USA > California > Santa Clara County > History of Santa Clara County, California : including its geography, geology, topography, climatography and description > Part 64
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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
ALVISO TOWNSHIP.
Thatcher Ferris Barnes. Born in Cayuga county, New York, April 17, 1828, where he dwelt for the first twenty-four years of his life. At that age he crossed the plains to California, arriving at Oroville, Butte county, September 1, 1852. He at once proceeded to Marysville, Yuba county, where, disposing of his oxen, he left for Sacramento, and thenee to . Willow Spring mines, where he remained for a year. Mr. Barnes next went to Monterey county and located on a piece of land which proved to be private, and not Government property, he therefore transferred his resi- dence, and coming to Santa Clara county, rented a portion of the Alviso estate which he farmed for some time, then moved on to his present place where he has resided for the past eighteen years. Farms two hundred and fifty aeres. Mr. Barnes was Captain of the Alviso Rifles until they were dis- banded in 1866. He married May 29, 1852, Mary Van Wie, a native of New York, by whom he has two daughters.
John Gregg Briggs. Born in Arkansas, December 3, 1858, and came with his parents to California in 1861. On arrival the family proceeded to Marysville, where they resided until 1873, when J. W. Briggs, the father of our subject, purchased the property on which they now reside. This, one of the finest orchards in Santa Clara county, contains about ten thousand fruit trees in all, there being some three thousand pear, two thousand plum, fourteen hundred cherry, fifteen hundred apple, seven hundred peach, and the balance apricot trees. No pains has been spared by J. G. Briggs, who manages for his father, in conducting this orchard, while he includes in his cultivation the rarest varieties of blackberries, raspberries and straw- berries. There are altogether one hundred and twenty acres on the farm, twenty of which are devoted to pasturage, and the remainder to fruit- culture.
Robert Hutchinson. This worthy pioneer and prominent citizen of Alviso township was born in Windsor, Kennebec county, Maine, March 6, 1812, and is the eldest son of Robert and Ruth Hutchinson. At twenty-one years of age he had not received sufficient of an education to allow him to transact the most ordinary business, but by close application and diligent attendance at the Winter schools, besides careful research in
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BIOGRAPHIES-ALVISO TOWNSHIP.
private, as well as a three month's term at the Vassalborough Academy, he found he had absorbed enough knowledge to permit of his embarking in the tuition of a common school in the year 1837. After that he followed the art of teaching as a profession, having taught as many as twelve schools in eight Winters, contriving to compass this by being present at two schools during some of the seasons. In 1840 he was appointed by John Fan field, Governor of the State of Maine, Justice of the Peace and Quorum, the jurisdic- tion of the former office then extending over the entire county, positions he occupied for seven years. About this time he was elected one of the Board of Superintending School Committees, whose duty was the examination of teachers and visitation of schools; he was also elected one of the Board of Selectmen and Assessors of his native town, which office he held until his removal to Cherryfield, Washington county, in 1844. In the year 1843 was the Democratic candidate for Representative to the Maine Legislature, but was defeated by the Whig nominee, the town having a large majority of that party. On arriving at Cherryfield he joined his father and brother in the Imber business, and there continued until 1849. In that year Mr. Hutchin- son took an active part in the formation of an association having for its object a voyage to California. It was styled the Sacramento Navigation and Min- ing Company, and was organized for two years. The association comprised forty-eight members who each owned one share of five hundred dollars. With the capital thus raised the brand-new bark Belgrade, then lying on the stocks at Cherryfield, was purchased; she was loaded with provisions enough for a two-year's voyage; a number of houses already framed were put aboard, and a quantity of loose lumber. The steamboat Fashion was bought from Hinkley & Egery of Bangor, taken to pieces, and with her machinery placed in the bark. Mr. Hutchinson was chosen Secretary of the company and so continued until its dissolution. On November 27, 1849, the subject of our sketch sailed for the already far-famed Dorado, having received on taking leave of his native town, the following testimonial, couched in honest language, which he holds to-day in much esteein: "The bearer, Robert Hutchinson, Esq., is a gentleman whom we have known from his boyhood and we can most cheerfully recommend him as a man of strictly honest prin- ciples, correct moral habits and in every way worthy of implicit confidence. He is also well qualified by his learning, talent and tact, for the transaction of any common business. Windsor, November 12, 1844. (Signed) Asa Heath, Town Clerk of Windsor; Wm. Hilton, Justice of the Peace and Quorum; A. S. Coombs, Wm. Perkins, Selectmen of Windsor." Having touched at Rio de Janeiro and admired its renowned harbor; at Juan Fernan- dez, and pondered over the solitude of De Foe's hero; and having rounded " The Horn " with its inhospitable coast and tempestuous winds, he arrived in San Francisco bay, May 27, 1850, precisely six months from the date of
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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
