Author: John Outcalt (1925)

MARTIN ERRECA

The Province of Basque, in the south of France, has given us a number of our most substantial citizens. One of the most prominent in wealth and influence at Los Banos is Martin Erreca, farmer and banker. Born May 31, 1880, he was eighteen years old when he left for the United States in 1898. In his native land he had been by occupation a sheep-herder, and he naturally followed the same business in this country, beginning in Arizona, at thirty dollars per month. But it was hard and trying times which he had in the Williams and Ashfork districts; at one time in the mountains, he was obliged to cut boughs and vines from the trees for eight days and nights to keep the sheep from starving.

In 1902 Mr. Erreca came to Los Banos and with his two brothers herded sheep on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley. Later he went into partnership with his brother, J. B. Erreca, and engaged in the sheep business on a large scale. At one time they had 6000 head. Later he went into sheep-raising on his own account. Then he sold out and turned his attention to grain farming, being one of the largest grain farmers on the West Side. He had from 2700 to 3000 acres in wheat and barley south of Dos Palos on Panoche Creek, and was quite successful.

Mr. Erreca married Miss Marie Louise Laxague, a native of France, and they have three children, John, Peter and Norine. Mr. Erreca became a citizen of the United States in Merced in 1923. He is a director in the Bank of Los Banos, and formerly was a director in the Portuguese-American Bank. He bought his first automobile in 1917 and now is the owner of a Cadillac, his second car. Mr. Erreca is a loyal and enterprising citizen and believes in progress along all lines.


Additional Comments:
From:

HISTORY OF
MERCED COUNTY
CALIFORNIA
WITH A
Biographical Review
OF
The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been
Identified with Its Growth and Development
from the Early Days to the Present

HISTORY BY
JOHN OUTCALT

ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME
HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
1925

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher February 8, 2006, 11:43 pm