History of Contra Costa County, California; with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 66

Author: Munro-Fraser, J. P
Publication date: 1926
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1118

USA > California > Contra Costa County > History of Contra Costa County, California; with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 66

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BERNHARD SCHAPIRO .- It is probable that there is no other one man living today who has contributed as much toward the growth of Richmond and surrounding territory as has Bernhard Schapiro, the well- known and popular real estate operator of that city. Mr. Schapiro's dealings have always conformed to the highest ethical standards of his calling, and he has been a city and home builder in the truest sense. The honor and esteem in which he is held in his community are con- clusive evidence of the upright character of his transactions and his success has been entirely due to his extraordinary foresight, business in- tegrity, and constructive aggressiveness. He was born in Prussia on Jan- uary 11, 1865, the son of Elias Schapiro, a grain merchant and a native of Prussia who never came to America. The mother was Johanna Wakawsky, also of Prussia, and there were seven children in the family, four of whom died early in life. One brother, George, had a son Maurice, whom Bernhard Schapiro brought to America ; he later became one of the leading music composers and publishers of New York, the compositions issued by Schapiro & Company being popular among musi- cians all over the country.

Mr. Schapiro received his early education in the schools of his native country. Leaving home at the age of thirteen, he became an apprentice in a mercantile establishment of Eastern Prussia, remaining there for four years. From there he went to the manufacturing town of Lodz in Poland, a short distance from Warsaw. In 1886, at the age of twenty- one, he came to the United States, landing in Philadelphia, where he secured employment at four dollars per week and remained there for about a year. His next experience was had in the tobacco fields of Pennsylvania. He traveled for a while through the Southern States selling cigars, which he declares were as good as the ten-cent ones of the present day, for $10 per thousand-which would now sell for at least $60 per thousand. His home in Pennsylvania was among the "Pennsyl- vania Dutch," and he remembers them with much affection, and with appreciation for their teachings and for the training which they gave him. He became associated with the local minister, who taught him the spirit and ideals of Americanism, thus influencing his entire life. Finally he quit cigar-selling and went to Chicago, where he met an European oculist who traveled from Chicago to San Francisco, and he accompanied him as an assistant until 1893, when they settled in San Francisco and opened a

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small optical store. In connection with this Mr. Schapiro conducted a sheet music store, distributing the publications of his nephew, who had attained a notable success in the music world. In 1901 he came to the site of the present city of Richmond and engaged in the real estate busi- ness with McEwen Brothers, one of the very first subdividers of Rich- mond property. He remained with this concern one year, and then started in business on his own responsibility, forming a partnership with George Henley, the firm being known as Schapiro & Henley. Mr. Schapiro maintained an office in San Francisco and Mr. Henley had an office at Point Richmond, there being no town known as Richmond at that time. Mr. Schapiro erected the second building located on Macdon- ald avenue.

Then a most remarkable change took place. An auditor of the Standard Oil Company, a Mr. Gow, and associates, purchased twenty acres of land between Fifth and Sixth Streets. Mr. Schapiro was selected as general agent for this tract, which was known as the Richmond Park Tract. At that time the present city, from Ohio Street northward, was a ranch; the Santa Fe had its station at The Point, then called East Yard. In 1903 Mr. Schapiro formed the San Pablo Land Company, which sub- divided fifty acres; then he organized the Queen Land Company and subdivided the Sampson ranch land, then considered only a waste covered with morning glory plants. Joseph Grondana, a marketman in Oakland, paid $24,000 for sixty acres; and this he still owns, it being one of the richest garden plots in this section. It was about this time that Mr. Schapiro became associated with John Boquet, an old settler here. The next move was to buy the San Pablo Villa Tract of forty acres. In this he was associated with Messrs. Rheem and Dimm, and other men con- nected with the Standard Oil Company. Colonel Rheem built a street car line along Twenty-third Street out to this tract, which made the property more valuable. Mr. Schapiro next secured the Alvarado Tract, named in honor of H. V. Alvarado; and the next was the Schapiro Central Tract, lying to the south of the Alvarado property, and also on the car line. During this period he formed the East Richmond Land Company, Mr. Schapiro being the one who named the East Richmond section of the city. The purchase at that time was 1400 acres, extending from a line joining Mira Vista on the south and San Pablo Avenue, to the undivided property on top of the hill, thence north and east to Mc- Mahon's dairy. Again the street car line was extended to the entrance of Alvarado Park. In the meantime the 1400 acres had been subdivided, 400 acres into home lots and 1000 acres, together with 250 acres that had been added, for villa sites or acreage holdings; and the city bought forty-two acres for Alvarado Park, this being an idea conceived by Mr. Schapiro before his company bought the property.

