History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 201

Author: Sawyer, Eugene T
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1934

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spent eleven months overseas in Company C of the Three Hundred Sixth Field Signal Battalion and re- ceived the rank of corporal, having a fine record in the service. He returned home July, 1919, and was honorably discharged. He married Miss Irene Jacques and they reside in San Jose.

Politically, Mr. Genardini is a stanch Republican, and he became a citizen of the United States in 1894 at San Luis Obispo. In August, 1906, he made a trip back to Switzerland to visit the old home, where he had a pleasant time, as his mother, who was eighty-two years old, and sister were living. He spent over three months, during which time he traveled into Italy and different countries on the continent, visiting his brother, Elia, in Paris, return- ing to California pleased to get back. His mother lived to be eighty-eight years of age. Fraternally Mr. Genardini is an Elk of the San Luis Obispo lodge and a member of the Druids No. 90 of Cayucos. He is a strong admirer of his adopted country and does all he can for the advancement of his locality.

MRS. RENEE RISPAUD .- A native daughter who takes pride in having been born in the Garden City is Mrs. Renee (Reynaud) Rispaud. Her father, L. Reynaud, a prominent business man in San Jose, was born near Gap, Hautes-Alps, France, in 1865. He was a baker by trade, and coming to San Jose when eighteen or nineteen years of age, he followed his trade in that city for some years, until he opened the Eldorado Bakcry in the Delmas building on Post Street, later moving it to Post and Vine strects. During these years he made three trips on visits to France. The latter part of his business career was in partnership with his son-in-law, Henry Rispaud. He was a member of the Odd Fellows and the Club La France, and died December 9, 1918. The mother of Mrs. Rispaud was Eugenia Richier, also born in France; she died about twenty-one years ago, leaving two children, Renee, and Louis, who is associated with Mrs. Rispaud in business. Renee Reynaud was educated in the College of Notre Dame, Santa Clara County. Going to France, she spent four years at Gap, and there attended Academie Providence. On her return home, after completing the course at Notre Dame, Santa Clara, she was graduated from the Pacific Coast Business College.

Her marriage in San Jose in January, 1912, united her with Henry Rispaud, who was born at the old Joseph Rispaud home at Long Bridge, above Sara- toga. After his marriage Mr. Rispaud engaged in business with his father-in-law, L. Reynaud as pro- prietors of the Eldorado Bakery and Winery, contin- uing the business until 1919, when they quit on account of national prohibition. Two children were born of this union, Eugene and Henrietta. The fam- ily were bereaved of their husband and father August 29, 1920, a deep sorrow to them as well as to his many friends. In September, 1921, Mrs. Rispaud came to Long Bridge and purchased her present place, where she has a small store with confectionery and soft drinks, and also has a camping grounds equipped to accommodate automobile and picnic par- ties, with pits for cooking and tables for serving the meals. Trout fishing can be had in the Campbell Creek on which her property is located. In this enterprise she is associated with her brother, Louis Reynaud, who is assisting her in its management;

Chas Ganardini

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they still own their property in San Jose. Mr. Ris- paud was a member of the Odd Fellows, Eagles, Native Sons of the Golden West and the Club La France, of San Jose.

CLIFFORD BYRON GOODRICH .- The suc- cess achieved by Clifford Byron Goodrich in business and the high standing he enjoys as a citizen fur- nishes an example of what may be accomplished by a man of determination, perseverance and energy. A native of the county, born in Saratoga, October 1. 1894, he is a son of E. E. and Lilly (Dutcher) Good- rich; the father, a retired rancher, resides at Capitola, Santa Cruz County. They were the parents of five children: Clifford Byron, the subject of this sketch; Leo, an oil driller, living in Coalinga; Claude E., an oil driller living in Texas; Adell, residing in San Jose; Vera resides in Saratoga. His mother passed away in 1917.

Mr. Goodrich's boyhood days were spent on a ranch near Saratoga; later removing with the family to a place on Tenth Street, San Jose. His education was obtained in the public schools of San Jose, sup- plemented with a business course at Heald's Busi- ness College, graduating in 1912. He entered the employ of J. B. Lcaman, San Jose's laundryman and dry cleaner, learned the business and for three years he served as foreman of the dry cleaning establish- ment. Later, for one year, he was manager for the Vapor Dry Cleaning Company. On November 1, 1921, he became connected with the French Benzol Company on North Fourth Street, where modern and up-to-date machinery is used, making the plant sanitary and also places it in the front rank of busi- nesses of this kind. Mr. Goodrich is a self-made man in the best sense of the word; while working he made his own way through school, and is now reaping the rewards of an honest, consistent and well-directed efforts. He has acquired a pleasant home at 183 Humboldt Street in San Jose.

