USA > California > San Benito County > History and biographical record of Monterey and San Benito Counties : and history of the State of California : containing biographies of well-known citizens of the past and present. Volume II > Part 22
USA > California > Monterey County > History and biographical record of Monterey and San Benito Counties : and history of the State of California : containing biographies of well-known citizens of the past and present. Volume II > Part 22
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As a result of the gold discovery in Califor- nia, Thomas Garside came across the plains in 1850, bringing with him two of his brothers, who had agreed to give him one-half of all their profits in the state during the first year. Their first efforts were at Mud Springs, Placer county, but they did not meet with the success they had hoped for, and to add to their distress one of the brothers was taken ill and given up to die by the physician. Suffice it to say, that in spite of this decision he regained his health and is now living in Phoenix, Ariz., at the age of eighty-two years. Another brother, now in his sixty-sixth year, also resides in Arizona. In consequence of the ill-luck with which the brothers met they decided to retrace their steps to Iowa in 1851, going by way of Nicaragua, and were the first party but one to take that route. The death of the mother occurred after their return from the west, and as this bereavement left the burden of the younger portion of the family to the care of Thomas, he decided to remain in Iowa, and once more resumed work at the carpenter's trade. He followed this occu- pation until his marriage, after which he settled on a farm of his own and continued farming until he came a second time to California, in 1862.
Mr. Garside was united in marriage with Miss Ann Long, a native of Ohio. Besides himself and wife the party included the Archers, now respected residents of Salinas. At the end of
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the pleasant six months' trip Mr. and Mrs. Gar- side settled in San Joaquin county, where, near Linden, they remained for five years on land which they rented from the Archers. Mr. Gar- side's experience during this time was far from successful, as he had to suffer with everyone else the dry years of 1863 and '64, but notwithstand- ing this discouragement he did not give up and finally was rewarded with a degree of success. In looking about for a more desirable place to locate permanently he traversed the country from Monterey county to Los Angeles, finally coming back to Monterey county and leasing land in the valley at $2 per acre, with the privilege of buy- ing it after two years at the rate of $20 per acre. Until he could provide better shelter for his family they camped under some trees which still stand not far from the home which he fin- ally moved into.
In 1873 Mr. Garside went to Oregon in the hope of getting a better foothold than he had thus far been able to secure in California, set- tling in the vicinity of Eugene, but on account of the prevalence of typhoid fever and fever and ague there he was glad to return to Monte- rey county. As he had sold his property here before going north, upon his return he decided to rent until he could find a property which he wished to buy. Two years later he purchased one hundred and sixty acres at the rate of $100 per acre, and thereafter until recently he devel- oped and devoted it to the raising of beans, mus- tard, potatoes and grain. For the past five years, however, it has been rented to a tenant who has devoted it exclusively to the raising of sugar beets, which have yielded bounteous crops and have brought excellent prices, the venture prov- ing entirely satisfactory to both parties con- cerned.
Of the eight children born of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Garside, the first four were born in Iowa, and the others after the removal of the parents to California. The eldest of the family, George, died in Oregon at the age of twenty-one ; Robert lives at home with his father; William is married and lives in Salinas, Cal .; Charles died in Salinas at the age of forty years; Mary Ellen also died at the same age, unmarried; John, Jo- seph and Thomas make their home with their father in Salinas. Besides their own children,
Mr. and Mrs. Garside gave a home to a niece, Alice Long Garside, who became the wife of F. P. Hiserman and she too resides on the home place. In following the events in the life of Mr. Garside one is compelled to admit that he is a self-made man, for he started in life with less than nothing and is today one of the respected and prosperous residents of Monterey county. In his early life he was affiliated with the Odd Fellows, but in his later years he has allowed his membership to lapse. In his political belief he has always cast his vote in behalf of Repub- lican candidates and principles. Although he is now well advanced in years, Mr. Garside is still keenly interested in advancements of whatever nature, and at the time of the discovery of oil in the Loanoke fields, he was one of the first to interest himself in the project and is now one of the largest stockholders in the enterprise.
EUGENE SHERWOOD.
