Tulare County Biographies

NICHOLAS POTTICHEN

Transcribed by Kathy Sedler

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

 
        Nicholas Pottichen, a citizen of Visalia, California, is well known as 
one of the city's foremost and most reliable bakers. He was born in Austria, 
February 10, 1888, and is a son of John and Margaret (Sellinga) Pottichen. The 
father died in the old country on October 22, 1896. The first of the family to 
come to America were an older sister and brother of Nicholas. Then he came with 
his mother and his second brother and sister.
        Nicholas Pottichen attended the Catholic schools of his native land 
until he reached what corresponds to the sixth grade in the public schools of 
California. He then learned the trade of shoemaker and followed that occupation 
from the time he was twelve years of age until he was nineteen. In 1907 he 
landed in New York with his mother, brother and sister, and went from there to 
Philadelphia, where from 1907 to 1910 he worked in a bakery, learning all phases 
of bread manufacture. On March 8, 1910, he landed in San Francisco, where he 
found employment at his newly learned trade. From the latter part of June, 1911, 
to August 26, 1919, he was employed in the baking establishment of H. Graff & 
Company in Fresno. On September 1, 1919, he opened the National Bakery, in South 
Visalia and conducted it for two and a half years. Then, having a favorable 
opportunity to dispose of his plant, he sold out and took a trip east to visit 
the other members of his family. Returning to Visalia, he purchased the City 
Bakery at No. 213 East Main street on August 1, 1922. Since this place came into 
his possession he has made many improvements and has one of the most up-to-date 
bakeries in the city. His trade is principally retail and he keeps two persons 
besides himself constantly employed.
        Mr. Pottichen is a naturalized American citizen and is a republican in 
his political affiliations, though he is by no means an active politician. 
However, he is interested in the affairs of Visalia and Tulare county and tries 
to vote for the best men for public office. He belongs to the Fraternal Order of 
Eagles, the Loyal Order of Moose, and the Elks, which are the only fraternal 
societies to claim him as a member. His wife, prior to her marriage, was Miss 
Katherine Keifer. She is a native of Austria and came to this country in June, 
1906. They have four children : Margaret, Anna, Nicholas, Jr., and Edward.
 
Source:  History of Tulare County and Kings County, California � Kathleen 
Edwards Small & J. Larry Smith, Vol. II, Chicago, The S. J. Clarke Publishing 
Company, 1926., p. 234