History of Santa Clara County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 216

Author: Sawyer, Eugene Taylor, 1846-
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1928

USA > California > Santa Clara County > History of Santa Clara County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 216

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Lee R. Lenfest received few educational advan- tages, being obliged to walk a distance of four and a half miles to the nearest school, which he at- tended only during the winter months. However he was enabled to secure a certificate to teach a country school, which he did for a couple of sea- sons. The care of his mother and sister devolved upon him after the death of his father, about 1881, and he took charge of the home property, being among the first to grow alfalfa in that country. In 1894 he left Nebraska for Louisiana, settling at Lake Charles, where he turned his attention to the rice business, organizing a company which erected the second rice mill west of New Orleans. The venture proved such a success that the company enlarged its activities, purchasing a tract of 2,000 acres, which they planted to rice, irrigated by pump- ing plants with water from the river. They raised large crops of rice, the entire development being made under Mr. Lenfest's personal supervision, but after twelve years spent in that state, failing health compelled the family to seek the more salubrious climate of California in 1905. The family home has been in San Jose since 1913, Mr. Lenfest retaining his property interests in Louisiana until 1915. They settled first at Los Gatos, where Mr. Lenfest pur- chased The Big Oaks Ranch, having forty-seven acres in prunes, apricots, pears and peaches. After improving this place, he disposed of it three years later and bought a ranch of 100 acres at Empire, Cal., near Modesto, on which he engaged in grow- ing alfalfa. At the end of four years he again sold, but in the meantime he had acquired a ranch of 143 acres north of Santa Clara, a part of the old Morse sced farm. This property being in a badly run-down condition, he made many improvements thereon, in- cluding the installation of a splendid pumping plant, and ninety acres he devoted to alfalfa. He wrought a great transformation in the appearance of the place, which he sold at the end of two years for $350 an acre, an advance of $150 per acre over the purchase price. He next bought 229 acres in the northeastern part of San Jose, of which 116 acres are now leased for dairy purposes and ten acres for vegetables. He has thirty acres in pears, and about fifty-five acres now being prepared for this fruit, the intention be- ing to set the entire tract to pears of the best va- rieties. When Mr. Lenfest sold his interests in Louisiana, he acquired 220 acres in Tulare County, which he developed to prunes and alfalfa, installing a pumping plant and pipe lines. He next bought 1,200 acres near Manteca, which he is highly developing along modern lines, and is putting out 400 acres to grapes and 600 acres in alfalfa. He brings to his work a true sence of agricultural economics, and never allows an acre of his holdings to be unproduc- tive, his enterprises being ably directed.

On September 6, 1883, in Clay County, Nebr., Mr. Lenfest was united in marriage with Miss Lillie E. Slawson, a native of McHenry County, Ill., and a daughter of Henry H. and Polly (Lake) Slawson. Originally residents of New York state, they became early settlers of Illinois, where the father engaged in farming, hauling grain to Fort Dearborn, the site of the present metropolis of Chicago, then but a trading post. Mr. and Mrs. Lenfest have become the parents of six children: Blossom married La- vergne Graves, an oil expert; they have three chil- dren and now reside in Texas. Ray is interested

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

with his father as a partner in developing their ranch property. Nellie, Mrs. Samuel Worsley, is the mother of two daughters and lives in Providence, R. I. Bessie and Dora, the youngest child, are at home, while Jasper is attending the San Luis Obispo State Technical School.

In his political views Mr. Lenfest is a Republican and he keeps well informed on the questions of the day, as affecting the welfare and progress of the country. His life record illustrates the power of honesty, determination and diligence in insuring suc- cess, his labors ever having been of a constructive nature, and have resulted in placing him in the front rank of progressive agriculturists of California.

MANUEL S. BRAZIL .- An energetic, enthusi- astic and successful dairy farmer who has been able to retire on a competency through the assistance of his capable and devoted wife and as a result of their years of intelligent toil, is Manuel S. Brazil, who lives one mile north of Lawrence in Santa Clara County. Mr. Brazil was born on the Island of St. George, in Azores, fifty-three years ago and when eighteen he came to America, landing at Boston. He stayed in the Hub City only a few days and then migrated westward to Alameda County, Cal. For two years he worked for wages on dairy farms, mainly around Livermore, and then he started a dairy for himself in Marin County, where he met with exceptional success. In 1914 Mr. Brazil lo- cated in Santa Clara County and began farming. His ranch of 160 acres is situated on Lawrence Av- enue, about one mile north of Lawrence on the South- ern Pacific Railroad, a place he purchased that year, he has since devoted it to dairying, though at present leasing the dairy to others. This cele- brated place was developed by an Eastern million- aire, a race horse fancier named McInerney, who maintained there a race track and built the finest horse barns in the county and he also had erected there a palatial country residence. The barns have been remodeled by Mr. Brazil for dairy purposes and one alone of the several structures can accom- modate 100 milk cows.

