USA > California > Alameda County > History of Alameda County, California. Volume II > Part 23
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BURTON F. BECKER
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administration of his department that in the fall of 1926 he was elected sheriff of Alameda county, being the present incumbent of the office.
Mr. Becker was united in marriage to Miss Claire Hickman, who is a native of Iowa. Politically Mr. Becker is a stanch republican, while fraternally he is a mem- ber of Piedmont Lodge, No. 521, A. F. & A. M., and has attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite; the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, the Sciots, Oakland Pyramid No. 2, and the Order of the Eastern Star. He also belongs to the Loyal Order of Moose and the Modern Woodmen of Amer- ica. Mr. Becker was several times rejected for service in the United States Army during the World war but was finally accepted and was in training at Camp Kear- ney. In a quiet but very effective way, he has done much splendid work in saving men who have become the victims of drug habits and has thus earned the undying gratitude of these men and their families. He is a man of candid and straightfor- ward manner and his excellent personal qualities, as well as his fine official record, have gained for him the sincere regard and confidence of all who know him.
ASHLEY SMITH
A review of the life of Ashley Smith, a well known real estate man of Mel- rose, Oakland, reveals the fact that his success has come through the exercise of persistent industry, loyalty to every interest with which he has been identified and sound judgment in the direction of his affairs. He is essentially a self-made man and has proved well worthy of public confidence and patronage. Mr. Smith, who is president of the Melrose Realty Company, was born in Oakland, California, April 26, 1884, and is a son of Arthur and Helena (Wills) Smith, the former a native of Illinois and the latter of England. Arthur Smith was one of the early settlers of Alameda county, locating here in 1860, and for many years was engaged in mer- cantile pursuits, but is now retired.
Ashley Smith received his educational training in the Temascal school (now the Emerson school) and in night schools. He began work at twelve years of age, selling newspapers on the streets of Oakland. Later he worked in a printing office and learned the trade of a lithographer. For a time he was employed in the store of the Edwards Jewelry Company, after which he worked for the Union Litho- graphing Company until he accepted a job as traveling salesman for the N. K. Fairbanks Soap Company, his territory being the Pacific coast states. He showed marked ability in that line and was promoted to the position of crew manager, eventually becoming general salesman. When the United States entered the World war Mr. Smith went to war with the Twenty-third Infantry Regiment, Second Division, and was among the first troops to be sent to France, where he served until the close of hostilities, taking part in a number of the important battles in which the American troops were engaged. On his return home he was honorably discharged and became a salesman for the A. Schilling Company, dealers in tea and coffee, following that line of employment until 1921, when he resigned and turned his attention to the real estate business. This proved a judicious move, for he has attained distinctive success, the Melrose Realty Company, of which he is the
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
head, taking its place among the active, progressive and prosperous realty concerns of this city. Some idea of the extent of his operations may be gained for the state- ment that in the past four years Mr. Smith has handled four hundred and seventy- four deals, while he has also built and sold one hundred and twenty homes and apartment houses in Alameda county, which speaks well for his energetic and enter- prising methods. He has shown keen discrimination in all of his operations and is regarded as a man of clear-headed judgment in matters pertaining to his line of busi- ness. Mr. Smith is a member of the American Legion. Among his associates he is deservedly popular, for he is cordial and affable in manner and loyal and true in every relation of life. He is greatly interested in the progress and welfare of the East Bay district and has been a large factor in its development and improvement.
ERIC RUUS
Eric Ruus, serving as manager of the Hayward Poultry Producers Association, has exhibited business qualifications of a high order, and as a citizen he has not been behind any of his fellowmen in efforts to advance the best interests of the community. Mr. Ruus was born at Mount Eden, Alameda county, on the 4th of September, 1877, and is a son of Eric and Anna (Fischer) Ruus, both of whom were natives of Denmark, where their marriage occurred. The father was a sea- faring man and made a number of voyages to the Pacific coast. In 1867 he decided to locate here and sailed to the Isthmus of Panama, which he crossed and then took a sailing vessel to San Francisco. Locating at Russell City, he built a house and then, having been a ship carpenter, he followed the building trade there and in neighboring towns for a number of years. He experienced the great earthquake that wrecked the town of Hayward. Locating at Mount Eden, he engaged in the hotel business until 1879, when he sold out and returned to Denmark. There he later, in company with a number of others, built a steamship, of which he was made captain, and he sailed it for three years. In 1883 he returned to Mount Eden and here engaged in farming up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1921, when he was seventy-nine years of age. His widow is still living there at the age of eighty years. Mr. Ruus was a democrat in his political views and was highly re- spected by all who knew him.
