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 97

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 97

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N. N. S. MATCOVICH .- An experienced hotel- man who has made his hostelry one of the most important headquarters for lodgers in Sacramento, and has also rendered good service by opening a first-class employment agency in connection with the hotel, is N. N. S. Matcovich, the proprietor of the St. George Hotel at the corner of Fourth and J Streets, and also of the St. Nicholas Billiard Parlor at 1116 Fourth Street, the largest ground-floor parlor in the world, containing fifty tables. He was born in Dalmatia, Jugo-Slavia, on March 12, 1884, the son of N. N. S. and Lucy Matcovich, industrious folks who made their way to America and Chicago, where the good mother died.

Our subject attended the common schools in his native land, and continued his English studies after he came to the United States, when he was thirteen years of age. He remained in Chicago until 1905, and then came West to California, stopping in San Francisco, Oakland and Los Angeles; and he also was interested in a large cafe in Sansalito.

In 1914, Mr. Matcovich came to Sacramento, and on August of the following year he bought the old St. George Hotel, formerly the Dawson House, built in 1852, which was the center of all activities of the prominent pioneers. This hotel has 340 light, airy, clean rooms, with baths and showers, and makes a specialty of catering to agricultural laborers; and in connection with his hotel he has an office whose busi- ness it is to find employment for those wishing work. The rooms are offered at from 35 cents to $1.50 per night; and so successful has Mr. Matcovich been with his practical enterprise, that he has constructed the first unit of an entirely modern and up-to-date structure which, when completed, will be of eight stories, to cost $100,000, and to be known as the St. Nicholas Hotel, located at 1116 Fourth Street, be- tween K and L Streets. In connection with this structure Mr. Matcovich conducts a billiard parlor, known as the St. Nicholas Billiard Parlor, with fifty tables on the ground floor. After making a thorough investigation through various sources as to the num- ber of billiard tables on the ground floor in any bil- liard parlor of any city in the world, he found one city with a parlor that had thirty-three tables, while in his own parlor there are fifty tables on the ground floor alone, which makes his place the largest ground-floor parlor in the world. He has installed, at great expense, in the basement of his building, a mod- ern gymnasium and training quarters for wrestlers and boxers, with steam, Hamman tub and shower baths, the latter open to the public. He has a very large banquet room, capable of seating over 200 per- sons, lounging and rest rooms, full and complete kitchen equipment, barber shop and lunch counter; in fact, every modern convenience is to be found under the roof at 1116 Fourth Street. Mr. Matco- vich spares no expense to make of his property one of the most modern hotels and billiard parlors to be found in Sacramento. In addition to these interests, Mr. Matcovich is the owner of Estella No. 2, a pro- ducing gold mine on Weaver Creek, near Weavcr- ville, Trinity County; and he owns the famous Pen- nington Mineral Water Springs at Helisma, Cala- veras County. This water is a high-grade medicinal water, and is bottled and shipped in car-lots to their headquarters at 2319 Wentworth Avenue, Chicago, where it is then distributed throughout the country.

J. Nicholason S. Matcovich

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He is also a car-lot distributor of California fruit and produce, making a specialty of grape products; he contracts direct with the growers, packing and ship- ping his own products to the headquarters in Chi- cago, where they are disposed of.

In 1910 Mr. Matcovich was married to Miss Flor- ence Bigley, and she shares his social popularity in the Jugo-Slav Sokol in Sacramento, an athletic asso- ciation with 14,000,000 members scattered all over the world in its different branches. He takes a lead- ing part in all movements for the betterment of the conditions of his fellow-countrymen, both in their native land and in America, especially in California. During the World War Mr. Matcovich did his "bit" by aiding in the construction of the Mather Field equipment. When the committee were unable to se- cure laborers and carpenters to put the field in shape, they came to Mr. Matcovich's employment agency to secure men. He advertised in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valley papers and in four weeks had 800 men in Sacramento ready to work. This was 200 more than needed, and he shipped the surplus to various parts of the Pacific Coast to other jobs. He has always done his part to promote the best inter- ests of Sacramento, and is held in high esteem by all who know him.

