USA > California > A memorial and biographical history of the coast counties of Central California > Part 45
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55
Mr. Kerr is widely known and respected as a man of unblemished character, generous impulses and genial disposition, a pioneer of California, and a business man of push and energy.
CLAUSEN is one of the leading farmers of Blanco, in Monterey county. He is o a native of Germany, having been born there, November 27, 1831. The trip from Germany to California was made in a sailing vessel, via Cape Horn. As our subject was an expert sailor he soon engaged in running a freight vessel on the bay of San Francisco, named the Sacramento, until 1869. He then engaged in farming, purchasing 115 acres for that purpose in the Salinas valley, at Blanco in Monterey county. To this property he added 115 acres more, and now has one of the finest and most fertile farms in the valley.
In 1865 he made a return trip to his native land, where he spent about two years, and there married Mrs. Katherine Ehlers, who bore him six children, namely: Maggie, Jacob, Henry, Charles, John, and Kate. The last two named are both dead. John was the eldest born and gave promise of great talent. He
364
MONTEREY, SAN BENITO, SANTA CRUZ,
was a student of the State University, a mem" ber of the senior class of civil engineering, but died September 6, 1879; and the other, Kate, died October 8, 1886. One of the remaining children, Maggie, is a graduate of the State Normal School, at Sanford, class of 1891, and is a most accomplished and successful school teacher.
Our subject is a gentleman of broad, general information, a most respected citizen and a Trustee of the School District,
UDGEJOHN K. ALEXANDER .- "To assume the judicial ermine and wear it worthily requires the abandonment of all party bias and personal prejudice, a posses- sion of educational qualifications, clean hands and a pure heart." These words, a clear, concise summary of the attributes of the ideal jurist, are taken from Jndge Alexander's reply, made in 1879, to a written request of one hundred leading citizens of Monterey county, of various political creeds, that he be- come a candidate for the position of Superior Judge. They are given here because they seem to reflect the character of the gentle- man himself more truly than any lengthened description could do. Judge Alexander's pride is his profession, and the preservation of the purity of the judicial ermine is with him the most sacred obligation.
John K. Alexander was born in Brandon, Rankin county, Mississippi, in 1839, and at the age of fifteen years came with his mother, brother and sister to Sacramento, California, to rejoin his father, who had preceded them five years before. Young Alexander entered the Sacramento grammar school, which he attended until 1857, when he went to Cala- veras county and worked in a gold mine (the
Woodhouse Quartz Company's claim) for about one year. Here he earned his first money, and acquired the physical health and stamina so essential to success in any pursuit. Returning to Sacramento, he entered the high school, from which he graduated in two years, and served one term as vice-principal thereof. Immediately upon graduation he commenced the study of law in the office of George R. Moore, studying later with the firin of Harrison & Estee. The adoption of the profession of law was no mere boyish whim, but a life-work entered upon gravely and seriously, with a clear conception of its intricacies, and a consciousness that it chal- lenged the metal of the very best quality of inind. To this conviction was added the great determination to succeed. October 7, 1862, he was admitted to practice in the Su- preme Court of the State, upon motion of Hon. Morris M. Estee, after an examination in open court ..
In 1863 he formed a partnership with his old instructor, Mr. Moore, which lasted until the latter's death. Says a brilliant writer in speaking of his co-partnership: "Mr. Moore, who had watched with interest his partner's studions and painstaking qualities, had per- fect confidence in his competence, and threw the burden of business upon him. This was of immense service to him. He came to owe much to Mr. Moore, whose advice and prompting greatly aided and stimulated his labors, while he studied, and which have greatly advantaged him at the bar and on the bench." A two-years partnership with Hon, John W. Armstrong, recently Judge of Su- perior Court, Sacramento county, formed soon after Mr. Moore's death, was terminated in 1870, by the election of Judge Alexander to the office of District Attorney. At the completion of his teri of office, and after a
365
AND SAN MATEO COUNTIES.
short vacation, in which a visit was made to the home of his boyhood, he formed a part- nership .with Hon. A. C. Freeman, the emi- nent law compiler and writer, which contin- ued until failing health compelled Judge Alexander to remove, in 1974, to Salinas city, the county seat of Monterey county. Here, in 1879, he was induced to become a candidate for the position of Superior Judge, at the request, as before stated, of one hun- dred of the county's best citizens, irrespect- ive of political bias. He was also nomin- ated by the Democratic County Convention. He was re-elected in 1884, although the State and county went Republican for Presi- dent, Judge Alexander being a Democrat.
