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, 1923, Part 79

Author: Reed, G. Walter
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1026

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, 1923 > Part 79

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Mr. Lauppe was married in Grass Valley, Nevada County, October 14, 1891, to Miss Nettie Shebley, a native of Grass Valley, daughter of Joseph and Nettie (Smith) Shebley, who were born in Berne. Switzerland, and Württemberg, Germany, respectively. Joseph Shebley came to the United States when he was two years old with his parents, who were among the early settlers of Sandusky, Ohio, and there he grew up. In 1858 he came via the Isthmus of Panama to California and followed mining in Nevada County; and there, too, he met and married Miss Smith, who had immigrated to California when she was fourteen years old, arriving in 1860. He after- wards engaged in ranching near Grass Valley, until he passed away, in 1903. His widow is still living, at the age of seventy-seven years, making her home with Mr. Lauppe. This worthy pioneer couple had

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Mrs Nettie Lampe

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY

nine children, eight of whom are living, Mrs. Lauppe being third in order of birth. She grew to woman- hood in Nevada County, and is a well-educated, refined woman. Possessing very much native ability and business acumen, she materially aided her hus- band in accomplishing his ambition. Their union proved a very happy one and was blessed with three children. Juanita became the wife of Howard G. Kercheval, of Sacramento; Frank E. is an automobile dealer, located in the Lauppe building in the capital city; while Norman S., whose decease is mourned by many, was serving in the aviation section of the United States army when he passed on. Five grand- children now give joy to the family circle of Mrs. Lauppe, who lives at 2921 Twenty-second Street, in Sacramento.

Mr. Lauppe was not permitted to enjoy the full fruits of his labors; for he was taken away by death on January 8, 1923. He was a very honorable man, whose word was as good as his bond; when he said a thing was so, one could bank on the truth of his statement. He was upright and honest in all of his dealings, and his integrity was never questioned. Mr. Lauppe was a man of few words, but of effective action, being full of energy and never idle. He was generous and kind, helpful to the needy, and ready to assist any worthy object or enterprise that had for its aim the building up of the community and the increase of the comfort and happiness of the people. He was a man of high moral principles and deep religious convictions, and was a member of the Full- Gospel Church.

HAROLD McCURRY .- The postmaster of Sacramento, Harold J. McCurry, is in thorough ac- cord with the growth and development of the capital city and in close sympathy with its people, having a clear understanding of their wants, wishes and aspirations. By profession he is a photographer. He was born in Allegheny City, Pa., on January 1, 1885, the son of Dr. J. M. and Alice (Hammond) McCur- ry, for many years esteemed citizens of that pro- gressive eastern city, who in the year 1889 moved out to Tacoma, Wash., and for some years there- after were residents of that state, at Tacoma and Seattle. On March 14, 1895, J. M. McCurry settled in Oakland with his family; and three years later, in 1898, he went to San Luis Obispo, where he prac- ticed as a dentist until May, 1922. He then located in Sacramento, where he is still actively engaged in the practice of his profession.

It happened, therefore, that Harold McCurry be- gan his career in California when a lad of thirteen; and he has continued on the up-grade ever since. He got all he could in the excellent courses of the public schools and then he took up the study of photography at the Illinois College of Photography, at Effingham, Ill. From there he was called on to go to the St. Louis (Mo.) Exposition to take charge of the San Luis Obispo and Monterey County ex- hibits, the regular commissioner having been taken ill. He then worked under the direction of Mr. J. A. Filcher of North Sacramento, and also Mr Wig- gins, the present secretary of the Los Angeles Cham- ber of Commerce. As a result of his work at St. Louis and his meeting and acquaintance with Mr. Filcher, who was then the secretary of the Cali- fornia State Agricultural Board, he was later ap-

pointed official photographer for the California State Fair, in 1909. After the St. Louis Exposition he re- turned to California, and opened up studios at San Luis Obispo and at Paso Robles. Both of these he sold out in 1906, and went to San Francisco after the earthquake, in order to accept a position as assistant operator for Bushnell. He soon became traveling operator, visiting all of his employer's gal- leries in the state. During the next two years he held positions with the Turkelson and Henry studios of San Francisco, and with Otto Boye at Berkeley. The latter part of 1908, in partnership with Ed Pol- lock, he opened up the Photo-Shop on Eleventh street, opposite the Cathedral, in Sacramento. He sold out to Mr. Pollock on January 27, 1909; and the next day, January 28, 1909, he bought out the commercial photographic plant of the Sutter Engrav- ing Company, then located at 420 J Street. This was the beginning of the McCurry Photo Company, which has become one of the greatest institutions of its kind in the state, turning out work which has gained nation-wide notice. Mr. McCurry recently purchased the northwest corner at Eighth and I Streets, which will henceforth be the home of the McCurry Photo Company. He has put in a garden especially adapted to outdoor photography.

