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 130

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 130

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The marriage of Mr. Boyes took place in Ukiah, Cal., on November 30, 1884, uniting him with Miss Emma Huse, a native of Forest Hill, Placer county, Cal., and a daughter of Charles J. and Kisiah Catherine (Finney) Huse, both of whom were connected with pioneer days in California. The father of Mrs. Boyes, who was born in Bangor, Me., in 1846, came to Cali- fornia by way of Cape Horn, and was married in Coloma, Eldorado county. He was engaged in mining in Placer county, and after attaining success in his business died in that county. The mother was a native of Missouri, who crossed the plains to California with her parents in 1857 with ox-teams and wagons. Her father, John Finney, was one of the pioneers of this state. Mrs. K-C Huse (as she is known) is a resident of Essex, Cal. She brought her family of four children to Ukiah, Cal., in 1876, three of whom are now living : Mrs. Grace Crawford, of Essex, Humboldt county ; Charles, of Washington, D. C .; and Mrs. William Boyes, who is the mother of two children, Charles Arthur, who assists his father on the ranch, and Amy Ethel Boyes, now the wife of Walter Gillis of Samoa, Humboldt county.

EVERT ADDISON PORTER .- An enterprising and liberal young man, and one well liked in the California town where he makes his home, Evert Addison Porter was born at Santa Ana, Cal., April 15, 1879, the son of Addison and Achsa (Spees) Porter, who came from Wisconsin to Cali- fornia, the father having been a native of New York state. Addison Porter opened a blacksmith shop in Santa Ana, later in Willits, Mendocino county, Cal., and thirty years ago embarked in the same occupation at Alliance, Humboldt county, where he died eighteen years ago. He was the father of seven children, of whom Evert Addison was the third oldest, and since his death the mother has continued to reside at Korbel.

Evert Addison Porter grew up at the town of Alliance, receiving his education in the Janes school district, being employed thereafter on farms and in the woods near by for the Hammond Lumber Company until 1903, at which time he turned his attention to the blacksmith's trade, which was followed by his father, starting in business as an apprentice in Arcata, with Philip Matthews of that city, where he remained for four years. Later Mr. Porter opened a shop at Mckinleyville, which also he ran for a period of four years, in 1911 removing to Alliance, since which time he has been employed in that place in the blacksmith's trade, doing general

1155

HISTORY OF HUMBOLDT COUNTY

blacksmith work and wagon making, and making a specialty of horse shoe- ing, still owning the blacksmith shop which he built at Mckinleyville, also the residence which he erected there, the finest in the place. In McKin- leyville, also, his marriage took place, uniting him with Miss Mabel E. Mager, who was born near Arcata, the daughter of Joseph Mager, a pioneer settler of the place. In his political interests Mr. Porter is a member of the Progressive party, while his fraternal associations are with the Wood- men of the World at Arcata.

JOHN P. SILVA .- A native of the Azores Islands, where he was born on February 25, 1855, in the city of Topo, St. George, John P. Silva is the son of Joseph F., a farmer and native of that place, and Mary (San Jose) Silva, both of whom died at their old home. Of the family of nine children, John P. was the youngest, and grew up like other farmers' boys of the locality, receiving his education in the local public schools. At the age of eighteen years he left home, coming to the United States in 1873, and stopping first at New Bedford, Mass., later securing employment in the brickyards of Taunton, Mass., and also on a farm near there, and in cotton factories in New Bedford. After five years spent in these varied employ- ments, Mr. Silva returned to St. George for a visit to his home, remaining there a year, and meanwhile, in May, 1880, marrying Miss Henrietta C. Machado, who was born in the city of Calheta, St. George, the daughter of Antone and Firmina (Olivera) Machado, natives of that place. The bride's father had been a sailor from boyhood, having sailed all over the world and risen to the rank of master in the whaling industry. During the gold excitement in California, as master of a vessel he brought the first lumber from New England around Cape Horn to San Francisco, with which the first wooden house in that city was built, and after coming to California he gave up his ship and engaged in mining, in which he was quite success- ful, returning afterward to his home at St. George. He made trips there- after to New Bedford on his vessel with his wife and little daughter, who later became Mrs. Silva, and after living in the Massachusetts town, re- turned to his old home on account of poor health, and died there six months later. His wife remained with her daughter, Mrs. Silva, and accompanied her to California, where she spent her last days, her death taking place in Arcata, in 1911, she being then seventy-four years old. Mrs. Silva has an older brother, Joseph Machado, of New Bedford, who is captain of his own vessel, as was his father.

