Merced County
Biographies
FREDRICK W. HANSEN
Of all the immigrants who come to our shores there are none who make a better class of citizens than the Danes. Loyal Americans, frugal, honest, temperate and industrious, they soon rise to positions of honor and respect. Typical of that class in every respect, is Fredrick Hansen, section foreman of the Santa Fe Railroad at Merced. A native of Denmark, he was born August 2, 1862, a son of Christian and Mary Ann Hansen. His father was a miller and with his brother conducted a grist mill until his death. He was injured in a runaway of his team, from the effects of which he never fully recovered.
Fredrick Hansen was educated in the grammar schools of his native country and grew up at home until he was sixteen years of age, when he joined the army. After four years of service, at the age of twenty, the lure of adventure and the desire to make his fortune induced him to emigrate and he eventually arrived in Wisconsin, where he got employment on a farm at twelve dollars a month. Characteristic of his frugal countrymen, he soon accumulated enough surplus funds from even such small wages to enable him to begin farming on his own account, which he did at Iowa Falls, Iowa. That it was not entirely to his satisfaction is evidenced by the fact that in 1900 he turned his steps still further westward and he arrived in Livermore, Cal., that fall. For four years he worked on a ranch, and at the same time had charge of a section of the Southern Pacific Railroad. His next move was to Stockton, where he worked for the Santa Fe until he came to Merced in 1909, since when he has been section foreman on the railway up to the present.
It was in Iowa Falls that Fredrick W. Hansen was united in marriage to Miss Josephine Marie Larsen, a native of Denmark, but reared in the United States. The children of the union are as follows: Louis, who is a partner in a drug store in Stockton; Dorothy, wife of Frank Blair of Stockton, and mother of a son; Edward, also in Stockton; Mabel, wife of John Fragie, of Merced, and mother of a son and daughter; Agnes, Mrs. Herbert Dean, of Oakland; and Roy, who served in France in the World War, was wounded and came back physically unfit from shell shock. Mr. Hansen is a Democrat in politics. He is deeply interested in Merced City and County and is a public-spirited and highly respected citizen.
History of Merced County, California – Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 1925
page 839-840
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
ALBERT WALKER CHINN
The name of Albert Walker Chinn has become well known to the citizens of Merced County and is synonymous with thrift, honesty and integrity. After coming to Merced in 1918 he acted in the capacity of representative of the California Nursery Company until entering the employ of the California Peach and Fig Growers Association. He was born in Lincoln, Nebr., Aug 2, 1883, his parents being Edward F. and Ida (Walker) Chinn. The father is now deceased and the mother makes her home with our subject in Merced.
Albert Walker Chinn attended district school adjacent to Lincoln and then completed the high school course in Lincoln. After finishing school he worked in a meat packing establishment for ten years, and also engaged in ranching in Nebraska prior to coming to California in 1912. Arriving in California he ranched for six years, then when he came to Merced in 1918, he became the representative of the California Nursery Company. During the World War, Mr. Chinn served in the U. S. Army with credit to himself and his country. When casting his vote he considers man above party; fraternally he is affiliated with the Moose Lodge, and he belongs to the Chamber of Commerce of Merced.
History of Merced County, California – Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 1925
page 840
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
WILLIAM D. CARLIN
A fair type of the rising young men of California, whose success thus far is promising of a bright future, is William D. Carlin. The youngest of four sons and the fourth in order of birth of five children, he was born in Eureka, Cal., on May 4, 1895. His father, also W. D. Carlin, a native of Michigan, married Barbara Fleckenstein, a native of Iowa. He came to California at the age of eighteen and followed agriculture quite successfully. He was well-known among the dairy and creamery men. He died in Eureka in 1900; the mother died the same year.
The son, W. D. Carlin, went to the school in Eureka, and further prepared himself by a course in electrical engineering in the International Correspondence School. He was brought up on a ranch and later drifted into the employ of the Sacramento Valley Sugar Company and was the staff engineer for two years at Hamilton City. He next took up field and contract work with the California Fruit Canners Association in their Stockton office covering territory as far south as Turlock. Drawn away by the Oatman gold boom, for five months he was occupied in Kingman, Ariz. Returning to California, Mr. Carlin worked for the Western Auto Stage Company in Merced. From that he entered the employ of W. C. Dallas, working gradually into ranch and general machinist business with the Dallas Ranches, Inc. He owns desirable real estate in Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and Eureka, Cal. He came to Atwater in 1919 and has unbounded faith in its future.
W. D. Carlin was married on August 10, 1916, to Miss Elizabeth Sale, a native of Kentucky. She was reared in Kentucky and Colorado and studied pipe organ under Elizabeth Graham. Although she has practiced little of late, she is always interested in that line of art. They have one son, William D., Jr., born September 2, 1919.
History of Merced County, California – Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 1925
page 840-841
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
N. GENEVIEVE CHIPMAN, M. D.
Numbered among the successful members of the Medical profession is N. Genevieve Chipman, M.D., of Livingston. Dr. Chipman is held in high esteem for the ability she has evinced in her profession, the earnestness and thought she gives to her work, and the spirit in which she ministers to the needs of suffering humanity. Her birth occurred at Savanna, Ill., and she was graduated from the high school at that place, after which she entered the Lewis Institute at Chicago, Ill., where she began her preparation for the practice of medicine. Completing her course there she entered the Chicago College of Medicine and was graduated with the class of 1915. She began practice in Chicago and continued until 1917. When the call came for doctors and nurses for government service she went into the United States Public Health service and was assigned to Nitro, W. Va., near Charleston, where the munition plant of the government was located. Dr. Chipman was honorably discharged from the service on December 11, 1918, and returned to Chicago, where she resumed general practice. In November, 1919, she removed to California and settled at Turlock, where she became associated with the doctors Julien, continuing until November 1, 1923, when she took over the office and practice of Dr. Gilbert C. Saunders in Livingston. Dr. Chipman keeps abreast of the times and is an active member of the County Medical Society, the State Medical Society, the American Association and the National Woman's Medical Association.
History of Merced County, California – Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 1925
page 841-842
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler