History of Fresno 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, Volume II, Part 124

Author: Vandor, Paul E., 1858-
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company
Number of Pages: 1424

USA > California > Fresno County > History of Fresno 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, Volume II > Part 124

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HISTORY OF FRESNO COUNTY

May 6, 1888, arrived in Sacramento, and July 1 of the same year, in San Fran- cisco where she met Joseph Mouren whom she later married. Of this union five children have grown up: Agnes, Mrs. King of Fresno; Edmond, is mar- ried to Mootie Dearis and is a viticulturist and machinist in Fresno. He served in the United States Naval Reserve Force in the late war; Angele, died when in his nineteenth year; Joseph, Jr., is assisting his father in his ranching enterprise and is married to Carrie Williams; and Marguerite, is the wife of Harold Pratt of Coalinga.

Mr. Mouren was one of the organizers of the Growers National Bank of Fresno, being a member of the first board of directors. Fraternally, he is a member of Franco-American Lodge No. 207, I. O. O. F .; also of Tribe No. 54, I. O. R. M., both in San Francisco. Mrs. Mouren is a woman of much business ability and has been an able assistant to her husband in making the success they have achieved. Mr. Mouren is a trustee of Huron school district, serving for fifteen years, he is now clerk of the board. In politics he is a Democrat in national affairs.

CONRAD NILMEIER .- A prosperous and successful rancher and raisin grower of Fresno County, Conrad Nilmeier has reached an assured position in life solely through his own efforts and industry and his business sagacity. He was born near Saratov, on the Volga River, in Russia, September 7, 1877, where his father. Philip Nilmeier, was a grain farmer and lived in that 300- year-old German Colony in Russia. Philip married Mary Folmer, also born in Russia, and they became the parents of twelve children, nine born in Russia and three in California, and four of them now living: Peter, a rancher near Locan, Fresno County; Conrad, of this sketch; Adam, proprietor of the Liberty Garage on G Street, Fresno; and Mary, wife of Joe Forhan, of Fresno.

When Conrad was a lad of nine years he came with his parents to Cal- ifornia direct from Russia; seven Russian families, among them the Nil- meiers, landed at Fresno in 1887, and were the first Russian families to settle in Fresno County. The father worked as hod carrier for the old contractor, Joe Spinney, and carried a hod for the masons and also the plasterers in building the Hughes Hotel. He later engaged in the livery business in Fresno, and built up and became owner of the West Side Livery and Feed Stables, using fourteen lots and extensive barns and hitching sheds. Conrad had to work out, and started his business career as a delivery boy for the Fair crockery store, on Tulare Street, owned by Paul Borchardt; at sixteen he worked on the section for the Southern Pacific railway, continuing for two years. He attended a private night school in Fresno for six months while in his nineteenth year, and before that had only attended night schools; his education has largely been acquired through work, business and general reading.

When nineteen years old the young man began working in the livery stable for his father, and when twenty-four, after his marriage, he bought out the stock of horses and vehicles and rented the property, and ran the West Side Livery and Feed Stables for eight years; he began with twelve livery horses and quit in 1910 with sixty, while he fed and kept as many as 200 head of horses and was then running the largest livery and feed business in Fresno. While thus engaged, he looked forward to the time when he might own a ranch of his own, and in 1906 bought his present ranch ; the following year he borrowed money on the property and improved it to vines and trees ; comprising 160 acres, the property up to that time had been in grain field with the exception of sixty acres, which had been planted to Muscats (twenty acres), Thompson seedless, a like acreage, and the same to peaches. The balance Mr. Nilmeier has planted to raisin grapes and peaches, plums and apricots, and twelve and one-half acres to Malagas. He built a comfortable home, barns and other out-buildings necessary to the conduct of his ranch-

mrs. C. Nilmeier. I skilmeier

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ing operations, and has installed a pumping-plant with twenty-five horse- power engine and has laid 10,000 feet of cement pipe for irrigation purposes, making his ranch one of the most productive in the De Wolf district. In the summer of 1918 he sold eighty acres of the property to J. E. and A. M. Snook, retaining the half upon which his home and main improvements are located. Mr. Nilmeier perfected a process for bleaching and curing Thompson seed- less grapes which converts them into the quality known as the White Valen- cias, and this process he has kept up for ten years, curing 900 tons in that period. He has been very successful in his operations and helped organize and is a stockholder in the California Raisin Association, also in the peach, apricot and prune associations.