Ever since 1909 Mr. McCurry has been the official photographer for the California State Fair, and later he became the official photographer for the seven- teen Northern California counties under the name of the Sacramento Valley Exposition Commission, of which J. A. Fitcher was the head. Mr. McCurry made all the stationary and moving pictures, for the said seventeen counties, which were used at the Panama-Pacific Exposition in 1915. By request and order of the late Ed Carriger, chairman of the Board of Education, the first moving pictures for educa- tional purposes in the public schools of the city of Sacramento were made and installed under Mr. Mc- Curry's direction in the year 1914. He is at the present time the chairman of the Advertising Com- mittee for twenty counties of Northern California. A leader in his profession, he is a member of the Photographic Association of America.

Always a booster for Sacramento, Mr. McCurry is an active member in the Sacramento Chamber of Commerce, the Advertising Club, the Rotary Club, and the Sutter Club. He is a past president of the Home Products Industrial Bureau of the Chamber of Commerce and has just served two years as a director of the Chamber of Commerce. Closely re- lated to the Chamber of Commerce is the Com- munity Chest. Inc., of Sacramento, an organiza- tion which has for its aim and purpose, philanthropy. charity and character-building. It is composed of twenty-three organizations, and Mr. McCurry is its president. The Community Chest, Inc., has recent- ly completed a drive for $226,000. Mr. McCurry has also been a member of the board of managers of the Napa State Hospital.

It is but natural that a man so deeply interested in furthering the public welfare should be called on to hold public office. On the 23rd day of November. 1921, Mr. McCurry was appointed by President Harding as postmaster for the city of Sacramento.

Mr. McCurry was married on May 13, 1917, to Miss Louise Schall, of Sacramento; and their for- tunate union has been blessed with the birth of two children: Harold James, Jr., and Owen Robert.

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY

EUGENE BRADFORD .- Eugene Bradford, a representative of an old and prominent New England family, was born in Washington, D. C., January 29, 1869. His father, George W. Bradford, was born ncar Vincennes, Ind., while Grandfather Bradford, also named George W., was born in Connecticut. Great-grandfather Charles Bradford came from Mas- sachusetts. Grandfather George W. Bradford was a large distiller and pork packer at Washington, Ind., and flatboated his product down the Ohio and Mis- sissippi Rivers to New Orleans. The Bradfords are traced back to Governor Bradford of Massachusetts, who came from England in the "Mayflower." Eu- gene Bradford's father came to California in the early days of the gold rush and for a time ran a store in Santa Rosa, after which he returned East. In 1861 Judge Terry of Indiana obtained for him an appoint- ment as a clerk in the treasury department at Wash- ington, D. C., under President Lincoln's administra- tion. With zeal he applied himself to his duties and his energy and fidelity won for him recognition, and gradually working up he became chief of one of the bureaus in the department, a position he filled until his death on March 5, 1875. The mother of our sub- ject was named Catherine Clark and was a native of Philadelphia, Pa. Grandfather Marsh B. Clark, born in 1800, was also a clerk in one of the depart- ments in Washington, serving faithfully for many years; he passed away in 1886. He was a cousin of N. P. Willis, the poet, while his wife was named Margaret Arnold. Catherine (Clark) Bradford passed away October 27, 1870. Of her nine children only two are living, Sheridan, of Sacramento, and Eugene, who spent the first seven years of his life in Wash- ington, and then came to the home of his uncles, William and James Bradford, in Sacramento County.

In Sacramento, November 23, 1897, Mr. Bradford was married to Miss Annic Zimmerman, who was born at Camden, Ohio, a daughter of John Harvey and Jane (Taylor) Zimmerman. The father was born in Prebble County, Ohio, October 8, 1835, and served in the Civil War as a member of Company B, 54th Ohio Infantry, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 15th Army Corps, having enlisted February 21, 1864. Serving in the march through Georgia, he took part in the battles of Resaca, Dallas, Dalton, Lost Moun- tain, Kenesaw Mountain, Atlanta, Jonesboro, and Lovejoy Station, and the assault on Fort McAllister, and was on the front line on Sherman's famous march to the sea. After Lee's surrender he took part in the grand review at Washington, receiving his hon- orable discharge June 18, 1865. After the war he re- moved with his family to Missouri, and in 1878 to Elk Grove, Cal., where he engaged in farming until his death in 1915, aged eighty years. His wife died in 1913, passing away at the age of seventy-eight. Mr. Zimmerman always took an active part in the G. A. R. and obtained much pleasure from his asso- ciation with the old boys in bluc. Annie Zimmer- man was the fourth oldest in a family of seven chil- dren, four of whom grew up.

