Monterey County CA Archives Biographies.....Iverson, James B. 1855 - 
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Author: Luther A. Ingersoll, Editor (1893)

JAMES B. IVERSON.—When James B. Iverson started for California, twenty-five
years ago, he borrowed money to pay the expenses of the trip. To-day he owns a
competence, and financially is one of the solid men of the county. Fortune did
not hunt him up to pour her treasures lavishly into his lap. Coming to Monterey
county, when it was comparatively new, he has done much to develop the resources
of the Salinas valley, and has profited by enhancing property values, and
creating wealth, where, in the undeveloped condition of the country, none existed.

  He is a native of Denmark, and was born October 3, 1835, in Apenrade,
Schleswig (now a part of Prussia). His father, Jesse Iverson, was born in 1809,
and died at Salinas October 7, 1890. The mother was born in 1811 and died at
Salinas, in 1881.

  Mr. Iverson was educated in the common schools of his county, having only one
teacher during the whole period of his school days. He learned the trade of
blacksmithing from his father, and after serving sixteen months in the Danish
army, in 1863 he came to California. He worked at the forge five years in San
Lorenzo, for Henry Smith. When he had been in California eighteen months he had
repaid the friend who had lent him money and had $50 left, and this money he
invested in mining stock, which he still retains as a souvenir of his first
investment.

  From San Lorenzo he went to Watsonville, where he worked three months. In
September, 1868, he arrived at Salinas with a little more than $2,000, which he
expended and went into debt $800 in fitting up a shop. He worked hard and met
with success, adding to his shop as circumstances would permit, eventually
adding a machine department, until he now has the most complete establishment of
this kind in this section of the State. Soon after he came to Salinas his
brother, E. P. Iverson, came from Denmark and worked for him for ten years, when
he was admitted into partnership. Later Mr. Iverson sent for the balance of the
family.

  During the past six or eight years Mr. Iverson has turned his management of
the shop over to his brother, his outside interests, land, stock, etc.,
demanding all his attention. He, Jesse D. Carr and William Vanderhurst, bought
1,500 acres of swamp land near Salinas, from Eugene Sherwood, which by the
expenditure of a large sum of money and several years of hard labor they
reclaimed. Mr. Iverson is in partnership with William Vanderhurst in a number of
ranches and is extensively engaged in grain and stock-raising. He is also
interested in the Los Burros mines and is president of the Gas, Electric Light
and Water Company and of the I. O. O. F. Hall Assciation. [sic] He has been a
member of the Common Council and is a director in the Agricultural Association,
having the management of the tract. He is a progressive citizen, prominent in
all enteprises [sic] that are for the benefit of Salinas or Monterey county.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Memorial and Biographical History of the Coast Counties of Central California.

Illustrated.

Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast from the
Earliest Period of its Discovery to the Present Time, together with Glimpses of
its Auspicious Future; Illustrations and Full-Page Portraits of some of its
Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers, and Prominent
Citizens of To-day.



HENRY D. BARROWS,
Editor of the Historical Department.

LUTHER A. INGERSOLL,
Editor of the Biographical Department.

"A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will
never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote
descendants."-Macaulay.


CHICAGO: THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY.
1893.


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