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 9
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 9
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BRADLEY V. SARGENT.
Superior Judge of Monterey county since 1902, B. V. Sargent has been a resident of the city of Salinas for many years. A son of B. V. Sar- gent. Sr., he was born in Monterey county July 5, 1863. He was reared on a ranch near Mon- terey, educated in the public schools, this train- ing being supplemented by a course in Santa Clara College, from which he was graduated in 1884. In 1885 he entered the law department of Yale College and was graduated with the degree of LL. D. in 1887. He at once returned to his native state and in San Francisco entered the office of the district attorney of that city and took an active part in the campaign of the fol- lowing year. In 1889 he was selected by a Re- publican board of supervisors as assistant district attorney of Monterey county. In 1890 he was elected to the office of district attorney, which he filled for one term, when he refused to again become a candidate, although he would have been elected without opposition. . He gave his attention to building up a private practice and in this he was successful. During this time he was connected with some of the most important cases in the county, among which we mention The People vs. Moore; People vs. Hawse ; Peo-
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ple vs. Vasquez ; Liborn vs. Sorg, libel suit, and many others. . Politically a Democrat, he has always been interested in politics and has stumped the state at various times in the interests of the party. In September, 1902, he was nominated for judge of the Superior court of the county and was elected by a large majority over Judge N. A. Dorn, who had served for twelve years. After serving one term he was re-elected.
Judge Sargent was married in Salinas to Miss Rose Littfield and they are parents of three sons : Bradley V., Jr., attending Santa Clara college; Stanley; and Richard H. (Jimmie). In fraternal circles Judge Sargent is well known and is a member of the K. of P .; B. P. O. E .; F. of A .: American Order of Foresters; U. A. O. D .; Fraternal Brotherhood; U. P. E. C .; N. S. G. W. and the Pioneer Society.
Judge Sargent has been deeply interested in the welfare of the boys and girls who have not had the opportunities offered by their more for- tunate kindred and as soon as he was elected to the Superior bench he at once began investigat- ing the juvenile criminals. Up to his accession to the bench in 1902 nothing had been done towards the establishing of a juvenile court, in fact nothing was known about it in the county. All the young offenders were put in the jails with the hardened criminals and their cases were tried with them and they were sentenced to San Quentin, there to serve their terms, and in the majority of cases they became hardened criminals. He made a thorough investigation of the conditions and as the county was overrun with children of depraved characters, committing all sort of crimes, the jails were full and it seemed impossible for the officers to contend with the situation. Making himself familiar with the law on that subject he commenced operations.
To begin with, when a child was found to be a criminal he was taken to Ione or Whittier, later on when the law became more thoroughly understood the children were placed in homes or asylums where they could be educated and maintained. In the early part of 1906 he es- tablished the Juvenile court and went thoroughly into all juvenile cases. That year two hundred and fourteen arrests were made; one hundred and eighty-six the following year; in 1908, one
hundred and forty ; in 1909, up to date (Nov. I), thirty-eight; there have been about an equal number besides these that have been brought before the judge and after he has given them a kindly talk and in some cases a reprimand, they have been returned to their homes without any trial. Of those arrested as mentioned above, sixty-six per cent have been sent to the homes of their parents, and only two failed to reach their destination. Great numbers of these have been reported back from time to time and have been found to be working or going to school and doing fine. Some were sent as far north as Montreal, Canada; east to England and south as far as South Africa, South America and the Sandwich Islands. In cases where the children had parents who were depraved and whose examples tended to vitiate the lives of the children they were sent to Whittier reform school, thus depriving them of all intercourse with their parents. As soon as. possible the superintendent of that institution places them in proper homes, after learning some trade, and it is interesting to know that some children from Monterey county who have been sent there are occupying positions of trust and responsibility and their parents have not the slightest idea as to their whereabouts. One case in particular is cited as an illustration: Two children belonging to a family known as "the dirty dozen," aged nine and eleven years, were caught redhanded committing a burglary; in- stead of being sent to prison they were sent to the reform school against the tears of the mother and earnest supplications of the father. Now the eldest is occupying the position of first draughts- man in the office of one of the leading architects in the southern portion of the state and the other is assistant foreman in a large printing establish- ment.
