Among the early day families of the Pocket area was the Rodgers – later Rogers – family, whose history in the area dates back to 1865.

It was during that year that Albert, Joseph and John Mendes immigrated to the United States from the island of Pico in the Azores Islands of Portugal and made their way to the Pocket area.

Names changed

THE HISTORICAL RODGERS HOUSE in the Pocket area was constructed for Albert and Rose Rodgers in about the late 1870s. The section of the house on the left side of the photograph was added onto the original portion of the house in about the early 1900s. / Valley Community Newspapers photo, Lance Armstrong

Upon their arrival in America, two of these brothers had their surnames changed, with Albert becoming Albert Rodgers, and John becoming John Potter. Joseph, however, continued to use his birth-given last name.

After making their way to the Pocket area, the brothers began working as laborers, most likely on local ranches, with their goal to accumulate sufficient money to buy their own property.

The Albert Rodgers family

In 1880, Albert, after purchasing his own property and establishing his own ranch in the Pocket area, married 16-year-old Rose Gear, who was born in the Azorean island of Terceira.

Since Rose Gear – a name obtained from descendents of the Albert Rodgers family – is not a Portuguese name, this name was possibly derived from the Portuguese name, Rosa Agear.

Together, Albert and Rose had the following children: Emma (1883-1889), Albert, Jr. (1885-1977), Willie (1887-1898), Mary (1889-1890), Emma (1892-1920), Margaret (1893-1978) and twins Frank (1896-1980) and George (1896-1984). The couple had two Emmas, as it was a common practice to reuse the name of a child, who had died at a very young age, when the next child of the same gender was later born.

Spelling change to ‘Rogers’

Albert Rodgers, Jr. was the only member of his family to continue using the original spelling of his family’s surname. Otherwise, the spelling of this surname was eventually changed to “Rogers.”

ROGERS FAMILY GATHERING. Left to right, Mary Agnes Silva Rogers, Frank Rogers, Margaret Lee Machado, Albert Rodgers, Jr., Anna Rogers, George Rogers and Anna “Annie” Fagundes Rogers are shown in this family photograph. / Photo courtesy, PHCS

The Rodgers children were raised on the family’s 18-acre ranch, which was located where today’s Park Rivera Way intersects with Pocket Road.

All of the children of Albert and Rose attended the original, converted barn Lower Lisbon School in the lower Pocket area.

The old school was washed away in the area’s 1904 flood and the lumber from this school was hauled by horses and wagons to the Rodgers ranch. With this wood, a shed-type building was constructed for a temporary school until the new Lower Lisbon School was built.

The Rodgers also owned an additional 11 acres on the opposite side of the then-Riverside Road.

The 1908 Sacramento County Reclamation District 673 surveyors map clearly distinguishes this parcel, which extended from the levee across the old Riverside Road to not far from today’s Florin Road.

Albert passed away when he was 74 years old in 1923 and Rose died when she 41 years old in 1905.

Ranch land divided

Following Albert’s death, seven acres of his property remained in the family, as this land was divided amongst his children.

WEDDING MEMORIES. Frank and Mary Agnes Rogers are shown in their 1917 wedding photograph. / Photo courtesy, PHCS

Frank had one acre, bordering Riverside Road to the west on the levee side of the property, and George built his home on the adjoining acre on the opposite side of the parcel.

Furthermore, Margaret kept four acres, which included the old home.

The other, seventh acre was located across the old Riverside Road, which was then considered a “wagon road,” and became the property of Manuel “Parola” Perry, Sr. The Perry home was situated on the opposite side of the road from the Frank Rogers parcel.

Rogers descendants

Margaret, who was married on two separate occasions, was first married to Manuel Lee and then to Tony Machado.

The children of Manuel and Margaret, in order of birth, were: Laverne, Agnes, Gertrude and Dorothy.

Margaret and her second husband, Tony, did not have any children together.

The second-born Emma of Albert and Rose married Joseph Souza, who was known by the nickname of “Joe Bonnie.”

Joe Bonnie’s ranch was located south of the town of Clarksburg, where Joe Bonnie and the second Emma resided.

In a ceremony held on Dec. 16, 1916 at St. Joseph Church in Freeport (now Clarksburg), George married Anna “Annie” Fagundes, who was born on Oct. 6, 1897.

Mildred Rogers, who was born on May 17, 1919 and died on July 30, 1941, was George and Anna’s only child.

George’s employment included fishing commercially for catfish at the old brickyard – present day Lake Greenhaven – to Clarksburg.

EXTENDED FAMILY. Joseph and Lorraine Valine are shown in this c. 1941 photograph. Lorraine was the daughter of Frank and Mary Agnes Rogers. / Photo courtesy, PHCS

Additionally, George owned a trucking business, which included three trucks that hauled produce for the Libby, McNeill & Libby cannery from 1930 to 1950.

George, who passed away on May 15, 1984, also was a Pocket/Riverside school bus driver and a driver for the American Crystal Sugar Co. in Clarksburg. He worked for American Crystal for nine seasons, upon which time he retired in 1961.

Like his brother George, Frank established his own family. He married Mary Agnes Silva (1900-1971), the daughter of Antone L. and Maria Silva of the Pocket, on Nov. 12, 1917.

This union produced two daughters, Lorraine, who married Joseph Lester Valine, and Aileen, who married Richard Cabral.

Many locals are familiar with Joseph and Lorraine Valine’s son, Roger Valine, who served as the chief executive officer of Vision Service Plan, which was recognized as the nation’s largest eye care wellness benefits provider.

Establishing his own long employment career, Frank, after marrying Mary Agnes, began a trucking business that included six trucks. These trucks were used to haul hay and produce.

Frank purchased a 43-acre ranch, adjacent to and north of the John M. “Joao Maria” Silva ranch, where he planted asparagus and later sugar beets, tomatoes and alfalfa.

Unfortunately mixed in with Frank’s many positive moments in life was his serious hunting accident near the Sacramento River .

During a July 1979 interview with two of his family members, Frank described the accident, as follows: “I rowed the boat across the river and I couldn’t get it to the right place where there was a path and the wind (pushed him farther down river than desired)…and I tied (the boat) up. And I was climbing up where it was kind of a tough place to go. And I was going up the levee and I had the barrel of the gun like this (he took the microphone and showed it pointing upward) in my hand, going up the levee. And the gun happened to slip and I went and I grabbed the gun and grabbed it at the point of the barrel. At that time, both of my feet slipped and I leaned on the gun (and when) I leaned on the gun, it went off.”

Although Frank injured his left hand, he was nonetheless able to mostly overcome this handicap and lead a relatively normal life.

FRANK ROGERS is shown at the age of 24 in this 1920 photograph. / Photo courtesy, PHCS

Frank’s 43-acre ranch was part of the historic McGee Ranch. This ranch was first sold to Anna Leonora Garcia Pimentel and then later purchased by Joe Sarmento and Frank “Capitao” (“Captain”) Perry.

