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 132

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 132

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HISTORY OF FRESNO COUNTY

Mr. Poulsen also joined the gold-seekers and went to the frozen North. In 1907 he sailed for Alaska, and from June to October, 1908, he was at Nome. He worked for the Sunset Mining Company and other smaller concerns, bought and ran a water business, and in November, 1909, sold out and came south again. Just prior to this experience, he had revisited Denmark and there met Jess Andersen, elsewhere referred to in this work, and on his return to Fresno County he followed him, Mr. Andersen being then married to his sister.

In January, 1910, Mr. Poulsen returned to California, and on November 23 of the following year he married Kristina Jensen, who came from Ribe, where she was born, to California, the year before. Two children have blessed this happy union: Agnes Marie, and Hans Hansen. Now snugly settled on the twenty-acre tract that he owns in the Danish Colony, Morten looks back with more satisfaction than regret on his hard work at sea, which extended through twelve years, as a seaman and marine. During the first three years he fished mostly in the North Sea, the Shetland Islands, and at Iceland, and is enthusiastic when he relates the sporting side of the fisherman's life there.

Mr. Poulsen was chosen president of the Danish Brotherhood, organized for the district two miles west of Parlier, in January, 1918; and he is a mem- ber of the Danish Lutheran Church, three miles west of Parlier, and an ex- member of its board of trustees. Mr. Poulsen is an Al sort of citizen; and the same measure of esteem and good-will is bestowed upon his wife and children, as upon himself.

JES HANSEN .- Denmark has given to the United States many of her best citizens, men who have become very successful and influential in the various localities in which they have settled. California has received her share of these thrifty men and they have adapted themselves to their new surroundings and greatly aided in the upbuilding of the horticultural, viti- cultural and agricultural interests of Fresno County.

Jes Hansen, the subject of this sketch, is a native of Slesvig, Denmark, born February 5, 1853, a son of Nis Hansen, who, when last heard from, is still living in Denmark, at the advanced age of eighty-three years. The mother of Jes Hansen was, in maidenhood, Karen Jacobsen and she was the mother of three children, Jes being the only son and the oldest child. He was reared on a farm in Denmark and attended the public schools of his native country. Determined to get away from the Prussian military oppression to which his native province was subjected after the war of 1864, Jes went to Denmark in 1870, remaining there until 1875 when he migrated to America, landing at New York City, from which place he continued his journey by vessel to Panama. After crossing the Isthmus he sailed to San Francisco where he landed July 8, 1875. He secured employment on Sherman Island where he worked on a farm until January 1, 1876. He next engaged in the fishing business, with partners, and they fished for salmon in the Sacramento River for eight months of the year, during the salmon season, and in the summertime Jes was employed in ranch work. This work he followed for four years and was quite successful in his enterprise.

In 1878 he purchased twenty acres in Washington Colony, Fresno County, and in November, 1879, located upon his ranch. With his charac- teristic enterprise Jes began to improve his place by planting an orchard, vineyard and alfalfa. He remained on this place until 1888 when he rented it and went to the west side of the county where he homesteaded 160 acres three miles east of Huron. Jes Hansen improved this ranch, secured his deed for the place and followed farming there until 1893. Afterwards he removed to San Luis Obispo County where he engaged in grain farming east of Creston, but dry years, with their natural sequence, poor crops, pre- cluded his making a success in that undertaking, so he moved in 1898 to a place near to Paso Robles, on the Huero Huero where he leased land, followed farming, ran a combined harvester and in this way succeeded in

Les Hanson

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HISTORY OF FRESNO COUNTY

getting another start. Jes Hansen then began to think of his prosperous days in Fresno County and longed to return there which he did in 1904, when he purchased twenty acres of his present ranch, which at that time was raw land. He soon improved the land and planted vines and trees, later purchasing twenty acres adjoining and today his highly cultivated ranch of forty acres on Pierce Avenue includes fifteen acres in peaches, a vineyard of twenty acres and five acres of alfalfa.

In 1883, Jes Hansen was united in marriage with Mary Mortensen, a native of Jylland, Denmark; the ceremony being solemnized in the Wash- ington Colony, Fresno County. This union has been blessed with six chil- dren: John, is a farmer in the Roosevelt district; Mary, is now the wife of Kelly Cole, who is in active service in the United States Navy, stationed in South American waters, while Mrs. Cole makes her home at San Pedro; Martin and Charles are both serving with the United States Army in France ; Annie and Carrie are both living at San Pedro.

