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 34

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 34

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O. D. Lyon was united in marriage in 1883, with Miss Catherine A. Snavely, the daughter of M. Y. and Sarah Snavely. This union was blessed with four children. Myrtle F. is now Mrs. Cree. Ruby C. is Mrs. Caskey. Carleton B. responded to the call of his country and served as second lieu- tenant and later as captain, in the United States Army. Captain Lyon was honorably discharged in December, 1918, and is retained in the Reserve Corps. He is now again with the Standard Oil Company at Porterville. The other of the four children is Catherine. Fraternally, Judge Lyon is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Modern Woodmen of America, and the Woodmen of the World. Religiously, he is an Episcopalian ; and politi- cally, he supports the Republican party.

I. N. Mitrovitako

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STEPHEN N. MITROVITCH .- Prominent among those Californians by adoption, who worked hard to usher in the horticultural and viticultural era of Fresno County which first assumed importance in the eighties and which since then has become the principal industry of the county, bringing millions annually to the producers, is Stephen N. Mitrovitch, who came to Fresno from his native Jugoslavia, when he was twenty-one years old, and has since then toiled to improve conditions here and to build up the export trade. He was born in Dalmatia, on January 7, 1859, and through his birth and early training, inherited an experience and a fund of knowledge that proved of great value when he took his part in the development of the Golden State.

Arriving just before the great "boom" in California, Mr. Mitrovitch was employed as assistant superintendent by George W. Mead, father of the raisin industry in this State-for it was Mr. Mead who induced the importation of vine-cuttings from Smyrna and the planting of the first vineyards. Later Mr. Mitrovitch suggested that fig-cuttings be imported from Dalmatia and planted as borders around the vineyards, and also that mulberry trees be so brought in and distributed, and soon a few vineyards were enriched by the ever-pro- ductive White Adriatic Figs. Among the first vineyards so treated were those of Colonel Forsyth, Logan, John Pugh, Alex. Gordon, Archie Grant, Botler, Denikey's Del Monte, as well as Roeding's vineyard and orchard, and Frank Ball's ranch.

Later, when the raisin vines commenced to bear, both Mr. Mead and Mr. Mitrovitch personally directed the picking and drying of the fruit. About this time, Mead's Packing House was erected at the corner of G and Ventura Streets, and Mr. Mitrovitch superintended the packing and grading of the raisins-then the only fruit-packing in that vicinity ; for Mead's was the only packing house in the county until 1888. The raisin industry, however, grew rapidly, and each spring additional vineyards were planted. In 1889 a new departure was made when Mr. Mitrovitch, in response to his home-folks in Dalmatia, received an ounce and a half of silk-worm eggs, and Mr. Mead allowed him the use of the packing-house for the purpose of raising silk and introducing sericulture-for the first time-into this State. In April and May of that year, Mead's packing-house was turned into a real cocoonery, and twelve girls were employed to feed the worms, while two teams were kept busy gathering mulberry leaves, to feed the stock. As soon as the worms began to spin themselves into cocoons, the event was heralded by the news- papers, and thousands of visitors, from throughout the Valley and even from Los Angeles and San Francisco, came to see the wonderful sight. Mr. Mi- trovitch produced six hundred pounds of very best raw silk in 1889, but as no one in the United States would buy raw silk cocoons, the experiment was a commercial failure.

In course of time, the young fig trees already mentioned were ready to bear, however small the crops, and naturally Mr. Mitrovitch turned his at- tention to the fig industry, then in its infancy. He offered to buy Colonel Forsyth's crop, but the Colonel declined to sell, saying that Mitrovitch would greatly oblige him if he would take the fruit away from his vineyard, because the preceding year's crop had caused trouble after the Fall rains, even produc- ing pestilence in his neat vineyard, and declaring that he would soon uproot every tree, and plant shade-trees in their place. Mr. E. Kennedy, the Colonel's northern neighbor, said the same thing. Despite these refusals, Mr. Mitro- vitch bought and harvested the fig-crops that year on Kennedy's, Forsyth's, and Egger's vineyard, as well as at John Pugh's, Gordon's, Grant's, Frank Ball's and Botler's.

