History of San Luis Obispo County and environs, California, with biographical sketches, Part 36

Author: Morrison, Annie L. Stringfellow, 1860-; Haydon, John H., 1837-
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company
Number of Pages: 1070

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RED Gypt Th Where bought three hundred fifty acres of land, and loom te woppsy ats die Uhr the next twenty-three years he was engaged mor Femi yort and to running a threshing outfit. Through the latter imrotus & The it will Loown, for he carried it on successfully for many Trygigli to code with the leading men of the county. His was ale sowie. ,and with his partner, A. F. Bagley, he pros- Ix muffat from business and built a comfortable home in 6 400 September 22, 1911. Then he came to San Luis toe wsdlel bert, in the quiet enjoyment of a well-earned whole old stone wall through which was hauled Say What are to San Luis Obispo for the first frame wy At Ww preek.

790 . Mirel the marriage of Alva Paul with Miss Ella Clear 36 pored in Missouri, and came to California with W WEG 00 159% r. Mason Bagley, died soon after in San Jose. 16 5 M: 00 Poul are : Stephen A., who was in the employ of malawi Sono voff ner, and is now deceased ; George W. ; Archie

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SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY AND ENVIRONS

B., who is secretary of the Corralitos Apple Growers' Association at Watson- ville : Ray A., a rancher of Lemoore, Kings county ; and Nedom A.

While actively engaged in the numerous enterprises that have given Mr. Paul the necessary means to live retired from all business pursuits, he was always interested in every movement that was promoted for the upbuilding of the county, and furthered those movements as his means would permit. He is a self-made man in every sense of the word, and has a host of friends throughout the county. He has seen many changes, as from stock to grain, and from grain to dairying and beans, when it was predicted that agricultural products could not possibly be grown in the country. He also recalls the road conditions in early days, when he got stuck between San Luis and Morro with six horses and an empty wagon, with but two sacks of flour. In contrast to such trying experiences, Mr. and Mrs. Paul last year traveled over seven thou- sand miles in a Ford, and have seen a great deal of the country throughout California.

Mr. Paul is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the En- campment and the Rebekahs. He has passed all the chairs of the lodge, has served as district deputy three terms, and has been prominently identified with the order. He served as deputy sheriff in the Morro district for a number of years while residing there, and was trustee of the Morro school for several terms.

SWAN PETERSON .- Noteworthy among the citizens of California who came from the thrifty little country of Sweden, is Swan Peterson. He was born, August 24. 1866, in Alvestad, Kroneborslan, Sweden, was brought up on the home farm, and attended the public schools. Remaining at home and helping his parents until April, 1890, he then came to the United States and located in Denver, Colorado, where he obtained employment at the Grant smelter, working there until 1894. Then he came to California, where his brother, John A. Peterson, was living, and finally settled at Templeton, en- gaging in farm work.

In 1896, at Templeton, Mr. Peterson was united in marriage with Mrs. Mathilda C. (Sjogren) Peterson, a native of Oland, Sweden, who came to Chicago in 1872, where her father, Gustav Sjogren, had located two years before. He was a carpenter ; and after the great fire of 1871 he helped in the rebuilding of that metropolitan city. Mrs. Peterson was educated in the Franklin school in Chicago. The family removed to Minneapolis in 1883, and there she was married to Andrew W. Peterson, a photographer. On account of his ill health they came still further west. to California, in 1887, and she has the distinction of being the first woman of her nationality to locate in the town of Templeton. They purchased a farm at Willow Creek, where her husband died in 1893, and where she continued to reside until her second marriage, which united her with Swan Peterson.

Mr. and Mrs. Peterson engaged in grain raising on the Willow Creek place, which they sold after a time. Then they bought the present home place of one hundred twelve acres, two and one half miles west of Templeton, where Mr. Peterson devotes his time to grain and stock-raising, having cleared the land for cultivation himself. He has made good improvements, among them a pumping plant ; and he intends to put some of the land in to alfalfa. Four acres of it are in apple orchards. He also leases land and farms it. Having been reared a farmer's boy at home, he brought the knowledge thus