PETER R. LYDING .- A widely known authority ou poultry of whom the poultry-fanciers and agri- culturists generally in Sacramento County are justly proud, is Peter R. Lyding, the clever inventor of the Lyding System of handling poultry, including what is known as the Lyding Building and a number of patented devices. He was born in the seaport of Faaborg, Denmark, on the Baltic, on May 27, 1865, the second child and only son of Nils Ras- mussen of Lyding Gaard and Karoline Hans- datter, natives of the same place. He stud- ied at night and made up for what he could not get out of the schools by day, for when he was seven years of age, he began to earn his liv- ing. He left home at the age of fourteen, drifted about and learned the brick and plasterer's trade, serving three years of apprenticeship, and finally, at the age of seventeen, made his way to America, ac- companying an indulgent aunt. And in the spring of 1882, he arrived at Webster City, Iowa. Single- handed, he started out on the prairie, then sparsely settled, with a company of young fellow-countrymen, to work on a hay-press, and he did so well from the start, that in three years he was able to take con- tracts for hay business on his own account. In the meantime, spending his hard-earned savings as judi- ciously as he could in the closed winter seasons, he attended school at Blairshurg, Iowa, and he also took the necessary steps to become a citizen, attaining that goal at Reno, Nev., in 1890, after five years in Truckee and Reno, and that vicinity. While in a lumber-camp at Truckee, in 1885, he suffered his first severe illness, pneumonia, and he was just able to get down to Reno, in May. Jobs were hard to get, he had only $14, and was near the end of his rope, and he was determined to get, if possible, steady work.

Mr. Lyding started on foot out of Reno, on the Reno road, applying at many farmhouses, until he met a man in the field, who hired him, but only after he had sold himself for thirty days on the basis that

if he did not prove the best workman ever hired on Morton's ranch, he was to go without pay. This proved a bonanza, for he gained Mr. Morton's confi- dence, and the faith on either side was never broken. Making his home at that ranch, Mr. Lyding began in 1885 to contract for press work in the hay-fields. and for several seasons made money. In 1888, he entered the sheep- and wool-growing business, with fine success, until the terrible winter of 1889-1890, recalled by stockmen as the most severe in history on the Pacific slope, when he lost all of his sheep near Wadsworth, Nev., and the next spring and summer the countryside was literally covered with the bleaching bones of cattle and sheep. Worse than that, he was himself brought close to death, trying to save his flocks. However, after being half-frozen from head to toe, Mr. Lyding was able to direct the rescuing of the sheep of a friend, the only flock saved in that region during 1889-1890. Having lost everything, he returned to Reno, in 1891, and bought back the hay-press. In the meantime, he plunged into development work in Reno, first buying seven lots without money, which were prior to this time thought to be worthless, because of the huge bould- ers. Blasting them in the close business section had never been thought possible by engineers, but our subject accomplished the feat, and despite great odds, cleared the lots by covering the rocks so that the debris could not fly, to the amazement of the Reno onlookers. Thus, in a few months, he had accumu- lated a competency out of what was regarded by most people as a white elephant, and Mr. Lyding put up a fine home in Reno upon part of the cleared land. The hotel at Upper Pyrmont Lake, Nev., forty miles away, was with great difficulty moved to Reno, the corps of workmen from the hay-press lending a helping hand. His prosperity was short-lived, for all this valuable property went for securities a few years later, when the mining industry into which he put his entire faith, became insolvent.

In 1892, at Reno, Mr. Lyding married Miss Han- nah Waller, a native of Sweden, who came out to Illinois as a girl with her parents, and her younger brother, P. A. Waller. He became a multimillion- aire manufacturer of Kewanee, Ill., and a prominent figure in political circles, and in 1920 he was an un- successful candidate on the Democratic platform for United States senator from Illinois. Mr. Lyding en- tered the employ of Governor Sparks as general su- perintendent of the Alamo Hereford Farm. three miles south of Reno, in 1893. There was a menage- rie of buffalo, elk and other wild animals, and the poultry farm embraced all varieties from fighting cocks to Brahmas. Here Mr. Lyding did much of his best work, at the same time that he had ample opportunity for study and experiment. In 1896, Sparks' fatted steer sold off the block at the Inter- national Live Stock Show in Chicago, with a depre- ciation of only twenty-nine per cent, a mark never equaled up to that time.

In 1896, Mr. Lyding made up a party for a rush to Alaska, and helped to chart the old brig "Novo" at San Francisco, and arrived in the frozen North in the early spring of 1897. He was joined by his devoted wife in 1900, who accompanied him on many trips. However, there he was again close to death's door, to say nothing of his thrilling experiences, one of which was finding a tribe of Indians who had never

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY

before seen a white man. He figured in numerous lucky adventures, but lost much of what he acquired through the duplicity of the governor of that Cana- dian province, the Klondyke.