Frank Rogers eventually purchased the property in an auction after the property went into foreclosure.

During the late 1960s, Frank sold his property to a real estate firm for development.

The real estate firm later sold a portion of this acreage to the city of Sacramento for the purpose of creating Garcia Bend Park and its boat launch ramp.

Editor’s Note: This is part two of a two-part series regarding Manuel Silva Nevis and his wineries.

When it comes to reviewing the history of early wineries of Sacramento, it is important to recognize Manuel Silva Nevis, who was associated with three Sacramento wineries.

Nevis’ early start

THE CALIFORNIA WINERY office on 21st Street is shown during its post-Manuel Silva Nevis era in 1909. / Photo public domain, Courtesy of The Lance Armstrong Collection

As explained in part one of this series, Nevis was able to establish himself in the winemaking industry through the financial assistance of his father-in-law, Joseph S. Miller, who was reported to have been the first Portuguese person to settle in the Freeport/Clarksburg area.

With this financial backing, Nevis founded the Eagle Winery at 1519 18th St. in 1881.

Nevis’ success with the Eagle Winery led to his ownership of two other Sacramento wineries, the California and Pioneer wineries.

Although Nevis sold his remaining share in the 18th Street winery to the Azores Islands-born cousins, Manuel Joaquim Azevedo and Joaquim Leal Azevedo, on April 27, 1889, this business transfer did not mark the end of his use of the name, Eagle Winery.

A second Eagle Winery

According to a historic advertisement in The Sacramento Union, Nevis – who officially established M.S. Nevis & Co. on May 2, 1889 – was already operating a separate winery by the same name by as early as May 18, 1889.

The advertisement noted that this winery, which was located on 21st Street, between R and S streets, was “prepared to fill orders at wholesale (prices) for all kinds of California wines and brandies upon the shortest notice.”

The wording of this advertisement is of additional interest, since a special arrangement regarding wine sales had been made as part of the Azevedos’ complete acquisition of the 18th Street winery.

As part of the transaction, for the following two years, Nevis would not be permitted to sell retail wines and the Azevedos would not manufacture wines or offer wholesale wines in the city of Sacramento.

Legal battles

Unfortunately for these businessmen, their relationship suffered greatly due to legal battles between them.

The California Winery was located on 21st Street, between R and S streets. / Photo courtesy, the Portuguese Historical and Cultural Society

On Oct. 10, 1889, The Union reported that in response to a suit brought on by Nevis, Superior Court Judge W. C. Van Fleet had issued a temporary order requiring the Azevedos to discontinue their use of the Eagle Winery name.

Nevis, who had completed a large addition to his 21st Street winery about a month earlier, claimed that he had legal right to the Eagle Winery trademark and sought $500 in damages.

The Azevedos, who were represented by attorneys A.L. Hart and Joseph W. Hughes, filed a cross-complaint claiming their own right to the name and demanded $5,000 in damages.

Two weeks after filing his first suit against the Azevedos, Nevis, through his attorneys, Johnson, Johnson and Johnson, began another suit, claiming that the Azevedos had violated their contract to refrain from selling wholesale wines for two years.

The legal issues between Nevis and the Azevedos were officially resolved in Superior Court by Van Fleet on March 29, 1890, as Van Fleet ruled completely in favor of the Azevedos.

In regard to the name, Eagle Winery, the judge determined that Nevis made no effort to retain the trademark at the time of the transfer and that the name would officially be considered part of the business deal.

Winery renamed

As a result of the judge’s decision, Nevis renamed his 21st Street winery, the California Winery.

The earliest reference to the California Winery name discovered during research for this article appears in an advertisement in the Nov. 29, 1890 edition of The Union.

Under an artistic drawing of the winery, the advertisement includes the words: “Finest wines and brandies for holiday trade. All orders will receive prompt attention. M.S. Nevis, proprietor.”

Despite its legal battles, Nevis’ 21st Street winery continued to prosper, as is evident through an Oct. 11, 1890 Union classified advertisement, which called for the hiring of 20 men at the winery.

Depression troubles, name changes

Nevis continued the operation of the California Winery until 1894, when the winery, due to financial struggles during a national financial depression (the Panic of 1893), became the property of the California State Bank, which was located at the northwest corner of 4th and J streets.

The winery was renamed the Calutha Winery and operated under this name for about year.

It was at this time that George Peltier, the bank’s vice president, and Fred J. Kiesel, a resident of Ogden, Utah, purchased the winery and reinstated the name, California Winery.

Pioneer Winery

Nevis’ involvement with the aforementioned Pioneer Winery at the corner of 21st and R streets began in the late 19th century and by at least 1899, he was working as the winery’s manager.

According to the 1901 city directory, Nevis had recently become the owner of the Pioneer Winery, and his son, Joseph, was working as the winery’s manager. Nevis and his wife, Emma, also had five other children, Morvin, Roy, Cecilia, Henry and Leo.

Untimely end

Manuel Silva Nevis, an immigrant from the island of Pico in the Azores Islands of Portugal, was a proprietor of three early Sacramento wineries. / Photo courtesy, the Portuguese Historical and Cultural Society

Nevis’ ownership of the Pioneer Winery ended abruptly through a fatal tragedy.

On Saturday morning, Sept. 21, 1907, one of the winery’s employees, Joseph L. Manica, who resided at 1621 R St., began to search for Nevis at the winery to receive orders regarding a new carload of grapes that was to be unloaded.

After searching for Nevis for several hours, Manica eventually discovered Nevis’ straw hat lying alongside a vat.

In worrying that Nevis might have fallen into the vat, Manica went to the bottom of the vat, where his worst fear was quickly realized.

Details regarding this incident were published in The Sacramento Bee in Manica’s own words, as follows: “(At the bottom of the vat), I found him in a sitting position and when I shook him, I knew he was dead. I am convinced that he fell into the vat accidentally while on his way to the door.”

The drowning was the second drowning by a Nevis family member in a year’s time, since Nevis’ brother, Antonio, drowned in Graham’s Pond, about three miles southeast of Elk Grove, on July 16, 1906.

Following Nevis’ death, Emma became the sole owner of the Pioneer Winery, which was then managed by Harry B. Kingsbaker.

Kingsbaker moved to San Francisco in 1908, but Emma continued the operation of the winery for another two years.

Editor’s Note: This is part one of a two-part history series regarding Manuel Silva Nevis and his local wineries.

Historically, one of the industries that stands out in the Sacramento area is wine manufacturing. Among the city’s wine manufacturing businesses were the Eagle, California and Pioneer wineries, which were associated with Manuel Silva Nevis.

The Eagle Winery

At the age of 33, Nevis became the first proprietor of the Eagle Winery, which opened in 1881. Nevis was an immigrant from the island of Pico in the Azores Islands of Portugal. He lived in the town of Freeport in the historic postal area of today’s Clarksburg in Yolo County. He resided at 1830 21st St. during the latter part of his life.