The marriage of Mr. Goodrich united him with Miss Viola Neville, a native of Kansas City, Mo., and they are the parents of two children: Adell and June. Fraternally he is a Mason, holding a men- bership in Friendship Lodge No. 210, F. & A. M .; he is also a member of the Sciots, and is active in the Chamber of Commerce of San Jose. During the Mexican trouble of 1916-17 he served his country on the border.

MELVIN JOSEPH ARANA .- An expert plumber who has rapidly come to the fore in San Jose is Melvin Joseph Arana, of 371 West San Carlos Street, at which headquarters he has been manufac- turing various kitchen and other practical utensils of such a novel design as to command unusual at- tention. He was born in Santa Cruz on January 14, 1888, the son of John Arana, also a native of Santa Cruz and a farmer, the son of a pioneer of 1850, who was drawn to California by the rush for gold. Later he went into San Luis Obispo County, and there engaged in the raising of cattle. He lived to be seventy-four years of age. John Arana married Miss Santa Rodriguez, of the family so well known as early-timers and stock-raisers, and herself a native of Santa Cruz. She attended Notre Dame College in . San Jose in the early period of that institution, and became an artist in weaving worsted cloth with faces, images and fancy designs in variegated colors, of such real merit that many of her masterpieces

were exhibited at the Panama-Pacific Fair in San Francisco in 1915. Grandfather Rodriguez came to San Francisco as a pioneer and lived on the sand hills where Golden Gate Avenne and Devisidero Street now cross. John Arana acquired a large farm of 700 acres in Santa Cruz County, at Arana Gulch Twin Lakes, and there he raised cattle until he re- turned to Santa Cruz, where he died. The mother now resides in San Francisco.

Melvin Arana, familiarly called by his many friends "Mel," attended both the grammar and high schools of Santa Cruz, and when a young man took up the plumbing trade with Alexander Tait in Santa Cruz, remaining in his service about twelve years. He then went to San Francisco and worked for eight years for the Scott Company. In June, 1920, he came to San Jose and opened a plumbing shop; he is a very fine mechanic and an excellent and honest workman, and such has been his progress, development and prosperity that he is now in a po- sition to do the plumbing and steam-fitting of the largest types of public and office buildings. He was in charge of all the plumbing and steam-fitting on the Faith, the concrete vessel built during the war, at Redwood City, by the Government as an experi- ment in concrete vessels, and partly as both the cause and the result, he is now planning the manufac- ture of concrete laundry trays and sink combina- tions. He has already bought the plot of ground in East San Jose where he intends to build and man- ufacture these fixtures. "Mel" Arana has certainly done much to increase industrial activity in San Jose; and as a Republican he has always favored that legis- lation most likely to steady and improve business. He is an enthusiastic member of the Master Plumbers' Association of San Jose.

On June 30, 1912, Mr. Arana was married at San Francisco to Miss Estella M. Francis, a native of Buffalo, N. Y., and the daughter of David and Rose Francis, natives of France and New York, respec- tively. David Francis came from France to Buffalo, N. Y., when a young man, and there he married. They brought their family to San Francisco when Estella was a small child; she was the third oldest of their six children and received her education in the Lincoln school in San Francisco. Mr. and Mrs. Arana have been blessed with one child, Evelyn. Mrs. Arana is an accomplished and attractive wo- man who studied singing and dancing under the best teachers in San Francisco. She made a success as a vocalist and dancer, teaching fancy dancing to a large class. From a small child she displayed marked ability as a dancer; when only seven years old, she played with Florence Roberts in the old California Theatre in San Francisco, and afterward, as a toe dancer, gave performances at the old Grand Opera House. She had flattering offers after her mar- riage, but she gave up her career, preferring to devote all of her time to her home. Their daugh- ter, Evelyn, inherits the same talent from her mother, having been taught by her mother from a child, and from the age of four years she danced on the stage, and David Belasco pronounced her a child wonder. During the late war baby Evelyn gave eight months of her time and talent for the Red Cross and benefits to the soldier boys. She has had many flattering offers from Belasco, Fox and others, but her parents thought it wiser for her not to ac-

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cept them, very naturally wanting their baby at home with them, and she is now among the bright pupils of the Lincoln grammar school. Mr. Arana is a member of the Maccabees and it goes without saying that Mr. and Mrs. Arana are recipients of their share of well-deserved popularity.

