USA > California > Sacramento County > History of Sacramento 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, 1913 > Part 61
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The first wife of Mr. Bradford was Jennie Smith, a native of Minnesota and his faithful helpmate from their marriage in 1872 until her death in 1900. Later he was united with Mrs. Amanda (Hall) Utter, a native of Newport, Ind., and a woman of attractive qualities of heart and mind. She was a widow of Dowty Utter, with whom she crossed the plains in an overland stage in 1860 to Sacramento county. Mr. Utter engaged in farming near Franklin, this connty, and here he passed away in 1870. Four children were born of this marriage. As early as 1849. Mr. Bradford was initiated into Masonry and he was
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one of the very oldest members of the blue lodge in his county. Dur- ing young manhood he voted with the Republican party. At the time of the Civil war he was an ardent admirer of Abraham Lincoln, whom he twice supported in presidential elections. He continued to vote the Republican ticket until 1896, when his views concerning the silver question led him to cast his ballot for William Jennings Bryan. Re- ligions movements had his generous support and enthusiastic interest. From the year 1880 he was connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he gave to the denomination his zealous co-operation and the influence of his consistent character and upright life. Mrs. Brad- ford has been no less interested in religious progress and advancement than was he, and by her life and benefactions continues to bear testi- mony of her faith and interest in the work of the Church.
PLEAS G. MIKLE
With the development of that progressive suburb of Sacramento known as Oak Park the name of Pleas G. Mikle is intimately associ- ated. To him belongs the distinction of having bought the first prop- erty west of Thirty-fifth street, of having erected the first brick build- ing in the suburb and of having operated the first hotel or restaurant in the place. The association with the new addition, begun in the incipiency of the movement, has continued up to the present time and has brought him some discouragements but also many successes. The only heavy loss which he has experienced since coming here was in connection with the destruction of his hotel property by fire August 13, 1911. At the same time the catastrophe destroyed his moving- picture theater in an adjacent building. The loss of $15,000 would have discouraged many a man to the point of complete retirement from business, but Mr. Mikle was not so easily disheartened. Without even a momentary hesitation he decided to rebuild and to invest $15,000 in a fireproof theater, for he believed no location would prove more advantageous for such a building than the one in which already he had met with both success and losses.
In view of the fact that Mr. Mikle has made his own way in the world from the age of eleven years, his present high standing fur- nishes silent testimony as to his energy and capability. His parents, Martin B. and Delia (Marcum) Mikle, died many years ago, and after he had spent the first eleven years of his life on the farm in Wayne county, Ky., where he was born, he started out to earn his own liveli- hood. Without education or friends or means, he had many discour- aging experiences in youth. Life to him presented few joys. The
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burden of toil fell upon him at an age when the majority of lads are attending school or enjoying wholesome recreations, but it was his lot to drift from farm to farm, working at first for board and cloth- ing. After a time he learned the blacksmith's trade and this he followed for two years with the street car company of St. Louis. After coming to California in 1890 he made brief sojourns in San Diego and San Francisco and then spent twelve years in the black- smith department of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company in Sac- ramento, resigning that position in order that he might identify him- self with the new addition of Oak Park. Here he operated a hotel for twelve years, until it burned to the ground in 1911, and here he has identified himself closely with all movements for the local up- building. In addition to his property at this point he owns real estate in other parts of Sacramento. In fraternal relations he has been a worker with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Politically he votes with the Democratic ticket in national elections, but in local campaigns he supports the best men, irrespective of their partisan views.
The new Mikle theater has a frontage of one hundred and twenty feet on Thirty-fifth street, Oak Park, and while erected mainly for the exhibition of moving pictures, it also is provided with facilities for vandeville. Competent critics pronounce this theater to be one of the safest playhouses in California. Absolutely fireproof from the ground up, it has the further advantage of being provided with exits six feet wide on both sides of the building, as well as in the rear, while there are also exits from the front of the theater. The operat- ing box from which the pictures are thrown is a model of fireproof construction. It is made of reinforced concrete lined with hollow til- ing, and is built with every precaution for the safety of the patrons of the theater. The mechanism is so perfected that the slightest spark of flame will close the operating doors, thus smothering the flames completely in the box. All of the wiring is laid in condnits, which does away with the danger of fire from grounded electric sparks. A complete fire equipment is also on hand, ready at an instant's notice to provide for any emergency.
