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 130

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 130

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Brought up on a farm, I. E. Davis attended the public schools and when twenty-one began to farm for himself. He tried the home place for a while, and later bought that ranch. He then bought Grandfather Mosier's farm and went in for general farming. He also bought other farms and sold them again. The two he had longest, including the Mosier estate, he disposed of when he decided to come to California.

While in Ohio Mr. Davis married Miss Clara Davis, a native of Illinois, where she was born in Kankakee County ; and on account of her health, he sold his farm lands in 1910 and moved to Nunn, Colo. He bought a grocery store and ran the business for a year; but in 1911 he decided to move still farther West and came out to Fresno.

He bought five acres on Olive Avenue and ran it for a year ; and then he sold it and bought his present place of twenty acres on Blackstone Avenue five miles out of Fresno. Fourteen acres of his ranch are devoted to the growing of Muscat, Thompson seedless and Sultana grapes, and the balance of the acreage is in figs. He makes a specialty of the Calimyrna, and also raises the Capri figs, caprifying the same. He is a member of the California Associated Raisin Company and of the California Peach Growers, Inc.

Mrs. Davis, who was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, died on November 25, 1918, aged fifty-seven years, widely esteemed and beloved. Mr. Davis is a loyal Republican and a member of the Knights of Pythias, Lodge No. 216, Marengo, Ohio, wherein he has been identified thirty years.

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HISTORY OF FRESNO COUNTY

NILS A. ANDERSON .- A successful viticulturist, who has contributed to the upbuilding of the community and county, is Nils A. Anderson, a fine man personally, and having an equally attractive family. He was born in Umeo, Westerbottenland, Sweden, on November 19, 1871, the son of Anders Dalroth, who served his time, like a good patriot, in the Swedish army. Nils A. took the name of Anderson, grew up on a farm, and attended the public schools ; and when his father died, during the lad's fourteenth year, he con- tinued farming for a year, next worked in a saw-mill, and then was on a rail- road until he was twenty-one.

Arriving at maturity, Nils went with a regiment of infantry into the Swedish army, and after that put to sea in a Norwegian steam vessel, and for four years engaged in the coast trade. Twice he was wrecked, but each time survived. The first time the vessel was run down by a Holland steamer and sank in less than ten minutes, so that two were drowned; and Nils saved himself by swimming to the Holland boat. The second time, the boat struck a reef, but the vessel was eventually saved. After eighteen months more of service, following the second wreck, Mr. Anderson quit the sea and ran an engine in a brewery. In 1901, he went to Seattle, and on the second of May, of that year, to Tacoma, where he became engineer for a lumber company, and for nine years, off and on, followed that line of work. At other times, also, he worked at logging contracts.

In the Spring of 1910, Mr. Anderson returned for a four months' visit to his old home in Sweden; and coming back in January, 1911, on the Empress of Ireland (which was sunk a few years later at the mouth of the St. Lawrence River), he located at Vinland, in Fresno County, where he bought forty acres of improved ranch land, set out with Thompson seedless grapes and an orchard of peaches, which he kept up until 1917, when he sold out. Then he bought his present place of seventeen and a half acres on Madera Avenue, which has a vineyard of Thompson seedless and a good orchard. He built a comfortable residence there, and added other improvements, and became both a member and a stockholder in the California Associated Raisin Company and a member of the Peach Growers, Inc.

At Luleo, in Sweden, Mr. Anderson was married to Miss Caroline Wil- helmina Peterson, the daughter of Peter and Caroline Peterson, farmers at Umeo.

Mr. Anderson, who is loyal to the principles of the Republican party, is a member of the Swedish Lutheran Church at Vinland, where his wife is a leader in the Ladies' Aid Society. The worthy couple have three children, Roy, who is in the high school at Kerman ; and Elsie and Ebba.

GEORGE BAZTERRA .- If anyone hereabouts has a right to be proud of his many friends it is George Bazterra, proprietor of Hotel Bascongado, and a resident of California for over twenty-five years. He was born near Abaurrea, Acto, Spain, on November 28, 1875, the son of Jean Bazterra, a farmer, and his good wife Josephine, and was one of a family of nine children. In January, 1891, he came with his father to the Pacific Coast ; but the latter remained only four or five years, and then returned to Spain. Both parents are now dead; and the only other member of the family in California is George's sister, Eugenia, now Mrs. Frank Espitallier of Fresno.