EX'S DOVE DOUSPO COUNTY AND ENVIRONS

Tpoestolecie och- votre ali- adopted country, and has met with deserved

The the Tombey of Mr, and Mrs. Peterson four children were born. Willest - gro bistur frigo the Mission High School of San Francisco and aber otelE ilie Stare Normal School of that city: Christene attends the Simon (21, 51 -Je San Francisco, class of 1917; and Elsie and Edith. Tre. il sperolance at the Templeton High School. By her first mar- Trek At- Voters i foul two children : Esther, Mrs. Wolf, residing in San Twodoo wop Ihnen who married Bertie Donelson and is residing in Santa

n th Air Power-o and his wife are much respected by their many friends, weLink soul their agreeable family are highly esteemed in the community. of Corps itiesofond trustee of Bethel district and is serving his seventh vor - verk of the board. In politics he is a Republican. The family are membersofily Swoich Lutheran Church ; and he is a deacon, and vice-presi- dent . the sunday school. He was a delegate to the California Conference in \mi url por 1015 Wt- Peterson was one of the charter members at the oslo un of the Swedish Lutheran Church at Templeton, and has been an WAT. menjligr ever since.

HORACE G. WRIGHT .- The editor and owner of the Paso Robles Lander has been a resident of Paso Robles since 1886. He was born in Vingt. Mercer county, Ill. January 31, 1848. a son of George W. and Warm Vores. Wright, natives respectively of New York and Ohio. The Meme i farmer in Illinois for a time, embarked in the mercantile business in Preproton and later was in the wholesale grocery business in Rock Island, 01 10 1870. he came with members of his family to California and settled in - Chine, and there he and his wife died.

Tto sidest of two children. Horace G. Wright received his education in Im piffer sifools in Preemption and grew to manhood there and in Rock Folge, Uh In 1870 he came to California, settled in Santa Clara and estab- @bol de Smita Clara Messenger : and later he purchased the Santa Clara Rorodt 000 ceed and published it until he sold out to the present owners.

De page - I to retire from newspaper work, but inside of two weeks he bol Teoriona nes press and fonts of type and brought the outfit to the new wo wwWWyoox Robles, then being laid out. There he started the Paso Robles entrepre co orst edition two days before the sale of lots took place in mon ence he las published the paper as a weekly, without The newspaper is a six-column folio and a very newsy www De comer how occupied by his plant at the corner of Park

111 0803 0] Sacramento. August 15. 1872. to Miss Chris- 00 10 51 Timis. Mo. : and she ably assists her husband as i color pter for the Leader. They have had four chil- 100 - >minh. 1 illie, Mrs. Tom Henry : Harry, deceased ; barril to William Street, but is now deceased.

1-01 - ( .De Fraternal Brotherhood. He was one of Miboris Church, has been on its official board wears superintendent of the Sunday school. 1 . 0 Commerce. In politics, he aligns him-

Ercole Biaggini Mars Cf Biaggini

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SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY AND ENVIRONS

ERCOLE BIAGGINI .- Great credit is due those sturdy sons of Switz- erland who endured privations and hardships to win positions of trust and honor in the various communities where they have become an integral factor in the business and social life. Such a man is Ercole Biaggini, who was born in Giubiasco, canton Ticino, Switzerland, on April 25, 1857. He at- tended the public schools there until he was fourteen years old, worked for his father on the farm, learned the trade of butcher, and lived at home until he was twenty-one.

In 1877 he served two months in the army, and the same year decided to come to the United States. With California as his objective point, he borrowed one hundred forty dollars of his father and embarked for the New World, arriving in San Francisco on December 23, 1878. He had no friends or relatives to look to for any advice, nor could he speak the English language. It was necessary for him to find employment, and he set out with that object in view and soon found someone who told him that a man in San Luis Obispo County wanted a man to milk cows; and although he had had no previous experience in that line of work, he decided he could quickly learn, and on January 10, 1879, he arrived in the county and went to the ranch of A. Tognazzini, where he was to receive twenty-five, and later thirty, dollars per month if he would remain one year. This was agreed upon and during the first eight months he paid his father two hundred dollars, the extra amount being an evidence of his appreciation. He gradually became acquainted with the English language, and learned how business was car- ried on in this country. At the end of the year he had saved a small sum of money, and then he decided to start a butcher business in Cayucos. There was competition, but during twenty-three years there were fifty-three different men in the other shop. His fair dealing and courteous manner won him cus- tomers and friends, and he carried on the business with profit until 1903.

'In 1883, after he had acquired capital, he rented four hundred eighty acres of land, stocked it with seventy-five cows, and started in the dairy business. He retained the lease on this land for eleven years and met with gratifying results from his dairy, which he soon increased so that he had one hundred twenty-five cows, mostly Durhams. In 1884, he began buying and selling cattle and hogs, and he continued that line of business until 1913. In 1888 he bought 1,000 acres of land near Cayucos, and from time to time has added to his holdings until he now owns 7,400 acres in three different ranches, all lying near Cayucos, and divided into six dairy ranches, on two of which he owns the stock. In all, they maintain over 700 milch cows.

