USA > California > San Luis Obispo County > History of San Luis Obispo County and environs, California, with biographical sketches > Part 96
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The Hopper brothers are stockholders and active participants in the Farmers' Alliance Business Association of Paso Robles ; and they also take a proper interest in political affairs, preferring the principles and forms of government advocated by the Democrats.
MARTIN PETERSEN .- Not everyone puts his shoulder to the wheel with the same confidence and enthusiasm as does Martin Petersen ; yet if more would-be ranchers viewed their work with the same broad attitude of mind, success would oftener attend the labors of those to whom is com- mitted the responsibility of getting the earth to yield its utmost for the benefit of the sons of men. Martin Petersen is a native son, born in Gon- zales, Monterey county, May 25, 1885. His father was the well-known pio- neer, Thomas Petersen, an outline of whose life is printed elsewhere in this work. He was the oldest of two children, and the only son, and from his second year was reared at Templeton. Ile grew up at the homestead, played and conned his lessons with the other boys at Templeton, and from a lad helped his father, finding the zest of driving big teams, and the attraction of the other ranch work, sufficient to induce him to remain at home until 1909.
.When he began to farm for himself, Martin rented a ranch near Temple- ton, at the same time assisting in the operation of the home lands. After four years he leased a ranch near Creston, and planted the six hundred acres in part to grain, reserving a portion of the tract for stock. In the summer of 1916 he rented the (ilendora ranch on Dry creek, and there devoted eight hundred acres to the raising of grain, putting in about four hundred acres to wheat and barley.
During September, 1914, the old bells of San Luis Obispo rang out their glad greeting to Martin Petersen and his fair bride, Miss Effie May Hodgin, a native of Missouri. Her father, Robert Leonidas Hodgin, was born in Cedar county, lowa, and served four years in the Civil War as a member of an Iowa regiment. Ile was married in Missouri to Miss Susan Chandler, a native of Indiana, and later brought his wife and seven children across the plains by means of teams and wagons. They thus became pioneers in Idaho, first on the Camas prairie and later at Boise City, where one of the sons filled the office of sheriff of Ada county at the time of the Haywood trial, and was afterwards United States marshal under both President Roosevelt and President Taft. One of Mrs. Petersen's sisters, Minnie, is the wife of Willard Crippen, a pioneer farmer in the Palouse country, Wash. The parents died in Idaho, where they were highly estedmed, Mr. Hodgin having been particularly well known in Grand Army circles, Mrs. Petersen was educated in the public schools of Idaho, and later, in 1903, came to Califor nia. One child, Leonidas Thomas, blessed the marriage of Mr, and Mrs. Petersen, and with them is a center of attraction in Presbyterian Church and Fraternal Brotherhood circles.
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DAVID LE ROY HOPPER .- A fine young man, who maintains the Hopper tradition for success, is David Le Roy Hopper, a native son, who was born at Windsor, Sonoma county, on October 31. 1876. His father was John B. Hopper, whose life story, related elsewhere, adds materially to the value of our work. He himself was brought here to the Shandon district when a mere child, and passed his boyhood on a farm at Willow Creek and in Adelaida, and in attendance at the public school of the Eagle district. Those were happy days, for no sooner was school dismissed than David. seized the reins and drove the big team of the farm. After a while he worked out : and then, as was often the custom, his wages went to his parents until he was twenty-one years of age.
Attaining his majority, David began to farm in partnership with his brother, J. T. Hopper, and although at first they were disappointed in a harvest, they had a good crop in 1901, and so got nicely on their feet again. Together they farmed until the fall of 1906, when they dissolved partnership and David went into business for himself, leasing the Alexander McMillan ranch of four hundred eighty acres. This he continued to farm for three years, in the meantime also renting three hundred twenty acres adjoining. In 1909. he took charge of the Frank Mathos ranch of three hundred twenty acres, and operated that for a couple of years.
In 1911, David Hopper rented his present place of Peter McMillan, a tract consisting of six hundred forty acres; and when this was joined to the Mathos ranch, he controlled not less than nine hundred sixty acres, three hundred fifty of which he put into grain annually. The three hundred twenty acres yielded, in 1916, four thousand sixty sacks of grain. For the operation of the ranch, he uses two eight-horse teams. He also raises horses and cattle, and with his brothers is a partner in the Hopper Bros.' ranch of about two thousand acres at Shandon, which is used for farming and stock-raising. He also owns property in Shandon improved with a flowing well.
