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 81

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 81

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Eleven children constituted the family of this very worthy couple: William D .; Frank; Sarah S., now Mrs. Donovan of Herald; Mary, the wife of Au- gust Beakey, of Sacramento; Joseph P., the subject of our review; Thomas L .; John Leo; Bernard; Susan, Mrs. Haines, in Texas; Paul; and Gertrude, now the wile of David Morrow of Sacramento. Besides the home place, Patrick McEnerney had acquired about a section of land in several parcels; and his family now enjoy the improvements he made on his ranch, which included a fine modern home, and other first-class modern farm buildings, making the place one of the finest in that section of the county.

Joseph P. McEnerney attended the Arno grammar school, and after that remained with his father until 1914, when he started out to farm for himself; and be leased from time to time from 200 to 500 acres in the Galt vicinity. In 1920, he purchased a ten-acre piece of land, and he has resided on the place ever

since. He also leases about 500 acres of pasture land, where he raises cattle. In national politics prefer- ring the standards and platforms of the historic Dem- ocratic party, Mr. McEnerney prides himself in par- ticular upon his true American patriotism, and puts his shoulder to the local community wheel, and helps boost for Arno and Sacramento County.

ALESSANDRO MARENGO .- An experienced, successful Italian-American who has "made good" with his 363 acres of choice ranch-land about three miles northeast of Galt, is Alessandro Marengo, who was born at Salterana, in the province of Genoa, Italy, on June 7, 1866, the son of Augustino and Teresa (Marengo) Marengo. The father, a worthy farmer, the son of Peter and Mary Marengo, farmer folks, was born in 1828 and died in 1905.

Alessandro attended the common schools of Italy, and grew up to help at home, while his father crossed the ocean to America in 1869, came on to California, by way of Panama, stopped at San Francisco, then came to Stockton and soon after to Galt. In 1879, Mr. Marengo sent to Italy for his wife and four children, who journeyed from Havre, France, to the United States, and then across the continent from New York to California by means of the railroad, at length reach- ing Galt. About 1870, Mr. Marengo, with a partner, bought 160 acres of land east of Galt and in 1878 he purchased 624 acres of land three miles northeast of Galt, and the following year improved the ranch by building a house for a home, so that when the family arrived the devoted husband and father was ready to receive them. There were four children in the family. Judita is the widow of A. Lippi, of Galt, and had three girls and two boys. Her son, George, was killed in the World War in France, and Pio was killed in an automobile accident; her three girls are living. Her sister, Maria, married Antonio Bisagna, and died leaving eight children; Virginia became Mrs. Peter Denevi, and she also died, leaving three children; and Alessandro is the subject of this review.

Alessandro Marengo did not have the opportunity to learn the English language in school, for he wanted to go to work and felt that it would be too hard to learn, and so would require too much time; but he has acquired a good deal of practical education, and as a stanch Republican and a pious Roman Catholic is a good useful citizen. He is also a Knight of Colum- bus.

He was married at Galt, on July 9, 1898, to Miss Matilde Denevi, a native of Cembrano, province of Genoa, Italy, and the daughter of Dominico and Maria (Solari) Denevi. Her parents died in Italy, highly esteemed by all who knew them; her father lived to be seventy-six years old, and her mother, who passed away in November, 1922, saw her seventy-ninth year. Mrs. Marengo came to California in January, 1898, traveling all alone. She was one of a family of seven children, the others being: Maria, who died at Reno, Nev .; Peter, who died in Stockton; Cesare, in Italy; Constantine; Judita (who is in Italy), all older; and Jennie, Mrs. G. Giambruno of Hayward, who is the youngest of the family group. Matilde Denevi attended the Italian schools and there received an excellent elementary training. She is now the mother of five children: Mary, Mrs. Antonio Dutra of Galt, who has one daughter, Elizabeth; Teresa, who became the wife of Raymond Biama; and Joseph, August and Antonio.

alessandro Marengo Matel de Marengo

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY

While Mr. Marengo was working with his father he bought 160 acres from him, paying for it by his work; then when the father died he inherited 160 acres from him, but he had to pay his mother $900. He later bought 156 acres, the home ranch, from his mother, paying $4,000, which gave him 476 acres; but some of this he has since sold, leaving him 363 acres. He has been engaged in general farming and in the raising of stock.