During these years Mr. Biaggini has devoted his time and attention to the improvement of his properties, keeping abreast of the times in the dairy- ing industry, besides taking an active part in building up the community. He has always favored good schools and has served twenty-one years as trus- tee of Cayucos district, most of that time as clerk of the board. He is a stock holder in the Anglo-California Bank and Trust Co. in San Francisco, and also in the Swiss-American Bank in Locarno, Switzerland. In 1909 he built his beautiful home in Cayucos, and five big barns ; and not being able to get the rate on lumber he thought he ought to have, Mr. Biaggini went to San Fran cisco and purchased what he needed, shipped it to his place, and thereby saved $3,600.

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In San Luis Obispo, January 3, 1885, Mr. Biaggini was united in marriage with Josephine Mozzini, a native of Giubiasco, canton Ticino, who was born January 28, 1866, into the home of Charles and Antonia ( Biaggini) Mozzini. She arrived in San Luis Obispo County on December 21. 1884. They have had twelve children born to them; and of these seven are living. To his children Mr. Biaggini has given the best possible educational advantages, assisting them to become self-supporting men and women. They are: Esther, a graduate of California Hospital in Los Angeles, and proprietor of the Pacific Hospital in San Luis Obispo : Lena, a graduate from King's Conservatory of Music in San Jose, who is teaching music in Cayucos : Eddie, a graduate from Heald's Business College in San Jose, who runs a dairy on one of his father's ranches : Laura, a graduate of the San Luis Obispo High School: Charles, who graduated at the State Polytechnic School, and who is employed by his brother: Mary, who is attending the San Luis Obispo High School; and Meda.

In 1889 Mr. Biaggini took a trip back to Switzerland to visit his parents, who were both living at that time, though they have since died, his father in 1891, and his mother in 1900. When he returned to California he was more than satisfied that he had cast in his lot with this state of "golden oppor- tunity." In 1910, with his wife, he made a second trip back to his native country, spending four months traveling through Switzerland, Italy, France, Germany and England; and on their return to this country, they took an extensive trip through the Northwest, enjoying every minute of it, both agree- ing it was the best time of their lives.

Mr. Biaggini is an example of what can be accomplished by a young man who has ambition and perseverance. He began in this country with a debt hanging over him. The first thing he did was to pay his debts, and he then started in to accumulate. He was handicapped by not being able to talk English : and to learn, he bought a Swiss-English lexicon, which he studied into the late hours of night after his day's work was done, so that in time he became proficient, and was able to read and write and transact business in the English tongue. It is needless to say that the old lexicon is a prized relic in the family, who look upon it as a priceless heirloom. He gives due credit to his wife, who has been his able helpmate; for through their combined management and sacrifices they have reaped their reward of wealth. Young people of today would do well to emulate their example.

THORNTON WASHINGTON CARR .- One might write volumes about many of the men who have made names for themselves in various places where they may have lived for various periods of time, and finally Fettled in California to make a financial success, and there would be no vari- mon in the story of Thornton Washington Carr of this review except to sum wp. m a few words, and call it "Sixty Years of Hustling."

He was born in the Buckeye State, near Columbus, on June 30, 1840, the third child in a family of six ; his parents were Jonathan and Jane ( Weather- ington, Carr, the former born in Virginia and the latter in Ohio. From Vir- ginin Jonathan Carr moved to Ohio, and then to a farm near Alton, Ill., where he died. In the year following the death of her husband, Mrs. Carr took her children and returned to Ohio, and there she lived until the death of her father. Then she removed to Van Buren county, Ja., in 1853, and

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bought a farm; and there she died at a ripe old age. Of the children, four are living, two of them in California. These are Thornton W. Carr and Mrs. Elizabeth Briggs, the latter of Fulton, Sonoma county.

Reared on a farm in Iowa from the age of thirteen, in 1853, and used to hard, manual labor with but little opportunity to get an education, young Carr early learned the lessons of thrift and strict integrity, and became ac- quainted with many privations, for he had to help his mother in the support and care of the younger children. At the breaking out of the Civil War, he volunteered to fight for the preservation of his country : but he was rejected on account of his physical condition, and so he remained on the home farm until he was twenty-two years old. Then, when the mother died and the children scattered, he bought a farm and began for himself, raising grain and stock with a fair degree of success.