sailing. Here one of the houses brought out in pieces was erected in the Rincon Point Cove; the steamboat was landed, its keel relaid and in two months completed, when the company was dissolved. The property was disposed of to a new association for the sum of forty thousand dollars, and divided into forty shares of one thousand dollars each, though any member of the original company was given his choice, either to receive cash or a share in the new corporation. Mr. Hutchinson elected to take the latter, and received the position of steward on the little boat he had brought out, at one hundred and fifty dollars per month wages. On the Ist of August the first start for Sacramento was made. When getting as far as Benicia it was found necessary to put back to San Francisco, the top of the fire-box hav- ing burned away. After six weeks consumed in repairing she was put upon the Stockton route to take the place of the Sagamore which had lately been blown up. After Mr. Hutchinson had been running on this line for two months a combination was formed between the steamboats Fashion and Governor Dana to take the freight and passengers of the New World and Senator from Sacramento to Marysville. On her initial voyage on this mis- sion the Fashion was "snagged," but reached her destination after undergoing certain temporary repairs. On the return voyage she ran aground at Hock Farm, where the subject of our memoir was discharged. Thence he took passage in the Hartford for San Francisco, where he landed at midnight. He had gone but a few yards along Long wharf when he was attracted by the cry of " Fire!" he wheeled around in time to see the flames burst from the steamer Santa Clara, which lay alongside the boat from which he had just landed. The flames were with little delay communicated to the Hart- ford, which, although not sharing the disaster of her ill-fated sister was all destroyed but the hull. At the end of two months the Fashion arrived at San Francisco and Mr. Hutchinson joined her as cook, but before she had left the port he took his discharge and became one of an expedition to pro- ceed to the Klamath river where it was reported gold had been discovered. Taking a share in the schooner General Lane with six others the voyage up the coast was commenced, but with what result Mr. Hutchinson's diary will best explain: He tells us that the voyage commenced with strong head winds which had so increased that they were out two weeks, and out-of- sight of land; they were obliged to lay too, but after three days the wind chopped round in such a manner that the vessel would not lay with her head to the sea, in this position the rollers swept over her, and finally ship- ping one larger than the rest, it stove in one side of her cabin, swept across the deck carrying with it the bulwarks and stanchions, stove up the whale- boat into splinters, knocked the vessel on her beam-ends, shifted the cargo, and otherwise did much damage. That night the pumps were kept con- stantly at work. In the morning it was found that had the craft been put
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BIOGRAPHIES-ALVISO TOWNSHIP.
on the other tack than that on which she was, nothing could have saved her from sinking, and her passengers an I crew from a watery grave. She drifted towards San Francisco, where Mr. Hutchinson arrived on or about May 20, 1851. After remaining here a few days he left for Alviso, Santa Clara county, where he arrived May 27, 1851, thus completing his first twelve months in California. On gaining that town he formed a partnership with A. J. Wilson in a grocery store, a boarding-house an I a freighting business, they having a vessel plying between that point and San Francisco. At the end of six months the schooner William A. Tarlton was purchased and J. A. Morgan admitted to a share in the business, but Mr. Wilson dying in 1853, the partnership was dissolved, and the affairs transacted by Mr. Hutchinson alone. In June, 1854, he started to pay his native State a visit, there he was married in the town of Addison, September 4th, and in Novem- ber, accompanied by his bride, commenced the return voyage to Cal- ifornia, arriving at Alviso on the 11th December same year. He then engaged in the storage and lumber business. In 1856 he joined the Republican party; in the following year was a Republican delegate to the State Convention held at Sacramento that nominated Judge Stanley, a North Carolinan, for Governor. In this year, in the month of Novem- ber, he embarked in agricultural pursuits, which he gave up at the end of two years, and returned to Alviso and once more engagel in the lum- ber business, and storing and shipping hay, occupations he followed until the Spring of 1869, when, letting his warehouses and hay-barns he moved to San Jose and entered upon the charge of the lumber yard of Chase & Con- ley. At the end of one year they stopped this manufacture. Mr. Hutchin- son therefore returned to Alviso, and re-entered upon his original business, which he still continues. He served as a Justice of the Peace for Alviso township, excepting during the times of his absence, from 1852 till 1869; besides this he was appointed by an Act of the Legislature, a Trustee of the town of Alviso, to sell town lots, the proceeds of which were to be paid to the School Trustees for school purposes in the town. His colleague was Col. A. B. Rowley. Mr. Hutchinson at the age of twenty-one cast his first politi- cal vote for Andrew Jackson, being convinced that he was right on the " bank question," while at an early age he became impressed with the importance of speaking the truth, knowing that "lies, like chickens, were bound to come home to roost." Through a long life he has treasured up many good and wise sayings, legends and maxims, among them being: " Error is unstable and seldom the same. She builds her lofty structures upon a sandy foundation-upon the applause of beings every moment liable to change. But Truth is certain, eternal, and built upon a rock are the towers of her habitation. She looks to Him only for applause who is the same yes- terday and forever."-Dr. Robertson's Lectures.
