USA > California > San Luis Obispo County > History of San Luis Obispo County and environs, California, with biographical sketches > Part 92
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HANS IVERSEN. Not the least pleasing feature of the history of mony a family among the pioneers of California is the interest attending The embarkation of the old folks from the Old World, wherein is seen the love sol devotion of children who have paved the way for their parents to follow. Haus Iversen, the father of the Iversen family at Union, and one of the menguaters of the Farmers Alliance Business Association, was a fine old wenn whose identification with California might never have come about it's not been for the progressive action of his children which led up to his ciful adieu to his native land. Born at Mogeltondern, in Schleswig- IL ikon. be became a miller, and after his marriage ran a bakery and drove 10 0 The Seaport. Ilis wife was Hannah Thygesen, a daughter of Mathias Worsen sailor who for many years coursed the waters of the globe.
lo fb wonennial year of the United States, Iver, the oldest son, came cr b Hlliens and two years later he was followed by the next eldest. Mat. m (20) Ah feu came direct to San Francisco, having had a desire from a w the Pauthe Coast, and being the first of the family to reach
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('alifornia. The year following still another son, Josiah, left Denmark, for San Francisco, and before the year was out Theodore had made for Omaha. This break in the family ranks so centered the interest of the father and mother in the New Workl that in 1882 they came with the rest of the children to the Golden State. They came to avail themselves of homesteads in San Luis Obispo County ; and the father, Mat. and Chresten made their way across country to what is now Union, where they located their home places.
Hans Iversen set up shop on the property he had selected in 1883, plow ing some of his land and beginning improvements on the homesteads for his two sons, sowing a wheat crop on each, which was harvested in 1884 by means of the scythe, the crop making a very respectable showing. For some time he lived upon his land, but while in San Francisco, under medical treatment, he died in December, 1911, at the age of about seventy-two, leaving his companion, who now makes her home in San Francisco. 1 Lutheran by profession of faith, he was of a deeply religious nature, and was a man of high moral courage. For years, no prettier sight was seen in the vicinity of Union than the festivities which celebrated the golden wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Hans Iversen at their home there eight years ago.
Ten children have grown up from this happy marriage. Iver is a farmer at Union ; Mat. likewise tills the soil there and is serving as a member of the county board of supervisors ; Chresten A. is also a farmer at Union ; Josiah resides in Sebastopol ; Theodore is engaged in the hardware business at Rich- mond; Mary, now Mrs. Lausten, is proprietor of the Kaiser Hof Cafe; Ilans, Jr., resides in San Francisco, and is in the taxi business; C. Frederick is proprietor of the Alexander Hotel, Paso Robles: Martin is proprietor of a restaurant in San Francisco; while Matilda, who had become Mrs. Hansen, died in San Francisco in July, 1916.
JOHN GRANT .- Whoever attempts a history of Annette and essays to present the lives of those citizens who have well carned their way to an enviable prominence, must carly inscribe the record of John Grant, the suc cessful sheep and cattle raiser who, by hard work and serupulous attention to duty and obligations, accumulated a comfortable fortune for himself and family. Born near Glasgow, Scotland, in 1838, and educated in that country. he came, when a child, with his parents to the United States and Missouri, losing his father and mother, as well as three brothers and two sisters, through cholera soon after his arrival in the New World.
In 1849, he crossed the plains with an uncle and aunt, a Mr. and Mrs. Easton, driving an ox-team when only eleven years old. On reaching Salt Lake City, lie remained for two years, and in 1851 pushed on to San Ber- nardino county, where he resided for some time. He worked for his uncle. and with him came to Los Angeles.
When he was eighteen, he got a horse and saddle and a dollar, and started for Gilroy, where he farmed. after a while reaching Redwood and stopping there three or four years. Then he went into the mines, along the Frazer river, and then to Boise City, where he engaged in packing freight into the mines. There he got a good financial start, and returning to Cal fornia he bought some cattle, went into stock raising, drove his herds to Visalia, and having sold them proceeded to Mount Diablo, where he again took to the mines. There he met the lady who became his wife.
