History of San Luis Obispo County and environs, California, with biographical sketches, Part 86

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

USA > California > San Luis Obispo County > History of San Luis Obispo County and environs, California, with biographical sketches > Part 86

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

In 1915, opportunity again knocked at Mr. Bagby's door and he purchased the Klau mine and interested Messrs. Luchessa and Bianchini in the enter- prise. They have opened the mine and are retorting quicksilver, have en- larged the workings and opened up new veins and ledges; and with the im- petus of the new owners and the prevailing price of the mineral, the mine bids fair to become a very important enterprise.

Mr. Bagby is a Republican in politics, although not a politician. He superintends the ranch and does most of the cattle buying for the company. With all his numerous interests taking up so much of his attention, he always finds time to participate in all progressive movements for upbuilding his county and state, is known over a wide area, and has friends everywhere.

GEORGE A. FRUITS .- One of the interesting and instructive sights in the vicinity of Templeton is the John Gibson Ranch, the high standard of which, and its excellent products, are to be attributed largely to the expe- rience of A. F. Gibson and George .\. Fruits, his partner, the lessees and managers. Mr. Fruits is a native of the city of San Luis Obispo, where he was born on the last day of August in the year 1882. Ilis father, Robert F., was also a native son, while his grandfather Fruits was a pioneer in California, and assisted in the great work of laying the foundations of the State. Having located here while he was still a young man, Robert Fruits married Miss Ella Swain, a native Californian, born in Petaluma, who was the daughter of Capt. Robert C. Swain, a pioneer in San Francisco in 1849 after he had crossed the plains with an ox-team and prairie schooner. He was also for

804

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY AND ENVIRONS

years a sea faring man, becoming captain of a whaler, and later ran one of the first steam-boats on the Sacramento river.

In 1868, he settled in San Luis Obispo County, near Cayucos, and in the old days when milk was poured into flat pans and the skimming was done by hand, he conducted a dairy ranch with as many as one hundred cows. At the age of ninety-six he died at Santa Maria. In his seventy-fifth year he was still as active as he was in his prime. It is interesting to note that George Fruits' great-grandfather and great-grandmother lived to be one hun- dred fourteen and one hundred sixteen years old, respectively. His mother now resides in Templeton. The three other children in the family are: Walter, a driller in the Santa Maria oil fields; Robert, who resides in Tem- pleton ; and Henry, who is a tool-dresser in the Santa Maria oil fields.

Educated in the public schools of the county, G. A. Fruits was in the employ of George Freeman's Ranch, near Morro, when fifteen, and for five years he worked in a dairy, milking twenty-six cows and making butter. He next devoted two years of his life to the interests of his mother's ranch, and for several years he was in the employ of John Gibson. Then he came to Tem- pleton; at first to run a dray and an express; but in October, 1916, he sold the outfit and engaged in ranching. With Alexander Gibson he formed a partnership to lease the John Gibson ranch of 1,800 acres, and these the part- ners have successfully managed-seven hundred acres being plowed land, while about four hundred are sown to grain each year.

Mr. Fruits takes pride in his household, which is ably presided over by his wife, formerly Miss Zella Bierer, who was born at Templeton, of a good old pioneer family. He is a Woodman of the World, and a Republican.

JOSEPH FLEIG .- That it pays a mechanic to equip himself for expert work with only the best that is obtainable in instruction and actual expe- rience, albeit the latter can be won, in the main, only by costly experiment, is demonstrated in the successful career of Joseph Fleig, the engineer at the Creston pumping station of the Producers Transportation Co. Born at Vil- lingen, the ancient manufacturing town of Baden and the center of much of the famous Black Forest clock-making industry, February 18. 1868, Joseph was the son of a manufacturing jeweler of the same name, who died in 1913. llis mother, who was born in the same old town, and died there years ago, was Miss Anne Ilirt before her marriage. Three children survive of the eight born to this industrious couple, but Joseph is the only child in the United States.