On May 11, 1900, Mr. Brazil was married to Miss Marie Costa, a native of his own birthplace and a daughter of John M. and Marie Costa. Her father was a prominent teacher and educator, who passed away in that country and the mother then brought her children to San Rafael, Cal., where one of her older sons lived, arriving in August, 1897, and it was there that Marie Costa met Mr. Brazil, the acquaintance resulting in their marriage, a union that has proven very happy to them both and has been blessed with five children; Helen was edu- cated at Notre Dame College; John is a student at Santa Clara University; Marguerite is attending Notre Dame, and Manuel S., Jr., and Isabelle. All these sons and daughters arc bright and interest- ing and such as would do credit to any family and are popular in their social circle. The family at- tend Saint Clare's Catholic Church in Santa Clara. Mr. Brazil attributes no small degree of credit for his success in life to his faithful wife, who has been his ready and able helpmate, for being a woman of much business acumen, she has aided him materially in achieving their ambition. Mrs. Brazil is very prominent in the S. P. R. S. I., a benevo- lent Portuguese order in the United States, she

being one of the founders, with her sister, Mrs. Anna C. Martin, while they were still the Misses Costa. It was in March, 1898, that this national Portuguese order was founded and it has grown to a very large membership. Mrs. Brazil was an of- ficer from its organization, serving five years as secretary of the financial committee, and is one of the past presidents of the Grand Council of the S. P. R. S. 1. of California, serving in that capacity in 1915, and that year she travelled over Califor- nia visiting the 122 councils from Siskiyou to San Diego. The order is in very sound financial con- dition and has paid over a million dollars in bene- fits. Mrs. Brazil is also a member of the Y. L. 1. and the Catholic Ladies' Aid Society, being an ex- treasurer of the latter. She is a cultured and re- fined woman and her influence has done much to improve the condition and establish high ideals among Portuguese-American citizens of California.

Having started dairying at San Rafael, Mr. Brazil also conducted dairies at Vallejo and Oakland, and in the latter city he was in the dairy business for seven years. He is a stockholder in the Portuguese- American Bank of San Francisco and also is a mem- ber of the San Francisco Milk Producers' Associa- tion, of which for a time he served as a director. Fraternally he is a member of the U. P. E. C. He is a liberal and enterprising man with a kindliness of heart and mind which enables him to assist worthy enterprises that are meant to advance the comfort and happiness of the people.

WILLIAM H. RESEBURG .- A capable rancher who has been identified with the Morgan Hill dis- trict for the past five years is William H. Reseburg, a native of Wisconsin, who was born at Thorp, Clark County, April 3, 1883. He is the only living son of the late William Reseburg, who was born in Ger- many, but as a small boy came to America and for more than forty years was one of the sturdy pioneers of Northern Wisconsin. He was an extensive farmer and prominent in political circles, serving for fifteen years as chairman of the county board of super- visors and wielding a beneficient influence in the public affairs of his community. The town of Rese- burg was named in his honor and he will ever be remembered here for his constructive work in the upbuilding of this district. Mrs. Reseburg was Al- bertina Theel before her marriage and she was also a native of Germany; she came to America when a small child and now resides with her daughter, Miss Anna Reseburg, in Los Angeles.

William H. Rescburg attended the public schools of Wisconsin until the family removed to Albany, Ore., in 1896, and there he finished his high school course. After a short business course there at Albany he started out for himself, spent two years at Pull- man, Wash., removing to San Jose in 1906, where he acquired an orchard property of twenty-five acres near Campbell, twelve acres of this being an im- proved orchard. Soon after this he was joined by his father and the family, who decided to make their home in the sunny Southland. During the time he lived at Campbell he bought, improved and sold three different orchards. In 1917 Mr. Reseburg sold his orchard property at Campbell and removed to Morgan Hill, where he purchased thirteen acres on Dunne Avenue and two years later sold this and bought the old Hatch ranch on Dunne Avenue,

M & Brazil

his In. S. Brazil.