In 1911 East Richmond was well established, and Mr. Schapiro made a trip to Europe. Upon his return he secured 450 acres, 100 acres on the south being set aside for a restricted section now known as Mira

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Vista. The East Richmond Heights Land Company (out of the 1400- acre deal) was formed, and it bought 125 acres extending from the Mira Vista line to Clinton Street, and this was subdivided into lots and villa sites. The company also bought 400 acres east of Mira Vista, near the Country Club property, and 500 unsold lots in Mira Vista.

In Martinez Mr. Schapiro bought 250 acres now known as the Mountain View Addition and built some 200 houses; and there are 400 families residing in this tract at this time. In developing this tract he was assisted by R. R. Veale and J. E. Rodgers. He also bought 5000 acres in the Sacramento Valley. This tract is now known as the Richfield Col- ony, and consists of twenty- and forty-acre farms. His associate in this deal was Louis Titus, former president of the People's Water Company. His next venture was 5000 acres near Tracy, now known as Tracy Gar- den Farms.

The outbreak of the World War caused a cessation of land buying, and all of these various companies became consolidated under the name of the Contra Costa Realty Company. In 1919 Mr. Schapiro organized the Bay City Home Builders Company and immediately began erecting houses in Mira Vista, and he is continuing active operations and making one of the finest residential districts in the East Bay district. He is president and manager of the Contra Costa Realty Company and also of the Bay Cities Home Builders. He also heads the Western Home Builders, for the construction of larger business houses, etc., and B. Schapiro & Company is an organization which handles the business inter- ests of a number of concerns, as well as for B. Schapiro personally.

On November 3, 1895, Mr. Schapiro was married to Miss Birdie Stern of San Francisco, daughter of A. Stern, a jeweler, and Sarah Stern. Both mother and father are now deceased. Children born from this union are: Esmond, a graduate of the University of California and now an attorney of San Francisco, associated with Jones & Doll; Zara, who attended the University of California and is now the wife of L. H. Shapiro, a successful San Francisco attorney; and Dorothea Schapiro, at home.

Mr. Schapiro is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, the Union League in San Francisco, and the Commonwealth and Press Clubs. He was also a charter member of the Berkeley Country Club, but no longer holds membership. Fraternally, he is a Scottish Rite Mason and a Shriner, and a member of the Elks. He is fond of hunting, fishing and swimming, and of other outdoor sports.

AUGUST FRED RIEMKE .- No citizen of Crockett has taken a more active and intelligent interest in building up an adequate fire de- partment for the protection of the property of its people than has August Fred Riemke, one of the trusted employees at the sugar refinery. He was born in Germany on August 15, 1877, the son of Herman and Minnie Riemke. His father was killed in a railroad accident, and in 1879 Mrs.

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Riemke brought her son to America. They landed in New York and there our subject attended the public schools and grew to manhood. He went to work at an early age, to buy his own clothes and to assist his mother, in Arbuckle Brothers sugar refinery and continued there in va- rious capacities until 1906. Coming that year to Crockett, Mr. Riemke entered the refinery as a sugar boiler, became head of the department and later apparatus inspector.

In 1907 he became connected with the fire department and served four years as chief of the Crockett Fire Department. During these years many changes were made, from a Ford truck to a modern La France engine costing $12,500; eight-inch water mains with six-inch hydrants installed; remodeling of the firehouse by popular subscription at cost of $700. Mr. Riemke worked with the Improvement Club for street lighting and street signs, and in getting a permanent place for the fire apparatus by the fire commissioners from the Salvation Army. This move was begun about eight years ago.

On January 3, 1905, Mr. Riemke and Miss Grace Virginia Gamble, of Brooklyn, N. Y., were united in marriage. She is the daughter of Henry Elder and Jennie (Allan) Gamble, the latter of Scotch descent. Her father was a newspaper man employed on the New York Tribune; he died in 1893 at the age of thirty-two. She has a brother who is in the recorder's office in Brooklyn. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Riemke; Grace Wilma, employed in the office of the C. & H .; Alice Genevieve, in the high school; Hazel Margaret, also in high school; Anna Florence and Allan Fred, in grammar school. Mr. Riemke be- longs to the Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias, in which he has held offices. He owns his own home and is satisfied with life in general. The family are held in high esteem by their neighbors and friends.