Many girls are in positions of trust and re- sponsibility and one or two cases are cited where. they are companions of ladies of culture. The juvenile records are kept secret so that no one knows who the children are or where they are except the officers of the Juvenile court, and they are kept informed as to the whereabouts of the charges. One phase of the work was in putting a stop to boys jumping on and off trains, and stopping young girls going to the depots on the
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arrival or departure of trains and "ogling" or flirting with the passengers on the cars or of those arriving in town. This practice has been entirely wiped out.
The court is cleaning up as rapidly as possible all over the county, homes where children are neglected by parents, or truants from the schools and petty malefactors. The work done by the court has caused increased attendance in the public schools all over the county. One inter- view of a delinquent child with the judge is generally sufficient to halt a downward career. As a rule the truant officers of the various schools have been made probation officers under the juvenile act and this has proven very suc- cessful.
Judge Sargent made one of the chief sugges- tions in the framing of the law governing juv- enile cases and that was that the probation officer should be appointed by and be under the direct control of the judges of the Superior court hav- ing jurisdiction over the juvenile department, and not of the probation committee, as was provided in the original bill. The stand taken by the judge was bitterly opposed by two of the prominent judges of the state, upon the grounds that it would make the Juvenile court probation office political in its nature. Judge Sargent contended that men fitted for office of superior judge should be above petty politics and if he appointed an officer who was thorough and effi- cient and whose tenure of office depended upon the manner in which he performed his duties, would in itself more than offset the harm that the avaricious office seeker might do to the in- cumbent in office. The matter was gone over very thoroughly and it was finally agreed that the amendment made by Judge Sargent was the best and the bill was modified accordingly.
At the same session the judges concurred that the scope of the Juvenile law should be extended to include a much larger class of cases, to in- clude children who begged, who disobeyed their parents or guardians, whose homes were unfit for them by reason of the depravity of their parents or guardians, who were incorrigible, who used in- toxicating liquors and many other changes. The age limit was also raised from sixteen to eight- een years. In all these deliberations Judge Sar- gent took a leading part.
IRA TUCKER.
On the honored list of citizens of Salinas who have passed on to their reward is the name of Ira Tucker, at the time of his death a land- holder and prominent citizen of this community. A native of West Virginia, he was born in Marion county May 22, 1805, the son of Thomas and Nancy Tucker, who were also natives of that southern state. Brought up on his father's plantation in Marion county, Ira Tucker had also established himself on a plantation with the idea of making the south his permanent home, when the finding of gold in California led him to change his plans. Leaving the south in 1849, he went first to Iowa, where he engaged in farm- ing for a year, and in 1850 resumed the journey to California, leaving his family in Iowa until he was able to return for them. Setting out from Iowa he finally arrived in Hangtown, now Placerville, where for two years he engaged in mining with more than the average success. Sat- isfied with his experience and believing that the outlook both for himself and his family would be broadened by removal to the west, he car- ried out his original plan and returned for them in 1865. As soon as arrangements could be made the march toward the west was begun, he him- self being captain of the train, which numbered three hundred wagons.
The expedition across the plains completed, Mr. Tucker first settled in Linden, San Joaquin county, where for three years he had charge of a ranch of three hundred acres. In 1867 he came to Salinas and bought land on the Monterey road two miles south of this city. This com- prised one hundred and sixty acres of fertile land, which for thirty years was his special care. In 1897 he gave up the active life which he had followed for so many years and thereafter made his home in Salinas, where he passed away May 14, 1901, mourned by many friends who had learned to love him through an association of many years.
At the age of twenty-five years Mr. Tucker was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Leeper, the ceremony being performed in Janu- ary, 1830, in her native state, West Virginia. Five children were born of their marriage as follows : Amanda, the wife of John Harris, of
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
San Jose; Sophronia, the wife of Willard F. Treat, of Salinas; Virginia, the wife of Samuel Russell, of Iowa; Melissa, the wife of Albert Archer; and Ann Elizabeth, the wife of B. T. Nixon, both of the latter daughters residents of Salinas. Mr. Tucker was a man of the highest principles of honor and throughout his mature years adhered to the teachings of the Baptist Church, in which, with his family; he held mem- bership. Socially he was a member of the Grange.
