History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 202

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

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In 1882, Mr. Estrade was able to buy seventy-six acres of land near the Masson ranch, and at once started in to improve it, setting out an orchard and a vineyard of wine grapes and in time he became a large manufacturer of wine, averaging 250,000 gallons each year, which he sold in San Francisco. He kept five or six men busy the year 'round and superintended the work in person. He also became the owner of eight acres at Robertsville, on the Almaden Road and Branham Lane, and erected the store building and carried on the business for several years, at the same time living on the property. This property was sold by Mrs. Estrade in 1919 to E. H. Muller, who succeeded to the business in 1913. In 1902 Mr. Estrade was taken ill and from that date until his death, on September 11, 1916, was unable to take an active part in conducting his business, although he still directed his ranch and wine-making affairs.

On November 16, 1880, Prosper Estrade and Miss Lizzie Lanz were married. She was born at Stras- burg. Stark County, Ohio, and came with her parents to California in 1876 and located in San Jose. There were four children born of this union: Mary, Mrs. F. N. Pfeiffer, of San Francisco; Frank P. Estrade has two daughters, Esther and Mildred; Lillie died at the age of three and one-half years; Edward A. Estrade lives on the home ranch and is the father of two sons, Melvin and Eugene. Mr. Estrade was a Republican and an Odd Fellow and liberally sup-

ported all projects for the good of the county. Since the passing of Mr. Estrade his wife has managed the ranch so efficiently that she is assured of a good in- come each season. She is a Republican in her polit- ical affiliations, and is interested in all that pertains to the general advancement of the welfare of the community.

MANLY M. CURTIS .- A veteran of the Civil War, who after living a life of varied experiences in many climes has found the land of peace and con- tentment, is Manly M. Curtis, who for more than a decade past has been a resident of the San Martin district. A native of Canada, Mr. Curtis was born in Eaton township, eighty miles south of Quebec, on March 1, 1836, his parents being William and Roxy (Powers) Curtis, the latter a native of Canada. William Curtis was a native of Vermont and a farmer and mechanic, who after his marriage removed to Canada, where he became interested in farming on the frontier, and also was engaged as a builder. In 1837 the family removed to near Port Hope, Upper Canada, and in 1844 they crossed the border to the United States, settled in the vicinity of Lock- port, N. Y., and four years later settled at Canada Corners, near DeKalb, Ill.

Soon after the family had settled in Illinois they moved to Beloit, Wis., later going on from there to Steele County, Minn., where they engaged in farm- ing on 160 acres of land. While living there the Civil War broke out and Mr. Curtis lost no time in offering his services to his country, enlisting in April, 1861, in Company G, First Minnesota Volunteer In- fantry. After serving one month of his ninety days he was discharged. After the Battle of Bull Run he re-enlisted in the same regiment and company, serving until January 26, 1862. He returned to Min- nesota, but soon went on to Montana, where for eleven years he prospected and mined for gold, op- erating in the streets of Helena, and experiencing all the hardships of that life. On his return to Minne- sota in 1877 he settled near Marshall, Lyon County, and there engaged in farming on about one-half a section, but in 1898 the lure of gold and the love of adventure again took him from the peaceful pursuit of farming to the gold fields of Alaska. Fortune did not attend his efforts there, however, and the following year he crossed the continent to its south- castern extreme, locating near White City, Fla. Again the Northwest called him and he removed to Port Angelus, Wash., where he spent about eighteen months, coming to Gilroy, Cal., December 1, 1901. Here, in 1908, he purchased ten acres of land of San Martin ranch, which had been set to vineyard and which he later sold, and he is also the owner of a vineyard of fifteen acres on Bodfish Road near Gil- roy, a desirable piece of property. In 1919 he bought ten acres of prunes on Colombet Avenue north of Middle Avenue.

After his life of travel and adventure, Mr. Curtis is still looking after his property, finding in the Santa Clara Valley the ideal home place and enjoy- ing the fruits of his years of labor. A Republican in politics, he has always taken an active interest in public affairs, and while living in Steele County, Minn., was a member of Somerset township board of supervisors. A great reader and of a philosophic turn of mind, Mr. Curtis has published a book en- titled "Cause of Variation."