Mr. and Mrs. Lyding returned to California and Nevada, coming out of the frozen interior, over the ice, on a memorable trip. They had to have their baggage transported by mail, at fifty cents per pound, and they paid $500 fare for each person, the Canadian Development Company, that owned the charter to carry United States mail from Dawson to Skagway, taking the boodle. This trip required six days of travel, with six nights, and there were only six hours of stop along the way. The party had to brave the perils of the ice, and the risk of losing all, but they successfully made the hazardous trip.

In 1902, Mr. Lyding returned to Reno and bought 160 acres, and within the short period of five years, he came away from Reno with a considerable for- tune, thanks to Governor Sparks, who signed his notes, and helped him to regain his competency. In the hope of regaining his health, in 1906, he removed to Sebastopol, in the Santa Rosa Valley, and bought a ranch adjoining that owned by Luther Burbank, and he started in the poultry business. And in 1907, he built the first Lyding chicken-house, in Sonoma County, the result of years of close study of both the hen and the poultry business. The deplorable con- dition of the egg market in California and the West at that time had greatly concerned him; and one of the results was the organization of the Sonoma County Fruit and Produce Company, in which he served as a charter member and a director, evidence of the awakening of the commercialized poultry- raiser. In Sebastopol, in 1908, he was elected presi- dent of the local exchange, and after rendering sev- cral years of service there, he received, on leaving, a hall clock, with an engraved inscription of appre- ciation. In 1913 Mr. Lyding again assisted in organ- izing another poultry producers' association, this time under the name of Sonoma Producers' Association, with headquarters in Petaluma, which finally devel- oped into the big poultry association of central Cali- fornia. He served as vice-president and director, and succeeded the late Charles Romwall to the presi- dent's chair. During the last year of Mr. Lyding's term in office, this association transacted $5,000,000 worth of business. In 1919, he resigned the presi- dential office, desiring to retire; but at the solicita- tion of friends, he continued to serve in an advisory capacity until, late in 1919, the Sacramento Suburban Fruit Lands Company sought and obtained his serv- ices as their poultry adviser at Rio Linda. He main- tains his office at 617 J Street, Sacramento, and also spends a large portion of his time on the grounds, vis- iting the new and fast-growing poultry colony at Rio Linda. He is president of the Rio Linda Poultry Producers' Association, a purely cooperative body for the handling of feeds and other supplies, at a low figure to the grower. In all such work as this, Mr. Lyding is but carrying out an idea that has in- spired him since his boyhood, that man is placed upon the earth in the discharge of a duty, that of serving mankind; henee, in his wonderfully success- ful poultry endeavors, he is less of a scientific expo- nent, and more of a man among men.

MRS. DAGMAR ELEANORE HANSEN VOLL-

MAN .- A representative of one of the oldest families in the Delta section of Sacramento County, who is in- tensely interested in the development of this wonder- fully rich and fertile region, is Mrs. Dagmar Eleanore Hansen Vollman, a native daughter proud of her con- nection with the Golden State. She was born in Petaluma, a daughter of Edward Hansen, a native of Copenhagen, Denmark, who came with his father to San Francisco in early days, when a youth. Accom- panying them was also his brother Charles E. The two brothers became interested in navigation on San Francisco Bay and the Sacramento River for the Cali- fornia Transportation Company, and being adept and ambitious, they soon worked their way to captain, and for many years continued in their chosen profes- sion and were well known as the most conscientious and careful masters on the Bay. They both, in turn, were captain of the steamer "Onward," at various times. Some years after they reached California, they sent for their sister Eleanore, who soon joined them, a bright, winsome young lady, who made the acquaint- ance of Mathew Madge, to whom she was married in San Francisco. Mr. Madge was a native of England, and came to California in pioneer days.