At Lemoore, David Le Roy Hopper was married to Miss Laura MeMil- lan, who was born in Mc Millan's canon, a daughter of Alexander McMillan; and they have one child, Rhoda Frances. Mr. Hopper is a Democrat. He is a stockholder in the Farmers Alliance Business Association. Fraternally, he is a popular member of the Odd Fellows, being affiliated with Santa Lucia Lodge at Paso Robles ; while Mrs. llopper is equally popular in Presbyterian Church circles.
JOHN B. HOPPER .- If John B. Hopper had done nothing more than set in operation the energy and enterprise represented in his progressive and successful family, he would have deserved the respect both of his contem- poraries and of posterity ; but he did something more: he lived the life of an exemplary citizen, neighbor and friend, and so contributed his full share 16 raising high the standard of all that is truly American and, more than that, genuinely Californian. John Hopper was born in Lafayette county, Mo., in 1834. His father was Charles Hopper, a native of North Carolina, who first settled in Lafayette county, and then, in 1854. five years after his lar cher Amos had crossed the plains, traveled west to California. John B. Wupper also preceded his father by three years in the trip across the prairie. ( barles Hopper's train had trouble with the Indians, but it arrived safely n Cabfornia, and the pioneers settled first in Napa county, then in Sonoma, Frot finally in Mendocino county. There Charles Hopper devoted the rest of bi- hit to hunting, trapping and the tanning of hides. No pioneer, per-
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haps, ever enjoyed his life more; he loved California and had intense confi- dence in its future; and he was hale until his death, which occurred on a deer hunt when he was in his ninety-fourth year.
It was in 1851, when he was seventeen years of age, that John B. Hopper crossed the plains to California with the conventional ox teams and wagons. Ten years later, on May 14, he was married at Cloverdale to Miss Frances Grove, a native of Trenton, Butler county, O., who crossed the plains to California with her parents in 1853. Her parents were David and Catherine (Richter) Grove, natives, respectively, of Virginia and Germany. Arriving on the coast, they settled on Mark West creek, near Windsor, in Sonoma county.
After his marriage, John B. Hopper set up as a farmer near Windsor. In 1868 he came to San Luis Obispo County, living one year on the Huasna, and then near San Miguel, where he engaged in sheep-raising. In that year of years for misfortune, the period of the 1877 drought, Mr. Hopper lost heavily. He was compelled to sacrifice the savings of years of toil, and had to abandon the sheep business altogether. He then spent some time in Sonoma county, California, in Oregon, and in Yreka, California, but soon returned to San Luis Obispo County, locating in the Adelaida country, where he farmed until 1887. He pre-empted one hundred sixty acres of land in the Cholame valley, about ten miles above Shandon, and soon homesteaded a hundred sixty acres in the Eagle district, where he farmed until he retired. Strange to say, he, too, died while on a deer hunt, passing away at San Miguel, August 13, 1913, at the age of seventy-nine. lle was popular with all classes, and especially so among the Odd Fellows and in Baptist circles. His good wife, hale, hearty and happy, continues to reside with her children, all of whom reverence her and shower upon her their affection.
Of the thirteen children born to Mr. and Mrs. Ilopper, one, Elwood, died at the age of four years. Sarah, now Mrs. Yancy McFadden, resides near El Centro. Mr. McFadden was sheriff of San Luis Obispo County for over four years, and deputy sheriff for eight years. Nancy married Mr. Brians, of Los Angeles. Mary married Mr. Young, and died in August, 1916, at Los Angeles. John T. is a large farmer and stockman in the Eagle dis- trict. Lucretia, better known as Mrs. Thompson, lives in San Miguel. George L. resides at Shandon. Emma, now Mrs. Arthur Waite, lives in Lemoore. D. Le Roy is a farmer and stockman of McMillan's canon. llen- rietta is the wife of Herbert Waite, of king City. Oliver and Everett are farmers at Shandon ; and Addie is the wife of Mr. Stanley, of the same place.
JOHN P. ESTERGREN .- The history of the Eureka school district, famed for its enterprising residents as well as for its superior agricultural products, must begin, almost, with the story of John P'. Estergren and his pioneer work as one of the oldest settlers in that region. Born near Gothen- burg, Sweden, on February 24, 1851, Mr. Estergren was the son of a farmer named John Estergren, who spent his last days in Martin county, Minn., Mrs. Estergren having died in Sweden when John P. was a mere child. The second youngest of three children-Clara, who died in Kansas, and the Rev. Gustav Estergren, pastor of the Swedish Lutheran Church at St. Cloud. Minn., being the other two-John P. Estergren attended school and worked on a farm until he was nearly of age.
