USA > California > Santa Clara County > History of Santa Clara County, California : including its geography, geology, topography, climatography and description > Part 27
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KILLING OF A CHINAMAN ON COE'S HOP RANCH .- This tragedy occurred on Saturday, August 5, 1871, under the following circumstances: A man named Woods, together with his sister, had for some time past, been residing on H. W. Coe's hop ranch, south-west of San José. On the day in question Woods became incensed at his sister and commenced beating her. She screamed for help, and the Chinaman, who was at the house to see about a contract for picking Coe's hops, interfered in the girl's behalf. In the struggle which ensued, the Chinaman struck Woods a blow, which immedi- alely caused a transfer of his wrath from his sister to the unfortunate Mon- golian. The Chinaman started to run, but was overtaken by Woods, who, seizing him by the cue, struck him several blows with his fist behind the ear, knocking him down and causing his death in about five minutes. Woods came into town and gave himself up to the authorities.
KILLING OF TAYLOR HALE .- This man, a shoemaker doing business on El Dorado street, San José, was assaulted near the Market street plaza, by some persons unknown, and dreadfully carved, from the effects of which he died. This occurred on the night of Sunday, September 17, 1871. There was a cut upon the left side from which the bowels protruded, another on the side of the head, severing an important artery, another completely splitting the left
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hand between the two middle fingers, and a slight wound in the anterior part of the left hip, all evidently produced by a heavy knife. The murderers were supposed to be two Chinamen.
MURDER OF ARTHUR PARSONS .- On Thursday, November 2, 1871, Arthur Parsons, a farmer residing a few miles from Santa Clara, between Saratoga and Blackberry Farm, was murdered in a most cowardly manner. At about seven o'clock in the evening he went to his stable to feed his horses, his wife accompanying him for the purpose of holding a lantern. While bending over the feed trough, his wife, at the time, standing in the door of the barn holding the light, some person, from the outside, shot him through the body, causing his death in a few hours. A man named Dowd, a divorced husband of Mrs. Parsons, was arrested on suspicion; but he proved an alibi and was discharged. Mrs. Parsons was arrested, and also a man named N. L. Wolverton, with whom she formerly resided. In the month of February, 1872, the latter was tried and acquitted, while Mrs. Parsons was dismissed on a nolle by the District Attorney.
PEOPLE VS. GEORGE RUSHTON .- On Saturday, May 18, 1872, was sen- tenced to ten years in the State Prison, for murder in the second degree.
SHOOTING OF POTTET .- The circumstances attending this unhappy tragedy are these: On July 27, 1872, Thomas Carroll started in a buggy with his wife to visite his father-in-law, who resided about three miles from San José, on the Almaden road. When about two miles from town he observed two men in advance walking in the same direction. He paid no particular attention to them, thinking they lived in the neighborhood, and were returning from work. As he neared them, however, they separated and when he came opposite them they both made a grab at the horse's head. They missed the bridle, however, and the horse, being a rather spirited ani- mal, started up, and by this means they were left behind before they had an opportunity to clear themselves. Mr. Carroll drove on as fast as his horse would go until he reached the residence of Mr. Kell, where he left his wife, and procuring a rifle, started back, accompanied by that gentleman. As he expected he found the men still in the road, waiting, when within about fifteen steps, Mr. Carroll called out to them, and ordered them to about face and march for town, one of them slightly turned as though to obey the order, but the other paid no attention to the command, but resolutely advanced toward the vehicle containing Mr. Carroll and Mr. Kell. Carroll repeated the command, when the highwayman drew up a gun to fire on the party. This was the first intimation Mr. Carroll had that either of the parties were armed. He gave him no time to draw a bead, but placing his rifle to his shoulder, fired, the ball passing through the highwayman's head, and stretching him on the road.
