Merced County
Biographies
J. MIGUEL ARBURUA
One of the most prominent citizens of the West Side of the San Joaquin Valley, now a resident near the city of Los Banos, is J. Miguel Arburua, who is living retired after many years of useful activity. He was born in the Basque Province of Etchlar, in the Pyrenees, Spain, on November 24, 1844, and received a limited education, so practically what he received was obtained from contact with the world. He came to the United States and California, via Cape Horn in 1866, taking six months to complete the journey. He had no money and his only assets were his indomitable courage and a willingness to work. His uncle, Miguel Aguirre, had settled in San Francisco in an early day, and when the nephew arrived in San Francisco he obtained a job for him in Butchertown at twenty dollars per month and the young man held down that job for four years, saving his money and paying back the amount advanced him for his fare to the new world. He had no knowledge of English and that made it harder for him, but he stuck to his job and in time mastered enough of the English language to enable him to transact business—and in time there was no shrewder business man and financier than J. M. Arburua.
The first venture our subject tackled was in partnership with J. Lugea. They carried on a sheep business for four years and made it a success, though suffering severe losses in 1877 on account of the drouth, when he took his sheep to Nevada. In 1886 Mr. Arburua located on the Carrizalito grant in Merced County, purchasing the property of 22,000 acres for $42,000 from the man who had previously bought it for $65,000 and failed to make good and was willing to turn over the huge indebtedness to Mr. Arburua for $2000 and he to assume the mortgage. He had no money, but he bought the land, having as his only assets about 7000 head of sheep. He made money from the start and in time added by purchase from various settlers in his vicinity 6500 more acres. On this large tract of land he engaged in the cattle and sheep business until 1915, being assisted by his entire family to attain their independence. In the year mentioned he divided his large acreage among his children and turned over the management of its affairs, bought sixty-five acres near Los Banos, known as Rouse ranch, and settled down to farming on a small scale and is now living retired on this ranch with his wife. He is known as one of the most honorable men of his day and age, public spirited, generous and at eighty is hale and hearty and enjoys life to its full. He has always been a hard worker and expected his sons to do their share, which each of them has done and all are worthy representatives of their honored parent.
The marriage of J. Miguel Arburua occurred on November 24, 1882, when he was united with Josefa Lavayn, daughter of Baptiste and Michaela Lavayn. She was born in the same province, in 1860, as her husband and came to America when fourteen, receiving her education in California. To this wonderful woman Mr. Arburua gives great credit for his success as she helped in the management of their affairs. They had the following children: Carmen, single; Helen M., married I. B. Cornett and lives in Los Banos; Frank J., married Helena Harms and resides on the home ranch; Louis P., married Marie M. Chotro, has two children, Lucille and Josephine, and is the proprietor of the City Market in Los Banos, besides largely interested in ranching; Joseph M. is a veterinary surgeon in San Francisco and married to Eleanor Kehoe and has a son John Joseph.. He was a first lieutenant and saw service on the Mexican border and in France with the Eighth Division. Mr. Arburua was a director of the First National Bank, now the Bank of Italy, in Los Banos. He has always been prominent in educational affairs and donated land for two school buildings and served as a trustee for many years. He believes in doing good wherever he can and has always been a liberal giver to churches and church work, regardless of denomination. His great outstanding characteristic has been his ability to get results from those he has employed and at the same time cement a friendship that lasts while either party lives. He has worked unceasingly himself and attributes his good health to that activity. With his good wife he is enjoying the fruits of their labors and their friends are legion.
History of Merced County, California – Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 1925
page 409-411
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
HENRY FREDERICK FERDINAND SALAU
Among the pioneers of Merced County none had a more eventful career than Henry F. F. Salau, who made his home five miles southwest of Los Banos. He was a prominent rancher and stockman in California, and few had touched at as many ports of the world as had Mr. Salau while he was sailing the seas. He was born June 3, 1835, at Kiel, Germany, the son of John and Catherine (Kremhoff) Salau, also natives of that same place. The mother died in 1854 while the father lived to reach the age of sixty. He was a weaver by trade and he and his wife were members of the Lutheran Church and strict in the discipline of their children.
The oldest son in the family, Henry Salau remained at home until he was fourteen; then, feeling the touch of poverty and lack of opportunity, he became a sailor aboard the brig "Betsy of London," which was the vessel used by John Paul Jones fifty years before, sailing to London, then to Quebec, Canada, but before reaching the latter port experienced his first shipwreck, in which eleven of the crew were rescued by the Humboldt of Hamburg and taken to New York. Three months later he shipped on the Humboldt for Hamburg, then on the same ship made two trips to New York. The last time he came around the Horn to California, reaching San Francisco in August, 1852. Thereafter he was engaged in the coasting trade between San Francisco and Puget Sound. In 1861 he shipped on the Challenger for Liverpool, a voyage of 103 days. His next ship was the Nicholas Biddle for New York, after which he took a trip to the West Indies on the Warwick. His next trip was around the Horn on the clipper ship, Magnet, 140 days. He continued as a sailor on various ships and had reached the rank of second officer. During the years that had passed he had become well informed on conditions in nearly every part of the world, and when he had spent about a year in Germany, where he worked in a moulding factory, he decided he would come to the United States and California. Like the majority of men who follow the sea, he had not accumulated any money, so he had to begin at the bottom and work his way to the top. His arrival in San Francisco was in April, 1867, on the Moses Taylor. Going to Santa Clara he farmed in that vicinity until 1869, then went to the West Side in Merced County and entered 160 acres near Volta. He did not prove up on this land but soon settled near Los Banos and engaged in the sheep business. In 1871 he located on 160 acres and improved it and made that his home for many years, adding to his property until he had 700 acres which he devoted to grain and stock.
Mr. Salau entered into every movement that had for its end the betterment of general conditions, was a strong Republican and served on the County Central Committee and as a delegate to county and state conventions. Fraternally he held membership in the Workmen. He was reared in the Lutheran faith and belonged to that church in Los Banos. He married at Kiel, Germany, Miss Marie Dorathea (Weber) Salau, born in Holstein, and they had five children: Augusta C., the wife of M. Becker of Berkeley; Adolph of Fruitvale; Mary; Louis, who died in 1918; and Doretta C., of Los Banos. Mr. Salau died on April 12, 1910, aged seventy-five, and Mrs. Salau passed away on November 23, 1919.
History of Merced County, California – Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 1925
page 411-412
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler