Napa-Orange County CA Archives Biographies.....Grossman, A. H. 1849 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 21, 2007, 11:59 pm Author: Lewis Publishing Co. (1891) A. H. GROSSMAN, manager of the Goldstein orchard, vineyard, wine cellars and distillery, one of the oldest establishments of the kind in the valley, has been since his boyhood engaged in horticulture and wine-making. In addition to the management of this large concern, he has a nice place of his own, containing about ninety acres, sixty acres in vines, of which about forty are in resistant stocks. He is one of the earliest advocates and practical demonstrators of the value of the use of resistant vines. He began as early as 1875, growing the Californica from the seed as well as from the roots and cuttings, but was not successful with this variety. His experience demonstrates that the Riparia and Lennar, if properly grafted, will succeed. Of course it requires thorough knowledge, skill and patience, as well as large capital to make a success of such an enterprise. It took him eight years to learn to graft these vines satisfactorily. The Goldstein ranch has over 100 acres in orchard, forty in vineyard, and over 300 acres in general farming. On the place are two wine cellars, with a storage capacity of over 150,000 gallons. He has also a very compact and effective distillery, with a special apparatus for distilling brandy from pommace, which is of Mr. Grossman's invention. This can also be used for distilling brandy from wine or other liquors. On this ranch is an old and very spacious adobe building, which is said to have been used by the Mexican Government in the early days of California history. It is a more commodious building than Sutter's Fort, and is in a better state of preservation, being still occupied, the upper part as a lodging for the farm hands, and the basement for storage purposes. The stables and other buildings are very complete, making this place one of the best equipped in the valley. Mr. Grossman's ranch near the asylum was purchased by him in 1883. Besides his vineyard he has an orchard of five acres, mostly in Bartlett pears and apricots, and in addition a well-selected general assortment of fruits. He has on this place a wine-cellar of a capacity of 30,000 gallons, a nice residence, good barns, etc. The resistant vines are still young, yet he made about 8,000 gallons of wine this season. Mr. Grossman was born in Hungary in 1849. His parents were D. S. and Maria (Silvany) Grossman, his father a native of Wurtemburg, and his mother of Hungary. While yet a lad he came to this country, staying for a time in the East, but he soon came to this State. His early experience having been entirely with vineyards and wine-making he soon found the opportunity to put his knowledge to practical use, as distiller at Buena Vista ranch and vineyard. In 1872 he leased the Huichica (Simonton) vineyard for a term of six years from Mr. Winters. He then took charge of the Dreyfus & Co. vineyards at Anaheim, in Los Angeles County, for one year, and returning to Napa leased the same ranch he now manages for Mr. Goldstein. Mr. Grossman has never married. His life has so far been devoted to the viticultural and horticultural development of California. Additional Comments: Extracted from Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California. Illustrated, Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast from the Earliest Period of its Occupancy to the Present Time, together with Glimpses of its Prospective Future; Full-Page Steel Portraits of its most Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers and also of Prominent Citizens of To-day. "A people that takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendents." – Macauley. CHICAGO THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY 1891. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/napa/bios/grossman785gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/cafiles/ File size: 4.3 Kb