Merced County
Biographies
ANDREW ANDERSEN
Notwithstanding hardships and discouragements, of which he has experienced not a few, Andrew Andersen, by persistency of purpose and persevering industry, has risen to a position of influence among the business men of Gustine, where for the past twelve years he has been the agent of the Buick automobile and in connection therewith operates a modern garage with a good stock of accessories. He was born at Marstal, Denmark, January 28, 1885, a son of Hans R. and Agnes (Christensen) Andersen, both natives of the same country. The father, Hans R. Andersen, is a blacksmith by trade and with his wife is still living in Denmark.
Andrew Andersen received his education in the public schools of Denmark and learned the blacksmith's trade with his father. At the age of nineteen he left home and came to California, locating at Newman, Stanislaus County, where he worked on ranches for Simon Newman & Company for two and a half years; he then worked for about six months in the blacksmith shop owned by Mr. Jefferson in Newman. Following this he engaged in the blacksmith business for himself in Gustine, where he had bought a lot and built a shop on it. In 1912 he sold a half interest in the business to Peter E. Petersen. Mr. Andersen then made an extended trip to his home in Denmark and upon his return to California in 1914, built a modern garage building and became the distributor for the Buick automobiles, the firm being Andersen and Petersen. In 1919, Gilbert Kerr bought Mr. Petersen's interest in the garage and the firm is now Andersen and Kerr. In 1923 Mr. Andersen sold the blacksmith business to Mr. Petersen. In 1924 he made another trip back to his old home, taking his wife and children, to attend the golden wedding anniversary of his parents' marriage.
At Fresno, Cal., on October 6, 1914, Mr. Andersen was married to Miss Volberg C. Petersen, also born in Denmark, daughter of Rasmus Petersen. Mr. and Mrs. Andersen are the parents of three children: Jane, Richard, and Virginia. In 1910 Mr. Andersen received his United States citizenship papers and since that time has voted the Democratic ticket; he has served as deputy constable of Gustine and also as trustee of the city. Fraternally, he is affiliated with the Dania Lodge and Romero Lodge No. 413, I. O. O. F., of Gustine.
History of Merced County, California – Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 1925
page 645-646
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
C. R. DAVIS
The name of C. R Davis is well-known throughout Merced County, where he has been identified with the business, political and social life for several years, and he holds a place of especial prominence among the citizens of Livingston. He was born in Steubenville, Ohio, on January 12, 1880, a son of Edmund and Laura (Kettlewood) Davis, natives of Wales and Pennsylvania, respectively. Edmund Davis came to America while a young man and followed his trade of sheet-metal worker; while working in a mill at Wellsville, Ohio, he sustained injuries from which he died in 1916, aged sixty-eight years. The mother is still living and makes her home at East Liverpool, Ohio, and has reached the age of sixty-eight years.
C. R. Davis is the third in a family of seven children and is the only one residing in California. He grew up in his native State and there received his education in the common schools; after leaving school he thoroughly learned the sheet-metal trade. Before leaving Ohio, Mr. Davis was married to Miss Erla Thompson, born at Wellsville that State, a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Malone) Thompson, in whose family there were four children. The mother passed away when Mrs. Davis was six years old and the father is now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Davis have a family of four children: Willett McFarland is a lineman for the San Joaquin Light & Power Company; Ralph; Bert; and Dorothy Elizabeth. The Davis family came to California in 1903 and direct to Merced County, where Mr. Davis bought forty acres one mile north of Livingston; this he improved to fruit trees and vines and after five years sold it. He then entered the employ of Hammatt and Crowell as outside man, putting in crops of oats, rye, barley and wheat; two years later he became clerk in the store for the same company. He has grown up with the business and is now head of the hardware department for the Crowell-White Company, Inc., successors to Hammatt and Crowell. Mr. Davis and his family reside in a modern six-room residence in Livingston built in 1913. He is a Democrat in politics and is a member of the Boosters' Club of Livingston. When Livingston was incorporated as a city, Mr. Davis was elected a member of the first board of trustees; for six years he served as clerk of the grammar school board. For the past eighteen years he has served as a fireman, first on the bucket brigade; Livingston now boasts an up-to-date fire department and Mr. Davis serves as fire chief. Largely through the efforts of Mr. Davis the Livingston branch of the Merced County free library was established. Fraternally Mr. Davis is a member of the Knights of Pythias and Modern Woodmen of America of Livingston. The family are members of the Episcopal Church of Livingston.
History of Merced County, California – Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 1925
page 646-647
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
OSCAR EPHRAIM PHILLIPS
It is the second generation of people who are now maintaining the standard set by more advanced settlers of the pioneer period in the Golden State, and none is more deserving than Oscar Ephraim Phillips, who was born at Badger Flat, Merced County, May 23, 1875, the son of the late William Milton and Sarah Jane Phillips, mention of whom is made on another page of this history. After finishing the courses at the Center Point school near Los Banos, O. E. Phillips became associated with his father, remaining with him until twenty-three years of age. He was then given forty acres of land by his father, who gave him the necessary equipment to carry on the project he had undertaken and for more than twenty-five years he has carried on a dairy industry. As he has succeeded he has bought sixty-five acres nearby, and finally he purchased eighty acres south of Los Banos on the plains, and in 1921 added fifty-five acres to his holdings one mile east of Los Banos. He raises grain on some of his land and on the rest he maintains a dairy of fifty cows. He is one of the successful ranchers of this part of the county and takes a live interest in all that pertains to the advancement of the people's interest.
On November 1, 1898, Oscar Ephraim Phillips and Miss Phoebe Mills were made man and wife at Gonzales, Monterey County. Mrs. Phillips was born in that county, the daughter of John Boardman and Louise (Bickmore) Mills, and she was reared in the San Miguel Canyon. Her father was a rancher and carpenter and one of the early settlers of that locality. He died at the age of fifty; Mrs. Mills lived to be fifty-six. D. O. Mills, pioneer banker in Sacramento, was an uncle of Mrs. Phillips. The following children have been born of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Phillips: Ervin Glenn, Lurine, Irma, Hazel and Melva Illeen. Mr. Phillips is a Republican and he holds membership in the Los Banos Center of the Merced County Farm Bureau. Fraternally, he belongs to the Woodmen of the World at Los Banos.
History of Merced County, California – Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 1925
page 647-648
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler