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 133

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 133

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It was in the year 1882 that Mr. Tonini came to California, then a new and only partially settled country compared to its present flourishing condi- tion, and after spending two years in Marin county, this state, Mr. Tonini came to Humboldt county in 1884, where he has since continued to make his home. For two years he worked on a dairy ranch at Rio Dell, after which he determined to engage in the business independently. Accordingly he leased a seven-hundred-acre ranch at Petrolia, in partnership with William Spaletta, where they milked a herd of seventy-five cows and manufactured butter, the churning being done by horse power, the product being shipped to San Francisco in squares or kegs, butter at one time being sold as low as eleven cents a pound. At the end of five years the business was sold out and the partnership dissolved, Mr. Tonini continuing, however, in the same line of business in the employ of others, in order to save for another start. His marriage took place in Ferndale, Cal., uniting him with Miss Mary Spaletta, also a native of Ticino, and Mr. Tonini then started in business independently once more, leasing three hundred acres of land near Rio Dell, where he conducted a dairy of forty-five cows for the space of six years. After this, he removed to Arcata Bottoms, renting a forty-acre ranch there, where he ran a dairy of twenty-five cows until the year 1913, at that time selling out and purchasing his present ranch of forty-eight acres on the Mad river, near the Mad river bridge, three miles north of Arcata. Here Mr. Tonini has a splendid farm, located on rich bottom land, whereon he is enabled to raise alfalfa, green feed for his herd, and potatoes, and owns a splendid herd of twenty milch cows. One of the original stockholders of the United Creameries Company, an institution that is doing much towards making dairying a success around Arcata, Mr. Tonini is well known in his chosen line of work where he holds a high place, both for his thorough understanding of the business and his efficient methods of work. He is also well known as a stanch Republican in his political interests. Mr. and Mrs. Tonini are the parents of five children, Lena, Candina, Eugenia, Ferdinand and William, who, though born in California, recall in their musical names the foreign land which was the birthplace of both their parents.

LOUIS H. OLSEN .- From various foreign lands people have come to make their home in California, attracted hither by reports of the fertile soil and the opportunities for energetic young men in this new country, and America is always glad to welcome to her shores industrious and ambitious sons of other lands who bring with them the qualities of perseverance and enterprise to apply to their work in their adopted home.

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Among the prominent business men of Loleta, in Humboldt county, Cal., must be mentioned Louis H. Olsen, who is making a success of the lumber industry there, and is well and favorably known throughout the Eel river valley. Born in Flekkefjord, Norway, on January 9, 1871, he was the son of a farmer of that country and was educated in the local public schools. One of his brothers left home for California, and five years later, instigated by his example, Louis Olsen in 1889 likewise came to America, going first to Eureka, Cal., and for about four years was employed with the Eel River Valley Lumber Company at Newburg, Cal., in the lumber yards of the com- pany. For the three years following, Mr. Olsen was engaged in the lumber yards of the Pacific Lumber Company at Alton, Cal., and when they opened their yards in Loleta was put in charge of the same, continuing the manage- ment until December 1, 1910, when he bought the yards and stock and con- tinued the business under the name of the Loleta Lumber Yards. The industry has grown with the town and the surrounding country, and has been an important factor in the upbuilding and prosperity of the place, Mr. Olsen holding a high place in the esteem of all with whom he is associated. He also represents various fire insurance companies, among them being the Hartford of Connecticut, the Home of New York, the Commercial Union of London, the Western Assurance of Toronto, the Aetna of Hartford and others, besides automobile and accident insurance companies.

In Alton, Cal., Mr. Olsen was married to Miss Virginia Olive Robertson, a native of Missouri, and they are the parents of two children, Lenwood Vernon, who is a bookkeeper for the Elk River Lumber Company at Falk, and Thelma Irene. To show his faith and optimism in the value of Hum- boldt county real estate and investments, Mr. Olsen has purchased property in Loleta, on which he has built three residences, and which he still owns. In 1903, with his wife and children, he made a trip back to his old home in Norway, visiting his parents who were then living, though both have since died ; and though pleased to see his childhood home and old friends once more, Mr. Olsen, after comparing conditions there with those in the New World, was satisfied to return to his adopted home in California, where he has been enabled to make such a success in life.