MANUEL SILVA NEVIS, an immigrant from the island of Pico in the Azores Islands of Portugal, was a proprietor of early day Sacramento wineries, including the Eagle Winery, which he founded in 1881. / Photo courtesy, Portuguese Historical and Cultural Society

The Eagle Winery was established on the south half of the block bounded by 18th, 19th, O and P streets.

According to the Portuguese Historical and Cultural Society, many Portuguese people who were residing in the Pocket area during this era made their own wine for general consumption.

Festa wine demands

But when it came to needing large lots of wine for the Holy Ghost Festas at the original St. Joseph Church on the Freeport/Clarksburg side of the river, they relied on wine from Sacramento – including wine produced at the Eagle Winery.

The main structure of the winery was a two-story, 66-foot by 120-foot, brick building with a corrugated iron roof and a basement. It was built by Nova Scotia native Nicholas Harvie, a notable local carpenter and contractor, at a cost of $9,000.

A Harvie-built sherry room with brick floors, concrete ceilings and walls and steam pipes throughout was located to the south of the main building.

Enter the father-in-law

Nevis’ father-in-law, Joseph S. Miller financed the construction of the winery. Miller was reputed to be the first Portuguese person to settle in the Freeport/Clarksburg area.

Miller was born Joseph Souza Nevis in São Jorge in the Azores Islands. He acquired the surname, Mello, when he was bonded to a John or Antonio Mello at the age of 13. Later, he changed it to Miller.

Like many immigrants in 1849, Miller heard news about the California Gold Rush, purchased mining equipment and headed out in search of riches.

This endeavor proved to be unsuccessful, but his early time in California led to other Portuguese, including members of his family, joining him in the Golden State. Among these Portuguese people were some of the earliest residents of the Pocket area.

Miller was a prominent landowner in the Freeport area and was a member of the Sacramento Society of California Pioneers – those who arrived in California prior to 1850. The society also included James W. Marshall, who is recognized for discovering the gold that led to the great California Gold Rush, James McClatchy, the second editor of The Sacramento Bee, and James Lansing, a former Sacramento chief of police, sheriff and county assessor.

MANUEL SILVA NEVIS resided in this 21st Street, Queen Anne-style house during the latter part of his life. The house, which was built in 1898, is presently home to the H.R. Edgar Institute. / Photo courtesy, Portuguese Historical and Cultural Society

Miller married an Italian immigrant, Josephine Therese Paravagna, who gave birth to Manuel Silva Nevis’ wife, Emma Nevis, on Aug. 3, 1865.

Desirable wine, brandy

During Nevis’ second year of operating the Eagle Winery, he placed an advertisement in The Sacramento Union, which noted that his winery had acquired “a very enviable reputation” and that his product was increasingly in demand.

The advertisement also described the winery as having various brands of wine and grape brandy that were offered at prices that would “defy competition.” Furthermore, the winery offered free deliveries to customers in any part of the city.

Failed expansion

The success of the Eagle Winery, which used wine grapes from Sacramento, Yolo and El Dorado counties, led to the June 5, 1884 establishment of a branch of the business at 420 J St.

An advertisement published in The Union regarding the opening of the branch noted that “Mr. Nevis’ knowledge and experience in the making of wine, in both this and other countries, places him in possession of advantages enjoyed by but few men engaged in the wine industries of California.”

To the disappointment of Nevis, the branch closed about five weeks later, because he felt a need to devote his working time exclusively to his main winery site.

State Fair recognition

The following year, the winery, which at the time offered port, sherry, white wine, Riesling, claret, zinfandel, Angelica and grape brandy, achieved additional notoriety when it was awarded a State Fair gold medal for “Best Display of Wines.”

Enter the cousins

Nevis remained the sole owner of the business until 1888, at which time he sold a two-thirds interest in the winery to his cousins, Manuel Joaquim Azevedo and Joaquim Leal Azevedo, who were immigrants from the Azores island of Faial.

Both Azevedo cousins arrived in the United States in the 1850s.

A PIECE OF POCKET AREA HERITAGE. The Manuel Silva Nevis house at 1822 21st St. is shown in this recent photograph. The house, which formerly had the address of 1830 21st Street, was relocated a short distance from the corner of 21st and R streets in 1907. / Valley Community Newspapers photo, Lance Armstrong

Manuel, after sailing as part of a whaling fleet out of Boston for two years, mined for gold for five years in Butte County. Through his success in mining, he was able to purchase property in Freeport – where he would eventually farm for 12 years.

Joaquim arrived in the Sacramento area in 1852. He also farmed in Freeport.

The Azevedos returned to Portugal, but made their way back to America to engage in the wine making business in the Sacramento area.

Azevedo-owned

Shortly after becoming the majority owners of the Eagle Winery, the Azevedos purchased Nevis’ one-third share of the business in 1889. At that time, about 20 different kinds of wines were manufactured at the winery.

Self-made success

According to the Aug. 20, 1888 edition of The Union, Manuel Silva Nevis, in the time since he established the Eagle Winery “without a cent in his pocket,” earned $200,000 through the winery and increased his business’s annual wine production from 35,000 gallons in its first year to 150,000 gallons in 1887.

Back in the 1920s, the Pocket area was a much different place than it is today, as the area consisted of many ranches that were mostly operated by Portuguese farmers. Also among the workers of the area was Faustino Silva, who was well known for his slaughterhouse.

Faustino and Mary Jessie (Marks) Silva are shown seated on their wedding day, Nov. 7, 1925. Behind them is a couple identified as Mr. and Mrs. Tavares. / Photo courtesy, PHCS

Faustino, who was born Faustino Da Silva in the island of Pico in the Azores Islands of Portugal on Oct. 10, 1900, arrived in the United States when he was 19 years old.

After traveling to Sacramento by train, Faustino first resided with one of his three sisters in the old “Arizona” area of Sacramento at 4th and T streets.

Faustino obtained his first employment in California working as a farmhand on the Joe J. (Nordeste) Machado ranch in the Natomas area, just north of Sacramento.

Following his time on the Machado ranch, Faustino began working at the River Lines, Humphrey Vineyards in Perkins, just east of Sacramento.

In 1924, Faustino, like many locals of the time, became an employee at the Southern Pacific shops in Sacramento.

After becoming established at the shops, Faustino married Sacramento native Mary Jessie Marks, the daughter of Pico natives Antone and Mary (Azevedo Vieira) Marks, on Nov. 7, 1925.

While living at their 4th and T streets residence, Faustino and Mary Jessie had their first child, Marie.

In 1927, Faustino moved with Mary Jessie and Marie to the Pocket area, so that Faustino could establish a slaughterhouse business and have a house constructed for his family.

The house that was built on the family’s property was located at the edge of Riverside Road.

