History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 220

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

USA > California > Santa Clara County > History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches > Part 220

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

When John was twenty years of age, he started to make his own way in the world; he took odd jobs, and lived in Michigan until 1889, when he came to California. Here he entered the service of the Lake Box Factory of San Jose, for which he was foreman during the ensuing three years; and having made a success of box-making, he became foreman of the box-making department of the Santa Clara Fruit Exchange, which position of responsibility he continued to fill for the next seven years. Later he was made janitor in charge of the First Christian Church of San Jose.

Mr. Dickinson has also become a most active lodge worker. He entered the Independent Order of Foresters in 1892, and soon passed through all of the chairs of the order; and in 1900 he became their recording secretary, and this office he has held for the past twenty-one years. He is also a member of the Junior Order of the United American Me- chanics and has held every chair in that order at San Jose. He served for thirteen years in the San Jose Fire Department under the administration of Mayor Warwick, and was assigned to Engine No. 2, then known as the Empire Engine Company.

At Marengo, Mich., on June 20, 1875, Mr. Dickin- son was married to Mrs. Sarah M. Sturges, a native of New York and a widow with one son, Charles Sturges, who married Miss Minnie Haywood, and they had four children-Bertha, now Mrs. Widney of San Francisco; Jessie, who has become Mrs. Mc- Mullen of San Francisco; Florence, Mrs. Baker of San Jose; and Pansy, the wife of Elmer William- son, a merchant of San Jose.

JAMES ARMANASCO .- An energetic and capa- ble foreman is found in James Armanasco, who has charge of the seventy-one ranch of A. T. De Forest, three and a half miles from Mountain View. He was born in Lombardy, Italy, April 16, 1894, the son of Gasparia Armanasco, who passed away in 1917. He attended the public school of Italy and received a good elementary education in the Italian language. At the early age of fifteen, he had the misfortune to lose his mother, and the following year he left Italy and came to America, settling in the state of Washington, where he spent six years, working on various farms. It is to his credit that, although he received a meager education, by applica- tion he has acquired a good business knowledge of the English language, so that he is able to readily speak, read and write it. Upon removing to Palo Alto he began working for M. H. Tichenor on his stock farm near Palo Alto, where his honesty and industry has suceeded in winning him many suh- stantial friends. Later he was offered the responsible post of foreman by A. T. De Forest, the duties of which he is fulfilling most capably. This ranch is devoted to dairy, poultry, thoroughbred Holstein cattle, and there are fourteen acres in Bartlett pears and three acres in raspberries.

Mr. Armanasco's marriage united him with Miss Mary Ann Rosatti, also born in Italy. Mrs. Armanasco has contributed, in no small measure, to the success of her husband. They are estcemed throughout the community for their straightforward- ness and strict honesty.

ARTHUR MOE .- Although one of the younger business men of San Jose, Arthur Moe has already made his influence felt in trade circles of the city and his cooperation has been a valuable asset in developing the Prestolite agency, of which he is one of the partners. He was born in Menominee, Dunn County, Wis., December 31, 1892, a son of Adam and Olea Moe. The father followed the occupa- tion of farming and the subject of this review at- tended the public schools of his native city until fourteen years of age, when he accompanied his parents on their removal to Spokane, Wash., Mr. Moe, buying a farm twenty miles from there.

For two years Arthur Moe attended the Spokane high school and then started out in the business world, securing a clerkship with the Spokane & East- ern Trust Company, with which he was connected for five years, gaining valuable experience along commercial lines. He then went to San Francisco, Cal., and for a year was engaged in clerical work on the exposition grounds. In 1916 he entered the employ of the Hercules Powder Company, working in the TNT department until the United States declared war against Germany when he entered the service. In August, 1918, he was sent to Camp Lewis, Wash., being assigned to Battery C, Thirty-seventh Field Artillery, and receiving training as a gunner. He was stationed there until January 1, 1919, and was discharged at the Presidio in San Francisco. He then entered the electrical business in Oakland as a partner of V. L. Bemis, an expert in this line, and at the end of a year they disposed of their in- terests in that city and came to San Jose, where they have since been located. They secured the Prestolite agency and under the firm name of Motor Electric Service Company are located at 245 North

1433

HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

Second Street, and as automotive electricians have already become recognized as one of the leading enterprises of the kind in the city, their business being operated along the most modern lines.