Prosper Estrade Photo taken 1902

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

FRANK N. ARNERICH .- Among the rising young men of San Jose, who have accomplished much, although young in years, is Frank N. Arner- ich, who started in the restaurant business when only a lad of seventeen and now owns a place of business under the name of The Oyster Loaf Res- taurant. He was born in Jugo-Slavia, on June 11, 1888, and was the son of Nicholas and Antoinette (Chargin) Arnerich. His father came to California in the year 1875 and settled in Amador County, en- gaging as a miner. He made three trips back to the old country, and in the year 1916 he passed away at his old home, the mother surviving him until 1918. He came to Amador County in 1900, joining his brother, and there attended the public schools of Amador City and later went to night school in San Francisco. Having learned the business of restaura- teur in San Francisco and in San Jose, at the early age of seventeen he engaged in this line in San Jose in the year of 1905, and has continued here ever since. He engaged in business for himself and with his experience in this line, he has built up a good trade, and he has since been very successful; his up- to-date restaurant, The Oyster Loaf, being both pop- ular among San Jose's residents and increasingly profitable for himself.

Mr. Arnerich's marriage united him with Miss Lucy Chargin, who was also a native of Jugo Slavia, and a sister of Joseph, Jerry and Nicholas Chargin. They are the parents of three children-Antoinette Frances, Lawrence Nicholas and Beverly Lucile- and the family reside at 137 North Sixth Street. Mr. Arnerich is a member of the Order of Red Men, and of the Slavonic-American Society of San Jose and is past officer in both orders. He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, Elks, and is a charter niember of the Commercial Club. In national politics he is a stanch Republican.

BURL E. RICE .- Among the progressive young men of Santa Clara County is Burl E. Rice, who was born in Madison, S. D., November 5, 1895, the son of Emmett R. and Anna F. (Eaton) Rice. His father, who was a native of Vermont, was the sta- tion agent for the Union Pacific Railroad at Madi- son, S. D. On the mother's side, the family proudly trace their ancestors back to the two Eaton brothers, who came to the United States in the Mayflower. Grandfather Eaton was an early settler of Illinois, and the story is told that he was once offered the land where the city of Chicago now stands for an old horse. When Burl was but three years old he ac- companied his parents to Kansas, and there his father became station agent at Randolph, Kans. From Kan- sas they moved to Denver, Colo., and his father be- came identified with the Union Pacific Railroad there, when his health failed, and his son, Claire, took his place with the railroad.

The Rice family lived in Denver six years, and then Burl attended the Marie Wolcott School, later removing with the family to California. They lived a short time at Watsonville, but finally settled at Hollister, San Benito County, and lived there one year, his father taking up the carpenter trade. In 1906 the family moved to San Jose, where Burl at- tended the San Jose High School a short time, but when nineteen years old, stopped school to make his own way in life. At first he worked in various lines then started working at the T. & D. Theater as 55

usher, and within six months, through his ability and pleasing personality, became assistant manager.

In July, 1917, Mr. Rice enlisted in the Naval Re- serve Force and was sent to San Pedro for three months, and from there to the San Francisco Naval Port Guard. Later he was transferred to the Asiatic Squadron on board the Flagship Brooklyn, where he served in foreign waters eighteen months, dividing his time between China, Japan, the Philippines, and Vladivostok. Later he returned to California and was released to the Naval Reserves in August, 1919. and July 5, 1921, received his honorable discharge and went back to San Jose, and in a short time was back in his old position, filling it until Oct. 1, 1921. when he resigned to accept a position in the office of the San Jose Lumber Company.

Mr. Rice is the next to the youngest of a family of eight children, six of whom are living: Claire R., Dwight M., Elsie A., Glenn H., and Verne D., and our subject. Claire R., at present is a train dis- patcher at Stockton. He entered the service in August, 1917, in the Russian Railway Service Corps, and was sent directly to Japan, and was there six months, being instructed in the Japanese and Rus- sian languages. He was then sent to Vladivostok and thence into the Siberian interior. He visited every station on the Siberian Transcontinental Railway, and was discharged from the service in November, 1919; Dwight tried to enlist several times, but was rejected; he then volunteered his services to the United States in the Oakland shipyards, and when the first draft was called he was accepted April 1. 1918; he was stationed with the Infantry at Camp Kearney about one year, and was discharged from there in July, 1919; Glenn enlisted in the One Hun- dred Nineteenth Engineers at Camp Fremont in August, 1917, and after six months' training he was sent to France. Arriving at Brest, he was later sent to the firing line, and in one of the engagements was knocked unconscious by a piece of shrapnel which hit his helmet. He returned to the United States and received his discharge in July, 1919; Verne, the youngest brother, was under the draft age, so gave his services working in the Oakland shipyards; he was in line to enter service when the last draft was called, at the time the armistice was signed.