Brought up at Villingen, where he attended the grammar school and the gymnasium or high school, young Fleig was apprenticed, at the age of venteen, to a blacksmith in Einingen, and at the end of two and a half yes , when he was recognized as a journeyman, he traveled through various pod. of Germany and Switzerland to add to his practical experience. In Mgr. he came to the U'nited States, and almost immediately to Santa Barbara : wof warjuu an uncle, Mr. Hirt, the owner of a ranch near by, he spent three your- with him in farming. He then set up as a blacksmith for a couple of Pomer carpinteria, but selling out located at Creston, where he worked Tos Mh Mmm, another rancher. He next started a blacksmith shop in Cres- Tok Tok om 1 a partner and conducting the business under the firm name of Vents Meg : and having thus continued for eight years, they dissolved Pochier timp an | Mr. Fleig started a new shop for himself. He built both a

- -

- --

805

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY AND ENVIRONS

work house and a residence, but eventually sold these buildings and his business also.

When the Producers Transportation Co. started their great work of constructing the huge pipe line, now famous, Joseph Fleig went to work for them as a blacksmith, and in that capacity helped until all their stations were completed, finally returning to Creston, where he washed and fired their boilers. The company, always alert to secure the most expert and depend- able assistance, made him engineer, and in that responsible position, to which he gives all his time, he has been engaged for the last two years. He has charge of three giant pumps that handle no less than 2,250 barrels of oil an hour.

With all the historic and picturesque background of old San Luis Obispo, Joseph Fleig was married to Miss Annie Kehlenbeck, April 30, 1896. The bride was a native of Bremen, Germany, and the daughter of Hermann and Anne Kehlenbeck, farmers of that region. There the mother died; but the father brought the family of four children to Iowa, where he was laid to rest. Miss Kehlenbeck was reared and educated in Iowa, and came to California first in 1892, when she visited her brother, John, who had settled at San Luis Obispo on the Templeton road, near Creston. Five children have resulted from this marriage: Elsa, Robert, Freida, Rosina and Bertha.

Although busily engaged in his responsible daily work, Mr. Fleig, as a typical native of a country famous for its schools, has found time to advance the cause of education in the country of his adoption, and for seven years past has given his services as school trustee for Creston.

FRANK A. WESSMAN .- So many instances have been recorded of pioneers who have left California, and have then returned to remain here, that the significance of the circumstance has ceased, perhaps, to be noticed ; and vet every story such as that of Frank A. Wessman, who came to California in 1894, hied himself away after five or six years and could not resist even- tually making for the Coast again and settling here, is worth permanently narrating. Various motives have affected the masses, but with Frank it was the climate; and when you are in bleak Anywhere and get the climate of California on the brain, there is only one thing for you to do: take the first express train for California, and never alight until your foot touches the golden sands.

Frank Wessman is a native of Nerke, Sweden, where he was born on the 27th of May, 1866. Ilis father was llerman Wessman, a worthy iron worker and a native of Vermland, who was employed in the iron works at Svartaa until his death. His mother, who is also dead, was in maidenhood Miss Beata Anderson, a native of the same place, and became the mother of four boys and two girls, of whom one son and two daughters are still living. Frank was brought up in the village of Svartaa, where he attended the public school, and on completion of the course at fifteen he also began work in the iron works under his father, running the tilt hammer.

In 1890, he sailed to Melbourne, Australia, via the Suez Canal. He was employed in a saw-mill and later worked at gardening ; but having a brother, John, already in California, he landed in San Francisco in January, 189-4. from the steamer "Mariposa," and without much delay joined his brother in San Luis Obispo County. The two young men bought fifty acres of land in Bethel district, which they planted to grain ; but his brother dying three

806

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY AND ENVIRONS

years afterward, Frank leased the ranch and went back East to the city of Pittsburgh, where he operated a tilt-hammer in Pike Bros.' steel mill. The recollection of sunny California, however, haunted him in the smoky, though prosperous city, and in 1905 he abandoned the Pennsylvania furnaces and hurried to open, free California, where he once more took up farming on his ranch. Ilere he engaged in the raising of grain and planted a small orchard. lle is an enterprising, successful ranchman, and has cleared upwards of fifty acres and more than quadrupled his money in four years.

Mr. Wessman is a stand-pat Republican, yet with breadth of political view enough to work hard for the best man. He has been a trustee for three years of the Swedish Lutheran Church at Templeton, and he enjoys the esteem and good-will of his neighbors.

JOHN JOSEPH PALMER .- One of the steadiest and most popular men in San Miguel is John Joseph Palmer, who was born at Oakland, on December 4, 1871, the son of Michael, a pioneer who came to California about 1855. In the beginning his father was employed at the lumber yards in Oakland, and then as foreman for the Southern Pacific Railroad. He lived thirty years or more in Niles, where he died in April, 1906, at the age of seventy-seven years. The mother, Miss Margaret Goley before her marriage, died in 1884, leaving two sons, having had five children.

