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Bio-Sawyers
SURNAMES:  PABST
Numbered among the successful young business men of Palo Alto is J. P. De-Silva, the enterprising automobile-top manufacturer, located at 247 High Street. A native Californian, he was born in Sonoma County, December 18, 1898. When he was two and a half years old he was taken by his parents, J. P. and Mary Silva, to Marin County, and located at Waldo, where the father was employed by the Northwestern Pacific Railroad Company.

 His father passed away six years ago. but the mother still lives at Waldo. They were the parents of six children, all living in California. On finishing the grammar school in Sausalito, Mr. Silva took the electrical engineer's course at Heald's College in San Francisco; then entered the employ of Don Lee, the Cadillac agent, as top-maker, and after an apprenticeship of two and a half years was made assistant foreman in the auto-top department; he then worked six months for J. Mendes, body-builder in San Francisco, and then became foreman for Bowen & Berrios, auto painters and top builders,where he remained for eight months. He then removed to Palo Alto and opened up a shop at 251 High Street, removing in 1920 to 247 High Street.

The marriage of Mr. Silva in 1917 united him with Miss Clara Pabst, of Mill Valley, Marin County, Cal., and they are the parents of two children, Paul V. and Dolores M. Mr. Silva early in life exhibited considerable initiative and ability; when only a lad of twelve years, his father, who had charge of the oil department of the Northwestern Pacific Railroad, became severely ill and the company employed our subject to fill his father's place, which he did creditably and well. Since the organization of his business in 1918, Mr. Silva has built up a good trade and is recognized as a capable business man.

from Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County,California,  published by Historic Record Co. , 1922. page 1550

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