California Biographies
Mendocino and Lake Counties, California
 
Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

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

Source:
History of Mendocino and Lake Counties, California
With Biographical Sketches
History by Aurelius O. Carpenter And Percy H. Millberry
Illustrated, Complete In One Volume
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1914


MANUEL CASPAR. � The business interests of Ft. Bragg have a val- 
uable acquisition in the person of Manuel Caspar, a native of the Island of 
Pico, the Azores, born October 21, 1869. His father, Capt. Joseph Caspar, 
was master of a sailing vessel plying between the islands until his demise in 
1882. Up to this time Manuel had been attending public school, but after 
his father's death he was obliged to quit in order to earn his own living. 
He followed the sea and when fifteen years old came to Boston, Mass., and 
after making two short fishing trips he came to Sausalito, Cal., where for 
about four months he worked on a dairy ranch. Later with a brother, Joseph, 
he rented a ranch and engaged in the dairy business near Benicia, .Solano 
county, where the brothers continued for eight years, but the business did 
not prove a success. Manuel then spent two years in Nevada, after which 
he came to San Francisco as an employe in a glue factory. 

In 1895 Manuel Caspar came to Ft. Bragg, Mendocino county, and en- 
tered the employ of the Union Lumber Co. and in time became a foreman, 
filling the position creditably until 1908, when he quit to engage in general 
merchandising on Main street, and where he still continues business. In 1913, 
with Joe Louis, he started the Ft. Bragg Creamery. Buying property on the 
corner of McPherson and Laurel streets, they built a new creamery building, 
the first creamery established in Ft. Bragg, and equipped it with the latest 
and most modern machinery and engaged in the manufacture of high class 
creamery butter. By means of an auto truck they gather the cream from 
along the coast north and south of Ft. Bragg, besides which they have the 
cream shipped in by rail, and they already have a large business established. 
Mr. Caspar is also a stockholder in the Ft. Bragg Garage and Machine Com- 
pany. 

In Ft. Bragg occurred the marriage of Mr. Caspar with Miss Louisa 
Mendel, who was born at Caspar, this county, and they have three children: 
Rose, Laurence and Edward. Fraternally Mr. Caspar is a member of the 
Woodmen of the World, the I. O. O. F., U. P. C. E. and I. D. E. S. and is 
secretary of the two last named societies.