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 17

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

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Mr. Taylor next located at Santa Clara, Cal., where for four years he was associated with planing mill work. In 1904 he came to Fresno and entered the employ of the Hollenbeck-Bush Planing Mill Company as fore- man of their cabinet department. In 1911 he became estimator at the Ma- dary's Planing Mill, which position he still retains. The company appreciate his exceptional ability, and his forty years' experience in the business makes his assistance of incalculable value to them.

Mrs. Taylor was before her marriage Elizabeth Adams, a native of Hampshire, England. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor are the parents of six children, named respectively George A .; Richard ; Maude; Ruth; Margaret. the wife of George M. Bruten, who is a son of the former Lord Mayor of Gloucester, England, and who was formerly a rancher west of Fresno, but is now a

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sergeant in the Canadian Army, serving over seas; and Edna E., a student in the Fresno High School. Mr. Taylor owns his own home, a comfortable and attractive modern bungalow at 3228 Illinois Avenue, and takes intense inter- est and pleasure in his spare time, in the culture of his beautiful flowers and ornamental trees. Fraternally, he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows in British Columbia. He is highly esteemed by all.

BERNARD A. NEWMAN .- Reared and educated in Fresno County, and a resident here since a lad of seven years, Bernard A. Newman has made good in his home county and risen to an assured position in both the social and business life of the community. Born in Otweclaberg, Sweden, August 1, 1881, he is a son of Gustaf and Sophie (Adalıl) Newman, both natives of Sweden. Gustaf Newman was born in the Province of Otweclaberg October 30, 1855, and on reaching maturity followed railroading in his native land. He emi- grated to the newer world in 1883, arriving in New York on March 3, of that year. Going to Peoria, Ill., he worked in the car repair shops of the Wabash Railway Company, and later was employed in a pottery works. Deciding to continue his journey across the continent, he came to California and in 1888 located in Fresno. After his arrival, he worked for a few months in the Minnewawa Vineyard, and was next in the employment of the Fresno Gas and Electric Company, up to 1898. The following three seasons he was engaged as engineer in the sawmill at Pine Ridge, and then became janitor in the First National Bank of Fresno. In 1902 Mr. Newman entered the employ of the United States government as janitor of the Fresno postoffice and is now head janitor of that building. Fraternally, he is a member of the Fresno Lodge of Red Men, and is Guardian of the Forest in that order, also being a member of the Fraternal Brotherhood. To himself and wife two sons were born, Bernard A., of this review, and Harold, of Oakland, both successful plumbers, owning their own business. The mother passed away in 1903.

Bernard A. Newman came to Fresno with his parents in 1888, and attended the Fresno schools. After finishing his education he became an apprentice to the plumbing trade, with Donahue & Emmons Company, of Fresno, remaining with them five years; his first work of any importance being on the Patterson Block. In 1901 he went to Los Angeles and followed his trade in that city, in the employ of Howe Bros., and also with the Thomas Haverty Company. While there he worked on some of the finest buildings in the city, among them the Angelus Hotel, Hayward Hotel, the Auditorium, 5th and Olive Streets; the St. George Hotel, the Maryland and Raymond Hotels of Pasadena. In 1907 Mr. Newman went to San Francisco and en- tered the employ of the United Builders Construction Company, and while with them he was foreman on the plumbing and heating of the Butler Build- ing, having forty-five men under his supervision. He also worked on the Pacific Building, Fourth and Market Streets. Returning to Fresno, he was in the employ of Barrett-Hicks Company one year, at the end of which time he formed a partnership with Nudt Johnson, under the firm name of Newman & Johnson, Plumbers; during their partnership they made a specialty of fine residence and country work. In May, 1913, the partnership was dis- solved and Mr. Newman entered into business for himself, and has, among other work, installed the plumbing and heating in the following residences and business blocks: The B. F. Shepherd and W. A. Jones residences ; rebuilt the plumbing and heating in the Minnewawa Vineyard residence; the John Short Building ; the stores of the J. M. Ruth estate on J Street; the Pacific Coast Grocery Company building ; the new San Joaquin Bakery, at San Benito and P Streets ; and the school buildings in the towns of San Joaquin and Herndon. In the midst of his many business interests Mr. Newman has found time to devote to horticulture, and is the owner of a twenty-acre ranch on Pierce Avenue, improved with Thompson seedless grapes, figs and peaches. Mr. Newman stands high in the Master Plumbers' Association of the state, and