DAVID RAMPOLDI .- A leading business man and honorable cit- izen of Martinez, David Rampoldi owns some very valuable city prop- erty in the city of his adoption. A native of Italy, he was born in Genoa, on March 17, 1866, a son of Louis and Mary (Pezzolo) Rampoldi. Louis Rampoldi was a blacksmith by trade. In 1866 he came to America because of the better wages offered here to men of his ability. Landing in San Francisco he went from there to the mines in Amador and Tuo- lumne Counties, where he acquired some valuable mining claims. He had left his wife and children in Italy, and while he was away his wife died, when our subject was eleven years old, and the lad was reared thenceforth by his grandmother Pezzolo and an older brother. He at- tended the schools of his native city, making good use of the advantages offered him, and when he was old enough he made up his mind that he would seek his fortune in the United States. Bidding good-bye to friends and relatives, young Rampoldi embarked for the New World from Havre, France, and landed in New York City on March 21, 1886. He was headed for California, where his uncle, Peter Rampoldi, was running a market

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garden at Pacheco. Upon his arrival, however, he went to work in Ber- tola's winery and remained there for seven years, and later worked in Raffeto's Vegetable Gardens for six years. Saving what he could from his earnings, he was enabled to buy a tract of land near Martinez well suited for market gardening, and he threw himself into making the most of his purchase by hard and persistent effort. Continuing along these lines, he laid the foundation for his present prosperity and financial position. In 1916 he started in the grocery business at 500 Main Street, in his own building, dealing in staple, fancy, domestic and imported groceries; and here he has built up a large patronage by his honest dealings, by giving every one of his customers a square deal and courteous attention.

In 1901 Mr. Rampoldi made a trip back to Italy and was there mar- ried to Mary De Benedetti, and they returned to his home in Martinez. They had three sons : Louis, Henry and John. The wife and mother died of the flu at the age of thirty-five, mourned by all who knew her. The two oldest boys are proprietors of Rampoldi's Confectionery, also located at 500 Main Street, and are doing a good business. Mr. Rampoldi be- came a citizen of the United States in 1890, and is a Republican. He owns valuable residence and business property, and is a stockholder in the First National Bank of Martinez.

THOMAS J. PATTERSON .- The efficient superintendent of the steel foundry of the Columbia Steel Corporation at Pittsburg is Thomas J. Patterson, known to his intimates as "Tom" Patterson. He has been connected with this great corporation's plant since 1912, coming here on January 12 of that year to take the position of foreman of the store-keep- ing room under the superintendent of the foundry. So well did he acquit himself in the performance of his duties that in 1916 he was promoted to the superintendency of the foundry and has since held that responsible position. During the World War this corporation filled some of their largest contracts, and the foundry handled the largest castings ever poured getting out one set of upper and lower rudders for the United States Mer- chant Marine per day for the United States Shipping Board, which were sent to the various ship-building plants on the West Coast; also some cast- ings for battleships that were sent to Norfolk, Va., and to the Brooklyn Navy Yards, and that weighed approximately thirty tons. All of this was done under the personal supervision of Tom Patterson.

Tom Patterson was born in Eldred, Mckean County, Pa., on June 12, 1879, a son of Thomas Dan and Josephine (Dritzel) Patterson. The father was formerly a painter and decorator, but later in life worked in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, and is now boss painter at the Columbia Steel Corporation's plant in Pittsburg and active for his years. The mother of our subject died when he was but five years old. Tom attended the public schools in McKean County and served an apprenticeship to the blacksmith's trade. In January, 1903, he went to Depew, N. Y., and worked at the foundry business as a common laborer, remaining there until

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1912, during which time he rose to the position of foreman in the finishing department. He had 538 men under him. While there he was a co- laborer with Mr. Botsford, now managing director of the Columbia Steel Corporation, and it was through the influence of Mr. Botsford that Mr. Patterson came to Pittsburg.

Mr. Patterson was married at Depew, N. Y., May 16, 1907, to Miss Emma Liskoff, a native of New York State, and they have had four child- ren : Beatrice Louise, a student in the State Teachers' College in San Francisco; Thomas J. Jr., in the Pittsburg High School; D. Herbert; and Jack Albert. Mr. Patterson is a member of Pittsburg Lodge No. 429, F. & A. M .; Stockton Council No. 10, R. & S. M .; Antioch Chapter No. 65, R. A. M .; and of the Loyal Order of Moose, the Knights of Pythias, the Pittsburg Elks, and the Sciots. In politics he is a Republican. His motto is "Be a Man."