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Hu Wedding ceremony was celebrated in San Bernardino on October 10. 1808, When John Grant and Miss Margaret Nish, a native of Salt Lake City, werd joined in wedlock. Miss Nish had been born in November, 1852. the daughter of William Nish, a Scotch miner who had come to Salt Lake (ity, then to San Bernardino, and afterward to Mount Diablo, where, when acting as superintendent of the mines, he was killed in 1872. Her mother was Isabelle Henderson before her marriage, a native of Scotland, who died in San Bernardino. The eldest of five children still living in a family of nine, she was brought up in San Bernardino, to which town she had come with her parents by ox-teams in 1854, and was educated in the public schools.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Grant continued for two years at San Bernardino, farming and raising cattle, after which they engaged in the same occupation at Bakersfield until chills and fever led them to sell out, whereupon they returned to Gilroy, bought a herd of sheep, and ran a sheep ranch for a year in the Pecheco mountains. Later they came to Santa Maria and, in 1882, bought a ranch which they stocked with sheep, and operated for twelve years, the ranch comprising two hundred acres and located one mile from the state highway. On their leasing this, they located here, and made numerous improvements, which included their house and barns. Mr. Grant was thus in the sheep business until his death, constantly adding to the place until Grant ranch embraced over eight thousand acres devoted to sheep and cattle-raising. All of this is fenced in and well watered with springs, and the borders of Grant lake have become famous as pasture grounds for sheep. On November 8, 1914. Mr. Grant passed away, and since that date, his sons have assisted the esteemed widow to manage the farm.
Nine children were born to this union. Isabelle became Mrs. Holcomb of San Bernardino: Robert is a farmer at Pozo; John and Richard are also farmers: Viva, now Mrs. Anderson, farms here; Adam, who is engaged in farming and sheep-raising, and Fred are also local farmers; Jessie lives with her mother ; and Archie is a farmer in partnership with Fred.
Mr. Grant was a member of the Hesperian Lodge of Masons at Santa Maria, a happy relationship having much to do, no doubt, with the associa- tion of Robert, Adam and Richard with the same order. Mrs. Grant, who for years proved a helpmeet of inestimable value, is a Republican and a Presby- ¡erian, as was also her husband.
EVAN BROWN .- Prominent among the young ranchers of Shandon who, by their intelligent enterprise, are contributing much to the science of farming and stock-raising, while making material success, is Evan Brown, E son of Richard and Lucy (Collier) Brown, old-time and well-known citizens di San Luis Obispo County, who are very properly represented elsewhere in this work. Born on the Brown ranch near Shandon, February 10. 1886. Ivan was educated at the public schools at the same time that, from a youth, ile made himself generally useful on the ranch. He learned the care of the foch, and how to drive big teams; and he also was instructed, in the great school of actual experience, in the best way to prepare for a grain crop and Com: lly to harvest it.
Wter Fvan had reached his majority, he farmed for a year with his MANE and, in 1' 08, located a homestead, there being a vacant one adjoining IF Ther's ranch on the south. Ile filled the requirements of the law and. ar sie. proved up on a hundred sixty acres, even breaking the first furrow;
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but later he disposed of it and purchased his present ranch in Cholame valley, completing the arrangements in 1913. This ranch he has much im- proved, and now owns five hundred twenty acres in Cholame valley, his home being four miles above Shandon. lle has built a comfortable new modern residence there, together with barns and other out-houses; and has fenced in the whole in a substantial manner. Ile also rents another ranch and operates, all in all, six hundred eighty acres, given to grain and stock. He uses a big team, and puts out about two hundred acres of grain a year.
On April 26, in 1912, Evan Brown was married in Los Angeles to Miss Sue Thornton, a native of South Dakota, who came of good old Scotch and English stock, and migrated to California with her parents, who were Charles and Vesta (Bell) Thornton, of New England ancestry, but born in Iowa and Minnesota respectively, and now making their home in Artesia. California. Mrs. Brown was graduated from the Los Angeles State Nor- mal, in the class of 1907, and taught for a while in the Southern California schools, among them the Fullerton high school. She came to San Luis Obispo County, teaching at Cholame and later at Bethel, continuing there until her marriage to Mr. Brown. Two children- James Evan and Ernest Thornton- are the happy result of this union.
Evan Brown is public-spirited to a pronounced degree, and has found pleasure in contributing his services as school trustee of the Cholame district. In religious belief, Mr. Brown is an Episcopalian ; and politically he is a Republican.