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served as its president in 1918-1919 and for three years prior to this was on the executive board. He is treasurer of the San Joaquin Valley Association of Master Plumbers, and fraternally is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the D. O. K. K., the Woodmen of the World, the Red Men, and also belongs to the Rotary Club of Fresno. He was a director of the Fresno Material Dealers' Association. Preeminently a man of action and energy, he has always done all in his power to further the best interests of Fresno, city and county, and has aided materially in the upbuilding and progress of this section of the state.

The marriage of Mr. Newman united him with Kathleen Helen Lynch, a native of Arizona, and five children have been born to them: Harold E., Elleanor : Bernard A., Wesley J. A., and Lucile.

CLARENCE MURRAY .- The present incumbent of the responsible position of city engineer of Fresno, Cal., Clarence Murray, is a native son of the Golden State and was born in Visalia, Tulare County, November 13. 1880. His parents were both pioneers of this state. His father, J. H. K. Murray, was a native of Missouri and crossed the plains in the early fifties and made a settlement in Tulare County, near Visalia, where he engaged in ranching and soon became identified with the development of his adopted county, taking a prominent part in all forward movements of both state and county for the balance of his life. His wife was in maidenhood Amanda Roark and a native of Tennessee, and she, too, came to Tulare County at an early day where she met and married Mr. Murray.

The high standing attained by Clarence Murray in his chosen pro- fession of civil engineer is the result of special training for his life work, accompanied by natural ability and energetic efforts. After his graduation from the grammar and high schools of Visalia he entered the University of California at Berkeley, where he received the excellent advantages afforded by that institution. He was graduated from the University's scientific course in 1903 with the degree of B. S. and at once began his career as a civil engineer and worked in various parts of the state for the ensuing six years. In 1909 he located in Fresno and began the practice of his profession, con- tinuing successfully until in April, 1917, when he received the appointment, by the mayor, to the office of city engineer, which he still holds, carrying on the duties of the office with phenomenal success.

Mr. Murray was united in marriage with Ethel F. Scott, born in Visalia. and a daughter of pioneer parents who settled in Tulare County in an early day and became identified with the upbuilding of that county. Of this mar- riage two sons have been born, Clinton and Ralph. Fraternally, Mr. Murray is a member and past noble grand of Fresno Lodge No. 186, I. O. O. F., and in every movement tending to promote the welfare of Fresno he is ever found to be a loyal supporter and his circle of friends and well wishers is ever widening.

ALBERT P. SIMPSON .- Quickness of perception, prompt action and ready wit, prime essentials for a successful auctioneer, are possessed by Albert P. Simpson, Fresno's leading auctioneer and commission merchant.

Although he was born in Ohio, August 23, 1868, he was reared from in- fancy in Adams County, Iowa. Educated in the public schools of Iowa he entered the mercantile business after completing his schooling, and was in general merchandise stores at Corning and Mount Etna, Iowa. He also had experience in the milling business. In 1888 he went to Los Angeles, where he was in the employ of the Earl Fruit Company five years. He then returned to Corning, Iowa, and engaged in farming, but the experience that so · many testify to who have once made their home in California, was his dissat- isfaction with the East after their return thither and a longing for the West, with its broader life and greater opportunities for an ambitious, energetic young man desirous of attaining the top of the ladder of success. The year

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1912 found him again on his way to California. He went to Madera County and in partnership with E. P. Piper bought 1,200 acres of the Jones ranch, located in the southern part of the county, near the San Joaquin River. This they subdivided and sold off in from one to forty acre tracts. They laid out the town of Trego, built a store and home and sold all off in two years' time to people, nearly all of whom came from Iowa. This town which Simp- son and Piper put on the map is now a thriving little place, with school, post office and irrigation plants. Mr. Simpson and his partner paid $32,000 for the land and sold it for $75,000. This was the largest deal made in Madera County in recent years. This land, formerly a grain ranch, is now planted to alfalfa and fruit. In 1914 Mr. Simpson came to Fresno and opened an auction and commission house. He has been very successful and today stands as a leader in his line of business. In addition, he auctions live stock in the valley, and in 1917 sold $95,000 worth of live stock at auction. His largest sale, for $10,635, was turned in five hours on the F. M. Helm ranch. He has done auction work for the Red Cross during the late war, giving his services free.