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

consisting of twenty acres, and here he has made many improvements.

On July 7, 1920, Mr. Reseburg was married to Miss Roberta Raitt, born in Edinburgh, Scotland, the daughter of William and Margaret (Oliphant) Raitt; the father was for eighteen years professor of mathematics at the Glasgow and West of Scot- land Technical College, having the degrees of M. A. and B. S., and died at Glasgow. After his death the family came to California in 1904, settling at Morgan Hill. Mr. Reseburg has entered heartily into the life of the community since settling here, and is a firm believer in cooperative movements, and is a member of the Fresno Peach Growers Asso- ciation, and a charter member of the California Prune and Apricot Association. He is a member and a trustee of the Morgan Hill Presbyterian Church. Politically he is a Republican.

FRED SINZ .- An expert painter who has be- come the leading contractor in his field in the north- ern part of Santa Clara County is Fred Sinz, of Mountain View, whose stock in trade, in addition to the fruits of a long and thorough apprenticeship, has always been his executive ability, of no mean order, his agreeable personality contributing to give satisfaction to all who have dealings with him. In his business affairs, transacted from his cosy resi- dence at 321 Bush Street, he is ably assisted by his accomplished and attractive wife, who also concerns herself to even anticipate the wants of patrons, and their wide circle of friends rejoice at their pros-

perity. Mr. Sinz was born at San Francisco on July 19, 1887, the son of Ludwig and Mary (Pfeiffer) Sinz, formerly of the Bay City, but who removed to Mountain View in 1894, where they now live re- tired. Mr. Sinz was also a painter, but on coming to Mountain View he bought a ranch of twenty acres on the El Monte Road, which he improved by plant- ing, and recently sold. They have three children, all sons: Fred, the subject of our review; John runs the baking department in Spreckels' Market. San Francisco; Louis works for the United Motors Service Company at San Francisco, being an expert magneto repairer.

From his seventh year, Fred Sinz was reared in Mountain View, and having completed his grammar school studies, he went to work to learn the painter's trade. He profited greatly from an association with his father, but he also had the exceptional advan- tage of several years' work in San Francisco for Wagner Bros. and Henry Kern. He began contract painting in Mountain View in 1914, and now, em- ploying from five to ten men, he is the leading house painter in Mountain View. He also extends his operations to Los Altos, Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, May- field and vicinities, and is ever in demand by those who are determined to have only the best.

At Mountain View, in 1916, Mr. Sinz was married to Mrs. Gladys Beardsley nee Page, a native of Al- viso and the daughter of George and Mary (Hutchin- son) Page, and the granddaughter of Robert Hutchin- son, a Santa Clara pioneer who was justice of the peace and a prominent man at Alviso in pioneer days. He was a sailor in early life, and made the trip around the Horn in 1849 from Maine. Mrs. Sinz has two children by her first husband: George F. Beardsley is in the Mountain View high school, and Edward Page Beardsley is in the grammar school. Mr. Sinz who is a Republican and swears by the

platforms of the G. O. P. with the natural ardor of an admirer of Lincoln, Grant, Mckinley and Roose- velt, naturally belongs to the Native Sons of the Golden West at Mountain View, and he is also one of the popular members of the Masonic Order at the same place.

FRANK P. BARKER .- An efficient public official who stands high in the regard of a wide circle of acquaintances throughout Santa Clara County, where he has spent practically all his years, is Frank P. Barker, deputy county assessor. A New Englander by birth, he was born August 16, 1860, at Bangor, Maine, the son of Samuel Alphonso Barker, who was born in Kennebec County, Maine, July 26, 1863. The first representatives of the Barker family in America were two brothers, Noah and Carr Barker, who came from England and arrived seven years after the landing of the Mayflower. Carr Barker, from whom this branch of the family is descended, set- tlcd in Maine while it was still a part of Massa- chusetts. The maternal grandfather was a Revo- lutionary soldier and while on the march to Canada under Arnold, he selected the tract of land upon which he afterward settled, and upon which a part of the city of Hallowell. Maine, is located. He was engaged in shipbuilding for a few years and then settled at Reedville, where he bought a farm, this land still being in the possession of his descendants.

