USA > California > Mendocino County > History of Mendocino and Lake counties, California, with biographical sketches of the leading, men and women of the counties who have been identified with their growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 97
USA > California > Lake County > History of Mendocino and Lake counties, California, with biographical sketches of the leading, men and women of the counties who have been identified with their growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 97
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PIETRO BERRETTINI .- Near Lucca Toscano, Italy, Pietro Berrettini was born, December 26, 1879, and there he received his education in the local schools until twelve years of age. His father, Lorenzo Berrettini, had come to California and spent several years at Guerneville, Sonoma county, and hav- ing concluded to make California his home, he returned to Italy for his family and brought them to Guerneville in 1892. After attending school about three months Pietro began working around logging camps in Sonoma county. In 1899 he came to Usal, Mendocino county, and in 1901 to Ft. Bragg. In the latter place he entered the employ of the Union Lumber Company and later he worked for the Caspar Lumber Company and still later for the Pol- lard Lumber Company. In 1905 he purchased the Lucca Hotel on Franklin street near Oak, in Ft. Bragg, where he has successfully conducted a hotel ever since.
In Ft. Bragg occurred the marriage of Mr. Berrettini with Miss Valentina Dalpogeto, also born near Lucca, Italy, and to them have been born four chil- dren, as follows: Anachetra, Theresa, Jennie and David. Fraternally Mr. Berrettini is a member of the Druids, Eagles and Royal Arch. He is a public spirited man and enthusiastic in the future growth of Ft. Bragg, to which he is lending his best efforts.
MRS. SARAH (STONEBRAKER) PINER .- Throughout all of her life Mrs. Piner has been a resident of California and her earliest memories are associated with the crude and cosmopolitan conditions prevailing at the mining camp of Hangtown, where she was born January 14, 1853, and whence she came with the family to Kelseyville, Lake county, in 1859. Of seven children she was the second in order of birth. The eldest, John W., died in infancy. The third, Nancy E., is the wife of Andrew Starr, of Woodland, Cal .; the fourth, Nevada Washington, is a gold miner in Idaho; William f.emuel is a cement contractor in Oregon, residing at Ashland ; David B. died at fifteen years of age; and Laura Lee, Mrs. Robert E. Hunsaker, is living at Klamath Falls, Ore. The father of this family was William Stonebraker. born in Wayne county, Ohio, in 1827, and married in Lincoln county, Mo., to Miss Fannie Holmes, who was born in Bullitt county, Ky., in 1826. The wedding trip of the young couple comprised an overland journey to California during the summer of 1849. Their first home was at Hangtown, whence they came to Lake county in 1859 and after ranching here for a time removed to Klamath Falls, Ore., where they died, their bodies being brought to Kel- seyville for interment. At the time the family arrived in this town it had no places of business excepting a blacksmith shop and a saloon. Nor was the subsequent growth rapid and for that reason the girlhood of Mrs. Piner was associated principally with the frontier. In young womanhood she be- came the wife of George Washington Piner, who in 1849 came with his parents to California and settled in Napa county, thence removing to Santa Rosa, from there to Ukiah and in 1861 to Kelseyville.
At the time of the removal of the family to Big valley, Lake county, Mr. Piner was a boy of fourteen years and while attending the schools of this county he met Miss Stonebraker. The acquaintance ripened into affection and they were married April 27, 1870, after which they lived on a ranch for twenty-five years. This place consisted of about a hundred acres, nineteen of which were set out as a pear orchard, now in full bearing, and there is also a fine bearing prune orchard. In 1895 they retired from ranching and settled in Kelseyville, where Mr. Piner passed away May 5, 1907. Four of their five
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children are now living. the third. Freddie, having died at three years of age. The eldest, Susie, is the wife of James Price, a rancher near Santa Rosa ; the second, William Anthony, makes his home at San Leandro. The youngest son, George W., formerly a pupil of De Rezke, is now an instructor in voice culture, with studio at No. 1260-1262 California street. San Francisco. The youngest child, Daisy, is the wife of W. A. Adams, and resides at Kelscy- ville, ministering to the comfort of her mother and brightening the twilight years of the latter by her affectionate attentions. In religion Mrs. Piner is a member of the Christian Church and in her life exemplifies the doctrines of Christianity to which she has adhered from girlhood.