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KILLING OF CONRATERA .- Vicente Conratera entered the saloon of Gran- ville Millsapp in Mayfield, with a friend and countryman; the latter was intox- icated, while Conratera was sober, and acted as a protector for his friend who was not in a condition to take care of himself. In fumbling in his pocket this man dropped a five-dollar piece upon the floor, which Conratera picked up and put in his pocket for safe-keeping. Millsapp witnessed the act and swore out a warrant for Conratera's arrest, but on being brought to trial he was acquitted. After his acquittal, Conratera went to Millsapp for his bundle, which was passed over to him from behind the bar, whereupon Conratera said, "If you hadn't given me this I would have served you as you did me-had you arrested." Millsapp then ordered him to leave the saloon, and at the same time reached for his pistol, and fired, the shot taking effect in the breast of deceased. The latter then started towards the door, when Millsapp fired a second shot, the ball entering the back of the neck, causing almost instant death.
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ALMADEN TOWNSHIP.
Geography .- Almaden township is bounded on the north by Santa Clara township; on the east by San José and Burnett townships; on the south by Gilroy township, and on the west by Redwood township.
Topography .- Save a very small belt of land lying along the base of the foot-hills, the entire township is mountainous, the peaks of which rise to a great altitude. Two of these, one named by the Indians Choual, and the other Oumouhum (since called Mount Bache), are three thousand five hundred and thirty, and three thousand seven hundred and eighty feet respectively.
Soil .- The soil of Almaden township is various. A strip of land at the base of the foot-hills, and on their sides is adobe, while farther out in the valley it is gravelly reddish clay, and requires more moisture than in many other districts nearer the bay.
Products .- Much of the township is laid out in vineyards, and fruit of other kinds is not much cultivated. The grape being especially adapted to the gravelly soil reaches much perfection, yet cereals also find great atten- tion.
Timber .- At an early day the timber, principally live and white oaks, extended into the valley as far as the Los Gatos creek, but the ground hav- ing been since reclaimed, enough of trees is only now left to give the appear- ance to the country of a well-wooded park.
Climate .- Situated as Almaden township is, within the Warm Belt, the climate is most enjoyable. Heavy frosts are unknown in Winter; copious showers obtain throughout the season, while the nights during the hottest weather are cool, and the days inoppressive.
Early Settlement .- The New Ahnaden Quicksilver mine, the most pro- ductive of its kind in the world, excepting only its older namesake on the frontier of Estremadura, in Old Spain, was very long ago known to the Indians who were wont to resort thither to procure red paint wherewith to adorn their nude bodies. They were unaware, however, of the presence of
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quicksilver, and were soon salivated to such an extent that every physical comfort was quickly sacrificed. Noticing the natives thus bedaubed, a Span- iard named Castillero inquired of them whence it came; thus he discovered the mine, located it and filed his claim therefor. He lost his title to it, how- ever, by not complying with certain prescribed conditions, thus it passed out of his hands and into those of the Quicksilver Mining Company. A full history of the mine and its concurrent litigation will be found on page 32 of this work. In the year 1845 the mine was first worked for quick- silver, but on a small scale, but no record exists of its yield until the year 1850.
It is presumably correct to give to James Dwyer the credit of being the first American settler in Almaden township, where he located in October, 1852. At the time, between the mines and the land which he then an't still occupies, there were no habitations save an a tobe or two occupied by Span- iards, while towards Los Gatos there was no house at all. In the course of a week, however, a man named Ebenezer Dodge, a veteran of nearly cighty years of age, had a claim on a portion of the ranch of Joseph Mccarthy. The next to arrive was Zadok A. Riggs, who coming to the State in Sep- tember, 1850, mined a little, and on November 30, 1852, came to Almaden township and located where he now resides, which he afterwards purchased when the survey was completed, and some five thousand acres discovered to belong to the Government instead of being the property of two Spanish grants-Narvaez and Hernandez. About this time William A. Morrison located on Frank Hamilton's place; early in the following year, 1853, Henry Phelps settled on the Schoefield place, and George B. Jameson on the farm now occupied by William La Montagne, while John Cooney took up his abode on the ranch where now resides George H. Bose. In the Fall of 1853 William D. Brown went upon the place now the property of the widow Wheeler, and with him there came Frank Anerich alias Richmond, who married one of his daughters and now resides on the adjoining farm. There was also present on the vineyard which he now owns, Mr. DeFrank, who had already laid out his vines. In the month of August, 1854, Michael Norton settled on the farm now occupied by his widow and son, John R., while further up the valley, there settled in the same year D. E. Skinner.