The marriage of Mr. Nilmeier, on November 20, 1900, united him with Miss Emma Schwab; her death occurred in 1908, leaving seven children ; Alexander, of Merced ; Minnie; Ora ; Alice ; Gertrude; Benjamin; Rosa died at four months. The second marriage of Mr. Nilmeier united him with Miss Annie Schwab, a sister of his first wife, born in Fresno, the daughter of Vin- cent Joseph and Minnie (Ziebarth) Schwab, who were married in Nebraska and came to California in 1889; they are now living retired in Fresno. By the second union there are two children: Theodore E., and Herbert P. Mr. and Mrs. Nilmeier are members of the German Lutheran Church of Fresno, and helped in the erection of the fine church building on L and Ventura streets. They are patriotic and loyal citizens of the county and aided in all the drives during the late war, as well as in other civic duties, doing their share toward the upbuilding of the community.

EMMONS WILLIAM HOUGHTON .- A California pioneer whose pro- nounced success on the Pacific Coast is but the natural sequence to his suc- cessful operations for years as an expert potato grower in Aroostook County, Maine, is Emmons William Houghton, who was born at Anson, Maine, on May 9, 1862, the son of William and Dorcas L. (Cutts), Houghton who were also born in that state.

In 1904, Mr. Houghton came to Soquel, Santa Cruz County, where he engaged in the mercantile business. In 1907 he came to Fresno County, in- tending merely to "look around;" but as has been the case with so many thousands of others, he liked the appearance of everything so well that he sold his business at Soquel and bought forty-five acres in the Roosevelt dis- trict, ten miles northwest of Fresno. Here he engaged in dairying, for which he also planted alfalfa ; and in the local dairy world he has been an aggressive and progressive competitor ever since. His ranch is under the Herndon Canal, which affords perfect irrigation, so that his alfalfa is full and rich, and his dairy products among the best anywhere marketed. He sunk a well fifty feet, which brings water to within twenty feet of the surface; and with a twenty-horse power engine, and an eight-inch pump, he has at his command a supply of from 1,600 to 2,000 gallons a minute.

At Soquel, Cal., Mr. Houghton was married to Mrs. Estella (Peck) Barber, a native of New York State, who came to California and to Santa Cruz when she was a child with her parents, and who came to have, by a former marriage, a son, L. N. Barber, a graduate of the department of law of the University of California and the well-known attorney at Fresno. By a former marriage, Mr. Houghton also has a son, Thomas, a farmer at Fort Fairfield, Maine.

Mr. Houghton is a member of the Odd Fellows, affiliated through the lodge at Soquel; and they are members of the Congregational Church. In national politics he is a Republican; and in local, non-partisan endeavor he has done his part for the betterment of the community by serving a term as school trustee of the Roosevelt district.

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HISTORY OF FRESNO COUNTY

H. G. ROHR .- Few branches of the builder's trade have made more progress during the past quarter of a century than that of the sheet-metal worker, and this progress is evidenced in the well-appointed shop of H. G. Rohr, known as the Standard Sheet Metal Works, the leader in its line in Fresno, and located at 2524 Tulare Street. It has long been known for strictly first-class work, and as one of the few places having the capacity to meet the demands of any development in construction or architecture.

Born in Germany, a land of accomplishment in technical fields, and in- heriting a natural bent for excellence in workmanship, Mr. Rohr first saw the light on March 1, 1867, and enjoyed the advantages of good elementary schools. When only sixteen, he came to America and early learned the trade of the sheet-metal worker in New York City, under conditions that put him in touch with, and made him master of the best American standards. He became a first-class journeyman, in demand by the best shops; and as a master mechanic came to the Coast just eighteen years ago.

Mr. Rohr established the Nevada Sheet Metal Works, at Reno, Nev., the first cornice manufacturing works in that state, building up the business to large proportions during a nine years' proprietorship. In 1917, Mr. Rohr came to Fresno, attracted by the building expansion, and having in mind the establishment of an ideal and thoroughly equipped shop, that he had planned in all its details. He soon advanced to the front rank among his competitors, and in June, 1917, he moved into his present place of business, and installed the most up-to-date machinery. From the start, his workmanship has given satisfaction, especially to those desirous of having only the best ; and now he steadily employs several skilled workmen.

Mr. Rohr is known and esteemed not only as a business-man, but also as a citizen who patriotically supports his city, state and nation, and as a neighbor who never loses an opportunity to perform deeds of kindness.

