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 129

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 129

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Mr. Serrano was married in Reno, Nev., March 9, 1909, being united with Besanta Cartago, also a native of Navarra, Spain, who came to Nevada in 1907. They have five interesting children: Florencio, Braulia, Manuella, Filippa, and Julia. Mr. Serrano is one of the original stockholders in the Growers National Bank of Fresno. Enterprising and progressive, Mr. and Mrs. Serrano are favorably known and well liked in their social circle.

ALBERT KEVORKIAN .- Although born many miles across land and sea from his present home, Albert Kevorkian has spent all of his mature years in Fresno County, and early proved his adaptability to the new environment. An extremely enterprising young rancher, he has amassed a comfortable for- tune in a few short years, and is now one of the leading individual viticulturists of the county. Born in Erzroom, Asia Minor, March 5, 1885, he is a son of Naz- arath and Shogot (Kazegian) Kevorkian, both natives of Erzroom. The father was a shoemaker in that country, and died there in 1901. After his death, the mother brought her children to California and settled in Fresno that same year. The children are as follows: Mary, Mrs. Ketchebishian; Rosa, Mrs. Mark- arian ; Satanig, Mrs. Hovsepian ; Albert; and Haig. All are living in Fresno County, as is also the mother, now aged seventy-six, who makes her home with her children.

Albert Kevorkian was reared in the city of Erzroom, a place of 150,000 population, and there received a good education in the local schools. He came to Fresno with the family in 1901. Being the eldest of the children, he imme- diately went to work to help his mother, and had opportunity for but one month's schooling in English, acquiring the new language by self-study. He secured work in the vineyards and orchards, helped plant the Markarian fig orchard, on Blackstone Avenue, and worked on other ranches. In 1907, with

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H. Hovsepian, he purchased sixty acres of land five miles west of Fresno and engaged in raising alfalfa and raisins. In 1909 his brother Haig bought the half interest from Mr. Hovsepian. The brothers continued operating the sixty-acre ranch for eight years, raising alfalfa and raisins. Their industry and good management may be judged by the fact that in 1917 the brothers sold their holdings, for which the original purchase price was $8,000, for the sum of $24,000. This they divided between themselves and dissolved partnership.

On July 15, 1917, Albert Kevorkian, together with his brother-in-law, H. Hovsepian, purchased the Sunnyside Vineyards, consisting of 380 acres, five miles east of Fresno, and engaged in viticulture on an extensive scale. Mr. Kevorkian, as manager of the property is giving it his entire time and attention. The ranch is one of the oldest producing vineyards of this section. The ship- ping grapes are of the Tokay, Emperor, Malaga, and Thompson seedless varie- ties. Fifteen acres of the ranch is in navel oranges bearing full crops, and the balance is in muscat raisin grapes.

The marriage of Mr. Kevorkian, which occurred in Fresno, February 17, 1912, united him with Miss Rose Ajemian, a native of New Jersey, but reared and educated in Fresno County from the age of ten years. Two children have been born to them, Edward and Florence. Mr. Kevorkian is a member of the California Associated Raisin Company. Full of energy and progressiveness, he has won success entirely through his own resources, and now ranks as one of the leading individual raisin growers of the county.

H. WILDERMUTH .- An experienced baker who, by close attention to business and the wants of his patrons, together with the help of his wife, has surrounded himself with many friends, all of whom have contributed to his prosperity, is H. Wildermuth, who had the good fortune to be converted in Germany, through the efforts of the Salvation Army, and is today, in his changed and improved condition, respected by everybody. He was born on September 4, 1882, the son of Jacob Wildermuth. a locksmith who died in Germany. He married Mina Seyter, who later came to America and died in Boston about three years ago. Jacob Wildermuth was a foreman in a factory for the making of builders' hardware, and was noted for the excel- lence of his workmanship.

The lad was sent to the usual schools of his native country, where he received a thorough grounding and a good preparation for the struggle with the great world about him, and he was brought up and in due time confirmed in the Lutheran Church. There were four sons and four daughters in the family, and he was the third child in the order of birth. When he was com- ing up to manhood, he served for two years in the Kaiser's army; but he did not like the experience, and that served as the last straw to induce him to leave Germany altogether and to push out alone to America.

