History of Humboldt 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, Part 101

Author: Irvine, Leigh H. (Leigh Hadley), 1863-1942
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Los Angeles, Historic Record Company
Number of Pages: 1328

USA > California > Humboldt County > History of Humboldt 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 > Part 101

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Growing up on his father's ranch overlooking the Pacific just north of Fort Ross, Ulysses S. Stockhoff was educated in the Timber Cove school district and remained at home until the age of twenty-one years, at which time he started out for himself, being employed by a rancher near Fort Ross to care for cattle and sheep, and there he rode the range and for seven years had the management of the Jack Lancaster ranch. Leaving there to come to Humboldt county, he worked for a year at Salmon creek, and then with his brother Samuel bought out the business and engaged in dairy- ing on Judge Haines' ranch for three years, operating a dairy of thirty cows. Selling out to his brother, Mr. Stockhoff then entered the employ of the Vance Company, now the Hammond Lumber Company, being employed in the woods near Fieldbrook and later at Little river for the same company, in all covering a period of three or four years. Then purchasing his present ranch from his brother Samuel in 1903. formerly known as the old Bell ranch on the north fork of the Elk river about ten miles from Eureka, Mr. Stock- hoff has now in his possession an estate comprising one hundred and forty- eight acres, about forty acres of which are under the plow, and here he is engaged in stockraising and farming, raising potatoes for the market, also giving a part of his attention to general contracting. He is also well known in the vicinity as road overseer in District No. 3, from Bucksport to Falk, and to Humboldt Hill on the south and back of Pine ranch. His political preferences are with the Republican party, and his fraternal associations are with the Fortuna Lodge No. 221, I. O. O. F., at Eureka.

ROBERT LEE HARRIS .- Well known in Scotia and vicinity as the foreman of the cut-up department of Mill "B," of the Pacific Lumber Com- pany, Robert Lee Harris is one of the most popular employees of this great company, and also of Scotia, where he has made his home for a number of years. His association with the Pacific Lumber Company has proven his ability in mechanical and industrial lines. His department is that in which the lumber is sawed into proper lengths for sashes, doors, window and door casings, boxes, and the thousand and one things for which special lengths are required, and is one of the most important departments of the mill work.

Mr. Harris, who is popularly known as Lee Harris, is a native of Cali- fornia, having been born at Rio Dell, Humboldt county, December 27, 1873. His father was James A. Harris, a native of Arkansas, and died when Robert Lee was ten years of age. His grandfather was Henry B. Harris, also a native of Arkansas, where both grandfather and father were well-known cotton planters, and in which state the grandfather lived and died. The mother was, in her girlhood, Addie A. Gould, a native of California, and

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born in San Francisco. She is now residing at Shively, this county, with a son, and is sixty-two years of age. She bore her husband six children, three sons and three daughters, two sons and a daughter still living, the others having died in childhood. The living members of the family are : A. W. Harris, a farmer at Shively, with whom the mother makes her home; Clara, now the wife of William Carter, a rancher in Sonoma county ; and Robert Lee Harris, respected citizen of Scotia. Following the death of his father when he was ten years of age, Robert Lee went to live with his mother in Sonoma county. His father had left an estate of some $30,000, and he received a common school education and later took a course in the Eureka business college, where he was graduated in 1892. He then went to work for the Williams Company at Fortuna, where he remained six years. He next became foreman for Beckwith for a year, and then returned to the employ of the Williams Creek Company, accepting a position as woods and mill foreman, and remaining for two years. A position was then offered him with the Pacific Lumber Company at Scotia, and for a year and a half he served as an apprentice as a band-saw filer, and from his knowledge of the band-saw machinery he was then given a position in the cut-up depart- ment. Here his knowledge of the lumber business stood him in good stead and he was shortly made foreman of the department, which position he has now held for four years.

The marriage of Mr. Harris occurred in Fortuna in 1899, uniting him with Miss Mildred Kerri, the daughter of Frank Kerri, who came to Cali- fornia in 1858, locating in Humboldt county, where he has since made his home. He is now living in retirement with the family of Mr. Harris. Mr. and Mrs. Harris have one child, a daughter, Mildred Leota. Both Mr. and Mrs. Harris are well known socially in Scotia, and Mr. Harris occupies a prominent position in the fraternal affairs of the county. He is an influen- tial member of the Masons, having been made a Mason in Eel River Lodge, No. 147, F. & A. M., of which he is Past Master; he is also a member of Ferndale Chapter, No. 78, R. A. M., at Ferndale, and is Past Inspector of the northern district of California, District No. 1. He is also a member of the Odd Fellows at Fortuna, and Past Grand of that Lodge. In his political preferences Mr. Harris is a stanch Republican, and has been a member of the county central committee for several years. He takes a keen interest in all that pertains to the welfare of the community and is active in all the affairs of his party, but steadily declines public office for himself, although he has been urged by his friends and admirers on several occasions to accept the nomination for important county positions.