Eric Ruus, Jr., secured his early education in the public schools of Mount Eden, and on starting out to earn his own livelihood engaged in farming and har- vesting. In 1901 he went to Alaska, where he had charge of a warehouse for the American Mercantile Company at Nome. Later, with other members of the com- pany, he established stores in various mining camps of that territory, but his opera- tions were interrupted by a serious illness which laid him up for four months at Fort Clarence. Returning to Mount Eden, he here recovered, and then went to Oxnard, Ventura county, California, where for a number of years he worked for the American Beet Sugar Company. Later he was in the motion picture business at Oxnard, and was in the same line of business at Ventura, but eventually sold his interests there and came to Hayward, where the motion picture business commanded his attention for two years. In 1917 he sold out and accepted a position with the
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Hayward Poultry Producers Association then occupying a building twenty by twenty feet in size. They handle all kinds of feed and poultry supplies, coal, cement and hardware, and the business has enjoyed a steady increase until the plant now covers over an acre of ground and they are doing an annual business of over one million dollars and employ twenty people. As manager for the Hayward Poultry Producers Association, he looks after the wants of eleven hundred members, most of whom are farmers and poultry raisers, and the organization has proven very successful and of great value to the members.
On June 6, 1906, Mr. Ruus was united in marriage to Miss Maria Nielsen, who is a native of Denmark, and is a daughter of Niels and Maren Nielsen and a sister of N. P. Nielsen, a member of the board of high school trustees of Hay- ward. Mr. and Mrs. Ruus are the parents of a daughter, Gladys M., who is taking a course in music in Mills College.
In addition to his local interests, Mr. Ruus is also a director of the Poultry Producers of Central California. He is independent in his political attitude, though thoroughly alive to public affairs, and is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Rotary Club and the Dania Lodge. He is a man of excellent personal qualities, and in his business affairs he is prompt, courteous and reliable, so that throughout the community he is held in high regard.
H. W. SERAMUR
H. W. Seramur, who conducts a modern undertaking establishment in San Leandro, is a man of wide experience in that most exacting line of effort and has gained a very favorable reputation as a competent and efficient funeral director. He was born in Butler county, Ohio, on the 6th of December, 1882, and is a son of Peter and Emma Seramur, the latter also a native of Butler county, Ohio, where her father had lived for seventy years, being a prosperous farmer of his locality. Peter Seramur was born, reared and educated in Germany and on coming to the United States located in Butler county, Ohio, where he acquired one hundred and sixty acres of good land and became one of the successful farmers and substantial citizens of that section. Both parents are now deceased.
H. W. Seramur secured his education in the public and parochial schools of Hamilton, Ohio, graduating from high school. He then enlisted for service in the Spanish-American war, joining Company A of the Twenty-eighth Regiment United States Regular Infantry, and spent nine years in the military service of his country, during six years of which time he was in the Philippine islands and three years years at the Presidio, in San Francisco. While a boy in Cincinnati, Ohio, he had met William Howard Taft, who was later governor-general of the Philippines while Mr. Seramur was serving there. Mr. Seramur was under General Funston and became the latter's orderly sergeant, afterwards being made a sergeant first class in the United States Hospital Corps.