CASPER PEDERSEN .- Those sterling traits of character, honesty, integrity and thrift, so characteristic of the Danes, are exemplified in the life and business affairs of Casper Pedersen, the senior member of the firm of Pedersen Brothers, proprietors of the Pedersen Brothers' Planing Mill, Richmond, Cal. Casper Pedersen was born on December 23, 1882, at Ribe, Denmark, a son of Niels and Katherine Pedersen, farmer folks at Ribe, where they owned thirty acres. The family consisted of eight child- ren, seven now living, Casper being the oldest. The father died in 1921; Mrs. Pedersen, the mother, lives in Esbjerg, Denmark.

Casper Pedersen was reared at Ribe and attended the local school. While a youth he was apprenticed for four years to learn the trade of cabinet maker and mill worker. Realizing that America offered to young men of character and ability a greater degree of financial prosperity and independence than his native land, in his twenty-fourth year he sailed from Copenhagen for New York City, landing there on July 12, 1906. His first employment was secured in New Jersey, but he remained there only six months, and then migrated to California, arriving at Oak- land on December 1, 1906. In 1915 Mr. Pedersen located at Richmond, where he became mill foreman for J. A. Fagerstrom, the former owner of the mill now owned by the Pedersen Brothers. After he had held this responsible position for about three years, the Pedersen Brothers leased the mill for two years and then, in 1919, purchased the plant.

The firm of Pedersen Brothers is composed of Casper and his brother Peter; a third brother, Jannik, is employed in the mill. The Pedersen Brothers' Mill is noted for its excellent workmanship and especially for its fine quality and artistic designs in finishing lumber for interior work. This mill has contributed much to the development of the building indus- try of this vicinity, not only at Richmond but also in the towns and country throughout this section of the State. From among the many fine buildings that have been furnished with finishing lumber by this mill mention is made of the Winter's Building, California Market, Albert's Store, and the J. C.

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Penney Company at Richmond. Work from this mill has been shipped to Berkeley, Oakland, Santa Rosa, Alameda, San Rafael and even to San Francisco, where lately the New Mandarin Theatre was finished by the product of the Pedersen Brothers' Planing Mill of Richmond.

On November 30, 1907, Casper Pedersen was united in marriage with Miss Alice Jensen, and this union has been blessed with three children : Valborg, the wife of Charles Smith, of Alameda ; Axel; and Henry.

Casper's brother and business partner, Peter Pedersen, was born at Ribe, Denmark, February 10, 1888; his marriage occurred at Richmond, Cal., on February 9, 1920, when he was united with Miss Susan Petersen. They have had three children: Robert, Catharine, and Gertrude, who died in infancy.

Fraternally, Casper Pedersen is a member of Harbor Lodge No. 502, F. & A. M .; of the Richmond Sciots; and of Eclipse Lodge No. 403, 1. O. O. F .; and with his wife he is a member of the Acantha Eastern Star. He belongs to the Richmond Chamber of Commerce, the Lions Club, and the Contra Costa County Builders' Exchange. The Pedersen Brothers are enterprising and progressive business men, and lend their aid to those movements that are working for the betterment of Richmond's moral, educational, civic and financial interests.

FRANK C. SILVA .- From among the large number of employees of the F. E. Booth Cannery Company at Pittsburg, Cal., special men- tion is made of Frank C. Silva, a loyal, capable, and intelligent employee who has charge of the steam cooking of the great variety of products canned and shipped by this immense plant. This is a very responsible position and requires constant and intelligent attention.

Frank C. Silva is a native of the Island of Flores, one of the Azores group, where he first saw the light of day on June 12, 1877, as a son of Joseph and Anna Silva; he being the seventh child of a family of ten, eight of whom grew up. During his boyhood days Frank attended school and helped his father with the work on the farm, remaining at home until seventeen years of age. Following the example of many of his fellow countrymen, he then decided to see America, and sailed from Flores to New Bedford, Mass., where he arrived April 3, 1894. He secured em- ployment as a farm hand at Little Compton, R. I. There he remained three years and then went to Marlborough, Mass., and obtained employ- ment in a shoe factory, remaining there four years.