Samuel Alphonso Barker was educated in his na- tive state and in 1854 began the study of law in the office of Josiah H. Drummond. In 1857 he was admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court of Maine, and for ten years he practiced in that state. Coming to California in 1867 to renew his health, he located at San Jose and resumed his legal practice but con- fined himself to probate, land title and commercial cases. He acted as attorney for the Garden City Savings Union and the Board of Trade of San Jose. and was a member of the bar of the Supreme Court of California and the United States District Court. While still a resident of Maine he was united in marriage, on April 5, 1858, with Miss Sarah E. Parshley, a native of that state, and three children were born to them: Charles is the acting manager of the Sainte Clair Club; Frank P., of this sketch; and Alfred, of the Associated Oil Company.

Frank P. Barker attended the public schools of San Jose, where he was reared from his seventh year, and was a student in one of the business col- leges when he left his books to accept a position as a deputy under County Recorder C. P. Owen Three years later he entered the commercial world and became a member of the firm of Brown & Barker, wholesale grain dealers, continuing in this business for five years. On selling out he entered the firm of Raley & Company as one of its members, this concern being engaged in the wholesale fruit busi- ness, handling green fruits. After seven years Mr. Barker located at Palo Alto, establishing a similar business under the name of the Palo Alto Fruit & Produce Company. Here he continued successfully for the next three years, disposing of his interests there to accept a position as deputy county assessor. an office he has since held to the satisfaction of everyone.

Mr. Barker's marriage united him with Miss Carrie A. Pease, a native daughter of California, and they

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

are the parents of a son, Samuel Richard, who served during the World War in the Forty-second Artillery, U. S. A. In fraternal circles Mr. Barker is a Mason, and he never fails to take a good citizen's part in all matters looking forward toward the advancement of the community.

NEILS ADLER NEILSEN .- A strong determina- tion to succeed has been the paramount character- istic in the career of Neils Adler Neilsen, and he is steadily attaining his desire. He was born in Man- dal, the southernmost city of Norway, November 3. 1872, the son of Neil Johanson and Tomine Neilsen, the father a ship carpenter by occupation. The father was only fifty-eight years old when he died, but the mother lived to be ninety-six years old, passing away in her old home in 1917. Neils Adler is the youngest of a family of nine children. Adolph Neilsen, as he is familiarly called by his friends, came to San Jose when he was fourteen years old, accompanied by his brother, Obert, who resides in Oakland at the present time. He first worked for wages, washing dishes in the Scandinavian Exchange; then was for two years at the Almaden mines; he then took up ranch work, working for John Dunn, and later he drove teams for George King; next he was em- ployed in the Guadalupe lime kiln; then worked for Joseph Cottle; after which he took up well drilling with Blabon and Barnett. These jobs of short dura- tion brought him to 1892, when he entered the em- ploy of Judge S. F. Leib on his ranch west of Cupertino, consisting of 160 acres, 120 acres in wal- nuts and forty acres in apricots. He has proven him- self a capable and conscientious foreman of the Leib ranch, a position he has held since 1893. In 1919 he purchased a sixteen-acre apricot orchard adjoining Judge Leib's ranch on the east, and in addition to taking care of the Leib orchard, he runs his own ranch profitably and well.

The marriage of Mr. Neilsen occurred in San Jose March 28, 1897, uniting him with Miss Millie Morri- son, born at La Honda, Cal. Two children were born to them, Cecil and Edla. Mr. Neilsen's second marriage was on April 10, 1902, at Reno, Nev .. and united him with Miss May White, a daughter of David and Minnie White; a native of San Mateo County, whose parents came to California in an early day. In politics Mr. Neilsen supports the Socialist party; fraternally is a member of the Odd Fellows lodge No. 52 of Santa Clara, and is a past grand of that lodge; he is also a member of the Cupertino Woodmen of the World.

GEORGE CAMPBELL .- By hard work, strict integrity and common sense, George Camphell has established a place for himself among the citizens of Mountain View, where he was born, August 15, 1873. His father. the late James Campbell, came from his native land of Ireland to Mountain View in 1862. The railroad was just being built into Mountain View and he was employed in the grading work; he was also interested in farming, but continued to do excavating and grading work. He was married in Mountain View to Mrs. Margaret ( Leonard ) Burke, born in Ireland, and she has two sons living in Mountain View, Edward and Dan Burke. For six- teen years James Campbell was a tenant on the Hale Ranch and was successful as a grain and stock- man. He next moved to San Mateo County and still engaged in ranching. During 1890 he returned

to Mountain View and built the Campbell home at 394 Franklin Street and there he died at the age of seventy-nine years. Mrs. Campbell lives at home surrounded by a number of her children. They were the parents of ten children: George, the subject of this review, being the oldest; Mary is the wife of Bert Hitchcock: James, Will, Tom, John, Maggie is Mrs. Peter Malone; Henry resides in San Fran- cisco. Two children died in early childhood.

