Obed E. Bosworth three interviews : Geyserville, Alexander Valley, early wineries

I want to go back to Walden now. Do you remember whether Edward Walden had any Children? Oh yeah. Remember the names of any of them. Yeah. The names of all of you must see his oldest girl's name was Jesse. She was named for her mother. Her

mother's name was mary in this area. No. And then there was a boy and his name was Myron and a younger girl and her name was Ed just to each other. And Myron, Myron has been gone for some little time and that was an automobile accident

down round bay while he was working in a shipyard down there. And jesse, I don't know if she was married and I think she had a child or two and then her and her husband busted up and I lost track of where was the last time

you know? And the other girl, Edna, I married a man and I've forgotten what your name was to tell you the truth and the last I knew of them, they lived in either Oakland or Alameda. I don't know. I don't know what they I don't remember

what they she had terrible Children but they never seem to ever come up into this part of the country anymore. After some time when I come back again. Maybe you'll remember the name. I'd like to find those Children if they're still alive around. Yeah. Yes, it

would be okay. Let's go back then to when Walden came back guys. Orville 19 8 and he purchased the cannery that was here, took a part interest in. You know you just I think he gets hired out to them to get rid of that crop of

prunes in no time. I gotta crew people there and they packed all of this stuff up. He sent some of it here in the center of the day and the first thing, another place is empty and and then I think it was that he went up

and made a deal with, with johnny Rose I think and got the johnny. They're allowing to build a a little building there right adjacent to the winery. And he uh started the started the old Guards of pique brand of brandy again. And you've done pretty well.

Why he didn't keep on with it. I don't know. I think the first year I think he made $8 or $9. Have any idea when that will resumed again. You said about 1980 came back and worked for the prunes. You see you come back, you come

back in eight and you got the family back here in nine. I think it was long about nine. He must have made that deal with john rose and Run one or 2 seasons up there. I would say either nine and 10 of 10 and 11. And

then the first thing you know, I moved now these plays the runner either on the cannery right there on the waterfront. Uh you're where the, where the berries. I used to go across and just north of the old Judge and Ironwood judge and ironwork. So it

there was one place right on the edge of the bay and this other and I forget now. It seems to me he was our assets. Was it Hunt Brothers or was it Hood seemed to be like Hoods, you run that for I think 234 seasons there

for those fellas um Then uhh okay. I just don't seem to remember. It wasn't too long after that. He passed away. I think he died in the 20s. I would until I see I was I was down there visiting him once in and they were living

in Emeryville. They were living in Emeryville then just on the right hand side san Pablo going up for growing up san Pablo avenue. And do you ever remember the Walden's name? Ever winning any awards or any big deal about Walden brandy beating? No, I don't know

that. I do but I yeah, wouldn't be surprised if possibly that he did. But you ever remember the name of steiner or stainer and Elmayer stammer stammer. S T A M. E. R. Their their their their winery would right here you went up that alleyway between

the art but it's all in the bank. Why it set right up there under a big old Cyprus treaty. It was there now. Mrs Carrie Robertson owns the place they cultivated all those hills back in there, you can see where if you're down beyond the depot

were coming from From the railroad tracks? From the, from the bridge down there, coming up towards where the old depot used to be at the rail across he those hills up there and he cultivated on a grandfather of mine. My mother's, my mother's father gripped that

whole hillside out. Do you remember? Do you pick a pick in trouble before the days before, before the days of stuff pullers and so like that if they run a windless, you know around here and just pull them out, you know, California Wine Association by that

or rent that at least that one, you know you ever hear not to my knowledge. Did they have a winery up here? Oh yeah California one excuse in there. Big blind ray down here at Okay, big money down here at you know, I suppose that Walden's

released his place in California Wine Association for wild. Yeah, I don't think so. They had a, had a big winery down here where the growers are now. They had they had the property that the Valley view packing company has and he'd run on down to and

took me in what is now called the drawers and they sell all sorts of uh spray materials and solvers and and all that sort of stuff And the the valley view packing company is that a bunch of fellows from san Jose, what's their name I want

to go? Do you ever remember whether Gandhi Bosch Was? Isaac? The 1st Superintendent gives the old California wine. Do you remember? What was the oldest and you're in the early days, what was considered the oldest winery? And guys, Avila the first one. Well in the early

days when they used to haul the grapes Up there, when they got a few more of them off of that cummings place up there. My father helped to haul them in those days. They had to take a plum to Bennett Valley. The third winery and Bennett