Reared in Spain, where he attended the public school until he was four- teen years of age, George Bazterra came to the Coast as stated, crossing the ocean in 1890, sailing from Bordeaux to New Orleans and then coming to Los Angeles, where the Bazterra family arrived on January 6, 1891. He went to work on the San Joaquin ranch at fifteen dollars a month, and continued there for a couple of years. Then he entered the service of ranchers at Chino and Spadra ; but after working four years for a man in the latter place, his employer failed and he lost the wages long due him. He was young, healthy and cheerful, however, and so, with as much heartening philosophy as he could summon, he started anew.

Fred Kelson

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HISTORY OF FRESNO COUNTY

In 1898 Mr. Bazterra came to Fresno County and accepted a position with Miller & Lux, at Firebaugh, driving big teams in the grain fields for them for a couple of years. He was also at Kearney Rock, and then for an- other year in Firebaugh, after which he worked for M. Theo. Kearney at Kearney Park for over one year.

When he returned to Fresno, Mr. Bazterra became the proprietor of Ho- tel Bascongado, but soon after he bought a band of sheep at Los Banos, and ran them on leased land. After he sold out and left the sheep business, in which he had good success, he devoted himself solely to his hotel interests.

Mr. Bazterra was married to Mary Helena Ansolabehere, a French woman born in Hautes-pyrénées, and together they have enjoyed the social life of the community, and particularly of the circles of the Druids and the Eagles. Their home is the center of a warm hospitality, which is rewarded by the genuine goodwill of all who have the good fortune to know them.

FRED NELSON .- A man of great business acumen and financial ability, Fred Nelson is representative of the class of citizens who have made up the rank and file of Fresno's march toward prosperity, and who have reaped the benefits of their earlier struggles and have at the same time built up and developed the resources of the county. Born near Utica, N. Y., August 8, 1866, Mr. Nelson is the son of John and Christine (Steck) Nelson, both natives of Denmark, where the father was a brick and stone mason. They emigrated to America and in 1869 the family moved to Iowa, settling at St. Ansgar, Mitchell County. From there they moved up to Minnesota and set- tled on a farm at Clitherall, Otter Tail County, in 1877, and Fred attended the district schools of Iowa as well as Minnesota, and as a young man he helped turn the virgin sod of Minnesota.

When nineteen years old Mr. Nelson came to California; a brother, Charles Nelson, the jeweler at Fowler, had preceded him the year before and had settled at Oleander, Fresno County. After his arrival here Mr. Nelson began working on ranches and then ranched for himself, first renting the D. W. Parkhurst vineyard and orchard of 440 acres, at Fowler, and ran it for four years, from 1891 to 1896. His marriage occurred in the latter year, to Miss Mattie Donahoo, a native of Nevada, and he then began his upward climb. That year he purchased a ten-acre piece of land from the Parkhurst 1anch which was improved with a living-house and there the young couple started housekeeping.

Mr. Nelson ran a packing plant in conjunction with his ranching oper- ations on the Parkhurst ranch, and packed and shipped raisins, peaches and pears, making him one of the pioneer fruit packers in the county. Meeting with success in this, he bought the old Kutner warehouse at Fowler, and together with Paul H. Hutchinson he conducted the Fowler Fruit Company, packers and shippers of dried fruits and raisins. This enterprise the partners operated successfully until some years after the California Associated Raisin Company was organized, when Mr. Nelson became a stockholder in that company. He now has stock in both that organization and in the California Peach Growers, Inc., and is serving as a trustee in the latter. In 1919 he sold out his packing house at Fowler to the California Peach Growers, Inc., and his many other business interests leave him small time for individual oper- ations.

In 1912 Mr. Nelson organized the Fowler National Bank and became a director in the concern, and in 1915 the bank bought out the interests of the First National Bank of Fowler; they then consolidated the two, under the name of the First National Bank of Fowler and Mr. Nelson was made pres- ident of the new organization, which office he still holds. In 1919 he helped organize the Growers National Bank of Fresno and became its vice-president.