Faustino Silva wears an off-white Stetson hat while preparing beef for the Riverside Holy Ghost Festa dinner during the 1940s. Standing to the right of Silva is Antone Perry “Peru” Dutra, another well-known resident of the area during this time. / Photo courtesy, PHCS

When the family moved to their property, which was located on about a five-acre parcel, near the northern intersection of today’s Riverside Boulevard and Park Riviera Way, the property already included an old slaughterhouse that was formerly owned by Jerry Jaksich, Sr. Jacksich was also known for his position as part-owner of the Belevedere Meat Market at 330 S St.

In addition to his duties at his slaughterhouse, Faustino attended cattle auctions and also purchased animals from local ranches and dairies. He also slaughtered dairy cows and calves for veal.

Employed full-time by Faustino at his slaughterhouse were his main deliveryman, Arthur Neves, Arthur’s brother, John Neves, Frank “Cap” Perry and Melvin (“Garsha”) Garcia.

Part-time slaughterhouse workers were: Clarence Nevis, Marvin Silveira, Marvin’s brother, Alvin Silveira, and Folsom area resident Joe Azevedo.

Another one of Faustino’s workers was Manuel “Tiranha” Martin, who would purchase cattle that would be delivered to the slaughterhouse.

Among Faustino’s largest customers were the local Stop-N-Shop markets, which were owned by the Kassis brothers.

Part of Faustino’s profits outside of the sale of beef was his sale of hides and “offalls” – the name used for organs.

Although some people at the time believed that Faustino raised dairy cows, his entire interest was in raising beef cattle.

The Pocket area street, Faustino Way, was named in honor of Faustino Silva, who owned a slaughterhouse in the area from 1927 to 1948. / Valley Community Newspapers photo, Lance Armstrong

As Faustino acquired more beef cattle, he realized his need for additional pastureland, as he purchased an additional 2.5 acres near the northern boundary of his Pocket area property.

Faustino, who generally wore an off-white Stetson hat, purchased the property from A.S. Sebego, who was commonly known by Portugese people of the area as “Saboogs.”

With his desire to expand his pastureland for his cattle, Faustino purchased 43.91 acres from brothers Joe C. and Manuel C. Nevis in about 1939. This property, which later included Faustino’s new home, was located from the Sacramento River levee, southeasterly, to Riverside Road.

While residing in the Pocket area, the Silva family grew to include four more children, Faustine, Elsie, Robert and Gary.

Elsie, who lives in the Sacramento County town of Herald, which is located about 29 miles south of Sacramento, recalled the enjoyment she had while observing her father work in his slaughterhouse.

“I remember as a very young girl going back to the slaughterhouse and sitting in a safe place watching my dad for hours split beef with a huge cleaver,” Elsie said. “This was before he had an electric saw. Doing this all day gave him great muscular arms and shoulders.”

Elsie added that watching her father work was her own way of finding additional moments to be in his presence, since she otherwise did not spend as much time with him as she had desired.

Silva Valley Elementary School in El Dorado Hills was named in honor of Faustino Silva. / Photo courtesy, PHCS

Concentrating his interests in acquiring more cattle and pastureland, Faustino closed his slaughterhouse business in 1948.

The last parcel of land that Faustino purchased in the Pocket area was further around the present day Pocket Road.

During his time residing in the Pocket area, Faustino added to his notoriety as a pillar of the community by donating beef to the Riverside AADES for its Holy Ghost Festa dinner at Portuguese Hall, located at the beginning of today’s Pocket Road.

In addition to supplying beef for the event, Faustino worked with his close friend, Antone Dutra, to cut and prepare the meat for its all-day cooking.

Faustino, who was very admired for his friendly nature, generosity and long hours of physically hard work, also donated beef for the Freeport Festa and later to the Elk Grove Festa.

With a desire to further expand his cattle-raising business, Faustino purchased additional property for pasturing in the Yolo Bypass area, Sutterville/Land Park area, Meadowview-Freeport area and the Sloughhouse area.

Silva Valley Parkway is one of two El Dorado Hills’ tributes to Faustino Silva. / Photo courtesy, PHCS

Faustino also obtained his largest land acquisitions in El Dorado Hills and Herald. These properties each consisted of thousands of acres.

So great was Faustino’s name in the El Dorado Hills area that a street, Silva Valley Parkway, was named after him, and off of Silva Valley Parkway, an extensive elementary school in the posh Serrano community was named Silva Valley Elementary School.

Making this tribute even more impressive is the fact that Faustino owned his El Dorado Hills property for no more than five years, yet he was nonetheless able to make an extremely strong impression in the area.

But tributes to Faustino are not exclusive to El Dorado Hills, as a modern day street, which is known as Faustino Way, in the Pocket area on the site of the old Nevis brothers’ ranch, which he acquired, is named in his honor.

Although Faustino passed away at the age of 79 on Nov. 2, 1979, his legacy remains strong in the Pocket area and beyond.

lance@valcomnews.com

Pocket area resident Gail Fernandez Jones, a former teacher at Caroline Wenzel Elementary School in the Pocket area, spends time observing several of her treasured family photographs. / Valley Community Newspapers photo, Lance Armstrong

Rich heritage

This person is Sacramento native Gail Fernandez Jones, who has a very rich family history in the Pocket, Greenhaven, South Land Park, Hollywood Park and Tahoe Park areas.

Jones, 59, who worked as a dance teacher before beginning a career as an elementary school teacher in the Pocket and Meadowview areas, explained that her drive to preserve her family’s history began as a result of a personal illness that caused her to follow new directions in her life.

“Due to the illness, I had to retire early and I needed something to do, so I decided to research and write my family’s history,” Jones said. “It was something that I always wanted to do. I figured that if I didn’t do it, nobody else would do it and the history would be lost for future generations.”

Motivating factors

In addition to her illness, Jones said that she was also motivated to write her family’s history upon the birth of her grandson.

“My grandson was born in 2002 and he was the original catalyst for my project to preserve the family history,” Jones said.

Unfortunately, due to Jones’ health issues, her motivation to gather information and write her family’s history was initially short-lived, as she almost entirely abandoned the project for more than eight years. But reinvigorated by improved health within the past year, she is back on track and working on writing her family’s history at a greater pace than at any time during her entire project.

Norman Fernandez stands in front of his South Land Park Hills house. / Photo courtesy, Gail Fernandez Jones

With Jones’ deep, local roots, the value of her project is much more than a family history – it is also a notable part of the community’s history.

Portuguese heritage

Her grandfather, John Fernandez, who was born in the island of Pico in the Azores Islands of Portugal on Jan. 10, 1887, immigrated to the United States at the age of three with his parents, Manuel and Rose (Jacinto) Fernandez, and at least one of his sisters.

Jones said that John Fernandez had two sisters, Mary, who was born in the Azores Islands, and Rose, who was born in either the Azores Islands or the Greater Sacramento area.

El Dorado Hills aka. Clarksburg

Once arriving in America, the family made its way to the Clarksburg area, where they began a dairy farm.

Through her research, Jones discovered that her grandfather, who completed his education through the eighth grade, began an apprenticeship to learn the building trade, so that he could become a building contractor.