He was married to Miss Helen McCloskey, a native of Pennsylvania, on December 15, 1863, and they trod the pathway of life together until the Grim Reaper called her to her last home in February, 1900, while they were living on a ranch near Dinuba, Tulare county. The little farm in Iowa was carried on until 1876, when Mr. Carr sold out and came to this state; and locating near Fresno, he was among the pioneers of Selma where he assisted in building the first Kings river irrigation ditches, continuing in that location until 1884, when he sold out.

Then he tried another venture by purchasing an old burr flouring mill in Selma, but it was not a success and he lost all he had made up to this time and had to begin over again. Nothing daunted he stuck to California, the land of opporunity, homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres near Terra Bella, Tulare county, proved up on it and later traded it for stock: after which, in 1897, he came to Cholame, San Luis Obispo County, and raised wheat on the Cholame grant, running three big teams and tilling fifteen hundred acres of land. The last crop, raised in 1901, yiekled fifteen thousand sacks of wheat. He hauled grain for months and hired others to haut to get it to the warehouse in Paso Robles. The price was low, only seventy-six cents : so he sold his outfit and removed to Dinuba. He bought thirty-five acres and set out a vineyard and raised grapes until he traded for some fifteen hundred twenty acres in Echo or Hog canon, Monterey county. This he devoted to raising stock, cattle and horses, until 1911, when he leased the property and located in San Miguel, where he purchased his present residence and lives retired in the enjoyment of his accumulations of "sixty years of hustling."

Mr. Carr was married a second time at Milton, la .. Miss Nina Weather- ington, a native of that state, becoming his bride. By the union with his first wife, he had eight children-Robert. in Dinuba: Sophia, Mrs. Salladay, of Terra Bella: Iambie, Mrs. Russell, of Sanger : Oscar. in Monterey county ; Benjamin, a farmer in Cholame valley: Maggie, Mrs. Reese of Kerman. Fresno county ; Bertha, Mrs. Gilstrap of Gridley ; and John, of Oroville.

Always an advocate of the Democratic party's principles, Mr. Carr was active politically in his earlier life, in the sections of country where he was a resident, serving as a school trustee for many years, doing all he could t maintain good schools. He is highly respected in Selma, Dinuba and Sun Miguel, the sections of this state where he has resided, and where he is looked upon as a sturdy pioneer.

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THOMAS ALLEN JONES AND MRS. SOPHIE BUTLER JONES .- That a monopoly, or even the greater part, of the credit for the pioneer devel- Gj ment of California is due the male part of the population has never been con- seled by even the most prejudiced. That women were the abiding inspiration of those uprooted from their original surroundings, and practically cast Drift amid new and untried conditions, is a glory which must forever over- does anything that man may have accomplished. Among these noble and -serificing women the name of Mrs. Sophie B. Jones is entitled to more dom passing mention, and now, in the evening of her life, her friends, and ill who are familiar with her career, insist that she is entitled to unstinted pruse and all possible honor.

A native of Indiana, Mrs. Jones was born in Wayne county, January 24, 1842, a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Hunt ) Thornburg. She attended the public schools of Indiana and joined her parents in lowa in 1862, they having settled in Redfield, where she was united in marriage, in March, 1865, with Thomas Allen Jones. Mr. Jones was born in Crawfordsville, Mont- gomery county, Ind., February 12. 1831, resided there until he was twenty- two, following the carpenter trade, and there married his first wife, Miss Mary Hunt, who passed away in 1859, leaving one son, Jeff Jones, now a member of the Santa Maria firm of T. A. Jones & Son.

In 1871, Mr. and Mrs. Jones came to California, settled in Santa Cruz county at Soquel, where he worked in the redwoods one year, and then came down to the Santa Maria valley, in which Mrs. Jones' father had settled. Here Mr. Jones farmed a claim of one hundred sixty acres two seasons, and then went back to lowa and remained two years. His health failing him, he moved back to California : and in Santa Maria he started a carpenter shop on the site of the Burdette building. By good management and fair dealing, this little shop grew year by year; and as necessity demanded he began making furniture. Later, caskets and coffins, and still more furniture, were manufactured at his place until the shop grew into a business of considerable proportions.