Religiously, Mr. Hansen is a member of the Lutheran Church and in politics supports the Republican ticket. He is a stockholder and member of both the California Peach Growers, Inc., and the California Associated Raisin Company. Mr. Hansen is especially interested in advancing the edu- cational interests of the community which he has manifested by serving as school trustee of Mckinley district, having been a member of the board when the new school house was built. He planted the trees around the school yard, looked after their care and to him are due the thanks of the children and students of the district for the large trees that beautify the grounds today.

L. ROY PAYNE .- The opportunities for business growth and financial development presented by the city of Fresno have strongly appealed to the am- bitions of a few men who were destined to make their way in the business world, and who, by their strength of character and conservative judgment, have aided in building the superstructure of the commonwealth's growth and prosperity upon a secure and permanent foundation. Such a man is L. R. Payne, who has had much to do with the raisin-growing and packing industry of the San Joaquin Valley and is recognized as the pioneer member of the California Associated Raisin Company. He was born on January 31, 1876, at Clyde, Allegan County, Mich., a son of John H. and Cecelia (Askins) Payne, natives of England and Allegan County, Mich., respectively. John H. Payne came with his father to the United States, settled in Michigan, where he grew up on a farm and later engaged in the insurance business. He died in Michigan at the age of seventy-eight years. Mrs. Payne is a daughter of a Pennsylvania farmer who was a pioneer of Michi- gan. She is living in Fresno. There were four sons and one daughter in the Payne family, two sons are now deceased.

Roy Payne, as he is familiarly called by his friends, spent his boyhood in Allegan County, meanwhile attending the grammar and high schools in Vicks- burg, that state. He finished his education in Kalamazoo College, graduating in 1892, after which he became a bookkeeper at Sturgis, Mich., where he remained until he accepted a position with the Producers' Fruit Company at Fresno. He remained with this concern for sometime and became familiar with the industry, then accepted a similar position with the Fresno Home Packing Company. By steady application to business he gradually worked his way to the front and soon was able to purchase an interest in the plant. This was in 1898, at which time he was elected a member of the board of directors and was made secretary. In 1902 he was elected vice-president and made outside manager, having charge of all outside packing interests. This company owned the first seeded-raisin packing plant in the San Joaquin Valley, built up a lucrative business and established several branch houses. In 1902 there was a consolidation of five independent packing houses, the concern being known as the Pacific Coast Seeded-Raisin Com- pany, and was the largest shipper of raisins in the state. The buildings erected by the company were some of the largest in the state used for that purpose and 115

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were fitted with the most modern machinery, labor-saving devices and nowhere in the world was there a more modern plant of like character. Mr. Payne devoted his entire time to the upbuilding of the company until 1913, when an organization was effected whereby this and many other packing plants in the San Joaquin Valley were taken over by the California Associated Raisin Company, and Mr. Payne assumed a very responsible position with the new concern, holding it until in February, 1919, when he was advanced to the position of operating manager. The duties of his position are educational for the grower, with whom Mr. Payne advises as to the best methods to be applied to get the best results and to stand- ardize the output of Sun-Maid Raisins. He also settles all the difficulties that arise with the growers, passes on the quality of his raisins, in fact takes the crop from the grower to the packing house. When it is taken into consideration that there are some 9,000 growers in the organization it will be seen that his position is one that require a perfect knowledge of the industry in all its branches and the ability, tact and skill to manage men. The California Associated Raisin Company is one of the largest of its kind in the world and Mr. Payne is exerting a strong influence towards making the business a success.

L. R. Payne was united in marriage at Oakland, December 19, 1901, with Miss Della M. Hodges, a native of California and the daughter of I. A. Hodges, a pioneer of Fresno County. Of this union two children have been born, Marian Frances and Dorothy. Mr. Payne was made a Mason in Fresno Lodge No. 247, F. & A. M., belongs to Trigo Chapter No. 69, R. A. M., Fresno Commandery No. 29, K. T., Fresno Lodge of Perfection, and Islam Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. He is one of the honorary members of the Fresno Chamber of Commerce and was a member of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commmittee. He installed the ex- hibit for the California Associated Raisin Company at the Panama-Pacific Inter- national Exposition in San Francisco, and this exhibit took the Grand Prize. He is a member of the Sequoia, Commercial and Sunnyside Country Clubs in Fresno. All projects for the upbuilding of Fresno County have his active co-oper- ation and he is recognized as a prominent man of affairs throughout the San Joaquin Valley.