In Oakland, Cal., on August 16, 1919, Mr. Moe married Miss Verna Hansen, a native of Spokane. Wash., and a daughter of Ivan Hansen. One child has been born of this union, Verna Mae. Frater- nally Mr. Moe is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is a member of the American Legion and the Santa Clara County Auto- mobile Trades Association.

WILLIAM M. HERSMAN .- A resident of the Santa Clara Valley for more than thirty years. Wil- liam M. Hersman came to San Martin in 1891, to work on the ranch of his uncle, Rev. W. M. Hers- man. He was born at Middle Grove, Monroe County, Mo., January 1, 1865, his parents being George H. and Mildred (Pollard) Hersman, both natives of Monroe County, but of Kentucky parentage. The father passed away some time ago, but Mrs. Hersman is still living and makes her home at Darby, Mont., with a daughter.

William M. Hersman was reared on the home farm and at the age of eighteen completed the high school course at Strother, Mo., and two years later, in 1885, he removed to Kansas, where he continued to work on farms. In 1889 he continued his westward jour- ney to Montana, remaining there for two more years, and then came down to California, locating at Tem- pleton San Luis Obispo County, where he became foreman on the ranch of his uncle, Rev. Hersman, and after coming to Gilroy he spent four years on the ranch of his uncle there. Feeling that it was time for him to go to ranching on his own account, he then leased land, which he farmed to grain for several years, then leased the old White Place on Foothill Avenue, San Martin, and planted part of it to orchard, and he bought twenty acres on that avenue which he cleared and set to orchard, the land being covered with live oaks and stubble at time of purchase. In 1918 Mr. Hersman located on Monterey Road about two miles and a half from Gilroy, having sold his twenty-acre orchard and gone into partnership with his cousin, former Congressman Hersman, and C. C. Lester of Gilroy, where he has 120 acres in orchard.

At Gilroy in June, 1897, Mr. Hersman was married to Miss Eva White, a native daughter, born at San Ysidro, the daughter of Thomas White, and their marriage has been blessed with five children: Mil- dred is the wife of George Quale, a merchant at San Martin, and they have one child; Myrtle passed away at the age of sixteen; Margaret, George and Evelyn are at home. Now one of the old, established fam- ilies of this district, they are held in high esteem in the community, where they take an active part in all that pertains to the welfare of the people. While living at San Martin Mr. Hersman served as trustee of the San Martin school district two terms, the first time being appointed to fill a vacancy.

MANUEL S. SILVA .- Many lines of activity have felt the stimulus of the enterprise, business discern- inent and well defined plans of Manuel S. Silva, pioneer transfer man, rancher and capitalist of Santa Clara, who wields a wide influence in commercial circles of the city. He possesses initiative combined with marked executive ability, and to him oppor- unity has spelled success. He was born on the

island of Gracioso, in the Azores, February 20, 1851. upon the estate of his grandfather, Manuel S. Silva, who reared a family of four sons and four daughters. The father, Joel Souza Silva, was married on that island to Callinna Souza Silva and they also had a family of eight children, consisting of four sons and four daughters. Mr. Silva followed the occupation of farming for many years and passed away at the age of seventy-four, while the mother died in 1859.

Manuel S. Silva, the youngest of the family, was reared upon a farm and through assisting his father early became familiar with stockraising, dairying and the basic principles of agriculture. When sixteen years of age he sailed for America, landing at Bos- ton, Mass., and soon afterward hecame a member of the crew of a whaling vessel, sailing from Beverly. on which he cruised the Atlantic for fifteen months. They secured their first cargo of whale oil on the Western grounds, which lie between the United States and the Azores, going from there to the island of Fayal, in the Azores, where they disposed of their oil and other whale products. On their next whaling expedition they went to South Africa, thence to Brazil and the West Indies, taking in the Bar- badoes, Guadeloupe and Dominique Islands and re- turning to Fayal, whence they sailed for Beverly. Mass., where Mr. Silva left the vessel. Going to Boston, he there spent a week and then went to Fall River, Mass., where for five years he was employed in a calico mill. At the end of that period he started for the West, and after reaching San Francisco, Cal .. arriving in 1873, he made his way to Half Moon Bay, where he spent four years, devoting his atten- tion to the development of a farm.

