. During 1898 he put in the first pumping plant in the locality and thus se- cured water for dairy purposes and for the ir- rigating of his alfalfa and potatoes. In addition to raising grain he made a specialty of the dairy business and in 1893, in company with other ranchers, also bought a threshing machine. In 1905 he and his son Paul purchased an entire threshing outfit, and in 1908 bought the interests of the others in the first machine, and they operate these during the season. Until he re- tired from agricultural pursuits in 1907 he re- mained on the San Vincentia ranch, but during 1901 he bought a farm of his own, this compris- ing one hundred and twenty-five acres of the Gonzales ranch, purchased from Alfred Gonzales. Having finally acquired a competency, in 1907 he turned his affairs over to his son and erected a neat residence in Gonzales, where he has since made his home.


In the family of Vincent Tavernetti there were eleven children born, namely: Madalene Rose, who died August 2, 1875, in infancy ; Aurelia Mary, now Mrs. Henry Rianda, of Gonzales ; Henry Vincent, a dairyman at Soledad, who mar- ried Mary Foletta ; William, a merchant of Gon- zales, who married Minnie Giacometti; Paul, who is engaged in farming near Soledad, and who married Rose Vanoni; Walter Raphael, a dairyman of Soledad; Della Candida, who is the wife of Walter Bernardasci, of Gonzales; Joseph Emil, who conducts a livery at Soledad ; Eugene Samuel, who is also engaged in the livery busi- ness with his brother at Soledad (he married Florence Foletta) : Attilio Frederick, who resides with his parents ; and Elvezio Vincent, who died


September 20, 1892. In addition to the visit in Switzerland at the time of his marriage, Mr. Tavernetti has made two other trips to his na- tive land, one in 1890 and the last in 1906. Fra- ternally he is identified with Gabilan Lodge No. 372, I. O. O. F., at Gonzales, and Soledad Camp, Foresters of America. Interested in educational affairs, for four years he served as school trus- tee and clerk of the board in Gloria district, while for nine years he held office as a trustee of the San Vincentia district.


Mr. Tavernetti is sixty-four years of age and has nine living children and fourteen grand- children, all living within a radius of eight miles.


HIRAM WAGNER.


Whatever portions of the world have received as citizens people of German blood, such sec- tions reap an inestimable benefit from the pres- ence of men and women of irreproachable char- acters, earnest industry and progressive spirit, whose descendants will form the bulwark of the prosperity of any country and bring honor to any land. There is no citizen more devoted to the welfare of the United States than he who proudly points to the Fatherland as his ancestral home, and the men who were most loyal to the land of their birth are the ones who show the deepest love for their adopted country.


As the name would indicate, the Wagner fam- ily came from Germany. Generation after gen- eration had come and gone in the Fatherland, and when Frederick Wagner set out with his family for the United States in 1834 it was- looked upon as a most daring venture. Hiram Wagner was born in Prussia, October 16, 1827, the son of Frederick and Christiana (Fisher) Wagner, and was thus only seven years of age at the time he was brought to the New World. The vessel on which they made the voyage cast anchor in the harbor of Baltimore, Md., bring- ing to a close a long and tiresome as well as perilous voyage. The father did not locate in that locality, however, but instead crossed over the Alleghany mountains, on a turnpike road, and settled near Wheeling, W. Va. After re- maining in that vicinity for about three years he came as far west as the Mississippi valley,


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first going to Marion county, Mo., later to Quincy, Ill., and still later to Henderson coun- ty, in the same state, in all of which places he followed farming as a means of support for his family. In the meantime an interest was developing in the far west which was destined to have its influence on the little family thus settled in the middle west. Gold had been dis- covered in California and Hiram Wagner, with a party of friends, set out for the eldorado whose allurements were too strong to be resisted. A plodding journey across the plains finally brought them to their journey's end, Mr. Wag- ner settling near Downieville, Sierra county, where he at once became interested in mining operations. He also assisted in framing the mining laws, whereby each miner was allotted a certain amount of land as a claim. In addi- tion to his interest in mining matters he also established and ran a trading post at Rabbit Creek, continuing these various interests until 1854, when, with the proceeds of his labors of two years in the west, he returned to Illinois and purchased a farm at Dallas City, Hancock county. Besides carrying on agricultural pur- suits he also established and maintained a wood business in that city, where he became a busi- ness man and citizen whose abilities for public office-holding soon became recognized. For some time he served as a member of the city council and was also mayor of the city for three terms, while on the school board he gave efficient service as trustee.


Some time after his return to Illinois Mr. Wagner was married, March 13, 1859, to Miss Diantha McMullin, whose birth occurred in Vir- ginia. Five children have been born of the marriage, as follows : Charles, who is cashier of the First National Bank of Hollister; Ida, the wife of Judge M. T. Dooling, of the superior court of Hollister; Emma, the wife of J. S. Mockbee, president of the Merchants' and Farm- ers' Bank of Mountain View; Helen, at home with her parents; and Leah, the wife of Lewis Ladd, of Hollister. About ten years after his marriage, in 1870, Mr. Wagner determined to come to the west and take up his permanent resi- dence, crossing the plains with ox-teams much the same as he had done eighteen years before. Coming direct to Hollister he engaged in the


hotel business, giving it the name of the Ex- change House. After managing this hostelry for about four years he gave it up and engaged. in the grain and warehouse business in this city. To this he later added the real-estate business,. beginning at first in a small way, but gradually increasing until a large business was transacted under his name. Much of this business con- sisted of transactions in large ranch properties,. and at present he owns a ranch of four hundred acres two miles from Hollister upon which he- raises hay and grain, and recently he has set out forty acres to a young orchard. He is also. the owner of considerable property in the city that is considered very valuable.




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