USA > California > Santa Clara County > History of Santa Clara County, California : including its geography, geology, topography, climatography and description > Part 34
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Gilroy Gus Company .- This association was established in 1871 by the Pacific Pneumatic Gas Company of San Francisco, who in that year built their present premises on Railroad street, laid their pipes along Monterey street, with a few lateral pipes, and have since been in a position to supply customers. The Superintendent is E. S. Wolsey.
Gilroy Cheese Factory Association .- This association was launched into existence, at a meeting held at the San Ysidro school-house, September 9, 1877, with a capital stock of four thousand five hundred dollars, in shares of one hundred dollars each, the Directors being: W. N. Furlong, J. H. Ellis, H. S. Jones, E. A. Davison, and Henry Reeve. An acre of ground situated near the school-house, Old Gilroy, was purchased from David Zuck, on which the factory was constructed, which was completed, January 5, 1878. It is now in disuse.
Gilroy Brewery .- Adam Herold, proprietor. This brewery was built by the present owner, in 1878, of brick, and occupies an area of sixty by forty- five feet, while it contains all the modern necessary appliances for making good beer. The front portion of the premises was constructed, in 1868, by Adam Riehl, who conducted the business until September 4, 1877, when he sold out to Mr. Herold. To the rear of the brewery is the malt-house, erected in 1872 (brick), while there is the machinery to manufacture a large supply, the sale being, at present, from twelve to thirteen hundrel barrels annually. Adjoining the last-named edifice is the granary, constructed in 1880, built of wool, with a capacity of three thousand sacks.
Bodfish Mills .- These mills, located in what are known as the French Redwoods, eight miles west of the town of Gilroy, were built in the year 1853, by George H. Bodfish, and now contain a Boston made steam-engine, of seventy-five horse-power, and a capacity of twenty-five thousand feet per diem. The engine, at present in use, is that originally put in by Bolfish, but the boiler and machinery have been replaced and a circular saw sub- stituted for the ancient sash one. In the year 1867, Hanna & Furlong
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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
succeeded Bodfish ; the latter gentleman selling out his interest to his partner, in the Fall of the following year. In 1871, Hanna disposed of the concern to Whitehurst & Hodges, the present proprietors. These gentlemen, having purchased a thousand acres of the French Redwoods proper, in the Spring of 1869, erected a saw-mill with a capacity of about twenty thousand feet per day, at a cost of ten thousand dollars. The size of that building was thirty- five by eighty feet; it contained a forty-inch boiler, twenty-two feet long; a cylinder thirteen by twenty-four inches; and an engine of fifty horse-power. All this machinery has been moved to the old Bodfish mill, where it now is, thus making everything there new, save the engine aforesaid, for the build- ing, even, no longer remains, it having been destroyed by fire in 1875.
Gilroy Planing Mills .- This establishment is located on Church street, in the city of Gilroy, and was erected by William Hanna, in 1869, at a cost of about thirty-five hundred dollars. When first started, much work was turned out of this mill, but of late years little else has been done than lumber dressing. The present proprietors, Whitehurst & Hodges, came into posses- sion of the property, in May, 1878, and have, in connection with it, opened an extensive lumber yard, supplied from their own mill, where they keep, on an average, a million feet of lumber, while these redwoods are estimated to contain enough to supply the demand for the next fifteen or twenty years.
Santa Clara Valley Mills .- This extensive mill is located in the city of Gilroy, fronting on Monterey street two hundred and thirty feet, has a depth of one hundred and seventy feet, and a height of one and a half stories. It contains four run of stone, a rolling-mill, and an engine of sixty horse-power. The capacity is one hundred barrels of flour per day; the storage-room can accommodate fifty thousand tons of grain, and employment is given to eight men on an average. It is the only flour-mill in the district, it finding most of its consumers in the surrounding country and the San Joaquin valley.
Gilroy Wagon and Blacksmith Shop .- George Eustice, proprietor. The building is thirty by eighty-four feet, and was built by the present owner in 1869. The rear portion of the establishment where the planing, etc., is done is one and a half stories high, while the eastern portion fronting on Eigelberry street is but one story in height. Here the iron work is per- formed. The establishment stands on Eigelberry and Sixth streets.
Williams Hotel .- This house was established in or about the year 1869, by Wiley Williams, who conducted it until 1872, when he sold to William Tennant. It is situated in a central part of the town, on Monterey street, contains forty-two rooms, while, during the season, the stage to the Gilroy Hot Springs leaves its doors. The present proprietors are Lynde & Pervi- ance.