On receiving his honorable discharge from the army, Mr. Seramur resumed his studies and soon afterwards decided to take up the business of undertaking and embalming. To this end, he entered the Cincinnati College of Embalming, from
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which he was graduated in 1914, and at once went to work for Bussey & Boreman, the largest undertaking establishment in Cincinnati. In December, 1915, he came to California and a little later entered the employ of N. Gray & Company of San Francisco, with which concern he remained until the early part of 1917, when he went to Reno, Nevada, where for two years he was employed by Groesbeck, O'Brien & Company, undertakers. He now felt that his experience justified him in engaging in the business on his own account and, coming to San Leandro in 1920, he bought the Robert Morgan undertaking establishment, the pioneer con- cern in that line here, which he continued for five years at the old location. In 1925 he bought the commodious residence property at 407 Estudillo avenue, which he remodeled and converted into an ideal funeral home. His equipment is modern throughout, including a sanitary and up-to-date operating room, a well arranged stock room and a neat and spacious chapel, while his hearses and service cars are motorized. He employs a lady embalmer and attendant and no effort is spared in order that the best service may be rendered.
On November 15, 1911, In San Francisco, Mr. Seramur was united in mar- riage to Miss Hedwig Flechsig, of that city, who was born near Berlin, Germany, and they now have a son, Henry A. Mr. Seramur is a republican in his political views and is a member of the Independent Order of Foresters, the Woodmen of the World and the Knights of Columbus. He belongs to the Alameda County Undertakers' Association, the California State Undertakers' Association, and the Spanish-American War Veterans. A man of courteous and kindly manner, he has gained a high place in the esteem of the people of this section of the East Bay district, and commands his full share of the business in his line, while as a citizen he has consistently supported all measures of the advancement of the public wel- fare. He has therefore won and retains to a marked degree the respect and confi- dence of his fellowmen.
ST. MARY'S OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CATHOLIC CHURCH
St. Mary's of the Immaculate Conception is the mother Roman Catholic church in Oakland and the pioneer church of Alameda county. Much of the early history of the city's growth is interwoven with the history of this church. In the early days the vast territory of the parish extended from the bay of San Fran- cisco into Contra Costa county, and from Contra Costa to Mission San Jose. From 1853 it was attended as a mission from San Francisco, a priest coming once a month to celebrate mass. In 1858 Rev. J. Croke became resident missioner, and in 1861 was succeeded by Rev. J. Quinn, who was the first resident pastor. The first church was a little frame structure, cruciform in shape, consisting of the main portion in length and the wings or two arms. The entrance to the main body of the church was through the front door, but on entering the wings it was necessary to go around the outside of the church, up a board walk and enter by a side door. The church was erected of rough boards, running perpendicularly, and outside was a sheeting of rough clapboards. The church stood back a little from the walk on Seventh street, between Jefferson and Grove streets.
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Oakland in those days was one vast forest of spreading oaks, stately poplars and wild fruit trees. The city proper was Broadway and Fourth streets, and Seventh street was in those days the entrance to the woods. On September 10, 1863, train and ferry boat came into Oakland, and one year later ran into East Oakland. It was called the San Francisco-Oakland Railroad and Ferry Line. In August, 1869, the Central Pacific Railroad, now the Southern Pacific, came into Alameda, and into Oakland in the following October.
Father Quinn started the construction of the parochial residence but did not live to see it completed, as he was taken ill and died in St. Mary's hospital, San Francisco, on Christmas eve, 1864. On February 20, 1865, Rev. Michael King was appointed pastor, and at once started to improve the condition of the parish along temporal as well as spiritual lines. He extended the wings of the church until the entire edifice had a sixty foot frontage. In 1868 the foundation for the new church was laid, but the church was not completed until some time later, being dedicated in June, 1872. In building the new St. Mary's, it had been the intention of people and pastor to erect a brick building. Collections were taken up with a will and though the people were few in number they were broadminded and liberal. Father King was loved by all, and everyone, regardless of creed, gave of his time and means. Notable among the list of donors was Dr. Samuel Merritt, who, though not belonging to the church, gave five hundred dollars towards its erection. For some reason, the brick building was not erected, a wooden structure being put up in its stead. The original plans were drawn by Architect England, of New York, who was at that time on a visit to the coast. Later the plans were redrawn by B. J. Clinch, of San Francisco. The contract for building the church was given to L. Carr, who has long since passed away. His son, Peter Carr, who worked on the building, through some mishap fell from a scaffolding and was killed in 1871. He was an estimable young man, closely identified with the church work, and often accompanied Father King in the rounds of his extensive work. A memorial win- dow in his honor is erected in the church. Particular mention may also be made of the late John Lynch, who was also connected with this family. He served as altar boy at the first mass celebrated by Father King in the parish, and the mem- bers of his family were among the few privileged to be at the bedside of Father King when he passed to his eternal reward.
