Merced County
Biographies
L. F. ARNOLD
Whoever labors to secure the development of his country, striving to bring out its latent resources and devoted to the general welfare of the people, he it is that earns a place as a public benefactor and is entitled to mention in the pages of history. Of such may be chronicled the name of L. F. Arnold, who owns, cultivates and lives on his fruit ranch of thirty acres two and three-quarters miles southwest of Winton. He was born at Pittsburgh, Pa., on September 12, 1877, a son of Laurence A. and Margaret (Mertz) Arnold. His father was born in Germany and came to Pennsylvania, where he married Margaret Mertz and became a truck farmer. They reared a family of ten children, and both died aged seventy-two years.
L. F. Arnold was the third of his father's family of ten children. He grew up and attended the public schools and worked on his father's farm at Beaver Falls, Pa. He took a commercial course in a business college and was bookkeeper in a Pittsburgh grocery house. Mr. Arnold came to California in 1903, and to Fruitland precinct in 1909, after six years spent in San Francisco. He moved out to his present ranch in 1910. It is an excellent fruit ranch with a comfortable country house and was once a portion of the Crocker-Huffman holdings.
In 1907 L. F. Arnold was married to Miss Clara Steiner, one of the three daughters of John and Phoebe (Grismore) Steiner. She was born and grew up at Bluffton, Ohio, where her father was a carpenter and builder. He died eighteen years ago. Her mother is still living at Merced. Mr. and Mrs. Arnold have five children, as follows: Paul I., in the high school; May P., in the grammar school; and Frank S., Howard C., and Ruth E. Mr. Arnold and his good wife take an active interest in public affairs. He has served as election judge, on the school board and on the Fruitland Center of the Merced County Farm Bureau and is now president of the latter bureau. For many years he served as president of the Arena branch of the National Farm Loan Association. He is a director of the Atwater Fruit Exchange.
History of Merced County, California – Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 1925
page 571-572
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
HARRY A. LOGUE
Among the foremost citizens of Winton, Merced County, Cal., is Harry A. Logue, the resident agent for the Cooperative Land & Trust Company. A man of energy, resolution and persistency he is justly recognized as one of the most progressive citizens of the Winton section. Mr. Logue helped to lay out, sell and settle up the Parr Colony in the Fruitland section of Merced County; he also helped to lay out the town of Yam, and through his efforts a postoffice was established and he became the first postmaster. Recognizing the advantages of the Winton section he turned his attention to this part of the county and has been the most active spirit in the advancement of this locality ever since.
The birth of Harry A. Logue occurred at St. Louis, Mo., on October 2, 1856, and, he is a son of William O. and Martha Ann (Beadle) Logue, natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio, respectively. William O. Logue started across the plains in 1860, his destination being Colorado. At the outbreak of the Civil War he entered the Navy and rose to chief engineer and served throughout the war in this capacity; after the close of the war he located at Trenton, Ill., but the West called too strongly and with a company of friends he started again across the plains for the gold fields of Colorado. The company encountered hostile Indians and for several days they had a running fight with them and a number of their company were killed. The father located at Black Hawk, Colo., where he engaged in mining.
Harry A. Logue attended public school in Colorado and as he grew to young manhood he became interested in mining pursuits and was interested in this line of work in a number of states and territories. When he located in Merced County in 1906, his development instinct took the form of establishing town sites and this kind of work has proven most interesting and lucrative.
At Tombstone, Ariz., on June 16, 1889, Mr. Logue was married to Mrs. Jennie Clark, widow of Robert E. Clark, and a daughter of George and Sophia Burns. Mrs. Logue was born in Pennsylvania, of Scotch and English ancestors; by her first husband she has one son, Robert E. Clark, now known as Robert E. Logue, a traveling salesman for the Holt Manufacturing Company, his territory being in Alaska. Mr. and Mrs. Logue are the parents of four children: Sophia is the wife of G. W. Wilhoit and they have four sons. Martha is the wife of A. E. Smith, postmaster at Winton; they have two children. Harry A. Jr., married Grace Gibbons, and they have two boys. He manufacturers electric water heaters. Virginia is the wife of Kenneth Brown, a salesman, and they reside in Los Angeles. Mr. Logue is of an inventive turn of mind and has obtained United States patents for an automatic headlight for automobiles, and an automatic block which may be attached to the rear wheels of any automobile. He is also interested in horticulture and owns a five-acre almond orchard at Winton, and in addition owns his residence in town.
History of Merced County, California – Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 1925
page 572-573
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
AUGUST C. M. TETZLAFF
FRANK TETZLAFF
One of the pioneer ranchers of Merced County, and a man who aided materially in its development, August C. M. Tetzlaff came to this country when a youth of eighteen years, and by the steady application of industry and honesty, he built up a name for himself as one of the prominent agriculturists of the San Joaquin Valley, and a man to be relied upon at all times by his fellow-men. Born October 14, 1853, in Germany, he was the son of William A. Tetzlaff, a native of that country and a tailor by trade, who, with his son Frank, emigrated to the United States, and after a short time spent in Baltimore, they both came to California, in 1870, and in 1871 August and two sisters came to America, one sister remaining in Philadelphia; the other and August joined them in California. His mother had died in Germany, and when August arrived in Merced County he entered ranch life as a wage earner on the Applegate Ranch.
The second season in the new country, the two brothers, August and Frank Tetzlaff, entered agriculture on their own account, as joint partners, rented land and engaged in grain growing in the vicinity of the Eugene Morley property. They soon invested in land on Mariposa Creek, formerly the Healy property, purchasing it thirty-five years ago, and continued their ranching activities on an extensive scale, by subsequent purchases adding to their holdings until they owned 2440 acres, and erecting all the ranch buildings, prospering accordingly. They owned 100 head of cattle, and with sixty head of mules, raised and shipped large quantities of wheat and barley from Lingard and Merced, becoming well-known figures in financial circles in the Valley. Both were steady, quiet men, highly respected and esteemed by their many friends in the community. August C. M. Tetzlaff died in April, 1910, in San Francisco, and Frank passed away in 1912.
The first marriage of August C. M. Tetzlaff united him with Sarah Lauder, who died in 1889, survived by three children: Mrs. Sarah M. McMaster, of Merced; Godfrey M., now deceased, survived by a widow and two children; and Mrs. Dorothy E. Roduner, of Merced.
On June 20, 1899, occurred the second marriage of Mr. Tetzlaff uniting him with Kate Patterson, the fourth of five children born in Mariposa County to the late David and Mary O. (McKenzie) Patterson, both natives of Scotland, who came to California during the gold excitement, and settled in Mt. Buckingham, Mariposa County. It was in the Patterson home at Mt. Buckingham that the marriage occurred, and Mrs. Tetzlaff's brother, Daniel P., is now residing there. Her parents died when she was a child, and she was reared by an aunt, Mrs. Daniel Gonigal, a sister of her father. Four children blessed their marriage: Herman D., the efficient manager of the home ranch in Merced County, who married Georgia Conway of Merced; Archie C.; William A.; and Emma C.
Mr. Tetzlaff was a man of high honor and principle; he believed in forwarding the progress of his community, and his ranch was, and still is, conducted successfully, a symbol of the man who built it up. He built the fine residence, which he lived to enjoy less than two years. Today the Tetzlaff ranch is conducted on an extensive scale, modern methods being used throughout by the sons, who manage the business jointly with their mother. Mrs. Tetzlaff is prominent in social and fraternal circles in her home community, and is a member of the Pythian Sisters, and the Women of Woodcraft. The family attend the Presbyterian Church.
History of Merced County, California – Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 1925
page 573-574
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler