Читать книгу History of Fresno County, Vol. 6 - Paul E. Vandor - Страница 10

A splendid example of the self-made man of Fresno County, and one who, starting without means, except those provided by Nature, succeeded at last, through a willing disposition and an unfaltering courage, in climbing steadily to success, is that of Jacob Rosenthal, who has not ceased to climb, for he believes that there is always room at the top. Coming from a distant shore and of a different civilization, he nevertheless brought with him qualities needed for success in the new world, and has both received from and given to the society that he found in the making, and of which he has become an honorable part.

Born in Russia, on August 27, 1870, Mr. Rosenthal is the son of Andrew and Barbara Rosenthal, both of whom were also natives of the land of the Czar. He was reared and educated in the country of his birth, and shared the home with seven other children of his parents, four of whom had the hardihood to come also to America. These were, besides the subject of this review, Philip, Henry and Kate. Philip still makes his home in Colorado, while the others reside in Fresno County.

The new century was just dawning when Jacob emigrated to the United States in 1900, and in 1901, suiting his action to the spirit of the age, he came to Fresno County. He located at Sanger and soon found employment with the Sanger Lumber Company, in whose service he remained for seven years. During this strenuous time he managed to save about $2,000.

In 1908, he rented a ranch in Kutner Colony for one year, then in 1909 he bought twenty acres in Del Rev, in its virgin state, but he leveled the ground, got it in good condition, and planted it to vines and peaches. Upon it, also, he erected a fine dwelling, with modern conveniences. In 1915, he also bought twenty-seven acres of vineyard near Reedley and operated both until the fall of 1918, when he sold out and purchased eighty acres in Barstow Colony, where he has thirty acres of vineyard and ten acres of alfalfa, though he will put it all into vineyard and orchard. He also built a residence and suitable buildings and took up his abode in the new place in January, 1919. Mr. Rosenthal believes that the cooperation of fruit men is the only means of making a success of the raisin industry, so he is an enthusiastic member and stockholder of the California Associated Raisin Company, as well as of the California Peach Growers. Inc.

In 1889, Mr. Rosenthal was married to Miss Mollie Esheim, and they have had eleven children, of whom six are now living: Jacob, Herman, John, Frieda, Edward V., and Norman. Soon after coming to Sanger. Mr. Rosenthal took out his first citizenship papers, and in 1906 he received his second document, which made him, to his great satisfaction and that of his patriotic and grateful family, a full-fledged citizen of the United States.

Mr. and Mrs. Rosenthal and family are members of the Sanger Lutheran Church, and all are interested in its various activities, as also in the Red Cross and other patriotic endeavors, and are ready in every way to help support the administration in the great work of winning for the world a lasting peace. They are happy to have found such a welcome and such opportunities in Central California, and are glad to continue to take an active part in its development.