He sailed from Hamburg to Boston on the trans-Atlantic liner Ivernia, and on December 14, 1905, landed at Boston. For six months he followed various lines of work, such as the making of ice cream, and after that was employed in bakeries. Toward the end of 1906 he decided to come West as far as the continent lay. In doing so he was the first of his family to reach California, and is now the only one of that group in the Golden State.

In December, therefore, of that year Mr. Wildermuth came to Pasadena and was engaged as a baker at the Hotel Raymond. At the end of the winter season, however, he removed to San Diego and for two years was with Frank Winter's bakery. While there, too, he was married to Miss Charlotte M. Priss, a native of Alsace-Lorraine, after which, in May, 1909, he came on to Porterville, where he was for four and a half years in business. He bought out the City Bakery, and when that grew too small, he erected a brick building in which he built up and conducted the Sanitary Bakery, operating both bakeries at the same time. The unavoidable obstacle of ill- health alone compelled him to sell out and abandon the enterprises.

Peter Rusconi

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Mr. Wildermuth next ranched near Los Angeles, and when he had recuperated, he returned to Pasadena and became a bakery foreman, in the Eureka Bakery on East Villa Street. For a year and a half he went north to Orland in Glenn County and worked in an almond orchard, where he ran a tractor and did general farm work. He next came back to Porterville, prospecting for a business opening, but in February, 1919, he opened his business at Kingsburg, convinced that this town offered, after all, the best possible inducements. He likes Kingsburg, and no wonder, for Kingsburg likes him, his work and products, and his general way of doing.

Mr. Wildermuth bought the corner property at Traber and Ash Streets, a lot about 36x130 feet in size, and there, established what is known as the Kingsburg Bakery. His principal brands are the Snowflake and the Purity breads. Part of his structure is a story and a half high, and he requires every square foot for his growing trade. He also has installed a soda fountain, and he dispenses ice cream.

Mr. and Mrs. Wildermuth are members. of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and there attend also their four children, Olga C., John H., Paul F. and Madaline E. Wildermuth.

PETER RUSCONI .- A dairyman of many years' experience on the West Side who was the first to make a success of intensive farming and dairying at San Joaquin is Peter Rusconi who was born at Sementina near Bel- linzona, Ticino, Switzerland, November 23, 1886, who comes of an old family in that prosperous canton. He is the oldest of four children born to Charles and Linda (Malendrini) Rusconi who are still living and farming in their native place. Peter is the only one of the family who migrated to the United States and was reared to the life of a farmer, receiving a good education in the schools of Switzerland. When eighteen years of age he came to Newman, Cal., in 1904. He was employed at farming and dairying for four years. Prov- ing himself so steady and adept at dairying his employer offered to lease him his place at Crows Landing which Mr. Rusconi accepted and he ran a dairy of seventy-five cows from 1908 till 1910.

Moving to Los Banos he bought a dairy herd and leased a 600-acre ranchi; 200 acres was in alfalfa and on the balance he raised grain. Here he ran a dairy of 100 head until 1915 when he disposed of the cows at auction sale and came to San Joaquin. He first bought sixty acres of raw land which he leveled, checked and sowed to alfalfa, and started the first dairy in this section. He purchased forty acres more and now has 100 acres improved with residence and farm buildings. January 1, 1919, he sold his dairy cows and rented the ranch. During this time, in September, 1918, he had leased the dairy from the San Joaquin Valley Farm & Land Company and ran both places until he rented his own. June 1, 1919, with a partner, Joseph Magini, he purchased the dairy and farm of sixty acres of alfalfa he was leasing and continues in the same line of business, his herd being composed of Holsteins. He built his residence in San Joaquin and also owns another residence as well as a store building there.

Mr. Rusconi was married in Modesto, October 10, 1908, to Elvira Moganti, born at Civio, Switzerland, and they have eight children: Alfred, Linda, Emil, Charles, Peter, Emma, Tillie and Mary.

Mr. Rusconi is a member of and a director of the First National Bank of San Joaquin; is a member of the San Joaquin Valley Milk Producers Association, and the Swiss Benevolent Society in San Francisco.

