Plumas
County
Biographies
ANDREW VALBERDE
Among the fine old families of the
Sacramento Valley none has an older record on this continent than that of
Valberde, of which Andrew Valberde, a partner in the Portola Lumber Company, at
Portola, is a worthy representative. The family is of Spanish origin and was
established in Peru, South America, many generations ago, its
name being at that time Valberde de Granadino.
Some of its representatives intermarried with the native Incas of Peru,
and for more than a century it has been a family of wealth, authority and high
social position in that country. The
paternal grandfather, Manuel Valberde de Granadino, came to California during
the historic gold rush and, after mining for awhile, turned his attention to
farming, buying a tract of one hundred and sixty acres near Sonora, Tuolumne
County, which has ever since been known as the Peruvian ranch. Among his children was Lorenzo Valberde, who
was born on the Peruvian ranch, and died at Hornitos, California, in May, 1914,
at the age of fifty-eight years. He
married Miss Frances Valencia, who was born at Delano, Kern County, this state,
June 4, 1870, and is still living at Hornitos.
She is of pure Castilian Spanish stock.
Her father, Joseph Valencia, came to California about 1849, being among
the earliest gold miners of the state.
Mr. and Mrs. Valberde became the parents of nine children,
including: Lorenzo J., who is a
locomotive engineer on the Southern Pacific Railroad and lives at Sparks,
Nevada; Emelia J., the wife of William Barnhardt, who was formerly a contractor
and builder at Portola, but is now a partner in the Portola Lumber Company;
Norbert C., who also is a member of the Portola Lumber Company; Philip T., a
contractor in New York City, Alonzo, who is connected with the sales department
of the Bass-Heuter Company, of San Francisco; and Andrew, of this review.
Andrew Valberde was born at
Hornitos, Mariposa County, on the 10th of June, 1899, and had good
educational advantages. He attended the
grammar school of Hornitos from 1906 to 1914, and the high school at Stockton,
this state, from 1914 to 1918. He then
entered the University of California and was a member of the student army
training camp during 1918. In the
following year he entered the employ of the Yosemite Lumber Company, at Merced
Falls, with which he was connected until 1923, when he came to Portola as sales
manager of the Feather River Lumber Company, remaining with that concern until
1928, when he became a partner of the Portola Lumber Company and has since had
charge of the retail lumberyards. He
possesses great ability as a salesman and has been a leading factor in the
success which his company has enjoyed from its organization.
Mr. Valberde supports the Republican
Party and stands consistently for those things which affect the prosperity and
welfare of his community, serving as clerk of the Melrose school board from
1925 to 1928. He is a member of Portola
Lodge, No. 247, I. O. O. F., in which he has passed through all the chairs and
at present is district deputy grand master.
He is also identified with the Rebekah lodge and is adjutant of Edward
Reynolds Post, No. 329, A. L., at Portola; belongs to the Order of Hoo Hoos, composed
of lumbermen; the Plumas County Chamber of Commerce, of which he is vice
president and a director, and the Portola Chamber of Commerce. A progressive business man, adhering to the
highest commercial ethics, and of friendly manner, he has won a high place in
the regard of the people of this locality and is numbered among its
enterprising and substantial citizens.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
Wooldridge, J.W.Major History of Sacramento Valley
California, Vol. 3 Pages 284-287. Pioneer Historical
Publishing Co. Chicago 1931.
© 2010
Gerald Iaquinta.