In the month of May, 1853, Joseph Mccarthy located that tract of land now the property of the Lone Hill Vineyard, but continued his residence in the City of San Jose. In the Fall of 1855 he purchased from Ebenezer Dodge his present farm, known as St. Patrick's Ranch, where he established a domicile, and labored until, in 1875, he was enabled to erect a handsome dwelling, at a cost of eight thousand dollars, which, three years later, fell a prey to the fiery fiend. On a portion of his property, not far distant, Mr. MeCarthy had another frame residence, which, too, was destroyed by fire 16
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on the morning of General U. S. Grant's visit to San José. Both these conflagrations are supposed to have been the work of an incendiary. In 1855, to the west of Mr. Rigg's land, there established themselves a few Italians, among whom was C. Piatti, but remaining only a short time they sold out to W. W. Pratt, of San Jose. The next settler to come to the township we believe to have been Lewis F. Parker, who located on the land he now occupies, August 26, 1856, it being then a squatter's claim. Shortly afterwards the Lone Hill Vineyard was planted by D. M. Harwood, while, in the following month, Frank Hamilton came and pitched his camp on the ranch now occupied by the widow Howes.
At this period a large proportion of the cultivable lands were lying wild, and occupied by large quantities of timber. There were no roads, nor fences, while all commodities were procured from San José. However, this state of affairs was not to be for long, for magnificent roads were soon to penetrate over hill and through dale; with these conveniences of travel the settlement was rapid, and with the impetus given by the quick development of the mines, the township to-day is one of the most populous in the county. It is believed that the first frame house within its limits was constructed by either Messrs. Riggs or Brown, but there is the probability of there both being built at the same time. The first to get married was Joseph Mccarthy, and in the natural sequence of events, the first birth in the township is credited to his wife, on New Year's day, 1856-twins.
The first school house, in the township, was that of the Pioneer district, erected in 1850. The original building has long since given place to a new one. Who the teacher was we cannot learn. In the year 1857, another school house was erected on land belonging to Frank Hamilton, and was taught by W. F. Sturgis. It was afterwards moved across the road to Pratt's land; from there it was taken to a site on the property of F. Bose, where it was burned in 1872, and the present elegant building, of the Union district, constructed in 1873, on a portion of the ranch of C. Schoefield.
On January 26, 1865, a riot occurred at the Almaden mines, as the exor- bitant demands of the miners would not be acceded to by the agent of the company. It was found necessary to apply for military assistance, which had the effect of causing the disaffected to look at things with a calmer eye
There are no towns nor villages in the section save at the mines, therefore records of these will be found elsewhere. Only about one-fourth of the township is under cultivation, but its value lies not so much in this as in the undeveloped wealth which lies concealed within its picturesque mount- ains.
Goodrich's Free-Stone Quarry .- Levi Goodrich, proprietor. Was first opened in 1875, and is situated in Almaden township, about eight miles south from San José. . It covers an area of about five hundred acres, which
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is owned and controlled by the proprietor. The supply is, comparatively speaking, inexhaustible, and the quality, for building purposes, good. Mr. Goodrich has worked it continuously since 1875, and the stone work for the Court House in San Jose, State Normal School, San Francisco City Hall, and Masonic Temple in Oakland, came from this quarry. The shipping is done at San José, and gives employment to from fifteen to forty men. Office, room twenty, Knox Block, San José.
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ALVISO TOWNSHIP.
Geography .- Alviso township is bounded on the north by the San Fran- cisco bay and a portion of Alameda county; on the east by Milpitas and Santa Clara townships ; on the south by Santa Clara and San Jose town- ships, and on the west by Fremont township.
Topography .- The topography of this township bears an unvarying same- ness of level country, it being the commencement of the great Santa Clara valley. Its fore-shores comprise a large extent of marsh land, intersected with creeks and sloughs, the larger of which are navigable for sailing craft and steamboats of light draught.
Soil .- In Alviso township the soil is as good as in any other portion of the county, as the immense crops of cereals, fruits and vegetables will bear witness. It comprises principally the rich adobe lands so conducive to heavy crops and quick vegetation.
Products .- The products of the township have no variety over those of any other portion of the county. Grain is grown in large quantities, as are also pulses, tubers, fruits and vegetables, there being a large export trade in these during the season.
