Sacramento County
Biographies
MANUEL
PATRICK SOUZA
MANUEL PATRICK SOUZA.--Since locating in Sacramento County thirty-six years ago Manuel Patrick Souza has become an independent farmer, but not without continued hard work and unfailing courage in the face of many obstacles. He was born on the Isle of Pico, Azores, February 2, 1870, a son of Patrick and Marian (Gloria) Souza, natives of the same isle. The parents were farmers and the father died at the age of seventy years; the mother still lives in the old home and is over eighty-three years of age. Three sons were born to them, Manuel Patrick, our subject; Henry and Joseph. Manuel Patrick Souza had no opportunity to attend school, for he was obliged to help earn a living for the family. When he was seventeen year old he came to California and worked for wages on Grand Island for seven years.
On April 22, 1894, at San Francisco, Mr. Souza was married to Miss Mary Ignacia, also a native of the Isle of Pico, and a daughter of John and Rose (Jesus) Ignacia. Mrs. Souza is the eldest of five children, the others being, Marian, Louis, Manuel, and Clara. After his marriage Mr. Souza farmed for himself on Grand Island, but was obliged to give it up and work for wages; he then leased 317 acres which he farmed for two years; then he leased a thirty-acre asparagus ranch for two years, near Ryde; for the next ten years he was engaged in growing asparagus on a 120 acre ranch. He then purchased thirty-six acres one-half mile west of Ryde which he improved with a residence and other farm buildings; this ranch is farmed to beans. Thirteen children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Souza; Manuel P., Jr., who was in the 91st Division in the World War and was on the way to France when he was quarantined on account of measles and was transferred to the 81st Division and went to France, where he served for eleven months; Henry P.; Mary, now Mrs. John Meyers; and Louis, Joseph, Marian, William, George, Samuel, Antone, Pauline, Rose and Ernest. Mr. Souza is a member of the I. D. E. S., of Rio Vista, and the U. P. E. C., of the same place.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Source: Reed, G. Walter, History of Sacramento County, California With
Biographical Sketches, Page 992.
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA. 1923.
© 2007 Jeanne Taylor.