John Joseph was reared in Niles, educated at the public schools, and while yet a lad was set to work in a nursery. He had an uncle, Andrew Goley, who was foreman for the Southern Pacific at Santa Margarita, and a cousin. James Goley, at Templeton. To the former place he came in 1893, and went to work in a store. In 1895 he entered the service of the Southern Pacific at Templeton, remaining until 1897, when he was transferred to Santa Mar- garita. Some time after this his uncle was badly injured in the wrecking of a hand-car. so John took his place, for five months, as foreman, at the end of which time he was transferred to San Miguel; and since 1899 he has been foreman in charge of eight and a half miles of track stretching from San Miguel to the Paso Robles city limits.

In San Miguel he married Miss Margaret Curtin, a native of Vineyard canon, and a daughter of John Curtin, who was both a pioneer of Cali- tornia and a pioneer resident of the vicinity of San Miguel, having resided there over forty five years. In early days he was engaged in sheep raising. And homesteaded his present place in Vineyard canon, Monterey county, doit ten miles from San Miguel, where he still makes his home, being now wearly eighty years of age. He was married in San Francisco to Ellen Cor- lett, of whose companionship he was bereaved about six years ago. The wenngest child in a family of seven, only three of whom are living, Mrs. Palmer Tychved her education in the public schools of Vineyard canon and San Shanel.

Mr. and Mrs. Palmer own a pretty residence, in the yard of which is a fri Tre ck. He is a Democrat in national politics, and a past president of Sun aliter parlor of the Native Sons of the Golden West ; he is also past er nt \ cimiento Lodge No. 340 of the Odd Fellows and an equally jebolat member of the Knights of Pythias and the Fraternal Brotherhood, tong for president of the latter. Mrs. Palmer is a member and past presi- dorico Sor Miguel Parlor, Native Daughters of the Golden West. She is also i nundbes of the Fraternal Brotherhood, of which she is ex-secretary.

807

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY AND ENVIRONS

EDWARD ASEBEZ .- A very promising young administrator in local business circles, and one who has risen by his own efforts, thus acquiring a most valuable self-control, confidence and the ability both to direct and to command, is Edward Asebez, who was born at Guadalupe, September 26, 1872, the son of Anastacio Asebez, a native of Mexico. His grandparents came from Spain, and his father learned the butcher trade in Mexico. Later, when the gold excitement drew so many to the Pacific slope, he came to California and went to the mines; but he found more profit in selling meat than in digging for the yellow dust, and after prospering as a butcher to the miners, he removed to the vicinity of Watsonville, where he also had a butcher shop. In the sixties he came to San Luis Obispo County and dealt in cattle ; at the same time he took up a claim of one hundred sixty acres at the Key- stone mine, eight miles northwest of Cambria. There he died, an old and honored settler who had reached his eightieth year. Edward's mother, Placida Garcia, a native of California, died at Watsonville, the mother of seven chil- dren, of whom three are now living. Besides the subject of our sketch, there is a daughter, Mrs. Carmel Soto, who lives near Cambria, and another daugh- ter, Mrs. Clara Jackson, of San Diego.

The eldest of these children, Edward Asebez, was brought up from the age of eight years in San Simeon, where he attended the public school, and even as a lad was introduced to the details of the butcher business as con- ducted by his father, with whom he continued until the latter sold out. Then Edward took a clerkship in a store at San Simeon, where for four years he was also assistant postmaster.

In 1900, he was appointed postmaster of San Simeon, and at the same time he started a grocery there, installing the postoffice in a corner of the store. At the end of three years he resigned his federal office in favor of his sister, Mrs. Anna Russell, who was thereupon appointed as his successor, and to her he also sold the store.

During this period of his postmastership he had become interested with an uncle, Rafael A. Mora, in a butcher business at Cambria, and had formed with him the firm of Mora & Asebez; and now that he was free to actively engage in the business, he moved to Cambria. Later, with two other partners, Mora & Asebez bought the Jack ranch of nine hundred five acres, at the head of Santa Rosa creek, where they went in for stock-raising. They also leased other ranches, Mr. Asebez attending mostly to the business end of the enter- prises, acting as bookkeeper. In 1910, he and Mr. Ford sold their interests to Messrs. Mora and Hitchcock.