Climate .- Being in such close proximity to the Bay of San Francisco, the climate of this township is affected by the trade-winds which sweep that sheet of water. Otherwise it has its share of pleasant days, as well as the discomforts of muddy Winters, but in no manner to a greater extent than is the fate of other districts in Santa Clara county.
Early Settlement .- The boundaries of this township have so frequently changed since the organization of the county that but a small portion of its original area is left to it; indeed, save within the town limits, the locale of the old settlers have all been embraced within Santa Clara township.
Somewhere about the year 1840 three adobe buildings were erected by the three grantees of land in the section. The first of these was the family of Alviso, who had the grant known by their name; then the Berreyessas, of the Rincon de los Esteros grant, and Julio Valencia, the possessor of a large tract. Ignacio Alviso, the first of the family, and his wife, who was a
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Bernal, were both natives of Spain, and were among the first Spanish pioneers of civilization in California. After a residence of some years in San Francisco he removed to the Santa Clara Mission, where he became admin- istrator to that establishment; his grandson was elected to the State Legis- lature from Alameda county at the presidential election held in November, 1880.
The earliest resident with whom we have been able to hold converse is A. T. Gallagher, who came to the township in the month of September, 1849. He says at that time the Alviso adobe, then occupied by the widow of Domingo Alviso, stood on the eastern bank of the Guadalupe river, about one mile south-east from the town; near it was the residence of Guadalupe Berreyessa, now on the land of A. Richard, while four hundred yards below there lived Julio Valencia, on what is now the property of William Shields; and near the Liek Mills dwelt a son of Ignacio Alviso, named Jose Maria. These buildings still stand.
At this period the place was known as the Embarcadero de Santa Clara, the landing itself being situated about half a mile above the site of the town of Alviso on the Guadalupe. Here came to reside in the year 1843 a Scotch- man named John Martin, who owned the Embarcadero Rancho, and erected the house in which his son-in-law, Charles W. Love, now lives. Mr. Martin was the first foreign resident in the section, we may say, although the tract on which his house now stands is a part of Santa Clara township, and was the only dwelling between Alviso and the town of Santa Clara.
To this point came the hides, tallow, and other native products, with quick- silver from the New Almaden mine as well, where they were stored and shipped in sailing craft to San Francisco, the imports being distributed to the different parts of the country by the primitive wagon and ox-teams of the period.
The first American settler came to the township in the year 1847, in the person of Leo Norris, who farmed on the property of Jose Maria Alviso, known as the Cherro Rancho, thus named on account of the curly hair of the proprietor; while, in 1849, a man named John White, resided with his father-in-law, Julio Valencia.
Where now stands the town, in September, 1849, a Frenchman named Claro pitched his tent on the plot of ground afterwards known as the plaza, which is near the present residence of Harry Wade, while in the following month, October, A. T. Gallagher put up a forty by sixty canvas ware- house, in a position back from the creek, and not far from the site just men- tioned. Mr. Gallagher paid for his lumber at the rate of six hundred dollars per thousand feet, and for canvas twenty-one dollars and twenty-five cents per yard.
Thus it was that the township now under consideration commenced to be
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populated. At the time of the location of these pioneers, the country was naught but a wild, wide plain, with much marsh land, covered with a growth of mustard unbroken for miles. Save the very limited cultivation practiced by the few settlers, no semblance of agricultural pursuit was vis- ible; wild animals and game held sway over the land, while the creeks and marshes re-echoed with the sounds of wild-fowl of various kinds. These, however, were soon to be disturbed by the unrelenting hand of progress, which had become a watchword on the discovery of gold, and immigration to the shores of the great Pacific.
In the Winter of 1849-50, probably in December '49, steam was first used on the Guadalupe river. An engine and machinery was placed in an old scow, the name of Sacramento given to her, and in due time she was placed on the route between San Francisco and Alviso. True, she took ten hours, sometimes more, to compass the distance, but her presence was a sign of the times, as was also the tariff for passengers, the fare from San Francisco to Alviso being forty, and to San José, connected by a stage, fifty dollars.