The color scheme of the interior of the theater is dark red and green, with wainscoting of a beautiful blue tint. More than five hun- dred chairs of handsome design, built with steel uprights, were pro- vided, these being the latest improved opera type, noiseless, ample and comfortable. In opening the theater the management purchased two of the finest motion picture machines on the market. These are known as the Motiograph and are of the latest 1912 models, project- ing pictures that practically are perfect. The machine is fitted with automatic shutters that close at the first sign of fire, a feature that adds greatly to their expense, but is abundantly compensated for by the feeling of security possible to patrons. The stage is of ample
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height and width to render possible the production of vaudeville or even of stock pieces, while dressing rooms on either side of the stage and retiring parlors for the patrons of the theater complete the luxurious equipment of the new and popular playhouse.
J. P. DARGITZ
Varied enterprises have engaged the versatile talents of J. P. Dargitz at different periods of his nseful and honorable career, but since his removal to Sacramento during 1910 he has devoted himself almost wholly to three very important movements, viz. : the organization and upbuilding of the California Almond Growers' Exchange, which he served three years as secretary and manager; the California Cured Fruit Exchange, organized in December, 1912; and the Sacramento Clay Products Company. The latter is the successor of the Silica Brick Company, which was organized in 1910 and which he served as secre- tary and as director and which expended more than $100,000 in the task of construction and preparation for the opening of their immense plant. In 1912 they organized the Sacramento Clay Products Com- pany, which took over the entire Silica Brick plant and of which Mr. Dargitz became vice-president and director. Among the various manufacturing institutions of this city the Sacramento Clay Products Company is one which promises very large results in the future development of the city and contiguous territory. About two years were devoted to construction work on the parent plant at a vast expense, in order that the finest possible facilities and most modern equipment might be provided for its successful operation. The fac- tory now employs a large force of men and is turning out front (or face) brick and fire brick, as well as hollow building blocks and partition tiling. With a modern plant and a desirable location from the standpoint of superior quality of clay and easy access to markets, the company has every prospect for a gratifying growth. The reduced price at which the superior output can be furnished to builders and contractors in Sacramento will have a positive and large influence upon the permanent character of all future building operations in the capital city.
Nor is the Sacramento Clay Products Company more important in its chosen field of endeavor than the California Almond Growers' Exchange in its special enterprises, and hoth owe much of their favor- able promise to Mr. Dargitz. The latter organization was incorporated during May of 1910 and has its principal office at Nos: 425-426 Ochsner Building, Sacramento. Co-operative in purpose, its aim is to increase
JPDargity
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production and development as well as to secure the more satisfactory preparation of almonds for the markets. Before the company was established the almond marketing for California growers had been conducted largely through the dried fruit packing honses of San Francisco, who used this as a side line and frequently for the purpose of making friends among the trade, whom they could induce thereby to purchase large quantities of dried fruit. These packers secured the almonds ready for market from the grower and then after adding more or less profit for themselves, paid brokers to sell the almonds to the wholesale trade of the country. The wholesale trade or jobbers in turn distributed to the retailers and the retailers finally sold to the consumers. A large portion of the cost to the consumer was made up of profits to various people, through whose hands the almonds passed after they left the grower and before they reached the consumer. The markets also were juggled so that the price was unstable and not uncommonly growers would receive from ten to twenty per cent difference in price for the same grade and quantity of almond on the same day, because they happened to live on different sides of the same county road and were not equally posted as to what the buyer wanted to do. The speculative feature of the business was therefore equally detrimental to the grower, the trade and the con- sumer, and this is probably one of the reasons which has helped to make the organization a vital force in the community prosperity.