C. B. JENSEN .- Perhaps there is no county in this State, or in any other State for that matter, that produces so much per acre, yields such a high average and in such superior quality, and no county that nets the investor such magnificent returns, as Fresno County, the strength of Central Califor- nia, and the pride of the commonwealth:

The young man whose life-story we sketch is C. B. Jensen, and he is of the kind that make for success, and he is fast reaching that most coveted place. He owns and resides on a forty-acre ranch which he purchased in 1917; and whether it is worth while the reader may judge from what he has already gotten out of his investment. From fifteen acres he gathered thirty-two tons of raisins, and from the same amount of acreage he gathered twenty-nine tons of peaches. His profits netted him, for one season, the sum of $7,800.

Previous to coming to this ranch, Mr. Jensen for four years clerked in the Union National Bank of Fresno; so that, while he was mastering the problems of finance and getting a correct idea of what ranchers were doing, he was in no condition physically to compete with men hardened to that kind of labor, and his entrance into the horticultural field is all the more interest- ing. But Mr. Jensen came of good stock-the kind that "does things."

A native son, he was born in Fresno County in 1898. His father is Chris and his mother is Matilda Jensen of Selma. He was educated at Oleander, and graduated from the Washington Grammar School there. His parents, both natives of Denmark, migrated to this State and County, and are at pres- ent land-owners in and about Selma.

Five children were born to this couple, and three are now living. One of these is Martin Jensen, another is William, and a third is the subject of our sketch. Each one of these promising sons is engaged in agricultural pursuits, and each one is successful to a high degree.

JuroArriet

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HISTORY OF FRESNO COUNTY

PEDRO ARRIET .- A splendid example of perseverance which resulted in ultimate success is illustrated in the life history of Pedro Arriet, a resident of Fresno County since May 4, 1886. He was born at Cilveti, Navarra, on the line of Spain and France, May 13, 1864. His father, Miguel Arriet, born in Basses-Pyrenees, France, was a carpenter and builder, as well as a general farmer. He came of an old French family; he married Francisca Luperena, born in Navarra, Spain, who died in 1890, about forty-four years of age, while the father died at eighty-five years of age, in 1914.

Pedro is the second oldest of their family of eleven children, ten of whom are living. His educational advantages were limited for school was neglected in order that the children could help their parents on the farm. A desire to see the Pacific Coast-a country of which he had heard such glowing re- ports-led him to come to Fresno, Cal., where he arrived May 4, 1886. He obtained employment with Miguel Arburua, a sheep-man of Los Banos, re- maining with him for two and a half years. At the end of this period, in partnership with his brother, Angel, he bought a flock of sheep and ranged them in Fresno County. Their headquarters was in the vicinity of Huron and Coalinga and they continued harmoniously in business together for ten years, meeting with success. In 1900 they dissolved partnership and divided the flock, each taking his share. Pedro continued sheep growing and in 1901 he located a homestead of 160 acres on Cantua, where he built a residence and improved the place, sinking a well and made needed improvements. He raises some grain, but makes a specialty of raising sheep, having a large flock of well-bred sheep and is meeting with success.

Mr. Arriet was married in Fresno, August 31, 1903, being united with Miss Agustina Yturri, who was born at Mesquiriz, Navarra, Spain, where she was reared and educated in the local schools. She came to Fresno De- cember 15, 1902, and here met Mr. Arriet, their acquaintance resulting in their marriage the next year. They have one child living, a daughter Floren- cia, the pride of her parents.

Mr. and Mrs. Arriet are both very kind-hearted and generous and vie with each other in dispensing true Californian hospitality and it is a delight- ful pleasure to be entertained under their hospitable roof. Having been for- tunate in their stock-raising enterprise they do not hesitate lending a helping hand to others who have been less fortunate. A firm believer in protection for Americans, Mr. Arriet performs his civic duties as a Republican. Mr. Arriet is one of the original stockholders in the Growers' National Bank of Fresno.

CHARLES P. AVENELL .- Twelve miles south of Fresno on the Hanford branch of the Santa Fe system is the new and progressive raisin packing town of Monmouth, so named, by its founder and leading citizen, Charles P. Avenell, in honor of his native town, Monmouth, Ill. On his well-improved and productive farm of 320 acres known as the Willow Lake Ranch, enjoying all the comforts incident to a modern California country home Mr. and Mrs. Avenell, who was formerly Miss Bess Paul, and daughter, Alene, are living happily, among their friends and neighbors in what is rapidly becoming one of Fresno County's best raisin districts.