In his religious preferences, Mr. Olsen is associated with the Lutheran Church, while politically he is a member of the Progressive party. The fraternal associations with which he is connected are numerous, he having been made a Mason in Ferndale Lodge No. 193, F. & A. M., and a member of the Ferndale Chapter No. 78, Royal Arch Masons; he is also Past Grand in the Loleta Lodge No. 56, I. O. O. F., and has been prominent in the Wood- men of the World, being the present clerk of White Clover Camp No. 398 of Loleta, WV. O. W., of which he is past head camp delegate; in the order of the Knights of Pythias he is past chancellor of Springville Lodge No. 150 of Fortuna, and is also a member of the Sons of Norway in Eureka, and with his wife a member of the Rebekahs. The interest which Mr. Olsen takes in the advancement and welfare of the town of Loleta, where he makes his home, is shown by the fact that he is a member and ex-secretary of the Loleta Board of Trade.

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JOSEPH C. RAMOS .- One of the successful dairymen of Humboldt county, who has come from foreign lands to make his home in California, is Joseph C. Ramos, a liberal and enterprising man who is making a success of his venture in a new land. Born in Isle Flores, Azores, September 24, 1879, he was the son of Antone, a farmer and dairyman of that place, and Annie Ramos, who died in 1913, the father also being now deceased. Of the family of eleven children, six are now living, Joseph C. being the second youngest. He grew up on his father's farm, receiving his education in the local public schools, remaining at home until he had reached the age of twenty years, when he removed to California, whither his brother Frank had come in 1893. In September, 1899, Joseph Ramos arrived in Humboldt county, and for three years was in the employ of Will Turner at the mouth of the Mad river, at the end of that time determining to go into business for himself. Accord- ingly he rented the ranch from Mr. Turner, an estate which covered an area of two hundred and eighty acres of bottom land, where for eighteen months Mr. Ramos conducted a dairy of seventy-eight cows. Then leasing the place to his brother Frank, he leased the Clark ranch of one hundred and twenty acres at Alliance, for nine years operating a dairy there comprising a herd of fifty cows. During this time, in partnership with his brother he also leased the Rosso ranch of John P. Silva at Bald Mountain, a place of eleven hundred and forty acres, where he ran a dairy of sixty cows and raised stock, after two years selling his interest to his brother. Also while on the Clark place, he bought his present property in 1913, the fine old Menefee place of thirty acres adjoining Alliance on the south side. One month later his house was burned, and he continued to live at the Clark ranch until 1914, in the mean- time building his new residence on the place, a twelve-room modern dwell- ing, commodious and attractive, as well as erecting large barns for his stock, which comprises twenty cows of the Holstein breed, for which he is enabled to raise on his ranch plenty of hay as well as green feed.

In his political preferences Mr. Ramos is allied with the Republican party, while his fraternal associations are with the Woodmen of the World. His marriage took place in Flores, Azores Islands, on October 18, 1898, unit- ing him with Miss Annie Noia, a native of that place, and they are the parents of three children: Antonio, Mary and Annie.

HUMBOLDT STANDARD-Dating from an humble beginning, the Humboldt Standard has built for itself a place not merely confined to the limits of Humboldt county, but with all of northwestern California for its field and having all of northern California in its sphere of influence. Its growth has been steady and healthy-there has been nothing of the mush- room about it-and it is now standing upon a firm foundation made up of a strong, clean and fair editorial and news policy and a businesslike manage- ment.

The Humboldt Standard was first published from a little room on the second story of a building on First street near E street, which is still stand- ing. R. V. Chadd, a printer-editor, was its founder. Under his ownership it continued for several years and then passed into the hands of William Ayres, who moved the office to the corner of Second and E streets. From the ownership of Mr. Ayres it passed into the hands of F. P. Thompson, who immediately turned the paper into a semi-weekly with Seth Millington, after-

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wards superior judge of Glenn county, as its editor, and F. A. Cutler, now attorney for the board of regents of the University of California, one of sev- eral employees.

As a semi-weekly, the paper was published until after 1888, when J. F. Thompson purchased a half and later the entire interest in the paper. Shortly after he came into control Mr. Thompson made the Humboldt Standard a daily paper and from that time its real development as a powerful publica- tion dates.

