Coming to Martinez

Our family on my mom's side moved to Martinez in 1925 from Rodeo. My great grandparents came to America from Portugal in 1905, landing at Ellis Island with two kids and two large trunks holding everything they owned. They soon had two more children, my grandfather and great aunt, both born in America. They finally made their way to the West Coast around 1917 to Richmond, Rodeo and finally settling in Martinez, California.

Martinez was beautiful back then. Vineyards and farms everywhere, beautiful homes, unspoiled land, clean swimming holes in the creek on hot days. I would love to go back and see. Long before freeways, jet travel, strip malls and TV, it was a different kind of life. But times were changing fast. It was the 20's and the old world was being replaced by the new world.

My great grandfather, Jose Sabral ( 1876-1943 ) was a farmer and also did other things. He was a good man and worked hard and also made wine and had a sort of speak easy during prohibition in the house my parents live in now. No one is perfect. It was their way though, and even the kids had wine with dinner. Much has changed.

Portuguese were more the farmers back then and Italians fishermen, although some Portuguese fished and Italians farmed, but in general, that's how it was. They first moved to Alhambra Valley in 1925 where he worked and saved money. Soon he rented his own farm where we live today just off of Alhambra Ave across from the high school in 1928.

He was mostly a Dairy farmer but also grew almost everything. He plowed the fields with horses, and also used horse and buggy to get around. He never used a power tool or drove a car his whole life. Horses back then had the right of way, and he was hit by a car while taking produce downtown in 1929. He bought the farm with the settlement he got.

My great grandmother, Emilia Sabral ( 1882-1968 ) was also a hard worker and Catholic. She never learned English, but all her kids did . She died when I was 3 and I still remember her chasing my out of her flowers with a broom yelling at me in Portuguese. My dad said when he was dating my mom she always gave him $5 for shoes when he came to visit.

They both traveled back to Portugal a couple times during their lives. It was a long journey back then, and people never forget where they came from and get home sick as well as experiencing culture shock. I see this in my wife Becky who came to Martinez from Toronto in 2008. But those people all add something to Martinez as they make Martinez their home. We have so many influences here from other parts of the country and world. From Native Americans, Spanish, Mexico, people who came from all over during the Gold Rush, Chinese, Italians, Portuguese, people who moved here during the war, on and on, Martinez is very diverse. I love the mixture of peoples and cultures. I think over all Martinez is very welcoming to new people who come to make Martinez home.

Sometimes I get a feeling I have done something before when I am working around here, imagining my Great Grandfather or Grandfather doing the same thing so many years ago. We still have about 7 acres left of the original farm. We came back in 1992 to take care of it. It's a lot of work but I love the place and the history. I have roots in Martinez as our family does, and I'm so happy my wife seems to finally have some roots here as well. It isn't easy leaving your home and making a new place home, but Martinez is a place that many do.

I'm leaving a lot out but I hope to write more about it later. There is so much. If you ever want to you can go to the Pleasant Hill library and ask to see all the old news papers on micro film and read about Martinez from way back. Or you can go into the Martinez News-Gazette and ask if you can see some of the archived newspapers. It is really fascinating. We are a city that was the center of so much that happened locally and nationally. The Gazette history page on Sundays is always fun to look at.

Keep an eye out around Martinez for all the influences we have of different peoples who came here. Just downtown we have such a mix of cultures just walking down Main Street. All came to Martinez at some point and brought something special. Nothing is ever perfect, but for me and many it is the perfect place to live. I can't imagine living anyplace else.