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GILROY TOWNSHIP.
Railroad House .- This hotel, located on the corner of Old Gilroy and Railroad streets, was built in the Fall of 1871, by Mrs. C. M. Higginson. It is two and a half stories high, forty by sixty feet, with a kitchen in rear, and contains nineteen sleeping apartments. Mrs. Higginson has conducted the house since its construction with the exception of the year's 1875 and 1876, when the property was leased to George Seaman.
Gilroy Advocate .- The Advocate was established Saturday, September 12, 1868, by G. M. Hanson and C. F. Macy. After a few weeks the last- named gentleman retired to give place to Mr. Hanson's son. Kenyon & Knowlton took charge October 2, 1869, and Murphy & Knowlton February 5, 1870. H. Coffin became publisher January 25, 1873, and was succeeded by H. C. Burkhart January 23, 1875. J. C. Martin followed January, 1876, and D. A. Dryden October, 1876. Frank Dryden and J. Vaughn held con- trol as lessees a few months, when F. W. Blake, its present owner, bought the stock, which was held by a number of citizens. The Advocate has grown up with the town, and is to be found in a majority of the houses of the township. It is highly esteemed as a home paper, and stands well among independent and conservative papers.
SAN FELIPE .- This hamlet is situated about ten miles from Gilroy in the eastern part of the township, about three-fourths of a mile from the county line. It consists of a hotel built in 1870; a post-office established July 10, 1868, with Elijah K. Dunlap as postmaster; and a store which originally stood opposite to the hotel. There are but a few houses altogether, the prin- cipal number of the residents being located in San Benito county.
Sun Felipe Hotel .- This inn was built in 1870 by E. K. Dunlap, and first conducted by a man named Benjamin. It stands on the main road, is owned by George Niggle, who is also proprietor of the store. contiguous to it. He is also postmaster, being appointed to the position in 1876. The stage between Gilroy and Los Baños, in the San Joaquin valley, passes here every day except Sunday.
San Felipe Cigar Factory .- This company was originally established in Gilroy, about October, 1872, by the Consolidated Tobacco Company, under the general superintendence of J. D. Culp. The building was situated in the northern part of the town. Finally the association was wound up, and in 1876, the present enterprise was commenced at San Felipe by J. D. Culp. The premises consist of drying, packing, and manufacturing rooms, besides eight curing houses, situated at about a quarter of a mile from the factory. It gives employment in the cigar factory to seventy-five mnen, while the leaf used is entirely grown in the district.
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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
MILPITAS TOWNSHIP.
Geography .- This township is bounded on the north by Alameda county; on the west by Alviso township; on the south by San Jose township; and on the east by Stainslaus county.
Topography .- The chorography of Milipitas township is somewhat varied, the western portion being level valley land, and the eastern ranges of high hills between which lie fertile valleys.
Soil .- The valley lands spoken of above, as well as the small vales of Cal- averas, San Antonio and Blackbird, are extremely fertile and are composed of rich loam capable of producing all cereals, fruits, tubers and vegetables some of the orchards being a sight to visit and remember.
Products .- The products of this township differ not in any respect from the others in the county. Fruits, grain, corn, tubers and vegetables are all raised with prodigal profusion, and being on the line of the Central Pacific Railroad, can be easily transported to market.
Timber .- Beyond the oak trees which beautify the scene, and the willow copses that here and there are to be found in the smaller valleys, no timber is to be found in the township, the peculiarity of the eastern range of mount- ains being its lack of wood, save in the ravines and canons.
Climate .- The climate of Milpitas township is excellent-as it is every- where in the Santa Clara valley-while in the Calaveras valley, its beauty of position with its romantic surroundings and excellent sport, make it a spot offering great attractions to the invalid, and the sound in health.
Early Settlement .- Save the Mexican-Spaniards who owned the grants comprised in what is now this township, the oldest foreign resident we can trace is Michael Hughes, who came to Santa Clara county January 11, 1850, and two years thereafter settled in Milpitas, and erected the first frame building in the place. This gentleman was soon followed by Charles and Philander Clark; and on May 1, 1853, by Joseph R. Weller, who had arrived in the county in 1851. To this gentleman is the credit of building the second house in the township, which stood not far from his present residence
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MILPITAS TOWNSHIP.
in the town of Milpitas. He was also among the very first to commence farming operations, and fencing. In this year there also located in the township, Abraham Weller and Josiah Evans.
