USA > California > San Luis Obispo County > History of San Luis Obispo County and environs, California, with biographical sketches > Part 104
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In June, 1876, he came back to California and settled for a time in San Luis Obispo County, but soon went back to Nevada and engaged in black- smithing in Carson City. He returned to this county, however, and in October, 1878, homesteaded one hundred sixty acres of land in the Adelaida district, the nucleus of his present ranch. Here he made a home, and subdued and improved the land. He built a shop and did blacksmithing until 1913, when he retired from the trade. In the meantime he was engaged in grain-growing and stock-raising, and added to his property one hundred sixty acres, adjoin- ing, by purchase. Cloverdale Ranch comprises three hundred twenty acres lying in the northern part of the Adelaida district, twelve miles from Paso Robles. It is well named for the abundance of clover grown on the place.
On November 18, 1870, in Stockton, Mr. Sims was united in marriage with Miss Adeline Melissa Etta Stoker, a native of Iowa, born near Council Bluffs, a daughter of Jacob and Catherine (Burcham) Stoker, who had removed from Indiana to Missouri, and then to Council Bluffs, where they were pioneers. In 1859 they came across the plains in an ox team train as far as Salt Lake, bringing their five children with them. There they passed the winter ; and in the spring of 1860 they arrived at Placerville. In the fall of that year they located on a ranch near Sacramento, going thence to Nevada. The parents of Mrs. Sims spent their last days with her. Of their eleven children, she is the sixth in order of birth. She was educated in the public schools at Sheldon, C'al. Mr. and Mrs. Sims have raised a nephew, Arthur L. Withrew, who resides in the Adelaida district.
Mr. Sims is a charter member of Cayucos Lodge, I. O. O. F. In national politics he is a Democrat. Always interested in the cause of education, he has served as a school trustee of Lincoln district for over sixteen years, de- clining to serve longer. The site for the schoolhouse of this district was donated by Mr. and Mrs. Sims.
RISDOM W. ROBERTSON .- The late proprietor of Hotel Margarita, Risdom W. Robertson, was born near Dyersburg, Tenn., December 5, 1859, a son of Henry and Mary ( Jones) Robertson, who were born in Tennessee and North Carolina respectively. The paternal grandfather, Risdom Robert- son, was of Scotch descent, and migrated to Tennessee, where he became a planter. On the maternal side, the grandfather, Humphrey Jones, came from North Carolina to Tennessee, when his daughter Mary was eight years old. Henry and Mary Robertson followed farming in Tennessee during their active life, and both died there. Seven children were born into their home: Noah and Lizzie, now Mrs. Ward, who reside in Tennessee; Risdom W., deceased, and Mary, now Mrs. S. P. Robertson, of Santa Margarita : Nannie, now Mrs. W. L. Robertson, of Arlington, Wash. ; Sally, now Mrs. Worrel, who lives in Tennessee : and Mattie, Mrs. Ferguson, who died in Seattle, Wash.
Risdom W. Robertson was raised on a farm, and his education was scoured in the local schools and academies, after which he taught school for a time. Later he engaged in the merchandise business in Friendship. Tenn. Coming to Washington, then a territory, he homesteaded and took a pre- emption, and a timber claim, and engaged in the lumber business. He then built a hotel in Arlington, and carried on the business until ill health necessi- tated his seeking a milder climate. In 1896 he sold out and came to Cali- fornia, and for three years was located in San Miguel. In 1899 he pur- chased the hotel in Santa Margarita, moved there and continued the business
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he had become interested in while in Washington. Mr. Robertson bought the opposite corner, 75x150 feet in size, and built the Santa Margarita Garage, a fire-proof structure, and the largest in town. Further to improve the prop- erty, he erected a residence in the rear. He also owned the Robertson Hall, in the rear of the hotel. He was interested in building up the town, and to him much credit is due for his enterprise and public spirit. He was a prominent member of the Odd Fellows. In politics, he supported Republican candidates.
Near Friendship, Tenn., on November 30, 1891, occurred the marriage of R. W. Robertson with Miss Julia Bryant, who was born in that locality. She was a daughter of William Bryant, a native of South Carolina, who moved to North Carolina. He served in the Confederate army during the Civil War. He married Miss Elmina Seapaugh, a native of North Caro- lina, of German descent : and they moved to the vicinity of Friendship, Tenn., where they engaged in farming, and where he still resides. There the mother died in 1905. They had six children, four of whom are living, Mrs. Robertson being the oldest and the only one on the Coast.