Mrs. Simpson was before her marriage Martha Morton, a native of Montgomery County, Iowa, and a daughter of one of the pioneers of that state, a miller by trade and the founder of the town of Morton Mills, which was named for him. The seven children born of their union are by name: Cloyd J., Jr. ; Mrs. Ethel Johnson ; Glenn : Beuhla, wife of Floyd Knox ; Merle ; Mildred ; and Ruth, the wife of Stanley Hopkins.

Mr. Simpson is a great booster for Fresno County and thinks there is no place in the world that compares with it. He is a progressive citizen whose identification with Fresno has been of untold value to its growth and development.

JOHN BRAVES .- How effective is the amalgamation of the Armenian with the American, that is, at least in those cases where the Armenians have thrown in their lot with us and contributed their "bit" to the historic development of the country, and by so doing have participated to a great ex- tent in our political, social and intellectual activity, may be seen in such cases of successful professional careers as that of John Braves, the energetic, talented and popular editor of the Armenian weekly, "Asbarez," who is a native of Turkey and the son of Elias Braves, a grain exporter and vine- yardist. He died at Rochester, N. Y., in 1898, survived by his good wife (who was named Anna), who is now making her home at Fresno with the subject of our interesting sketch.

Born at Smyrna on January 30, 1872, Mr. Braves grew up under the wise and kindly supervision of some Americans interested in facilitating Christian education there, and attended the American College at Constanti- nople, from which he graduated with honors in 1892. What these educational advantages meant in that benighted land, Mr. Braves will tell you, and how well he profited by both the courses and an intimate contact with his learned and large-hearted teachers, acquaintance with the gentleman himself will soon discover. Having received his diploma, he sought to pay back to some extent the moral debt he owed for his education, and so taught for three years in the International College at Smyrna.

Then transpired something in the patriotic Armenian's life which only one inspired by love of his native country can fully fathom. Because of political disturbances and the extreme danger to life, to say nothing of prop- erty-more of the dark chapters in the misrule of the beautiful Armenian land-Mr. Braves had to flee from the country, leaving under conditions of privation and great loss. He made his way to Greece and then to France; and from the hospitable territory of the French Republic he pushed on to the United States merely because he felt that in the newest of all the free lands a greater destiny awaited him. He landed in America on July 7, 1895; and

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having learned the cabinet maker's trade, he supported himself in that field until 1906, when he decided to come west to the Pacific Coast. The thought was father to the act; and it was not long before he was basking in the genial sunshine of Fresno.

Soon after his arrival here, Mr. Braves was married to Miss Susie Mar- karian, an unusually attractive woman representing a prominent family. Ever since, Mr. and Mrs. Braves have been identified with most movements for the bettering of local social and religious conditions. By a former mar- riage Mr. Braves is the father of a son, Harold.

Not only is Mr. Braves the editor of the Journal referred to, "Asbarez," meaning "arena," but he was the principal founder of the paper, which was established in 1908. Since then the weekly has passed into the hands of the Armenian Federation, whose interests it particularly fosters. As man- ager and editor, Mr. Braves has discharged his responsibility so well that the "Asbarez" now has a circulation of 2,200. Its influence is potent with the Armenians : and, as a journal constantly striving to create a higher degree of American patriotism, it is a valuable asset among the publications of California, and an honor to the foreign press in the United States. Mr. Braves is naturally identified with several literary organizations, and he is, besides, a popular member of the Odd Fellows and the Eagles and, with his good wife, enjoys the social life of those circles.