HENRY KERBER .- Another of those men of foreign birth who have found themselves in this land of America is Henry Kerber, who has made the most of his opportunities here. He was born in Russia, near Saratov, on the Volga River, August 13, 1871. His father was George, and his mother Marie Kerber. The father died in Russia at the age of forty-four years, in 1888, and the mother followed in 1889. There were two children, Henry and Katie, now the wife of Henry Spate, a rancher owning forty acres adjoining Mr. Kerber on the west. Henry Kerber was brought up on his father's farm

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in Russia, in the German-Russian colony. He learned mostly in the German schools, but spent three winters in Russian schools; and he can read, speak and write both the Russian and German languages. He is now learning the English language from his children, who are attending the public school in the Locan school district. This is a good country school, where three teachers are employed.

Henry Kerber was eighteen when his father died, and then was appren- ticed to the wagon-maker's trade, at which he served four years. This was at Stepnoia, Russia. After he came to Fresno he learned the carpenter's trade. With his family, Mr. Kerber came to America in 1900, and settled in the city of Fresno. His family consists of eight children: Marie, born in Russia, and Christina, Henry, Jr., Mollie, Lydia, Leah, George and Albert, were all born in Fresno County. For nine years Mr. Kerber applied himself to his trades, and his handiwork is found in many of the buildings around Fresno. He was frugal and saving, and nine years ago he bought the twenty-acre ranch where he now lives. He built.a good house on his ranch, together with the other necessary buildings and since he left Fresno nine years ago he has de- voted his time principally to farming and raising grapes. Some of his neigh- bors have been benefited by his knowledge of construction, as he has built their homes for them. Mrs. Kerber has proven herself a true helpmeet for her hus- band.

EUGENE P. THOME .- From sunny France have come so many of the most desirable of foreign settlers in California, bringing with them their beautiful French customs and a knowledge of things long developed, by generations of costly experience, their love of hard work, their frugality, their delight in innocent pastimes and their intense patriotism, founded in a natural devotion to their fatherland but culminating in the most loyal alle- giance to the land of their adoption.

Eugene P. Thome is a native of Gap, in the Hautes Alps, and the son of Eugene P. and Sophia (Eyraud) Thome, substantial farmer folk of that section, with such good connections that one of Mr. Thome's cousins is Father Daumas, the well-known priest of Los Banos; and on his father's farm he was reared, receiving what would always be considered there a good educa- tion. Desiring some kind of a handicraft, however, he did not follow the occu- pation of his father but learned the wagon-maker's trade at Gap.

When he approached manhood and became liable for military service, Mr. Thome not only responded to the call of the Government, as one would necessarily have to do, but he very cheerfully shouldered his rifle and stepped into the ranks. He joined the One Hundred Fortieth Regiment of In- fantry, and later enlisted with the Eleventh Hussars; and after having fully satisfied both the French authorities and his conscience, he received his honorable discharge and was mustered out as a sergeant.

In 1890, having crossed the ocean to America, he first came to California, and for a time he was busy at sheepraising and later at carpentering. But he soon began to follow viticulture, and after a while it became evident that that would be his forte. He secured a vineyard just east of Fresno, and there he worked for years.

Since selling that property he has had charge of a most desirable ranch known as the Park Vineyard on Ventura Avenue; and there he has been rais- ing with remarkable success both grapes and alfalfa. Working only according to the most approved methods, as handed down by valuable tradition corrected and fortified by the last word of science, Mr. Thome could hardly have failed to attain in time his enviable position of leadership.

Mr. Thome has become a member of the Foresters; he is also a member of the Druids, and where he is past officer and past district deputy. As a man a citizen, a member of local society, and a business man, Mr. Thome is repre- sentative and influential, and enjoys the honors and benefits that accompany such a desirable character and reputation.

Ils . Javiervidal

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PETER KOVACEVICH .- A young man of sterling worth, foresighted- ness and exceptional enterprise, who has become a successful and prominent broker and buyer of green and dried fruits, planning to make a specialty of figs and table grapes for eastern shipments, is Peter Kovacevich with offices at 108 Trust Company's Building, Fresno.

He is a native of Stari Grad, Dalmatia, Jugoslavia, born May 8, 1893, and attended public school in his native country. In his seventeenth year he came to California-in 1910-and joined his father, four brothers and two sisters in Fresno County. For three years he worked for salary for his older brother John Kovacevich, Jr., then, for a year he acted as his foreman, all the while gathering knowledge and experience sure to be of great service to him later.