Midnight mass was one of the features of the early days of the parish, but after a few years the custom was dispensed with. St. Mary's was an interesting ren- dezvous in those early days, especially to the farmers, when the parish extended out to the foothills. Every Sunday the square around the church was thickly dotted with spring wagons and vehicles of every description. After the services the people would gather together and spend an hour or two in exchange of hearty greetings. Those were interesting days, that the old-time people love to think about. Since then many parishes have been formed out of the confines of this vast one and today many handsome religious edifices grace this fair city.
Those years were busy ones for Father King and his assistants. Long hours in the saddle over country roads were cheerfully endured as he brought consola- tion to his faithful flock. Father King was greatly loved by all of his congregation and nowhere do we find more tributes to him than at the time of his golden jubilee
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in 1903, at which ceremony he was given a purse of three thousand dollars. Msgr. Edward Dempsey did much for the parish from the time he was appointed pastor in 1905. He erected a handsome and spacious parochial house and beautified the exterior of the church. A residence was also built for the Sisters of the Holy Names, who have charge of the parochial school. He also changed the interior of the church, making it one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture.
Today finds old St. Mary's standing in the down town section of Oakland, keeping the light of faith burning for all the nearby Christians. Rev. Francis M. Harvey is the faithful rector, assisted by Fathers Powelson and Hogan. As the old parishioners were true to the priests of their day, those of today are just as loyal to their present pastor and his assistants and St. Mary's stands as a bulwark of righteousness and morality, shedding an influence immeasurable in its results.
REV. FRANCIS M. HARVEY
To the Rev. Francis M. Harvey belongs the honor of being pastor of the mother Roman Catholic church of the city of Oakland-St. Mary's of the Immaculate Conception, where he is doing most effective work, fully maintaining the prestige and traditions of this famous old parish.
Father Harvey was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on the 1st of October, 1870. After completing his elementary studies, he took the classical course at St. Charles, Maryland and the theological course at St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore. Later he pursued further studies in the Catholic University at Washington, D. C. For many years thereafter he served as a teacher, three years of that time in New York city.
In 1898 Father Harvey came to California, and for twenty-seven years was a teacher in St. Patrick's Seminary, at Menlo Park, San Mateo county. He was or- dained to the priesthood in 1900 by Archbishop Reardon in San Francisco. In 1924 he was appointed to his present pastorate at St. Mary's of the Immaculate Conception, and has proven himself just as efficient in the pastoral duties as he was in the educational field. He is untiring and faithful in his attention to every detail of the work of the parish, is a fervent and effective preacher and zealous and constant in his efforts for the spiritual welfare of his parishioners. He has greatly endeared himself to his congregation and is regarded as one of the ablest and most efficient pastors this church has ever had.
WALTER MORK
One of the most progressive and successful business men in Berkeley is Walter Mork, who has gained a wide reputation as an able and efficient heating engineer and sheet metal worker. He is entitled to great credit for what he has accomplished since coming to this locality, for every step of his progress to his present success has been gained by hard work and persistent effort, backed by intelligent and
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judicious management, and he stands today among the most highly respected citi- zens of this community. Mr. Mork was born at Hangaa, Finland, on the 3rd of March, 1881, and is a son of Frederick F. and Carolina Mork. His father, who was for many years engaged in mercantile business at Hangaa, died about two years ago, at the age of seventy, and the mother is still living there, being now seventy- one years of age. They became the parents of five children, two sons and three daughters, of whom Walter Mork is the eldest. The youngest, Bertel Mork, is a sheet metal worker at 1606 Penn street, Berkeley, and the three sisters are still living in Finland.