At present sixteen districts of the principal almond growing sec- tions of the state are organized and these are tied together in a mar- keting organization known as the California Almond Growers' Ex- change. The president of this concern for three years, B. F. Walton, of Yuba City, is one of the oldest farmers and best-known business men of the state. He was succeeded as president by George W. Pierce, of Davis, a prominent orchardist. The manager, J. P. Dargitz, has devoted a number of years to a study of the almond question from a standpoint of the markets as well as from its productive features. As a result of his study he has become a local authority on the subject. During 1910 the exchange controlled thirty-five per cent of the crop of the state and by this means was enabled to steady the market, also had a very large effect in maintaining prices and establishing a solid foundation for the future of the business. For 1911 the exchange handled at least fifty per cent of the crop of the state. The output was marketable promptly and the growers received the highest prices ever obtained, while the good will of the trade was secured. In 1912 the largest crop of al- monds the state ever produced was marketed at satisfactory figures and was sold in forty-eight hours. The business has been handled sagaciously, so as to please the trade as well as the growers. T. C. Tucker, the efficient sales manager, under Mr. Dargitz, has made two trips throughout the country and as far as New York, introducing the business and bringing the trade in touch with the producing end of the
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almond industry. His experience with the California Fruit Growers' Ex- change in Chicago and with the California Fruit Exchange in Cali- fornia, before coming to the Almond Growers' Exchange, has given him a general grasp of the field and situation, and he naturally succeeded to the management in December, 1912, when Mr. Dargitz retired. The work of this organization has stimulated almond planting until the nurseries of the state are not able to supply the desired trees in sufficient quantity for planting and the future of the industry prom- ises very bright indeed.
In November, 1912, the producers of dried fruits in California were being forced to sell their products at less than cost or not able to sell at all. With the success of the almond growers before them they naturally turned to J. P. Dargitz to help them out and at their urgent solicitation he left the Almond Growers' Exchange December 1, 1912, and became manager of the California Cured Fruit Exchange, just organizing. Its success in the few months since has been amazing to all interested and it bids fair to prove one of the greatest movements for the benefit of the producers of dried fruit ever started in California.
The manager of the Exchange is a member of an old eastern family and was born in Mansfield, Ohio, September 8, 1859, being a son of Marion and Tabitha J. (Mykrantz) Dargitz. During early boyhood he was a pupil in the public school at Ashland, Ohio, but in 1870 the family removed to Clarence, Iowa, and until 1876 he was a student in the grammar and high schools of that place. Afterward he taught for five years in Union county, Iowa. Leaving the schoolroom for the railroad business, he became an agent on the Iowa division of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad and afterward was promoted to be traveling auditor. The life of a railroad man, however, soon proved unsatisfactory and he determined to seek a different field of activity. Going to Chicago, he matriculated in the Chicago Homeo- pathic Medical College and after four years of study was graduated in 1889 with the degree of M. D. and an excellent standing. For three years he practiced medicine at Wellsville, Allegany county, N. Y., after which he removed to Waukesha, Wis., and conducted a homeopathic sanitarium. During 1893 he removed to the Pecos valley of New Mexico and not only practiced medicine, but also bought land which he developed into a fine farm. In leisure hours he devoted himself to a correspondence course in Bible study.
The greater climatic and other advantages offered by California led Mr. Dargitz to this state in 1896 and here he taught school, prac- ticed medicine and preached the Gospel in Modoc county for eighteen months. Afterward he devoted himself exclusively to ministerial work for a time and served as pastor of the Christian Church at Lakeport, Lake county, until 1900, when he resigned the charge in order to enter the state work of the church as an evangelist. During 1904 he retired from active ministerial and evangelical labors in
Heary Q. Нашиан.