In 1883 the building and most of the contents were destroyed by fire, but, nothing daunted, Mr. Jones at once began to rebuild better than ever, and once again started his business. He branched out, and each year saw him more prosperous and gaining in prestige ; and thus that little carpenter shop was the foundation of the present large store doing business under the name of T. A. Jones & Son, which is now one of the largest establishments of its kind in the central coast counties. Mr. Jones died in 1902, since which time the business has been carried on by Mrs. Jones and her sons.

Mrs. Jones became the mother of three children : Emma, wife of William Abels of Santa Maria : George Washington, who died at the age of four years ; nyd Albert R., of the firm of T. A. Jones & Son.

Mrs. Jones is a member of the Christian Church, is a Republican, and Bife of the most liberal and most beloved women of the city. She was the probliver of the Minerva Literary Club, named by her in honor of her step- mieter. Ar Minerva Thornburg, who was one of the noblest women that www lived in Santa Maria valley. Mrs. Jones donated two lots for the club Kantine and 1- a life member. She is hospitable, charitable, progressive and tos Wollte to lend aid to all worthy projects for the upbuilding of her city

Thomas Alten Gones

Sophia B Jones.

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and to uplift humanity in general. In the evening of her days she looks back upon a life well spent and forward without fear, for she has been a strict follower of the Golden Rule.

MR. AND MRS. JOHN D. BIGGS .- The pioneers of the early fifties are fast passing away, and but few of them are left to recount the experiences of the early time, that to the present generation seem so mythical. One of the pioneers of San Luis Obispo County associated with the romantic past is John Biggs, who was born near Little Rock, Ark., January 27. 18-11, a son of David Biggs, a descendant of an old Southern family, a pioneer of Texas and California, and a prominent Mason of the carly period. When John was a baby his parents moved to Texas; and after remaining there a few years started overland for California with ox teams, coming over the southern route by way of San Antonio, El Paso and Rio Grande, and landing in 1854 in Cali fornia. They settled for a time at El Monte, then one of the first stopping- places for emigrants this side of the mountains. In 1856 the family moved to Tulare county, where, for the next five years, the father was engaged in the stock business. Father and son drove a band of five hundred cattle over the mountains into San Luis Obispo County in 1861, when they settled here, and were the first white men to run cattle in this county. Those were stirring times: Indians were numerous and not any too friendly, and would steal cattle at the first opportunity ; grizzly bears were plentiful, and Mr. Biggs, then a young man of eighteen, killed many of them. He passed through the trying times of frontier life ; and while he had many narrow escapes from bears and Indians, was fortunate in not meeting with any accidents. After remaining with his father a few years, he struck out on his own account. He engaged in farming in the Creston district, took up a government claim and bought two others, engaged in dairying and the raising of cattle, and for sixteen years was in the grain business. He became owner of five hun- dred fifty acres of land which he improved with buildings and fences, and made productive. In 1910 Mr. Biggs sold his ranch and moved into San Luis Obispo, where he has since lived retired.

On August 2, 1864, Mr. Biggs was united in marriage with Miss Louisa See, who was born on August 12, 1843, in Monroe county, Ind., a daughter of Joseph See, a native of Kentucky, who moved to Indiana and from there to Texas, and thence to California, coming with ox teams over the southern route, and settling first in San Bernardino county. In 1860, he came with his family to San Luis Obispo county and bought land, which was named See ('añon after him. lle farmed here for many years. Ile lived to be eighty- eight years of age, and was a very influential and public-spirited man. Mr. and Mrs. Biggs became the parents of the following children : Joseph, of Paso Robles : Mrs. Pernicia Duffy, of San Luis Obispo; Mrs. Martha Nicholson, at home ; John C., in Los Angeles: Mrs. Ida Simkins, of Colusa : Mrs. Lillian Kenny, residing in San Francisco; Mrs. Caroline Snyder, of Oakland; and Mrs. Leah Perry, of Salinas. There are eight grandchildren to brighten the family circle.

In the early days in this county thousands of head of cattle could be counted from the tops of the hills, grazing in the valleys below. Thousands of sheep were herded on the plains and wild horses roamed the deserts and mesas. Bull fights were of frequent occurrence in the streets of San Luis Obispo, and many Indians were shot: Those pioneer times were indeed stir-

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History of San Luis Obispo County and environs, California, with biographical sketches, Part 36

Author: Morrison, Annie L. Stringfellow, 1860-; Haydon, John H., 1837- Publication date: 1917 Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company Number of Pages: 1070

Author: Morrison, Annie L. Stringfellow, 1860-; Haydon, John H., 1837-
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company
Number of Pages: 1070