“My grandfather was a very dedicated man,” Jones said. “He asked some builder to take him on as an apprentice at no charge, so he could learn the trade. He then started his own company, Sierra Builders, during the Depression.”

The Fernandez family was responsible for the construction of many residential and commercial buildings in the Sacramento area, including this Raley’s supermarket at 2390 Fruitridge Road. The building is shown under construction in this 1953 photograph. / Photo courtesy, Gail Fernandez Jones

Sierra Builders

John, who built one of the first cabins in the Strawberry tract along Highway 50 for himself during the 1940s, named his business Sierra Builders due to his love for the mountains.

Jones said that her grandfather began the business with no employees, but eventually took on his five sons – Ralph, Ray, Norman, Jack and Jim – as his employees.

Of these sons, Norman, Jack and Jim contributed the most time to the company, since Ralph began his own building company and Ray apparently died during World War II, as the plane he was flying over Russia went missing and was never found.

The earliest projects of Sierra Builders, which had a large office and lumber yard at 1716 26th St., was the construction of houses in Tahoe Park and the construction and development of sections of Hollywood Park.

One these Hollywood Park area projects, which included both residential and commercial developments, was an early Raley’s grocery store at 2390 Fruitridge Road.

The Raley’s project was part of a retail space that also included The Dance Center, which was owned by “Miss Pennie” Davies.

Jones said that she is quite familiar with this dance center, since she took lessons from Davies at this site and later returned to teach classes at the studio.

Norman Fernandez, center, is shown during his childhood with two unidentified youth in this 1926 photograph. / Photo courtesy, Gail Fernandez Jones

With the building boom that followed World War II, Norman, who was Jones’ father, founded the Norman Construction Co. in 1955 and began building custom houses. The majority of these houses were constructed in the South Land Park Hills area.

Greenhaven 70

After furthering his reputation as a quality builder, Norman, who married his accountant’s daughter, Betty Webb, in 1948, was invited to become one of the original 10 builders of Greenhaven 70, a development that was bordered by Riverside Boulevard and Greenhaven, Havenside and Gloria drives.

Jones, who moved from her home in Hollywood Park to South Land Park Hills in 1962, said that she also contributed to the Greenhaven 70 project by handing out brochures for open house events and decorating some of the homes with knickknacks from her own home and furniture from Gabe Silveira’s furniture store, G.L. Silveira Co., which was located at 2100 X St.

“The decorating really helped those home sell,” Jones recalled.

Fernandez-Photo-05

Shown inside his Land Park home in 1962, John Fernandez enjoys a moment with his dog, Skeeter. / Photo courtesy, Gail Fernandez Jones

Jones said that one of the more interesting parts of the history of her family’s neighborhood developments was the naming of various local streets.

Street names

Among the more prominent of these street names are Johns Drive and Johnfer Way (a combination of John and Fernandez), which were named after Jones’ grandfather, Norman Way, which was named in honor of Jones’ father, and Jacks Lane and James Way, which were named in tribute to Jones’ uncles.

Other street names include: Trudy Way, which was named after the secretary of Sierra Builders, and Benham Way, a tribute to Ben Hammond, the insurance agent for Sierra Builders.

Although John passed away in 1966, his legacy in his longtime trade continues today through the local land developing company, Sierra-Fernandez.

Good advice

In pondering her project to preserve the history of her family, Jones said that she encourages others to write about their own family history.

“I encourage others to write their family histories,” Jones said. “Start talking to the people who are still alive right now. What I started with were dates and now what I’m really trying to get are anecdotes out of the people who are left. Gather stories, because if you don’t you’ll have nothing.”

lance@valcomnews.com

This Pocket area ranch house, which was originally owned by the Waxon family, is shown in this Aug. 2, 1913 photograph. Standing in front of the house, which was built in 1865, are later residents of the home – the children of Joe “Milhomes” (“1,000 Men”) Silva and Mary (Vargas) Silva (back row, left to right), Anna, Mary L., Eleanor, (front row, left to right) Minnie S., Manuel, Joaquin F. and Angelina Silva. The Silva family owned the ranch from 1903 to 1951. / Photo courtesy of PCHS

As a young man, Joe, who was born in the Azores Islands of Portugal in 1830, became a whaler and lived on a whaling ship until he was about 15 years old.

After sailing around Cape Horn to Yerba Buena (present day San Francisco), where he arrived in about 1845, Joe made his way to the Sacramento area.

‘Turtle Joe’

Sometime later, he began taking trips to the San Francisco Bay Area, where he caught sea turtles that were so large that two men could sit upon their shells.

Joe would then transport these turtles via a boat along the Sacramento River and put them to pasture on the Glide property, which was located on the Yolo County side of the river in the area that was then known as Freeport.

In gaining a reputation for raising the turtles and selling them for food, Joe was given the nickname, “Turtle Joe,” by locals of the area.

During a 1984 interview with the Portuguese Historical and Cultural Society, the now-late Rosalyn (Waxon) Mosher, the granddaughter of Joe Waxon, recalled being delighted with the site of turtle shells that she saw during her childhood visits to one of her grandfather’s ranches in the Pocket area.

Mosher, whose father was John Waxon, said that she had never seen a turtle shell of such magnitude and that at her age, she could not imagine a turtle being so large.

Joe eventually owned three ranches in the Pocket area, one of which consisted of about 20 acres near the canal by today’s pumping station off Pocket Road. This ranch was later owned by Joe’s brother, John Waxon, and was eventually owned by Joe’s son, Manuel Waxon.

Manuel and Rosa (Miller) Waxon are shown in this c. 1894 photograph. / Photo courtesy

Another Joe Waxon-owned Pocket area ranch was located on the property, which was in later years the site of Faustino Silva’s slaughterhouse. Modernly, this property is located off Park Riviera Way, where it veers off from Riverside Boulevard, just past Florin Road.

Joe’s third Pocket area ranch was located near the A.L. Silva and John L. Silva ranches on part of the old Riverside Road (now Pocket Road), in about the center of the Pocket area.

Joe also owned property in the “Grant” – another Portuguese farming area –which was located near the site of what later became Mather Air Force Base.

Prairie schooner delivery

During the time that he was farming, Joe had a 14-mule or horse-driven prairie schooner, which he used to deliver produce to miners in the foothills and mountains.

Traveling these distances was a more challenging endeavor, considering that there were no established roads during this time.

Among the places that Joe would deliver the produce were areas near today’s Highway 50, including the present day town of Strawberry.

Joe did not travel alone during these travels and he made various trips with his sons, including one trip with John Waxon, when he was about 15 years old, which would place the date of this trip in about 1875.

Long after Joe’s produce-delivering days, Rosalyn recalled seeing the “skeleton” of the schooner at one of her grandfather’s Pocket area ranches.

The former 72-acre, Joe Waxon farm, which was purchased by Joe Waxon on Nov. 5, 1863, is shown in about 1903. The 10-room, 1865 farm house is shown in the center of the photograph. / Photo courtesy of PCHS

Census challenges

Among the various interesting stories of the Waxon family is the story behind their name.