A short time prior to this period the Calaveras valley had been discovered and located by William Chipman and others, and by them sold to purchasers as needed. Among the earliest to arrive in this sequested glen was Dudley Wells, whither he came November 28, 1853, and where he has since resided. Mr. Wells informs us that at the time of his arrival he first located with his partner Sheriff N. R. Harris, on the land now rented by Fred Choas. Among the residents already settled he found Charles Crosner on the land now occupied by Samuel Sherman; William Chipman resided on the land now owned by Mr. Williams of San Jose; two men named Grote and Rix, dwelt on the place now occupied by John T. Sherman ; two brothers, M. R. and Wilson Brown were on the ground where William Carson now is; Wil- liam Daniels resided on the property now owned by Hiram Pomeroy ; while in the old adobe which stands on the farm of Mr. Choas, there lived a Chi- lenian and some Indians.
In the year 1854, John T. Sherman, John S. Shuart, Jesse Shuart and Alexander Campbell arrived from the mines, and purchasing the claim of Grote and Rix, settled there. Shortly after Milton Lewis and J. W. Boul- ware, crossed over from Fremont township with their families, and took up their residence on the lands at present occupied by James Stone and a Dane named Nelson Rasmussen. Still further down the valley, in this year Joseph Connor located on the lands now possessed by George Gaudet, but which he left, and it became the property of Doctor Johnson and William Gaines ; and about the same time, Jacob Hansen purchased and settled on the prop- erty now owned by Mr. Choas. In the year 1855, we cannot trace that the little community had any accession to their strength, but, in 1856, John Carrick, who had come to the county in 1851, purchased his present prop- erty from Joseph Stevens, and, leaving his residence in San Jose, took up his abode in the Calaveras valley, in 1857, about the end of the year.
In early times the grant was the property of the Higuera family, who had their residence in the adobe building mentioned above, and it is supposed they had engaged in a kind of partial cultivation, for, when the first settlers came to the valley, evidences were visible of a rude feneing of posts and rawhide, while a crop of volunteer barley was still growing, yet the most of the area was covered with a growth of tules with here and there a willow grove.
But few settlers located in the few following years. In 1857, Hiram Pomeroy cast his lot in the township; in 1858, there came John O'Toole; in 1859, A. French ; and in 1860, Simon Matthews.
In the year 1855, the first school was organized, with Robert Hutchinson, 20
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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
J. R. Weller, and Thomas Whitten as Trustees, the district then including Alviso. This institution was opened by Julian Pomeroy, and was but a small building, erected in 1856, at a cost of some six hundred dollars, and occupied an area of twenty-four by thirty feet. In 1868, the edifice was enlarged by an addition of thirty-two by forty feet, and costing two thou- sand dollars, while since, it has been in a most prosperous condition. The pres- ent Trustees are: Messrs. Ayer, Topham, and J. R. Weller, who has held this office for the last quarter of a century. The school at present is composed of two departments, and has an average attendance of a hundred pupils.
MILPITAS .- The first building constructed in the town of Milpitas is now used as a portion of the store conducted by Mr. Clark, and was erected by F. Creighton, on the position it now occupies, in 1855-6. Here was opened, in 1856, the first post-office, with Mr. Creighton as the postmaster, and J. R. Weller, Deputy. In the year 1857, W. Riddell constructed the first hotel, in a building belonging to John Gallagher. This hostelry was con- ducted by James Kinney, who was succeeded by A. French. In the year 1860, the structure was destroyed by fire, but was immediately rebuilt by Mr. French, who now is the proprietor.
Religious services were first held in the school-house, up until the year 1865, and a few years after, the present neat Presbyterian Church, thirty by fifty feet, was erected, and subsequently surrounded by a neat and durable fence. This little house of worship is an ornament to the village, and speaks well for the orthodox instincts of the community.
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REDWOOD TOWNSHIP.
REDWOOD TOWNSHIP.
Geography .- Redwood township is bounded on the north by Fremont and Santa Clara townships; on the east by Almaden township; on the south by Gilroy township, and on the west by Santa Cruz county.
Topography .- This township is a portion of the western boundary of the great Santa Clara valley, and is, therefore, very mountainous, save a com- parative small area which borders immediately on Santa Clara township. At one time the hills were covered with giant redwoods, but these have long ago succumbed to the woodman's ax, and it is not until the county line is passed that the monarchs of the forest are now met. In the vicinity of the two prosperous villages of Los Gatos and Saratoga we find the rarest and most beautiful scenery, while on the level ground is laid out a view of unsur- passed loveliness.