CHARLES BERTI .- One of the successful young dairymen in IIum- boldt county who is now conducting the Spicy Breezes Dairy ranch on Cape Mendocino is Charles Berti, who was born at Prosito, near Lodrino, Ticino, Switzerland, October 17, 1883. His father, Augustino, was a painter and decorator, and followed his trade in Paris during the summer for many years. He now resides on a small farm at Prosito. His wife, who was Giacinta Biasca, is also living, as are their two children, the eldest, Charles, of whom we write, the youngest Giacinta, living in the old home with her parents.

Charles Berti, after completing his education in the public schools, was apprenticed and learned the stone cutter and mason trade. Having a desire to try his fortune in California, of which he had heard good reports, he came to

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Eureka, arriving March 5, 1901. The first year he was in the employ of Ralph Biasca, who ran a dairy at Arcata, then he entered the employ of Rudolph Ambrosini, on the Mayflower ranch, continuing there one year. Afterward he was with Ferdinand Ambrosini on the Woodland Echo ranch for five years, later for eighteen months with Joseph Russ near Ferndale, after which he concluded to start in business for himself. In 1910 he leased the Spicy Breezes Ranch of 600 acres which he devotes to dairying and the raising of hogs and cattle. He has a herd of ninety-two milch cows and by the use of a gas engine is making butter which is packed under the label of Cape Mendocino Creamery and shipped to Eureka and San Francisco markets.

In Ferndale occurred the marriage of Mr. Berti with Mansuita Biasca, also a native of Ticino. They have four children, as follows: Edward, Dora, Elvizo and Baby.

PETER MOSSI was born in Sant' Antonio, Ticino, Switzerland, March 10, 1872. His father, also named Peter, was a farmer at Sant' Antonio. Young Peter was educated in the public schools of his native place and in the high school at Bellinzona, at the same time remaining on the home farm and making himself generally useful until the age of seventeen. It was at this time that he determined to try his luck on the Pacific coast, of which he had heard such good reports. His brother Joseph had come to California a dozen years previous and was living in Placer county. So in May, 1889, Peter joined his brother in the latter county and for a short time was employed in a sawmill, after which he returned to San Francisco bay. After working a short time in the salt works in Alameda he found employment on a dairy at Point Reyes, Marin county, afterwards following the same line in Sonoma county, until March, 1895, when he came to Humboldt county. Until 1904 he was employed on dairy ranches in the vicinity of Ferndale, after which, in partnership with Thomas Pedrazini, he purchased a liquor establishment. In 1906 he bought his partner out and has since continued the business alone, being now located in the center of Ferndale.

Mr. Mossi was married in Ferndale to Miss Victoria Re, also a native of Switzerland, born at Cevio. Fraternally he is a member of the local lodge of Druids, of which he is past officer. Politically he is a Republican.

CHRIS MOSSI was born at Carena, Canton Ticino, Switzerland, October 28, 1869. His father, James Mossi, a dairyman there, married Annie Boletti and both are living on the old home. Of their ten children Chris is next to the oldest and was brought up to be an industrious lad, learning farming and dairying as it was done in his native Ticino, and he also received a good education in the local schools. In 1889 he came to Santa Cruz county, Cal., where he worked in a sawmill during the summer and then on a dairy near Davenport. He continued in that vicinity until 1902, in that year coming to Humboldt county. After working a while in the Eel river valley he went to Scotia and was employed on the Pacific Lumber Company's ranch for two years, after which he leased a ranch in that vicinity and ran a dairy of thirty cows. In December, 1908, he leased the McDonald place of one hundred twenty acres at Grizzly Bluff, where his herd of milch cows numbered fifty- five. In January, 1915, he sold his interest and lease and has since been in the employ of the Hansen dairy ranch.