JOSEPH F. WILEY.
The association of the Wiley family with the history of California dates back to the period of the gold discovery, when, in 1849, Mordicia Wiley attempted to find sudden wealth in the mines of Mokelumne Hill. Only mediocre suc- cess followed his efforts, however, and thus it happened that he turned his attention to agri- cultural affairs and made a success of his life in the west in spite of his early discouragements. He first located in San Joaquin county, later was in Tulare county, but from 1870 until his death, about twenty years later, he made his home in Monterey county, first near Santa Rita, later at Natividad, and finally at Soledad. This latter ranch comprised two hundred acres of govern- ment land, and is still in the possession of the family.
Born of the marriage of Mordicia and Eliza Jane (Glass) Wiley were nine children, four sons and five daughters, as follows : Leander H., Isabel, Joseph F., William L., Jennie, Nellie, Ada, Alice and D. Wheeler. The third child in order of birth, Joseph F., was born in Elliott township, San Joaquin county, Cal., October 22, 1857. He was only a young lad when the family home was transferred to Monterey county and located on the Santa Rita ranch, in which neigh- borhood he attended the public schools. A later removal brought them to Natividad, and finally they settled at Soledad, where the homestead at first comprised two hundred acres of government land taken up by the father. This part of country
the was at the time practically in the wilderness and Mr. Wiley's project for cultivating his land and making it habitable for his family was looked upon by the
less venturesome as a wild undertaking. How- ever, many lived to witness his success and enjoy the benefits which followed in the wake of his enterprising spirit. As the sons grew up they joined their father in furthering his undertaking, until finally they owned in partnership five thou- sand acres of fine land upon which they carried on stock-raising on a large scale. Since the death of the father, which occurred in 1890, at the age of sixty-seven years, the property had been divided among the children. The mother is also deceased, having passed away when in her sixty-fourth year.
Besides the tract of one hundred and twenty- five acres which Mr. Wiley owns at Soledad he also owns five hundred and forty-eight acres of ranch land at San Ardo, upon which he makes his home. Born of his marriage with Miss Char- lotte Towle, which occurred October 27, 1888, were eight children, six sons and two daughters, all of whom are living. Named in order of birth they are as follows: Arthur F., Leroy, Mordicia W., Gladys, Walton, Rena, Leander and Em- mett. Politically Mr. Wiley has always believed in Republican principles and ever since attain- ing his majority has voted for the candidates of that party. Both Mr. and Mrs. Wiley are mem- bers of the Baptist church, in which faith they are rearing their children.
WALDO ROHNERT.
A unique and interesting enterprise is main- tained by Mr. Rohnert on his various ranches in San Benito county, an enterprise which is far-reaching in its usefulness, for its products are shipped to all parts of the world. Reference is made to the seed ranches owned or controlled by Mr. Rohnert, several lying near San Juan, another near Hollister, formerly known as the Pacheco grant, while at Fairview he cultivates rented property covering four hundred acres. The two ranches which he owns equal the same amount of land, and thus he has eight hundred acres under his immediate control and super- vision. Besides the seeds which he raises him- self he contracts for all the seeds grown on ranches near-by, aggregating four hundred acres, and as he has the supervision of these ranches
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also, it will be readily seen that the undertaking is one of enormous proportions. Seeds of va- rious kinds are raised on the property, but a specialty is made of sweet peas, lettuce, onions, radishes and a small variety of flowers.
