Merced-Sonoma-Marin County CA Archives Biographies.....Baleme, Modesto V. 1852 - 
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Author: John Outcalt (1925)

MODESTO V. BALEME

   One of the well-known ranchers of Merced County, Modesto V. Baleme has been
identified with agriculture here in the San Joaquin Valley for over forty years,
and it has been a long journey from the poor boy, who landed in a new country
without funds, or even a working knowledge of the new language, to the
successful man who is now an integral part of the country's citizenry.   Born
June 15, 1852, in Canton Ticino, Switzerland, he is the son of Andrew J. and
Mary (Bary) Baleme, both natives of that country, and farmers by occupation.
Educated in the public schools of Switzerland, he came to the United States when
a lad of sixteen, arriving in 1868, and with no knowledge of English, started to
look for work to earn a living.

   The young adventurer worked his way to California, and here took a job on the
De Martini dairy ranch, near Petaluma. There he worked steadily for two years,
and then, for the next twelve months, worked for Charles Love, on the coast of
Marin County. He saved his money, and was soon able to send home his fare, which
had been advanced him. His good mother died in 1871. In the evenings, when his
day's work was finished—and it was a full day's work, in those days—he learned
the English language, being helped by the tutoring of Mrs. Love, for he was
fortunate in having unusually kind employers. After the three years spent in
ranch work, Mr. Baleme went to San Francisco, and for the following three years
was employed as a stevedore in the metropolis. From there he went to Stockton,
and there worked for Meyer Brothers for three years on their grain ranch. He
then came further north again, and took a position as foreman on the K. Fly
ranch, in Napa Valley.

   In 1883, he came to the San Joaquin to stay, first locating in Turlock, where
he entered the employ of the late J. B. Osborn, and finally went into the employ
of the late J. W. Mitchell, extensive stockman and rancher, as a teamster and
warehouseman. He remained in his employ as foreman at Central Camp, and later
established another camp, named Modesto Camp, and here he made a wonderful
success as a buttermaker; the M. B. brand was known throughout the valley, and
was the most popular butter carried in the Merced stores. Mr. Baleme made weekly
trips to Merced with produce, and had no trouble in disposing of his output, for
it was the best seller on the market. In the meantime, he made an investment in
land on his own account, purchasing forty acres, six miles west of town, later
adding ten acres to his holdings, and engaged in grain-raising; as his sons
matured, he took them on as partners, at the same time conducting a more
extensive business on leased lands, marketing his wheat, which was the principal
crop, at Garibaldi Mills, Merced. In 1920, he sold out his mules to the Heinz
Company, and bought a 75-h. p. C. L. Best tractor, and invested in his present
ten-acre home place, one mile from Merced, where he enjoys the comforts of a
newly-built, strictly modern home. He has set out his acreage to peach trees,
which will soon be in bearing, making his place one of the show places of this
section. He also owns residence property in Merced, and other desirable
securities, and can surely be said to have reached success through his own
unaided efforts, adding value to the section he chose for a home, and doing his
share in its development.

   The marriage of Mr. Baleme, in Modesto, in 1886, united him with Louise
Hamilton, who was born in San Jose, the eldest of seven children in the family
of Alex Hamilton, whose father was a Forty-niner, and he himself came to
California in 1858. He married Mary Ferrett, a native of New Orleans, and his
death occurred at the age of sixty-three; in 1870, the family moved to Paradise
City. They were also farmer folk. Thirteen children blessed the marriage of Mr.
and Mrs. Baleme: John A., of Cressey; James E.; Loretta Berry; Albert V.; Louise
M. Furtado; Helen Ellis; George F.; Josephine Tetzlaff; Fred M.; Walter W.; Mary
E.; Irene Lorraine; and Emma N. Adams. There are nineteen grandchildren in the
family. A Republican in politics, Mr. Baleme received his citizenship papers in
Merced. Fraternally, he has been a Knight of Pythias since 1884, when he joined
the Turlock lodge.


Additional Comments:
From:

HISTORY OF
MERCED COUNTY
CALIFORNIA
WITH A
Biographical Review
OF
The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been
Identified with Its Growth and Development
from the Early Days to the Present

HISTORY BY
JOHN OUTCALT

ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME
HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
1925

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