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order to take up colonization activities. His attention had been drawn to the superior qualities of the soil in the San Joaquin valley and he had bought eight hundred acres near Acampo. There he established the Christian colony and devoted his attention to making known the attractions of the location to eastern people, desirous of engaging in horticultural work in California. When he severed his connection with the colony in 1910, it was for the purpose of removing to Sacra- mento and devoting himself to the upbuilding of the almond industry, also to the promotion of the Silica Brick Company. In politics he is a Republican of the progressive type. His marriage occurred May 25, 1881, and united him with Miss Clara McDuffie, a native of Union county, Iowa, where the ceremony was performed. They are the parents of three children, of whom only the youngest, Miss Doro- thy, remains at home. The eldest, Mrs. Florence Botts, resides at the Christian colony, where the family own valuable landed interests. The only son, Jesse L., also has a family home and fruit orchard in the colony.
HARRY A. NAUMAN
Identified with the business interests of Sacramento since 1889, and recognized as one of the leading men of affairs in the city, Mr. Nauman came to the west in 1886 after a brief period of clerkship in large cities further toward the east. From the first he found much in Sacramento to interest him. The location of the place he considered exceptionally favorable, and in opportunities it compared so favorably with other places of his temporary sojourn that he determined to make his permanent home in the city. Since then he has witnessed its growth and contributed to its upbuilding. As a man of business, familar with commercial enterprises and progressive in temperament, he has exercised an influence among associates and has won the esteem of those with whom he has had business dealings.
Born in Manheim, Lancaster county, Pa., Angust 23, 1864, Harry A. Nauman is a son of Peter and Elizabeth (Reiff) Nanman and descends from an old family of colonial prominence and German stock. His advantages were those offered by the public schools of Pennsyl- vania. During 1882 he started out to earn his own way in the world and since then he has depended solely upon his own efforts. For two years he held a clerkship in Pittsburg, Pa., then in 1884 went to Kansas City, Mo., where he clerked in a dry goods store until 1885. Later he spent a year in Denver, Colo., as a clerk in a dry goods store. Coming further west, he settled temporarily in San Francisco and 34
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earned his livelihood as a salesman in a furniture store. Eighteen months were spent in San Francisco and a similar period in Stockton, Cal., where he also engaged as a salesman. Upon his arrival in Sac- ramento during 1889 he found employment as salesman in the furni- ture store of Ingram & Bird, with whom he continued for fourteen years, meanwhile winning a host of warm friends through his uni- form courtesy and accommodating disposition. When he finally re- signed as salesman it was for the purpose of starting in business for himself, and the firm of Bath & Nauman soon became well-known undertakers of Sacramento, where they continued until 1909 in a profitable partnership. Since then Mr. Nauman has been alone in business, his undertaking parlors being located at No. 1811 G street.
The marriage of Mr. Nauman and Miss Clara Ault was solem- nized in Lebanon, Pa., August 18, 1892. They are the parents of three children. The daughter, Clara, is a graduate of the Sacramento high school. The sons, Harry A., Jr., and C. Wesley, are now students in the local schools. Politically, Mr. Nauman votes with the Republican party and supports its principles with characteristic earnestness. From 1905 until 1909 he held office as city trustee, representing the Seventh ward. His fraternal associations are numerous and include membership in the Odd Fellows lodge and encampment, the Knights of Pythias, Improved Order of Red Men, Moose, Foresters of Amer- ica and Ancient Order of United Workmen, in each of which, with the exception of the encampment, he is past officer. With his family he holds membership with the Central Methodist Episcopal church.
JOSEPH W. JOHNSON
Historical records indicate the early identification of the Johnson family with the American colonies and the long association of the name with New England. With the spirit of expansion characteristic of the nineteenth century the generations then resident in the east became scattered throughout the entire country, and one worthy mem- ber of the family exchanged the stern and rigorous climate of Maine for the balmy breezes of the southland. In him were the necessary requisites of the pioneer, physical fortitude in hardships, rugged health, tireless energy and an ability to adapt himself to any outward circumstance. As a bov he had been familiar with scenes along the Kennebec river near the city of Augusta, Me., and he was born at Hallowell, February 22, 1817, son of Samuel Johnson, who was a native of Scotland and served under Gen. Andrew Jackson throughont the Seminole war. He married Miss Moody, also a native of Scotland.