The same year, at Cambria, Edward Asebez was married to Miss Louisa Soto, a native of this county, who was born at Adelaida, the daughter of General Soto, born in Monterey, who was a farmer and stockman, and settled in Adelaida, but returned to Cambria, where he died. Her mother had been Dolores Grahalva, a native of San Francisco, and the daughter of John Grahalva, who came from Mexico as a gold seeker, and who, finding what he sought, bought ten acres of land near the Dolores Mission, where he engaged in business. He later moved to Jolon, Monterey county, where he died, and where Dolores was married. Ilis wife was Theresa Morano, a native of Mexico, who died in Belmont. General Soto died in Cambria in 1906. His widow still owns the farm at Adelaida, but makes her home in Paso Robles with her daughter, Mrs. Asebez. Six of their eight children are yet living,

808

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY AND ENVIRONS

Mrs. Asebez, who was reared and educated at Adelaida, being the youngest. One child has blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Asebez-a boy named Edward Frank.

After his marriage, Mr. Asebez bought, with his brother-in-law, Cipriano Soto, the ranch on Santa Rosa creek, which they still own and conduct under the personal charge of Mr. Soto. When he sold his interests in the butcher business, he retained his interest in the building in Cambria where they had conducted their business, and in 1913 he bought back the old butcher busi- ness, and once more undertook its management himself. Later, William C. Bagby became his partner, and together they conducted the firm of Asebez & Bagby.

Two years afterwards, that is, in 1915, Alvin Hitchcock was made a partner, and from H. Nelson they bought the Central Meat Market on Park street, in Paso Robles. They thereupon formed a co-partnership styled the Butte Cattle Co., and went in for cattle-raising and butchering. They have continued the meat market in Cambria, where they also have a first-class slaughter house. As an expert bookkeeper with a particularly valuable knowledge of the ins and outs of the cattle and butcher business, Mr. Asebez has managed the Central Meat Market on Park street, now owned by the Butte Cattle Co.

---

As an interesting feature of their up-to-date outfit and plant, the firm has a large modern slaughter-house near town, and leases an extensive stock ranch near Klau, where they raise cattle whose brand, XL, means decidedly something to the buyer looking for the best of cattle. Five hundred head and more of Ilerefords and Shorthorns are kept on this interesting ranch. Mr. Asebez and his partners are interested in the Klau Mining Co.

Mr. Asebez is an Independent Republican when it comes to matters of national political concern, and is a much esteemed citizen whose opinions and influence are sought. He is also popular as a member of the Cambria Parlor 152, Native Sons of the Golden West.

CHARLES REYNOLDS .- \ chip off the old block and one that fits in very handily to many a corner and difficult situation, is Charles Reynolds, the hustling farmer who, assisted by his good wife, has made a success in agriculture and stock-raising. On the ranch of his father, Dwight Reynolds, the well known farmer on the Huer-Huero, three miles east of Paso Robles. Charles Reynolds was born on June 25, 1880, the third oldest child ; and while he was being initiated in the work of the farm, he attended the public school of Dry creek. As a mere lad. he drove the big teams around the ranch and vied with more seasoned farm-hands in performing the day's labor ; so that it was rather natural, after all, that he should follow where his father led, and assist in the management of the property known for miles around.

On the threshold of manhood, however, he began to farm for himself, at hr t renting the Shackelford place and then, for three years, taking into part- ner hip his brother, Ross, in the tilling of the 1.200 acres. When this part- slip was dissoved, he ran the Sharon place for four years alone, giving that up to rent for three years some six hundred forty of the Huntington W1 - So well did he succeed in that venture that he branched out, leasing 11 1 the Khhnle place, then the Bayliss ranch, and finally one of the West (t mind, operating in all 1,700 acres, and during the five years using three bis teams and a giant combined harvester. Naturally a good mechanic,

1 !

-----

809

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY AND ENVIRONS

he is able to do his own blacksmithing work ; so Mr. Reynolds always main- tains a blacksmith's shop on his places, and is equipped for every kind of smithy work that has to be done. Sometimes the horses are shod, and again the implements repaired or sharpened ; and so well is he provided for emer- gencies, that his forge has served his neighbors when not busy for himself. From time to time he has assisted in running a steam thresher, and thereby developed considerable ability as a machinist.