This name-related story is similar to the story of many immigrants who arrived in America and had the spellings of their names involuntarily changed.

When Joe Waxon was approached for his family’s information during the process to create the 1870 Franklin Township census, the census taker found it difficult to relate the correct spelling of Joe’s surname, as well as the precise spellings of the names of many other Portuguese people residing in the area.

Since Joe could not speak English, the census taker had to decipher what Joe told him about himself and his family.

After coming to the conclusion that in order to communicate his last name to the census taker, he would need to use a visual prop, Joe showed an axe to the information-seeking man.

An English-Portuguese dictionary published by the Washington Square Press in 1969 references the Portuguese translation of the word, “axe,” as “machado,” which is a common Portuguese surname.

And being that his birth name was Machado, Joe pointed to the axe and then he pointed back to himself in the process of trying to convey his correct name.

Having no knowledge of the Portuguese language, the census taker assumed that Joe was trying to communicate that his name was “Axeman.”

It is possible that Joe repeated the name, “Axeman” with his Portuguese accent that resulted in the inaccurate name being pronounced as “Waxon” and thus being written down in this manner.

On the same census, Joe’s 1-year-old son, Manuel, was listed as “Manway.”

Large family

Joe-Waxon-Photo-04

Joe Waxon used a prairie schooner, like the one shown above, to transport turtles from the San Francisco Bay Area to the Pocket area, and also to deliver produce to miners in the foothills and mountains. / Photo courtesy

Manuel Waxon later grew up to marry his first cousin, Rosa A. Miller (1872-1959), who was the daughter of Joseph Souza Nevis Miller, the founder of the area’s original Lisbon School in the Freeport area.

With his wife, Mary Gloria Neves, who was born in 1837 in the island of St. Jorge in the Azores Islands and was Joseph Miller’s sister, Joe had 10 children.

Another one of Joe’s daughters, Josie S. Waxon, married Manuel S. Williams, who was also born in the Azores Islands in 1849. Williams, who was also Portuguese, was the proprietor of the grocery store at 1630 11th Street, where the planning for the construction of St. Elizabeth’s Portuguese National Church was culminated and constructed on property donated by the Williams family.

Joe, who resided in the Pocket area for the remainder of his life, died in 1891 at the age of 61 and his wife passed away at the age of 85 in 1922.

No known photographs exist of Joe Waxon, but fortunately for history’s sake, photographs of his first large house in the Pocket area and later photographs of his family are in the collections of his descendants.

Today, as the early years of the Pocket area continue to fade deeper into the past, what Waxon-related stories that have been left behind continue to gain more importance with each passing day.

lance@valcomnews.com

Born in the Azores

Born on Dec. 14, 1867 in Faial in the Azores Islands of Portugal, Charles arrived in Boston at the age of 11 in 1878 and then proceeded to the Sutterville area in today’s South Land Park area of Sacramento.

With only $2.50 in his pocket, Charles used $1 of his money to reach the town of Vernon in Sutter County, where he became employed as a milker on a dairy ranch for 50 cents per day.

Teen cheese entrepreneur

Using earnings from this job, Charles, when he was 13, paid a cheese maker $50 to teach him how to make cheese, after which he went into business for himself.

Charles eventually rented a ranch in Yolo County, bought cows and established a dairy and cheese plant.

Charles’ next venture was his purchase of the 160-acre Ramsey Ranch, which was located six miles above Vernon on the Feather River. He also rented the Hoover Ranch and the Clark and Cave ranches near the Sacramento River.

While conducting business along the Sacramento River, Charles entered the boating business, as he bought a gasoline-powered boat and a barge.

Meanwhile, Charles purchased the Point Ranch, where he cut wood, which he transported down the river to Sacramento.

In 1900, Charles returned to the capital city, as he purchased and resided at the Meadows place on Front Street, between O and P streets. It was there that he also established a wood, hay and grain business.

Shipping businesses

In addition to this business, Charles purchased the steamers “Neponset” and “Neptune,” the trading boats “Jersey” and “Inder” and the barges, “Columbia,” “Sutter” and “Vernon.”

In becoming engaged in the transportation business, Charles formed a partnership with a Capt. Jones. This partnership continued for many years and their route included towns on the Sacramento River, between Sacramento and Butte City.

Rancher

During this time, Charles was also involved in the cattle and sheep business.

Eventually, Charles sold his interests in the boats to devote his full attention to his livestock business.

Charles experienced much success in this endeavor, as he enlarged his interests on an annual basis and also established retail businesses – four local meat markets and a large wholesale business in Sacramento.

Additionally, Charles bred Hereford stock and was renowned throughout the state as a breeder of these fine cattle.

So large was Charles’ livestock business operation that he became known as the largest individual cattle dealer in California, shipping thousands of head of cattle from Mexico, in addition to his large shipments from throughout the state.

Charles’ wealth was great, as he purchased various Northern California ranches and later sold the ranches for twice the amount that he had paid for them.

Land dealer

Along with his real estate transactions, Charles was actively associated with various reclamation projects and served as the organizer and director of the Sutter Basin Co. and the Natomas Land Co.

Following his time with his previous cattle business endeavors, Charles invested in many Sacramento properties, including business blocks, warehouses and residences, and purchased a 21,000-acre cattle ranch in Modoc County.

Charles additionally accumulated other properties such as 243 acres dedicated to fruit growing in Yuba County and 670 acres on the Feather River in Butte County, with one half of this acreage being devoted to fruit.

Another major part of Charles’ life was his interest in horses and for many years he was involved in breeding standard-bred animals. 

This horseracing track in Woodland was owned by Charles F. Silva from 1916 to 1921. To the right forefront of the photograph is Silva and his record-breaking horse, Teddy Bear. / Photo courtesy of PHCS

Breeder of race horses

 Charles, who eventually had the finest standard-bred stock in the state, raised the well-known pacer, Teddy Bear, who broke a 6-year-old record at the California State Fair on Aug. 29, 1911. The horse set the mile mark of two minutes and five seconds.

With his continued interest in horses, Charles purchased a racetrack in Woodland in 1916.

It can be speculated that Charles, who continued to own the track until 1921, purchased the track in order to run Teddy Bear on his own schedule during fair weather days throughout the year.

In the early 1920s, Charles traded a 21,000-acre parcel of land in Alturas (Modoc County) for the old Weinstock-Lubin and Co. department store building at 4th and K streets. The building had been vacated and the company had reopened in its new location at 12th and K streets.

Meat marketer

Charles also owned other business operations in Sacramento, including the Fulton Meat Market at 4th and M (now Capitol Mall) streets, California Market on J Street, between 7th and 8th streets, and meat markets on 10th and M (now Capitol Mall) streets, 16th and M (now Capitol Avenue) streets and in Folsom and Knights Landing.

He also owned a slaughterhouse on Y Street (present day Broadway), between 5th and 6th streets.

