Bio-Sawyers
SURNAMES:  SERAFINO, SILVA,  DUTRA

A successful rancher whose methods as well as his results are worthy of the most flattering study is Manuel Bronk, a native of San Luis Obispo, where he was born on March 22, 1894, the son of Joseph and Amelia (Serafino) Bronk, the former a native of St. Miguel, and the latter of St. George of the Azores. Mr. Bronk came to California from the Azores in 1885, when he was eighteen years old, having stayed about one year in New York, and once he reached the Golden State he chose San Luis Obispo County as the most appealing section, and for twelve years raised beans there on rather an extensive scale. He then removed to Ventura, and for ten years cultivated beans on a 400-acre ranch. Finally coming into Santa Clara County, he bought a ranch of twenty-seven and three-fourths acres on Capitol Avenue, devoted to alfalfa and dairying, with one result that, since he was ten years old, Manuel had to help his father, at that early age even driving a team.

Manuel attended school in Ventura County for a while, and then continued for a year in Santa Clara County, after his father had removed hither. When he was fourteen years old, he left home and for eight years worked for other dairy ranchers, and after that he put in four years at orcharding on the Blackburn Ranch, at the corner of Alum Rock Avenue and Piedmont Road. In May, 1920, however, he returned home and entered into partnership with his father in running the home dairy; and now they have thirty head of choice cows on their ranch.

On December 6, 1916, Mr. Bronk was married to Miss Mary Silva, a native of Fayal in the Azores, and one of seven children of Jesse and Louisa Silva, the former a farmer of experience and good standing, who is still living in his native land, as is his good wife. Mrs. Bronk came out to California in July, 1915, and lived with her sister, Mrs. Antone Dutra of Sunnyvale until she was married. One child, Joseph Bronk, has blessed this union. Mr. Bronk belongs to Wayne Station Lodge No. 132, of the I. D. E. S., and it is needless to say that among the members of that fraternity, no one is more welcome.

From Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County,California, published by Historic Record Co. , 1922. page 1434

SANTA CLARA COUNTY FAMILY BIGRAPHIES

SANTA CLARA COUNTY The Valley of Heart's Delight