In May, 1878, Mr. Silva came to Santa Clara County, being without funds. While residing in San Mateo County he had planted 1,000 sacks of seed potatoes, but owing to the prolonged drought of 1877 his crop was a failure and his indebtedness amounted to $1,500. Land in the vicinity of Santa Clara was then selling for twenty-five dollars an acre and farming was in a demoralized state. The farmers who did not understand soil and climatic conditions were in the habit of sowing forty pounds of seed grain to an acre and the yield was a very poor one. Mr. Silva and other Portuguese farmers conceived the idea of sowing a greater quantity of seed per acre and instead of forty pounds they sowed a sack to an acre. The result was a better stand and the yield per acre was practically quad- rupled, this method being later adopted by the other farmers in the district, which was devoted prin- cipally to the raising of hay and grain. For four years Mr. Silva cultivated rented land and then pur- chased twenty-six and a half acres near Santa Clara, which he still owns, afterward taking up his home in the city. Here he has engaged for many years in the transfer business, being a pioneer in this line in Santa Clara. Owing to his capable management

the enterprise has grown from year to year until it has now reached large proportions. He handles all of the freight consigned to Santa Clara business houses over the Southern Pacific Railroad and his son assists him in conducting the business, which is operated along the most modern and progressive lines. They utilize two motor trucks, one having a capacity of two tons and the other of eight. They

1434

HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

also have eight wagons which will carry from eight :o eleven tons of freight, with from two to eight horses for each wagon, these being used for bad roads and mountain traffic.

While residing at Half Moon Bay Mr. Silva mar- ried Miss Mary Julia Silva, who passed away March 20, 1902, leaving one son, Manuel S., Jr. He mar- med Miss Mary Francisco and they have a daughter, 1.illie. They reside with Mr. Silva, Sr., in an at- tractive home at 1567 Main Street. Mr. Silva is a faithful member of the Santa Clara Catholic Church and is also identified with the I. D. E. S. and the S. E. S. Starting out in life empty-handed, he has worked his way steadily upward until he is today a dominant figure in business circles of Santa Clara.

CHARLES PENNELL AND ALICE H. REED. Within the past few years the poultry business has become a great industry, requiring a specialized and accurate knowledge of the work undertaken if one would win success. Among those who have gained prominence in this field of activity is Charles Pennell Reed, a well-known poultryman of San Jose, who is associated in business with his sister, Alice H. Reed. A native of the East, he was born in Hon- eoye, N. Y., December 29, 1877, a son of Thomas R. and Elmyra (Pennell) Reed. In young man- hood the father took up the occupation of farming, afterward engaging in the meat business, while later he became postmaster of Honeoye, N. Y.

In the public schools of his native city Charles P. Reed acquired his early education, while later he was graduated from the Ohio Wesleyan Uni- versity of Delaware, Ohio, entering that institution in 1896. In 1900 he came to the West, settling at Hoquiam, Wash., where he spent a few years in learning the lumber business. Going to Nevada, he opened a lumber yard at Goldfield, which he afterward sold, and opened another yard at Tono- pah, Nev. Subsequently he established a third yard at Fallon, Nev., which he conducted until 1910, when he sold out and came to San Jose, where he started in the chicken business on a small scale. From the beginning the venture proved a success and as time passed he gradually enlarged his interests, now de- voting his attention to the hatching and selling of baby chicks. He has made a thorough study of the business, which he conducts according to the most modern and progressive methods, and has added a new hatching house 60x80 feet in dimensions with a capacity of sixty incubators, utilizing only elec- trical machines. He keeps about 2,000 breeding fowls and produces all of the eggs used for hatching, having a capacity for hatching 30,000 eggs at one time. His chicken ranch, which comprises two and one-quarter acres, or fourteen city lots, is located on South Fifteenth Street, in San Jose. He has built up a large business, shipping to many points in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming, and during the season of 1920-21 he oper- ated twenty-two incubators at their full capacity and sold 50,000 baby chicks. In the conduct of the busi- ness he is assisted by his sister, Miss Alice H. Reed, who is an equal partner with him in the enterprise. She was also born in Honeoye, N. Y., where she acquired her education, and is a most capable busi- ness woman, much of the success of the undertak- ing being attributable to her able cooperation and ex- cellent judgment. Since coming to San Jose Mr.

Reed's intelligently directed efforts and initiative have been strong elements in his success and he ranks with the leading poultrymen of the state.