EDGAR and MARY V. HOFFNER .- Among the esteemed and honored pioneers of Orangevale are Edgar and Mary V. Hoffner, whose residence in that locality covers a period of twenty-eight years. Edgar Hoffner was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Septem- ber 26, 1848, a son of Thomas K. and Sarah (Ege) Hoffner, also natives of Cincinnati, Ohio. The pa- ternal great-great-grandfather of our subject, J. George Hoffner, was a native of Württemberg, Ger- many, and at the age of twenty-one joined the British army; he was sent to Canada and fought in the bat- tle of Quebec. At the age of fifteen, Edgar Hoffner enlisted in Company A, 148th Indiana Volunteer In- fantry, but he did not get to the front; in 1869 he reen- listed in the Regular Army and saw service on the frontier of Arizona and Mexico during the Apache Indian raids. In 1871, Mr. Hoffner was sent to Ben- icia, Cal., and then to Fort Bidwell in Modoc County, and was with Colonel Gillem in quelling the outbreaks of the Modoc Indians from 1871 to 1874; then he was in civil life for a short time. Mr. Hoffner served with the First Cavalry, U. S. Regulars, under Capt. R. F. Bernard; in 1878 he reenlisted at St. Louis, Mo., and served in Idaho and Nevada until 1881, when he was honorably discharged at Fort McDermot, Nev. He then went to Ogden, Utah.

On August 8, 1882, Mr. Hoffner was united in marriage with Miss Mary V. Ewing, daughter of Dr. G. V. and Martha S. (Coon) Ewing, whose sketch also appears in this history. Previously to the time of her marriage, Miss Ewing was teaching in a private mission school at Adams Ranch, Idaho. Mr. and Mrs. Hoffner continued to make their residence in Ogden until 1895 when they removed to California and permanently located in Orangevale. Mr. and Mrs. Hoffner are the parents of one son, Phillip H., who served in the Sanitary Corps of the U. S. Army during the World War. He was married to Miss Myrtle Butler of Roseville and they are the parents of one son, William Edgar; they reside in Rosev where he is connected with the Southern Pacific Railroad Company.

Mr. Hoffner has engaged in fruit-raising since locating in Orangevale on the home place of Dr. Ewing, where Mr. and Mrs. Hoffner are comfortably enjoying the remaining years alotted to them. While residing in Ogden, Utah, Mr. Hoffner was connected with the Southern Pacific Railroad for seven years and the postoffice for five years, and was first lieutenant of the Knights of Pythias Lodge of Ogden. Mrs. Hoffner has long been associated with educational matters in every community in which she has resided; she was graduated from the Western College, Ox- ford, Ohio, in 1878, and the following year removed to Ogden, Utah, where she taught in private mission schools until her marriage to Mr. Hoffner in 1882, and many thrilling experiences fell to the lot of the young

school teacher. She is one of the original and char- ter members of the Orangevale Study Club and has always been active in community welfare work. Mrs. Hoffner is well-known as a newspaper correspondent both in Sacramento and Orangevale; also her articles are published from time to time in "The Continent," a weekly magazine published in Chicago.

MRS. SARAH E. DONOVAN .- Born at Frank- lin, in Sacramento County, Mrs. Sarah E. Donovan is the daughter of Patrick and Bridget McEnerney; she attended the Arno district school and made her home with her parents until she was married. On November 29, 1899, she became the wife of Edmund H. Kenefick, who was born near Liberty, in San Joaquin County, the son of Jeremiah and Rose (Darcy) Kenefick, the former a native of County Limerick, and the latter a native of Kilkenny, Ire- land. They came out to California in early days, and underwent all the hardships of the pioneer. Jeremiah Kenefick was both a sheep- and a stock-raiser, and farmed first in San Joaquin County, where he ac- quired hy purchase a large tract of land; and he later secured additional acreage in Sacramento County. The farm upon which Mrs. Donovan lives today was his first purchase- then a section; and in time he added other ranches in Sacramento County, to the extent of about two sections. Jeremiah passed away at his home-place in San Joaquin County aged about seventy-six, and his good wife attained to about the same age. They had an interesting and promising family of five children.

Edmund Kenefick attended the Telegraph district school, and then helped on the ranch until he was married, when he and his wife removed to the new residence built on the Sacramento County ranch, where the family have since resided; and of the sec- tion Jeremiah purchased, Mrs. Donovan still has 320 acres. Edmund himself acquired 320 acres adjoining their place, but one-half of this has since been sold. What was realized by the sale of the 160 acres was put into the purchase of 180 acres known as the old Prouty ranch. All improvements, such as barns and other farm buildings, were put onto the home ranch. Mr. Kenefick always followed general farming; and his death, on March 13, 1913, was a real loss to Cali- fornia agriculture. He left four children: Eugene E. is at home; Adele is teaching at Escalon, San Joaquin County; George is a high school student at Lodi; and Rose is in the high school at St. Joseph's Acad- emy, at Sacramento.