The proprietor of this enterprise, Waldo Rohnert, is a native of Michigan, born in De- troit in May, 1869, the son of Francis E. and Eleonore (Sickler) Rohnert, the former of whom passed away in 1886. The son was reared and educated in Detroit, graduating from the De- troit high school, after which he took a course in the agricultural college at Lansing, Mich. As soon as his school and college days were over he endeavored to put his recently acquired knowl- edge to good account by accepting a position with the well-known seed merchants of Detroit, D. M. Ferry & Co. It was with the knowledge acquired by this practical experience of one year that Mr. Rohnert came to California in 1893 and entered the employ of a similar firm in Santa Clara, the C. C. Morse Seed Company, where he efficiently served as foreman of the plant for four years. A short experience as a rancher near Gilroy pre- ceded his coming to San Benito county in 1897, at which time he located on rented land near San Juan and established the nucleus of the immense seed business of which he is in control today. Subsequently he purchased the property near San Juan, comprising two hundred acres, but the rapidity with which the business grew made it necessary to seek larger fields. A desirable piece of property was found in the Pacheco grant, of which he purchased two hundred acres, and hith- er he removed, still retaining, however, the orig- inal San Juan ranch. The Pacheco ranch was unimproved, so he at once set about to make im- provements necessary for the comfort of his fam- ily as well as those essential to his business. These included a fine, commodious residence, four other buildings, a stable, lodging quarters for his hired help, a cleaning barn and a warehouse. It is his intention to make this one of the model seed ranches in the United States, and with the prestige which is already his there is no obstacle in the way to prevent the attainment of his hopes. At this writing he gives constant employment to one hundred and fifty men on his various ranch- es. Not only does Mr. Rohnert give employment to a large number of men, but he has been a
benefactor to the entire community from the fact. that his industry has enhanced the value of land throughout the country round about. As a proof of this statement it may be said that land for which he paid $125 an acre is now worth $200 at the lowest estimate. The seed raised under the- supervision of and controlled by Mr. Rohnert is all disposed of to the wholesale trade through jobbers, not only in all parts of this country, but. in Australia, England and New Zealand.
Mr. Rohnert was married in 1899 to Miss Beth Ashby, of College Park, Cal. She departed. this life in 1904, leaving no children.
Fraternally Mr. Rohnert is a Mason, belong- ing to Keith Lodge No. 187, F. & A. M., of Gil- roy, and he also belongs to the kindred organi- zation, the Eastern Star. Politically he is a Re- publican, and a stanch believer in the principles. for which that party stands.
ANDREW P. POTTER.
From the time of his arrival in California in' 1853 until his death over fifty years later, An- drew P. Potter was identified with the agricul- tural development of Monterey county and dur- ing that period also he was held in high esteem among all citizens in his community. A native of the east, he was born in New York state in 1829, into the home of Willis and Mary (Green) Potter. When their son Andrew was a lad of six years they emigrated as far west as Wash -- tenaw county, Mich., and in Ypsilanti he was reared and educated. As that was then a heavily wooded locality the manufacture of lumber was one of the chief industries, and thus it happened that when he became old enough to seek em- ployment he had no difficulty in finding it in the various sawmills. From the age of seventeen until he was twenty-two years old he was em- ployed as sawyer in one of these mills during the busy season, and in the meantime finding employment on the railroad. To one of his am- bitious nature, however, his outlook seemed one of drudgery when compared with the brilliant prospects held forth by the new west, brought into prominence through the finding of gold in California. Joining an emigrant train made up- in his home vicinity he set out to cross the plains.
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
in 1853, having as guide and commander one John Clifton, wlio afterward became a resident of Gilroy, where he passed away in 1887. Many were the hardships and trials that beset the trav- elers, not the least of their troubles being caused by the Indians, who stampeded their horses. Mr. Potter and two other men undertook to recover their stock, but after three days and nights of fruitless effort returned to the wagon train al- most exhausted from lack of food and water during that time.
Arriving in California finally, Mr. Potter went at once to Redwood City, where his knowledge of the sawmill business stood him in good stead and until the spring of 1854 he was employed in a mill there. He then located on government land in Monterey county near the present town of Blanco, upon which he began farming and stock-raising, and this continued the scene of his labors for fifty-three years, or until his death, March 10, 1907. When he located on his ranch it was barren of any improvements, and all that were later placed upon it were the results of his own individual efforts. The ranch houses and other buildings were constructed from timber that he hewed out of the redwood forests in the Santa Cruz mountains. The substantial old homestead occupied by the family for so many years is in an excellent state of preservation and is a landmark calling to mind the days of the good olden time.