JAMES K. KENNEDY .- Among the men of af- fairs who left their imprint on Santa Clara County and by their well applied energy helped to make the county more prosperous must be mentioned the late James K. Kennedy. He was of Scotch descent and a native of St. Johns, New Brunswick, Canada, where he received a good education. After spending a few years in New York City he came to California in the carly '70's, locating in San Francisco, where he was married on July 1, 1876, to Miss Mary F. Pippin, a native daughter of California, born in Stanis- laus County, a daughter of Samuel H. and Sarah A. (McClung) Pippin. His maternal grandmother was a member of the Rutledge family that settled in Nashville, Tenn. Her father, Samuel H. Pippin, was a native of Maryland and in frontier times he re- moved with his family to Warsaw, Mo. In 1852, in company with thirty other families, he started for California, this being one of the largest trains of emigrants that ever came into the state. They were six months in reaching their destination, the journey being one of great hardship and peril. Grandfather McClung and his wife were in the train, and they were very kind to the Indians, giving them food at various points on the road, and one evening when the party was camping on the banks of the Platte River, an old Indian crept up to the grandmother and indi- cated by signs that an attack was to be made upon them that night. She implored the leader of the train to break up camp and move to a point farther on, but this he refused to do. The grandfather, feel- ing uneasy, the McClungs and a few others left the remainder of the party and sought a more remote place in which to spend the night. This was in the vicinity of Fort Laramie and they subsequently learned that of the original band all except one were massacred that night by the Indians. Owing to her robust constitution, Grandmother McClung was able to withstand the hardships of the journey and passed away at the venerable age of eighty-six years and four months.

Samuel H. Pippin first located in Stanislaus County, whence he later removed to Montezuma, in Tuolumne County, where he successfully followed mining. Subsequently he went to Sutter County, where he purchased a tract of land comprising 160 acres, devoting his attention to the raising of grain, in which he continued active until ten years ago, then moved to Sacramento and resided there until he died, at the age of ninety, his wife having pre- ceded him. A short time before his death he took a ride in an airplane, being one of the oldest resi- dents of the state to venture on a trip of this nature. Mary F. Pippin was one of three children, the other members of the family being Zella and William P., the latter a resident of Oakland.

In 1892 Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy removed to San Jose; wishing to rear their family, particularly their sons, on a farm, they selected and purchased a ranch of ninety-five acres on Capitol Avenue. It was raw land and no fruit to speak of was raised in that sec- tion, but with true optimism he set out orchards and

devoted his attention to the growing of prunes and apricots. Although his ranch was not irrigated, he raised some of the finest fruit in the Santa Clara Valley, being very successful as a horticulturist, and bringing his ranch to a high state of cultivation. However, his health failed and he passed away in 1905. In his demise San Jose lost a valued citizen. for his life was an upright and honorable one, his earnest toil bringing him success and his integrity winning for him the high regard of all with whom he was associated.

Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy became the parents of four children: Robert K., now a resident of Portland, Ore., married a Miss McDowell and they have three children-Robert K. Jr., James and Betty. William F., of Los Angeles, Cal., married a Miss McAbee, of San Jose, and they have become the parents of two children-William F. and June Ethel. Allen Rut- ledge, a resident of San Jose, wedded a Miss Eva M. Holland, a native of this city, and they now have two children-Mary A. and John Rutledge. Bessie C., the youngest in the family, married L. B. Bever- son, of San Jose. There are seven grandchildren, who represent the third generation of the Rutledge family in California and the sixth generation in the United States. Mr. Kennedy was an adherent of the Republican party, to which his widow also gives her political allegiance, while she is likewise a mem- ber of the Eastern Star and White Shrine. Frater- nally he was identified with the Masons and Odd Fellows, belonging to the San Francisco lodges.