A quiet and modest gentleman, with the unassuming manner characteristic of true nobleness, Judge Alexander yet possesses a magnetic force which makes him always recognized as a power by his associates. Cautions, careful and methodical, he is yet a man of dispatch. He has been peculiarly successful as a judge; very few of his judg- ments have been reversed, although many appeals have been taken from them. His charge to the jury in the murder trial of the People vs. Iams, which is given in full in the California Reports, is considered a fine legal paper and was highly complimented by the Supreme Court in affirming Judge Alexan- der's decision. His charge to the jury in the case of E. T. Simmons vs. the Pacific Im- provement Company, for $100,000 damages, is considered one of the ablest statements of law on the subject of "probable cause" that has ever emanated from an American jurist, and is a masterpiece of logic and pure, con- cise English. After occupying the bench for eleven years, Judge Alexander retired in January, 1891, and commenced again the active practice of law in Salinas, in conjunc.
tion with George A. Daugherty, and the firm enjoys a large and lucrative business.
After the separation of San Benito county from Monterey, Judge Alexander was ap- pointed a member of the commission to adju- dicate the indebtedness of the counties. In July, 1888, the Los Angeles University con- ferred the degree of LL. D. upon him.
Judge Alexander was married, August 2, 1865, to Miss Sallie B. Carothers, of Peta- luma, and has two sons and one danghter. He has long been a member of the Masonic Order, being Past Master of Salinas Lodge, No. 204, and Past High Priest of Salinas Chapter, R. A. M., No. 59. He is also a member of the San Francisco and California State Bar Association. His aged parents yet live on their farm, Laurel ranch, near Menlo Park.
RANK KAPMAN, a native of Germany, was born August 2, 1841. He came to America, with his parents, who located in Illinois in 1848. The father, Farick Kap- man, was an educated man, an expert account- ant, and did professional clerical work.
Our subject lived in LaSalle county, Illi- nois, until the opening of the late Rebellion. He then volunteered as a soldier, was mus- tered into the Third Missouri Infantry and served three months, the time of his enlist- ment. He re-enlisted in the Forty-Third Missouri Infantry, and was assigned to the Western Division, nnder General Grant. He took part in many lively skirmishes and sev- eral full-fledged battles. In these he received several slight wounds. He served until the expiration of his time of enlistment and re- ceived an honorable discharge.
After the close of the war he camne to Cali- fornia and located at Castroville, and farmned
366
MONTEREY, SAN BENITO, SANTA CRUZ,
on the Cooper ranch. Later he purchased fifty acres of Mr. Jarvis Bardin, which he has greatly improved. He is a thrifty and suc- cessful farmer, and in all respects a reliable and estimable citizen.
Our subject married, in 1875, Miss Julia Ragin, a native of Canada, and she has borne him four children, namely: George F., Katie, Nettie and Crescentia.
OHN CONLEY, a well-known farmer, living near Paicines, San Benito county, was born in Ireland in 1831. He bade adieu to the Emerald Isle in 1852 and sailed for America, landing in New York city. He spent some time in Onondaga county, and subsequently lived in Albany. In the fall of 1855 he came to California. He located at San José, and was an employe of the County and City Government a portion of the four- teen years he spent there. For several years past he has been in San Benito county, and now owns a good farm near Paicines.
Mr. Conley married Miss Catharine Galla- gher, and has three sons: John, James, and Martin.
ACOB WATSON, a leading and influen- tial farmer of Paicines, is a son of Jacob Watson, deceased, a pioneer of California, of whom extended mention is made elsewhere in this volume.
Our subject was born, December 20, 1851, in Sacramento, and came to San Benito county with the family. Since that time he has aided in making the name of Watson one of the best known in the county, by his honesty and thrift. By occupation Mr. Watson is a faamer, and is the possessor of 320 acres of
as fine land as can be found anywhere in the entire county. Mr. Watson is still single, preferring the delights of freedom and bache- lorhood, to the cares of wedded life. Few farmers of California display the business ability, coupled with strict integrity, evinced by Mr. Watson, the subject of this notice.
HARLES H. WATSON, one of the prosperous farmers of Paicines, is the youngest of the large and influential family of Jacob Watson, deceased, a pioneer of San Benito county. Our subject was born on a ranch between San Juan and Watson- ville, March 23, 1858. He was reared to farm life and early learned the art of tilling the soil and raising cattle and horses, which occupations he still follows, having made them his life work.
