William (Will) Edward Brereton

My grandfather, Ernest Kovats, moved to Deluth from Chicago and then to Baker, Montana, and got into the cattle business. There, he made contacts that would affect him for the rest of his life. In Baker, he met his future business partner as well as my grandmother. He met Will Brereton around 1917 or 18 (my dad always called him Will). Will was also a meat cutter by trade and they began buying and selling cattle. Will was instrumental in convincing my dad to move to California. Eventually, they formed a successful partnership in Turlock, CA, opening a meat market in town. It was very successful until the slaughterhouse burned down around 1929 or 30. They tried to continue the meat market but without the slaughterhouse they couldn't meet the demand of deliveries to the Bay Area. Shortly thereafter, they sold the properties and dissolved the partnership. Will eventually moved to San Pablo. My grandfather died in 1951. My dad, Ernie Kovats' son, ended up in Walnut Creek which is only about 30 or 40 minutes from San Pablo, My grandfather died in 1951. One day out of nowhere in the mid 1950s, Will stopped by our house to visit my dad. Dad was shocked to see him after about a 25 years. My dad said that they really enjoyed catching up after all that time. Robert Kovats Jr