And here may be related a special chapter of the vicissitudes of the early fig industry in California. Martin Denikey refused to negotiate for his crop of figs on the Del Monte vineyard, stating that he had a man who would

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harvest, cure and pack them for him, working on salary. This man, Prof. V. Vlahusich, gathered in the Del Monte figs at a cost of 6 cents a pound, cured them at a cost of 21/2 cents a pound, and then packed them at a cost of 5 cents a pound, making a total cost to pick, cure and pack of 131/2 cents a pound. They were picked when mature enough to be eaten green, and each picker was furnished with a step-ladder and a specially made basket, and special trays were made for sulphuring and drying them. The figs were picked with difficulty and caution, often under the personal direction of Professor Vlahu- sich, who even pointed out the figs to the pickers, who brought them into the yard, spread them out, one by one, in symmetrical fashion, with the mouth sky-ward, and the trays were left in the sulphur for twelve hours. While these figs were drying, men went over the trays twice daily, and turned each one over; but as they had not been mature enough when picked, the figs turned pink and dark-a good deal like liver-and they became rocky- dry. The Del Monte production of that year had been consigned by Denikey to John Demartini & Co., commission merchants in San Francisco, at a limited price of 25 cents a pound ; while the famous silky Smyrna figs, im- ported from Asia, were being sold at only 10 cents a pound. A few months after these Denikey figs were on the market, and unsold, they fermented and the dark syrup of figs ran out everywhere; on which account Martin Denikey lost the entire crop, as well as the money spent in picking, curing and pack- ing in a way that no one ever heard of before. On the other hand, Mr. Mitrovitch harvested and packed his figs at a cost of 31/4 cents a pound, and he shipped them to Jonas Erlanger & Co., of San Francisco, uncondi- tionally consigned ; and they were all promptly sold at the price of the im- ported Smyrnas-10 cents a pound. The Fresno papers boomed the enter- prise, and Mr. Mitrovitch was proclaimed the "Fig King," which title he maintained for many years. Farmers, instead of uprooting their trees, planted more White Adriatics. Especially during four years, when he had no com- petition, Mr. Mitrovitch packed the figs on each farm where they grew, and in the way in which the celebrated figs from abroad are treated, using no grader, steam or any kind of machinery, and quite unlike the steaming method of the big packing-houses, where the fruit is spoiled both in look and taste. Such was his success, in fact, that when, in 1893, he exhibited his Adriatic figs at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, the AA Gold Medal was awarded to him for the best cured and packed White Adriatic figs, in competition with the world, and later he was awarded the AA Premium Gold Medal by the Midwinter Exposition in San Francisco.

Serious competition, however, began in 1893, when certain persons bought from Mr. Mitrovitch the part of the crop injured by the first rain in the harvesting season-a lot of some twenty tons, which he had condemned and abandoned, claiming, when they made the purchase, that they intended to use them for hog-feed. Just prior to this, Mr. Mitrovitch had erected his fig-packing house on Mono, near H Street, and as it was a novelty in the town, it was visited by many persons, including those who made the afore- said purchase. A few days later, some girl packers quit their job, together with a man overseeing the work: and they were immediately employed by the new competitors, who opened a supposed "carpet-cleaning shop" and there packed the "hog-feed" for the fig market. Even the boxes and the rib- bons were imitated, and the output was surreptitiously smuggled into San Francisco by the great "Borax Smith mule team" passing through Fresno and supposed to be engaged in another business. These inferior figs were offered the San Francisco public at 35 cents a box of ten pounds, while Mitrovitch's figs were selling at $1 per box. The doctored-up figs, it was reported, could not be sold at any price and the board of health ordered that they be dumped into the harbor or returned to Fresno for real hog-feed; but it is declared that the manipulator cleverly saved himself from total

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loss by palming off the cargo as an imitation of chickory and a substitute for coffee.

For a good while Mr. Mitrovitch held seventy per cent. of the total fig products hereabouts, and had bought land and planted his own fig orchard ; and by hard work in and out of the Chamber of Commerce, he alone saved and developed the California fig industry, and introduced the cured figs ' into the eastern markets by systematizing the harvesting and packing meth- ods, thereby diminishing the expense. Disaster overtook him, however, in the well-remembered hard times when Coxie's "Army" marched upon Wash- ington, D. C. Mr. Mitrovitch had bought three hundred tons of figs on the trees, and had paid for them, and laid out the harvesting and packing ex- penses of the laborers, but, owing to the business depression, the figs, like the grapes on the market, could not be sold that year, and when he tried to make fig brandy, the government would not issue him a license. His losses that year, therefore, were over $30,000-a sum large enough to crush many a less resolute soul. What kind of first-class citizen-stuff, however, is in this naturalized American may be seen from some of the subsequent events in his career.