In 1871, he came to the United States, and settled for a year at Chicago, after which he moved to Brazil, Clay county, Ind., where he mined coal for
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six years. About 1878 he pushed still further west, to Minnesota, and located at Sherburn, Martin county, where his father had taken up a farm, and owned a small place. Nine years later, when a moderate degree of prosperity had rewarded his efforts, he left Minnesota for San Francisco, in which city he took to teaming.
Having had his attention directed to the many advantages of San Luis Obispo County, Mr. Estergren, in 1889, moved south and bought his present place, a tract of one hundred eight acres in the Eureka district, which he soon greatly improved by clearing it of brush and bushes, breaking ground, and sowing to grain. He even set out an orchard of ten acres in prunes; but finding, four years later, that there was no market for that fruit, now so highly prized, he grubbed the orchard out and devoted the land to farming and stock-raising. In those days he used to rent some two hundred acres adjoining his property, upon which he raised grain; but now he busies him- self more with stock, for which he requires three hundred acres, as range land, in addition to that which he possesses. His Durham cattle guarantee the quality of products from his small dairy; while, when it comes to an appraisal of the cattle and poultry on his farm, neither raiser nor purchaser need for a moment be doubtful as to results.
At San Francisco, John P. Estergren was married to Miss Mathilda Ober, a native of Engleholm, Skaane. Their wedlock was blessed by the birth of one child, Gustav Emanuel, a graduate of Bethany Academy, at Lindsborg, Kan., and of the University of California. From the latter insti- tution, in 1916, he received the degree of Bachelor of Arts, and he is now engaged in educational work. The family are members of the Swedish Lutheran Church at Templeton, and John P. Estergren has served therein as both a deacon and a trustee. He has also superintended its Sunday school, and has helped build the attractive brick church. A Republican whose special hobby is the support of all good educational measures, this worthy pioneer has been a trustee of the Eureka school district for many years.
GUY T. WORDEN .- Born at San Luis Obispo, June 24, 1887, the son of Solomon Truman Worden, Guy T. Worden inherited, as an inspiration to good citizenship, war memories of his father, who was a native of Adrian, Mich., and entered the great civil conflict as a private in a Michigan regiment. In 1874, Solomon Worden came to California and settled in Tehama county, after which he came to San Luis Obispo and, in 1891, located at Shandon. Then the country was absolutely unsettled, and Solomon, having bought some land, built there the first house and hotel, known as the Hotel Shandon. which he later rented to George Hopper. Later on he bought another eighty acres across from Shandon, and there sunk artesian wells and planted the first fields of alfalfa seen in the neighborhood. Solomon Worden and his excel- lent wife, who before her marraige was Clara Schelenger, a native of Illinois. Are both living, enjoying the sea breezes at Long Beach. With them is one on their sons, Ray, while another, Clyde, lives at Creston.
Brought up at Shandon, then known as Shandon City, until he was four gears of age. Guy Worden later attended the public school in the neighbor- hood, and finally graduated from the San Luis Obispo Polytechnic School. He then took to farming at Annette, tilling the soil on rather a large scale, osing a big team and raising superior grain. When the elder Worden first A.perimented with alfalfa, Guy was his main helper and adviser and assisted him in sowing the first alfalfa seed. In time Guy's operations involved his
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rental of no less than eight hundred acres, and few ranches were more attrac- tive to the eye, or more satisfactory when it came to harvesting crops.
In 1915, Guy returned to Shandon, became proprietor of the Shandon Hotel, and took charge of his father's farm. He went in for alfalfa and hog- raising, as well as sowing to grain, and had some very choice Berkshire and Duroc swine. He sunk two artesian wells, one on the north side and the other on the south, and before long had one of the best-irrigated ranches in the neighborhood.
In just the town for such a festal occasion, that is, in old San Luis Obispo, Guy Worden was married to Miss Minnie McCaudless, a native of Pleyto, Monterey county, who had been a teacher since her graduation from the Hollister Academy; and two children have blessed this marriage: Margaret Catherine and Guy McCaudless.