One step after another has advanced the Standard, but what gave it its first real impetus was the unerring hand of J. F. Thompson. Writer of virulent editorials which soon commanded wide attention, an astute business man, kind-hearted and highly respected and progressive withal, Mr. Thomp- son is the real father of the Standard of today.

Mr. Thompson continued in active control of the paper until failing health caused his retirement from active service, when Major H. W. Patton became a partner in the business together with Will N. Speegle, who, prior to that time, had been an employee and who is now its editor and general manager. Major Patton was succeeded in his interest by George K. Cole- man and he, in turn, by George H. Burchard, who disposed of his interests a few years ago. Mr. Speegle always retained an ownership in the paper and his is now the guiding hand.

Since Mr. Speegle took complete charge many more improvements have been made. The old presses have been discarded for a modern Duplex equipment, while the mechanical department of the paper has been brought up to a high standard of efficiency. The Standard, under the ownership of J. F. Thompson, has the credit for bringing the first Merganthaler linotype into northwestern California.

Mr. Speegle is essentially a newspaper man and newspaper builder along conservative lines, and step by step, he has continued the work of J. F. Thompson in making the Standard the paper it is today. Its news policy is contained in its entirety in the words, "all the news that's fit to print." It deals fairly and courageously with every problem and is now recognized as the type of newspaper of which America will never have too many.

DALY BROTHERS .- Throughout the length and breadth of Hum- boldt county the name of Daly and the Arcade at Eureka are associated with efficiency in mercantile enterprises and a large list of satisfied customers. It would indeed be difficult to find an establishment along the north coast of California that stands for a higher quality of service than the Arcade and certainly there is none with a more courteous group of clerks or a more varied stock of goods including everything needed in the modern city home or the isolated frontier ranch. Hitherto it has been difficult to achieve suc- cess in mercantile enterprises in this northwestern coast country, but the proprietors of the Arcade have solved all difficulties and forged their way to the front in a manner gratifying to their friends and beneficial to the city. Various elements have entered into their growing prosperity, but perhaps none has been more important than their care and skill in buying. From the first they have realized that to succeed they must buy at prices that would enable them to sell at very reasonable figures. To aid in buying they made the acquaintance of manufacturers and bought direct where they could

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secure the desired articles at lowest prices. A further aid was the establish- ing of an eastern agency with the firm of Jay & Co., of New York City, and still another vital factor in the buying business has been the semi-annual visits of the proprietors to the eastern markets.

The founding of the Arcade dates back to the year 1895, when Cornelius Dennis Daly decided there was an opportunity for mercantile enterprises in Eureka. This decision was not hastily made, but was the result of investi- gation and careful thought. In 1895 his brother, John F., a business man of Grass Valley, joined him and together they rented a small building on F street next to the First National Bank. Their first efforts were on a very small scale, but such was their energy and such their intelligent supervision that in five years they were able to move to their present location on F street. Here again they made a modest start, renting two stores, or about one-fourth of their present quarters. The rapid development of the business caused them to increase their space until they finally acquired the ground floor and half of the upper floor of a half-block, stocked with modern goods that would do credit to a metropolitan center. Recently the store was remodeled at an expense of $12,000, making it one of the most up-to-date buildings in this section of the state. While the custom of buying direct has laid the founda- tion of this great business, another secret of its advance is the square dealing of the proprietors, who have carried the highest principles of personal integ- rity into their business and have never allowed a customer to leave their establishment dissatisfied. In 1906 another brother, Patrick M. Daly, became associated with the business, to which he gives all of his time, and has been an active factor in promoting the interests of the firm.

CORNELIUS DENNIS DALY .- Among the men who have been in- strumental in bringing Humboldt county to the forefront and prominently identified in its upbuilding, is Cornelius D. Daly, well known not only in the county but throughout the state as one of its most enterprising and success- ful business men, and one who is always ready and willing to give of his time and means for civic improvement and betterment. He is a native of Charleville, County Cork, Ireland, born November 27, 1863, the son of Dennis and Catherine (Walsh) Daly, also natives of that county. The Daly family comes of old and honored stock, members of the family for generations hav- ing been among the most prominent business men of that section, and it was therefore a natural trend of mind that caused Mr. Daly to take up mercantile pursuits as a life work. Throughout life, his father was successfully engaged in mercantile affairs in Charleville and held a prominent and enviable position financially and socially.