Soon after their marriage in New Bedford, Mr. and Mrs. Silva removed to California, where Mr. Silva for a year followed mining on Cherokee Flats, then coming to Humboldt county in 1881, finding employment there on farms and dairies. By the year 1887 he had saved enough money to permit of his starting in business for himself, and he accordingly leased a ranch of eight hundred acres on Bear river ridge, where he conducted a dairy of sixty cows, panning the milk and skimming by hand, the churning being done by horse power. The butter was taken to Scotia and sold to the Pacific Lumber Company's stores. After continuing in this business for a year, Mr. Silva sold the business and leased a dairy at Rio Dell, consisting of forty cows, selling his milk and butter at Scotia. A year later he removed to Walker's point, where he ran a dairy for a year, at

1156

HISTORY OF HUMBOLDT COUNTY

the end of that time removing to Lake Prairie, where he operated a dairy of thirty-five cows and raised cattle and hogs. While living at this place Mrs. Silva with her mother and child returned to her home in the Azores in order to sell their property there and locate permanently in California, and during her absence Mr. Silva leased a dairy ranch at Bald Mountain of eleven hundred acres, remaining there a year. He was also interested in the building of a creamery at Bayside, of which for three years he acted as first manager. His present place, consisting of twenty-two acres at Arcata, was then purchased, where he built a creamery, operating the same for three years before selling it and purchasing the Rosson ranch of twelve hundred acres at Bald Mountain, where for seven years he engaged in stock-raising and dairy farming, then renting the place, which has since been leased for a dairy and stock ranch. Mr. Silva now makes his home at Arcata, where, with Mr. Olivera, he has a small dairy, likewise leasing the Walker point ranch of two hundred acres, where the partners conduct a dairy consisting of fifty cows. At his Arcata ranch Mr. Silva has a fine residence, as well as commodious barns in connection with his dairy in- dustry. He is the father of ten children, of whom only three are at present living, namely: Helena, now Mrs. McKinzie, of Arcata; Firmina and Leo, who are at home with their parents; the elder seven children who are deceased being by name as follows: Mary, who died at the age of sixteen years; Henry, who died at three months; Antonio, who died at seven months; Manuel, who died at two years; Henry, who died at six years of age; Arthur, who died at four years; and Joseph, who died at three years. Mr. Silva is a Republican in politics, and in fraternal circles a member of the I. D. E. S. at Arcata; his wife being a member of the S. P. R. S. I., Consul Azores No. 97, at Arcata, of which she is ex-president. A cultured and refined woman, Mrs. Silva is also an able and practical helpmeet to her husband, who by his enterprising and progressive spirit has made for him- self a name that is highly respected in the community where he resides.

HARRY CLAUD JEANS .- The earliest recollections of Harry C. Jeans are of the home farm in Pike county, Mo., where he was born June 24, 1876, the son of Newton and Margaret (Watts) Jeans, natives of Kentucky and Missouri, respectively. While still a young man Newton Jeans left home to try his fortune elsewhere, going to the vicinity of Clarksville, Pike county, Mo., where he engaged in farming. In that state he met and later married Margaret Watts, and there also were born their six children. John H. is a stockman at Ruth, Trinity county ; H. Watts is a farmer in Idaho; Elizabeth, Mrs. Beauchamp, resides in Santa Rosa; William has not been heard from for many years; Arthur H. is a stockman at Ruth; and Henry C. is the sub- ject of this sketch. The mother of these children died in 1884, the father still continuing to make his home in Missouri until after his sons came to California, when he too came west. His last years were passed in San Jose, where he died at the age of seventy-two.

