Sacramento County
Biographies
ARNOLD SANER
ARNOLD SANER.--A man who, by energy and industry, has made a decided success of the dairy business is Arnold Saner, a native of Canton, Solothurn, Switzerland, born August 16, 1861. His father, Jacob Saner, was a farmer and stockman and married Maria Strahl and both are now deceased. Of the eight children born to this worthy couple two are living, Arnold being the only one in America. He had two brothers that came to California before him. Joseph came in 1883 and Robert came in 1885 and both are now dead.
Arnold Saner, who was the fifth child in the order of birth, was educated in the national schools of Switzerland and from a boy learned dairying. He remained at home, assisting his parents, until 1887, when he spent one year in Canton Bazel and then came to California. He made his way to his brother Joseph Saner’s ranch near Galt and began working for him both as milker and cheese maker, continuing for a period of nine years. His wages were thirty-five dollars a month and out of this he managed to save some money, so that he was able to purchase an outfit and he leased 750 acres of land from Mrs. Dalton at Slough House and made improvements on the place for dairying. He put in a pumping plant and raised alfalfa and cows. He began with fifty head of cows and has increased his herd to 250 head. After operating the place for eighteen years he gave it up and purchased the old Moore place of 918 acres, where he made substantial improvements by building horse barns, grainery, and cheese house, and enlarging the cow barn. He raises large quantities of alfalfa and his place is irrigated with a pumping plant driven by a twenty-horse-power engine. He also purchased the Wilcox ranch of 400 acres adjoining his place, making it a very valuable stock farm. He has been manufacturing the Poppy Brand of California cheese up till 1920, but now he has a separator and sells the cream.
Mr. Saner’s marriage occurred in Sacramento on November 3, 1902, when he was united with Miss Mary Mitchell, who was born in Canton Oberwalden, Switzerland, and their union has been blessed with the birth of nine children: Marie, Arnold, Jr., Clara, Matilda, Godfrey, Agnes, Herman, Carl and John. Mr. Saner fraternally is a member of the Sweitzer Verein in Sacramento.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Source: Reed, G. Walter, History of Sacramento County, California With
Biographical Sketches, Page 949.
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA. 1923.
© 2007 Jeanne Taylor.