MANUEL BRONK .- A successful rancher whose methods as well as his results are worthy of the most flattering study is Manuel Bronk, a native of San Luis Obispo, where he was born on March 22, 1894, the son of Joseph and Amelia (Serafino) Bronk, the former a native of St. Miguel, and the latter of St. George of the Azores. Mr. Bronk came to California from the Azores in 1885, when he was eighteen years old, having stayed about one year in New York, and once he reached the Golden State he chose San Luis Obispo County as the most ap- pealing section, and for twelve years raised beans there on rather an extensive scale. He then re- moved to Ventura, and for ten years cultivated beans on a 400-acre ranch. Finally coming into Santa Clara County, he bought a ranch of twenty- seven and three-fourths acres on Capitol Avenue, devoted to alfalfa and dairying, with one result that, since he was ten years old, Manuel had to help his father, at that early age even driving a team.

Manuel attended school in Ventura County for a while, and then continued for a year in Santa Clara County, after his father had removed hither. When he was fourteen years old, he left home and for eight years worked for other dairy ranchers, and after that he put in four years at orcharding on the Blackburn Ranch, at the corner of Alum Rock Ave- nue and Piedmont Road. In May, 1920, however, he returned home and entered into partnership with his father in running the home dairy; and now they have thirty head of choice cows on their ranch.

On December 6, 1916, Mr. Bronk was married to Miss Mary Silva, a native of Fayal in the Azores, and one of seven children of Jesse and Louisa Silva, the former a farmer of experience and good standing, who is still living in his native land, as is his good wife. Mrs. Bronk came out to California in July, 1915, and lived with her sister, Mrs. Antone Dutra of Sunnyvale until she was married. One child, Joseph Bronk, has blessed this union. Mr. Bronk belongs to Wayne Station Lodge No. 132, of the I. D. E. S., and it is needless to say that among the members of that fraternity, no one is more welcome.

M. T. SEQUEIRA .- A native of the Azores who has made good since coming to America, acquir- ing United States citizenship and establishing him- self comfortably as a progressive, successful rancher, is M. T. Sequeira, of 52 Lucretia Avenue, about two miles southeast of San Jose. He was born on April 2, 1862, at Fayal, the son of M. T. Sequeira, who had married Miss Mary Sequeira, and when about fourteen or fifteen he crossed the ocean and on June 29, 1877, arrived at New Bedford, Mass. For nearly seven years he worked there for wages on a ranch, during which time he had all too lit- tle opportunity to attend school; and in 1883 he came West to California, first stopping for a while in San Francisco, and then locating in Contra Costa County. His first work on the Coast was in brickyards, as a laborer, and for fifteen years after he came to San Jose, in 1889, he was employed by the R. Mil- lard Brick Manufactury Company at their plant ou the Story Road.

While at New Bedford, Mr. Sequeira was mar- ried to Miss Amelia V. Sequeira, a native of St.

Ecken Mc/Lee dora Maker

1437

HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

George in the Azores; and she has become the mother of four children. Antone V. and Mary A. go to school; and there are Hannah A. and Helen. The family worship at the new Church of the Five Wounds, to the building of which Mr. Sequeira has donated much money. He belongs to the U. P. E. C., in which he is a past president, and to the Druids. A Republican in matters of national poli- tics, he was made a citizen in San Jose. Mr. Se- queira owns eight acres of fine prune and apricot orchard near San Jose, while Mrs. Sequeira owns seventeen acres of excellent prune orchard, both su- perior ranch lands. He is a member of the Cali- fornia Prune & Apricot Growers, Inc., and does what he can to promote the activities and success of that organization.

EDSON McKEE .- For more than fifty years Edson McKee has been identified with Santa Clara County, being one of the pioneer horticulturists and ranchers of Cupertino, Cal. He was born in Calhoun County, Ill., September 28, 1855, the son of James McKee, born October 22, 1818, in Ohio. He came out to Illinois, where he was reared, and in young manhood married Abbie Rice, who was born in Mich- igan, May 15, 1826. They were farmers in Illinois until they migrated across the plains to Sonoma County, Cal., crossing the plains in 1858 in wagons drawn by horses. From Sonoma County they went to San Luis Obispo, where they resided until 1870, when they located in Santa Clara County. In 1872 James McKee purchased a ranch of 75 acres on the Doyle Road, and on this fertile farm he and his wife spent their remaining days. He died May 12, 1895, his widow surviving him until March 12, 1921. This worthy couple were the parents of four sons: James Frank is a resident of this county; William W. of Los Angeles; Charles died October 30, 1855, aged four years; Edson, the subject of this sketch, re- ceived his education in the public schools of Cali- fornia, meanwhile assisting his father on the farm. When sixteen years of age he started out for him- self, spending a year at Roseburg, Ore., and thence making his way to Spokane, where he was employed until he had saved some money. He purchased 142 ares of railroad land, which he improved, engaging in general farming.