JAMES M. GOULDING .- One of the interesting men of Paso Robles, though still to be numbered among the youngest of its active business con- tingent, is the subject of this sketch.
After a most agreeable visit to his extensive almond orchards and choice tracts of land rapidly being converted to the same purpose, among the hills just west of the city of Paso Robles, one realizes how each experience of life adds to human equipment. The unusual chapters of J. M. Goulding's life each tell a story of development from small beginnings, success attained where the margin at the outset was narrow indeed. In his forty-second year Mr. Goulding brought to his extensive land holdings in Paso Robles the energy and far-sightedness which in a brief year transformed three hundred twenty acres of rough-wooded hills into smooth orchards, with automobile roads winding between, and contented owners planning their permanent homes upon their respective tracts.
Born in Rutland, Vermont, in 1874, and setting out on the long trail at the age of seventeen years, provided only with a public school education, Mr. Goulding soon became a valued employe in the vast organization of the Ver- mont Marble Co. For eleven years he worked industriously for this con- cern in the home office, and on the road as a salesman. During the last five years of that period, he was town clerk of Proctor, Vt., notary pub- lic, informal legal adviser and all that the honorable office of town clerk means to the populace of the old "down East" community.
Attracted to Arizona by reports of friends interested there, he regret- fully transferred his allegiance from his mother state to the then crude ter- ritory, locating at the Grand Canyon, the wonder of all the world. Here he became interested in copper mining, and the expansion of a tourist hotel, investing in both these enterprises ; and while devoting himself to these activ-
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ities, he also found time for research until, at the age of thirty years, he was the most widely-informed man regarding the geology, geography, and phenomena of that marvelous region of any residing in it. He developed trails : and through his enthusiasm for the Canyon and Desert many travelers were afforded the opportunity of dipping into the heart of sections hitherto almost unknown.
After five years of this unique experience, the hotel property was sold to William Randolph Hearst, who had been a frequent patron. Mr. Goukling, having discovered his special aptitude for the hotel business, came from Arizona to California to accept a high position with Mr. Frank Miller, in his Mission Inn at Riverside. Here he remained three years, resigning to accept the assistant management of Paso Robles Hot Springs, where he caught his vision of the great future of Paso Robles' then unappreciated lands, and invested largely in the same, with a judgment since splendidly proven.
In 1913, Mr. Goulding purchased the Hotel Andrews at San Luis Obispo, operating it and greatly enlarging its patronage until, in 1916, his affairs at Paso Robles demanding all his time, he disposed of the hotel, and since then he has resided in the latter city.
A Republican in politics, a live member of the Chamber of Commerce, the secretary of the Republican County Central Committee, and secretary of Paso Robles Center of the County Farm Bureau, Mr. Goulding is a man of many friends. His home, presided over by his charming wife, is a rendezvous for active spirits of the swiftly-advancing capital of the Upper Salinas Valley, Paso Robles.
WILLARD C. RANNEY .- As operator in charge of the San Miguel station for the Midland Counties Public Service Corporation, Willard C. Ranney is a man of experience in this line of work. He was born near Flint. Genesee county, Mich., October 30, 1885. His father, Willard Ranney, was born in Pennsylvania and came with his parents to Genesce county, Mich., where he grew to maturity and farmed. He served in the Civil War in the Twenty-third Michigan Infantry, and married Elizabeth Davidson, who was born in Adrian, Mich. They are now living retired in Otisville. They had seven children, six of whom are still living.
The youngest of the family, Willard C. Ranney, was reared and educated in the grammar and high schools at Otisville, after which he started to learn the tailor's trade; but a year's work led him to decide that he did not like it, and he sought more profitable fields for his talents. He was an attendant in the Michigan State Asylum for the Insane for eighteen months, and then went home and ran the home-place two years. While on the farm there he was united in marriage with Myrtle Van Wormer. After his marriage he was employed in helping to erect the plant of the Buick Motor Company at Ilint, being six months at work installing the machinery. In March, 1907, he came to California, and at Fresno was engaged in ranching until June, 1908.