In a region remote from the scenes of his early aspirations and the fields of his youthful suc- cesses occurred the crowning events in the memorable career of Captain Sherwood, an honored pioneer of California now making his home in Alameda. Born in the city of London, England, in 1828, he was a member of a cul- tured English family and was given the many advantages rendered possible by ample means. His education was obtained principally in that famous old institution, Eton College, of which he is a graduate, and after leaving college he studied for the law in Temple Court, London. Shortly after his admission to the bar of England he received a commission as captain in the Brit- ish army and took twelve hundred men to the seat of the Crimean war. Until the end of that struggle he remained at the front and gave his country faithful service.
While still making his home in London and engaged in the practice of law, Captain Sher- wood became associated with a number of cap- italists in the formation of a company for the purpose of embarking in the sheep business in California. As the American representative and manager of the company, he landed in San Fran- cisco-in 1856 and from that city traveled toward
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the south in search of suitable tracts for the pasturage of sheep. He had formulated a plan somewhat similar to that later adopted by Miller & Lux. A chain of ranches was to extend from the southern part of Monterey county to San Francisco. Flocks of sheep were to be worked from one to the other until they reached the out- skirts of San Francisco, where the shearing was to be done in order that the product might be near the shipping point.
The San Lorenzo rancho of twenty-four thousand acres was bought in 1859 at $1.50 an acre, and in addition Captain Sherwood pur- chased El Sausal rancho of ten thousand acres. The lands were stocked with three thousand head of sheep, for which he paid $8 each. Thorough- bred rams were imported from Germany. At that time very few white men were engaged in raising sheep and he was a pioneer in the in- dustry. For a short time the results were en- couraging. However, trouble began in 1862 with the flood which washed in one-quarter of a mile and carried away the old adobe house on the ranch. The drought of 1863 was weathered, but the year 1864 was also dry and the succession of misfortunes put him out of business. The sheep were sold during the following years as rapidly as buyers could be found and in 1869 he sold the San Lorenzo rancho with the proviso that the purchaser should also take over all the remaining sheep.
After the consummation of the San Lorenzo sale Captain Sherwood made his home at El Sau- sal rancho and superintended its operation, per- sonally cultivating in grain a small portion of the large holdings and renting the balance for cash or on shares. Hundreds of acres were put under the plow and large crops of wheat were raised. In 1874 Duncan Mckinnon cleared more than $40,000 from the land he leased and the profits of that one crop enabled him to buy a large ranch. Portions of the rancho were sold from time to time, but two thousand acres are still held by the original owner.
During 1868 Captain Sherwood was one of the original promoters of Salinas, to which he donated land for churches and schools and the highways for San Juan, Sausal and Castroville streets. The racing course and Sherwood park of sixty acres were donated by him to the city
with the understanding that fairs should be held on the grounds at least every alternate year. When the agitation began for the removal of the court-house from Monterey to Salinas he "stumped" the county in favor of the change. Though he had given no attention to public speaking he was at ease on the platform and proved a forceful and concise speaker. The roads through Monterey county were donated by land-owners and the roads through his lands were made wider than in other parts of the county ; they were laid off under his supervision and were fenced, but the county has no deeds to these roads nor to any other of the highways.
After having decided to remain permanently in California Captain Sherwood in 1859 sent to England for his family. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Rhoda J. Upsher, is of English birth and now (1909) is seventy-three years of age. When she came to this country - she brought three children, namely : Eugene H., now of San Diego; Stanley, of Salinas; and Jessie, of Alameda. Other children were born in California. One of these died in infancy and Winnifred died at the age of thirty years. Of the remaining members of the family we mention the following: Stansfeld is a resident of Sali- nas; Rose Mary is unmarried and lives in Ala- meda ; Clarence G., a resident of Salinas, mar- ried Miss Geraldine de Wit, a native of San Francisco, and they have one daughter, Rhoda Marie : Isabelle H. lives in Alameda : and Lionel C. is instructor of art in the San Diego schools.
Since the retirement of his father from active business cares Stansfeld Sherwood has had charge of the large landed interests and is man- aging the trust with characteristic ability. When a boy he rode all over this part of the country, then unfenced and sparsely settled, and he has watched with deep interest the gradual trans- formation of the frontier into a region of happy homes and prosperous people. His marriage united him with Miss Nellie C. Berry, who was born in Nevada county, this state. They are the parents of three children, Eugenia B .. Thomas D. and John W., all natives of this state.
