Sutter County Biographies

HELSEM BROS.

Prominent among the enterprising and thoroughly progressive business concerns of first importance in Sutter County, that have helped to place and keep Yuba City on the map, may well be mentioned the firm of Helsem Bros., of Yuba City, composed of Sivert A. and Charles Helsem, a firm well known to the motor world in Northern California.

Born near Aalesund, Stofjoren, Norway, on April 9, 1886, Sivert A. Helsem was educated in his native country, which has an enviable reputation for its schools. Coming to California in 1904, he went first to Los Banos, then to Stockton, and thence to San Francisco; and having learned the machinist’s trade in Norway, he followed it here. After that, he removed to Hamilton City, and in 1913 came to Marysville and for seven years worked for the Yuba Manufacturing Company as foreman of the sheet metal department. He was married in San Francisco to Miss Christene Anderson, born near Stockholm, Sweden. She came to Stockton, Cal., when a year old, with her parents, and was educated in the public schools here. Mr. and Mrs. Helsem have six children: Henry, Edwin, Charles, Erma, Norman and Harold. In national political affairs, he leans toward the Republicans, but holds himself independent.

Charles Helsem was born in Norway on March 3, 1880, and was also educated amid the stimulating environments of that Northern clime. He came to the United States at the age of twenty-one; and having become a journeyman blacksmith and machinist, he put in six years at Los Banos, then went to Stockton, and then to Kerman, Fresno County; and in 1914 he came to Marysville and entered the service of the Yuba Manufacturing Company, with which excellent concern he remained until 1920. He belongs to the Odd Fellows Lodge and Encampment, and to the Rebekahs. In politics he is a Republican.

In 1920, Helsem Bros. built their garage in Yuba City. They have won an enviable reputation, doing all kinds of automobile and tractor work, with the assistance of three other expert workmen. They have met with success, and recently have also built an adjoining concrete structure, which they rent as a store building. They are fond of outdoor sport, and take the livest kind of interest in all that pertains to the development of Yuba City and Marysville, and the prosperity of Yuba and Sutter Counties in general, from both of which their increasing patronage comes.

Yuba City may well be proud of the hardware shop kept there by Frank G. Bremer, which is favorably known for miles around. A native son, Frank Bremer was born in Yuba City on August 16, 1884. His father, A. G. Bremer, came to California in 1871, and Mrs. Bremer (who was Marie Bitrolf before her marriage) came here about the same time. They were married here, after which they took up life on the ranch. Mrs. Bremer, recalled by many as a very lovable woman, is now deceased but Mr. Bremer is still living, the center of a circle of devoted friends.

Having progressed through the grammar schools, Frank Bremer pursued the secondary-school courses, and in 1903 was graduated with credit from the high school at Marysville. For four years thereafter he engaged in the growing of fruit, and then he bought out the Sutter County Hardware Company, at that time a very modest affair in comparison with Mr. Bremer’s large, double store of today, where he carries a complete line of hardware and farm implements, and does plumbing and sheet-metal work. He has the advantage of being in his own roomy and ornate brick building, well-appointed in every way; and the increasing volume of his trade makes it necessary to employ a large force of skilled workmen. He also owns a twenty-acre peach orchard north of town.

On October 23, 1912, at Yuba City, Mr. Bremer was married to Miss Margaret Trayner, a Marysville girl; and their happy union has been blessed with the gift of one son, Frank G., Jr. Mr. Bremer is a Knight Templar Mason and a member of Ben Ali Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, at Sacramento, and also a member of the Elks. He likes out-of–door life, especially hunting and fishing. In politics he is a Republican.