HYVARI AND KARJAMAKI .- Among the young men who are mak- ing a success as merchants in Ft. Bragg we find the firm of Hyvari and Kar- jamaki, who have built up a large grocery store on the corner of Redwood avenue and Harrison street. Frank 1. Hyvari was born in Ylitinimes, Oulun- laani. Finland, April 18, 1889. His father, Oscar Hyvari, came to the United States and after spending some time in Minnesota and Wyoming, located in Ft. Bragg, where his family joined him in 1902. Here he has become the owner of valuable property, owning a large building on the corner of Red- wood avenue and Harrison street. The son, Frank I., went to school for a time after his arrival in Ft. Bragg and then followed tie making and working in the lumber woods until the firm of Hyvari and Karjamaki started the gro- cery, since which time Mr. Hyvari has given his attention entirely to the business.
A. Karjamaki, the other member of the firm, was born in the village of Yliharma, Vasalau, Finland, November 1, 1888, and was educated in the schools of his native place until thirteen years of age when he came to Ft. Bragg with his mother, November 2, 1901. The mother afterwards became the wife of Oscar Hyvari. Mr. Karjamaki attended the public schools of Ft. Bragg for a while and then worked at tie making until he began clerking in a grocery store. In 1911 he formed a partnership with Frank Hyvari and together they have built up a large and growing grocery business.
Mr. Karjamaki was married in Ft. Bragg, being united with Sigrid Samuelson, who was born on Navarro Ridge, Mendocino county, and they have two children, Kasvi and Laila.
DICK SCUDAMORE .- Perhaps no farmer in Scott's valley is more influential and certainly none has been more successful than Dick Scudamore. the only surviving son of Capt. Godwin Scudamore, and a resident of Lake county from his earliest recollections, but a native of Randolph county, Ill .. born on New Year's day of 1869. The uneventful but happy years of boy- hood were passed on the farm that he now owns. The associations of a life- time enhance the value of the old homestead in his eyes. Near here hie first attended school and laid the foundation of a practical education. Later he was sent into Lakeport to study in the old academy of the town. As soon as he had reached his majority he took charge of the farm. At first his father planned the work and superintended the entire estate, but when the keen intelligence of the younger man came into evidence, the entire supervision of the property was given into his charge.
In addition to the home farm of one hundred acres in Scott's valley Mr. Scudamore owns three hundred and twenty acres four miles northwest
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of Lakeport and also owns a stock ranch of twenty-eight hundred acres in Mendocino county, fourteen miles northeast of Ukiah, on Lakeport road. Dairying is one of his principal pursuits and his dairy of twenty fine milch cows is proving a profitable accessory to the home farm, where he raises alfalfa, grain and corn for feed. A valuable and promising part of the farm is an apple orchard of four acres. The place is kept in an excellent state of culti- vation and under the personal supervision of the owner, assisted by his son, Joe, is returning excellent profits on the original investment. In 1892 Mr. Scudamore married Miss Nannie Harmon, who is well known in Lake county in social circles and in the Christian Science Church. The family consists of three children, namely : Joe, who married Sally Christie ; Mary and Thomasine. Like his father Mr. Scudamore stanchly upholds Republican principles and always votes the straight party ticket in national elections.
GEORGE L. WILCOX .- A genius in his chosen life work, which is that of art. George L. Wilcox has throughout his entire career evidenced his splendid ability, his originality, delicate touch and clever finish to all his work placing him among the recognized artists of the day. He was born at Rock- ford, Winnebago county, Ill., March 4. 1867, the son of John Wilcox, who first saw the light of day in London, England, in 1825. The father grew to manhood in his native place and while studying the classics and theology with a view to entering the ministry he held a position in the London post- office. He had reached the age of twenty when opportunity offered to come to America, and making his way to Illinois, he was ordained a minister of the Congregational church. For fifty years he preached for that denomina- tion in northern Illinois, then retiring from the work because of extreme old age. Like the early clergy, he preached without remuneration, and for a livelihood followed farming, in which he was successful, becoming a large land owner in Winnebago county. Soon after coming to Illinois Mr. Wilcox was married in Rockford, that state, to Margaret Weber, who was also a native of England and was born in Devonshire. A woman of rare attain- ments and gentle manner, she was an exemplary mother; her death occurred in December. 1912. The father now makes his home at his beautiful country place at Trask Bridge, a few miles out of Rockford.
Of the seven children of his parents George L. Wilcox was the youngest, and grew up on the farm of his father at Wempletown, where he learned the rudiments of farming and stockraising, attending the local schools for his educational training. His taste for art early asserted itself, and his interest in architecture led him to enter the office of Mr. Bradley, an architect in the city of Rockford, when he was but twelve years of age, and he studiously applied himself to the study of that art. When sixteen he commenced draw- ing plans and making building contracts on his own account in Rockford and vicinity. It was in the fall of 1885 that he came west to the Pacific coast, his first location being at Eugene, Ore., where he became a partner of J. A. Winters in the photography business, and continued in that relation for nine months, at that time acquiring the business for his own. On the advent of the kodak he began traveling as general agent for the Eastman Company, being one of their first demonstrators of dry plates and films, as well as all their other supplies, and his territory covered most of the United States.
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In 1894 Mr. Wilcox opened a studio in Berkeley which soon became one of the leading photographic places on the coast. His studio at Sutter and Jones streets, San Francisco, was opened in 1900. Close application, natural ability and a thorough knowledge of the business won him recognition and he was soon ranged among the finest photographers not only on the coast, but throughout the country ; he won medals, first awards and diplomas from exhibits in Chicago and New York City, as well as Berlin, Germany, and three of his photos were hung in the Hall of Fine Arts at Paris. Among his work may be found photographs of most of the eminent men on the Bay of San Francisco. Always eager to progress along his chosen line he applied new methods, chemicals, etc., and experimented to get the most desirable results, until he became very successful, but ill health obliged him to retire early in 1906, and he sought the country to live in the open and regain his health. After traveling some time he finally chose Mendocino county as the best place for him to settle and in a year's time he was perfectly well again, enjoying life to its fullest extent. Locating in Ukiah, he purchased a small tract of land and laid out Oak Park, sub-division to Ukiah, where he built several houses, among them a studio artistically designed, and again entered the photographic business. The love of art has caused him to become par- ticularly interested in arts and crafts, both metal and wood, his talent finding its outlet in the many beautiful pieces which he has finished.
Mr. Wilcox married in Eugene, Ore., Miss Edith Winters, a native of that city and a most estimable lady. Fraternally he was made a Mason, in Durant Lodge No. 268, at Berkeley, and is a member of Oakland Chapter No. 36. R. A. M., Oakland Commandery No. 11, K. T., and Islam Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of San Francisco. He is also past grand in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and with his wife is a member of Kingsley Chapter, O. E. S.
AUGUST RANTALA was born near Raahe, in the state of Aulu. Fin- land, May 21, 1863, and being the son of a farmer, he learned the rudiments of agriculture as it is done in his native country. The advantages for obtain- ing an education were very limited and the children were taught at home. usually by their parents. However, Mr. Rantala has been studious, and by close observation and reading has become a well informed man. Aside from working on the home farm he learned carpentering, which he followed until 1888, then coming to Mendocino county. He found employment at the Navarro mills for a few years, when he engaged in the hotel business on Navarro Ridge. and for nine years ran the Navarro Ridge Hotel. The lumber company failed in business at this time, and the mills closed down. Accord- ingly, in 1901, he found it to his advantage to sell out his business and he then located in Fort Bragg, where he entered the employ of the Union Lum- ber Company. A year later he was given a place as car repairer, a position he has filled ably and well ever since.
With his wife and children Mr. Rantala resides on Corry street. Mrs. Rantala in maidenhood bore the name of Sophia Jokilehto, and was also a native of Finland. They have four children as follows: Axel, Everett, August A. and Blanche. Fraternally Mr. Rantala is a member of the Kalevala Broth- erhood No. 1, at Fort Bragg, and has been its secretary for ten years. In religious views he is a Lutheran. Stanch Republican principles are his politi- cal standards.
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JOHN W. COWEN, the postmaster at Inglenook, who is also engaged in farming, was born in Clearfield county, Pa., June 13, 1868. His father. Robert Cowen, came of Scotch parentage, was a farmer, and married Hannah J. Henchbarger. During the Civil war he served in the 110th Pennsylvania Vet- eran Volunteer Regiment. He spent his last days in California and died at Usal. The mother resides in Fort Bragg. Of their family twelve children grew to maturity, of whom John W. is the fifth eldest. He was educated in the public schools and was brought up on the home farm. Working for a time in the lumber woods of Pennsylvania, in December. 1895, he came to Mendocino county, Cal., entering the employ of the Usal Redwood Company and in time becoming foreman in the woods. In 1899 he began contracting. taking out tanbark in which he continued successfully until 1903. when he located in Fort Bragg and purchased the Grand livery stable, which he conducted for one year. Being elected constable of Ten Mile township, he sold the business. giving his time to the duties of his office until 1907, when he resigned to engage in farming.