During their many years of residence in Fowler, Mr. and Mrs. Nelson took an active part in the growth of that town. Mr. Nelson built several

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HISTORY OF FRESNO COUNTY

residences and a brick business block, and was the main factor in bringing about the incorporation of Fowler, which occurred in 1905, and was elected its first Mayor, serving a four years' term. He helped to build the beautiful brick United Presbyterian Church there, at a cost of $30,000, of which he and his wife are members, and he served on the building committee during the time of its erection. While in the packing business, in 1915, Mr. Nelson emphasized his farsightedness in business by a coup which he executed dur- ing. the low price of raisins that season; he began buying and secured a "corner" on raisins, with the result that the price advanced from two and one-half cents to five cents per pound, and he made a profit for himself and also doubled the price to the producers.

In 1916 MIr. Nelson and his wife became residents of Fresno, and built a fine cement and stucco bungalow there for their home, at 619 North Van Ness Avenue. In the spring of 1919 Mr. Nelson formed a company and bought the James Madison ranch between Reedley and Dinuba, consisting of 520 acres and known as the "Sun Maid Ranch"; they paid a purchase price of $250,000 for the property, and in ninety days sold it for $375.000. Among other property Mr. Nelson owns a 150-acre peach orchard at Biola ; he also owns a twenty-five acre Thompson seedless vineyard two miles west of Fresno, and is otherwise interested in Fresno County realty.

In fraternal circles Mr. Nelson has taken a prominent part: he is a member of the Fresno lodge of Elks; and is a charter member of the I. O. O. F. at Fowler, in which order he is a Past Noble Grand, and served as president of the Odd Fellows Hall Association which built the Odd Fellows' Block in Fowler. Politically, he has done much to help advance the civic affairs of his district, and has served on the County Central Committee in the ranks of the Progressive Republican Party.

OLOF PEARSON .- A Swedish-American gentleman who, having emi- grated to America, is participating in the developing and upbuilding of the new commonwealth of California, is Olof Pearson, head of the firm of Pearson & Rosander, at Kingsburg. He was born at Carlshamn, Sweden, a city of seven thousand population, on the Baltic Sea, the son of Per Olson, a well-to-do farmer and landholder, who died when Olof was five years of age; he had married Hannah Johnson, and she passed away when the child was only three. He was thus left orphaned, with two sisters, both now married and in Sweden.

When the father died, the children were taken into the home of an aunt, a sister of Olof's mother, Cecilia Degerlund, whose husband conducted a shoe- maker's shop in the same city. Olof served an apprenticeship with him for five years, and became a competent shoemaker. At the same time, he attended the common schools. He was brought up in the Lutheran Church, and con- firmed at the age of fourteen.

At nineteen, Mr. Pearson came to America, sailing from Carlshamn, Sweden. on July 18, 1886, on the steamship Wisconsin of the Guion line, and landed at New York on August 22, 1886, after which he went to Minden, in Kearney County, Nebr., where he happened to have some acquaintances in the county seat. He worked at his trade for the first five or six months, and did not like it, for the great out-doors appealed to him more ; so he engaged with the B. & M. in Nebraska for a short time, and then became a clerk in the general merchandise store at Minden. He remained in Kearney County. Nebr., for twenty-six years, mastering American ways, founding his own for- tune and making many friends.

He was married at Keene, in that state on August 3, 1892, to Miss Mary Anderson. daughter of Charles F. Anderson. Mr. and Mrs. Pearson are the parents of three children: Pearl is now Mrs. Paul Paulson, and is employed in her father's store, while she resides at Kingsburg; Chester, who is also a clerk in that well-known establishment, was in the United States Army at

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Portland, Ore .; and Carl is in the United States Navy, which he joined in March, 1918, on the United States steamship "Matsonia."

In 1913 Mr. Pearson made his first visit to Patterson, Stanislaus County, having some land there; but after he had looked over the territory, he dis- posed of his holding and then came down to Fresno County, which appealed to him more. In the autumn he brought his family out to Kingsburg; and in the spring of 1914 he started in business, opening a general merchandise stock. After a year and a half, he sold out and went to Selma, where he entered the employ of S. H. Gill & Co., and took charge of the shoe depart- ment and gents' furnishings; and his successful management of that branch of the business added materially to the volume of trade and the number of friendly patrons of the house.

On March 5. 1919, Mr. Pearson bought out the business of Messrs. Brolin & Rosman, dealers in general merchandise, at Kingsburg, and at the same time took in R. A. Rosander as a partner. His wide experience and his equally fortunate knowledge of human nature and American commercial affairs, have enabled Mr. Pearson to make this concern one of the commercial bulwarks of Kingsburg. He also owns 160 acres in Furness County, Nebr.