Since the death of her husband, on February 8, 1916, Mrs. Robertson has continued the hotel business, and has also looked after the other property interests. She has two children: Nellie, now Mrs. Walter Walker, of Taft. Cal. ; and Callie, who resides with her mother. Both daughters were edu- cated in the Paso Robles high school. Like her late husband, Mrs. Robert- son is a supporter of the principles of the Republican party.
ANDREW H. IVERSEN .- A progressive and energetic native son who is making good as a grain-raiser on the Estrella ranch, Andrew Il. Iversen was born on December 26, 1886. He is a son of (. A. Iversen, who is men- tioned elsewhere in this work. Andrew spent his childhood on the farm, and went to the public schools in the Union district. When a lad he began to learn the details of grain-farming under his father ; and for years he re- mained with him on the home farm.
Andrew H. Iversen was married on April 14, 1909, to Miss Margartha Paulus, a native of Missouri, who came with her parents to this county when she was a child. She is a daughter of P. C. and Louisa Paulus, who were farmers in the Geneseo district, and who now reside in Union, Mr. and Mrs. Iversen have four children : Edith, Howard, Ilmer and Edward.
After his marriage Andrew Iversen continued with his father on the Iversen ranch until 1911, when he leased the Mrs. V. L. Brooks place of four hundred eighty acres, and for the ensuing four veirs crosgel in grain- raising there. Ile then moved to the Estrella rinch, where he had learsed a large tract in partnership with HI. B. MeWilliams. They hive about 1.0 x) acres of this tract seeded to grain. One hundred deres is devoted to birley but wheat is their main crop. They use two twelve hor e te ims for oper done the ranch.
Mr. Iversen is a stockholder in the Farmers Allemed Busters Assunto tion of Paso Robles, and also in the Paso Robles & Chandon Telephone Co .: and he was instrumental in building the sie lines He - 2 partner with I- father, C. A. Iversen, and C. 1. Iversen, m one hundred sisy acres to late near Union, suitable for almonds, to which they have set out twenty st. acres. He is also interested in the Good Wil Mang OG HOSA a member and clerk of the board of trustees of the Phillips sehe district Hle was made a Mason in Paso Robles Lodge, No. 280. F. & V. M
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OSCAR E. HALLSTROM .- A native of Iowa, born near Red Oak, on April 30, 1879, Oscar E. Hallstrom is a son of Nicholas Hallstrom, a black- smith by trade, who was born in Sweden, and settled in Iowa when a young man. He followed his trade in that state and there married, later removing to Polk county, Neb., where he became a farmer. In 1887 he came to Cali- fornia and located in San Luis Obispo County, where he bought one of the first tracts laid out by .Anderson on the Dresser ranch at Linne. He had one hundred fifty acres of fine land ; and here he built a brick house, and engaged in farming until his death about nineteen years ago. The mother died when Oscar was a babe of eighteen months.
Oscar Hallstrom was reared in Nebraska until he was nine years of age, when he was brought to this state by his father and attended the public schools in the vicinity of Linne. When a boy he became familiar with the details of successful grain farming while assisting his father on the home place ; and after his father's death, he ran the ranch for two years. He then went to Chino and for one year worked at drilling water wells. Returning to Linne, he farmed the old home place, and one hundred sixty acres adjoining, for six years. With the proceeds he bought an alfalfa ranch near Chino, and the following four years were spent in raising hay. He liked grain farming better ; and so he again came back to San Luis Obispo County and engaged in that vocation. He now leases the Woods place of six hundred forty acres six miles south of Shandon, where he is successfully carrying out his ideas, and has about three hundred fifty acres in grain, principally wheat. In the culti- vation of his ranch he uses a ten-horse team and the necessary modern imple- ments. He has a blacksmith shop on the place, where he does horseshoeing and repair work on the farm machinery.
Mr. Ilallstrom was reared in the Baptist Church, and still holds to that faith. In politics he is a Democrat. He has served as a trustee of the Linne school district for several years. Mr. Hallstrom is a self-made man and holds the respect of all with whom he has been associated both in busi- ness and in social circles.