It was the custom of Captain Sherwood to send his children from the ranch to San Fran- cisco to complete their educations and in 1883, on retiring from the active management of his large
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landed holdings, he moved to San Francisco in order that the younger children might attend school yet remain at home. For twelve years he remained in that city and then removed to Alameda, where he and his wife have a host of warm personal friends among the most cul- tured people in the city. In earlier years he was a member of the San Francisco Bar Association, but after coming to America he never followed his profession and, although he had many large dealings with others, he never became involved in a law-suit. Although he experienced many hardships and constant exposure in the years of his association with the sheep business, he has always enjoyed excellent health and now at the age of more than four score years he retains his physical and mental faculties in unimpaired degree. Never has he lost his deep interest in the prosperity of Salinas, to whose early growth he was so important a contributor. In those days every movement for the benefit of the place re- ceived his stanch support and he was particularly interested in securing good schools. Broad- minded in views, systematic in the execution of plans, and painstaking in all of his work, he fur- nishes an ideal type of the early settler to whose energy our present prosperity is due in no small measure.
HERMAN WILLIAM MAYN.
It has been the privilege of Mr. Mayn to see much of both the old world and the new, and of all the regions visited none has surpassed Cali- fornia in his estimation. The opinion formed of the west on his arrival here has not been changed by subsequent experiences ; on the other hand, experience has only deepened the judgment formed by observation. Coming to the state without means, he has been enabled to accumu- late a fair competence and now ranks among the prosperous farmers of Monterey county, where for years he has made his home.
Born in Holstein, Germany, in 1848, Herman W. Mayn received a thorough education in the schools of his native land. It was the intention of the family to have him confirmed in the Lutheran Church when he left school at four- teen years of age, but he was anxious to start out for himself without delay and accordingly he
was permitted to leave home before confirmation in the church. The humble position of cabin boy on sailing and whaling vessels gave him an insight into the sailor's life and also made 'him familiar with Arctic ports and cruises. By dint of patient obedience to commands he won his way to ordinary seaman and then to able seaman, in which capacity he visited Liverpool and other English ports, sailed to India and touched land at Calcutta, finally visited ports in New Zealand and Australia, and at a port in the latter country he resigned his position in order to join a brother in California.
It was during 1866 that Mr. Mayn landed in our state and his first experiences at work were gained at Livermore and Pleasanton in Alameda county, where he was employed on ranches for wages. A trip through the San Joaquin valley in 1869 caused him to conclude that prospects there were hampered by drought, hence he came to Monterey county and soon secured work on a ranch occupying the present site of Hollister. For a time he worked in a sawmill in Santa Cruz county, after which he rented one hundred and fifty acres of the Sausal ranch in Monterey coun- ty, later increasing his lease to two hundred and twenty acres, where he raised wheat on shares. The acquisition of his present homestead dates from 1879, when he purchased from Thomas Graves two hundred and five acres at $65 per acre. The tract was under fence, but all of the buildings have been erected since he bought the place and during 1909 he erected two modern residences, one for himself and the other for a tenant. Seventy acres were choice bottom land, well adapted for the raising of potatoes, chevalier barley, beans and onions, which he makes his spe- cialties. Some years the crops have been very large and almost uniformly he has received fair prices for his produce, so that the investment has justified his judgment in its purchase.
At the time of settling in the valley Mr. Mayn was a pioneer. The ranches were large and owned by comparatively few men, but during the past twenty-five years a great change has been made, the ranches have been divided into small farms operated by owners or lessees, and the development of the country has been propor- tionately great. Schools have been established, roads have been graded, ranches have been put
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W. H. H. Most
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under fence, neat houses have been built, fruit and shade trees have been planted, and the rais- ing of profitable products has been inaugurated, so that the valley now offers desirable oppor- tunities for people seeking comfortable homes and the means of earning a livelihood. In the work of improvement Mr. Mayn has been a con- tributor and promoter, and his public spirit is recognized by all. Politically he votes with the Republican party and is interested in such mat- ters, but always has refused to hold office. Many years after coming to this country he returned to Germany in 1904 and for a year visited among the friends of childhood, renewing the associ- ations of youth with such of his friends and kindred as remained in his native spot.