In 1915 he started in business for himself, commencing to buy figs; the next year he dealt in figs, also in other fruits ; but in 1917 and 1918 he limited himself to figs, and bought on a large scale, purchasing 150 tons of figs. In 1919 he bought about 200 tons of figs and 2,000 tons of Malaga grapes for eastern markets as table fruit. The successful progress he made speaks for itself. While the great war was going on he bought liberally of Liberty Bonds and assisted personally and otherwise to his utmost in Red Cross work. As an able-bodied American, he was duly registered in the army draft-a fact that will always be a source of pride to him, for he was ready to respond if Uncle Sam had need of him; but he was not called and so had no chance to make the supreme sacrifice. During the war, he was very attentive to local Jugoslavic affairs, having contributed liberally to the national fund, and the old country policies of the Jugoslavic question on the Balkan Pen- insula.

V. KIRKORIAN .- People living in a country of persecution lose their initiative and become indifferent or discouraged, and many a man who under other environment might have been a credit to himself and his family, is un- able to contribute anything to the growth and progress of his community. Given an abiding-place in a world where he may feel that what he accumu- lates is his own, then the man in him is aroused, and he finds, like Mr. Kirko- rian, an incentive for the development of his faculties and the devotion of his energies to a worthy end. Mr. Kirkorian is a very enterprising Armenian, who is fast coming to the front in Fresno. He owns the Boston Grocery Store, the brick mill where "Bolghor" is made, and a fifty-acre ranch four miles east of Fresno.

Bolghor is the ancient Armenian cereal, and is fast coming into favor in this country. Mr. Kirkorian started its manufacture a few years ago, and the business prospered to such an extent that in 1917 he built a brick estab- lishment eighty-five by ninety-five feet in size, and this he uses exclusively in its manufacture. He uses only Sonora wheat of the best quality, and while the process of manufacture is largely secret it may be said that the wheat undergoes thorough fanning, screening and a system of sterilization by means of boiling and drying before it is pearled and ground. There are four grades : Pearled wheat, and Numbers One, Two and Three Bolghor. His product is sent to all quarters of the United States, and he is building up a great indus- try. He has now the largest mill and business of its kind in the country. The capacity is two tons of wheat per day, but the exigencies of war limited him to seventy-five tons per year. Before the war he used as high as 125 tons per year. The plant is certain to be one of the substantial concerns of Fresno.

Mr. Kirkorian was born at Moush, Armenia, Turkey, September 7, 1869. He was reared, baptized and confirmed in the Armenian Church. His father was a farmer, a grain and tobacco grower. His name was Mgerdich Kirko- rian, and he died when his son was twelve years of age. The mother was Sanam Ohornesian, who died in Turkey after her son had come to America, twenty-three years ago. He is the only one of the family now living.

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Mr. Kirkorian learned farming on his father's farm in Turkey. He en- tered the Armenian mission school at Bitlis, Turkey, a Congregational in- stitution, and there learned English, in addition to the Armenian and Turkish languages, which he also learned there. In 1892 he came to America, landing in New York. He found employment in factories in New Britain, Conn., and remained here for twelve years. During this time he married Miss Doshgohe Garabedian, who was educated in the girls' mission school at Bitlis, and they are the parents of seven children: Ardzroni, nicknamed "Arizona," works on the ranch ; Annie assists her father in the store. These two were born in Con- necticut. Then there are Ralph, Julia, Edward, Grace and Berger, born in California, who are in school. The family came to California in 1902, and settled in Fresno County. For one year Mr. Kirkorian was employed in do- ing farm work, and then came to Fresno and began his business career, first with a meat market. Afterwards he bought a fruit store, and finally entered into the manufacture of Bolghor. In this he uses electric power, furnished by the San Joaquin Light & Power Corporation. The plant has stone burrs, and a set of grinders, polishers and sifters.

In politics Mr. Kirkorian is a Democrat. He is a progressive, active man, interested in all the things that make for growth in character and environ- ment, and with his family, he occupies an important place in the community.