On January 30, 1921, Mr. Rice was married to Miss Ethel Le Mieux, the talented daughter of Jas. A. Le Mieux and Agnes E. Le Mieux, of Menom- inee, Mich., where she was born. Her father came to California when she was nine years old and went into the building contracting business in San Jose, and here she was reared, attending the St. Mary's grammar school. Mr. Rice keeps up his interesting military associations by membership in the American Legion, and is one who stands high in the estimation of his many friends.

CLARENCE A. LUTTER .- In industrial circles of San Jose Clarence A. Lutter is well known as an expert foundryman and an enterprising and capable business man to whom success has come as the re- ward of earnest and untiring effort. He was born in Waukegan, Ill., a son of Charles W. and Katherine (Rehling) Lutter, the former a prominent cigar man- ufacturer. After completing his grammar school course Mr. Lutter entered the high school at Wauke- gan, where he was a student for two years, and when sixteen years of age became connected with the Thomas Brass & Iron Works, where he served an

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

apprenticeship to the foundry trade. He then worked in the Pullman car shops for a time, going from there to Kenosha, Wis, where he secured a position in the shops of the Jeffreys Automobile Company, with which he remained for two years. His next removal took him to Kokomo, Ind., where he became identi- fied with the Haynes Brass and Aluminum Foundry, a branch of the Haynes Automobile Works. At the end of two years he severed his connection with that corporation and spent the next few years in traveling through Ohio, Michigan and Indiana with his brother, securing work in the foundries of the various cities where they stopped.

Mr. Lutter then spent a short time in Lyons, Iowa, and in 1909 came to California at the solicitation of the Bean Spray & Pump Company, who were desir- ous of having him take charge of their brass foundry. His services in that connection were so satisfactory that at the end of a year he was given supervision over the foundries for the plant and continued to fill that position for five years. Having carefully saved his earnings, he then decided to found an independent enterprise and in association with T. C. Kearney established a brass and iron foundry, which they operated for two years and two months and then sold. Mr. Lutter expects in the near future to open a first-class brass foundry in San Jose, in partner- ship with his brother Martin, who is also an expert foundryman, and the venture will undoubtedly prove a successful one.

In San Jose was solemnized the marriage of Clar- ence A. Lutter and Miss Lelia Oswald, a native of this city and a daughter of Benjamin and Aurelia Oswald, the former of whom followed the occupation of mining. To this union have been born three chil- dren: Olivette, Lelia and Clarice. Fraternally, Mr. Lutter is connected with the Loyal Order of Moose, belonging to the lodge at San Jose. Throughout his career he has closely applied himself to the work in hand and has steadily advanced, each forward step bringing him a broader outlook and wider oppor- tunities, thus gaining that superior knowledge which makes him an authority in the branch in which he specializes.

FRANK W. JOHNSON .- After a faithful record of twenty years' service with the Pullman Company, Frank W. Johnson is now living on his comfortable ranch on Murphy Avenne, San Martin, which he has owned for the past twenty years. He was born at Iowa City, Iowa, December 28, 1857, the son of Rolla and Helen ( Morse) Johnson. The father was a native of Massachusetts and he migrated to Tiffin, Ohio, where he was in the mercantile business in the early days, before the coming of the railroad to that state. A man of fine education, he became a suc- cessful merchant in Iowa, and was very prominent in the public life of his day, serving as a representa- tive of Johnson County in the Iowa State Legisla- ture, and he lived to be over ninety years old. Mrs. Johnson, who was a native of Ohio, passed away in California, as did her husband, having made their home in this state since 1906.

Frank W. Johnson was reared and educated in Iowa, and at the age of sixteen he took a position with a dry goods firm, which later was merged into a partnership with his brother-in-law, Joel Lightner, continuing in this business until 1890. He then went to Chicago and entered the service of the Pullman Company, and spent the next seventeen years in the

employ of this corporation. On account of his health Mr. Johnson gave up his railroad work in 1904, com- ing to San Martin, where he had purchased twenty acres of open land in 1902. He had this land planted to a vineyard, and soon regained his health and strength in the freedom of the outdoor life in this balmy climate. Returning to the Pullman service, he was detailed to the Coast division on the South- ern Pacific, from San Francisco to Portland, and he rounded out twenty years with this company before retiring, years filled with interesting experiences that would fill a volume.