Charles established a rich connection to the Land Park community with his founding of Charles Station, which later became known as South Land Park Hills.

Charles F. Silva is shown at the age of about 55, around the time he acquired the old Weinstock-Lubin and Co. department store building at 4th and K streets. / Photo courtesy

Charles’ property was located off the present day Del Rio Road in the area of today’s Kennedy Lane and Pleasant Drive.

On this property, Charles owned and operated a second slaughterhouse, which had a thick concrete floor that later posed difficulties in building the foundations of some of the area’s high quality homes.

Family manDuring his life, Charles was married twice, with the first of his marriages occurring when he married Theresa Kennedy in Sacramento on Aug. 15, 1899. Together the couple had nine children.

Following Theresa’s death, Charles married Lois Blackwell and this marriage added two more children to his family.

The most prominent of Charles’ children was former Land Park area resident Ray Silva. Ray, who passed away in 1996, was a referee for the Harlem Globetrotters and the founder and operator of Kiddie Land, Land Park’s small-scale children’s amusement park, which is today known as Funderland.

Undoubtedly, Charles, who passed away on July 14, 1944, was a man who achieved many great things in his life.

And considering his many accomplishments and the fact that he once had practically pennies in his pocket and no assets to his name, Charles Silva should be remembered for many years as a self-motivated man whose drive to excel led to a life of success.

lance@valcomnews.com

Editor’s Note: This is the first article in a two-part series featuring the history of the Lisbon schools of the Freeport and Pocket areas.

The history of elementary schools in the Pocket area reached a special anniversary this year, as the predecessor to the first school in the area – Yolo County’s Lisbon School – first opened its doors to its students 140 years ago.

The Lower Lisbon School, which replaced the converted barn/original Lisbon School in the Pocket, is shown in this c. 1912 photograph. / Photo courtesy of PHCS

The name Joseph S. Miller (born José Souza Neves) is synonymous with this early school, which was located toward Babel Slough in the area known as Freeport in Yolo County, directly across the Sacramento River from the Pocket area.

This one-room schoolhouse opened on May 4, 1870 on donated land on a corner of the Glide Ranch, about two miles north of the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church.

Miller, who was born on March 6, 1822 in the Azores Islands of Portugal and was the original Portuguese person who settled in the Freeport (Yolo County) area, was a neighbor of J.H. Glide, a large landowner in the area.

Because more people were settling in the Freeport area, there became a need for a school to educate the area’s children.

Miller was not new to the idea of starting a school, since he had previously had a log cabin-type school building constructed on his property and he hired teachers to instruct his children in this structure.

This school building, however, was not large enough to support a new school for the growing area’s children.

The newly-built Lower Lisbon School is shown in this 1909 photograph. The rural atmosphere of the area is evident by the dog on the left side of the photograph and the chicken on the right side of the photograph. / Photo courtesy of PHCS

Lisbon School District formed

Because of this, Miller formed the Lisbon School District, which had a larger, one-room schoolhouse built that was nestled next to the levee in order to avoid floodwaters.

Originally the school consisted of primarily Portuguese students ranging from first through sixth grades.

Later, a second room was added to the schoolhouse to accommodate eight grades.

During this era, most children attending the school walked to school on an unpaved road atop the levee.

The school was suspended on very rainy days, since the children could not navigate the muddy road for any great distance.

Student transportation

Additionally, two or three children rode to school in a horse and small child’s buggy that also carried hay.

The buggy would be unhitched and the horse would be placed in a stall in a shed-type structure, which was located in front of the school and closer to the levee.

Some children from the Pocket area were rowed across the river or crossed on the Glide free ferry to attend the school while their parents were involved in farming on both sides of the river.

Among the teachers at the school were: Mr. Raindollar (primary grades), Mr. Harding, Mrs. McLaughlin, Mrs. Foley, Arthur Mills, Mrs. Masterson, Miss Day, Miss Mathews, Miss Marshall, Miss Lighthouse, Miss Reasoner, Miss Lightcap, Julia McWilliam (grades 1-4 from 1894-1900) and Maggie McWilliam (grades 5-8 from 1890-1900).

Julia and Maggie McWilliam, who were sisters, boarded with the Kirtlan family in the Freeport area, and other teachers boarded with the Contente family, who resided about a mile north of the Kirtlan’s ranch.

The original Lisbon School in the lower Pocket was a converted barn that was in operation from about 1884 to 1904. Shown second to right in the photograph is the school’s teacher, Miss Agnes Devine. / Photo courtesy of PHCS

First ethnic school

On Jan. 21, 1873, a group of Portuguese-Americans, led by Manuel E. DaCosta, petitioned the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors to establish their own school district.

Due to the large influx of Portuguese-American families, who had settled in the Pocket area in the early 1850s, there was a need for a school in the Pocket area that would serve the children of these families.

Among these families were the DaCostas, the Waxons, the Perrys, the Garcias, the Peters, the Williams and the DeCostas (no direct relation to the DaCostas).

When the school opened in the 1870s, it became the only ethnic public school in the Sacramento area. This status continued until 1945.

The first schoolhouse in the Pocket area was a converted barn that was located near the drainage canal in the southeast portion of the Pocket.

This school was the first Lisbon School and was later known as the Lower Lisbon School when a second Lisbon School, known as the Upper Lisbon School, was opened in about 1890.

Providing education for students of the first Pocket area school was its teacher Miss Agnus Devine.

Pocket native Dolores Greenslate said that her grandmother, Clara Perry, used to tell her stories about walking to the first Lisbon School.

“I remember my grandmother speaking of walking to school on top of the levee for about a mile and she would have to come down from the levee across the fields and sometimes she couldn’t maneuver it because of the mud. On such occasions during the wintertime, she would have to turn around and return home. I asked her if she was disappointed that she couldn’t go to school and she said, ‘No, I enjoyed staying home more, so I could come home to a warm house and do what I wanted to do.”

The Edwards BreakThis first Lisbon School continued to serve local schoolchildren until the 1904 flood, known as the Edwards Break, which destroyed the school and flooded the area with about 5 or 6 feet of water.

Following the flood, a temporary schoolhouse was constructed on the Rogers ranch, about three-quarters of a mile north of the demolished school.

Manuel Ferreira, the carpenter of the Pocket area who was known as “Shopinha” and local farmers constructed a shed-like building to be used as a temporary school.

An old stove was transported to the structure and classes were resumed at the school, which was taught by Mr. McCormick.

McCormick, who lived in a cabin near the school on the Rogers ranch, continued to teach at the school until about 1906.

Sometime from about 1907 to 1909, students from the temporary school were transferred to the newly-built Lisbon School – later known as the Upper Lisbon School – which was located in the area of today’s Park Riviera Way.

The students from the lower part of the Pocket continued their education in this school until 1909, when the new Lower Lisbon School, a one-room schoolhouse, was built near the original barn-structure Lisbon School.

lance@valcomnews.com

Lilly Jones, who was born in 1892, was the first teacher of the 1909 Lower Lisbon School building. / Photo courtesy of PHCS

Among the many locals who have made notable marks during Sacramento’s 161-year history is, undoubtedly, the late Sacramento resident Gabriel “Gabe” Luiz Silveira.