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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
John Karr. Was born in County Longford, Ireland, October 22, 1837. When four months old he was brought to the United States by his parents and lived in New York until he was fourteen years of age when he started for California March 17, 1852, in the steamer Pioneer, through the Straits of Magellan. This vessel was run ashore to save the lives of passengers and crew in Saint Simeon bay on the coast of California, the passengers and crew being taken off by the steamships Sea Bird and Orleans which brought them into San Francisco harbor August 21, 1852. Mr. Karr went first to the mines in Sonora, thence to Angel's camp and in October came to the Santa Clara valley. Here he was differently employed for the best part of two years, when he once more launched out to the mines and finally brought up on the White river, Kern county. Remaining in this locality but a brief period he came to Alviso where he obtained, in the first instance, employment in the mill, and afterwards entered the store of R. Carr. He next made a six months' trip to the Eastern States; came back to Alviso for one year, then went for eighteen months to the mines in the State of Nevada, and ultim- ately returned to Alviso and was engaged as foreman in the warehouses of one of which he now has charge. This enterprising gentleman besides owning the only store in the village, is a Justice of the Peace and School Trustee. Married, at San José, October 9, 1859, Margaret Borden, and has one child, John M., born May 20, 1862.
John Jacob Ortley. Was born in New York City September 14, 1827, and there resided until he attained the age of eighteen years. Having acquired the trade of sailmaker he shipped on the bark Rosina, June 26, 1845, and made a voyage to South America, being afterwards employed on the Don Juan a brig engaged in the slave trade. Remaining in this craft but a short time, he once more shipped in the Rosina where he remained three years and a half, then made one trip in the ship Union to New Orleans as A. B., and two more as Second Mate. He then came to California in the ship Caroline Reed, and became connected with different vessels on the coast, while he was for many years one of the proprietors of the Union line of packets plying between Alviso and San Francisco. Mr. Ortley is the owner of certain warehouses in the township, while in the town he has a comfortable dwelling-house and thirty-four lots. Has been a School Trustee for ten years. Married, at Alviso, December 24, 1858, Aloysia Wade by whom he has ten living children, viz., Lydia A., Julia D., Lucy W., Mary L., John J., Aloysia L., Emily E., Oliver J., William B., Hattie R.
Thomas Pogue. Born in Wilmington, New Castle county, Delaware, March 22, 1816. When eighteen years of age, he shipped on board the whaling vessel Japan, at Nantucket, for a voyage to the Pacific ocean, and
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BIOGRAPHIES-ALVISO TOWNSHIP.
after remaining in her ten months, then went on the brig Malta, at Bay of Islands, New Zealand, and eight months after, at Boston, signed articles at Lynn, to go on a voyage in the whaling bark Atlas. Between Desolation Island and St. Paul's Island he was shipwrecked, but making his way to the Isle of France (now Mauritius) he was put on board the ship Jara, Captain Smith, by the Consul for the United States, and in her returned to New Bedford, and went home and stayed for one year. He then shipped on the Sirius, at Wilmington, Delaware, for a whaling voyage to the South Pacific, which lasted forty-five months, with very poor success. He next made a voyage and return, between Boston and Liverpool, in the ship Monterey, Captain Dunbar, and finally returned to his home in Delaware. The Mexican war breaking out about this time, our subject shipped on the United States frigate Potomac, Commander Allanc, and served through that campaign, afloat and ashore, under Generals Taylor, Scott and Patterson. At the close of hostilities he returned to the Atlantic coast and joined the brig Silas Marner, Captain Long, on a voyage to the Mediterranean ports and back to Baltimore; he then shipped on board the brig Consort, bound to Califor- nia, where he arrived in February, 1850. He at once proceeded to Stockton, and from there to the mines in Tuolumne county, but soon returned to San Francisco; thence he went to Butte county, but returned again to the city shortly after, when he engaged in steamboating on the Stockton route, on the steamer Weber. In 1853 he came to Alviso, where he hal charge of the flouring mills for some twenty years, as engineer. Since then he built and conducted the Alviso Hotel, which he now owns, as also a small farm not far from that town. Married, in San Francisco, February, 1860, Eliza- beth Smith, and has one child living :- Mary K. C., born May 13, 1864.