In 1890 Mr. Johnson was married to Miss Augusta Wolfe, born at Tipton, Iowa, where she was reared, the daughter of William and Hannah (Colony) Wolfe, the father heing extensively engaged in farm- ing and prominent in the public life of Iowa. He was born March 18, 1827, in Knox County, Ohio, while Mrs. Wolfe was born in March, 1833, in that state. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have one daughter, Helen E., the wife of Chas. G. Barnes of Morgan Hill, and the mother of two children, Helen L. and William Mansel, who have added much joy to the Johnson household.

SAM PISTURINO .- A far-sighted, progressive rancher whose methods have been both studied and copied by others, is Sam Pisturino, a native of the Province D'Reggio, in the extreme southern portion of Italy. His parents were Joseph and Grace Pis- turino, and his father was a farmer who died when our subject was nine years old, followed only a year later by the mother. Joseph Pisturino operated extensively in the management of a vineyard and the growing of oranges and olives, and he was a generous provider for his four children, Jennie, Sam, and Rocco and Angelina, the two latter deceased.

In 1898 Sam Pisturino left his home and native land and crossed the ocean to America, settling first in New York City, hence he traveled for about eight years throughout the East, the Middle West and the West, stopping longest in Chicago and Portland. In September, 1906, he came into California and took up ranching for himself. He bought six acres on Capitol Avenue, just south of Berryessa, and later purchased ten acres additional. These sixteen acres are now devoted to raising prunes and apricots and the land is amply irrigated. The ranch is also hand- somely improved with a home which he himself built, and with other necessary buildings.

Mr. Pisturino's cousin, John, has been with our subject most of the time since he came out to Amer- ica, and together they have operated. John was born at the same place as Sam, in Southern Italy, on May 29, 1885, the son of Peter and Katherine Pis- turino, and entered a family eventually of six chil- dren. Joseph, the eldest, died in 1910; Mary and Cecilia came next; John was the fourth in order of birth, and Peter and Jennie were the youngest. When John Pisturino came to California in 1906, he joined his cousin Sam in San Jose. The following year, on March 16, he married Miss Sarah Giosa, a native of the Province of Palermo, and the daughter of Joseph and Rose Giosa Now they have a family of seven children: Katherine, Peter, Frank, Joseph, Rosalie, Mary and Rosaria, the latter deceased. John Pis- turino has a ranch of twenty-five acres on Capitol Avenue, just north of that of Sam, fifteen acres of which are given to the cultivation of prunes, and the rest to apricots, buildings and drying yards.

Meter Canchaje

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

VICTOR CAUHAPE .- Among the citizens of foreign birth who have helped to build up the great state of California so that it ranks high in the com- mercial world was the late Victor Cauhapé, for many years a very successful buyer of stock and a resident of San Jose. He was born at Cier de Riviere, in the Haute Garonne section of France, on March 6, 1849, the son of John and Bertrande Cauhape, who were large land holders in that province.

Next to the youngest in the family, Victor Canhape attended the local schools in pursuit of his education up to his nineteenth year. It had been the intention of his mother-his father having died in 1852-that Victor should be sent to Polignan college to prepare him for his life work. but the young man thought otherwise and declared that he was through with books and was coming to America and California, and that his future was in the New World, his success only awaiting his arrival. After much discussion he had his way and the money for his passage, and $700 be- sides, was given him by his aunt. He came to Cali- fornia via Panama and arrived in San Francisco the day after the great earthquake in 1868. His money enabled him to make a tour of the state and to study conditions and decide upon a place to begin opera- tions. To familiarize himself with local conditions he went to work as a ranch hand at San Juan, riding the range as a cowboy, and soon learned to spca . Spanish and English, so that eight years later, in 1876, he began on a small scale to buy stock for the markets of San Jose. He opened an office and main- tained his headquarters in San Jose until his death, and in time became one of the best-known buyers in Central California. He bought eight acres of land southeast of the town and erected a slaughter house and there prepared the meat for the customer. In 1910 he gave up slaughtering and only supplied the markets with animals on the hoof. He leased large areas of land, on which he grazed his stock to fatten them for market; for nineteen years he was a tenant of David Jacks of Monterey, and they became fast friends.