Mr. Watson married, in 1882, Miss Minnie Lyn, a daughter of Nelson Lyn, but after three years of married happiness Mrs. Watson was called to her home above, leaving one son, who was born January 18, 1884. The death of Mrs. Watson occurred August 10, 1885. Mr. Watson bas a fine farm of about 520 acres in San Benito county. He has a nice home, which is near the post office of Pai- cines. Mr. Watson is a man that commands the esteem of all who know him.
RANK L. PALMER, a prosperous and influential farmer of Priest Valley, San Benito county, California, is a native son of this State, and was born in San Francisco, May 11, 1855. The well-known pioneer, Samuel Palmer, is his father, than whom no one has done more to develop the resources
367
AND SAN MATEO COUNTIES.
of the country. Frank L. Palmer now owns one of the finest farms in the valley, beanti- fully situated and well cultivated to mixed farming, including altogether 320 acres. As may well be imagined, this prosperity has not come by chance, but by arduons effort, un- flagging energy and indomitable persever- ance, unremittingly exercised by its owner; the thrift of the place being a reflex of Mr. Palmer's character.
Mr. Palmer was fortunate in securing an intelligent and careful helpmate in the person of Miss E. Myers, whom he married July 22, 1882. She was born January 19, 1862, and is a daughter of A. Myers, a prominent citi- zen of the county. They liave three chil- ren: Ada, born November 10, 1884; Enri- quita, born January 13, 1888; and Darrow, a son, born January 10, 1891.
In his domestic life and as a citizen and business man, Mr. Palmer is characterized by the same intelligence, uprightness and genial- ity, whom to know is to respect and esteem.
AMES B. IVERSON .- When James B. Iverson started for California, twenty- five years ago, he borrowed money to pay the expenses of the trip. To-day he owns a competence, and financially is one of the solid men of the county. Fortune did not hunt him np to pour her treasures lavishly into his lap. Coming to Monterey county, when it was comparatively new, he has done much to develop the resources of the Salinas valley, and has profited by enhancing property values, and creating wealth, where, in the un- developed condition of the country, none existed.
He is a native of Denmark, and was born October 3, 1835, in Apenrade, Schleswig
(now a part of Prussia). His father, Jesse Iverson, was born in 1809, and died at Salinas October 7, 1890. The mother was born in 1811 and died at Salinas, in 1881.
Mr. Iverson was educated in the commnon schools of his county, having only one teacher during the whole period of his school days. He learned the trade of blacksmithing from his father, and after serving sixteen months in the Danish army, in 1868 he came to Cali- fornia. He worked at the forge five years in San Lorenzo, for Henry Smith. When he had been in California eighteen months he had repaid the friend who had lent him money and had $50 left, and this money he invested in mining stock, which he still retains as a souvenir of his first investment.
From San Lorenzo he went to Watsonville, where he worked three months. In September, 1868, he arrived at Salinas with a little more than $2,000, which he expended and went into debt $800 in fitting up a shop. He worked hard and met with success, adding to his shop as circumstances would permit, event- ually adding a machine department, until he now has the most complete establishment of this kind in this section of the State. Soon after he came to Salinas his brother, E. P. Iverson, came from Denmark and worked for him for ten years, when he was admitted into partnership. Later Mr. Iverson sent for the balance of the family.
During the past six or eight years Mr. Iverson has turned his management of the shop over to his brother, his outside interests, land, stock, etc., demanding all his attention. He, Jesse D. Carr and William Vanderhurst, bought 1,500 acres of swamp land near Salinas, from Eugene Sherwood, which by the ex- penditure of a large sum of money and several years of hard labor they reclaimed. Mr. Iverson is in partnership with William Van-
368
MONTEREY, SAN BENITO, SANTA CRUZ,
derhurst in a number of ranches and is ex- tensively engaged in grain and stock-raising. He is also interested in the Los Burros mines and is president of the Gas, Electric Light and Water Company and of the I. O. O. F. Hall Assciation. He has been a member of the Common Council and is a director in the Agricultural Association, having the manage- ment of the tract. He is a progressive citizen, prominent in all enteprises that are for the benefit of Salinas or Monterey county.