After Mr. Kenefick's demise, his widow continued to reside at the home place, and to conduct the ranch herself. She was married a second time on Novem- ber 19, 1921, at Sacramento, to Michacl Donovan. He was born in Ireland and came across the Atlantic to Boston, when only nine years old, and since that time he has made his way in the world. He has trav- eled widely through various sections of the United States, and has also spent nine years in Alaska, dur- ing the gold rush. Later, he settled in Seattle, where he followed contracting as a builder; and on coming to California, he was a contractor at San Francisco for three years, just previous to his marriage with Mrs. Kenefick. He himself had been previously mar- ried to Miss Katherine Crane, a native of Nebraska. who passed away in January, 1918.

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY

H. JAY SMITH .- Prominent as a realty operator in Galt and the surrounding territory, H. Jay Smith has made this his home since March 15, 1908, follow- ing an interesting career in many lines, particularly in the world of art. He was born on August 12, 1852, in Janesville, Wis., the son of Thomas Jay and Betsy (Partridge) Smith. The father was born at Wilbraham, Mass., and later engaged in farming in Connecticut; and there he was married, his wife being a native of Canaan, Conn. About this time there was a great exodus of New Englanders to Wisconsin, then considered the Far West, and Thomas Jay Smith was among the number. Selling his farm, he received payment for it in gold, and when he set out on his long journey he was accompanied by five men to guard his life and treasure. Later Mr. Smith removed to Red Wing, Minn., and at one time owned half the town-site of this place. A stanch supporter of education, he had both a financial and moral interest in Hamline University at St. Paul, Minn. He continued in the real estate business at Red Wing until his health failed, when he joined his son, taking up his residence at St. Anthony Falls, a suburb of Minneapolis. There he passed away in 1871, aged fifty-seven years, his widow surviving him until the age of seventy-six.

H. Jay Smith was only ten months old when his parents moved to Red Wing, Minn. There he attended the grammar and high schools, then entered Hamline University, and later finished his education in the University of Minnesota at Minneapolis. While attending there he helped finance his way by tutoring, and also displayed considerable business acumen in various enterprises. He purchased hun- dreds of cords of pine fire-wood and employed stu- dents to pile it into cords, selling it to residents of the town and nearly always doubling his money. Besides this he also managed boarding-houses for the students, renting buildings for the purpose and personally conducting the business. While he was attending the University, the great mills fire occurred, and the insurance companies had refused to pay the claims on the mills destroyed, contending that the fire and damage had been caused by an explosion. Mr. Smith was given charge of an investigation of the real cause of the disaster, and although only a student of chemistry and physics, he experimented and got to the bottom of the cause, proving conclu- sively to the insurance companies that the disaster was caused by a quick, straight-burning fire, instead of by an explosion. As Mr. Smith was only twenty- three years old at the time, this was considered a remarkable achievement.

After finishing his university course, Mr. Smith went to New York, where he was with Wm. Wood & Company, dealers in medical books. He was soon sent West and for three years had charge of four states for this firm. He then opened a medical book store in Minneapolis, occupying space in a large book and art store, which he later bought out, con- ducting the business himself for several years. For seven years he was art director for the exposition at Minneapolis, having sixteen galleries in charge. He temporarily gave up art work, however, and made several trips of exploration into Colorado, and on one of these he became thoroughly familiar with the great Battle Rock Mountain. In 1893 Mr. Smith became identified with the Cliff Dwellers exhibit at the Columbian Exposition at Chicago. The exhibit

was collected by him and he was the originator of the idea as well as the design, in which he produced a facsimile of this Battle Rock, which contained over 200,000 feet of lumber, and which was sprayed by means of apparatus perfected by him after weeks of effort. In order to produce the desired color effect, it was necessary to spray it very quickly, while there were no air currents; and after waiting for several days for a suitable time, the spraying was completed in two and a half hours, which was considered a remarkable feat. After the exposition he went to Boston, where he had an exhibit of the works of American artists and of the old masters, which was very successful. Prior to this he had spent some time in New York, where he had sccured a shipment of 224 casts of works of art in the British Museum, for the Minneapolis Art Gallery.