REV. E. MOLLOY, C. S. S. R .- A learned, benevolent and distinguished representative of the Roman Catholic clergy, who occupies an honored position in the religious life of Fresno and Fresno County, is the Rev. E. Malloy, the be- loved head of St. Alphonsus Church, parish school and convent at Fresno.

He was born in Newfoundland on November 13, 1881, and his father, John Molloy, was likewise a native of that picturesque and historic region. He taught school for thirty years at Gussett's Cove, Conception Bay, and his memory, as that of a model schoolmaster, is still revered there. The mother was Charlotte Murphy before her marriage, and she was also a native of Newfoundland. John Molloy and his wife had seven children-six boys and a girl-six of whom grew to maturity ; and four of the sons and the daughter are still living. In 1901, the parents moved to Boston, and there, in February, 1918, the father died at the age of eighty-six years. He was an exceptionally mild and modest man, full of love and benevolence ; and he continued to be called "the Master" unto the day of his death. Mrs. Molloy is still living, eighty-eight years old.

Reverend Molloy commenced his studies under his father, then at Sarsfield school, in Montreal, where he was graduated, after which he entered the Loyola Jesuit College on Richmond Street, Montreal, in 1896, where he started his classics and continued until June, 1898. That fall he entered the Redemptorist Junior Seminary at Kirkwood, near St. Louis, Mo., and in June, 1900, was gradu- ated from the classical course. After fifteen months of novitiate at the Redemp- torist Novitiate at Kansas City, Mo., he was duly professed on August 15, 1902, whereupon he entered the higher Redemptorist Seminary at De Soto, Mo., and there pursued courses in philosophy, dogmatic and moral theology. On May 20, 1908, he was ordained in St. Alphonsus Church, St. Louis, by Rt. Rev. Arch- bishop Glennon, when he spent another eighteen months in the further study of theology and special preparation for the Missions.

Carl Christian

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HISTORY OF FRESNO COUNTY

On November 11, 1909, Father Molloy arrived in California and became an assistant to Father Henry Weber, who built St. Alphonsus' Church, and the Parish House at Fresno; and in 1915 Father Molloy succeeded him as Superior and Rector. The Church owns two blocks of land, 300x375 feet in size on Kearney Avenue and Trinity Street upon which the Church Parish House and School are located, while the Sisters' Convent is in the block to the east. The object of the future is to make this an educational center and the plan is to build a Boys' College and Boarding School.

In 1916, Father Molloy built St. Alphonsus' School, where instruction is given in the eight grammar school grades, and a business or commercial course as well as a musical course is provided. The teachers are Sisters of the Order of the Holy Cross, and are graduated from the University of Indiana, at Notre Dame. The Sisters' Convent was founded at the same time that the school was started by Father Molloy. Connected with the St. Alphonsus charge are the two outside missions of Clovis and Sanger, both in Fresno County, and to carry on this work nine priests and two lay brothers reside at the Parish House of St. Alphonsus. They also give Missions in various sections of California, Nevada and Arizona.

During the late War drives, Father Molloy was one of the "Four-Minute Speakers" working under the direction of the Committee on Public Information at Washington, and being popular, as a devoted citizen of Fresno, his influence in the arousing and sustaining of patriotic, unselfish sentiment was potent. He was only perpetuating a tradition of the Molloy family, however, for his grand- parents were known, with their families, as among the sturdiest and most loyal of Newfoundland pioneers.

CARL CHRISTIAN .- A very energetic and enterprising resident of Fresno County who has made a success of viticulture and horticulture and made an estimable place for himself in the community is Carl Christian who was born on the Volga River in Tarlikofka, Samara, Russia, April 24, 1880. The youngest of nine children born to Phillip and Marie Catherine (Rinehart) Christian who reared their family on a farm and are still living and engaged in husbandry in that country. Carl received a good education in the local schools and at the same time learned to farm. After his school days were over he was apprenticed at the bricklayer's trade, working at it during the summer, while winters he worked at the shoemaker's trade, becoming an experienced workman in both lines and followed these trades until twenty-one years of age, then he entered the Russian Army serving in a cavalry regiment stationed at Keifskibolk, Russia. This was during the Russo-Japanese war, his regiment being used to suppress a local revo- lution in which some of the soldiers had joined the Revolutionary party. In the engagements that followed Mr. Christian was twice wounded. After serving five years and five months he was honorably discharged as a non-commissioned officer, returning home in December, 1906. In January, 1907, he was married to Miss Mary Bideen, and in March, 1907, they started for Fresno, arriving here May 16, 1907.