WILLIAM H. H. METZ.
The development of Monterey county may be attributed to the sagacious labors of the pioneers, one of whom, W. H. H. Metz, was the founder of the place which bears his name and for nineteen years has been postmaster of Metz sta- tion. The family had been residents of Ohio prior to their removal to the west in 1855, and it was in that state that the birth of William H. H. Metz occurred March 4, 1841. He has no per- sonal knowledge of his birthplace, however, for when he was still, a babe in arms his parents re- moved to Iowa, and from there to Missouri, re- maining in the latter state until 1855. The spring of the year just mentioned witnessed the migra- tion of the family across the plains and desert to California, the journey behind the slow-plodding oxen consuming six months. No harrowing ex- periences were encountered on the way, but nevertheless it was with considerable relief that the long and tiresome journey terminated in the Santa Clara valley, near San Jose. There the family settled, making it their home for two years, and from there went to San Joaquin coun- ty. Having purchased a ranch in that locality they began its improvement and cultivation and for ten years thereafter father and son were mu- tually interested in its maintenance.
The independent career of W. H. H. Metz be- gan in 1867, when he removed to San Luis Obis- po county and purchased a ranch upon which he carried on dairying and stock raising for four
years, at the end of this time coming to Monte- rey county and locating at what later became- known as Metz Station. At the time he came here there was little to encourage one to give it more than a passing notice, but his keen eye recognized the possibilities that might be de- veloped with proper care and he entered enthu- siastically into the undertaking. His first step was to purchase a squatter's riglit to a quarter section of land, to which he later added by pur- chase four hundred acres more, and today he owns a ranch of about five hundred acres, partly bottom land and some hill land. A specialty is made of raising high-grade draft horses and beef cattle, the entire ranch with the exception of one hundred acres being used as pasturage. Devo- tion to his ranch and other personal interests have not prevented him from discharging the duties. that devolve upon a public-spirited citizen. Movements for the public welfare receive his stanch support, his interest in these matters lead- ing to his election to the office of supervisor of the third district of Monterey county in 1902, an office which he filled efficiently four years. He- has served in a public capacity also as road master, for twelve years had charge of the dis- trict from Gonzales to King City, and for the past nineteen years has been postmaster. He has. been interested in maintaining good schools, and upon moving to his place was instrumental in having a district set apart from the old district where school had been held only three months- during the year. He served as trustee and was clerk of the board for nearly twenty years.
The marriage of Mr. Metz occurred in 1864 and united him with Miss Margaret Whitfield, who was born in Arkansas, and from the age of six years has made her home in California. Of the large family of children born of this mar- riage nine are living, as follows: Flora, the wife. of J. W. Sheppard, of Metz; Alice, who became the wife of Lee Parsons and now resides in Wiseburn, Cal .: Annie, the wife of J. H. Bella, of Hanford, Cal .; W. H. H., Jr., of San Luis Obispo; James J., also a resident of San Luis Obispo ; Walter N., of San Francisco; Ralph L., a resident of San Jose; and Clara and Otto B., both still at home. Three children are deceased; Mary H. died aged sixteen ; Margaret M., aged seven, and Albert N., in infancy.
HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
Politically Mr. Metz is a member of Salinas Lodge No. 614, B. P. O. E. Every movement for the welfare of the county or the betterment of the people has always received his hearty co- ·operation.
THOMAS WATSON.
The era of Mexican occupancy of California witnessed the first identification of the Watson family with the Pacific coast and ever since that time successive generations of the name have lived and labored in the vicinity of Monterey. The founder of the family in the west was James or "Santiago," as he was called by his Spanish acquaintances. The genealogy shows that he was born in England in 1800, of Scotch parentage, his mother having been a descendant of the Clarke family of Scotland. A desire for travel and adventure led him to run away from home while he was yet a boy and for some time afterward he sailed on British ships. As a member of the crew of an English whaling-vessel he came to California as early as 1824 and when anchor was cast at Santa Barbara he left the ship and walked over the mountins to Monterey. From that time until his death almost forty years later he was intimately associated with commercial, civic and educational enterprises for the development of his locality.