In this Winter, 1849-50, a town site was surveyed by C. S. Lyman, for Jacob D. Hoppe, Charles B. Marvin, Kimball H. Dimmick, and Robert B. Neligh, who obtained a tract of land for that purpose from John Martin and Guadalupe Berreyessa. Afterwards, Governor Peter H. Burnett acquired Marvin's interest, and, in 1850, erected a house where Charles Young resides. Here lots were put up for sale at the upset price of six hundred dollars; preparations were made for a large commercial center, and the possibility of a canal to San José occupied public attention. In the course of a few months, the expected mercantile activity came not, and the price of lots dwindled into a phantom. Finding such to be the case, and land specula- tions being rife in Sacramento, Governor Burnett determined to transfer his domicile from Alviso. He therefore sent to Sacramento for the tradesmen that had constructed his dwelling, who tore it down, removed it to San Jose and there erected it where it now stands, next to the residence of his son- in-law, the Hon. C. T. Ryland.
At this period that vast horde of immigrants, who had left their homes in the Atlantic and other States to the potent shibboleth of gold, commenced to find their way into the fertile valleys and metal-producing gorges of Cali- fornia. Nearly all took a turn at the mines, some to amass wealth, others to be plunged into irretrievable ruin of mind and body. Happily, among all these, there were some with home instincts still left in their bosoms, who sought out the valleys pregnant, too, with wealth, but of a different nature, and fixed their abodes in what was then a solitude, but which, by their own industry, and the unremitting labor of others, has, to-day, become a fruit- ful and populous country, still holding out promise of future productive- ness.
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In the Spring of 1850, the steamer Firefly, commanded by Captain Moran, was put on the line, and another boat, named the New Star, Whit- more, Master, also commenced to ply. With this augmentation of trade, more warehouses were constructed to supply the demand for increased stor- age, while farmers commenced to settle in the district. Among those whose names we have been able to gather, are: James Whalen, who farmed for one season on the tract of Jose Maria Alviso; Charles Ingles, and John J. Ordley, who commanded a sailing vessel in the trade.
In 1851, Warren Pomeroy, and three others, named Sherman, Reed, and Morse who had, the previous season, farmed on the land now owned by A. T. Gallagher, in Santa Clara township, took up a tract of land near the Coy- ote creek, now rented by William Boots, of James F. Reed, administrator of the Berrevessa estate. In the Fall of the same year, a man, called Butler, located on what is at present the property of William Boots, there also came Messrs. Joy and Day, who occupied part of the Domingo Alviso tract, now belonging to Peter Ogier; Pedro de Sessais, at this time, purchased the tract on which resides John Meads, at the corner of the Alviso and Milpitas road; Steven Bloomfield was farming, at this period, on the land now occu- pied by Isaas Leitch; while among the others to arrive, and who were resi- dents, were: Dwight Burnett, a son of the Governor, and his two brothers, Thomas and White Burnett, A. C. Erkson, now of San Jose, Robert Hutchin- son, A. J. Wilson, Harry Wade, his son C. E. Wade, Moses Parsons, John N. Appleton, the Dana Brothers, Marchand, Christian Baptiste, Arnold, Rand, Snyder, Clark, and Richard Carr, who opened the first store in the township. It was in this year discovered, by the merest accident, that, besides the Guada- Inpe river, there existed other and shorter water communication with the Bay. This fact being proven, advantage was taken to test the value of the new route, by a Chileno, who brought his sloop, the Sulodonia, by that way- the first vessel to come to Alviso by that means. The first steamboat to come up by the new route, was the Boston, while the first to ply regularly was the ill-fated Jenny Lind. We may mention in this place without much disturbing the chronological order of events that the two streams-the Guadalupe river, and that which afterwards received the name of Steam- boat slough-were connected by a canal, in 1858, thus giving a greater depth of water in an around the town of Alviso.
From the foregoing remarks it will be seen the progress that the first years of American occupation brought upon this township. It will be readily appreciated by the reader how impossible it is for us to record fact for fact as it occurred, and name for name as their possessors arrived to locate. The memory at all times is but a frail reed whereon to bear the weight of one's information, yet to it alone do we trust, and such names as may be rec- ollected by the pioneers whom we consult are the only ones that we dare mention.
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