ACOB R. LEESE, the present efficient Postmaster of Monterey, is an only son of Jacob Primer Leese, Esq., one of the earliest American settlers of California, who for many years figured conspicuousiy in the civil and political history of the State. He came to California in 1833. He is a native of Ohio and was born in 1809. He came from New Mexico to California, where he was for a time engaged in trade at Santa Fè. He first located for a brief time at Los Angeles, and in 1836 came to Monterey, with Governor Chico, whose confidence and good will he possessed, accompanying him from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara by sailing ves- sel, thence overland to Monterey with a mili- tary escort of eighteen soldiers, arriving May 1. This was Chico's first visit to the capital of California, where he assumed his of- ficial duties. Mr. Leese was consulted by the new Governor touching various matters inci- dental to the shaping of the policy of his ad- ministration, and was by the Governor's influence granted permission to lay out the town of Yerba Buena (San Francisco). Mr. Leese soon formed a partnership with Na- than Spear and W. S. Henkley, and with them erected the first substantial structure
in San Francisco. Bancroft, in speaking of the pioneers of 1836-'40, inentions Leese as being one of the three men who were quietly " developing the latent glories " of San Fran- cisco while others were distributed along the coast between that point and San Diego. In the first named year he built the first dwell- ing-house in the town, at the corner of Dupont and Clay streets. The following year he mar- ried Rosalie, a sister of General Vallejo, and April 15, 1838, a daughter was born to them and given her mother's name. Rosalie Leese was the first white child born in San Fran- cisco. She lived, however, only a short time, and a younger daughter was given the name.
Mr. Leese did an extensive mercantile business at Yerba Buena. He owned boats and traded on the bay and rivers until 1841, when he was made the grantee of the Cañada de Guadalupe, and Visitacion Rodeo Viego ranches at San Francisco, and of the Huichica rancho at Sonoma. He sold his store and dwelling to the Hudson Bay Com- pany and removed to Sonoma, still retaining interests in two boats, one of which was the Rosalia. Iu 1844-'45 lie was Alcalde at So- noma. In 1846 he was associated as agent with Hon. Thomas O. Larkin in executing his plans of annexation to the United States. He figured somewhat conspicuously in the historic Bear Flag revolt as interpreter for the contending forces. Bancroft in his pub- lished works on California acknowledges the receipt of a valuable manuscript, reciting the story of the event, from the pen of Jacob P. Leese, pronouncing it the best written manu- script on the subject, extant. Yet, in another paragraph in his same work, he speaks of Leese as an uneducated and not very intelli- gent man. This affords an example of the many instances wherein H. H. Bancroft di-
369
AND SAN MATEO COUNTIES.
verges from the path of historical accuracy and for reasons mysterious to the reader, but doubtless known to himself, makes contra- dictory statements and does a worthy subject an injustice. Enough, however, is given of Jacob Leese's life in the Brancroft works to prove him a man of more than average intel- ligence, keen business foresight, and by no means lacking in courage, even though he may have been deficient in scholarly attain- ments, as many of the foremost early pio- neers were. In 1847 he was a member of Sonoma Town Council. In 1848-'49 he mined extensively and was very successful. In 1849 he made a voyage to China on the Eve- line, associated in the enterprise with Hon. Thomas O. Larkin. In 1855 he was elected Vice-President of the Society of California Pioneers. He took up his residence in Mon- terey in 1850. In 1863 he, with others, was conceded valuable lands for colonization pur- poses in Alta California. The enterprise however, failed, and through various un- fortunate turns in the tide of his affairs. he lost his property.
Of Mrs. Rosalia Vallejo de Leese's family in California, the historical annals of the State are replete with glowing and most in- teresting facts. Few, if any, were more prominent in the most important social and political occurrences of their day.
Jacob R. Leese, the subject of this sketch, was born April 15, 1839, in Monterey. There he spent his boyhood and youth, was educated in the Spanish and English languages, clos- ing his studies at Santa Clara College, and since the age of twenty-one has been almost continuously in public office. He was Deputy United States Marshal for the Second District, under Henry D. Barrows, Esq. He was for years Under Sheriff of Monterey county, from 1870 to 1874. He was Deputy
County Recorder two years, 1875 to 1877, under Mr. H. Mills, and was elected Recorder for the succeeding term. In 1878 he received the Republican nomination for Sheriff of Monterey county, and lacked fourteen votes only of an election in a strongly Democratic Jstrict. He followed ranching in San Luis Obispo county from 1879 to 1881. He re- ceived the appointment of Postmaster at Sa- linas from President Garfield, which position he filled with much credit to himself, and upon the expiration of his term of office he resnmed farming. He subsequently relin- quished farming to assume the postmaster- ship of Monterey. This was in 1890. A man of executive and natural clerical ability, he has systematized and materially improved the service.