The business that in an early day attracted the attention and enlisted the efforts of James Watson was the buying of hides and tallow for shipment to other countries. The Spanish cattle were driven from various parts of California to the vicinity of Monterey, where they were slaughtered for the hides and tallow, the meat being free to all who wished it. The silver dollar was almost the only money in circulation and this was cut by the silversmiths into halves and quarters. In the midst of an alien civilization he retained his enthusiastic devotion to his native land and cherished the hope that the Mexican authority in California might yield to English supremacy. J. Alexander Forbes was another Englishman who favored British rule and on one occasion he sent a letter from San Jose to Mr. Watson, urging him to raise the English flag over Monterey, adding the request that a flag be made if none was to be secured in the town.
In later days Mr. Watson recognized the advan- tages to be derived from a union of all the states from the Atlantic to the Pacific shores and he became intensely loyal to the highest interests of his adopted country.
As early as 1832 James Watson was a member of the Compania de Extranjeros de Monterey, an organization of foreigners formed for the defense of Monterey. During 1836 he acted as auditor of accounts of the Monterey council and often he was chosen to serve as a member of that body, which in those days was called by its Spanish appellation of ayuntamiento. When Gen- eral Sutter obtained his naturalization papers in 1840 Mr. Watson and David Spence were wit- nesses of the instrument. During the same year Mr. Watson and a Mr. Allen were competitors with Larkin in trading at Monterey. In 1844 he was one of eight citizens who donated $100 each for the purpose of maintaining a public school of higher grade than was then held in Monterey, and throughout all of his active life he was enthusiastic in his support of educational projects.
M. Duffet de Horfas, the French traveler, and Sir George Simson, governor-in-chief of the Hudson Bay Company, in 1841 visited Monterey during their trip around the world, and on their visit they were entertained by David Spence and James Watson. In his travel letters from the coast Sir George described Watson as a "Lon- doner from Redriff (a part of London, whose father has been in the public line, keeping the Noah's Ark between Globe Stairs and the Horse Ferry." Mr. Larkin described James Watson as an unassuming, honest man, who did not meddle in politics. Others named him as a very generous man. In 1836 he took out naturalization papers and while, as previously stated, he never became active in politics, he maintained a keen and con- stant interest in all movements for the develop- ment of the country and for the general welfare of the people. About 1830 he married Mariana Escamilla, who descended from a noble Spanish family long identified with Mexico and Califor- nia. Purchasing the San Benito rancho in 1850, he remained there until his death, which occurred in 1863. His body was interred at the mission San Antonio.
Within a short distance of the Santa Lucia
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range of mountains and also in apparent proxim- ity to the Salinas river, stood the adobe ranch- house, which had been constructed with port- holes in order that the inmates could the better protect themselves from attacks. For a long period the house was brightened by the presence of children but as these one after another went out into the world of affairs, the old house fell into decay and eventually became the habitat of owls and wild birds. There were twelve children in the family, of whom the following attained mature years: Thomas, Frank, Adolfo, David, Mrs. Canfield, Mrs. Gomez, Mrs. James Gleason, Mrs. E. L. Williams and Mrs. Joseph Hartnell. At this writing Thomas alone survives.
When the entire family were living on the ranch, in order to supply them with meat a large beef was killed every three days. The smell of the fresh meat often attracted bears into close proximity. Antelope, deer and wild horses were seen in large herds. Joaquin Murietta, the ban- dit, and other desperate characters, frequently stopped at the ranch. Each member of the family owned a herd of cattle and a band of sheep which were taken in charge by the vaqueros and herders. The major domo of the ranch, An- tonio Garcia, had been trained in boyhood to be fearless under every circumstance. His father taught him to ride bronchos, lasso bears and fight bulls, and if he displayed the least evidence of fear he was flogged with a lash. Such was the training of the man who for years had ab- solute charge of the ranch of James Watson and who inspired the sons of the household with much of his own intrepid bravery. Having bought cows and established the first dairy in the town, Thomas Watson sold milk in Monterey, also to ships on the coast and to the government for the soldiers; bread was also supplied to the soldiers by him. On one occasion, while deliver- ing the milk and the bread, Thomas Watson left the post without permission, and as a consequence found himself under arrest. The matter was adjusted by giving him a pass so that he could come and go as desired. In 1849 he went to the mines on the Consumnes river and met with good success or a while, until he was taken sick and returned home.
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