Of the sixteen children born to Dennis and Catherine Daly, Cornelius D. was the fourth oldest. His first experience in mercantile life was in his father's store in Charleville, where he spent several years. He then entered the employ of Pim Bros., Ltd., Dublin, Ireland, the most prominent dry goods merchants in that city, with whom he remained until 1886. In that ycar he came to California, locating in San Francisco, where for a time he was with the firm of O'Connor, Moffatt & Co.

Desirous of starting in the mercantile business for himself, Mr. Daly began looking about for a location, and with that end in view he worked in some of the smaller cities and towns in California. It was while still on this search that he came to Eureka in 1892 to work for the old firm of Crocker Bros. After working there a couple of years he saw an opportunity to start

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an independent business in Eureka, so in 1895 with his brother John F. he established the nucleus of the present large business, starting in a small one- story building on F street next to the First National Bank. In a few years the business had outgrown these quarters and was the occasion of removal in 1900 to the present location at F and Fourth streets. At first a fifty-foot frontage answered the needs of the business and when this proved too small the proprietors secured fifty feet more and later took in the whole half block frontage, until it is now recognized as the largest establishment of the kind in Eureka.

In 1898 Mr. Daly made his first trip back to his old home and during his visit there became acquainted with the lady who afterwards became his wife, the marriage being solemnized in New York City, July 20, 1900. Before her marriage Mrs. Daly was Miss Annie Murphy, a daughter of the late John Murphy, who was also prominent in mercantile life in Charleville, where Mrs. Daly was born. She received her education on the continent, in one of the large convents in Belgium, and it was while she was on a visit to her home that she met Mr. Daly. They have five children: John, Charles, Catherine, Cornelius and Maura. Mr. Daly's fraternal associations are with Eureka Lodge No. 652, B. P. O. E., and the Knights of Columbus, besides which he is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, the Eureka Development Association, and in fact is active in all things that tend toward the upbuild- ing of Eureka. The family are active members of St. Bernard's Catholic Church.

In the summer of 1913 Mr. Daly and his wife returned to their native land and enjoyed a delightful visit at their old home, besides having the advantages of a somewhat extended European tour that gave Mr. Daly ample opportunity to renew acquaintance with and make a study of mercantile enterprises in the Old World.

FRANK HENRY BERTSCH .- A native of Ohio, Frank H. Bertsch was born in Columbus, Franklin county, April 6, 1866, and in 1874 he moved with his parents to Del Norte county, Cal., where the father, Joseph A. Bertsch, engaged in farming near Crescent City. Until he was fifteen years of age, Frank H. Bertsch was a pupil in the public schools of the county, after which he joined forces with his father in the care and management of the home ranch. In 1888 with his brothers he built and operated a shingle mill on Smith river, but the venture did not prove very successful and after six years it was given up. Frank H. Bertsch then moved to Humboldt county, in May, 1892, finding employment with the Vance Milling Company at their mill in Samoa, where he had charge of all pile driving operations. Later he moved to Fortuna and again engaged in lumbering, being employed in the woods for J. L. Morrell. In the spring of 1894 he moved to Loleta and engaged in contracting and building for himself, following the business for three years, or until 1897, when he bought a livery business and also engaged in buying and selling cattle, horses and hogs, he being the only man in the vicinity at the time who was engaged in this business. In 1909 he sold his livery business to devote his attention more exclusively to farming and dairying, purchasing his first ranch in the vicinity of Loleta. Today he is the owner of two dairy ranches in the valley and also two stock ranches, one at Dyerville and the other at South Bay, the latter of which he operates

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himself as a dairy and stock ranch, his dairy comprising seventy head of milch cows. In 1902 Mr. Bertsch built the water works in Loleta and in 1906 he entered into partnership with W. Parrott in the operation of the city water plant. When Mr. Bertsch first came to Loleta there was only one store in the town and now it is a thriving, industrious little city.

