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


KARL EMERZIAN. � An adopted son of America, Karl Emerzian is 
a self-made man, successful beyond the average. Born in Armenia on March 
30. 1872, his parents were Charles and Anna Emerzian, his father being a 
merchant in the city of Harpoot. When but thirteen years of age Karl Emer- 
zian landed in New York City, a stranger, to begin his education in the school 
of experience. 

Mr. Emerzian worked for others only eighteen months after coming to 
the United States, and since then has been engaged in business for himself, 
his resolution being made when in Worcester, Mass., while running a ma- 
chine in a wire mill, he accidentally cut off the end of the middle finger of his 
right hand. He came west and was first in business in Waukegan, Ill., and 
then in the bakery business in the World's Columbian Exposition, in Chicago, 
in 1893. In the fall of that year he came to San Francisco, Cal., and started 
a bakery and restaurant in the Midwinter Fair, until the great railroad strike 
in 1894 when he lost all he had saved. In September, 1894, he came to Fresno 
and started a shoe-repairing shop and by the end of a year employed three 
shoemakers. 

In 1897, Mr. Emerzian made the trip to Alaska in a party of sixty who 
left Edmonton, going across the wilds without a trail and following the 
compass for six months, they were lost in the Caribou district. The cold was 
so intense that sixty-five of their ninety pack-horses froze to death in one 
night. Of the sixty who started only four reached Dawson, with two horses. 
During the last two months of the journey they had lived entirely on game. 
The trip took eighteen months. Their trail was afterwards laid out by the 
Canadian government as a road. As it was near the end of the season, and 
not wishing to remain in the north another winter, he returned to Seattle 
by boat and came back to Fresno. He then began fruit-buying, in which 
he was successful. 

Mr. Emerzian was married at Fresno, in 1898, to Lizzie Kallam, and 
then began ranching. He now owns 640 acres of land in vineyard and orchard, 
productive and profitable under his management. He has six boys and one 
girl: Edward, Reuben. Garvez, Arson, Mary. Albert, and Karl. Jr. The 
Congregational Church receives his support, while politically he is a Re- 
publican. He is one of the trustees of the raisin association, and is much 
interested in that industry. His help can be relied upon in any public enter- 
prise, and he is respected for -his integrity and high principles.