In 1909 Mr. Mossi made a trip back to Switzerland, visiting his old home, and in December of that year was married at Carena, being united with Miss

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Delmonica Enriceta, also a native of that place, and they have two children, Lena and Alice. Fraternally Mr. Mossi is a member of Branch Forty, Lodge No. 96, Santa Cruz. Politically he is an ardent believer in the principles of the Republican platform.

WILLIAM L. SHIELDS .-- The present proprietor of the old East Ferry at Alton is William L. Shields, who was born at South West City, McDonald county, Mo., June 8, 1870. His father, John R. Shields, was a farmer, and William L. spent his boyhood helping his parents on the farm and attending public schools until fifteen years of age, or until 1885, when he came to the Pacific coast. While living at Healdsburg and at Lakeport, Cal., he attended public school, later going to Ukiah, where he was employed at farming. In Sacramento he was engaged in horse breaking and bronco busting. Giving up this work he returned to Ukiah and thence to Potter valley, where he again worked at farming.

After spending nine years in California Mr. Shields returned to Missouri and soon afterwards went to Oklahoma, being there at the time of the opening of the Cherokee strip. He followed farming there between Grove, Delaware county, and Fairland, Ottawa county, at the same time engaging in threshing during the grain season for twenty-four years, and during this time wore out four steam threshing rigs. He was very energetic during these years and was busy all the time.

In 1913 Mr. Shields returned to California, locating at Waddington, Hum- boldt county, where he followed the carpenter's trade until March 15, 1915, when he purchased the old East Ferry, which he operates across Eel river at Alton. This is an important crossing, as it takes care of the travel on the road between Ferndale and Alton, and is said to be the most popular ferry on the river.

In Ukiah Mr. Shields was married to Miss Birdie Stewart, born in Men- docino county, the daughter of Mark Stewart, a pioneer of that county, and they have nine children living, as follows: George (residing in Napa), Robert, Effie, John, Henry, Freelove, Frank, Bernies and Eleanor. Politically he is a Democrat.

ANTONE PELASCINI was born in Statsona, province de Como, Italy, February 4, 1880, the son of Guerimo and Lucia (Gobbi) Pelascini. The father was a farmer in his native land and is now in Buenos Ayres, South America, while the mother is still residing at the old home in Italy.

Of the four children in the parental family Antone Pelascini is the third oldest, and he and his brother Peter, of Elk River, are the only ones in America. Antone's boyhood was spent on the farm in sunny Italy, where he received a good education in the public schools. In 1902 he came to Eureka, Humboldt county, where he obtained employment in the woods working for the Vance Company, then for their successors, the Hammond Lumber Com- pany, and still later for the Pacific Lumber Company. He also spent two years in Del Norte county in the same line of work. Having saved enough money he determined to engage in the dairy business and in 1912 leased the present ranch of seventy-five acres near Alton, fifty acres of the place being bottom land, where he raised a sufficient quantity of hay and grain feed for his herd of twenty-five milch cows. He has made a success of his new undertaking.

In Eureka in April, 1914, Mr. Pelascini was married to Miss Rosa Gobbi,

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who was also a native of Statsona, Italy; and they have a little daughter, named Annic. In politics Mr. Pelascini favors the principles of the Republican party.

JOHN SAOTTINI .- Brescia, Italy, is not alone famed for violin- making, but also for its high standard of butter and cheese making. Many from that province have made Humboldt county their adopted home and have taken their place among the leading dairymen of the county. One of these is John Saottini, who was born at Bioni, Brescia, Italy, December 27, 1884. His father, Peter Saottini, a dairyman at Bioni, was there married to Cressini Giacomini, who died about the year 1898, and to them were born five children, four of whom are living. John is the eldest, and he has two brothers, Louis and Peter, also in Humboldt county.

As a lad John Saottini learned dairying as it is done in Brescia, and also attended the public schools. On completing the local course of study he con- tinued to assist his father on the farm, but he soon resolved to try his fortune in the land of the Stars and Stripes. In May, 1902, he came to the United States, and in the vicinity of Pittsburg, Pa., he was employed in the coal mines until 1907. In that year he concluded to come to the Pacific coast, and in August of that year he arrived in Loleta, Cal. Here for fourteen months he was in the employ of Steve Giulieri, and then worked over three years for Rafael Lanini, after which he rented Erickson & Johansen's ranch of one hundred eighty-four acres in the vicinity of Loleta, which he devoted to dairy- ing, having a herd of sixty milch cows. He had leased the place for ten years, but he sold the lease at the end of four years and purchased a half interest with Rafael Lanini in the present dairy and lease of one hundred thirty acres on Cannibal Island, which is devoted to a dairy of fifty cows, and since Mr. Lanini moved out to his own place on Elk river Mr. Saottini has superin- tended the place, giving it his undivided attention. The place is rich bottom land, which not only furnishes excellent pasturage, but also yields ample crops of hay and green feed.