Mr. Cauhapé was united in marriage at San Jose, August 21, 1879, with Miss Marie Landry. She was born in Mexico on July 24, 1862, the daughter of Joseph and Francesca (Marino) Landry, who came to California in 1867 on account of the revolution in Mexico, and located first at Carpinteria, Santa Bar- bara County. It was at Almaden, where Mr. Cau- hapé had a meat market, that she first met her future husband and they were later married. They settled in San Jose in 1892, on the land where Mr. Cauhapé had maintained his slaughter house, but which he had moved to replace with a modern resi- dence, and there the family lived until 1919. There were seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Cauhapé, four boys and three girls: Bertrande Marie, now Mrs. John J. Hartmann of San Jose, and the mother of a son, John J., Jr .; Victor, died at the age of two years; Blanche Marguerite, Mrs. Armand V. Turon- net, also of San Jose; Rita Antoinette, is Mrs. John M. Brown and she has a son, Benjamin M .; Francis Eugene, married Henrietta Beatty; they have two children, Francis E., Jr., and Victor, and reside in Los Angeles; Louis Charles, married Bernice Cork- ery and has a child, Lonis C., Jr. Louis is carrying on a stock business and is quite successful. He served in the World War in the United States Army, enlisting July 2, 1917, and joined the motor truck

transport corps; July 3, 1918, he landed at Liverpool and a week later was in France and saw eighteen months' service with the M. T. T. C., being pro- moted to top sergeant. He was discharged at St. Agnews on April 9, 1919, and while in Europe toured France, Spain and Belgium as a civilian, returning to San Jose on June 10, 1919. The youngest son, Felipe Landry, is attending Tamalpais Military Acad- emy. These children were all born and reared in San Jose, the girls being educated at Notre Dame and the boys at Santa Clara College. In 1885 Mr. and Mrs. Cauhapé made a trip to France to visit Mr. Cauhapé's mother; the second trip was made in 1890. This time they were accompanied by their two eldest daughters. Mr. Cauhapé died in San Jose on November 28, 1917, mourned by all who knew him for his worth as a citizen and friend, husband and father. He was a member of the Chamber of Com- merce and was a Republican. He was liberal in his support of all worthy movements for the good of the county; was a quiet and unassuming man, always of cheery disposition and never so happy as when sur- rounded by his family. He was always ready to aid his countrymen who came to him for work and many of them owe to Mr. Cauhape their start in life in California. The family are members of the Roman Catholic Church.

RICHARD J. MERRILL .- For nearly thirty years a resident of the Morgan Hill district, R. J. Merrill has for more than a quarter of a century lived in the residence which he erected on his ranch on Llagas Road. Mr. Merrill is a native of Wiscon- sin, born in Dodge County, July 25, 1850, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel G. Merrill, the father being a native of Ohio, who lived to the ripe old age of eighty-five and died at Janesville, Minn. Three older brothers of our subject, Alex, Silas and Simeon, served in the Civil War. In 1860 the family re- moved to Waseca County, Minn., and there he passed his boyhood days, getting only a limited amount of schooling and learning the hard work of the farm.

In 1877 Mr. and Mrs. R. J. Merrill removed to Dakota Territory and there pre-empted and home- steaded 320 acres of land. Here they passed through much hardship, due to crop failure, blizzards and the untoward experiences that are a part of pioneer life. but doing their part in bringing about the de- velopment enjoyed by its residents today. Here they remained until 1893, when they sought the milder climate of California, coming to Morgan Hill, where Mr. Merrill's older brother, Silas Merrill, had pre- ceded him, and who lived here until his death in 1905. Soon after locating here Mr. Merrill pur- chased his ranch property and he has since been oc- cupied as an orchardist and is the owner of thirty- five acres, devoted to fruit. 1n 1911 he also became · interested in raising registered Berkshire hogs, and since then has bred and sold much fancy, high-priced stock, until marketing conditions became unfavorable.

While a resident of Minnesota, Mr. Merrill was married, on November 22, 1875, to Miss Alice M. Morse, born in Wisconsin, a daughter of Jacob Morse, a native of England, who came to this coun- try August 15, 1857. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Merrill: Frank L. is a cement con- tractor and resides at Los Angeles with his wife and son; Roy M. assists on the home ranch. Mr. Merrill is a member of the American Berkshire Association,

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 202

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