Contra Costa County Biography

HENRY VAN TIENEN JANSSE

Transcribed by Sally Kaleta, December, 2006.

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

 
Henry Van Tienen Jansse, one of the successful and prominent business men of 
eastern Contra Costa County, was born in Holland on September 4, 1878. His 
parents died in the old country when Henry was young. At the age of seventeen he 
began his independent career and came to America. He at once came to California 
and located in Santa Cruz, where his brother, Arie, was already living, but 
later removed to San Jose, where he is now engaged in the real-estate business. 
His brother Dirk is identified with Sloan & Co. of San Francisco; Peter, another 
brother, is in Santa Cruz County; and his brother John is a traveling salesman. 
The subject of this review received a limited education in the public schools, 
after which he attended business college in Santa Cruz. He understood farming in 
principle and detail and he readily found employment. Later he became associated 
with Silva & Omeara, of Oakley, in the grocery business, and after two years he 
purchased the interest of Mr. Silva. In June, 1914, Mr. Jansse and his partner 
purchased the general store of R. E. La Moine & Co., of Brentwood and 
incorporated both stores under the name of East Contra Costa Mercantile Company. 
Politically, Mr. Jansse is a Republican. Fraternally, he is a member of the 
Masonic lodge of Brentwood, and he is also a member of the Foresters. He was 
united in marriage to Johanna Agneta Rost Van Tonningen, a native of Holland, 
December 12, 1901. To this union there are three children - Helen, born January 
22, 1906; Leonard, born October 10, 1909; Bernard, born February 14, 1911. The 
family are members of the Dutch Reformed Church of San Francisco. Mr. Jansse in 
his business has followed the policy of absolute integrity; his company has 
always lived up to the letter of all agreements, and this policy has won for it 
increased customers in both stores. Consequently, the company's standing is of 
the best, and its members are considered among the representative business men 
of eastern Contra Costa County. 
 
Source: "The History of Contra Costa County, California", Elms Publ. Co., 1917, 
p. 536.