In 1904 Mr. Bradford purchased a portion of the old Bradford holdings near Elk Grove, where he made the needed improvements and has since resided. Three children have come to bless the union of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Bradford: Byron Meredith; Fan- nie Fern; and William Barton.

JOHN A. RUSSI .- Prominent among the super- visors of Sacramento County may be mentioned John A. Russi, the proprietor of the popular Russi Market at Folsom City. He was born on Due Rock ranch on Deer Creek, near Shingle Springs, in El- dorado County, on September 22, 1876, the son of John Antone and Louise (Wallace) Russi, the for- mer a pioneer who came to America as a young man from his native Switzerland, and located near White Rock in Eldorado County. There he established himself in a small way as a dairyman, and from the start built up an extensive business on his home place near Clarksville. He died over thirty years ago, at the age of forty-four, survived by a widow and six children, among whom John A. is the eldest. Mrs. Russi, the mother, is still living, at the age of sixty- eight, on the old home place forty miles distant from the capital.

At the time of his father's death, John Russi assumed the responsibilities natural to the mainte- nance of such an estate and family, and great credit is due him for the remarkable ability with which he has forged ahead. From the beginning he has had the confidence of all with whom he has dealt. Decid- ing to set out for himself, he borrowed money from Andrew Morrison with which to buy his first stock; and since that year, 1898, he has devoted all his time and energies to the stock trade, gradually building up an extensive business. He is a man of exceptional ability, which was developed in the hard school of experience; he is endowed with a wonderful capacity for clear thinking, and is amply fitted for the achieve- ment of any important task assigned him.

In 1906 he bought land in Sacramento, and he has added to his holdings by subsequent purchase until his farms embrace about 6,700 acres, nearly all of which is used for stock-raising and dairying. He has continued in the dairy field, but for the past twelve years he has turned over the dairy business to his partner to conduct on shares. In 1906 he also opened a retail meat shop in Folsom City; and this business has so prospered that he is now a large dealer in beef and fresh meats, both wholesaling and retailing his stock. Five years ago he entered the sheep busi- ness, and today he owns some 5,000 head of choice sheep.

In 1910, at a time when there was no bank at Fol- som, it was through John Russi's efforts that the State Bank of Folsom was organized with a capitalization of $25,000. He has remained the largest stockholder and has always been a director in the bank, and he has thus had much to do with their fine new edifice, which was completed in 1920 and is a great credit to the locality. That same year he bought the corner property now known as the Russi Building, with a frontage of twenty feet on Sutter Street, and extend- ing back to the railroad; this is used as a warehouse, and it has a modern refrigeration plant with machin- ery for the manufacture of ice, and a clean, new retail meat market with a capacity of fifteen beeves per day. In 1918, he bought the old Burnham home, which had been kept in fine repair, and there he lives today; at the time of its completion, in 1896, it had cost Mr. Burnham some $26,000, and was rated as the finest residence in the county. He also owns other desir- able property in Folsom City, and elsewhere in Sacra- mento County.

Mr. Russi has been identified with public life for years; and through his unselfish devotion to the inter-

John .A . Kussi .

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ests of the community, and the people he represents as a supervisor of Sacramento County, in. District No. 4, he has won the esteem and admiration, not only of his immediate colleagues, hut of all who have become acquainted with his varied activities. As re- gards the many things he has accomplished while supervisor of the county, he can be said to be the father of concrete highway construction, and always an active advocate of good roads. The building of needed bridges, and the work on the County Hos- pital, now nearly finished, have also received his most conscientious attention. He is now serving the second year of his third term as supervisor.