FREDERICK WILLIAM WEIR .- There are in all communities men who have lived a life of usefulness, using of their energy and best efforts for the upbuilding of the community, and turning their influence towards the moral uplift of its citizens. Such a man is Frederick W. Weir, an old-timer of Estrella, San Luis Obispo County. He was born near St. Louis, in St. Louis county, Mo., September 26, 1864, the son of Peter Weir, a native of Germany, who came to the United States and was for a time engaged in farming near St. Louis. In 1883 Peter Weir came to California, where he homesteaded one hundred twenty acres at Estrella, which he still owns. 1le is now retired from active life, though still hale and hearty at the age of eighty-seven years. His wife was Catherine Stroh, who died in 1891.
Frederick Weir received a good education in the public schools of St. Louis county, Mo. On coming to Estrella, San Luis Obispo County, in August, 1883, he began farming and, in 1885, as soon as he was of age, pre- empted one hundred sixty acres of his present ranch, fulfilling the require ments of the law and paying one dollar twenty five cents an acre, thus obtaining a deed. He improved it well with a residence and other buildings ; and still later he purchased one hundred sixty acres adjoining, and now has three hundred twenty acres in one body, all tillable land, devoted to grain- raising.
Mr. Weir was married at Estrella to Miss Emma Morris, born in Texas. who came to this region with her parents in 1887; and five children have been born of this union, as follows: Carl, who died at two years of age : Frances; Vera, Mrs. Frank Kuhnle: Thomas, who died at the age of five weeks ; and Myrtle.
Enterprising and public-spirited, Mr. Weir has served acceptably as road-overseer of Road District No. 2, for seven years ; for more than twenty years he was school trustee in Pleasant Valley district, most of the time as clerk of the board; and he also served as constable from 1886 to 1890, in Estrella, of Paso Robles Hot Springs judicial township, under Judge Wilham R. Cooley. A leader in the upbuilding of all educational enterprises, he is a true-blue Republican, and is a Lutheran in religious belief.
JOHN CHARLES M. KRUMLINDE .- An old resident of California, and a man who is well esteemed and highly respected, Charles Krumlinde was born in Oldenburg, Holstein, Germany, June 15, 1844, the son of Mathias and Margaret (Schroeder) Krumlinde. The father was a weaver, and died in 1847, leaving a widow and two sons, Charles and Ilenry, of whom Charles alone survives.
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Charles Krumlinde received his education in the public schools of Ger- many. When seventeen years of age, he went to sea in the brig "Mary Elizabeth," engaged in the coasting trade; afterwards in a Holland sailing vessel around Cape Horn to Valparaiso, and return; and then in a sailer out of Belgium, a second trip to Valparaiso, this time returning to New York, where he joined the American ship "Dreadnanght," bound for Cali- fornia. He landed in San Francisco on September 2, 1864. and determined to quit the sea and remain in California. He found employment on farms in Half Moon Bay, and later leased land until 1886, when, having heard, through M. E. E. Krumlinde, of government land that could be homesteaded, he came to San Luis Obispo County and on his arrival located his present place of one hundred sixty acres, which he improved from the first furrow. Later on he leased other land, at one time operating one hundred sixty acres devoted to grain- and stock-raising. Some time ago, however, he gave up farming on a large scale, and now works only his home ranch.
Mr. Krumlinde was first married in Half Moon Bay, where he was united with Mary Meckel. She was born in Ireland, and died in Half Moon Bay. Of this union there were four children: James, who resides in San Francisco; John, who was accidentally killed while mining in Arizona: Lizzie, Mrs. Olney of San Francisco; and Nellie, Mrs. Compton of Oakland. Ilis second marriage also took place in Half Moon Bay, by which he was wedded to Miss Mary Kirwin, a native of Dublin, Ireland, who came to California in 1867, and died on September 2, 1916, leaving him four children. William is a farmer near home. Katherine attended the San Jose State Normal School and is now teaching at Parkfield. Rose, a graduate of the San Jose State Normal, class of 1912, is a teacher at the Estrella school. Isabelle, also a graduate of the San Jose State Normal, class of 1915, is teaching the school in Keys cañon.
Mr. Krumlinde was trustee of the Ellis school district for eleven years. lle is an Independent Democrat in politics.
WILLIAM K. HUDSON .- An experienced dairyman, an enthusiastic poultry raiser, and a native son who well represents San Luis Obispo, the county of his adoption, is William K. Hudson, who was born at St. Helena, Napa county, on September 20, 1866, the son of Andrew J. Hudson, a pioneer, who crossed the plains in 1845, and whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work.