Valley to find the market for the 1870s Or who what? Oh joe Talbot was one of the pioneers of the old Bennett jolly greens, which you saw that picture on the front page of the press democrat here, sunday and how sometimes on the attempt to something

you're doing, going to celebrate their 100th anniversary. Old joe Talbot, who is the father to Leonard how? But who's the stock and bond broker, Hannah, Hannah Hannah food or somebody in talbot in santa rosa. And and this is George mrs George Sal Meyer, who he was

mastered the state during 25 or 30 years missing. Sal Mineo was old Bill Talbot's daughter. He all grapes office. I don't remember the first time around. How about Felton sama? And felt well. Sam and Phil meier might have been amongst, of course they were small, they

were small. I guess they bought maybe a few besides what they raised themselves, but not very many, I guess about the first winery was I think probably the California wine associate for the man by the name of barn builder. You remember a man by the name

of born B. O. U. R. And he built the hell you are. Oh yeah yeah girl he used to remember a fellow named born that used to the Salvation Army headquarters and head lifting Major born. Let's go back to when I know one thing they used

to go out and tell they to a fireman you got a home for your great crop but it's coming together and you know they took it smaller than they have done in the amount of great. So maybe you have a home gates and maybe you won't.

Yeah well we'll give you a contract for four years on that. I used to get a good sales copy for years. Go ahead your customers something really like to ask you today. Yeah I read an article september 30th 19 8 which said that they guys that

peak wine and brandy company was sold to man by the name of O. J. Lebaron and Sws kelly. Yeah. Well how long did they money? I can't remember. But then When did you say that at 198? Well in the fall of 1980 I went to high

school in Healdsburg and I had to commit back and forth on the train and kelly was a living. Remember up there at the time because he had a daughter, Irene was quite a friend, a sister of mine and Oscar Le Baron. Bill kelly had been there

for Oh, I would say a couple of years and then I think kelly sold after Le Baron and Riverine moves up there and lived in the big hours kelley dropped out. How long did you live there? All the Baron must have had Denver. Oh mm. He

must have had until huh? Condition after prohibition. I don't know. I'm pretty sure I'm pretty sure that labor and sold out choking Lombardi find companies sometimes interest Toki Toki, How does that spell? See I O double C. I get word. See I O see I O

W Ci it seems to me like that Lombardi. Lombardi. Toki Lombardi having too man Took it to Marty one. You think that was before coalition called Foundation for who's the, who sold it to Ban Yani. When did bio and killed the Lombardi Tony Lombardi. Finally a

fellow by the name of Pete solidarity team entered the picture. Uh yes. Well, D A D I N A Pete Salvini was somehow or other came in and was a partner. I think it was with Cokie Lombardi for a while. And then finally pizza. Although Vinny

bought out the rest of the philosophy operated himself for a while and his nephew lives up the street here. Uh second house above the third house above the church, what's his name? The next stage you can tell you there are quite a little bit about do

you think soldering, he sold it to Ban Yani? I see it was a man by the name of George Dondero that was mixed up in this thing but I think he was a long, I think he was the going force I think in the Turkey Lombardi

outfit and I think he and Salvini I think kind of had it together for a while or something. And then I think that Salvini I think bought out George Dondero and he went off into marble works. I think it was in san Francisco, got the building

vaults and tombstone. One thing another I think it was like that but he was I think I think he was a junior I think it was in uh the old jokey Lombardi outfit and then I think that Pizza Slovenia and he finally bought it and owned

it himself and I think sold it I think finally I think it was too. But do you recall they operated for years under the name of americans know they operated under the name of italian industries incorporated an old man biryani came to me one time asked

me if if I didn't think that since Italy was on the side of, of Germany have done in the war and so on. It wouldn't sound various they changed the name italian industries to american industries? Is this in World War One? They did you know to,