Harry C. Jeans passed his boyhood on the home farm, receiving his pre- liminary education in the near-by schools and completing his studies at the Paynesville Institute. In 1898, at the age of twenty-two, he came to Cali- fornia to join his elder brothers, who had preceded him and were engaged in the cattle business in the vicinity of Ruth, Trinity county. He continued

1157

HISTORY OF HUMBOLDT COUNTY

in partnership with his brothers until 1910, when he sold his interest in the company to his brother J. H. and leased from his uncle, John H. Watts, the property on which he now resides. John H. Watts was a pioneer of Hum- boldt county, having settled on this property nearly fifty years ago and becoming known as an extensive cattle and sheep raiser. He died in May, 1912. Upon the death of his uncle, H. C. Jeans came into possession of the home ranch of thirty-eight hundred seventy-four acres and also one-third interest in seventeen hundred and sixty acres adjoining the ranch on the east in Trinity county. All of the ranch is used for stock raising. More recently he has purchased an eighty-acre homestead adjoining on the north, making the ranch fifty-seven hundred and fourteen acres in extent. The Watts ranch is cast of the main overland county road about six miles south of Blocksburg and lies between the Little Dobbins and Big Dobbins creeks, extending east into Trinity county. It is also watered by numerous other streams and springs, and is well adapted to raising hay and grain, to which he devotes a portion of the land. However, he makes a specialty of raising Hereford cattle, usually having about five hundred head, besides which he raises hogs of Poland China strain. Disaster befell Mr. Jeans on July 5, 1914, when his property was destroyed by fire, but he immediately rebuilt about one hundred yards from the old site. Water has been piped to the house and the property is up to date in every respect. Although Mr. Jeans has made many improvements on the Watts property since it came into his possession, it still bears strong evidence of its natural wildness in the forests of white, black and tan oak, madrone and fir.

In Fortuna on August-29, 1902, Mr. Jeans was married to Miss Dora Ethyl Haydon, who was born in Covelo, Mendocino county, the daughter of Thomas Preston and Eugenia (Carner) Haydon, born in Missouri and Potter Valley, Cal., respectively. Mr. Haydon was first a stock raiser in Mendocino county and later in Trinity county. He is deceased and Mrs. Haydon now has a ranch on the middle fork of Eel river. She is a very energetic and ambitious woman, of rare worth and integrity and much business ability, and is making a success of ranching and the stock business. She is very hospitable and is always ready to help those who have been less fortunate.

Mr. and Mrs. Jeans have five children, Myrtle, Homer, Clara, Roy and Allen. Mr. Jeans is a man of sterling worth and his wife proves herself a great help to the success of his active and industrious life. In his political views Mr. Jeans is allied with the Republican party. Always interested in the cause of education, he is a trustee of Dobbins School District. The fam- ily are interested in the activities of the Christian Church.

FRED STOUDER .- On both sides of the family Mr. Stouder is a de- scendant of Swiss ancestors, although he himself is a native of New York City. His father, Frederick Stouder, was born in Canton Berne, Switzerland, and during young manhood emigrated to the United States, landing in New York City, where he was married and where the birth of his son occurred. When he was about one year old, in 1857, the parents removed to Illinois, settling in Champaign county, and continued there until transferring their citizenship to California. This they did in 1876, when they came to Hum- boldt county and took up farming. Subsequently the father went to Oregon,

1158

HISTORY OF HUMBOLDT COUNTY

settling in Waldport, Lincoln county, and it was there that he passed away. His wife, who in maidenhood was Margaret Hoffner, was also a native of Canton Berne, Switzerland. She met with a tragic death, the carriage in which she was riding in going from Korbel to Arcata being struck by a train at the McCloskey railroad crossing.

The parental family comprised four children, of whom three are living, and the eldest is Fred Stouder, whose birth occurred August 9, 1856. As has been stated, when he was about one year old the family removed from New York to Illinois, where he was reared on a farm and attended the public schools. He was about twenty years of age when removal was made to California, and for two years he stayed at home, assisting his father in the care of the farm, located near Arcata. He was twenty-two years old when he struck out for himself, at first working in a sawmill, and about a year later taking a position as fireman on the Arcata & Mad River Railroad. Some idea of the work connected with this position may be realized when it is stated that cord wood was used for fuel, thus necessitating constant attention. It was after a continuous and faithful service of three years in this capacity that he was promoted to engineer with the same road, being placed in charge of a run out of Arcata, which he continued for fourteen years. At the end of this time he accepted the position of engineer with the Eastern Redwood Lumber Company, in their interests running a locomotive out of Freshwater for three and one-half years. Following this he entered the employ of the Eel River Railroad Company, having charge of the con- struction train out of Eureka for about four months. In the meantime, about 1902, he had established his son in business in Arcata, opening a garage which was well equipped to handle a general automobile and motor- cycle repair business. In 1908 Mr. Stouder retired from railroading alto- gether and joined his son in the care of the business, ultimately, however, becoming the sole proprietor. The garage is advantageously located on G street, Arcata, where in addition to doing repairing and handling the sup- plies usual to such an establishment, Mr. Stouder is agent for the Mitchell automobile and also the various makes of motorcycles and bicycles, besides handling a general line of sporting goods. In addition to maintaining the garage, since 1911 he has run an automobile stage line in the city, besides a line between Eureka and Korbel, touching at Arcata and Blue Lake and intermediate points, in all a distance of twenty-four miles. For this purpose he has two seven-passenger cars and one five-passenger car, and his son also runs two cars for passenger service, one on the same route traversed by his father and the other between Carlotta and Eureka. By cooperation father and son have so arranged their trips that the schedule is now about a car an hour, an arrangement that is decidedly convenient for passengers, who show their appreciation by a liberal patronage.