PETER M. PETERSEN .- Denmark has given to the United States many of her best citizens, men who have become very successful and influ- ential in the various sections in which they have located. California has received her share of these thrifty men among whom particular mention is made of Peter M. Petersen, proprietor of the Capital Creamery Company, located at 2030 Fresno Street, Fresno, Cal. He was born in Denmark in the vear 1877, and there he received a thorough education in the common and high schools of his community. His education was supplemented by a special course in farming and dairying, which he pursued in a college located at Copenhagen. For three years he was assistant professor in a dairy school located in Jutland, Denmark. When but a boy of nine years he began help- ing his father in the making of cheese and butter and he readily acquired a knowledge of the business. This practical experience, together with his schooling, was of great assistance to the young man and in his twentieth year he was made the manager of a Farmers Cooperative Creamery.

In 1903 Mr. Petersen's thoughts began to turn westward, no doubt due to the many glowing accounts he had heard and read concerning the many advantages the United States offered to young men of energy and ambition, particularly in the Pacific Coast States. Deciding to seek his fortune in Cal- ifornia, he came to Stockton, where he obtained a position as stationary engineer. Mr. Petersen having passed an examination as steam engineer before leaving Denmark. Later he moved to Dairyville, Ore., where he was manager of the Star Creamery Company. Afterwards he was located at San Francisco, Cal., where he was employed for a short time in the Golden State Creamery. His next position was with the Cooperative Creamery located at Laton, Fresno County, where he was engaged as a buttermaker. Later he was with the Farmers Cooperative Creamery at Riverdale, Fresno County, after which he located at McFarland, Kern County, where he managed the Farmers Cooperative Creamery for four years. After the termination of this engagement, Mr. Petersen started in business for himself at Stockton, Cal., where he established the Gold Medal Creamery, with a partner. Sub- sequently he sold his interest to his partner and accepted the position of manager of the Kerman Creamery, located at Kerman, Cal. On October 1, 1915, he arrived in Fresno, where he established the Capital Creamery at 1928 Fresno Street. The first plant was small in size, but through Mr. Petersen's splendid business management and honorable methods his business soon out- grew its initial quarters and the necessity of a larger building became im- perative. On October 15, 1916, one year and a few days since he launched

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his new business in Fresno, he moved into a new and up-to-date plant at 2030 Fresno Street. This large building is equipped with the latest machinery which makes possible the handling of 2,000 gallons of milk daily, and increases the daily output to 450 pounds of "Capital Creamery Butter," the brand by which his product is known, and which is rapidly increasing in popularity. Mr. Petersen is regarded as one of the best informed men in the creamery business in the San Joaquin Valley and his advice is frequently sought by dairymen from all sections.

Peter M. Petersen was united in marriage in Denmark, January 12, 1907, with Christina Williamsen, who is also a native of Denmark. Two children have blessed their home: Harry Albert and Carl P., both of whom are natives of California. Fraternally, Mr. Petersen is a member of the Danish Brotherhood and the Maccabees. He is a member of the Danish Church. Mr. Petersen is very public-spirited and is regarded as an enthusiastic booster of local enterprises and has often been called upon to help in the advance- ment of new and worthy projects.

I. E. DAVIS .- A worthy representative of a long-established American family, for generations identified with the East, who has come to associate his life with the development of California, is I. E. Davis, who was born near Marengo, Morrow County, Ohio, on June 21, 1856, the son of John Davis, who was also born in the same vicinity. His grandfather was Samuel Davis, and he removed from New York to Ohio. This journey he made on a raft he had constructed himself, onto which he loaded his family and his household goods ; he floated down the Monongahela to the Ohio River to Portsmouth, at which point he took a position as jailer for two years. At the time of the War of 1812, he went up the Scota River by raft, when men pulled it by hand, and then to Columbus, where he ran up to Delaware County and bought a small farm in heavy timber. He hewed a farm out of the wilderness, built a log house, sold it later and bought another farm three miles away. He improved it, and this farm I. E. Davis owned until just before he came away. The grandfather died there. John Davis, who became a prominent Republican, died on the same old place. He had married Annie Mosier, a native of Morrow County, and the daughter of Daniel Mosier, an early settler and a pioneer farmer, who also hewed a farm out of the woods. She died in Ohio, the mother of two children, one of whom, Daniel, is a well-known citizen of Morrow County.

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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 129

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