Soil .- In the portions of this township lying on the foot-hills the soil is that rich, black land known as adobe, while, for a considerable distance into the valley, a red, clayey, gravelly soil is found, a diversity which makes Redwood a section of the county which produces a various supply of cereals and fruits.
Products .- The products of Redwood township are chiefly wheat and fruit. In the level valley land the former is grown in great quantities, while on the eastern side of the foot-hills every manner of fruit reaches fine perfection. The influence of the Thermal Belt is here felt, so that in many of the gardens orange trees and grape vines have reached a high state of excellence, as has been the case with those of the more delicate plants.
Timber .- At the present day there is not much timber in the township, what there had been having long ago been felled. The hill-sides are covered with brushwood, while, besides the willows which grow along the margins of the ereeks and in the bottom-lands, the valley is well supplied with an abundance of sycamores and oaks.
Climate .- More rain falls in this township than in any of the others on account of its mountainous formation, yet in the uplands there is not more than the soil requires. Frosts are rare, as the luxuriant growth of the orange evidences, while, in Summer the days are hot, and the nights cool.
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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
Early Settlement -. In the year 1850 James Alexander Forbes, a Scotch- man, well known in the district from his being British Consul for California, was a resident of Santa Clara, and feeling the want of a mill, conceived the idea of building one on the Los Gatos creek, where he thought there was the necessary water-power to turn a wheel to move the machinery which was to grind grain for the inhabitants of the then sparsely settled Santa Clara valley. The building was completed in the year 1854 by Mr. Forbes, in whose hands, however, the enterprise failed, and was succeeded by the French firm of V. Marzion & Co., who also were unsuccessful; the premises were next rented by Pfister & Co. and others, but through the lack of power for so large a mill they were forced to abandon it as an unprofitable venture, until finally, in 1866, it was purchased by W. H. Rogers & Co., the present proprietors.
The settlement of this township is not such a matter of antiquity as many of the others. The person longest resident in Redwood is Edward Hanrahan, who arrived in the Golden State January 16, 1849; came to Santa Clara county a twelve-month later, and settled in the township in March, 1851. Almost contemporaneous with him is Reuben McCoy, a native of Green county, East Tennessee, who arrived in California August 29, 1850, and after sojourning in Placerville, then known by the poetically ominous name of Hangtown, for fourteen months, came to the already famous Santa Clara valley, and located on the land he now occupies. Prior to this time there had settled on what is now the site of the village of Saratoga, one Martin Mc- Carthy, who had taken up a quarter-section in that locality. What the precise date of his locating was, we have been unable to trace, but here he afterwards (about 1851) laid out a town and dubbed it McCarthysville, a name which happily was, ten years ago, replaced by the more euphonious one of Saratoga. Here Mr. McCarthy resided until his death in February, 1864.
In the year 1846, as we have stated in our remarks on the early settle- ment of Fremont township, there settled near Mountain View a family of the name of Whisman. In company with them was one William Haun, who had married one of the daughters of " Old John" Whisman. Haun and his wife took up their residence at the Mission of Santa Clara in 1846, and there remained until 1852. In the Winter of 1851-2 Mr. Haun, accom- panied by his father-in-law, had taken up some land and commenced the erec- tion of a water-power flour-mill, on the site of the Saratoga Paper Mill, at the same time building as a residence the house now occupied by John Maclay. The mill building was three stories in height; it was constructed with great care, and the water was conducted in a flume a distance of one-fourth of a mile to the wheel. In the year 1863 it was sold to Charles Maclay, and in that following, 1864, was destroyed by fire. It will thus be seen that very early in the history of the settlement of the township, Redwood had two flour-mills.
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REDWOOD TOWNSHIP.