PETER SABATTE .- Identified with the com- mercial activities of California for almost forty years and in Santa Clara County for fourteen years, Peter Sabatte established the garage located at 222 South Market Street, and which is now operated by his two sons, Edmond and Joseph Sabatte. He was born in the year of 1865 at Oloron in the Basses- Pyrenees, France; and when he was seventeen years old, came to America and California; locating in Oak- land he established himself in a creamery, with a restaurant. He had married Miss Jeanne Baitx, and she proved the best of wives and mothers. Later the family removed to Santa Clara and where, for three years, Mr. Sabatte conducted a dairy on New- hall Street. He then purchased a ranch of forty acres on the Alviso Road, about three miles north of San Jose, given to alfalfa culture, and for eight years he conducted there a large dairy. Mr. and Mrs. Sabatte are the parents of five children: Ed- mond, Joseph, Yvonne, Elsie and Frank.

In August, 1921, Mr. Sabatte purchased the garage and its patronage at 222 South Market Street, San Jose, from Picchetti Bros. and turned it over to his two sons, Edmond and Joseph; and Edmond Sabatte was made manager. The garage building is 60x120 feet in size; and it is equipped with every appliance necessary for first-class overhauling of all makes of machines. The public appreciate the service there guaranteed, and it is necessary to employ five men regularly to handle the patronage. The Sabatte Bros. are also the agents, for Santa Clara County. for the Reliance Trailers.

Edmond, the eldest of the brothers, was born in Oakland July 24, 1898, and Joseph, born in the same city February 12, 1900, and they attended the public school in Berkeley and Santa Clara parochial school, then Edmond attended Santa Clara College for a time while Joseph went to Santa Clara high

Lett. Kennedy

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

school. They then assisted the father on the dairy ranch until they took over this garage, which they now own and manage. Edmond Sabatte was mar- ried in San Jose February 23, 1921, to Miss May Shaw, a native of England.

Mr. Sabatte is a stand-pat Democrat. He works for the best interests of the community with the same thoroughness that he manifests in the conduct of his private business affairs, and his efforts have counted for much in his locality.

MRS. MINNIE B. ZASTROW .- A native of Ohio, Mrs. Minnie B. Zastrow was born at Beverly, April 4, 1868, the youngest child of eight children born to Charles M. and Martha W. (Power) Mat- thew, natives of Virginia who were farmers in Wash- ington County, Ohio. The father was a deacon in the Primitive Baptist Church. Minnie B. was educated in the public school. She learned gardening and en- gaged in business for herself; later she engaged in the grocery business in Beverly until she disposed of it and started a broom factory as well as running a knitting factory. In 1901 she married Fred William Zastrow, a native of Germany, and in 1902 she sold her factories and removed to Chehalis, Wash., where she started the Jersey Dairy and in time built up a splendid herd. Purchasing a farm she was in the dairy business there until 1919, when she sold her ranch and shipped her best cows to Santa Cruz County, Cal, and ran a dairy as well as being pro- prietor of the Washington Hotel at Boulder Creek. In November, 1921, she removed to Los Gatos and established the Jersey Dairy with headquarters at 188 Loma Alta Avenue, where she is furnishing her patrons with splendid service in her line.

Mr. and Mrs. Zastrow have five children: Leah, is Mrs. Engman and resides in San Francisco; Ruth. also of San Francisco; Esther, Paul Matthew, and Charles Joseph. Mrs. Zastrow is a literary woman and has written many poems and also wrote and published the book, "Unity and Variety of Truth," and she has just completed "Banner of Truth or Faith," a book against Russellism. She is a member of the Primitive Baptist Church and has always been a close student of the Bible.

E. NOMMENSEN .- Among the general contrac- tors and builders in San Jose whose work is not confined to Santa Clara County, but is carried on in different portions of California, and who is meeting with deserved success, is E. Nommensen, who left his native Denmark to seek a home in the newer country of America and settled in the beautiful and productive Santa Clara Valley, which has continued to be his home since 1906. He was born March 3, 1885, at Aabenraa, a son of Jess and Cathinka (Dam) Nommensen, both natives of Denmark. The father, who was a hardware merchant, passed away in his native land, but the mother still lives at the old home. This worthy couple had ten children, four of whom are living. One brother lost his life in the World War. Mr. Nommensen is the oldest living child, and he has a sister, Mrs. Cathinka Berger, liv- ing at Bakersfield, Cal.

