Yolo-Sacramento County CA Archives Biographies.....Alge, Richard 1852 - ************************************************ 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 December 5, 2005, 4:48 am Author: Tom Gregory RICHARD ALGE An identification with the business interests of Woodland covering practically the entire period from 1878 to the present time gives to Mr. Alge the prestige connected with pioneer citizenship and the influence associated with successful activities. As a friendless immigrant to the shores of America his experience was not dissimilar to that of thousands of young aliens, who, brave in hope but penniless in purse, seek the rich opportunities of the new world. In the midst of a people whose language sounded strange to his ears and whose broad prairies presented a forlorn aspect to his vision he began the task of earning a livelihood, a task whose possibilities seemed indeed limited until a fortunate decision brought him to California and thus started him in the upward path of progress. Throughout the entire period of his residence in the west he has been interested in the meat business, first as an employe in a market, later for years as the energetic co-partner in a flourishing establishment, but more recently only from the standpoint of a retired market owner, whose attention is now concentrated upon the shipment of livestock to San Francisco and the management of his property interests in and near Woodland. About the middle of the nineteenth century there resided in Voralberg, Austria, a farmer and educator named Joseph Alge, a man of considerable ability and a lifelong resident of Austria, which had been the home of unnumbered generations of his ancestry. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Magdalena Vogel, also died in Austria. Of their nine children five were spared to attain maturity, but the only one of the number to come to America was Richard, whose birth occurred at Voralberg April 2, 1852, and whose early days were passed on the home farm. After he had completed the studies of the common schools he served an apprenticeship to the butcher's trade in his native land, whence in 1872 he came to the United States. His first experiences in the new world were gained at New York City, Newark, N. J., and Philadelphia, and from the latter city in 1875 he came to San Francisco, where he found employment at his trade. The year 1878 found the young Austrian a newcomer in Woodland, where he spent one month in the employ of the Mossmayer meat market and eighteen months with Frasier & Gary, also butchers. Finally he resigned in order to form a partnership with George Armstrong under the firm title of Armstrong & Alge, and the two started a new shop on Main, between First and Second streets. For a period of about thirty years the partnership was continued pleasantly and profitably, but eventually the senior member of the firm disposed of his interest to Mr. Alge and retired to private life. Eighteen months later, in 1910, Mr. Alge leased the shop to other parties and since then has devoted himself to the shipment of stock to the metropolitan packing houses and stockyards, also to the supervision of his business and residence properties in Woodland, and to the management of his alfalfa ranch of seventy acres about one and one-half miles north of the city. Besides other important interests, he serves as a director in the First National Bank of Woodland, in which for years he has been a stockholder. After coming to the west Mr. Alge formed the acquaintance of Miss Louisa Graff, and they were married in Sacramento, her native city. For years they, with their only child, Bertha, have been leading members of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church and have contributed to its maintenance with the utmost generosity, while in addition Mr. Alge has been a helper of various movements for the general welfare and an interested participant in public affairs. In political views he has voted with the Democratic party ever since he became a naturalized citizen of our country, and his party has depended upon him for the support of its measures and nominees. His fraternal relationships include enrollment with the Herman Sons, the Knights of Pythias and the Independent Order of Foresters. In 1882 he became a charter member of Company F, Third Regulars, N. G. C., and served for three years. He also served for five years as a member of the Woodland volunteer fire department. It has been his privilege to witness much of the growth of Woodland. When he came here it was a hamlet of insignificant proportions, but gradually it has expanded in area and commercial importance and has taken upon itself metropolitan improvements of the greatest value to property owners and business men. With this slow but sure development it has risen to a foremost rank among the cities of this class in the state and its substantial commercial prestige may well be the basis of future advancement. Additional Comments: Extracted from HISTORY OF YOLO COUNTY CALIFORNIA WITH Biographical Sketches 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 TOM GREGORY AND OTHER WELL KNOWN WRITERS ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA [1913] File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/yolo/bios/alge87nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/ File size: 5.7 Kb