Fraternally Mr. Saottini is a member of the Woodmen of the World. He is an experienced dairyman and by his energy and close application to the business he is making a success and has established himself among the men of affairs in the Eel river valley.

CLAUDIO PIFFERINI was born at Cugnasco, Canton Ticino, Switzer- land, November 16, 1882, the son of Dominico and Teresa (Pallacio) Pifferini, who followed dairying. The father died in 1901 and the mother is still residing at the old home. Of their eight children, five of whom are living, Claudio is the third oldest. After receiving his education in the public schools he assisted his parents on the home farm until he came to California. His brother Albert had migrated to Humboldt county some years before, so Claudio joined him here in February, 1907. For a short time he was employed in the woods for the lumber company at Metropolitan and then for the Pacific Lumber Com- pany at Scotia, working in the mill. In 1908 he went to work on a dairy near Ferndale, later for Charles Walker at Mckinleyville and afterwards at Loleta until January, 1910, when he formed a partnership with Fred M. Giulieri, leasing two small ranches of one hundred sixty acres near Grizzly Bluff, where they engaged in dairying, eventually milking sixty-five cows on the place. In January, 1915, he sold his interest to his partner and came to Arcata Bottoms, where he leased the Albert Nelson ranch of forty-seven acres. being rich bottom land, which furnishes ample feed for thirty milch cows.

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In Ticino, Italy, December 16, 1905, Mr. Pifferini was married to Mary Pallacio and they have four children, Attilio, Hazel, John and Lillie. Politically he espouses the principles of the Republican party.

SAMUEL PIOLA was born in Montecrestese, Province of Novara, Italy, February 18, 1876, the son of Isidoro and Adelaide (Storni) Piola, who were farmers. The father is dead, while the mother still lives on the old farm in Italy. Of their seven children that grew to maturity, Samuel is the. fifth in order of birth. He received a good public school education, remaining at home and assisting his parents until eighteen years of age, when he emigrated to the Argentine Republic, South America, being employed on farms and in factories and also clerking at Rosario de Santa Fe. While there he became familiar with the Spanish language. After five years he returned to his old home in Novara, and immediately made preparations to come to the United States. On April 16, 1901, he arrived in St. Louis, Mo., which city he left two years afterward to go to McAlester, Indian Territory, where for the next four years he was employed in the coal mines.

In 1906 Mr. Piola came to California, going first to Los Angeles and two months later to Alameda county, where he was employed as a brick- maker at Tesla. In December, 1906, he made his way to Bisbee, Ariz., where he was employed in the copper mines. In the spring of 1912 he came to Humboldt county and worked on a dairy on Cannibal Island. In the fall of 1912 he rented the Varian place of forty acres and ran a dairy of twenty-two cows for two years. After selling this lease he entered a partnership with G. Faravis in leasing the Risen place of one hundred thirty acres and the J. Larsen place of forty-five acres on Cock Robin Island, which the partners devoted to dairying. In December, 1914, Mr. Piola's partner was accidentally drowned, and since purchasing the latter's interest Mr. Piola has continued operating the one hundred seventy-five acres, milking sixty cows on his dairy, and is meeting with success.

Mr. Piola was married in Bisbee, Ariz., in 1911, being united with Clementine Pella, who was also born at Montecrestese, and they have one child, Gino. Politically he believes in the principles of the Republican party.

MARTIN L. PONTONI .- A successful dairyman in Humboldt county, where he owns a valuable farm near Arcata, in a section of California which has proved most propitious for the dairy industry, Martin L. Pontoni is known as an enterprising and liberal man, and an upbuilder of the community where he resides.