ISAAC NEWTON TRUESDALE .- It is to the pioneers that the County of San Luis Obispo is indebted for much of her prosperity, for they came to this wilderness in an early day, blazed the trails over almost impassable sec- tions of timbered mountains, and eventually brought order out of chaos and established markets and systems of transportation, so that in this later day their descendants and others may enjoy life in quiet contentment. Such a man is Isaac Newton Truesdale, one of the oldest settlers of the Cholame district, where he has lived since the fall of 1885, and where he owns two hundred thirty-three acres of land at the junction of the Cholame and San Juan valleys, about one and one-half miles above Shandon. He was born in Brookfield, Trumble county, O., on August 2, 1846, a son of Jonathan Hoover Truesdale a native of Mercer county, Pa., where he was born in 1806. Jona- than Truesdale had learned the trade of a wagon-maker in Youngstown, O., and became a carpenter in Trumble county, and later in Allen county, where he died at the age of seventy-four years. The mother, Matilda (Keefer) I ruesdale, was a Virginian, born on April 5, 1817, who, after the death of her husband, came to California and died at Shandon in 1895, aged about seventy- er hit.
The fourth child in the family of seyen who grew to mature years, Isaac Y was brought up near Lima, in Allen county, O., and was educated in the
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public schools. From school he volunteered for service in the Civil War. on February 14, 1865, in Company C. 192nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry, being mustered in for one year, and was sent into the Shenandoah valley. Ile served faithfully through the balance of the conflict, and was mustered out on September 7, 1865, at the close of the war. He had two brothers in the service : John Milton, of Co. B, 99th Ohio, who died in the service ; and George K., of the 81st Ohio, who was promoted to First Lieutenant of Co. B. 151st Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was wounded in service.
The war over. Mr. Truesdale resumed his studies for a time, and then learned the painter and decorator's trade in Lima, O., and engaged in business as a contracting decorator. He was married near Beaver Dam, in Allen county, on September 16, 1875, to Miss Aurilla D. Ilollen. She was born in that county, a daughter of Henry D. V. and Nancy II. (Nichols : Hollen, natives of Ohio and Pennsylvania respectively. The father died and the mother, now Mrs. Richards, lives on a homestead on San Juan creek. Mrs. Truesdale is the second in order of birth of eight children.
After his marriage, Mr. Truesdale resumed his trade, and followed con- tracting and painting in Lima until 1885, when he decided to come to Cali- fornia. He arrived in Los Angeles, and soon after came up into San Luis Obispo County, where he pre-empted one hundred sixty acres near Cholame and began to make improvements, erecting buildings and breaking and clearing the land. Ilere, for some years, he followed farming. He came to this state on account of his health, which he gradually recovered, although it was ten years before he had fully regained his strength. In 1905 he went to the San Joaquin valley and began work again as a painter, at which he has continued ever since. He has worked at his trade throughout San Luis Obispo County and the adjoining counties.
Mr. Truesdale has bought land adjacent to his property, and now has two hundred thirty-three acres in a highly cultivated condition, with fine improve ments wells, windmills and tanks, and two sets of farm buildings Tor some years he has rented the ranch to his son Smith, while he himself follows his trade as a painter.
Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Truesdale : Ilarry 1, em- ployed in the post office at San Luis Obispo; Dwell Smith, who is operating the home ranch ; Bina U., Mrs. Lampson, of Shandon ; and Robert lincoln, of Shandon.
Mr. Truesdale has been a school trustee of Shandon district, and for three years was clerk of the board. He is a member of Fred Steele Post. Vo 70. G. A. R., of San Luis Obispo, and his wife belongs to the Woman's Rofici Corps of that city. Both are members of the local Methodist Church 400cc its organization. They helped build the church, and Mr. TrucsJak Das buch one of the trustees, while Mrs. Truesdale was superintendent of the Sunday school. They are both strong for temperance, and are Republicans
FRANK J. BOWERS .- The well-known firm of Bowers and Parnell Ford agents and proprietors of the Santa Maria Garage, located On Broadway at Church street, in Santa Maria, of which F J. Bowers is senior member is one of the going concerns of the city, and since its establishmentoon May 1. 1916, has taken its place in the business circles of Santa Barbara county Mr. Bowers was born at Camden, N. Y., October 3, 1804, a som of Conrad al Mary Bowers. The father was of German descent, born in New York State. and was a railroad builder. Both he and his wife are now deceased
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The fourth in a family of eight children, F. J. Bowers attended school until he was nine, and then went to work in a factory. This kind of employ- ment he followed in various places, until he went into business on his own account. From the age of twenty he has held responsible positions, starting in by firing the boilers in a sugar factory at Rome, N. Y., then being promoted to the position of assistant superintendent. His next post was in the beet sugar factory at Binghamton, N. Y., filling the same responsible position as before. He then came West and was made assistant superintendent of the factory of the Great Western Sugar Co. at Easton, Colo., filled the position one year, and was then sent to Windsor, the same state.