Mr. Mitrovitch was married in 1891, and two boys and two girls-making now six voters in the family-blessed the union. He also came to have his own home in the city of Fresno, but when, in 1912, the Balkan War was de- clared by Montenegro in her move against Turkey, Mr. Mitrovitch left his wife and children here and volunteered to campaign against the Turks. In 1914 he returned to Fresno, and the Morning Republican, among other news- papers in the state, gave him this most flattering notice: "When twenty- one members of the local Serbian colony left for the Balkan War in October, 1912, they were joined by S. N. Mitrovitch, a well-known Fresno resident, who had seen service before in the War against Turkey in 1877. Mr. Mitro- vitch returned to Fresno last Thursday, after having served throughout the late war, and he is the first of the local Serbians to return. Because of his knowledge of languages, he gained many distinctive honors while in the service of Montenegro, and was decorated with the Cross of the Order of Prince Danilo I. for bravery and patriotic service rendered to the people of Montenegro. During the greater part of his time in the war he acted as an interpreter for General Martinovich, Minister of War for Montenegro; and his duties under the Minister of War brought him in constant touch with the military attaches of different nations, including the son of General Nelson A. Miles, who was present as the representative of the United States. Mr. Mitrovitch, who was with the battalion of American volunteers for about three and one-half months, was on the firing line under the very walls of the Turkish stronghold at Scutari, when he was suddenly taken ill with pneumonia. Later, he was assigned to the general staff as interpreter. He also acted as post-office censor for all Italian and English mail."

Six months after Mr. Mitrovitch's return from the war, he finished a manuscript of about two hundred thousand words, in English, narrating his experiences in the exciting campaigns in which he participated ; and the book was to have been published by Macmillan & Co., at New York. The title was, "An American Citizen Volunteer in the Balkan War," but the outbreak of the great European War, overshadowing all else, led the publishers to decline what otherwise they would have bidden for.

In 1917, when the United States declared war against Germany, and the call for volunteers was issued by the president, Mr. Mitrovitch, although fifty-eight years of age, promptly offered his services to the Secretary of War, pointing with pride to his record in two wars against the Turks, and his citizenship of thirty years in America; and this offer was gracefully acknowledged by the government. He also volunteered to campaign with Roosevelt against the enemy, and his generous and heroic willingness was looked upon with pleasure by the hero of the Spanish-American War. Al-

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though he himself could not go to the front, two of his sons-Milan, in his twenty-seventh year, an electrician of note, serving in the engineering corps, and Stephen, Jr., aged twenty, who went with the aviation forces-bore the good name of Mitrovitch to the firing line, along with the colors they fought to defend.

Mr. Mitrovitch is also known for his patriotic political writings con- tributed not only to the American press, but to the leading Serbo-Croatian . newspapers in this country and abroad. He has held a forceful brief for the Jugo-Slavs, and he has been active in organizing two societies, the "All- Slavonic." in 1904, and the "Wreath," three years later, for the purpose of uniting all Slavs in America into one benevolent association, to help the sick and bury the dead, to promote love and peace, to improve their social relations, to stimulate a love toward this great country of their adoption, to keep alive the love toward the country of their origin, to advance the intel- lectual, moral and material welfare of the members, and to assist them to get and hold property, and to borrow or lend. When a lecture was given against the King of Montenegro at the Serbian Congress in San Francisco, in May, 1910, Mr. Mitrovitch fearlessly took issue with the lecturer, Simo Skobaitch, and even carried the matter into the courts, so that the Serbian Herald was obliged to retract and publish one of the strongest editorial apologies ever printed on the Pacific Coast. As the result of so much cam- paigning for political freedom and for what he regards as truth, Mr. Mitro- vitch numbers among his political enemies many chauvinistic Serbs-but that is one of the matters of which this doughty Serbian-Californian is very proud.

