Читать книгу History of Fresno County, Vol. 5 - Paul E. Vandor - Страница 36

One of California's very successful young native sons engaged in the occupation of ranching in Fresno County, is Edward J. Souza. This energetic young man rents the G. W. Beale eighty-acre ranch lying two and a half miles southwest of Monmouth.

Ed Souza was born in Marin County, California, November 12, 1895, and is the son of Henry Souza and Lucy (Garcia) Souza, natives of the Azores, colonial possessions of Portugal. The father was born in 1863 on the Island of St. Michael, and the mother on the Island of St. George. The father, when twelve years of age, took to the sea. After three years spent in the occupation of whaling he went to Providence. R. I., and joined a company of American whalers who were bound for the Arctic, engaging as cock. He afterwards returned to his native islands and at the age of twenty was united in marriage with Lucy Garcia at St. George. Sometime after his marriage he went to Boston, Mass., later removing to New Bedford, Conn., where he established his home. He then enlisted in the United States Navy and went on the training ship Chisel, leaving his wife and family at New Bedford for two years. His wife became ill, and because of her poor health he came with her and his family to California in 1889, settling first at San Pablo. Later he went to Sausalito, where he worked for the Duncan Mill Company for seven years. It was while working here that his son Ed was born.

In 1906 the father removed with his family to Hanford, Cal., and in the fall of that year he came to Selma, later going to Academy, where for a year he was engaged in wheat raising. He then rented John Rorden's place of 160 acres, which he farmed successfully. In 1912 he bought a forty-acre dairy ranch two and one-half miles northeast of Conejo and ran it for one year. He sold it and bought another forty-acre ranch on the west side northeast of Burrel. He and his wife are the parents of seven children, five boys and two girls. The eldest, Joseph, who was born at St. George, January 1, 1884, came to America in 1906. He now assists his brother Ed in running the ranch. George the second son, is a river and bay captain and the owner of several tow boats. Henry, is in France with the Twenty-sixth Division of the United States Army. He fought in the trenches, was wounded and spent four months in the hospital, afterwards returning to his post. He was gassed in September, and after recovery took the position of cook in the army in October. Four years ago he and his brother Ed were engaged together in ranching in Tehama County, California. The fourth child, a daughter, May by name, is the wife of Joe Bettencort, a rancher four miles west of Monmouth. Lena, is the wife of Dan Soranno, who is in France. Ed J. provides a home for his parents on the ranch he rents, and Alfred, the youngest child is in France and was also gassed and wounded. He enlisted in the United States Army when seventeen, April 3, 1917, the first to enlist for war in Sacramento.

Before the war Ed and his brother Henry rented Frank Helm's large dairy ranch at Herndon. They milked 175 cows and were doing well, but the ranch was sold, and according to the terms of their lease they had to give it up. They went to Tehama County where they engaged extensively in the stock business, incurring a loss of a thousand dollars in this business venture. Ed then went to Sacramento and for three years assisted his brother George in running his two boats. In 1918 he rented the ranch which he is now operating successfully, assisted by his brother Joseph. The land is planted to peaches and vines.

Intelligent, industrious, generous and public-spirited, Ed Souza makes and holds friends. He is kind to his parents, brothers and sisters, with whom he is a favorite.