Mr. and Mrs. Pearson and family are members of the Free Mission Church at Kingsburg, and for two years Mr. Pearson has been superintend- ent of the Sunday School. In national politics he is a Republican ; but his Republicanism stands first, last and all the time for the best of America for Americans, above party lines, and for the triumph of Prohibition and the outlawing of the liquor traffic.

JACK TOCCALINI .- Among the oldest residents of Arizona Colony Fresno County, is the well-known viticulturist and horticulturist, Jack Toc- calini, a native of Italy, born at Pavia, Lombardia, April 2, 1855. He was reared on a farm in his native land and received a good public school educa- tion, engaging in farming after reaching his majority. On August 14, 1883, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Sala, who was also a native of Pavia.

Believing that America offered better opportunities for ambitious and enterprising young men, Mr. Toccalini decided to seek his fortune in the Golden State; so, in 1885, he bid his family and native land adieu and sailed for the New World, eventually reaching Napa County, Cal., where he secured employment on ranches and vineyards. Afterwards he worked in the quick- silver mines in Pope Valley, and later on was employed by Tolls Brothers, in their sawmill in Placer County, where he remained for nine seasons. Dur- ing these years however he spent the winters in Fresno County, where he was employed on vineyards and orchards.

In 1893, Mr. Toccalini made a trip back to Italy to visit his family and look after his farm interests, which his wife had ably managed during his long absence. After spending twenty-two months in his native land, he re- turned to California, and to the sawmill where he had previously worked, re- maining there three years; but, as before, he spent his winters in Fresno County. After working one year in the Shaver mill, he leased his present place of twenty acres in Arizona Colony, in 1898; and three years later, having saved enough money, he purchased the ranch and devoted the place to raising peaches and raisins. In December, 1900, his wife and two children joined him on his California ranch, which was indeed a happy reunion. The family now consists of five children : John, a viticulturist in the Arizona Colony ; Henri- etta, now Mrs. Buscaglia, residing at Muscatel; Anna, Mrs. Pescarmona, of Merced; and Jennie and Rose, at home with their parents.

In 1918, Mr. Toccalini sold his ranch at a good profit, but intends to buy another place when a good opportunity presents itself. He is a member of both the California Associated Raisin Company and the California Peach Growers, Inc .. Politically, he is a strong Republican.

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HISTORY OF FRESNO COUNTY

JOHN AND LOUIS CUCUK .- John and Louis Cucuk are natives of Servia. John was born on June 27, 1880, and Louis on January 22, 1889. They are relatives, John being an uncle of Louis. Nature endowed these men with an abundance of health, and they have applied themselves in such a manner as to win success by their efforts.

John Cucuk came to Fresno County in 1903, Louis following a year or two later. After their arrival, they went to work with a will, finding em- ployment in raisin vineyards and learning every phase of the raisin industry thoroughly. They were frugal and saving, steady and industrious, and in 1914 they had between them enough to make the initial payment on a forty- acre raisin and fig ranch on North Avenue, in the Lone Star section, about nine miles southeast of Fresno. They have brought this place up to a high state of productivity. Ten acres of figs yielded a harvest worth $9,000 in 1918, and a larger return is looked for year by year. In the summer of 1918 their barn was burned, entailing a loss of $1,000, but they put up a better one than they lost, and also built a new tank house, garage and tray shed, spending about $3,500 in buildings. A very substantial country residence of solid brick adorns their ranch, and all of their buildings are in keeping with their habits of thorough and painstaking industry. So much has fortune favored them that they are now about out of debt. Their success is due to good business management and hard work. Meanwhile they have been ready to contribute to the relief of need wherever found, and have not forgotten to support the Government in the hour of trial. They are interested in the California Asso- ciated Raisin Company, and whatever makes for progress in the county finds a ready response from them.

JOHN I. PIMENTEL .- Among the successful men of Fresno who, by wise management and hard work have reached their enviable position of prosperity and influence, must be mentioned John I. Pimentel, proprietor of the Sunset Grocery at 3075 Tulare Avenue, Fresno, who was born in the balmy Azores on June 17, 1863, the son of John Pimentel, the pioneer who came to the Pacific Coast in the good old days when folks traveled by the long way around Cape Horn. He was for eight years mining in the Golden State and whaling on the Pacific Ocean; and then he returned to his native land.