E. Nommensen was educated in the private schools of Denmark, but his most valuable knowledge was gained in the school of experience. Having com- pleted a course in a local business college he became bookkeeper in his father's hardware store in his

native country; then he spent four years in the same line in different cities of Germany; he then concluded to try his fortunes in the Land of the Stars and Stripes, so came across to New York and immediately to San Jose, Cal. Seeking outdoor work, he chose the carpenter's trade and served his apprenticeship under J. H. Miller, an old contractor, and continued with him for a few years, when he became a partner of his employer. Since then he has become one of the largest general contractors in the valley. He specializes in concrete work and has constructed some of the most handsome business blocks in the city. He built the King City auditorium, the Greenfield school and an addition to the County Hospital, and is now building six bridges in Monterey and Santa Clara counties, two of them being 340 feet long; he also built the Alum Rock and Keyes Street bridges, three bridges on the Almaden Road and three on Pleasanton Road. He has erected many fine resi- dences and bungalows in San Jose, as well as over the valley, and employs some fifty men.

The marriage of Mr. Nommensen in San Jose united him with Miss Esther Larsson, a native of Sweden. Politically he supports the Republican party, and fraternally is a member of the Dania Lodge of San Jose. He is a booster for good roads and bridges, and all practical utilities, and is active in all municipal improvements. Whenever the op- portunity affords itself, he recuperates at the moun- tains or seashore. He has a pleasant home and a paying business, which has brought him contentment in the city of his adoption. He is respected for his industrious life, his unquestioned integrity, and his devotion to his family and friends.

GEORGE J. FIEHMANN .- An experienced pear- grower, whose pronounced success has proved a l:elpful stimulation to like endeavor by fellow- ranchers, is (George J. Fiehmann, a native son happy in his association with the Golden State, having been born at Tracy, in San Joaquin County. On Decem- ber 20, 1881, he entered the family of August Fieh- mann who came from Germany, his native land, when he was a lad of sixteen years, and in time settled in San Joaquin County, Cal. He married Miss Caroline Schulte, reared a family of seven chil- dren, George being the eldest, and acquired some 640 acres of land, whch he farmed.

George attended school in the Lammerville school district, in San Joaquin County, and when twenty years of age started to make his own way in the world. He worked for wages on ranches near Tracy, for a number of years, and removing to Santa Clara County in 1910, he continued to work out as a farm hand. Now he lives upon a ranch owned by his mother, the old Schulte ranch set out with pear trees by his grandfather, Bernard Schulte, a pioneer of the valley. This fine farm he leases from his mother, who lives in Sunnyvale; she was born in Minnesota and came to California with her parents when a girl. August Fiehmann died in 1907 on his ranch at Tracy. George employs two men all the year around, and during the rush season keeps about twelve men busy. The home ranch comprises twenty- acres devoted to the cultivation of Bartlett and ship- ping pears; Mr. Fiehmann, through his careful culti- vation and care of his orchards, has made a decided success, so much so, that a short time ago he pur- chased a ranch of six and one-half acres adjacent

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to the Southern Pacific Railway, also a valuable pear orchard, from which much may be expected under his skillful management. He is a member of Cali- fornia Pear ' Growers' Association and fraternally is a member of the Woodmen of the World.

At Sunnyvale on February 26, 1910, Mr. Fiehmann was married to Miss Lola Lang, a native of Cottage Grove, Ore., and the daughter of George and Lena (Kerr) Lang. Her father was a rancher, and she attended school at Cottage Grove and St. Mary's Convent at The Dalles, Ore. One child has blessed the fortunate union-a daughter, Emma. A Repub- lican in matters of national import, Mr. Fiehmann with his wife are loyal and active members of the Methodist Church of Sunnyvale, and both as citizens and church members endeavor to favor uplift work.

PROSPER ESTRADE .- Among the settlers of the later '60's in Santa Clara County who had much to do in the development of property from grain and hay fields to vineyards and orchards was the late Prosper Estrade, an industrious and enterprising citizen. He was born at Barat Chien Dessus, Haute Garonne, France, February 12, 1851, and grew to young manhood and received his education in his native district. When he was sixteen years old he left his own country and made his way to America and California, settling in Santa Clara County in 1867. Upon his arrival here he had just forty dol- lars to his name, and to avoid having it stolen, gave it to one of his countrymen to keep for him, and for two years he was employed as a ranch hand; at the same time he learned the ways of the New World and saved his money, so that he was able to buy four horses and a wagon and then began to take contracts to supply the Almaden mines with timber. This he would hire cut and then would haul it during the winter months, while in the summer he worked the Almaden ranch of 700 acres, where he raised hay and grain. He added to his stock until he had four- teen head of horses for teaming and ranching.

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 201

Author: Sawyer, Eugene T Publication date: 1922 Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co. Number of Pages: 1934

Author: Sawyer, Eugene T
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1934