Fresno County, California Biographies

Source: History of Fresno 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 (1919)

History By Paul E. Vandor 
Illustrated, Complete In Two Volumes 
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1919
 
Notes: Missing+page1185-1186

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm



PETER BERING. � A well-to-do farmer and gentleman of attractive 
personality, who enjoys the proud distinction, as a descendant of Vitus 
Bering, the distinguished Danish navigator, of being related to the great 
scientist whom Peter the Great in 1728 sent on an expedition to the North 
when he discovered the Strait now bearing his name, is Peter Bering who 
came to California early in the nineties. He was born in Denmark, at Horsen, 
in Jutland, October 8, 1871, the son of Henry Bering, a farmer, and so came 
to be raised on a farm, while he was educated at the local public schools. 
After a practical apprenticeship in agriculture he spent five years in Schleswig, 
Germany, in an interesting town called Gramm, and after that he served for 
a year in the infantry of the Danish Army, receiving an honorable discharge. 

While in Denmark, Mr. Bering was married to Miss Caroline Hansen, 
a native of that country. He was next employed in a factory, and in time 
was put in charge of the receiving department of the concern. Such was 
the quality of the service that he rendered and the compensation for his 
labor that he remained in that position of responsibility for eight years, and 
left it only to come to California. 

Mr. Bering's decision to come to the Pacific Coast was doubtless arrived 
at through the fact that he had a brother-in-law in Fresno County to whom 
he came on June 14, 1903. For three years he farmed, and then for a couple 
of years he worked at the carpenter's trade in Rolinda. Then he bought 
twenty acres of land there, and set them out as vineyards. He set out the 
Thompson seedless and he planted alfalfa; he built a fine residence and use- 
ful buildings, and he bought the ten adjoining acres, making thirty acres in 
all. He operated this until November, 1916, when he disposed of it at a good 
profit. 

It was then that Mr. Bering came to Eggers Colony and bought the 
twenty acres that he now calls his own. He cared for the place, and con- 
tinued in business. He has four acres of Thompson seedless and three acres 
of Malaga and muscat grapes. He leases the adjoining twenty acres, using 
the same for a vineyard, and has five acres of muscats and fifteen acres of 
wine grapes. He belongs to the California Associated Raisin Company and to 
the Melvin Grape Growers' Association. 

Mr. and Mrs. Bering have had four children : Henry and Vitus assist 
their father ; Marie, in Fresno, and Clara is at home. Mr. Bering belongs to 
the Danish Brotherhood, serving as president of the lodge for two terms, 
and in national politics he is a Democrat. He never loses an opportunity to 
encourage local movements for the public weal.