Biography of Luke P. Biskup of Watsonville California

History of Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties, California Volume 2 Title Page

Luke P. Biskup, prominently identified with the fruit-packing industry of Watsonville, is a self-made man and a representative of that type of foreign-born American citizen whose inherited tendencies of industry, enterprise and integrity have added so much to the development and prosperity of our nation. He was born June 5, 1887, in the province of Dalmatia, Austria, and was reared on a farm. His education was acquired in his native land and in 1908, when eighteen years of age, he yielded to the lure of the new world. After reaching the United States he started for Watsonville, where he joined … Read more

Biography of Adolf Rother of Santa Cruz California

History of Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties, California Volume 2 Title Page

A native of Germany who has become a full-fledged American and enjoys the confidence, esteem and goodwill of his fellow-citizens in this, his adopted country, is Adolf Rother, the proprietor of the “Town Clock Cafe,” at 107 Pacific avenue, Santa Cruz. He was born in Riesengebirge, Germany, August 12, 1881, and when nineteen years-of-age came to America. For a while, he worked in the Hotel Waldorf-by-the-Sea, at Rockaway Beach, Long Island, and later was employed in some of the prominent hotels and leading cafes in New York. For ten years he worked in Achtel Steller’s restaurant, in Newark, New Jersey, … Read more

Biography of Edward B. Breschini of Blanco California

History of Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties, California Volume 2 Title Page

Breschini’s Emporium in Blanco, is one of the well known and thriving mercantile concerns of Monterey county. In 1888 John Breschini came from Switzerland and settled in central California. For several years he worked on dairy farms in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties, and then bought a ranch near Blanco. In 1900 he gave a turkey shoot and raffle at his ranch, the first of its kind in this section of the state. Since then the annual event of this character is one of the “big doings” of the county. Frequently five thousand people are in attendance and from a … Read more

Biography of Stephen Scurich of Watsonville California

History of Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties, California Volume 2 Title Page

Some men are born with a genius for leadership and no obstacle can prevent them from attaining the object of their ambition. Of this type is Stephen Scurich, who came to this country a poor boy and through the strength of his character and the force of his mental endowments has overcome circumstances, bending them to his will. He has now reached a field of broad influence and usefulness, and Watsonville is the richer in resources and citizenship because of his enterprise and public spirit. Stephen Scurich was born in Dalmatia, October 18, 1868, and in 1884, when sixteen years … Read more

Biography of Carl F. Arnold of Watsonville California

History of Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties, California Volume 2 Title Page

Carl F. Arnold, whose talents lie along mechanical lines, has worked for many of the leading automobile manufacturers of the country, constantly broadening his knowledge and augmenting his skill, and is now classed with the most successful dealers of Watsonville, where he also operates a well equipped repair shop. Fortune has not always bestowed her favors upon him, but adversity has spurred him on to renewed effort, and by hard work and perseverance he has conquered every impediment in his course, pressing steadily onward to the goal fixed by his ambition. Mr. Arnold was born June 29, 1879, in Battle … Read more

Biography of Mrs. Alice Culverwell Dixon of Santa Cruz California

History of Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties, California Volume 2 Title Page

Mrs. Alice Culverwell Dixon, clerk of the board of education of the city of Santa Cruz, and widely known for her executive ability, is constantly actuated by a desire to be of service, in making the school system here equal to that of any other part of the state. Mrs. Dixon is a native daughter of the “Golden West,” born in San Francisco, and descended from old pioneer stock, her grandfather having been one of those who arrived in 1849. She was educated in the Santa Cruz schools, after which she taught for a while in the city schools. She … Read more

Moreland Notre Dame Academy California

Moreland Notre Dame Academy California

The Moreland Notre Dame Academy stands in majestic beauty just where the main thoroughfare of Watsonville blends with the Santa Cruz highway. It is the splendid tribute of a devoted mother to the memory of her only child, and a still more splendid memorial of that mother’s grand Catholic spirit. The academy was erected in 1899 by Mrs. Margaret S. Moreland, of Watsonville, who took this means of perpetuating the memory of her beloved daughter, Josephine, deceased some years before that time. Josephine had been educated by the Sisters of Notre Dame and she was a cherished student of College … Read more

Biography of George Paulsen of Santa Cruz California

History of Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties, California Volume 2 Title Page

George Paulsen, proprietor of the Sunshine Creamery at 17 Walnut avenue, Santa Cruz, was born on a farm in Schleswig-Holstein, Denmark, January 19, 1892. In young manhood he served for a year in the Danish army and then worked in a creamery, the two experiences affording him a practical knowledge of life that has been of value to him ever since. In 1913, or a short time before the outbreak of the World war, Mr. Paulsen crossed the Atlantic to America and soon made his way westward to California. For a short time he was in Watsonville and later was … Read more

Biography of Grant Stewart of Watsonville California

History of Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties, California Volume 2 Title Page

The experiences of life on the western frontier are thoroughly familiar to Grant Stewart, who followed mining and railroading in the early days and is now engaged in the cement contracting business at Watsonville. His activities along construction lines have brought him a wide acquaintance in northern California, and his is the record of a self-made man whose life from early boyhood has been one of unremitting industry. He was born March 18, 1868, in the old mining town of You Bet, high up in the Sierra mountains, in Nevada county, California. His father was one of the pioneer miners … Read more

Biography of W. F. Nichols of King City California

History of Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties, California Volume 2 Title Page

W. F. Nichols, manager and part owner of the King City Mercantile Company, was born at Aptos, Santa Cruz county; California, February 10, 1884. His father, Benjamin C. Nichols, came to that county in 1852, when the state of California was but two years old. He built and operated one of the first sawmills in the county and later followed agricultural pursuits. He married Miss Margaret Ward and the subject of this sketch is one of the children born to this union. After receiving a common school education W. F. Nichols learned telegraphy. While still in his teens he was … Read more