At Sacramento, on October 13, 1906, Mr. Russi was married to Mrs. Elizabeth Sims Hall, who was born in Baton Rouge, La., the daughter of Shephard and Frances (Harris) Sims, both representatives of fine old Southern families, dating back to the best of English ancestry. She came West in 1880 to Shingle Springs, Eldorado County, and was married to Daniel T. Hall, who died over thirty years ago, survived by four children: Lawrence S .; Alvin, deceased; Avis Dahlin, at Oakland; and Norvin M., at Folsom City. The Hall estate was handled by Mrs. Hall with con- summate ability, and embraces over 1,700 acres of choice range land, which is now a part of our subject's holdings. Mrs. Russi has proven her worth as a helpmate, and Mr. Russi attributes a large part of his success to her natural gifts and her increasing interest in his affairs. During the World War, Mr. Russi patriotically did everything that was in his power to do, to forward the Liberty Loan and other drives. His hobby has been hunting and fishing, but the rapid and steady increase in his business interests has crowded sports to the wall. Mr. Russi is a member of Granite Lodge, I. O. O. F., and of the Rebekah Lodge and the Encampment, and is a past noble grand; he is a charter member of the Native Sons of the Golden West, at Folsom City; he belongs to the Eagles; and he is one of the "Best People On Earth" -the B. P. O. Elks, of Sacramento.

GUSTAV LAVENSON .- Prominent in business circles in Sacramento for half a century, the name of "Gus" Lavenson became well-known throughout the valley, where he was always in the vanguard when projects were on foot for the development and civic betterment of this district. A native of Ger- many, born in December, 1852, when a boy of thir- teen he came to seek his fortune in the new world, first locating in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he remained a short time, and then followed the sage's advice and came "West." He arrived in Sacramento in 1869, at the early age of sixteen, his object being to visit an uncle here, Sam Lavenson, a forty-niner and a mem- ber of the pioneer firm of Locke & Lavenson.

After his arrival, the youth found employment with the Lyons Dry Goods Company, and his industry and thrift enabled him to open a shoe store after an interval, located at Fifth and J Streets, and known as Gus Lavenson's store. Many years later it was incorporated and named Lavenson's, Inc., with its founder as president; the present store of the firm, of which he was the founder, also, is located at Seventh and K Streets, in the heart of the shopping district, and is a memorial to the business ability of the lad who arrived in a strange land, and alone and unaided built up a prosperous business career of varied interests. For Mr. Lavenson did not confine

himself to mercantile pursuits alone; he was the owner of valuable real estate in Sacramento, which included a business block on K Street, between Ninth and Tenth; and in company with ten other promi- nent Sacramento business men, he reclaimed 1,100 acres in the Delta district, a part of the old Fair Ranch, known as the River Farm; this property was later sold.

On April 10, 1881, occurred the marriage of Mr. Lavenson to Miss Flora Goldman, a native of Little York, Pa., and his choice was a most happy one, as she has proved a real helpmeet in every sense of the word; she is a devoted wife and mother, as well as active in charity work, and was a member of the Tuesday Club and of the Saturday Club. Two chil- dren blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Lavenson: Claire, now the wife of D. A. Cannon, and the mother of one daughter, Patricia; and Selma, the wife of the late Colinan Schwartz, and the mother of three children, Colman, Flora Jean, and Milton. With his family Mr. Lavenson made his home at 2020 Twenty-second Street, where he and his wife dispensed the true California hospitality. Mr. Lav- enson passed to his reward August 10, 1922. Promi- nent in civic affairs, he was a member of the Cham- ber of Commerce; and for many years past, every new movement inaugurated for the purpose of ad- vancement found his name on the list of workers for the benefit of the community at large, a fact recog- nized hy all who knew him. Fraternally, he was a member of the Elks.

CHARLES W. DOHRMANN .- Born in Schles- wig-Holstein, on June 21, 1846, Charles W. Dohr- mann was the son of William and Frederika (Beh- rend) Dohrmann. Both parents were natives of Ger- many, the father born in 1805 and passing away in San Francisco in 1866, while the mother died in Ger- many in 1856. Immigrating to the United States in early manhood. Charles W. Dohrmann left New York bound for California by way of Panama and arrived in San Francisco, January 6, 1862. His elder brother, Adolph, had preceded him to the New World and was engaged in the grocery business in Stock- ton, so he readily found employment in his brother's store. In this and other pursuits he was employed until 1868, when he purchased his brother's business and carried it on until 1871. Disposing of the gro- cery business then, he established himself in the in- surance business, his first interest in this field dating from May, 1868. He instituted the plan of insuring growing crops and this was the first instance of crop insurance in the world. He organized the Alta In- surance Company, which he served in the capacity of general agent for many years. After his death, October 26, 1893, the business was carried on under the supervision of his wife and son as P. W. Dohr- mann & Son until 1908, when it became the Dohr- mann-Wolf Agency.