Mr. Reynolds is now operating a part of the lhuntington place, devoting nine hundred acres to grain and stock-raising, for which he uses a twelve- horse team and reaps with a combined harvester run by thirty-three horses and mules, and gathers the crops of neighboring ranches as well as Ins own. Wheat, barley, cattle and horses are among the products of his well- kept farm. In the Union district some years ago, Charles Reynolds was married to a popular young lady, Miss Juanita May Reese, a native of Solano county, and a daughter of Jenkin Reese, whose sketch, full of interest, will be found in another part of our history. They have been blessed with two children-Elmore Charles and Dorothy. Mr. Reynolds is looked upon as an exemplary citizen and has served as a school trustee of Linne district. He is a Socialist.

JOSEPH SCHLEGEL, JR. The pages of this work would not be com- plete without a history of Joseph Schlegel, Jr., a native son of the county and a farmer and stockman at Creston who, by his close application, eneroy and honorable methods, has become a respected and successful rancher. Bory near Edna, in San Luis Obispo County, September 4, 1874, he is the son of Joseph Schlegel, Sr., who was a citizen of the German Fatherland, but who came to the United States when a young man, drifting soon to the Pacific Coast and to California, which he reached about 1873.

The father followed farming for a time near ledna, and later at Nipomo, and soon after, in 1884, bought land in the Geneseo district, where he im proved and owned one hundred eighty-seven acres, on which he built a house and various farm buildings, together with a substantial fence. When he finally sold the ranch, he selected San Luis Obispo as his home, and here he still resides. Joseph's mother bore the Christian name of Rose.

The second eldest of seven children. Joseph was brought up in San Luis Obispo County on his father's farm, and attended the public schools in Genesee and the Creston districts ; learning much about farming while yet a lad, and especially how to gratify a boy's ambition to handle a big team in the grain fields. In 1907, after he had farmed with his father, he leased the litter's place and other lands in the neighborhoo l of their home and operated them . for three years. Then for two years he was a fireman for the Producers Te is portation Co., first at Shandon and then at Creston ; after which he also vem tured for a year to manage a store. At present he is farming on the Jones place, where he is raising barley. The is also raising cattle and horses.

In Creston, in 1900, Joseph Schlegel. Jr., was married to Miss Violet Brumley, a native of this county, who has since died, leaving two children. Chester and Rush. He was married the second time in San Luis Obispo. being then united with Miss Katherine Stemper, who was born in Tulare county, by whom he has had two children, Marvin and Dorris. \ Republican in national politics, he has served for years as trustee of the Creston school district. 40

8181

SAN LLIS OBISPO COUNTY AND ENVIRONS

MR. AND MRS. CHARLES T. CLAUS .- Many are the remarkable stories of settlers in California who have derived incalculable benefits from the curative effects of the unrivalled climate, but among the most wonderful experiences must be placed that of Mrs. Charles T. Claus, one of the estimable proprietors of the light Mile House, who was miraculously cured of inflam- matory rheumatism through the drinking of mineral waters that flowed from de. Rinconado mine. The Eight Mile House, with its two hundred twenty acre ranch of rich soil. abounding with springs so desirable for a stock farm, and lying three and a half miles above Santa Margarita, derives its odd name from the fact that it was once a celebrated stopping-place on the overland route, with a large, circular hall given over to dances and shows, now removed and rebuilt at Santa Margarita.

Charles Clans was born in Bremen, Germany, on June 17, 1865, and was educated in the public schools of his native country until he was fourteen years of age, when he came to America. At Philadelphia he learned the bricklayer's trade, and in 1884 journeyed west. He first visited Los Angeles, then went on to San Diego, and continued south until he reached the City of Mexico, where he spent practically two years.

On returning to San Diego, he began to travel through California, plying his trade, in summer and winter, and also prospecting on the deserts of Cali- fornia and Arizona. He first came to San Luis Obispo in 1888; but swayed by the excitement incidental to the gold discoveries in Alaska, he hurried away to the north. He had built quicksilver furnaces in different places- some at Knoxville, Etna, etc., and then at the New Idria mine in San Benito county-and had also repaired furnaces at the Klau mine : and confident of winning ont, he went to Alaska, with thousands of others. Neither success nor failure rewarded his efforts, and in a couple of seasons he was back in the States.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of San Luis Obispo County and environs, California, with biographical sketches, Part 86

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