Born at Cimalmotto, Canton Ticino, Switzerland, Martin Louis Pontoni was the son of Michael and Martha (Coppini) Pontoni, his birth occurring September 20, 1875. His father, a painter by trade, spent his summers in Paris, France, where he was engaged in painting and decorating, and his death took place at his farm at Cimalmotto, where his wife is still living with her six daughters. Of their family of ten children, eight are now living, and the two sons are both in California, where Camillo, the younger, works for his brother Martin. Brought up on the home farm in Switzerland, and edu- cated in the local public schools, at the age of sixteen years Martin Pontoni decided to come to California, of which he had heard good reports concerning wages and opportunities for young men. Accordingly, in October, 1891, he arrived in San Francisco, going thenee to Eureka, in Humboldt county, immediately seeking employment, as he had borrowed one hundred sixty

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dollars from his father for the journey. In finding work Mr. Pontoni was very successful, as he went to work on his first evening there, being employed on a dairy ranch near Fern Bridge, continuing in the same line of work in other dairies for a year or two, at the end of the first year being able to repay the money borrowed of his father, in spite of the fact that the wages were not as good then as now, Mr. Pontoni receiving only two hundred dollars and board for his first year's work. In the year 1893 he removed to the vicinity of Arcata, where he was employed on the dairy of J. W. Coppini for a year and at other dairies in that vicinity thereafter. Ten years later, having saved sufficient money to enable him to start in business for himself, he leased the Stewart Foster place of sixty-six acres, and engaged in the dairy business independently, starting with a herd of thirty-six cows, later renting more land and increasing the number of his cows, milking as many as seventy-five cows in a season. In 1909 he purchased forty acres and later twenty more, so that he now owns sixty acres, to which he at present gives his entire atten- tion, having two years ago given up his leased land. On his property, which is all rich soil, he has fine pastures, and raises hay for his herd as well as such green feed as corn, carrots and beets, and his dairy herd of forty cows is composed solely of high grade Jersey cows.

A stockholder in the Savings Bank of Arcata, Mr. Pontoni has also been both an organizer and stockholder in the United Creameries Company, in 1908 becoming a member of its board of directors and later the vice-president of the board, which position he still holds. He is also a member of the Hum- boldt County Dairymen's Association and of its board of directors, and member and trustee of the Canal School district, while fraternally he holds membership in the Arcata Camp No. 472, Woodmen of the World, and with the Knights of Columbus in Eureka, his political preferences being with the Democratic party. By his marriage in Eureka with Jennie Barca, also a native of Canton Ticino, Switzerland, he is the father of five children : Michael, John, Martha, Martin and Louis.

GEORGE W. WILLIAMS .- A man who has been prominent in the lum- ber industry and mercantile business and is present supervisor of the Second Supervisorial district of Humboldt county is George W. Williams. He was born in Fairview, Guernsey county, Ohio, February 22, 1858, the son of Daniel W. and Fannie (Belford) Williams, natives of Wales and Ireland, respectively. They were married in Fairview, Ohio, where Daniel Williams was a carriage maker. In 1861 he came west via Panama and landed at San Francisco. From there he went to Nevada and engaged in sawmilling. It was about 1870 that he located in Humboldt county, engaging in the manu- facture of shingles at Fortuna until he retired. Five years after coming west, 1875, the family joined him in this county. Both parents died in Fortuna.

Of the four children born to Daniel W. and Fannie Williams, George WV. was the third oldest. He was reared in Fairview, Ohio, and was edu- cated in the public schools of that place until he was seventeen, when with the family he joined his father in Humboldt county and here continued his studies for two years in a district that later became the thriving city of Fortuna. After his school days were over, he started a shingle mill on his own account, in 1878, building it in Palmer Creek gulch about one mile from what is now Fortuna. It was then called Slide, afterwards Springville and finally Fortuna. He continued as a shingle manufacturer for thirty-five years,

Eu williams

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during which time he had about twelve different mills, among them the sash and door factory at Fortuna. This was in partnership with William Swortzel, the firm being known as Swortzel & Williams, an association that continued for about twenty years. Besides the sash and door mill, the firm had a shingle mill and a store in Fortuna. During this time Mr. Williams was interested in organizing the Bank of Fortuna, and has been a director of that institution for many years. The store was incorporated as the Fortuna Merchandise Co., and was run as such by the original owners for about ten years, when it was sold, and it is still running under the same name. After the dissolution of the partnership, Mr. Williams became sole owner of the shingle mill.

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History of Humboldt 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, Part 101

Author: Irvine, Leigh H. (Leigh Hadley), 1863-1942 Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Los Angeles, Historic Record Company Number of Pages: 1328

Author: Irvine, Leigh H. (Leigh Hadley), 1863-1942
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Los Angeles, Historic Record Company
Number of Pages: 1328