Mr. Dohrmann was married in Stockton, June 23, 1870, to Miss Pauline Wetzlar, who was also born in Germany, being a native of Leipsig, Saxony. She came with her mother and her sisters via Panama to San Francisco in 1862, where she was reared and educated. She was a graduate of the San Francisco girls' high school in the class of 1868 and has been a member of its alumni association ever since. She also attended Miss Atkinson's School at Benicia. now Mills College of Oakland. In 1906 she took up>

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her residence in Sacramento. She was the founder and the first president of the San Joaquin County Associated Charities, and also was interested in kin- dergarten work from its start in California, and lec- tured before the Silver Street Kindergarten training school association in San Francisco. She was presi- dent of the kindergarten department of the California State Teachers' Association and until 1908 she was a member of the N. E. A., and the National Society of Charities and Corrections. She is a charter member of the Daughters of California Pioneers, a past matron of the O. E. S., and a member of the Kingsley Art, Saturday and Tuesday Clubs, the Museum Asso- ciation, and Sacramento Orphanage, and attends the Grace Episcopal Church, at San Francisco. Five children blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Dohr- mann, and four are living: Augusta, now Mrs. William Clayton of San Diego: Louise B., Mrs. A. A. Weiss- berger of Honolulu; Marie J., the wife of E. C. War- ner of Santa Cruz; Ida W., died at eighteeen years; and George W. Dohrmann, the only son, who as head of the Dohrmann-Wolf Agency has greatly expanded the business inaugurated by his father. In 1864 Mr. Charles W. Dohrmann joined the National Guard of California and served on the staff of the Third Bri- gade with the rank of Major, a commission he held until his death. He also belonged to the Masons, the Knights of Pythias, the Elks and the Druids.

GUSTAVUS WETZLAR .- Another pioneer whose enviable influence will be felt by future generations, was the late Gustavus Wetzlar, who was born in Hanover, Germany, and was graduated from the University of Heidelberg, and who spoke eleven dif- ferent languages. He came to New York City, where he was successful as an importer of laces and curtains. He was married in Dixon, Ill., to Miss Louise Dumbeaux, who was horn in that city, of French parentage. Mr. Wetzlar took his bride hack to New York City, where he continued his import- ing business. As soon as the discovery of gold was heralded to the world, Mr. Wetzlar determined to seek the new Eldorado; so he and his wife took their six girls to Germany to be educated in Leipsig, and he camc on immediately to California, sailing around Cape Horn to San Francisco in 1849, and for a time followed mining. In 1851 he returned to Germany to visit his family and to induce his brother, Godfrey, to come to California. This brother had also graduated from Heidelberg and was a mineralogist. He re- mained in Leipsig until 1853, and during his stay his daughter, Pauline, now Mrs. Dohrmann, was born four months before his return to California. He again engaged in mining and invested in real estate. In February, 1862, his family joined him, coming via Panama.

In 1865 Mr. Wetzlar removed to San Francisco, where he was a stock-broker, having an office at the corner of California and Montgomery Streets, and working with a partner named Sam Brannan; and also in partnership with Fred Mebius, the German consul, he started the German Savings Bank in San Francisco, Mebius acting as president, and Wetzlar, as cashier. He was a charter member of the Cali- fornia Society of Pioncers, and he was also their sec- retary and was the founder of the Mineralogical Cabinet of San Francisco.

Mr. Wetzlar died in San Francisco, being survived by his widow, who passed away in San Jose. There were thirteen children, twelve girls and one boy, born to them, seven of whom reached maturity. Augusta is Mrs. de Bendeleben, of San Jose: 1da was the wife of Major Alfred Morton, and she died in San Fran- cisco in 1921; Clara, Mrs. Grossman, resides in San Jose; Emily was the wife of Ludvig Mebius, who was a prominent business man in Sacramento, until his death in 1918. Mr. Mebius was born in the indepen- dent city of Lübeck, Germany. He came to Califor- nia in 1862, locating in Sacramento, where he became a partner in the firm of Lady Adams & Company, wholesale grocers. Later on the firm became Mebius, Drescher & Company. His wife died in 1906. Mary was the wife of Frank Morton, who was assistant manager of Wells Fargo Company in San Francisco. She passed away over twenty years ago. Pauline is Mrs. Dohrmann, of Sacramento. Alex J. Wetzlar was an insurance agent until his death in 1895.

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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, 1923, Part 79

Author: Reed, G. Walter Publication date: 1923 Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co. Number of Pages: 1026

Author: Reed, G. Walter
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1026