After their marriage, Mathew Madge and his bride located on the Sacramento River, purchasing a prop- erty of 160 acres from Dr. Fowler, across the river from Walnut Grove, where they took up their resi- dence, the house having been erected in 1850 and used by Dr. Fowler for his residence as well as for a hospital. Here Mathew Madge and his wife spent the remainder of their days. Meantime, Capt. Charles E. Hansen had purchased 149 acres on the river just south of the old Madge ranch, which became known as Hansen's Lower Landing. On the death of Mrs. Madge, Charles E. and Edward Hansen inherited her ranch, and while Edward continued as master with the California Transportation Company, Charles E. took up the management and improvement of their ranches, aiding in the construction of the levees, which was first accomplished by shovels and wheel- barrows, until in later years they were finished and made permanent by the use of the big power dredges. They passed through the flood of 1862; and each time their lands were flooded, they again took up the work of reclamation and improvement, setting out orchards which today are a monument to their in- dustry and foresight.

In Petaluma, Edward Hansen married Mrs. Mary (Ross) Brown, a charming young lady who was born in the Highlands of Scotland and came hither with her parents in 1872, first locating in Oregon, but soon coming on to Petaluma. Capt. Edward Hansen con- tinued in his profession until the time of his death. At his passing, on June 23, 1899, the shipping interests of northern California lost one of the best-posted and most-liked of the old-time river captains, who was sorely missed. He was survived by a widow and an only daughter, Dagmar Eleanore, to mourn his loss. Some years later his widow married his brother, Capt. Charles E. Hansen; and they continued to re- side on the home place until he passed away in 1904, a man who was highly esteemed and loved by all who knew him. After his death Mrs. Hansen lived on her place at Hansen's Upper Landing, looking after her interests and obtaining much enjoyment in her mem- bership in the Eastern Star. She was a remarkable

Dagmar Hansen Uncement. ·

Clarence J. Vallan

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY

woman, and carried on her affairs successfully until her demise, on December 26, 1918.

Dagmar Hansen was educated at Walnut Grove, and at Mt. St. Gertrude's Academy, Rio Vista, after which she continued her musical education at the Oakland Conservatory of Music.

At Sacramento, in 1910, occurred Miss Hansen's marriage with Clarence T. Vollman, a native of Arkansas, born in Perry County, on March 29, 1884, a son of L. G. and Sarah E. (Bland) Vollman, who brought their family to California in 1900, locating at Clay Station, and who now make their home with Mr. and Mrs. Vollman.

Clarence Vollman was educated in the public schools of his native state and at Howe's Business College in Sacramento. From 1900 to 1904 he was employed in a store at Clay Station; and then he clerked in Gardiner's store in Isleton until 1907, when he entered the employ of Walter M. Brown at Ryde. After his marriage, he took up ranching. Mrs. Voll- man owned a half interest in the Lower Hansen Ranch; and as soon as they were started, they pur- chased the balance, thus becoming owners of the entire ranch of 14912 acres. After her mother's death Mrs. Vollman came into possession of the home ranch, or Upper Hansen Ranch, a beautiful place on the Sacramento River opposite to Walnut Grove. Mr. and Mrs. Vollman devote their land to the raising of fruit and asparagus; and in their lovely home they dispense the old-time California hospitality. Their union has been blessed with the birth of two children, Dagmar Elaine, born June 15, 1911, and Edward Clar- ence, born December 24, 1915. Mr. Vollman, from 1918 until 1923, was field superintendent for the Spreckels Sugar Company in the Delta country, un- til he resigned to give all of his attention to their farming and horticultural interests. Mr. and Mrs. Vollman take an active part in the civic and social affairs of their community, where they are deserved- ly popular. Mr. Vollman is a member and past grand of Isleton Lodge No. 108, I. O. O. F .; while Mrs. Voll- man is a prominent member of Onisbo Chapter No. 164, O. E. S., at Courtland, in which she is a past ma- tron. She is a cultured and refined woman of a very pleasing personality, who presides gracefully over their home; and she is greatly loved by all who know her, for her kind and generous nature and her wo- manly attributes of mind and heart. She is worthily following the traditions of her honored ancestors and, like them, is carrying on the development which is rapidly making this favored section the garden- spot of the world.

ARTHUR BENJAMIN .- The proprietor of one of Galt's thriving business houses, Arthur Benjamin brings to his business many years of successful expe- ience in the mercantile business, especially in the line of men's furnishings, in which he is now en- gaged. He was born at Mamaroneck, N. Y., Janu- ary 6, 1885, the son of Harry and Sarah (Solomon) Benjamin, the father born at Posen, Germany, while the mother was a native of England. Harry Benja- min came to the United States alone when a lad of but fourteen years and settled at New York, where he first worked as a butcher's delivery boy, then began in the clothing business and learned to be a cutter and designer. Removing to Mamaroneck, N.