Walter Mork secured his early education in the public schools of his native land, after which he attended a technical school. He served a five-year appren- ticeship to the sheet metal trade, during which period he attended night school, thus acquiring both a theoretical and practical knowledge of that line of work, specializing in heating and ventilating. About the time he attained his majority he decided to emigrate to America, to secure better opportunities for individual advancement. Landing at New York, June 5, 1902, during the following year he was employed at his trade in various cities in this country and Canada. He arrived in San Francisco, California, on June 5, 1903, and was fortunate in securing steady employment at his trade working first for the Blackway Company, later for the Ray Company, and then for six years with the Dalziel-Moller Company. In 1912, hav- ing decided to start in business for himself, he came to West Berkeley and opened a sheet metal shop where the Rivoli theater now stands, remaining there until 1914, when he moved to a better location on Hearst avenue, near San Pablo. By close attention to his business and because of the high quality of his work, his trade en- joyed a steady and substantial growth. In 1923 he bought his present lot, seventy- five by one hundred and thirty feet in size, and erected a one-story stucco building, with concrete floor, which he now occupies. Here he has a complete and up-to-date equipment for the successful conduct of his business, and employs from fifteen to eighteen men. Among the more important contracts which he has handled in this locality may be mentioned the sheet metal work on the Willard school, on Tele- graph avenue, the Garfield junior high school in Berkeley, and the Masonic home near Niles ; and he furnished and installed the heating plants and did the sheet metal work on the two new residences of William and Anson Blake, in Berkeley High- lands. These and many other jobs stand in indisputable evidence of the high quality of his workmanship.
As the outcome of his studies and observation, Mr. Mork has produced two inventions which, in their practical application and results, are of distinctive im- portance and have proven very successful in a commercial way. One is the Vassal furnace house heater, the superiority of which has been thoroughly demonstrated and for which there is now a large demand. The other is a Vassal Brooder stove, which has proven a boon to poultry hatcheries wherever used. This is acknowledged to be the latest perfection of gas-fired brooder stoves, being made of rust-resistant, pure galvanized steel, with a thermostatic control, guaranteed to be free of mechan- ical defects and to give satisfactory service, being thirty per cent more efficient than any other known make. Mr. Mork also handles a full line of the celebrated Mueller furnaces, which he buys from Milwaukee Wisconsin, in carload lots, and many of which he has installed in this locality.
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In 1905, In San Francisco, Mr. Mork was united in marriage to Miss Wenla Johnson, a native of Finland, and to them have been born five children, namely : Alice, who graduated from the University of California in 1927 and is now taking a post-graduate course in Spanish in that institution; Anne, who graduated from the Berkeley high school and is now attending business college; Walter, Jr., who graduated from junior high school and is now associated with his father; Evald, who is attending high school; and Aili, who is in the Burbank junior high school. Mr. Mork resides in a very comfortable and attractive home at 1037 First avenue, in which the spirit of hospitality and good cheer is always in evidence.
Mr. Mork is a democrat in his political views and has taken a deep interest in public affairs. In 1923, under the new city manager plan, he was elected a mem- ber of the city council, and in 1925 was reelected to a full four-year term. He is a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the Rotary Club, the Chamber of Commerce, and is president of the Finnish Brotherhood, a beneficial organization. He has always been a student and has but recently pursued a course in political economy, while his general knowledge covers a wide range of subjects. A good business man, public-spirited citizen and loyal friend, he has won and re- tains the confidence and respect of his fellowmen and is regarded as one of Ber- keley's substantial and dependable citizens.
CHRISTEN NICOLAISEN
Christen Nicolaisen, who, after many years of earnest and successful effort as a farmer and fruit raiser, is now living retired, is regarded as one of Hayward's best citizens, being a man of upright character and correct principles. He was born in Denmark in 1850 and is a son of Nicolai E. and Ellen Christensen. He was reared in his native land, where he secured a good public school education, and then, at the age of eighteen years, he embarked on a sailing vessel for the United States. He crossed the Isthmus of Panama and took boat to San Francisco.
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