Returning to Michigan, he entered the employ of the Buick Motor Com- Mille, and wa in their factory until the spring of 1909, when he came back 0% On state and at Fresno entered the employ of the San Joaquin Light & Aver Company, on construction work, building and installing machinery in the For it places in the valley for over two years. The station at San Megyei WO in ( started, and a well was being drilled. In 1912 Mr. Ranney
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assisted in putting in the machinery, and after it was installed he was given charge of the plant, which supplies all stations north of San Luis Obispo. Since he has had charge here he has entered into active participation in public affairs, and is well and favorably known throughout this section.
Mr. Ranney has one child, a daughter. Hazel. He is a member of the Methodist Church in San Miguel, and in politics votes the Prohibition ticket and supports its principles at all times. lle is a truly self-made man, and is highly respected by all who know him.
FREDERICK NELSON .- A successful farmer and business man, as well as one very much interested in the upbuilding of the educational sys- tem of the county, himself serving as school trustee in the San Marcos dis- trict, Frederick Nelson is a native of the Pacific Coast, having been born in Seattle, Wash., on September 4, 1880. His father, Andrew Nelson (a sketch of whom is given on another page of this work), was a native of Sweden.
Fred, as he is familiarly called by his many friends, was reared on the home place in this county from the age of eight years and was educated in the public schools. He early learned the various branches of agriculture with his father ; and when he was twenty-one years of age and capable of striking out for himself, leased his father's ranch of three hundred twenty acres in the San Marcos district and, with his father, two hundred thirty-four acres adjoining. In 1908 he sold his interest in the land to his father, and leased the whole of five hundred sixty acres, five miles from Paso Robles ; and there he puts in about two hundred acres to grain and raises cattle on the balance of the land. He is interested in a combined harvester, and uses two big teams to operate the ranch, and is succeeding nicely.
In 1916 he took in his twin brother, Ernest, as a partner, and they con- tinue the business with success. His brother was in the barber business about ten years and was city trustee of Paso Robles one term. They are interested with other members of the family in the estate left by the father, and twenty-three acres are now in almonds and more is being set to that nut. Mr. Nelson is very active in giving the proper publicity to the county, and is a "booster" for all enterprises of merit.
In September, 1909, in Salinas, occurred the marriage of Frederick Nel- son with Miss Althea Irene Gerst, a native of Oak Flat, and a daughter of Michael Gerst, a prominent citizen and pioneer of 1875 (whose interesting sketch is included in this work ) : and they have one son, Francis Frederick.
CLEMEN FREDLEFF IVERSEN .- The town of Paso Robles, with its varied and unequalled natural resources and business opportunities, has drawn within its confines many men whose capacity and fine traits of char acter would be a credit to any community, and men who have brought with them as wives or families others who have added materially to the real wealth of the community. Foremost among such valued citizens are Clemen Fredfeff Iversen, the well-known farmer and horticulturist, and his cultured and refined helpmate, who is also well known for her contributions to the city's progress. On May 16th of our centennial year, Clemen Iversen was born at Ballum, Germany, the son of Hans Iversen, the sul stantial burgher, whose life is presented elsewhere in this work ; and when he was but six years old he came with his parents to San Francisco. The next year his father home steaded in San Luis Obispo County, and there the lad obtained his education under somewhat discouraging difficulties. For two years it was necessary
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for bon w walk fre miles in order to reach the school at Dry Creek, and that was when there were no roads and the oft bare-footed boy made his way by mail: and only when a school was established at Union was the ambitious ind able to get his instruction nearer home. When he was eight years of age. an aunt. Mrs. I. C. Nielsen, came from San Francisco and located on a homestead adjoining that of his father ; and then Clemen went to live with her. Already a sturdy chap, he helped to make the adobe brick for his father's house. When he was thirteen, Clemen quit school in order to manage his aunt's place, and in 1902 he entered the employ of the United States Government as a mail contractor, for four years driving a stage between Paso Robles and Cholame, a distance of thirty miles. Then, or somewhat later, he lived in the former town, near which he had bought a small ranch. In course of time he and his brother, Martin, at the expense of a contract, bought the leasehold of the