to. no, so that's the origin of the name, correct italian. And do you recall when lebaron owned it and when some of these other people owned it, did they make wine and salad? And with the guys at peak label guys are pink wine. Do you think

they sold it bought maybe to like I'm just wondering if possibly maybe they, maybe they did. Foster Robin came from drag breaking married one old doc out my daughters and I had quite a walking kids. Well there's some liberals around santa rosa suppose they're almost where

there's, there might be selling me, it was an Edward byrne and jimmy libourne and and a and they uh huh Henri le Baron Henry. Lebaron was the oldest one but most of those barons I think they're around santa rosa like there was something that were mixed

up in, in one of them was a big man in the exchange bank at one time in santa rosa. I'm pretty sure that the cattle a bear and I think jesus lebaron lebaron from valley forge who owned, who owned guys are winery during prohibition, you have

any idea this was closed down probably imagine they could make any wine by kind of concern to remember. Uh huh I think it's steve could help to straighten me out on some of that uh teams all the time because he's got a good memory. Of course

he must be a man today as Brown 70 I guess 68, 70. Where is he at again? I'll go out and talk. He's your the church. Yes, you go just above the church. Why is be knows his be nose repair place right almost against the church.

And then next to it is the Geiser tractor company. And then next above that is a little white cottage just sitting there and then comes an old house which steve owns and then he lives in the next house above a nice new Cottages about 10 years.

Yes, that's a nice warm. I'm thirsty. My, I used to go back and work, he used to go back in busy times and worked for biryani up there. But the last two or three years ago the biryani started making vinegar. They became quite famous for their

vinegar. Was anybody else make vinegar before? He did, did you say? Did anybody ever think brandy up to after the Baldwins on? I am not quite sure. Not quite terrible Walden apparently currently Walton went back and use that old label and he built that little building

up their genres and so on. But whatever you think for a year or two he probably made wine under use under that name again. Huh. It's funny because somebody must have owned the rights to the label. You would think, Yeah, look, it's not apparently way, I

think apparently, I think banana. Eventually I got it. He must have bought it from somebody out. Ask him yes, after prohibition. What were some of the wineries up here? Do you remember the names of wineries? Well you take john Rose for an instance the last year.

That's what broke john Rose was that when the, when the prohibition days came well out and said that there was going to be sailed for for wine for sacramental purposes. Uh um he went ahead and he had got out of debt and if I remember, I

didn't think he told me afterwards that he had, it seems to me like he was out of getting that he had, he was a bright spots and you enjoy it. I think he said that he had got out of that and I think that he had

somewhere around the neighborhood of oh $30, Dugan cash left over and northam advice we own demon heels. Forget Ed Norton Blending money and and I suppose he paid him a whale of a lot of interesting. He finally got out of debt and that was in 1918

and I know we had a four red cross in 1918. We had red cross, fourth of july up there in the grove. And I know that john Rose was Van guest him darn good circumstance. Mazzone is on the Rose place now. Huh? Mazzone, is that is

that it? Don't say you on that. It's down a little ways from from Sergei shows along the island air. We're speaking in the rose places. The one who's got that yellow stucco house and and the old winery. The old vinegar works over there, across the road

from banana and then okay then the rose and that was the genre's place and then the red rouge place run down to and took in that little place they call the guys drugs. There's two on the Sega showplace today there are two pieces of property, two

sets of buildings. Right, am I confused? I've got to go back out there and take a look at the issue out where Arcs of the show is out there, there are two sets of buildings and they own part of that is not what had been. The

Rose place is owned by Sergei shows to know. Okay, alright, I'm a little no, the the rose places are the 21 commences up there with that red wine re and the pink are the yellow stucco house, that big yellow stucco house right across from the nannies

which are on the left and they're on the right as you grow up. Who owns that place? Well it the winery part of course belongs to Ben Yani but the farm part of it by fred Rose helped his brother out when he was in a kind

of a pinch there and he owned all the farming line down to what was the Hoffman place, right there, right opposite of the canyon road coming out there. Yeah. Mhm