San
Joaquin County
Biographies
MANUEL J. LIMA
Well-known in connection with dairy
farming and stockraising in San Joaquin County, Manuel J. Lima makes his home
three miles north of Manteca on the J. D. Maxey ranch, which is entirely
devoted to his dairy. He was born on the
Isle of Pico near the village of Santa Louise, Azores, April 6, 1861 the eldest
son of M. J. and Rosa Lima, who were both natives of the same province. He received a good public school education in
his native country where he remained until he was twenty years old, working on
his father’s farm and also on neighboring farms in the Azores. He left his native country, family and home
and came to a new country, his first location in California being at Rodeo,
where he worked as a farm laborer for fifteen dollars per month on the Toomey
ranch. After three years of hard work,
his employer recognized in him stability and perseverance and he was made
foreman of the ranch where he remained for thirty-two years.
The marriage of Manuel Lima in
April, 1893 united him with Miss Rosa Silviera, who
was born in the Alhambra Valley, Contra Costa County, and they have had the
following children: Manuel P. is at
home; Mary, is Mrs. Joseph Machado of Wood Colony near Modesto and the mother of
three children; Rose, died when five years of age; Minnie; Anna is Mrs. Frank Lorera of Manteca; Antone,
Joseph, Eleanore, Gloria Josephine, Helen and Thomas, all at home. In 1913 Mr. Lima and family moved to a ranch
near Modesto and for eight years conducted a dairy on the Doctor Fuller ranch
successfully, and in December, 1921 sold out and settled in San Joaquin County,
where he purchased ninety-one acres, but has since sold forty-five acres,
leaving forty-six acres in the home place, which he has developed into a fine
dairy ranch. In 1921 he bought the J. D.
Maxey dairy ranch of 100 acres near Manteca, and this he has developed into a
model dairy ranch. In 1896 Mr. Lima made
an extended visit to his old home, which occupied three months and on his return
to California was accompanied by two brothers and one sister, all of whom are
doing well in California. Forty-one
years of his life have been spent in the Golden State, and his business career
has been imbued with the spirit of enterprise.
Since becoming an American citizen in 1892 Mr. Lima has voted the
Republican ticket. He is a strong
advocate of irrigation and his dairy ranches demonstrate what can be
accomplished by industry and perseverance.
Transcribed by V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page
1615. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2012 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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