William K. Hudson was less than three years old when his parents came to this county, and about ten years old when they settled at Willow Creek. lle attended the public schools at Oakdale and Asuncion, but from a lad worked on a farm ; and much earlier than most boys he satisfied his ambition to drive a "big team." There he also learned stock-raising and dairying; and with exceptional filial devotion he remained at home until he was nearly thirty years of age. When he did start out for himself, he teamed for a while at San Luis Obispo for the Polytechnic School, after which he was employed by the P. I. Co. in their lumber yard. Then he returned to Templeton.
On his father's death, in 1907, William K. Hudson and his brother, Ilarry. conducted the home farm for a year ; and when they dissolved partnership, he undertook carpentering. He later leased a ranch three miles southwest of the town, which he retained six years, farming and dairying. In July, 1916. he bought the farm of twenty-nine acres which he now owns, on the Salinas
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river opposite Templeton, where he has an electric pumping plant affording an excellent irrigation system for his alfalfa lands; a dairy of fifteen cows, in connection with which he operate a separator ; and all the equipment neces sary for the raising of poultry, sheep and cattle. His white Leghorns and bronze turkeys are now a widely known specialty.
In the famous old Mission town of San Luis Obispo, William K. Hudson was married to Miss Evangeline Kemp, a native of Cecil county, Md., and a teacher there, who later removed to California. Here Mrs. Hudson has been active in Episcopalian circles, while Mr. Hudson is a member of the Presby- terian Church. One child, Elenore Evangeline, has been born to them. A Democrat in national politics, and independent in local issues, Mr. Iludson has shown his public-spiritedness by unselfish service as a school trustee for Oakdale district.
PATRICK FOLEY .- One of the old settlers of San Luis Obispo County, and particularly of the vicinity where he resides, Patrick Foley was born in county Galway, Ireland, August 31, 1851, the son of Anstin and Margaret ( Flaherty) Foley, farmers on their native heath. From a lad Patrick was brought up on the farm, and was educated in the public schools of his native place. He was the eldest of a family of seven children, and the first to emigrate to the United States.
Coming to Boston, Mass., in 1869, when eighteen years of age, he was employed there until 1874, when he migrated to the West. Making his way to Virginia City, Nev., he entered the service of the Virginia and Truckee Railroad, continuing with them until September, 1877. He then came to San Luis Obispo County, where he had an uncle, Coleman Flaherty. a pioneer settler of Hog cañon, for whom he worked three years, and then located a pre-emption of one hundred sixty acres in the same vicinity. This he improved, meeting the requirements of the law, and obtained a title. After this, he homesteaded one hundred sixty acres adjoining, where he built his residence and farm buildings, and engaged in grain-growing and cattle- raising, in which he met with deserved success. As he prospered, he bought more land, and now owns eight hundred acres in a body, lying on the Mon- terey and San Luis Obispo county line. Since 1898 he has also been leasing the Coleman Flaherty place of four hundred forty acres, where he makes his headquarters. Thus, he operates over 1200 acres in all.
The marriage of Mr. Foley occurred in San Francisco, where he was united with Mary Clancy, a native daughter, of whom he was bereaved in January, 1917. She left one son, Austin, who assists his father in his farm- ing operations.
A man who has proved his worth by his enterprise, Mr. Foley is highly esteemed by all who know him. As a trustee in the Ellis school district, he gives his aid to the cause of education in his community. In politics he is a Republican, and a firm believer in protection for Americans.
LAZARO SILVERS GARCIA .- A man who is highly esteemed for his integrity and honesty of purpose, and who is making a success at farming by the most modern methods, is Lazaro Silvers Garcia, a native son born in the city of San Luis Obispo, May 11, 1873. His parents. Guadalupe and Jasusita (Silvers) Garcia, were natives of Sonora, Mexico, and emigrated to San Luis Obispo in 1868. In 1877 they homesteaded one hundred sixty acres in Rocky canon, five miles above what is now Santa Margarita. This prop- erty they improved and farmed for many years, when they sold it and
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moved to Santa Margarita. There the father died in 1910, at the age of sixty- seven years ; while the mother is living at the old home. Of their six chil- ‹Iren. five are living, Lazaro being the youngest. From the age of four years, Lazaro was brought up on the farm in the vicinity of Santa Mar- garita, obtaining his education in the public schools; and he remained at home, helping his parents on the farm, until he was married.
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