Y., he established himself in the clothing and men's furnishing business and there continued for ten years. He now resides in Tarrytown, N. Y., where he is engaged in the real estate business and is now sixty- seven years old. Mrs. Benjamin passed away at the age of fifty-six, the mother of ten children, five now living: Lilly, Mrs. Rummelsburg, of Toledo, Ohio; Arthur Benjamin, who is the subject of this sketch; Pauline, Mrs. Immerman of New York City; Joseph Benjamin of Tarrytown, N. Y., in the real estate business with his father; and Bertha, the wife of Mr. Murry Berkeley, of New York City.

Arthur Benjamin's boyhood was spent at Tarry- town, N. Y., and at the age of fifteen he started out for himself, his first two years in business being spent with the Hackett-Carhart Company of New York. He then went to Chicago and while there was associated with The Fair, The Hub, Seigel & Cooper, and Kuppenheimer & Company. In 1907 he came to San Francisco, Cal., and was with S. 11. Woods & Company, then with Morris Rosenthal as a travel- ing salesman over the entire state of California as his territory. For the next six years he was with Kuh Brothers, wholesale dealers in women and children's clothing, and then went into business for himself at 3519 Chestnut Street, Oakland, handling ladies' and men's furnishings. Six years later he sold out his business and removed to Bakersfield, where he was with Henry Bergman for a time, going from there to Stockton, where he was associated with L. Alderman, and then was transferred to Mr. Alder- man's Galt store in 1920. Looking over the field here, Mr. Benjamin soon decided to go into business for himself and opened his store, in which he han- dles a fine line of ladies' and men's furnishings, and he has built up a business that is steadily increasing.

At Oakland, January 1, 1911, Mr. Benjamin was married to Miss Helen Happ, a native daughter of San Francisco, whose parents were Marcus and Au- gusta Happ. Her father was for twenty-five years engaged in the men's furnishing business at 481 Sev- cnth Street, Oakland, the family having lived in that city since Mrs. Benjamin was five years old. Mr. Happ passed away at the age of sixty-five, but the mother is still living and is now eighty-two years old. They were the parents of four children: Mor- ris Happ of Oakland; Mrs. Eddie Hirsch of San Francisco; Mrs. B. Nurok of San Francisco; and Mrs. Arthur Benjamin. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin, Marian and Julian. Since locating at Galt Mr. Benjamin has identified himself with its progressive interests. He is a men- ber of the executive committee of the Chamber of Commerce of Galt, being its capable secretary, and also an officer of the local Grange, I. O. O. F., and Masons. In politics he is a Democrat.

PAUL H. STEUDE .- In the final analysis, farm- ing is the basis of prosperity in America. It is the very beginning of the intricate operations which fur- nish man with food. Paul H. Steude, of Sacramento, has made a life study of the science of agriculture; and his expert knowledge thereof has not only resulted in the attainment of individual prosperity, but has been of great benefit and value to his fellow-men. A native .of Germany, he was born December 25, 1860, and his parents, Edward and Paulina Steude, are both de- ceased.

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Mr. Steude acquired his education in his native land, attending the public schools and later complet- ing a course in the Freiburg Agricultural College. In 1882, when a young man of twenty-two years, he emigrated to the United States, arriving in this coun- try on August 20, and he first located in Texas. He followed the life of a cowboy and engaged in the raising of sheep and Angora goats, later turning his attention to the nursery business. He lived for four years in the Lone Star State and in 1886 made his way to California. He spent three months at Fresno and nine months at Santa Rosa, later going to New- castle, where he operated a fruit ranch. From the time of his arrival in the state he has taken a leading part in the development of its fruit industry upon which he is regarded as an authority. He called the meeting which resulted in the organization of the California Fruit Exchange, and in association with J. G. Boggs contributed three-fourths of the contents of the first carload of fruit shipped to the California Fruit Exchange, paying the freight charges and making a gift of the shipment to that organization. Mr. Steude also had the largest Tragedy prunes at the Paris Exposition, that were presented to the president of France; and the fruit grown upon his ranch was of the highest quality. He had the largest exhibit of any deciduous fruit grower in the United States, at Portland, Ore., at the Lewis and Clark Exposition.

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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 97

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