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and they became the parents of Joseph W. Johnson. With the en- thusiasm of youth he had left the scenes of early years and had sought the then undeveloped state of Arkansas, where he had settled in Hempstead county, near Washington. There he met and married Miss Pauline K. Fontaine, a native of that state, born January 21, 1824. The young couple settled on a farm and took up agriculture in the primitive manner in which it then was conducted. Into their humble farm home came children to bless with their presence and brighten with their hopes. Death, too, came into the home and took an infant son, Michael J. Two children comprised the family when in 1852 the journey across the plains was begun. One of these, born November 8, 1848, near Washington, Ark., became one of the most successful educators of Sacramento, and forms the subject of this article. The other, Hon. Mat F. Johnson, at one time held the office of superior judge of Sacramento county.
The journey across the plains required six months and was filled with hardships. Not only was there a scarcity of feed for the ox- teams, but the travelers themselves were on short rations. To add to the difficulties, Indians in the neighborhood of the expedition threat- ened the lives of the emigrants. With a feeling of deep gratitude the family at last found themselves safely under shelter in Los An- geles. They selected a location at El Monte, twelve miles from Los Angeles, where they remained from the fall of 1852 until the fall of 1856, meanwhile engaging in farming and stock raising. The father was a man of deep religious spirit and splendid education for his day. For years he did not limit his attention to agriculture, but preached the Gospel as opportunity afforded, and taught school in many local- ities. After leaving El Monte he made a brief sojourn at Watson- ville, Santa Cruz county, and in 1858 settled in Sonoma county, whence the following year he removed to a farm at Cacheville, Yolo county. The flood of 1862 cansed him heavy losses in stock. During 1861 he tanght school in Colusa county. The same occupation engaged much of his attention throughout his remaining years. During the latter part of 1869 he began to teach in Sonoma county. Next he taught in Lake county. Returning in 1871 to Sonoma county, he taught at Fulton until shortly before his death, which occurred April 16, 1879. His wife passed away November 7, 1874. Besides their son who died in Arkansas, they lost two other sons, John Llewellyn having died at Franklin, Sacramento county, at the age of two years. Charles lived to maturity, and at the time of his demise, November 27, 1899, he was manager of a mercantile business at Portland, Ore., where his wife and three children still make their home. The sons still living are honored and successful. Julian, who was born at El Monte, is prin- cipal of the Sutter grammar school in Sacramento; George, born at Watsonville, Santa Cruz county, has charge of the bonded warehouse at St. Helena, Napa county, and Edward, born in Sonoma county, is
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connected with a telephone company in Oregon, having his head- quarters at Portland.
Upon the completion of the studies taught in Sonoma college, a Presbyterian institution of learning, Joseph W. Johnson entered upon educational work, to which he since has devoted his life and in which he has met with signal recognition. For a time he taught in Point Pleasant school district, for two years he was connected with the schools of Modoc county, and for four years he had charge of the schools of Cloverdale, Sonoma county, after which he was engaged to teach in Sacramento. Since June of 1879 he has been principal of the Harkness school. His long retention in the position furnishes ample testimony as to the efficient character of his services and his devotion to educational work in this city. He possesses the rare qual- ity of imparting knowledge clearly, easily and effectively, so that those who study under him are mentally enriched by his ability as an instructor. Among other teachers, as well as among the patrons of the school, his standing is the highest and his reputation the most enduring. Aside from his duties in school he has found leisure for association with a number of organizations of note, among these being the Sequoia Camp of Woodmen of the World, Columbus Chapter of the Eastern Star, Sacramento Lodge No. 40, F. & A. M., Capital Lodge No. 87, I. O. O. F., and he is past noble grand member of Occi- dental Encampment No. 42, I. O. O. F., having been chief patriarch, and is a member of Confidence Lodge No. 78, K. of P. and is past chan- cellor commander.
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