In 1879, when he was sixteen years of age, the son John I. came to America, and settled in Boston, where for six years he was a book binder. Then he went to New Bedford and bought thirty acres of land near South Dartmouth, on which he raised fruit and garden truck. At the end of two years, he returned to Boston and for a year was porter in Foote & French's Bank on State Street.

While in Boston, Mr. Pimentel met T. C. Severance, and in 1887 he traveled to California and all over this state with him as his valet, remaining in his service for two years. Then, before the electric lines were built, he drove a horse car in Los Angeles for three years; after which he came to Fresno, in 1881, and was for a time employed by his brother.

He next took up a homestead of 160 acres one mile east of Friant (for- merly called Polasky), in Fresno County, and there raised turkeys, having some 2,500 of them ; when turkeys sold for only seven cents a pound. Taking a trip back to Boston, he worked for the Oriental Coffee Company for a season ; but getting sick, he decided to return to California and has since lived in the Golden State.

At first he rented thirty acres west of Fresno and went in for alfalfa raising ; but, as a ton of the product commanded only four dollars in Fresno, he gave up the undertaking and entered the employ of Alexander and Good- man, at the corner of Mariposa and Eye Streets, and there, for sixteen and a half years, he had the very responsible position of confidential clerk in their clothing store.

Juanita

Bidegaray

2. Bidegaray

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HISTORY OF FRESNO COUNTY

In 1910, Mr. Pimentel opened the Sunset Grocery on the east side of Tulare Avenue, near First, and was one of the first men to buy land and build in this district. He erected a seven-room house and grocery store, and he has steadily prospered. Mr. Pimentel is now a large owner of real estate in Fresno, and since he does not owe anybody a dollar, all of his property is free and clear.

Among Mr. Pimentel's choice holdings may be mentioned the following : three houses on Rasina Street ; four houses on Tulare Avenue ; one house on Effie Street ; one house on E Street; one house on Mary Street; four lots on Washington Avenue; two lots on O Street; and one house on Belmont Ave- nue. He bought the corner of First and Tulare Streets and built there a two- story business block which he rents.

Some years ago Mr. Pimentel married Maria Brazil of the Azores, by whom he has had three children : George B., and Lena, both attending Fresno high school ; and Daniel.

Mr. Pimentel is a charter member of the Eagles ; and is also a member of the I. D. E. S., the U. P. E. C., and the Owls. He was chairman of the Portu- guese Society on the Liberty Loan Drive and did good work among his fel- low-countrymen. He was selected a member ex-officio of the committee to represent Portugal for the big celebration of Britain Day, held in Fresno on December 7 and 8, 1918. He has been a notary public in Fresno for the past twenty years.

Public-spirited, progressive, a man who has given his children every advantage in education within his power, Mr. Pimentel is today one of the really representative citizens in his adopted county, Fresno.

DOMINGO BIDEGARAY .- Among the most hospitable and pleasant places in Fresno County, is the ranch home of Mr. and Mrs. Domingo Bide- garay who tender the most cordial welcome to the fortunate wayfarer that happens to come by their ranch. Mr. Bidegaray was born at Esterencuty. St. Jean Pied de Port, Basses Pyrenees, France, June 9, 1870, being the oldest of four children born to Pierre and Gracian (Granada) Bidegaray. The mother of the family died in 1878 when Domingo was only four years of age. Pierre Bidegaray raised the family while following general agricultural pur- suits and after the children had come to California, he also made the journey remaining four years with them, but the scenes of his childhood beckoned too strongly to him so he returned to his old home, where he is spending his last days surrounded by his old friends and scenes so dear to him.

Domingo, from a youth, helped his father on the farm and at the same time attended the local school as much as possible. Later he worked out for others to render his father still more assistance. He worked for a Mr. Etche- goin, who had a brother in Fresno County, and he naturally heard the favor- able reports sent back to France and so became greatly interested which resulted in his determination to also try his fortune on the Pacific Coast. Arriving in Fresno in October, 1890, he found employment with William Etchegoin, a sheep-man on the West Side and for a year worked within sight of his present ranch. He continued working for others and the wages due him had accumulated but on account of the dry and hard years of 1897-98 many stockmen failed and he lost his wages. He continued working, this time with a determination that as soon as he had enough money he would engage in business for himself and not take chances on others' success or failure, for he might as well win or lose on his own account. It will be seen that there was no such word as fail in Domingo Bidegaray's vocabulary.

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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 130

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