There Mr. Bowers filled the same position for the same company until 1905, when he came to California and for one year served as assistant super- intendent of the Betteravia Sugar Factory for the Union Sugar Co. He was promoted to the superintendency of the factory, a position he filled with satis- faction to the company and the employes until he resigned, to enter into his present business. During the eleven years he was connected with this great industry, Mr. Bowers, more than any other, planned and executed nearly every advance made towards enlarging the factory and its operations ; and he understands every detail of making sugar from the raw product.
On May 1, 1916, with Harry Parnell, the Santa Maria Garage was estab- lished, and modern machinery was installed for the repairing of all kinds of machinery and engine work, and a pattern shop was built. The firm secured the agency for the Ford automobile and since their opening have sold many car loads of machines. That both of the partners are hustlers speaks for itself ; they are energetic, public-spirited and heartily in accord with the progressive movements for the upbuilding of this section of the state.
Mr. Bowers was married in Rome, N. Y., to Miss Catherine Baulig, daughter of Anthony Baulig, a native of Rome, N. Y. Of this union five chil- dren have been born : Genevieve, who married Oscar Doane of Betteravia ; Loretta, the wife of Walter Stokes of Guadalupe; Winnifred; Leona; and Clifton. Mr. Bowers is a member of San Luis Obispo Lodge No. 264, B. P. O. Elks, and of the Santa Maria Lodge No. 180, K. O. T. M. During the years of his association with the Santa Maria valley, Mr. Bowers has gained prestige year by year as a man of square dealing and strict integrity.
EUGENE D. RUBEL .- The ambitious nature of Eugene D. Rubel has find an outlet in his activities as proprietor of the Crescent Garage in Santa Maria, where he is proving the desirability of this part of California as a busi- I - center. A native of Germany, he was born in Niedersteffenbach, Rhine province, October 20, 1880, a son of Daniel and Charlotte ( Brill) Rubel, both Born . nd reared in Germany, who brought their family to the United States m 18%. On arrival, the family settled in Rockford. 111., where the six chil- Iren tended school. Both parents and the children are now deceased, with the exception of Eugene D.
When a lad of six years, Eugene D. came with his parents to this Poumfy and attended the public schools in Rockford, afterwards going to work for Emerson Palcott & Co., manufacturers of agricultural implements other guy. Later he worked on various farms in Winnebago county, Ill., Windowsting to California in 1902.
berri.ed in Santa Maria in 1905 and soon after organized the Crescent Garde, with the following officers: J. U. Stair, president ; E. D. Rubel, vice- president: G. H. Youngling, secretary ; C. W. Murdock, treasurer. The busi-
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ness was begun on a small scale and gradually grew in volume: and in five months after opening the establishment for business, Mr. Rubel began buying up the stock owned by the other shareholders, and since March I, 1914, has been sole proprietor. The business has grown rapidly, an extensive machine shop for doing all kinds of automobile and auto engine repairing is main- tained, a general garage business is carried on and every department is equipped with the most modern appliances for facilitating the business.
Since its opening, too, the garage has been enlarged from time to time by four additions ; the last change made was the leasing of the \. HI. Froom building where Mr. Rubel has installed a complete line of motor car parts and accessories, located his main office, and fitted up a modern waiting room for ladies in the space formerly taken up by his office. He is agent for the Vim truck, Dodge Bros. cars, Hudson and Buick, and has sold his share of motor cars throughout the valley. He has always been square in his dealings with the public, and strictly honest and just with his employes, who now number fifteen, all experienced workmen. His garage and machine shop at 201 to 209 South Broadway is a busy plant, covering half a block.
In 1910 Mr. Rubel was united in marriage with Miss Nellie Voight, a daughter of the late Albert Voight, a prominent merchant of Nelson, Ncb .. her grandfather, William Ziock, also deceased, having been a wealthy manu- facturer in Rockford, 111., and one of the organizers of the Burson Knitting Works, and the Rockford Mitten & Hosiery Co. Mrs. Rubel is a graduate of the Rockford College, and supplemented her education by three years i travel in Europe. She is a lady of many accomplishments and the mother of three bright and interesting children, Edward, Catherine and Dorothy. Mr. and Mrs. Rubel's home on Cypress street is one of comfort and cheer. 1le is a member of the Knights of Pythias, is a man of unquestioned integrity. makes and retains friends, and shows his public spirit by giving his support and co-operation to all movements for the betterment of the community.