In 1908 Mr. Cowen purchased and located on his present ranch of one hundred and twenty acres, on the coast road six and a half miles north of Fort Bragg, where. aside from stock-raising, he raises grain, potatoes, peas and beans. He was one of the organizers of the Fort Bragg Growers' Asso- ciation, which brought about the new cannery at Fort Bragg. In 1909 he was appointed postmaster at Inglenook, the office being located in his general merchandise store. He is also serving as deputy county clerk.
The marriage of Mr. Cowen occurred in Clearfield county. Pa., where he was united with Miss Margery Orr, a native of that county. Fraternally he is a member of the Eagles and the Knights of Pythias. Interested in the cause of education he is an active member and clerk of the board of Ocean school district.
DON Z. LE VALLEY .- Among the native sons well and favorably known on the Mendocino coast is one who has had much experience in the lumber woods and sawmills, Don Z. Le Valley. He was born on the Rus- sian river, Sonoma county, August 5, 1866, the son of David Thompson and Mary J. (Cook) Le Valley, natives of Missouri, who crossed the plains in the '50s and settled in Sonoma county, following farming until they located at Point Arena. The father, who had followed tie contracting. later was cm- ployed in Field Bros.' sawmill at Newport and still later was again engaged in tie contracting at Westport. His last days were spent in Ventura county, while the mother is now making her home at Nordhoff. Of their thirteen children Don Z. is the fifth in order of birth and from a small child has lived in Mendocino county. His education was obtained principally in the public schools of Westport. From a boy he worked in the woods and became fa- miliar with the work of getting out bark, ties and logs. He was foreman for Chris Hansen, the De Haven Lumber Company, the California Lumber Com- pany. McFaul lumber yard and the Duffey Lumber Company. He is now superintendent of the Cottoneva Lumber Company at Hardy Creek, having charge of the site, mill. tie camp and wharves. He is also the proprietor of the Hardy Creek Hotel, in which he and his estimable wife ably minister to the wants of the wayfarer.
The marriage of Mr. Le Valley occurred in Laytonville, uniting him with Miss Annie Longland, who was born in England, but came with her parents to
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Mendocino county when a child and was reared at Willits. To them have been born six children. Fred married Myrtle Woodward of Fort Bragg, where he is in the employ of Len Barnard; Gertrude is Mrs. J. H. Fee, of Westport; Lillie, Gladys, Florence and Dorothy complete the family. Fra- ternally Mr. Le Valley is a member of the Woodmen of the World at Eureka, the Independent Order of Foresters at Westport and the L. O. O. M. at Fort Bragg. He is clerk of the board of trustees of the Sea View district and is much interested in establishing a high standard in the district schools. Politic- ally he is a Democrat. He has lived the most of his life within the sound of the sea and being contented with the environment has purchased property on the coast.
ROMEO INCERTI .- Among those who are engaged in the general mer- cantile business in Fort Bragg is Romeo Incerti, a native of Montefiorino. in the province of Madena, Italy, born September 23, 1873, and there he was leared and educated. After completing the local schools he worked in a lumber yard until the age of twenty. Enlisting in the Forty-fifth Regiment of Infantry in the Italian army he served for three years, when he was honor- ably discharged as a non-commissioned officer.
In 1903 Mr. Incerti came to Fort Bragg and was employed as a woods- man with the Union Lumber Company and afterward with the Glen Blair Lumber Company. On April 2, 190, he opened a general store on the corner of Oak and Franklin streets and is doing a successful business. Aside from his interests in Fort Bragg he owns property in Richmond.
In 1897 in Italy Mr. Incerti married Miss Concetta Sasatelli, who was also born in Madena. Italy : their three children are Giuseppa. Pellegrino and Marie. Mr. Incerti is a member of the Druids, while politically he favors the prin- ciples of the Republican party. He is an enterprising man, and optimistic for the future of Fort Bragg and is always ready to aid in movements for its bet- terment and upbuilding.