HARRY ELMER McLANE .- Prominent among the men who have achieved success in the California oil fields largely because they have been experienced men in the industry in the East, having worked and studied in every department, becoming conversant with its every detail, is Harry Elmer McLane, field superintendent of the Standard Oil Company in Coalinga, who doubtless owes some of his recent prosperity to his wisdom in deciding, when at the turning in the road, to cast his fortune solely with the Standard and their future development. He was born in Derry township, Westmoreland County, Pa., March 12, 1863, the son of George McLane, who was born near Glasgow, Scotland; from which it will be seen that the family originated in a country that has undoubtedly given us some of its brainiest and most enterprising citizens. The father came out to America with his parents and settled at Derry ; and later, during the Civil War, he enlisted in a Pennsyl- vania regiment and was killed during the Battle of Gettysburg, in 1863.

Harry McLane lived with an uncle, his mother's brother, a Mr. Wm. Best, from 1873 to 1876, and having received a good education in the public schools, when fourteen years of age he started for the oil fields at Petrolia, Butler County, Pa., and there began, at the bottom rung of the ladder, to learn the business. In 1879 he was in the service of the Standard Oil Com- pany in different fields, Clarion, Venango, Mckean, Butler and Warren counties, Pa., choosing the construction department ; and it so happened that his first task was to assist in installing the first supply of natural gas used for domestic purposes and sold commercially. This gas was piped to Petrolia and Parker's Landing, and excited great interest and hopes.

He was next engaged by the company at Maxburg and North Baltimore, Ohio, but after a while was transferred from the construction to the produc- tion department, and in 1888 was made production foreman in the Mount Morris Oil Fields of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. While his district was on the West Virginia side of the Mason and Dixon line, he made his residence at Mount Morris, Pa. In 1892 he was transferred to the McDonald oil field in Pennsylvania where he continued in the same capacity with dili- gent care and faithfulness, so that wherever he went, and whatever he under- took he was able to demonstrate capability above the average and so made both an enviable reputation and many friends.

Wishing to engage in the oil business on his own account, he resigned his position with the Standard Oil Company on January 1, 1900, and for ten

Harry. E, M= Lane

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years he was engaged as an oil operator and producer in the Pennsylvania fields, making his home and headquarters at McDonald, Pa., and during the time was very active and energetic. However, unfortunate investments and the drilling of too many dry holes, decided him to seek a new field, so choos- ing California, he came hither in 1910 and after a period of six months was so well impressed with conditions and possibilities that he decided to locate. Returning to Pennsylvania he shaped his affairs and brought his family to Coalinga in 1911.

Desiring to again engage his services with the Standard Oil Company, with which he had already served so many years, he applied for a position with them on Section 28, and found that the only opportunity was a place as pumper. He knew full well it did not make any difference where he started, he only wanted a chance to show his ability and work up, for he had controlled hundreds of wells and managed hundreds of men in the East for the Standard, as well as for himself, and had such confidence in the Standard's disposition to reward merit and fidelity that he decided to accept the offer and began his duties. From pumper he was advanced March, 1912, to be production foreman, and then, in January, 1914, he was made assistant superintendent of this division. Finally, on March 1, 1916, he was made field superintendent of the Coalinga division of the Standard and he has held that responsible position ever since. He is in charge of all the properties in the producing department of the Coalinga field, and as 300 hands are employed, it will be seen that much depends upon his fidelity and common sense management. At camp there are machine and blacksmith shops and an ice plant, and natural gas is used for fuel for the boilers as well as for cooking and heating in the camp.

Besides section 28, there are three other camps of the Standard in this division-Section 20, Section 22, and Section 2. The Standard, in this division, have their own school for the education of the children of their employees which is maintained by the company. The management of this school is a part of the duties of Mr. McLane as superintendent of the division. At first the county school authority did not recognize this school so the graduates had difficulty in entering the high schools of the county. Mr. McLane saw to it that their school had the same uniform textbooks and grades as the public schools of the county, so through his efforts it is now accredited and the graduates of the school on Standard 28, have no difficulty in entering the intermediate school and the Coalinga High School.

