Alameda County
Biographies
WILLIAM BUDWORTH
William Budworth, a prominent citizen of Livermore, was born at Pottsville, Pennsylvania, August 17, 1837; moved with his parents to Wisconsin, and then to St. Louis, Missouri, remaining there some two years; then to Wisconsin again, where he was in business until 1850; next to St. Louis again, where he was connected with the transfer business, until some time in 1852, when he started by ox teams for California. Arriving August 17, he located first in Amador County and followed mining there until 1859, when he moved to Centerville, where he remained about nine years, and then he came to Livermore, where he has since remained. In 1869 his son, George T., was born, the first white boy born in Livermore. Since his location at his present place he has been connected with hay-pressing and steam threshing throughout this and adjacent counties. Each of his machines give steady employment from June to November to seventeen men.
Mr. Budworth, at Centerville, in 1864, was joined in marriage to Miss Margaret Walker. Their children are Margaret, George, Benjamin, Emma, John, Wesley, Nellie, Bertha and Albert. Mr. Budworth is a member of Vesper Lodge, No. 62, A.O.U.W., at Livermore.
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler, July 2004.
SOURCE: Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1891. pg. 345-346.
G. BUSTELLI
G. Bustelli, vineyardist and wine manufacturer of Livermore, is a native of Ticino, Switzerland, born February 14, 1838. He was educated and taught school there until 1886, when he came to America, landing in New York. He came by steamer, by way of the Isthmus of Panama, to California, arriving August 28, and remained in the city of the Golden Gate four months. Spent some time in Sonoma County, returned to San Francisco, engaged in a wine cellar for a year; about 1871 he went to the Napa Valley, where he was employed by Mr. Von Bever, in a wine cellar, and there made the first 5,000 gallons of wine that was stored in what is known as “Uncle Sam’s Cellars.” Von Bever’s establishment, now owned by C. Carpy, is at present the largest of the kind in Napa Valley. From Napa Mr. Bustelli went to St. Helena, where he was in the same business three years; and in 1884 he came to Livermore and purchased property, in partnership with Mr. Aguillon, and now, under the firm name of Aguillon & Bustelli, he is engaged in the business already mentioned. Their output of wine in 1184 was 60,000 gallons. Since then they have made 70,000 to 80,000 gallons annually, and this year (1890) their product will exceed 100,000 gallons, the most of which will be disposed of by wholesale, a few thousand gallons being consumed by the local trade. They also have a distillery, in which they manufacture a fine quality of grape brandies. Mr. Bustelli is a member of the fraternities of F. & A. M., I. O. O. F. and K. of P.
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler, July 2004.
SOURCE: Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1891. pg. 348.
JOSEPH O. McKOWN
Joseph O. McKown, druggist at Livermore, was born in New York city February 11, 1863, the sone of Joseph O. and M. E. McKown, of Louisville, Kentucky, who moved to San Francisco in 1869. At the age of nine years he was sent to Livermore, where he received his education, in Livermore College. Returning to San Francisco, he became a clerk in a drug store for five years. In 1883 he moved to Livermore, and was employed six months as a clerk in the drug house of M. A. Scott, when the proprietor died, and then Mr. McKown became the owner of the establishment, and has since been managing the business upon his own responsibility, with success. The Postal Telegraph and the Sunset Telephone have their offices in the same building, for which Mr. McKown is agent. He has also purchased the stationery business of G. Beck, and he has other interests in Livermore. Since February, 1890, he has been Postmaster. Although a young man, he has already made a splendid reputation for business. In Freemasonry, he is a member of Oakland Commandery, No. 11, K. T., and of Mosaic Chapter, No. 66, at Livermore; and he is also a Senior Warden of Livermore Lodge, No. 218, F. & A. M.
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler, July 2004.
SOURCE: Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1891. pg. 347.
JOHN MEYN
John Meyn, a farmer near Livermore, was born in Holstein, Germany, September 10, 1858, and was brought up as a farmer. In 1882 he emigrated to America, stopping a short time in New York and then came across the continent by rail direct to Livermore, near which place he has since resided. He is in partnership with his father-in-law, C. Stohl, in the cultivation of 570 acres of ground devoted to farm products generally. He is a member of the Sons of Hermann, at Livermore, is a liberal Republican, but spends no time in politics. He was married in San Francisco, October 18, 1885, to Miss Lena Stohl, and he now has two children, - Bertha and Minnie.
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler, July 2004.
SOURCE: Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1891. pg. 336.
C. H. WENTE
C. H. Wente, a vineyardist near Livermore, was born in Hanover, Germany, August 9, 1851. In 1881 he came to America, landing at New York and coming directly to Kansas, where he was engaged in farming for six months near Topeka. Then he came to California, stopping in San Francisco and in Contra Costa County for a short time, and then he was engaged in the vineyard and winery at St. Helena, Napa County, for a year; then he was in the same business in Lake County; and finally, in 1884, he went to Livermore and purchased a vineyard of fifty acres, twenty-eight acres of which were in vines five years old and yielding 120 tons of grapes annually. At the present time the same acreage yields more than that. He has a large winery on his farm, and last year made 50,000 gallons of wine, and increased the capacity 20,000 gallons this year, a large portion of which is shipped to New York and Philadelphia: besides, he supplies a large local trade. Now the entire farm is a vineyard. He has his bottling department and office at 33 Post street, San Francisco. Twenty acres are in the highest type of clarets and white varieties.
August 19, 1884, in Oakland, he married Barbara Trautwein, and they have three children living, namely, Ida M., Caroline F. and Charles F.
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler, July 2004.
SOURCE: Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1891. pg. 347-348.