Gabe Silveira poses with a pair of maracas for this 1940s publicity photograph. / Photo courtesy of the Silveira family

Although many Sacramentans today are unfamiliar with this name, with this year marking 40 years since his passing, it is a good time to familiarize more people with this notable, local figure.

An immigrant of Santa Amaro, Pico in the Azores islands of Portugal, Gabe first came to Sacramento with his mother, Mariana, and his sisters, Marie and Gabriella, in about 1917 when he was about 10 years old.

Those most familiar with Gabe are quite aware of his lifelong love for entertaining others.

The early years

When he was 21 years old, Gabe began the first of his six years of composing music with another Portuguese immigrant, John Nunes.

It was also during this era that Gabe performed in leading roles and sang Portuguese songs in Portuguese language plays held for the benefit of the St. Elizabeth Roman Catholic Church.

The plays were originally held in the basement of the church at 1817 12th Street and later at the Tuesday Club House at 2722 L St., across from Sutter’s Fort.

During the late 1930s, Gabe, who married another Portuguese immigrant Gloria Peters (the anglicized version of the Portuguese name

Gabe Silveira is shown with one of his musical groups in the early 1940s. / Photo courtesy of the Silveira family

 Pires) on Nov. 20, 1933 and had two children, Don and Diane, began hosting a program, called “Memories of Portugal,” on the local radio station, KROY 1210 AM. The program, which included live music by Gabe and other Portuguese musicians, was entirely presented in Portuguese.

The program run with KROY came to an end due to World War II, since all foreign language stations were discontinued during this time.

‘The Lost Gaucho’

KFBK picked up the program in an altered version, as the program, which continued for 16 years, became known as “The Lost Gaucho” and was presented in English and featured recorded versions of Latin music, including Portuguese songs.

Don said that many Latinos in Sacramento were very familiar with his father due to the program’s popularity with local Latinos during this era.

Gabe was also known for performing with his own bands at Sacramento venues, including the Hotel El Dorado – today’s Radisson Hotel – at 500 Leisure Lane, the Argentina Café at 610 J Street and the Trianon Ballroom at 910 K Street, above the Senator Theatre.

Gabe and his bands, one of which included his son on trumpet during the 1960s, also played across the Tower Bridge at venues on the old Davis Highway – now West Capitol Avenue in West Sacramento. These venues were the extremely popular El Rancho Hotel and Club Mocambo.

During this time, Tuesday evening dance exhibitions were presented at the El Rancho by the Arthur Murray Dance Studio of Sacramento.

Gabe’s bands provided Latin tempos on these evenings and on many occasions Gabe could be found on the dance floor.

While recently reminiscing about her father, Diane said, “My father was an outstanding dancer.”

Diane added that her father was a perfectionist in every activity in which he became involved and that he was a very motivated person, noting that h

e taught himself how to play music.

Furniture store owner

In addition to his notoriety in the local music world, Gabe was also well known as the owner of a furniture store, called G.L. Silveira Co., which he operated with Gloria.

Gabe and Gloria Silveira, who were married on Nov. 20, 1933, are shown at the El Rancho Hotel in the 1940s. / Photo courtesy of the Silveira family

After working during the mid-1930s as a delivery driver for the Dallman Supply Co., a plumbing, heating and engineering supplies and roofing materials business at 6th and Q streets, Gabe went to work at the household appliances and furniture business of George F. Lamb.

But after a dispute with Lamb, whose business was located at 1516 Del Paso Boulevard in North Sacramento, Gabe, who was Lamb’s top salesman, left the business in 1939 and established G.L. Silveira Co.

The opening of this business, which was located at the former site of Chris Pulon’s grocery store at 1616 Broadway, marked the beginnings of Gabe’s longtime notoriety as a furniture dealer.

Two years after opening his Broadway store, Gabe relocated the business to 2325 21st Street, where Joseph Gentner, a longtime Sacramento sausage maker and grocery store owner formerly resided.

Apparently, Gabe’s store did not immediately focus on furniture, considering that a 1941 Sacramento telephone book lists the business as specializing in electrical appliances.

The following year, however, the city directory lists G.L. Silveira Co. as one of Sacramento’s 22 retail furniture dealers.

Commenting about these listings, Don said that although his father always sold furniture from the time he opened the business, he believes that his father may have had more electrical appliances because he was still in the process of increasing his furniture inventory.

Gabe Silveira performs with his orchestra in this early 1960s photograph. / Photo courtesy of the Silveira family

In 1947, Gabe had his own building constructed at 2100 X Street, across the street from Joseph Gentner’s Gentner’s Market. The market building, which included upstairs apartments, was located on the northeast corner of 21st and X streets, while the furniture store was located on the southeast corner.

A 1952 advertisement for Gabe’s business presents the store’s offerings at the time as follows: furniture, Frigidaire appliances, Occidental gas ranges, Youngstown dishwashers, Easy washing machines and Beauty Rest Sealy and Englander mattresses.

The store, which eventually sold drapery and carpets for many years, was also one of the city’s earliest television dealers, as the business exclusively offered Zenith television sets.

Although Gabe, who only had one grandchild, Valerie Cortopassi, passed away on July 22, 1970, Don continued to operate the furniture store until his retirement in 2002.

Today, the building is home to The Antique Company, dealers in an eclectic mix of antique, English imports, including a large selection of furniture.

Community patron

Always very active in the community, Gabe was involved in many affairs outside of his participation in local entertainment and operating his store.

These things include: assisting in efforts to sponsor the city’s first civic ballet (1946), serving as president of Sacramento’s Cabrillo Club No. 5 (1958) and the club’s state president (1961), assisting in the naming of Cabrillo Elementary School at 1141 Seamas Ave. (1958), serving as the chairman of Cabrillo Day at the State Fair (1958-1970) and running for a city council seat (1961).

As a Cabrillo Club representative, Gabe worked to have Portuguese taught in schools and dedicated many hours to an effort working with the governor’s office to proclaim Sept. 28 as “Cabrillo Day” in honor of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, who sailed into San Diego Bay in 1542.

Knighted by Portugal

Don Silveira and Diane (Silveira) Cortopassi stand in front of the former Sacramento residence of their parents, Gabe and Gloria Silveira. / Valley Community Newspapers photo, Lance Armstrong

Among the many awards that Gabe received during his life was the Ordem do Infante Dom Henrique (Order of Prince Henry the Navigator) for his “undying devotion to the Portuguese-American community” in Sacramento. The honor is a Portuguese national order of knighthood.

Don described this award as being a “very prestigious” honor, adding that the award is the highest Portuguese award that one can receive without being a Portuguese citizen.

Although it has been four decades since his passing, Gabe leaves behind a very rich legacy – one that should be recognized and appreciated for many years to come.