In 1901, at Providence, R. I., Mr. Silva became a naturalized citizen of the United States of America, after which he returned to his old home to visit his mother, his father having died after Frank left home. In 1902 he sailed again for America, this time landing on July 5 in New York City, whence he continued his journey to California, leaving the Southern Pacific Railroad train at a station known at that time as Corn- wall, but which today is Pittsburg. At first he worked for his brother William Silva, who farmed about 800 acres of the C. A. Hooper estate

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near Pittsburg. Desiring to get into business for himself, Frank Silva then engaged in growing asparagus near Oakley, but that season the San Joaquin River broke over its bounds and the high water overflowed the land and entirely destroyed the crop. Going to Pittsburg, then called Black Diamond, Mr. Silva found work with the Redwood Manufacturers Company, beginning as a laborer. His loyal service and intelligent efforts were rewarded by his being appointed foreman, which position he held the last two years he was with the company. In 1916 Frank Silva accepted a position with the F. E. Booth Cannery Company, at Pittsburg, which ranks among the largest canneries on the Pacific Coast and is said to be the second largest cannery of asparagus in the world. Being a very intelli- gent and industrious employee, Mr. Silva rose to the important post of fireman and cooker for this great industry. He has charge of generating the steam by means of which the various products are cooked and steril- ized. Among the various products canned by this plant are: asparagus, pears, peaches, apricots, plums and fish. Mr. Silva has a very responsible position, one requiring constant attention, and the company is to be con- gratulated that they have such an able and loyal employee to watch their interests at this vital point in the canning business.

LOUIS BECKMAN .- Although scarcely past middle age, Louis Beckman is a veteran railroad engineer with a certificate, recently granted, showing an honorable record of a quarter of a century of continuous faithful service for the Santa Fe Railway. He was one of the first arrivals in Point Richmond, at a time when it had nothing but a tentative boarding house and a few inhabitants that were sleeping in railroad cars. Mr. Beck- man also bears a record of never having had a serious accident during his years of service, and feels that the public is generous toward railway en- gineers. He states that when he started work here there was but one freight train to every four now, and the trains have been lengthened from thirty cars to sixty. Then there were three or four passenger coaches, where now they have twelve or fifteen to each limited train, this having been made possible by larger engines and better road-beds.

Mr. Beckman comments on the risk that many otherwise sane indi- viduals will take in crossing railroads, taking most hazardous chances with their lives. He mentions also that on one lap of his run there are seventy-eight crossings in a distance of twelve miles.

Mr. Beckman was born in Sweden on February 18, 1878, the son of Peter Beckman, a carpenter. At the age of ten, in 1888, he landed in New York, in care of his uncle, and they went on to Dubois, Pa. He re- ceived his education in the public schools there, and his first employment was in a power plant at the mines as a stationary engineer. In October, 1900, he came to Point Richmond and started to work for the Santa Fe as a fireman. In 1906 he was promoted to the position of engineer. He is a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, and belongs to the Masons and Elks. In politics he is a Republican.

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BROTHER Z. JOSEPH .- As head of De La Salle Institute of Martinez, and also of the San Francisco Province of the Order of Chris- tian Brothers and their several schools located on the Pacific Coast, Brother Joseph is carrying on a life work of far-reaching importance, and one which must leave a lasting imprint upon the future of the State. A native Californian himself, born in San Francisco on March 4, 1878. he attended the public schools of that city, and also Sacred Heart Col- lege and, later, St. Mary's College, receiving a most thorough training for his educational work.

De La Salle Institute is preeminently an educational institution, in which are imparted vital religious principles, and the curriculum of which embraces elementary, scientific and manual training for boys exclusively. Students are here trained for carrying on this wonderful work in the Order of the Christian Brothers. The school was founded in 1878 by Brother Justin, a conspicuous figure in the educational life of California, for he also established St. Mary's of Oakland; St. Joseph's of Berkeley; and Sacred Heart College, of San Francisco, in which city the Order also maintains the St. Peter's and Mission Dolores schools. The Christian Brothers have recently completed their new $200,000 school in Sacra- mento, and the "Christian Brothers High School" in Los Angeles. There are five Provinces of the Brothers, in all, in the United States, and three in Canada, with Brother Joseph at the head of the San Francisco Province, and with the aforementioned schools under his jurisdiction.

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History of Contra Costa County, California; with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 66

Author: Munro-Fraser, J. P Publication date: 1926 Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : Historic Record Co. Number of Pages: 1118

Author: Munro-Fraser, J. P
Publication date: 1926
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1118