Merced-Monterey-Santa Cruz County CA Archives Biographies.....Silva, Manuel M. 1865 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 10, 2006, 4:46 am

Author: John Outcalt (1925)

MANUEL M. SILVA

   From the time of establishing mercantile interests in the town of Gustine,
Merced County, up to the present, Manuel M. Silva has been a leading factor in
the commercial life of the place, a contributor to movements for its substantial
and permanent progress. No influence has entered into the growth of the town
more important than that exerted by him in his capacity of general merchant.
Since 1910 he has been at the head of a general merchandise store which has
grown with each succeeding year to its present proportions. He is one of
California's native sons, having been born on his father's ranch three miles
from Watsonville, Monterey County, near the county line, December 22, 1883, a
son of Manuel and Mary (Smith) Silva. The father, also named Manuel Silva, was a
native of St. George, of the Azores, and he came to California when a young man
and engaged in the sheep business. He was married to Miss Mary Smith, a native
of Santa Cruz, who was one of the first white children born at this place. The
father herded his band of sheep in the San Joaquin Valley every season taking
them to the Sierra Nevada Mountains for pasture. Later he went out of the sheep
business and with the money he had accumulated, established a dairy business
which occupied him until his death, when something over fifty years old. There
were nine children born in this family, namely: Manuel M.; Mary, deceased;
George; Eugenia; Margaret; Jack; Frank; Louis; and Walter.

   Manuel M. Silva obtained his education in the Watsonville Grammar School and
the business college at that place. When about eighteen years old he began
clerking in a grocery store in Watsonville; he later drifted to Newman and for
two years worked in the general store of Antone Souza. This brought him to the
time when he located in Gustine in 1910 and that year he built a store building
and opened his general merchandise business, which has since occupied his
attention.

   On November 26, 1906, Mr. Silva was married to Miss Ella Johnson, born at
Santa Cruz, this State, a daughter of Hans and Marie (Scheuter) Johnson, both
natives of Denmark; her father is a farmer in the vicinity of Santa Cruz. There
were two daughters in this family, Mrs. Silva and Anna, who died single. Mr. and
Mrs. Silva are the parents of two children: Mildred and Anna. Mr. Silva has been
a member of the board of trustees of the town of Gustine and in politics is a
stanch supporter of the Republican party; he is identified fraternally with
Merced Lodge No. 1240, B. P. O. Elks of Merced; the Foresters of America; and
the U. P. E. C. Lodge No. 99 of Gustine and for some time has served as its
treasurer.


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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