Alexander Hotel, at the corner of Twelfth and Pine streets, Paso Robles, and managed it a year. after which Clemen bought his brother out and continued the business. The opering of the hotel took place on October 10, 1906. Meanwhile, he was improving and clearing his town ranch, and in 1911 he set ont four and a half acres of almonds upon it. On June 13, 1001. Clemen was married at Union to Miss Eva Carpenter, who was born at Matfield Green, Chase county, Kansas, the daughter of C. E. and Frances ( Handy ) Carpenter, both natives of New York, who were married in Wisconsin. Her grandfather, Chauncey Carpenter, a farmer, who died in Wisconsin, was born in New York, of an English family that had settled in Virginia in Colonial days, and he married Sarah Van Atter, of good old Holland Dutch stock. Her maternal grandfather. Andrew Ilandy, was born in Scotland and settled, while a young man, in New York. In the rush for gold, he came to San Francisco by way of Cape Horn, and when he had abandoned the mines he returned east across the Isthmus of Panama. There he took the yellow fever and died a week after his arrival home. He had been married to Frances Pickering, whose great-grandfather. Timothy Pickering, was a Colonel in the Continental Army, and later Adju- tant-General. Timothy Pickering was a member of Washington's Cabinct during both administrations. He was also the first Postmaster-General of the United States, and afterwards Secretary of State, and was one of the founders of the U. S. Military Academy at West Point. Her mother was a Champlaine and a descendant of the French explorers. The other children in the Carpenter family are: Mrs. Addie Woods and Mrs. George Bryan, of Paso Robles : Mr. De Wayne Carpenter, in Bandon, Oregon ; Mrs. Lorena Vanderwood, of Chase county, Kansas: Mrs. Mina Dowell, who died at Arroyo Grande in 1905: Nellie, who died in Arroyo Grande, aged seventeen : Mrs. 1. dith Laughlin, of Santa Maria : and Mrs. Cliffie Phoenix, of Santa Barbara. Mrs. Iversen was educated in Kansas and at Arroyo Grande ; and having pur- sted a high school course and specialized in English, she taught school for six Tears in this county. Three children - Dorothy Frances. Weononah Theresa and Clifton Fredleff-make up the young folks of Mr. and Mrs. Iversen's hamile, in which also Mrs. Nielsen resides. In 1914 Mr. Iversen set out want . arres di almonds on Mrs. Nielsen's property, and in 1915 he and his hegeler ( \. nul his nephew. A. 11. Iversen, bought a hundred sixty acres oliomille Mrs Nielsen's property and planted twenty-six acres to almonds. a ile mon ration of the value of land in that neighborhood for almond
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culture viewed from a commercial standpoint. Since July. 1915, Clemen Iver- sen has put in his time as foreman in the Warehouse of the Farmers Alliance Business Association, in which he is a stockholder. Mr. Iversen is a member of Santa Lucia Lodge, 350, I. O. O. F., and active in the Encampment. He is a Socialist and serves on the county central committee. Mrs. Iversen is a woman of much culture and refinement, is well read and keeps abreast of the times, and being of a literary turn has contributed liberally to the press of the state.
LOUIS LAURIDSEN .- One of the highly respected men of the section about U'nion, San Luis Obispo County, is Louis Lauridsen, a director of the Farmers Alliance Business Association and an active man of affairs in his section of the county. He was born in Hygum, Schleswig, Germany. April 6. 1869, a son of Mads and Esther Maria (Hansen ) Lauridsen, who were natives of that country and farmers by occupation, the former still living on the home place, which is owned by a son, Hans Lauridsen. The mother passed her last days there.
The eldest of the two sons, Louis Lauridsen was reared on the farm and attended the common schools until he was fifteen, after which he farmed until he was twenty-one years old. Then, in 1890, he came to the United States and on to San Francisco, where he had some relatives living. He soon found employment in the livery business with a stable on Washington street and worked there for seven years, although at times he left his position and went to Solano county, where he worked about three seasons driving big teams on grain ranches near Rio Vista. In 1898 he came to this county to work for Niels Madsen, whom he had met in San Francisco; and he was in his employ on his ranch for two years. At length, taking his savings, he bought an outfit and engaged in ranching for himself, with a cousin, Michael Lund, for a partner. They purchased three hundred twenty acres of land on the edge of the Estrella ranch and leased part of the Estrella ranch, farm- ing one thousand acres to wheat; and this partnership continued for eight years. During the intervening time they had got together a fine outfit of modern implements and had two big teams, with other requisites for a suc- cessful farming enterprise. They dissolved partnership, as farmers, although they still own the three hundred twenty acres together.
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