Santa Cruz County

Biography of G. P. Burkett of Santa Cruz

Title Page vol 1 The New California

G. P. Burkett, president of the San Jose Transfer Company, in which connection he has been instrumental in developing a business of profitable proportions, was born in Jefferson, North Carolina, in 1856. His father, Daniel Burkett, was a representative of an old German family, and he married Nancy Johnston, who was descended from Scotch ancestry. Their son, G. P. Burkett, was educated in the public schools of his native state, and in 1876, at the age of twenty years, started out in life on his own account. he followed farming in the state of his nativity until 1879, when he … Read more

Biography of John H. Horsnyder of Santa Cruz California

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

Associated with the historic past as the pioneer druggist of Santa Cruz, John H. Horsnyder knows almost everybody for miles around, and everybody knows, or ought to know him, while all who know him well esteem and honor him for his life and work. A. native of the good old Buckeye state, he was born at Cincinnati, Ohio, January 20, 1857, and as a boy attended the excellent schools of that city. He was graduated from the Cincinnati College of Pharmacy as a member of the Class of ’77, and worked as a prescription clerk and druggist in his native … Read more

Biography of Peter J. Storm of Watsonville California

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

Peter J. Storm, a member of one of the honored pioneer families of Watsonville, is ably continuing the work begun by his father and ranks with the leading stock raisers of the Pajaro valley. He was born December 4, 1876, on the home ranch, and his parents, Christian F. and Laura (Anderson) Storm, were both natives of Denmark. The father was born in Schleswig-Holstein and was a son of Peter Storm, who came to this section of the state in the late ’50s. The latter engaged in farming near Watsonville and built the first bridge across the slough, at the … Read more

Biography of Frank P. McFadden of Blanco California

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

Frank P. McFadden, a prominent ranchman near Blanco and supervisor of District No. 2, Monterey county, was born March 17, 1871, a son of Charles and Sophia (Fabry) McFadden. The father was a native of Ireland and the mother a native of Germany. Both came to the United States as young people and were married in this country. Charles McFadden came to California and for some years was engaged in the sawmill business in Santa Cruz. Some time in the ’60s he bought a ranch near Blanco and became one of the substantial citizens, active in local affairs, until his … Read more

Biography of George F. Stanley of Santa Cruz California

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

Prominent among the representatives of the bar of Santa Cruz, is Judge George F. Stanley, who as lawyer and police judge is well-known. He was born in this city on the 4th of June, 1869—a fact that has given him a great advantage, for he has always been in close touch, understanding and sympathy with Californian institutions. His father was John R. Stanley, a native of Massachusetts, and he married Miss Mary O’Donnell, a daughter of green Erin’s isle. Five children were born to the worthy couple and of this family, two are still living, Judge Stanley and his brother, … Read more

Biography of George P. Butler of Santa Cruz California

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

The spirit of enterprise and business discernment finds expression in George P. Butler, grower and shipper of fancy hothouse cucumbers, of 562 Ocean street, Santa Cruz. He was born in Surrey, England, April 24, 1877, a son of George and Eliza (Smith) Butler, the former a native of Rye, England, now deceased, while the latter was born in the world’s metropolis, London, and is still living. George Butler, Sr., was a grower of cucumbers under glass in England, where as a boy of ten years George P. Butler of this review started to experiment with some planted seed in a … Read more

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