EMIL F. KAISER .- A progressive and prominent orchardist and vine- yardist who has contributed much toward the advancement of horticulture and viticulture in Central California is Emil F. Kaiser, a native of France, where he was born in 1867, and where he spent much of his childhood. He is the son of Emanuel and Christina Kaiser, worthy parents who did the best they could for their family, and who enjoyed everybody's esteem. In 1879, the Kaisers left the continent for America, and after arriving at New York City the first serious separation took place. Emil and his brother Guss set out on horseback across the great American Continent, investigating the possibilities in different states, and did not pull rein until they reached California. In Fresno they purchased land in the Kearney tract. On their report of being pleased with the soil, climate and conditions in California, their brother John joined them, and soon became superintendent for M. Theodore Kearney. The brothers assisted in leveling and grading the Kearney lands, as well as in sowing alfalfa and planting orchards and vine- vards. To Emil Kaiser fell the lot of setting out all the trees on one side of Kearney Avenue and for half of the distance on the other side; and there is nothing in which Mr. Kaiser takes more keen enjoyment than in his fre- quent trips out Kearney Boulevard, now grown to be famous as one of the most beautiful country drives, not only in California, but in the United States. Besides this, the brothers farmed and improved their ranch.

In 1900 the brothers made the trip to Alaska, where for a time they were mining at Nome. On his return from the frozen North, Emil F. Kaiser again took to ranching. Still later he set up in business in Fresno, and he vet maintains his commercial interests there. He is actively identified with the Chamber of Commerce, leaves no stone unturned to "boost" everything that it endorses, and never tires of advancing the interests of the city. Politically, though long a live-wire Democrat, Mr. Kaiser never limits his support, especially in local issues, to purely Democratic measures.

On April 18. 1895, Mr. Kaiser and Miss Elizabeth Wendt became husband and wife, and now three boys and three girls enliven their family hearth : Leona, a graduate of Heald's Business College; Emil J., of the automobile repair firm of Kaiser & Willever; Guss, who has just returned from service in the United States Navy; Vera, attending Fresno High School; and Florian

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and Lawrence. All of the children make their home under the parental roof, excepting Emil J., who is married and resides in his own home.

In 1890 the Order of the Sons of Herman was started here, and it has ever since maintained a place of influence in the community, while greatly adding to its strength. Mr. Kaiser is now Grand President of the State of California division, an honor he duly appreciates. He also belongs to the Eagles, the Owls, and the Foresters.

HARRY CLYDE BASEY .- A young man who has demonstrated his ability as a viticulturist and horticulturist, is Harry C. Basey, a native of Iowa, where he was born near Oskaloosa, January 27, 1880. His father, George Basey, was also born in Iowa, where he was a farmer; he removed to Fillmore County, Nebr., 1884, and in 1891 to Nuckolls County, the same state, being active as a farmer until he retired ; he now lives in Edgar, Nebr. The mother of Harry C. was Louisa Delpha Jordan, born in Iowa and de- scended from an old Southern family; she is still living, the mother of eight sons and one daughter, the latter being deceased.

Harry C. is the fifth in order of birth, and from the age of four was reared in Nebraska, reciving a good education in the public schools. When twenty years of age he began for himself, being employed on farms in Nebraska. He was married in Nuckolls County, in 1904, to Miss Garnett Norwood, who was born in that county. Her parents, John and Alice (Cody) Norwood, were early settlers and homesteaders in Nuckolls County, as was also grandfather Norwood, as early as 1872.

After his marriage Mr. Basey farmed one year in Nebraska and then re- moved, in 1905, to Pulaski County, Mo., where he purchased a farm in the Ozark Mountains. Three years later he sold this and removed to Audrain County, Mo., where with his father-in-law, Mr. Norwood, he purchased a farm and successfully engaged in farming and stock-raising.

On account of his wife's health, they sold out and came to Fresno County, Cal., in 1912, and Mr. Norwood and himself bought thirty acres in Round Mountain District. It was unimproved, but by energy and care they now have a beautiful ranch. Twenty-five acres are in white Adriatic figs, and the balance in Thompson seedless grapes. The ranch is well improved, being equipped with a pumping plant ample for irrigating the whole tract.

With his wife, Mr. Basey is a member of the Christian Church in Sanger he being a member of the Board of Deacons.

A. E. THOMPSON .- A veritable "hustler" who has done much to build up Central California, and in doing so has well built up himself, is A. E. Thompson, the well-known viticulturist and horticulturist, who believes that Fresno is the best county in the State, and that Clovis and vicinity are the best section in the flourishing county. Born at Hamilton, Ontario, as was his father, E. J. Thompson, he is the son of a farmer who came into the United States and Michigan, then moved to Missouri and later went back to Ontario. In the late eighties he reached California and Fresno, and soon after he bought a ranch on Millbrook Avenue. His wife, who was Elizabeth Rolstin before her marriage, died in California, the mother of eight children, three of whom settled in this state.