In October of the same year he purchased a twenty-acre ranch on Jensen Avenue near the Highland school. This he improved from raw land to a vine- yard of Muscat and Thompson seedless raisins as well as a peach orchard. Bringing it to a high state of cultivation he sold it four years later at a good profit. He then resided in Fresno and contracted for curing peaches during the season and also working at the bricklayer's trade until he purchased fifty acres in Kutner Colony devoted to vineyard and orchard, selling it two years later at a very satisfactory advance. Mr. Christian then purchased twenty-eight acres also in the Kutner Colony devoted to vineyard and two years later also sold this at a good advance. Next he leased a ranch on Olive Avenue, near Fresno, for a year and then purchased a 100-acre ranch in Gray Colony, setting a part to vineyard and also leased land and raised grain. A year later he sold this ranch more than doubling his money. Mr. and Mrs. Christian have one son, Phillip.

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They are members of the Free Cross Lutheran Church, Mr. Christian having been a member of its Board of Trustees. He is a stockholder in the California Associated Raisin Company as well as the California Peach Growers, Inc. He is an original stockholder in the California Post, a weekly newspaper in Fresno. He performs his civic duties as a Republican.

JOHN J. and HENRY N. MERCY .- The name of Mercy is closely associated with the development of the West Side, the present representatives of the family being John J. and Henry N. Mercy, who are both well and favorably known. Their father, John N., was born in Lorraine, France, and came to San Francisco, Cal., in 1849. He mined in the Sierras, ran a bakery in San Juan, then farmed in Napa County, after which he located in Gilroy. In 1861 he started in sheep-raising with 300 Mexican sheep, driving them over Pacheco Pass into the San Joaquin Valley. In 1863 he moved his family to the Little Penoche Creek, Fresno County, where he took a preemption and also a home- stead. He increased his flocks and as he prospered he purchased land. However. he had losses as well as gains. In 1877, the dry year, he took 11,800 head of sheep to the Sierras and returned with only 1,800 head. In 1871 he discovered the Little Penoche Quick Silver mine, opened it up and formed a company and operated it. He also developed another cinnabar mine on his own account. He be- came owner of 12,000 acres of land. He was paralyzed and was a total invalid for nineteen years and eleven months, until his death, 1899. He was married in San Jose, Cal., to Mariana Ekert, born in Alsace, who came to California in pioneer days; her demise occurred at the old Mercy home about twelve years ago. She was the mother of three children: Albert, died at the age of fourteen ; John Joseph and Henry N., are the subjects of this article. John Joseph was born in San Francisco, October 11, 1861, coming to the Little Penoche when he was but two years of age. He attended Golden Gate Academy in Oak- land and St. Mary's College in San Francisco, and then the Gilroy High School. where he was graduated.

After his graduation he entered heartily into sheep growing, and when his father became an invalid, with his brother, Henry, took charge of the place and have since then given it their undivided time. In early days a Yaki Indian sheepherder, Francisco Sanava, discovered a spring in the canyon and told their father of it ; he dug a hole and the deeper they dug the warmed the water, so the father put a box in for bathing in the hot water as it came from the earth. Later on they dug it deeper to obtain more water for large flocks and found the water still hotter. John J. homesteaded the 160 acres on which the spring was located and obtained a title. People were attracted by the bathing and the water and found it had great curative and medicinal properties particularly for rheuma- tism, stomach trouble and sores and Mercy Mineral Hot Springs became popu- lar. While they owned it the water was not only free but the bathing was free. However, the Mercy's finally decided the exploitation of the springs was out of their line so they sold it, so that the water and benefits might be obtained to a: greater extent by the public. The Mercy ranch extends about six miles along the Little Penoche Creek and is an excellent stock ranch. About twenty years ago they sold their sheep and have since been engaged in raising cattle, their brand, J and H combined, being well known. They have installed four pumping plants which they use in irrigating alfalfa.