The next settler we have been able to discover is Thomas Scully, who arrived on the Pacific coast in May, 1849, and after taking a turn at the mines for two years came to Santa Clara county and purchased the farm on which he now resides. This pioneer has been a continuous resident of the township since August 1, 1853. In the Fall of this year Ira J. Lovell set- tled where he now resides, three miles north of Los Gatos; and in the follow- ing December William Cox took up his residence in the township, and, after working one season, acquired a tract of land on which he now has a fine residence, with well-kept grounds. For the two years following there were no additions to the adult population, apparently, but in 1856 there arrived a family named Parr, whose children have, since the death of the father, on September 11, 1867, succeeded to the considerable property left by him. Mr. Parr, with his wife and children, came to the State in 1846 located in Livermore valley, now in Alameda county, where they resided until 1849. In that year they took possession of the Laurel-wood Farm, near Santa Clara; in 1853 they transferred their habitat to Almaden town- ship, and, three years later, as stated above, made their home in the town- ship now under notice. In 1857 and 1858 we are not aware of there being any new-comers. In 1859, however, we have the information that in the month of February Doctor William S. McMurtry settled in Lexington, whither he went to establish himself 'in the lumber trade. That Summer he rebuilt a saw-mill which had been erected in the previous year by Roork & Herrick, about four miles above the village. At this time there were residing in Lexington, S. N. Johnson, Scott Hall, James Kennedy, the toll- keeper on the Santa Cruz turnpike road, R. S. Swain and a store-keeper named Josephs. Dr. McMurtry is now a resident of Los Gatos, to which place he moved in the year 1868. The next to take up a permanent resi- dence in the township was John W. Lyndon. This gentleman, after clerk- ing three years in Josephs' store in Lexington, started business on his own account. In 1868 he settled in Los Gatos, purchased from H. D. McCobb the " Ten-mile House," and opened it as a hotel, but, disposing of it a few months later to Morgan Covell, he opened a store for general merchandize in the village. Mr. Lyndon repurchased the hotel from Jacob Rich, four years later, gave to it the name of the Los Gatos Hotel, and now leases it to James J. Eddy. In the month of December of this year Benjamin W. Hollenbeck purchased a home in Saratoga; and about the same period John F. Mason came from Alviso, and bought a parcel of land situated on the north side of the Los Gatos creek from Charles Maynard. Mr. Mason informs us that when he arrived in the locality the only other resident, for the mill was then unoperated, was a man named Rockeyfellow, who kept the hostelry known as the "Ten-mile House"-a ten-foot shake shanty that was destroyed by fire some years later.
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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
Thus far do we take the reader in considering the general settlement of the township. It will be seen that the population had no rapid growth. In 1859 the greater part of the low-lying lands were yet covered with brushwood; fencing had not been then commenced, and cultivation of any kind was only to be found at widely separated intervals. Between the hills and the city of San José there roamed at large, bands of untamed cattle; the thickly-tangled undergrowth on the mountain slopes were the resort of beasts of prey, while in that day it was little thought that two decades would see immense fruit and grain erops, with the wild shrieking iron-horse to bear away the produce, after tapping the incalculable resources of the redwood forests in the adjacent mountain fastnesses.
These early settlers contented themselves chiefly in the rearing of live- stock. In the year 1861 cultivation became general, and with it fencing commenced. In 1862 the old Forbes mill was taken in hand by Samuels & Farmer, the former of whom built the first dwelling-house on the east side of the creek in the town of Los Gatos. It is now occupied by Dr. McMur- try. Shortly after, there came a man named Van Taveron, who settled about a mile from where the town is built. Two miles from the town there located William Scott, while adjoining Mason's property to the north one Vinage Gariagus took up his abode. The land to the east of the stream was the property of Marzion & Co., that to the west-a tract of twenty-five hundred acres-belonged to Auzerais Brothers.
Los GATOS .- How this pleasantly situated little village came to get its name of " The Cats," we are not in position to say, but this we dare assert, that there are few spots in the broad county of Santa Clara, indeed we do not except the State in its immense length, where we find so many charms of scenery and vegetation. It was truly an inspiration which led the selection of such a spot by James A. Forbes for the erection of his mill. Gurgling and babbling from out of an impenetrable cañon rushes with many an echo this playful stream, joyous when he first saw it mayhap, but often swollen into a wild and angry torrent. We can almost now fancy the Scotchman standing on the bank of this rivulet, while his thoughts carried him back to similar scenes in "the old country." Like shadows on the hill-sides, idea chased idea, until there loomed up before him the brook wherein, in days gone by, he had been wont to hook the speckled trout from out the shaded pool or mimie rapid. Now there arose a vision of the quaint old mill, built of stone, roofed with straw, with a gigantic wheel slowly splashing its awkward round, assisted to that end by a tiny aqueduct. In a twinkling there flashed through his brain the desire to make the dream a reality, and there and then did he determine to put his idea into execution. About the year 1850 he commenced the erec-
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