When Mr. Avenell first came to this place in 1903, there were only four persons who had vineyards or orchards. It was then mainly a cattle country, the water and grass being very good. The four who had ventured to plant vines and trees here before 1903 were: J. S. Paul; C. N. Rasmussen ; F. L. Bennetts and C. T. Ward. The Santa Fe railway had been built through, but there was no station house and no switch, here, at that time. Monmouth now has a large brick raisin packing plant belonging to the California Associated Raisin Company at this point, and is now (October 1919) engaged in packing a $2,000,000 crop of raisins, which in point of quality, particularly sweet- ness, are pronounced the best of any received at any of the receiving points of said company.

As a matter of historical interest it is well to review a few events in 112

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the progress of this growing town: The circumstance which brought Mr. Avenell here in 1903, was primarily the drouth of that year. - As will appear further on in this review Mr. Avenell, had been an extensive cattle raiser, feeder and dealer back in Illinois .- His son, R. L. Avenell, who now resides at Monmouth, Cal., had come out from Illinois to semi-tropic, Kern County, Cal., earlier in the year 1903, with 221 head of high grade short-horn heifers. The pastures in Kern County gave out and our subject started out in quest of a place where water and feed could be obtained. On viewing the land com- prising the present Willow Lake Ranch his experienced eye told him that this was the spot where he could keep his cattle alive, and finding the land for sale, he bought it and moved the cattle up immediately, in the fall of 1903.

He soon made the acquaintance of his neighbors and together they planned to have a switch built and a station established. Mr. Avenell bought an additional plot of fifty-five acres where the station now is located, in the fall of 1904. During the same year, 1904, he built the commodious bungalow living house and assisted by his son, planted the grove of eucalyptus trees, (now almost forest trees) and proceeded with one improvement after another, and with the help of neighbors succeeded in having the station established and the switch put in at Monmouth, in 1906. The first residence building was erected by Avenell in 1906, and Monmouth was laid out and platted by him in 1907. The store was built in 1908, and the United Presbyterian Church was built that year. Monmouth today has a store, containing the postoffice, a blacksmith-shop and garage, a resident doctor and a resident minister, and a large new packing house owned by the California Associated Raisin Com- pany ; an excellent grammar school with five teachers and 150 pupils; and a packing house for shipping green fruits. The last named institution was built as a cooperation packing house in 1912. In 1914 the California Associated Raisin Company rented it and began receiving raisins at this point. In 1916 the company built the first unit, a large two-story brick, of their packing- house and in 1919 added to it, more than doubling its capacity. Mr. Avenell has been a very active spirit in building up this new and promising town, and at seventy-five, is active as ever. Not only at Monmouth, but at Fowler as well, has Mr. Avenell's constructive ability been felt. He helped organize the First National Bank at Fowler and served on its directorate until the institu- tion was sold in 1914. He gave largely of his means and time in building the United Presbyterian Church in Fowler, where he resided for several years, and continues to be greatly interested in all matters pertaining to the well- being of his community.

This recitation of Mr. Avenell's good work in Fresno County, Cal., does not give one-half of his history however. Through abilities inherited from a line of strong and virile ancestors, by sheer force of merit, he acquired a competency in his native county of Warren, Ill.

Mr. Avenell has twice been married. His present wife is a daughter of J. S. Paul, and is a lady of splendid attainments. Mr. Avenell's first wife was also a most excellent lady. She accompanied Mr. Avenell on two of the four trips he made to California while living in Illinois, saw the land constituting the Willow Lake Ranch, and helped plan their future home here. She was very anxious to move out to California. While Mr. Avenell was out here busily engaged in preparing for the new home a telegram came calling him back to Illinois. After a short but severe illness she died, in March, 1904. Mr. Avenell was preceded to California by his two sons, namely, J. F. Avenell who engaged in the orange industry at Naranjo, Tulare County in 1902, and who later became the first cashier of the First National Bank at Fowler; and his second son, R. L. Avenell.

Mr. Avenell is an honored survivor of our gallant band of Union de- fenders in the Civil War, and the organizer of several banks, but his main life- work and business, however, is and has been that of a farmer and stockman.

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The soil and climate at Monmouth, Cal., is particularly favorable to the production of Thompson seedless and Muscat grapes as well as table grapes such as Malagas. Of the 320 acres comprising the Willow Lake Ranch 100 are now devoted to raisin and table grapes and peaches. But Mr. Avenell has not yet given up his interest in stock raising. He keeps 100 head of cattle on his ranch and now and then ships out a carload of live stock-to the San Francisco and Los Angeles markets.

