YUBA COUNTY  Biographies

JAY W. ASHLEY

            A native of Ohio, Jay W. Ashley, of Cooper Avenue, Yuba City, was born on at  Steuben, Huron County, on November 6, 1870, the son of Luther Ashley, a builder, who saw yeoman service in the Civil War, in defense of his country.  He came to California several times, and is still living in the Golden State at the fine old age of eighty-nine.  Mrs. Ashley, who was Malissa Palmer before her marriage, died in August, 1922.

            Jay W. Ashley attended the public schools in his native State, coming to California in 1887.  He worked for a year and a half on a fruit-ranch; and then having previously followed the carpenter’s trade, he took up that work again and thus spent the next seven and one-half years, after which he was with the Sierra Lumber Company as a salesman for seven years.  Then he joined A. A. McRae, and for another seven years engaged in the grocery business in Yuba City, selling out to take up contracting.  He also set out an orchard, and sold it at a fair profit, and now owns twenty-two acres where he is developing an orchard.  About 1911, Mr. Ashley established his present business, confining himself to dwellings.  He has met with success, and regularly employs about six men.  He belongs to the Builders’ Exchange.  In politics a Republican, he was elected the first mayor of Yuba City after the town was incorporated, and was reelected to serve another term.

            In Yuba City, Mr. Ashley was married to Miss Ethel Hughes, a native of Canada, but reared in California since her third year; and three children have blessed their union.  Jeanette is Mrs. Smith; Mona lives at home; and Harold is a pupil in the high school.  Mr. Ashley is a Royal Arch Mason, and also a member of the Woodmen of the World.

History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924

p. 1270

ANDREW MARTIGNONE

            A liberal-minded and loyal-hearted citizen of Yuba County is found in the person of Andrew Martignone, who has been a resident of California for the past forty-three years.  His birth occurred in the Province of Genoa, Italy, April 6, 1852; and his parents, Giovanni and Paula (Parrodi) Martignone, were both natives of the same province.  Giovanni Martignone was a farmer; and after he passed away, in 1854, his widow reared the family of six children on the home place, where they had a hard struggle to earn a living.

            Andrew Martignone attended public school in Genoa, and worked with his mother on the ranch until he was twenty years of age.  In 1872 he went to Havre, France, and boarded a vessel for Buenos Aires, S. A.  He spent two years in the Argentine Republic; and then he came in a sailing vessel around Cape Horn to Peru, where he spent one year in the silver mines near Chiletta, receiving three dollars per day for his labor.  He saved his money and drifted on to Panama, and from there to San Francisco, arriving in 1880.  Locating at Camptonville, he engaged in ranching; and there he owns a 160-acre ranch, on which he grows valuable timber.  About five years ago he gave a contract lease to the Oak Valley Lumber Company, whose sawmill is built on a portion of his land, and already 2,000,000 feet of lumber have been cut therefrom.  Mr. Martignone also owns mining claims in Yuba County, as well as choice first-mortgage securities.

            The marriage of Mr. Martingnone took place in Nevada City, February 9, 1890, and united him with Miss Anetta Caipuzo, also born in Italy, who arrived in California in 1890.  Two sons were born to them:  John, deceased in 1920 at the age of twenty-seven years; and Marion W., an expert sawyer with the Oak Valley Lumber Company.  Mr. Martingnone received his United States citizenship papers at Marysville and has since cast his vote for the Republican party.  Fraternally, he has been connected with Camptonville Lodge, No. 307, I.O.O.F., for the past thirty-five years.

History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924

p. 1270-1271

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