JOHN DEVEREUX .- Among the old and honored residents of Men- docino county who has led a very useful and active life is John Devereux. who was born in County Wexford, Ireland. When fifteen years of age he went to sea on a sailer bound for Australia and for some years followed the life of a sailor between Melbourne and New Zealand. In 1868 he shipped on the Panther to San Francisco, arriving in November of 1868, when he quit deep water sailing but continued on a coaster between San Francisco and Puget Sound until 1870. It was then that he came to Point Arena and began working in the woods. It is now forty-four years since he began working in the redwoods in one way or another. At one time he was employed in the Saunders mill at Schooner Gulch, then with John S. Kimball at Greenwood tintil 1884, when he came to the Little Valley Lumber Company and in time became foreman for them, now having charge of the construction of and keep- ing up of their roads. For the last twenty-four years he has made his home at Cleone, where he owns a comfortable residence.
The marriage of Mr. Devereux occurred in San Francisco uniting him with Louisa McManus, who was born on Dry Creek, Mendocino county. her parents being pioneers of the county and their daughter Catherine was the first white child born in Mendocino county. To Mr. and Mrs Devereux were born six children. William is a merchant in Honolulu. John J. is a marine engineer also residing in Honolulu. Clarence is a hay and grain merchant in
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Concord, Cal .; Edwin is superintendent of the traction railroad in Fresno ; Annie is Mrs. Burnham, of Rutherford, Cal., while Grace, the youngest, is making her home with her parents. For some years Mr. Devereux served as trustee of the Virgin Creek school district. Fraternally he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and encampment at Fort Bragg as well the Knights of the Maccabees.
A. W. McDONALD, a native son of Mendocino county, was born at old Whitesboro, November 20, 1880. His father, James McDonald, was born in Nova Scotia, where he married Maria Ross. They came to California in 1868, very soon afterward locating in Mendocino county, where the father was em- ployed at lumbering until his death. The mother makes her home in Fort Bragg. Their only child, A. W. McDonald, was reared at Navarro and Men- docino City, receiving his education in the public school and the Mendocino high school. After completing the high school course he entered the Santa Rosa Business College, where he was graduated. Entering the employ of the Mendocino Lumber Company, he served in different capacities until he entered the filing room. In due time he became head filer of circular saws, filling the position at Hardy creek and in different mills in the Sierras. Again he filled the same position at Hardy creek until the mill was burned down. Jane 12, 1912. He then obtained his present position as head filer for the L. E. White Lumber Company's mill at Greenwood.
In Fort Bragg Mr. McDonald was united in marriage with Miss Eliza- beth Tullis, who was born at Kibesilah, Mendocino county, and they have one child, Margaret. Fraternally he is a member of the Odd Fellows lodge at Fort Bragg, to whose philanthropies he is a contributor.
FRANK MARION GOFORTH .- Among the progressive farmers and stock-raisers on the Eel river is Frank Marion Goforth, who was born in Potter valley, Mendocino county, September 8, 1876. His father, Millington P., was born in North Carolina November 20, 1827, and there resided until 1850. In that year he moved with his father to Georgia, remaining on the farm there for five years, when he came to California via Panama, arriving in San Francisco March 16, 1855. The first year was spent in mining in El Dorado county ; later he mined in other sections until 1858, and passed the summer of that year in the Fraser river mines. Here is his description of the trip: "May 23, 1858, I took passage on the old Panama and after being out some two or three days the ship took fire from the cook's galley. Like the boy that stood on the burning deck, I stood on the hurricane deck and saw the flames ascend twenty feet above my head, but the fire was soon subdued and on the seventh day we arrived at Whatcom. Bellingham Bay, Washington Territory. From there we went out to construct a trail across the Cascade mountains. While in these mountains the engineer, Captain Delacy, went out and failed to find a pass through to the open country beyond, which caused a delay and many of our party became disheartened and went back. I saw that something had to be done, so I persuaded a young man to go with me for company. Taking a few pounds of jerked beef we set out to search for a pass, promising to return within two days ; but we were out five days before return- ing. The men in camp became uneasy about us and failing to find any trace of us suspected that we had been murdered by the Indians. Captain Vale came out just at the time the men were hunting for us, and supposing that we had been killed by the Indians, sent in a dispatch to that effect which was
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