The marriage of Andrew P. Potter united him with one who like himself was a native of the Empire state, Miss H. C. Lisk. Her parents removed to Illinois while she was still a small child, and she remained a resident of the middle west until 1853, when with two brothers she came overland to California. They located on government land in Monterey county not far from the ranch upon which Mr. Potter settled the same year, 1854, and the acquaintance thus formed resulted in their marriage the same year. For over half a century they shared each other's joys and sorrows, and when the link was broken in the death of the husband and father, March 10, 1907, the wife and mother did not long sur- vive, her death occurring November 23 of the same year. Of the five children born of this marriage, four are living, as follows : David W., Emma D., Henry F., and Cass A., all of whom
co-operate in the maintenance of the old home- stead.
The eldest of the family, David W. Potter, was born and reared in Monterey county, and indeed this has been his life-time home. His public school education was supplemented by a course in Heald's Business College, in Santa Cruz, and thereafter he ran a thresher for about five years. In the meantime he had learned the blacksmith's trade and from 1891 until 1905 he followed this calling at San Lucas, but gave it up in the latter year and returned to the home ranch on account of his father's failing health. While a resident of San Lucas he took an interested part in the town's welfare, where for thirteen years, from 1892 to 1905, he served as justice of the peace, and also for five terms served as school trustee, both of which positions he was compelled to resign when duty called him home. His mar- riage united him with Miss E. E. Harris, a native of North Dakota and the daughter of D. A. Harris, now a resident of Salinas. Four children, two sons and two daughters, were born of this marriage, Andrew W., Alice E., Caroline R. and Clyde H.
The history of both the Potter and Lisk fam- ilies in the United States antedates the Revo- lutionary period, the first representative of the Potter family coming from England in 1737, and two years later the Lisk family became estab- lished in the colonies.
ROBERT W. FLINT.
The younger generation of business men of Hollister include none more energetic, progres- sive or promising than Robert W. Flint, whose ability is inherited largely from his father, Ben- jamin Flint, one of the city fathers and as well one of the upbuilding factors in the growth of the county and state.
A family of seven children was born of the marriage of Benjamin and Caroline (Getchell) Flint, but of the number only five are now liv- ing, and of them Robert W. is the youngest. He was born on the family homestead near San Juan, San Benito county, June 1, 1874, and his entire life has practically been spent in this locality. As the parents had both been the recipients of good
affineson
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educations they appreciated the value and im- portance of giving their children every opportun- ity in their power to bestow, and they had also in- stilled into the minds of their children the desire for knowledge which gave them an appreciation of the opportunities which came to them. Fol- lowing his school training Robert W. Flint be- came associated with his father in the manage- ment of the home ranch and later, when he be- came old enough to assume the responsibility alone, he was made sole manager of San Joaquin ranch, as it is known. This he has since man- aged with a faithfulness and ability worthy of the training under his father. In addition to the care of the ranch he also owned and conducted a butcher business in Hollister for about five years, but on June 1, 1909, he sold this out.
In his marriage Mr. Flint was united with a native daughter of California, his wife, formerly Miss Iris A. Kemp, having been born in San Juan, Cal. One daughter, Louise, has been born of their marriage. Fraternally Mr. Flint is well known, his affiliations including membership in the Elks, Odd Fellow, Masonic, Eagles and For- esters' organizations, and politically he is a Re- publican.
ALONZO H. FREDSON.
It is not generally known that the county of San Benito produces one-fifth of the entire hay crop raised in California and that the quality is as nearly perfect as ideal climatic conditions render possible. The hay shipments made by the Farmers' Hay Company of Tres Pinos is the second largest in the county and their warehouses have a capacity for handling many thousands of tons of hay and grain. The company was incorporated in 1889 by Mr. Fredson, who since has held the positions of general manager and secretary. At this writing he conducts the busi- ness in partnership with his son, A. H., Jr., and in addition he was the original promoter of the Tres Pinos Warehouse Company. The village where he conducts the large business is the centre of a great industry in raising and making hay. Vast meadows stretch in every direction from the town, which is situated seven miles south of Hollister, on the line of the Southern Pacific Railroad. Immense hay and grain warehouses
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