In Arcata Mr. Stouder was united in marriage with Miss Lizzie Denny, a native of this city and the daughter of James F. Denny, a '49er in the state and a pioneer settler of Arcata. Three children were born of this marriage, as follows: Charles, already mentioned as engaged in the auto stage busi- ness; Frances, Mrs. Bagley, of Portland, Ore .; and Willeta, at home with her parents. While Mr. Stouder is not a seeker after public office he is nevertheless deeply interested in the welfare of his home city, and for two

1159

HISTORY OF HUMBOLDT COUNTY

terms he served as sheriff of the county, also being elected chief of the fire department, having been a member of the department for seventeen years. Though at present he is not actively engaged in railroad work, he retains his membership in the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers at Eureka, and was the first president of Redwood Lodge, B. of L. E., in that city. He also belongs to the Woodmen of the World at Arcata (of which he was banker for six years), the Loyal Order of Moose in Eureka, and the Eagles in Arcata, and in political life is an ardent Republican. In June, 1914, Mr. Stouder suffered the loss of his wife, who was an earnest member of the Presbyterian Church, a devoted wife and mother and a friend in every sense of the word to all who knew her.

FRED M. GIULIERI .- Though a native of Switzerland, Fred M. Giulieri has, since the year 1905, been a resident of the state of California, where his father also, in early times, spent fourteen years in Marin and Sonoma counties previous to his marriage in his native land to Barbara Bravo. After his marriage, Peter Giulieri engaged in farming, his death occurring in Switzerland, where his wife still lives on the old home farm. Of their six children, Fred M. is the oldest, and was born near Locarno, Canton Ticino, Switzerland, on May 4, 1885, received a good education in the public schools and learned farming and dairying in his native canton. He and his sister Severina, now the wife of Henry Bravo, of Metropolitan, are the only members of the family now living in California, Mr. Giulieri having made his home here since the age of nineteen years, attracted hither by the good reports he had heard of the country and a strong desire he felt to come to the Pacific coast. The month of February, 1905, found him in Eureka, Cal., and he soon secured employment on the dairy ranch of Mrs. Mozzini at Loleta, where he remained for nearly two years. For the next three years he was engaged in work upon a dairy ranch at Beatrice, in 1910 entering into a partnership with C. Pifferini, the part- ners buying out two dairies and leasing the two ranches near Grizzly Bluff, Humboldt county. Having now one hundred and forty acres u11der lease, they engaged in dairying, conducting a dairy of seventy milch cows for a period of five years, in December, 1914, dissolving the partner- ship and selling one dairy and lease. Mr. Giulieri at that time purchased his partner's interest, and now conducts a dairy independently on a fifty- five acre lease of bottom land at Grizzly Bluff, where he also raises hay and green feed for his herd of thirty cows, and is making a success of the business. An educated and well-informed young man, enterprising in his business affairs and liberal and industrious, he has won for himself success and a high place in the esteem of all with whom he is associated. In his political interests Mr. Giulieri is a member of the Republican party, in his fraternal associations holding membership in the Druids' lodge in Ferndale.