In 1873 Mr. Leese married, at San Luis Obispo, Miss Caroline Estrada, a daughter of Don Joaquin Estrada, a leading Californian. Her father was the grantee of the Santa Margarita rancho in 1841. He removed to San Luis Obispo, where he figured in pub- lic affairs, being Jnez de Paz (Justice of the Peace) in 1845, and in 1853 County Judge. Of his family of ten children all are living except two daughters and one son. The four daughters are in Monterey. One son is in "Mexico and one in Monterey county.
HRISTIAN RUDOLPH, one of the most independent and prosperous early settlers, is a leading agriculturist of Bitter Water valley, San Benito county. He was one of the first to locate in this favored region, where he has become so highly es- teemed.
Mr. Rudolph is a native of Denmark, where he was reared to manhood and fought
370
MONTEREY, SAN BENITO, SANTA CRUZ,
in the Danish army, from 1863 to 1864. At this time he went to Germany, and from there sailed for America, landing in New York. He came almost immediately to Cali- fornia, via Panama, and upon reaching San Francisco he proceeded to Watsonville, where he worked six years on a farm. Mr. Rudolph then purchased of Mr. Rufus Small and Mr. Matthis a squatter's right to about 400 acres of land, 200 acres of which is tilled.
Our subject was married, in 1872 to Ellen M. Smith, a daughter of P. Smith. Mrs. Rudolph is a native of the same land as her husband, and came to America from Den- Inark when only nineteen years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Rudolph have six children, namely : Louis, born June 19, 1873; Peter, born July 16, 1875; Katie, born May 8, 1877; Annie, born April 21, 1879; Paul, born March 31, 1881; and Allen, born July 23, 1888. Mr. and Mrs. Rudolph are highly esteemed among their fellow townsmen as being very honor- able, upright people, and all agree that they richly deserve the good fortune they now en- joy.
ENRY CHAMBERS, deceased .- This lamented pioneer of California was born in Estill county, Kentucky, December' 15, 1827. He was a life-long farmer, coming to California in 1852, from Texas, and located in Fresno county. In 1869 he removed to San Benito county, and located in the Her- nandez valley, and there remained until he located in Bitter Water.
In 1852 Mr. Chambers was married, in the State of Texas, to Miss Sarah Akers, a danghter of Henry Akers, a farmer and an early settler of Fresno county. Mr. Cham- bers died May 16, 1889, leaving his widow a comfortable estate and the following children:
Amanda, born January, 1853; Rebecca, born March 2, 1855; James M., born December 10, 1857; Ellen, born February 17, 1859; Mary A., born May 19, 1861; William Y., born April 9, 1863; George W., born Janu- ary 22, 1865; Emma, born February 3, 1867; Jesse M., born April 25, 1869; Ida and Inez (twins), boru October 9, 1871; Edward W., born November 4, 1873; Thomas H., born August 25, 1876; and Annie, born July 3, 1879. The Chambers home is one of the best located in the Bitter Water Valley, and the entire family enjoy the respect and esteem of all who know them.
RS. JOSEFA ESPENOSA, one of the most respected and estecmed lady residents of the beautiful city of San Francisco, is the widow of the lamented Carlo Espenosa, whose death occurred Janu- ary 3, 1865. Since the death of her husband Mrs. Espenosa has been very prudent, and kept the large estate left her husband almost intact. Few business men could have man- aged their property better than this lady. She is the owner of a large and valuable estate, comprising about 2,500 acres of the Escarpines ranch and about 8,000 acres of the Pozo ranch. Mrs. Espenosa has eight heirs to her extensive domain, and she is greatly beloved by them. The luxurious residence of Mrs. Espenosa is situated at No. 2326 Clay Street, where she lives surrounded by every comfort that wealth can procure.
*
M. SELLECK, one of the leading citi- zens of Bitter Water valley, has been a resident of California since 1858. He was born in Fairfield county, Connecti-
371
AND SAN MATEO COUNTIES.
cut, December 6, 1831. His father, Nathaniel Selleck, and his mother, Eunice Hall Selleck, were both natives of Connecticut. Our sub- ject left home when about twenty-two, and first obtained money to face the world by clerking in various stores. He next went to sea, shipping " before the mast," making voy- ages to China, Chili, Peru, and then clerked in a ship chandler's store for some time, in Hong Kong, China. In 1860 he located at Pájaro, Monterey county, where he engaged in farming and remained until 1873, when he located on his present farm in Bitter Water valley, San Benito county, where he now owns 500 acres of good farm land and a fine stock range.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.