VALLEY SAVINGS BANK .- A subsidiary of the Bank of Santa Maria. the Valley Savings Bank, organized September 1, 1901, with a capital di $25,000, is nevertheless an independent entity. The directors it that tinis were Paul O. Tietzen, M. Thornburg, William 11. Rice. 1. 1. Bleebnem, ami A. J. Souza ; W. H. Rice was clected president and This. B. Adam was auf pointed cashier of the institution.
The bank wields a great influence in the Santa Maria vill 4. 50 1 0- er trons include the professional and business men and ranchers, with many women and children who have acquired the excellent habitat some bank has paid a dividend of seven per cent annually ont is erie mal com ]
The directors now serving are W. H. Ries, A. J. Soung, Lohn c, 0% el. Paul O). Tietzen, and Guy I. Goodwin. On December 31, 1916, the resource- of this financial institution had reached $33 . 476.35. 1x 10 0 10 tu olil bank building on Main street, where it has ampk quarters and ficilities for the conduct of its growing business.
WILLIAM MACDONALD. \ntveni Sortland. \Halo Soll was born at Glasgow, March 1, 1882, a son of Jedin and Marg Det . Brrobe Macdonald, also natives of that country, who came to the United States and settled in Wisconsin in 1885, one year later moving to Dell Rapids, S Dal. where the father opened a stone and granite quarry. They eventualh cine in California, settling in Santa Rosa; and there the father died, ih 1914, agol seventy years. The widow is still living in that place. 48
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William Macdonald was but three years old when his parents came to the United States and settled in Dell Rapids. There he graduated from the high school with the class of 1901, and then attended the University of South Dakota at Vermilion for two years, after which he went to Prescott, Ariz., and became bookkeeper for a mining company. In 1904 Mr. Macdonald en- tered the employ of Fairbanks, Morse & Company in Los Angeles, and a short time later was sent to Santa Maria to take charge of their work. For ten years he was their general agent, with headquarters at Santa Maria and territory extending from Paso Robles to Santa Barbara.
During these years, Mr. Macdonald became very well acquainted in the section covered by his territory, was always square in dealing with the public and so easily built up a good reputation. In 1914, therefore, he felt justified in engaging in business for himself and opened his present place in Santa Maria, where he deals in all kinds of machinery and supplies, windmills and accessories, pumps and electrical machinery, besides having the agency for the Fairbanks Morse and Co.'s line of goods.
Mr. Macdonald was united in marriage with Miss Belle Glines, daughter of Cassius H. Glines, and they reside in their beautiful bungalow home at 512 South Broadway. He is a member of Hesperian Lodge No. 264, F. & A. M., of which he was, master in 1916, is also a member of the Knights of Pythias, and both himself and wife are members of the Eastern Star. Mr. Macdonald is a public-spirited, progressive citizen, interested in everything for the good of the community, and is serving as a trustee of Reclamation District No. 798.
SANTA MARIA VALLEY RAILROAD .- This railroad, with its twenty-three miles of track, is one of the paying properties of the valley, do- ing exclusively a freight business. Built by private capital in 1911, as a feeder to the main line of the Southern Pacific, its main line runs from Guadalupe, where it connects with the Southern Pacific, to Roadamite, in Santa Barbara county. A branch line of two and one-half miles also runs from Betteravia Junction to Betteravia.
The object of building the road was to secure an outlet for the heavy freighting out of the valley, the oil fields, Union Sugar Company's factory at Betteravia and the extensive warehouses of the Southern Pacific Milling Co. at Guadalupe, Santa Maria and Gates. The officers of the railway com- pany are Los Angeles capitalists: C. W. Gates, president ; O. C. Edwards, vice president : E. J. Miley, secretary ; Jay Spence, treasurer ; M. L. Shearin, superintendent, and J. M. Davis, auditor, both of Santa Maria.
ROBERT M. CONKEY .- The editor and general manager of the Santa . Maria Graphic, an eight-page weekly, published every Saturday, is Robert M. Conkey, son of J. F. Conkey, who owns the paper and was its editor until June, 1916, when he assumed the duties of postmaster. He was born at Saratoga Springs, N. Y., August 3, 1875, and attended the grammar and high schools of the Empire State until coming to California in 1892 with his par- ents, who settled in San Jacinto, Riverside county. Here he began working in the office of the Register. He ran the first sheet of paper through the press for the first paper started in Hemet. Later, he spent one year in the Govern- ment Indian service, at the Indian agency on Tule river near San Jacinto. In 1896 he went to San Jose, and thereafter was engaged in the printing business in San Francisco and San Jose. He then engaged in the newspaper business
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