Mr. Bertsch was married in Crescent City, Cal., May 14, 1891, being united with Miss Alida Brown, who was born in Canada and who came to California with her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Bertsch have one child living, Clarence, who is attending the Eureka Business College. Mr. Bertsch is a member of the Odd Fellows, Woodmen of the World, and is president of the Loleta board of trade, and has also been constable for four terms. In politics he is an ardent Democrat and has always taken an active part in all affairs of the party. Since taking up his residence in Humboldt county he has entered heartily into all movements that have for their object the good of the community, and he is regarded as an enterprising and prosperous citizen, indeed one of the most prominent men in the district.

EUGENE BIONDINI .- Well known among the dairymen of Humboldt county, Eugene Biondini is a young man of high ideals, honesty and integrity of purpose, who has come from his native Switzerland to make a home for himself in California. His father, Louis, came to this western state about the year 1890, and for ten years carried on the occupation of dairying in Plumas county, after a four years' visit to his native home returning for another period of ten years of dairying in California. The parents of Eugene Biondini are both natives of the village of Leggia, Canton Grisons or Grau- bunden, Switzerland, where the father is a farmer and dairyman, the mother's maiden name having been Lucia Ceresa. Both parents are now living in their native canton in Switzerland.

Born in the same little town as his parents, on March 19, 1888, Eugene Biondini was the second oldest child in a family of four, and the only one now residing in the United States. Brought up on his father's farm, he re- ceived his education in the local public schools, at the age of fourteen years leaving home for California, in 1902 joining his father, who was then in Plumas county, and remaining with him a year. Thence the son removed to Lassen county, in the same state, where for three years he was employed upon dairies, from there going to Washoe City, Nev., and engaging in farm work for a short time. In the fall of 1906 he came to Humboldt county, finding employment on a dairy near Grizzly Bluff, attending night schools for a while in the city of Ferndale, and continuing his work on dairies until the year 1910, when he had saved enough money to enable him to start in business independently. Accordingly, in 1910, he leased the Alexander Christen place and two years later the John Colvin ranch, thus coming into the use of eighty acres in all, whereon he successfully conducted a dairy of fifty cows. Disposing of his lease in the autumn of 1913, he removed to Arcata, where he rented the Stone ranch consisting of two hundred and forty acres of land, where he has fine pastures and raises hay, clover, corn, carrots, etc., for his herd, which comprises full-blooded and high grade Frisian Hol- stein cattle, milking about one hundred and fifteen cows and ranking among the large dairymen in the county.

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The marriage of Mr. Biondini took place in Ferndale, January 5, 1914, uniting him with Miss Lillian Ambrosini, who was born in Ferndale, and is the daughter of Martin Ambrosini, one of the oldest Swiss-American citizens of Humboldt county. Politically Mr. Biondini is allied with the Republican party, while his fraternal associations are with the Ferndale branch of the Druids.

ANTONIO BETTAZZA was born in Savallo, Province of Brescia, Italy, May 21, 1888, the son of John B. and Dominica (Dozzina) Bettazza, both natives of that place. The father was in the employ of a lumber company and died when Antonio was two years of age. The mother is still living on the old home. The parents had three children, as follows: Angelina resides in her native place: Antonio is the subject of this sketch ; and Mary remains with her mother.

Antonio Bettazza was reared in Savallo and received a good education in the public schools of his native place. From countrymen returning from California he obtained good reports as to wages and opportunities, so it was not surprising that April of 1907 found him in San Francisco. After spend- ing eleven months on a dairy ranch in San Mateo county he came to Hum- boldt county, where he found employment with Charles E. Sacchi, a dairy- man near Arcata, for one year, then worked for William Spalletti for over two years. Later he worked one year at Sweasey's dairy ranch on Ryan slough. During all these years he had in mind the dairy which he hoped to own some day, and saved his earnings accordingly. In partnership with Faustino Maskini he rented the Nixon ranch, in 1911, and from his former employer, Mr. Spalletti, purchased the dairy herd and has continued dairy- ing ever since. It is a splendid place of one hundred and sixty acres, rich bottom land, where is raised an abundance of feed. Besides milking sixty cows, the proprietors also engage in stock raising. Politically Mr. Bettazza is a Republican.

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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 133

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