KOVACEVICH, JOHN JR. Vineyard-Winery

He was born on February 5, 1883 on the Island of Hvar in Dalmatia, Croatia, and when a young man of only nineteen, he first saw Fresno, California. on April 6, 1902. He became a fruit buyer, and his very initial venture and its outcome show how well adapted he has been to that field of operation.  he paid five dollars for some figs lying on the ground; cleaned and properly handeled the same, he sold the lot at a profit of $160. He bought forty acres in the Perrin Colony No. 2. The land was raw, but John Kovacevich at once set about to clear it and otherwise improve the same.  He set out a vineyard of muscat grapes, with fig-trees on the border and being pleased with the result, he bought another twenty acres in the same colony.  This, also, was raw land; but he improved it and planted figs there.  Then he purchased forty accres of the Fruitvale estate- an old vineyard yielding muscat grapes. In time he added 160 acres, one-half of which was in vineyard and the rest in alfalfa and raw land, and then he bought another 160 acres, thirty of which are in figes and oranges, while the rest is in raw land.  Mr. Kovacevich still owns these properties. Besides these holdings , Mr. Kovacevich has rented 1,000 acres of vineyard raisin grapes and so well has he contrived all his work and commercial operations, that in 1917 he sold 1,200 tons of green and wine grapes. he also produced and sold 100 tons of figs and 120 tns of raisins.  Mr. Kovacevich chose for his bride Ellen Bogdanich from Dalmatia on the beautiful Adriatic, and this happy union has been blessed with four children- John, Madeline, Mary and Corrina. He is the leader of the Croatian race here, and has been the means of bringing into the country over 100 compatriots. He is active in the Croatian-Slavonic Association, and stands high in the esteem of his own people.  

VANDOR 1919