George attended the public schools until he was sixteen years of age, leaving school to work with his father in grading, teaming and farm work. He be- came an expert teamster, driving eight or ten horses with perfect ease. After his father's demise, he continued with the business and has done much reliable work, being well equipped with scrapers, wagons, farming and orchard implements, ten good horses, and one Yuba tractor. He ordinarily em- ploys five men, but in busy times many more. His reputation has been constructed on the foundation of efficient work and square and honorable dealing, and the year round is busy. He leases 150 acres in the vicinity of Mountain View which is devoted to hay and grain. He is a consistent member of the Catho- lic Church; fraternally he is a member of the Foresters and the Native Sons of the Golden West. He is well and favorably known in his locality and can be relied upon for good conscientious work.

EMIL SCHMIDT .- One of the most competent and capable machinists of Mountain View is Emil Schmidt, who is the proprietor of the Junction Garage, at the intersection of El Monte Avenue and the State Highway. He has steadily built up a fine business, and by honest work and efficient service is gaining many new customers. He was born at Argall, Switzerland, July 10, 1882, a son of Emil and Elizabeth Schmidt. The father was a shoemaker and ran a shoe store in Argall, his native town. There are six children in the family, of whom our subject is the fourth; and both parents are still living. Emil was fortunate in being able to obtain a good education; first in the grammar and then three years in the high school: after that he was apprenticed to the Oll Machine Company and attended the Poly- technic Night School, and by unremitting application successfully passed all examinations; and all during his four years of apprenticeship displayed unusual ability in his line of work. The Oll Machine Con- pany were the manufacturers of gigantic printing presses, and employed 1,500 men in the shops. Emil learned to speak and write French, German and Italian in his native country, which served him well when he came to America. In 1904 he made his first trip to America to install a $25,000 printing press at Newark, N. J., and in 1906 he installed another of the mammoth presses for his company in Chicago. He became very much enamored with America and resolved to become an American citizen, so in 1909 returned to this country and settled in San Fran- cisco, and entered the employ of the Standard Union Mill Company as machinist: in 1910 he removed to Sacramento and worked in the Southern Pacific Railway shops for two and a half years. He then was taken ill with malarial fever and was obliged to change climate.

While living in Sacramento Mr. Schmidt was married to Miss Josephine Horeb, born in Switzer-

R. A. Meilen

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

land, and they are the parents of one child, Carl Emil, born in Mountain View. The family removed there in 1913 and at first Mr. Schmidt rented the Reliance Garage and ran it for several years. Dur- ing 1918 he bought the Junction Garage and lie employs several helpers to take care of the growing business. He deals in Chalmers and Chevrolet cars, parts and accessories; and is the authorized agent for the Ford cars; besides dealing in oils, gas, etc. He is a member of the Automobile Dealers' Association of California. The location of the Junction Garage is a fine one and the ability and reliability of Mr. Schmidt makes his business a very prosperous one. Mr. Schmidt was naturalized in San Francisco and can be counted upon to be loyal to all progressive movements and gives liberally of his time and means to the promotion of measures for the general good.

CARL LINDHOLM .- An enterprising, success- ful contracting builder, whose specialty is up-to-date bungalow residences, five of which he at present has under construction, is Carl Lindholm, of Mountain View, who resides with his attractive family in a house of his own designing and finish at one of the most advantageous situations on Chiquita Avenue. He is in partnership with an uncle, and is the senior member of the busy firm of Lindholm & Nelson, and as a concern popular in other parts of Santa Clara County, they have erected more than fifty resi- dences, no two of which are alike. Mr. Lindholm is a capable, experienced architect and an accom- plished draftsman, on which account it happens that each of the buildings he has constructed has an individuality of its own.

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History of Santa Clara County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 216

Author: Sawyer, Eugene Taylor, 1846- Publication date: 1922 Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co. Number of Pages: 1928

Author: Sawyer, Eugene Taylor, 1846-
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1928