Bio-Sawyers
SURNAMES: HOUNAU, HOUDEVILLE

One of the oldest established bakeries in the northern part of Santa Clara County is that of Casaurang Bros., proprietors of the Mayfield Bakery, also known as the French Bakery, the firm being composed of Peter and Jean Casaurang. This establishment is located on Lincoln Street, Mayfield, and occupies a large lot, 100x150 feet, upon which are a number of buildings —the bakery, the flour warehouse, garages for two touring cars and four Ford delivery trucks; sleeping rooms for the help and living quarters for the families of the two partners. Both of the brothers, as well as two other men are constantly employed in conducting the steadily growing business.

These premises were leased by Peter Casaurang and Emil Claverie, in 1911; Mr. Claverie having died in 1918, the firm was changed to Casaurang Bros., and they purchased the property in 1919 and immediately set to work to remodel and enlarge it, expending the sum of $7,000. They built one new oven and relined the old one, which is now over fifty years old, being the oldest oven actually in use in the county. The premises are clean, orderly, sanitary, light and well ventilated, and their head baker is Pascal Bamerio, who is a master of the art of baking, making the celebrated French bread which has made their bakery famous. In their flour warehouse may be found at all times a stock of from one to three car loads of the best brands of white and rye flour and three auto trucks are in constant use, delivering the bakery goods to Mayfield and vicinity, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Redwood City, Portola, La Honda and Los Altos, so that they do an extensive business.

Peter L. Casaurang was born December 13, 1888, and Jean L. on November 11, 1890, and both are natives of the Basses-Pyrenees country of France, where their parents are well-to-do and prosperous peasants, owning a large acreage which is devoted to farming and stockraising. The parents have reared a large family of children, all of whom- were educated in the schools of France in the Roman Catholic Church, a faith from which they have never departed. Peter Casaurang came to San Francisco from France in 1907, and two years later he was joined by his brother Jean. Both of them worked in some of the best bakeries of San Francisco until 1911, learning every detail of the business.

Jean Casaurang was married in San Francisco to Miss Marie Hounau, who was also born in France, and they have two children, Marcella and Bernard; he was in class 4, in the late war, and the armistice was signed before he was called. Peter L. Casaurang however, served for two years and seventeen months in France, in the Third Bakery Company, which made a million pounds of bread for the army daily. On returning to the United States, he immediately resumed his work at the bakery after receiving his honorable discharge. He was, in France, during the war, united in marriage, his betrothed being Miss Aline Houdeville, of Dijon, France. He is a member of the Odd Fellows at Mayfield, while Jean belongs to the Red Men. They take rank among the leading business firms of the north end of the county, are able. energetic and deserving of the success they are achieving.

From Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County,California,  published by Historic Record Co. , 1922. page 1157

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