Harry McLane is endowed with much native ability and business acumen which, coupled with years of valuable experience, makes it but natural that he presides successfully over large affairs. He is a very busy man, but finds time to look after the comfort and higher interests of the em- ployees for whose welfare he is very solicitous and leaves nothing undone to provide for their health and happiness. In this sensibly beneficent work, so important to the employer as well as to the employed, he has the hearty cooperation of the Standard Oil Company, whose fair attitude toward its workmen and representatives, the world over, is proverbial. During the war, when personal solicitation for funds for patriotic purposes had its objectional sides, as was shown in many communities, and perhaps even thwarted the good efforts of many to swell the campaigning funds, Mr. Mc- Lane originated the much preferred system of providing a general fund, to which each workingman would be invited to subscribe according to his means, and authorizing a committee, when the Red Cross and other approved agencies wished the sinews of war, to distribute according as the general fund subscribed permitted at the time. This resulted in the organization of the Coalinga War Fund Association, which accomplished the purpose desired.

While at Petrolia, Pa., Mr. McLane was married to Miss Mary Keigh- ron, by whom he has had ten children, seven of whom grew to maturity. Leo, 70

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Victor, and Harry, in the United States Navy, the heavy artillery and the army overseas, are all experienced oil workers, and Frank is in the aviation section of the army that went to France. Loretta and Bernadette are at home; while Marion, next to the youngest, is Mrs. Richard B. Flynn of Fort Worth, Texas, the wife of a first lieutenant in the United States Army.

Besides being chairman of the organization committee, and a director of the association having charge of the collection and distribution of war funds, Mr. McLane is both a member and a director of the Growler's Club. In Pennsylvania he was prominent in politics as a Democrat and a member of the county and state Democratic committees ; and in McDonald, where he resided during his active oil operations, he was elected justice of the city several terms, although the community was a Republican stronghold. He is also a vigorous member of the Chamber of Commerce at Coalinga.

HOMER E. BUTCHER .- Born on a farm in Houston County, Minn., February 28, 1882, Homer E. Butcher attended the country schools of his native state, and when eighteen years of age went to Winona, and there attended the Toland Business College, taking a commercial and stenographic course. He then went to La Crosse, Wis., where he taught one term in the Toland Business College, and at the expiration of that time removed to Oelwein, Iowa, where, with a partner, he conducted the Oelwein Business University in that city for two years, and then sold out the business. Com- ing to Fresno in June, 1904, Mr. Butcher entered the employ of the Fresno Home Packing Company, in the office and sales department of that concern. He later went with the J. K. Armsby Company. In 1913 he entered the em- ploy of the Guggenhime Company, and now holds the position of auditor of all the plants of this company in the San Joaquin Valley, Mr. Butcher being located at the Fresno plant.

In the midst of his other business interests, Mr. Butcher has found time to do some real estate developing in Fresno, having purchased five acres in North Fresno, the Wapella Tract, which he subdivided and sold off in lots. Fraternally he is a Woodman of the World, and has been through all the chairs in that order.

The marriage of Mr. Butcher united him with Miss Ethel Davison, a native of Winona, Minn., and one daughter has been born to them, Wilma, a native of Fresno, and now a student in the high school.

GERALDO J. FREITAS .- Whoever studies the early history of Cali- fornia pertaining to pioneer days must be impressed not only with the fact that many who engaged in the rougher, more difficult and sometimes less remunerative enterprises then necessary to paving the way and laying the foundations for a riper and richer civilization, either themselves survived to venture into other fields, or bequeathed to their immediate posterity that enviable blessing, but that among the empire-builders were no small number, during generation after generation, of those who first saw the light of day in a distant clime and often those who came from what might truly be called a corner of the earth. Numerous and successful among these have always been the natives of the far-famed, balmy Azores, who brought with them both a certain definite knowledge of how to do things and also the capacity for hard, willing, persistent work; of which estimable citizens resident in Central California must be mentioned Geraldo J. Freitas, one of the big sheep raisers of the early, romantic days, who is now a wholesale liquor dealer as famed for the high standards in his business methods as for the choice quality of his wares. He was born in the beautiful Azores Islands on November 1, 1862, and there grew up until near the end of his teens. What he attempted to learn, he learned thoroughly well; so that when he was ready to set out into the world, he was also prepared to grapple with its many problems and batter down some of the obstacles found insurmountable by others.

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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 17

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