A. E. Thompson, the eldest in the family, was brought up in Canada, and educated in the public schools there. He remained at home until he was twenty-one, and then he went to Brandon, Manitoba, where he followed farming for a year. Meanwhile, however, he was hearing and thinking about the wonderful commonwealth by the Pacific. In 1888 he came to Fresno. He was a stranger, and without means, but he went to work on various ranches, part of the time for twenty dollars and board, and sometimes for only fifteen. He also worked eleven hours. He got ahead, however, and, as soon as possible, he bought five acres on Millbrook Avenue. He improved the

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land and sold it, and then he bought twenty acres and some city lots, which he also improved and sold.

By the year 1913, Mr. Thompson had bought his present twenty acres of vineyard and orchard, upon which he located ; and now he has a fine place, with an attractive residence and well-built and commodious barns, the most of the land set out as a vineyard or planted to alfalfa. To make his vine- yard, he had to take out the orchard. The Enterprise canal affords a good supply of water. He has ten acres of Thompson's seedless, two acres of other vines, two and a half acres of peaches, and the balance in orange trees. Mr. Thompson leases ten acres of vineyard adjoining, with which he has ex- ceptional success, as may be judged from the fact that he was one of the first, in the vicinity of Fresno, to set out Thompson's seedless-the vines of which, in excellent condition, are still growing.

Mr. Thompson was married at Fresno to Miss Sarah Buck, a native of Ontario; and by her he had six children : Edwin, who assists his father on the ranch; Dorothy, Annette, Leslie, Joseph, and Pauline. Mrs. Thompson is a member of the Baptist Church of Clovis.

Successful, and a leader in the field in which he has made his modest fortune, Mr. Thompson is a member of the California Peach Growers, Inc., and also of the California Associated Raisin Company. He is a Republican, but in local issues he votes for the candidates most suitable.

REV. FATHER GEORGE P. SEUBERT .- The beloved and devoted pastor of the Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church at Reedley, Cal., is a native of Lebanon, Pa., where he was born on January 19, 1875, a son of Francis A. and Margaret Seubert. He attended the parochial school at Lebanon until he reached the age of fourteen, after which he entered the Saint Vincent College at Beatty, Pa., from which institution he was graduated in 1896. To complete his studies for the priesthood, he went to Europe, where he attended the University at Innsbruck, Austria, the capital city of the Tyrol. He remained at Innsbruck three years to finish his course, and then returned to the United States, and was ordained a priest on March 7, 1899, at Baltimore, Md. After holding various pastorates in Pennsylvania, Father Seubert came to California in 1905; and on November 15, 1906, he was in- stalled as pastor of the church at Reedley.

At an early period in the history of Fresno County, the congregation of Saint Anthony of Padua was formed as a mission under the guidance of the priest at Fresno. From the year 1890 until 1900 it was under the care of the priest stationed at Hanford, and from 1900 until November 15, 1906, it was still a mission and was supplied from the church at Visalia. The latter date is a memorable one in the history of this church, for it was then that the Right Rev. T. J. Conaty, D.D., Bishop of Monterey and Los Angeles, appointed the present efficient and consecrated priest as pastor. At that time there was no church building and the congregation was obliged to meet in halls or private homes. Subsequently a spacious site for a church building was purchased comprising ten lots situated on the corner of Elev- enth and F Streets. On October 8, 1907, excavation for the foundation was commenced, and on November 24. 1907, the corner-stone was laid by the greatly beloved Bishop Conaty, who, after the lapse of four busy years, which were marked by intense activity on the part of the zealous pastor, also dedicated the building on May 21, 1911. The edifice is regarded as one of the finest specimens of church architecture in Fresno County, and com- pares favorably with many of the churches found in larger cities. It has a seating capacity of 400 persons. At a very low estimate the cost of the structure is placed at $35,000. An interesting feature of the building, by which is shown the high regard in which the pastor, Father Seubert, is held by the citizens of Reedley, is the large clock, which was donated by non- Catholic citizens of the town. The gift renders a splendid service to the

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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 34

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