ATTILIO BIASCA .- A successful young dairyman of Ferndale, Cal., Attilio Biasca at the age of twenty left his home in Switzerland and came to California, where his brother Henry had preceded him three years earlier. Born in Lodrino, Canton Ticino, Switzerland, a place which has sent many of her sons to be instrumental in the development of California lands, Attilio Biasca was one of three sons, the date of his birth being

1160

HISTORY OF HUMBOLDT COUNTY

October 2, 1884. The father, Peter, conducted a farm in the Alps district, where his family was reared, and where he and his wife, Amelia (Gamusci) Biasca, and youngest son, William, now reside; a glazier by trade, he spent many months of the year occupied in that business in Paris, France. When the son Attilio had completed his education in the local public schools and had learned farming and dairying as it is done in that part of Switzerland, he served a short time in the infantry, until honorably dis- charged, after which he followed his brother Henry to California, arriving in Humboldt county April, 1905. For a time thereafter he was in the employ of Ambrosini Brothers on the Mayflower and Woodland Echo ranches, and later worked at other dairies on Bear river ridge and in the Eel river valley. Having saved his money, in 1908, in partnership with his brother Henry, he leased the Smith and Williams ranch and in the following year the Zoutard place of over one hundred acres, where he has conducted a dairy ever since, having in 1912 bought out his brother's in- terest in the business. On the fertile soil of these lands he raises hay, clover and alfalfa for his herd of sixty cows, as well as green feed such as corn and beets, while on a ranch which he rents, consisting of two hun- dred acres on Bear river ridge, he is engaged in raising young cattle.

In his political preferences, Mr. Biasca is an upholder of the Republican party, while his interest in the dairy business has led him to be a stock- holder in the Valley Flower Creamery Company from its organization. His marriage took place in Ferndale, in December, 1912, his wife, formerly Miss Victorina Minetta, being a native of the same Swiss town as himself, and they are the parents of two children, William Peter and Amelia Vic- torina Biasca.

NIELS THOGERSEN .- Among the younger business men of Eureka of the self-made type, one of the most successful is Niels Thogersen, pro- prietor of the Excelsior Dairy, who not only deals in milk but operates the farm from which his customers are supplied. For the last sixteen years this business has occupied the principal share of his attention, yet in that time he has acquired other interests even more valuable and extensive, and his executive and financial ability have been demonstrated in a number of important transactions. Coming to this country alone, and starting without influence or aid of any kind, he has made his way to prosperity by the most commendable methods, gaining the respect of the most substantial element among his fellow citizens. He is a Dane, born June 4, 1874, near Esbjerg. His father, Clemen Thogersen, who is now deceased, was a landowner. His mother, Kjisten Marie (Nielsen), survives. They had two children, Thoger and Niels.

Mr. Thogersen was reared and educated in Denmark, being allowed such advantages as the public schools afforded. He was brought up to farm work, including dairying, so it was quite natural that when he came to this country he sought employment in the same line. He had some friends at Ferndale, Humboldt county, Cal., to which place he came when seventeen years old, having arrived at Field's Landing, this county, April 9, 1891. He was employed at dairying, farming and teaming for the first seven years following his arrival here, and sixteen years ago rented the farm two miles south of Bucksport, where he has ever since carried on dairying,

1161

HISTORY OF HUMBOLDT COUNTY

building up a very large business. Buying stock and two wagons, he added to his herd as his profits enabled him to do so and custom increased, until he now has over eighty excellent cows, with a ready market for the product. His city barns are at Pine and Grant street, Eureka, from which point he conducts his deliveries, having two wagons to supply the retail and one for the wholesale trade. The property which he continues to rent, two miles south of Bucksport, comprises one hundred and thirty acres of the old Hinch estate, at Elk River Corners. His own holdings, all purchased since he began business for himself, consist of two hundred twenty acres southeast of Field's Landing which is leased for dairy purposes, and a five hundred acre ranch near Benicia, Solano county, which he has reclaimed by building a dyke. This latter tract, which is also devoted to dairying, is being seeded to alfalfa as rapidly as possible. Besides these holdings he also owns an interest in a valuable gold mine in Trinity county, Cal., and some Eureka city property, a residence at Pine and Grant streets and an- other at Pacific and Union streets. He has also become interested in transportation and is a stockholder in the McCormick Steamship Company of San Francisco, engaged in lumber and passenger traffic between San Diego and Portland. With his stock and other business equipment this is an excellent showing for sixteen years of application, and represents much hard labor, good judgment, sound management and the most satis- factory service to his patrons. Mr. Thogersen conducts his dairying opera- tions along modern lines, and produces a high grade of milk, for which he finds a steady demand. Tall, strong and active, with an energetic nature and pleasant personality, he has worked his way into the confidence and respect of all who know him, and fully deserves the high measure of esteem he enjoys.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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 130

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