Charles P. Avenell was born in Monmouth township, Warren County, Ill., February 8, 1845, a son of Thomas and Jane (Struthers) Avenell. Thomas Avenell was born in England, December 21, 1820, a son of Charles and Eliza Avenell, who, with their seven children came to Herkimer County, New York, whence in 1844 they removed to the vicinity of Mineral Point, Wis. Charles Avenell died in Iowa County, Wis., in 1877, aged ninety-two years, his wife dying at the same place in 1880. Thomas Avenell, the father of the subject of this sketch, began life as a poor boy. Came to Warren County, Ill., in 1841, where he bought eighty acres of improved land; this he sold in order to buy a larger farm of 160 acres in Monmouth township, in said county and farmed it successfully until his death, which occurred January, 1894, his wife, the mother of Charles P. Avenell, dying in 1884. She was born in Rockbridge County, Va., a daughter of William and Jane (Lindsay) Struthers, natives of Scotland, who settled in Virginia and later removed to Ohio where they both died. Mrs. Struthers' first husband was John Brown, who came with her to Warren County in 1836, and died there, in 1842, leaving two children, Rev. William Brown, formerly pastor, at Fowler, Cal., and Thomas Lindsay Brown, who was drowned in 1858. Thomas and Jane Avenell had children as follows: Charles P .; James S .; John B., who died in infancy and Elizabeth Jane, who married Conrad Albert. The father was married a second time to Jane Katharine Donahue who outlived him. Thomas Avenell became promi- nent as a farmer and stockman. He was an influential Republican and held several township offices.

Charles P. Avenell received a common school education and entered Mon- mouth College in 1862. In 1864 he enlisted in Company A, One Hundred Thirty-eight Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry. His regiment was mus- tered into the United States service at Quincy, Ill., and served in the Army of the West, being stationed at Fort Leavenworth, Kans., where Mr. Avenell did garrison duty, and helped guard prisoners until honorably discharged in October, 1864.

Returning to Monmouth township, Warren County, he began farming and became an extensive stock-raiser, stock-feeder and dealer. He became the owner of 1,820 acres of land there which he operated with success. In politics he has been a consistent Republican and in religion, an active and prominent member of the United Presbyterian Church. He was first married in his home township, June 6, 1866, to Miss Helen V. Law, who was born in Ohio, January 27, 1845, the daughter of James and Mary (Skinner) Law natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio respectively. Mr. Law was a prominent farmer and stockman. In 1855 he shipped the first carload of live-stock that ever left Monmouth by rail. Mr. Law died in 1884, while Mrs. Law died in December, 1899. Charles P. Avenell had four children by his first wife: Robert L .; Thomas William, who died in 1888, aged fifteen years; James Frank, and Helen J., who is the wife of H. P. Clark of Warren County, I11. Charles P. Avenell was elected to the board of supervisors from his township and served for several terms. He was a member of the building committee, who had in charge the erection of the Warren County Court House. He has been active in Grand Army circles, especially as a member of the George Crook Post No. 81, G. A. R. at Kirkwood, Ill. In 1874 he helped organize the Second National Bank at Monmouth and served as a director from the time of its organization as long as he continued to reside in the state of Illinois.

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ANTONE GEORGE SEQUEIRA .- A resident of Fresno County since 1874, Mr. Sequeira has taken part both in the development of its agricul- tural resources, and in the growth and advancement of the city of Fresno. He is one of the pioneer sheep men of this section and has achieved success in life through unremitting labor, and can truthfully be called a self-made man. Born in Pico, Azores Islands, January 5, 1856, Mr. Sequeira came, when but a mere lad, to make his fortune in the new world, arriving in Bos- ton, Mass., May 10, 1872. He soon found work on a farm, ten miles south of Providence, R. I. On October 17, 1874, he left New York City on a steamer bound for California, coming via Panama, and arrived in San Francisco on December 22 of that same year. He then came directly to Borden, in Fresno County, and secured his first employment with J. R. Jones, the sheep and cattle man, on his ranch on the San Joaquin River, near Millerton. Later he was engaged in building the flume of the Madera Flume and Lum- ber Company, which ran to Madera. In 1880 he bought 1,370 ewes from the elder Blasingame, one of the pioneer sheep men of the state, and that same year Mr. Sequeira located west of Fresno and engaged in the sheep business in partnership with Mr. Vanderlip. He finally engaged in the business on his own account and had as many as 6,200 sheep at one time, and was very successful.

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History of Fresno 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, Volume II, Part 124

Author: Vandor, Paul E., 1858- Publication date: 1919 Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company Number of Pages: 1424

Author: Vandor, Paul E., 1858-
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company
Number of Pages: 1424