John J. Mercy was married in Hollister in 1885 to Lorana Witter, born in Calaveras County, the daughter of Chester R. and Nancy (Skaggs) Witter, born in Brodhead, Wis., and St. Louis, Mo., respectively. Mr. Witter was also a forty-niner. Mr. and Mrs. John J. Mercy have three children: Irma, Mrs. Burge of Little Penoche; Alta, Mrs. Trowbridge of Los Angeles; and William who assists his father. Henry N. Mercy was born in Napa County, July 4, 1863, and was brought to the Little Penoche when a babe. When of school age he went to San Francisco, studying at St. Mary's Academy, San Francisco, and the Golden Gate Academy. After completing his education he went to work with

Nicolai Tetenieri

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HISTORY OF FRESNO COUNTY

his father on the ranch. The brothers remember the desperadoes T. Vasques and John Mason and how they tried to trade horses with the former. Neither of them, however, molested the family. However, the brothers did not know until later years who they were and their desperate character. Henry N. Mercy was married in Hollister to Mary Spangler, a native of Ashland, Ore., and have four children: Lottie, Mrs. Ernest Martin and Emily, Mrs. Ted Russ, both residing in Los Angeles; Eugene and Thelma are still at home. The former assisting his father in his ranching enterprise. Both John and Henry Mercy are protectionists and decidedly Republican in politics.

NICOLAI PETERSEN .- Descended from an old and honorable Danish family Nicolai Petersen was born near Nyborg, Fyen, Denmark, March 2, 1856, the same year that Fresno County was organized. He is the fifth oldest in a family of ten children, three of whom are in the United States. Rasmus resides with our subject and Sophia, Mrs. Carl Poulsen, also resides in Fresno County. Nicolai Petersen received a good education in the schools of his native coun- try which has been supplemented by reading and observation until he is a well-informed man. His parents were farmers so Nicolai early learned the rudi- ments of farming as it is done in his native land. Being interested in husbandry and liking the freedom and open life he chose it as his life work and engaged in farming his father's place until 1894, when he purchased a farm and made a specialty of dairying, a business he had always followed. In 1902 he sold his place. He had a desire to visit the Pacific Coast, so came to California, arriving in September, 1904. Being a man who was never idle he sought employment, which he found with H. Madsen, continuing with him for two and one-half years. During this time, however, he came to like Fresno County and its people, so in July, 1905, he purchased his present place of forty acres in American Colony. Resigning his place with Mr. Madsen he located on his ranch and made substantial improvements and sowed it to alfalfa and began dairying, in which he has met with success having built up a herd of the Holstein strain, and is also raising some fine specimens of horse flesh. He also owns thirty acres on Fig Avenue which he has improved to alfalfa. Mr. Petersen intends to devote his home place to dairying and turn the ranch on Fig Avenue to a vineyard and plans to set it out to Thompson seedless vines the soil being well adapted to that purpose.

Mr. Petersen has always been a very active man, a great worker and ambitious, believing the wealth and progress of a country depends upon the success of the tillers of the soil. Being reared a Lutheran he adheres to that faith. Mr. Petersen's views in politics are expressed in the platform of the Democratic Party.

J. R. JOHNSON .- A naturalized Swedish-American is J. R. Johnson, an ardent admirer of Roosevelt and Senator Johnson. He was born at Wester- vik, in the northern part of Sweden, on March 27, 1859, the son of Jonas Wil- helm and Louisa Maria Johnson, both of whom died at advanced ages in Sweden. Grandfather Johnson lived to be one hundred ten years old; while the father, who passed away in 1917, was ninety-eight. Jonas Johnson was foreman of a large Swedish farm, where they worked forty-five yoke of oxen and twenty-five teams of horses; and working under the valuable guidance of his father, the lad grew up to farm work.

When J. R. Johnson came from Sweden to America, he continued West as far as Holdrege, Nebr., and for two years worked out on Nebraska farms, and for the next ten years tended bar in Holdrege. He became converted, however, and at once quit the saloon business, and for the next decade en- gaged at draying in the same town. This period was sufficient for him to thoroughly "find himself" and to learn what he was capable of doing, in order to become most useful to his fellow-men. He worked hard, lived fru- gally, brought up his large family in clean, moral surroundings and lived a consistent, Christian life.

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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 132

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