Giving up his art work on account of his health, Mr. Smith spent some time in Washington, D. C., and then went to St. Louis, Mo. While there he became identified with a realty firm that had pur- chased 7,500 acres of land at Galt, Cal., which they expected to develop to vineyard. Mr. Smith came to Galt to look over the property and returned to St. Louis to advise the company concerning its devel- opment. In March, 1908, he returned to Galt, and this has since been his home; he is extensively engaged in the real estate business, and is the owner of about fifty lots in Galt, besides other property.

Mr. Smith deserves great credit for his work in securing the Union High School at Galt. In order to secure this school at Galt, it was necessary to consolidate eleven contiguous school districts, five of which lay in San Joaquin County and six in Sacramento County. This was accomplished largely through Mr. Smith's foresight and executive ability; and it was accomplished on schedule time. Had the matter been allowed to drag, a delay of sixty days would have defeated the project.

Few men have the wide range of experience pos- sessed by Mr. Smith. As an art connoisseur and critic, he has gained wide notoriety. He is a well- known traveler and lecturer, having visited every state of the Union, and traveled in Europe and Mex- ico. In the latter country he did valuable research work in archeology and anthropology. In Europe he gathered works of art extensively for the Minne- apolis Industrial Exposition. He is a man of clear ideas, force of character, executive ability and prac- tical business methods that have brought him success. After settling in California he prepared an illustrated lecture on California, which he delivered in the prin- cipal cities of the East and Middle West, and in that way he did much towards furthering the interests of the state.

By his first marriage, to Miss Carrie Bell Barnum of West Cornwall, Conn., Mr. Smith had three sons, Ernest Jay, general agent for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company at St. Louis, Mo .; Thomas Har- o'd, in the automobile business at Oakland; and Harvey, an architect at San Antonio, Texas. His second marriage united him with Miss Laura Bell Partridge of Albert Lea, Minn., and they had one son, Sidney Partridge, a landscape artist of De Kalb, Il1. In Minneapolis, on January 25, 1899, Mr. Smith was married to Miss Maude May Fleming, and they have two daughters, Maude Frances and Constance Evelyn. Maude Frances is now Mrs. George Soare, and has one child, Constance Millicent, one year old. Con-

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY

stance Evelyn is secretary to Mr. Allen of San Fran- cisco, of the Niagara Fire Insurance Company. Mrs. Smith is a native of St. Louis, Mo. In politics, Mr. Smith is a progressive Republican; and in religious matters he is a student of Christian Science.

LOUIS GOVE BARTON .- The building inter- ests of Sacramento find a worthy and progressive representative in Louis Gove Barton, who is a con- tractor of long experience and is rated one of the most successful men in his line of business in this section of the state. He was born in Seabrook, N. H., September 18, 1873, a son of David A. and Annie J. (Walton) Barton, descendants of Revolutionary stock and both natives of New England, where they made their home until 1900, when they removed to Sacra- mento, where the father is still living, the mother having died in 1921.

Louis Gove Barton received his education in the grammar and high schools of Massachusetts; then he learned the trade of carpenter and was engaged in building operations there until 1905, when he removed to California and for one year worked at his trade. In 1906 he purchased a ranch near Isleton, and was very successful in raising asparagus for the ensuing eleven years, when he sold his ranch to good advan- tage. He then returned to his trade, engaged in gen- eral contracting and building, and many of the best structures in northern California are of his construc- tion, among them being Foresters Hall, in Marys- ville; the Sutter high school building in Sutter County; the Sutter County Hospital at Yuba City; the high school building at Gridley; the Sisters' school at Seventh and J Streets; the Merchants Bank Build- ing; and many fine residences and office buildings in the city of Sacramento. Mr. Barton is also in part- nership with Mr. Handlin at 619 J Street, where they conduct a store, having a large and complete line of painters' supplies, paints, oils and wall paper.

Mr. Barton is a Republican in politics. Fraternally, he is a member of the Odd Fellows, having joined the order in 1894; he is a thirty-second-degree York Rite- Mason and a Shriner, and also belongs to the Merchants' Club of Sacramento.