In Spokane Mr. McKee was married April 2, 1893, to Miss Dora Fine, a native of Missouri, a daughter of J. J. and Frances (Hopkins) Fine, farmers in Missouri until they removed with their family to Spokane, Wash., where they were pioneers and im- proved a farm. They now reside in Tekoa, Wash. Mrs. McKee was the fifth oldest of their eight children. In March, 1894, Mr. McKee brought his family to Santa Clara County and took up farming on his father's place, running the place for his father until his death, and since then he has set out some orchard and reset some of the trees, and installed a pumping plant not only sufficient for irrigating his orchards, but those of some of his neighbors as well. Mr. McKee now owns and operates about twenty- seven acres located on the Doyle Road, a part of the old McKee homestead. It is very choice land and is set to peaches, cherries, apricots, and prunes, all in full bearing and is bringing in a splendid income. He also owned a place in the St. Thomas district, which he improved and sold at a satisfactory profit.

The union of Mr. and Mrs. McKee has been blessed with nine children: Ora L. is Mrs. Sargent, residing in Oakland; Dollie M .; Alfred served in the Forty- sixth U. S. Field Artillery, being stationed at Camp Kearney until after the armistice, when he was dis- charged; Jayd, Ralph, Edmond, Floyd, Oliver, and Amos. All of them, with the exception of Mrs. Sargent, are under the parental roof and assisting the parents in their horticultural enterprise. Mr. and Mrs. McKee are liberal and enterprising, aiding as far as they are able movements for the improvement and betterment of the community. In national pol- itics, Mr. McKee is a stanch supporter of the Re- publican party.

JOHN CASTELLO .- A modern, well-improved ranch of 103 acres, situated two miles from San Jose, pays tribute to the care and labor bestowed upon it by its owner, John Castello, who ranks with the progressive farmers and dairymen of Santa Clara County. He was born on the Isle of St. George, in the Azores, November 20, 1876, a son of Victory and Isabella (Mendonza) Castello, both of whom were born in Calyeata, on that island. The father was the owner of a small farm, which he continued to cultivate until his demise in 1885, when he was fifty-three years of age, while the mother passed away in 1898, also at the age of fifty-three. Of their children four sons and a daughter are residents of California, while a son and a daughter are still living in the Azores.

When eighteen years of age, in 1894, John Cas- tello started for Marin County, Cal., to join an older brother, Joseph, who had preceded him to that section by five years. This brother is now a prominent rancher residing near Visalia, Cal., while another brother, George, is the owner of a ranch near Tracy, Cal. For five years John Castello re- mained in Marin County, receiving at first twenty dollars per month, and having carefully saved his earnings, when he had $900, he made his way to the Santa Clara Valley, he invested this capital in good dairy stock. His farm was situated on May- bury Road and in association with his brother, George Castello, he continued to operate that place for seventeen years. As time passed their business continued to grow steadily and they kept eighty milk cows, while they farmed 230 acres under lease. Six years ago Mr. Castello purchased the old Curtin Ranch of 103 acres, situated two miles from San Jose, at the corner of the Capitol and Story roads, and this he has since conducted. He has made many improvements upon the place, erecting a mod- ern residence and substantial barns and outbuildings, while he also operates a dairy, employing three men for this purpose. Aside from dairying he is also engaged in horticulture, having about ten acres de- voted to raising prunes. His buildings are well equipped and thoroughly sanitary and he brings to the management of his farm a scientific knowledge of modern agriculture and a progressive and open mind.

Mr. Castello was married in San Jose to Miss Mary Fielda, a native of Newark, Cal., and a daugh- ter of Frank and Mary Fielda; the father is de- ceased and the mother resides in Oakland. Mrs. Castello is the second oldest of nine children. Mr. and Mrs. Castello have two children: Angie, who on December 25, 1920, married Antone Souza, of Santa Clara; and La Verne. Mr. Castello is a

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 220

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