GEORGE EDGAR BRYAN .- A representative of one of the old pioneer families in Sacramento County is George Edgar Bryan, who was born near what is now Hood, Sacramento County, April 13, 1870. His father, Isaac Bryan, was born near Al- legheny, Pa., and at the age of twelve years, came to Ohio, where Grandfather Bryan became a success- ful farmer and business man, owning a farm near Tiffin as well as engaging in brick-manufacturing in that city. A town sprang up on his farm, called Bryan, and is now a station on the transcontinental aerial route. In 1850 he came via Panama to Sac- ramento. He tried mining for a while, but soon gave it up for something more remunerative, locating ou a tract of land fifteen miles south of Sacramento on the river, where he engaged in raising vegetables which he sold in the mines. He married Miss Ellen Reardon, who was of Scotch-Irish lineage but born in Philadelphia, in 1839. She came to California via Panama in 1851 with relatives, and made her home in Sacramento until her marriage. Together they pioneered, raising their family and improving their ranch, passing through the early hardships, particular- 31

ly the flood of 1862. Mr. Bryan was a progressive man. He established a nursery on his place, and set out orchards of cherries, shipping the fruit to San Fran- cisco markets until Vacaville began producing the fruit; and he was also a pioneer in raising pears. He was not permitted, however, to enjoy the fruits of his labors, for he died in 1885 at the age of forty-eight years. His widow continued to reside on the home place until the youngest child was grown up, when she sold the place. She now makes her home in Vacaville.

There were eleven children in the Bryan family, nine of whom grew up; and eight are living: John, of Sacramento; Joseph, in Isleton; George Edgar, the subject of our review: William, in Stockton; Isaac, in Rio Vista; Mrs. Nellie Berg, of Stockton; Mrs. May La Montague, of Antioch; and Mrs. Min- nie Sherratt, of Salinas. James, Harry, and Mrs. Anne Homer are deceased.

George Bryan was educated in the local schools, and remained on the home farm, assisting his mother until he was eighteen years old. In 1888 he began driving stage, running from Walnut Grove to Stock- ton, thirty-one miles, or sixty-two miles a round trip per day, changing his four-horse team at Bryan Station each way. In 1892 the line was extended to Isleton, a distance of forty miles, or an eighty-mile round trip, which he made six days a week, changing his four-horse team at Walnut Grove and again at Bryan Station. In 1904, when the dredges began throwing the sand on the levee, the road became im- passable and the line was discontinued. Besides his regular driving each day, he found time on Sundays to make trips with the baseball team to adjoining cities as an active participant in the game,

On September 3, 1902, the day Buffalo Bill had his Wild West show in Sacramento, Mr. Bryan of course attended; and they were a little late starting on the return trip. On arriving at a point about one- half mile north of Hood, they were held up by a lone highwayman, who lined up the passengers, as well as Mr. Bryan, and was in the act of relieving the last passenger, Mr. Isham, of his money, when the latter saw an opportunity and grabbed the highway- man's gun. In the scuffle which ensued he retained possession of it, and the highwayman fled and made his escape. Mr. Bryan, on getting down from his seat on the stage to take his place in the line, had hidden his pocketbook in the bed of the stage.

From 1904 to 1907 Mr. Bryan was engaged in dairying at Isleton, and from 1907 to 1917 he was proprietor of the Central Hotel at the same place. Mrs. Bryan was the owner of "Shoreacres," a 167- acre ranch on Andrus Island, three miles above Isle- ton; so in 1916 they located on their ranch and en- gaged in farming, the place being devoted to the raising of pears, peaches, and plums, and asparagus and other vegetables.

On April 2, 1896, occurred the marriage of Mr. Bryan and Miss Alice Marion Smith. She was born on the old Hart Smith ranch at Isleton, and is a daughter of that old and highly respected pioneer, Hart Fellows Smith and his estimable wife, Mar- garet Mckeever Smith, who are represented in her brother Garrett Smith's sketch in this work. Two children have been born of this fortunate union: Ger- trude Annc, a graduate of the University of Califor-

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY

nia in the class of 1920, with the degree of A. B .; and Elwood, who was also educated at the University of California. Aside from the beautiful home "Shore- acres," Mrs. Bryan is also the owner of a well-im- proved ranch of 104 acres, a part of her father's old place at Isleton. She is active in civic and social work in the community, being a member of Onisbo Chapter, O. E. S., at Courtland, of which she is a past matron. She is also a member of Hogate Rebekah Lodge of Isletou, in which she is a past noble grand and past district deputy. She holds mem- bership in the Tuesday Club in Sacramento and the Methodist Church in Isleton.

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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 81

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