Thomas Scott .- Born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, August 19, 1836, where he received his education and resided until the year 1860, when he removed to the State of Maryland and there farmed for six years. For a like number of years he lived in LaFayette county, Missouri, when he came to California, and, in 1872, located on a tract of land about two miles from San José. This farm, which contained one hundred acres, Mr. Scott purchased in connection with his brother-in-law, Mr. Cowan, two years after when it became known as the Cowan & Scott Ranch. Besides this property, which is in San Jose township, these gentlemen rent the Mayvern Farm, of one hundred and forty-four acres, in Alviso township, and three hundred and forty acres of the Lick Farm, now owned by A. Pfister & Co., of San José. On the latter two farms grain and vegetables are grown to great perfection. During the season 1879-80, three thousand chests, of a hundred pounds each, of berries, were exported from the Cowan & Scott Ranch, while it is expected that next season four thousand chests of blackberries alone will
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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
be shipped to different parts of the country, and the different canneries with which Scott & Cowan have large contracts. Mr. Scott now owns fifty acres of land in Santa Clara township, bought of A. D. Remington, of the James Lick Paper Mill Tract, which is now very promising, being only one year old, with every prospect of making a very profitable fruit farm. Mr. Scott married, in Cecil county, Maryland, March 1, 1860, Mary J. Taylor, of Wilmington, Delaware, who died September 6, 1871. By this union there are two children: Leonora, born September 16, 1861; and Lewis J., born June 16, 1863.
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BIOGRAPHIES-BURNETT TOWNSHIP.
BURNETT TOWNSHIP.
John H. Ballard. Born in Sterling, Cayuga county, New York, November 16, 1829, where he was educated and resided until he came of age when he removed to the State of Wisconsin. Here he went into the lum- ber trade, afterwards piloted on the river until 1851, and eventually returned to New York. On January 1, 1852, he sailed for California via the Isth- mus, and arrived in San Francisco in the following month. He almost immediately started for the mines at Pine Grove, Sierra county; at the end of two years he embarked in farming on the Pala grant near San Jose; in 1864 he came to Burnett township, and now resides about one mile from the "Eighteen-mile House," where he owns three hundred and eighty-five acres of land. Married, at Martinez, Contra Costa county, California, May 27, 1864, Rachel Blanchard, by whom he has four children, viz .: Sherman E, born March 19, 1865; John H., born, April 4, 1868; Maude, born October 20, 1872; Mabel, born May 27, 1876.
Charles Blanch. Born in Gloucestershire, England, February 20, 1831, where he was educated and reared a farmer. In the year 1851, he emigrated to the United States, settled in Iowa, and farmed there for three years when he moved to Minnesota and resided there for five years, being still engaged in a like pursuit, but was about cleaned out two years in succession by grasshoppers. He then crossed the plains with ox-teams to California, came direct to Santa Clara county, and arrived in San Jose' in the Fall of the year 1859. After a residence of two years in that city he embarked in farm- ing about ten miles from town, where he lived until 1868; then proceeded to San Luis Obispo county, and commenced a dairying business, but was attended with disastrous luck, all his cattle having sickened and died. Mr. Blanch now returned to this valley and farmed for twelve months, when he made a journey to Oregon and remained there one Winter, returning in the following Spring to Santa Clara county. He now settled on the place known as White Oak Flat, Burnett township, and at the expiration of four years settled on the place where he now resides in Hoover valley, where he owns one hundred and sixty acres. Married, in St. Paul, Minnesota, April 27, 1859, Maria Watkins, a native of England, by whom he has seven children living: William T., born October 9, 1863; John W., born Decem- ber 19, 1865; Mary E., born January 5, 1868; Charles E., born December
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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
7, 1869; Sarah M., born March 8, 1873; Robert, born March 27, 1875; Charlotte, born February 17, 1879; Edmund H., born February 8, 1860, died May 22, 1860; Jessie A., born June 2, 1861, died September 21, 1866; Richard, born October 14, 1877, died October 17, 1877.
Daniel G. Brewer. Whose portrait appears in this work, was born at Middletown, Delaware county, New York, April 25, 1825. When five years old he accompanied his parents to Stockbridge, Madison county, and at the age of thirteen launched into the world on his own account. Having worked on a farm until October 8, 1850, he left New York for Charlestown, South Carolina, for the benefit of his health, and afterwards visited the celebrated Coco Springs, Aiken, South Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; Jacksonville, Flor- ida; Enterprise, Indian river; at which place he remained two years, employ- ing his time principally>in hunting, and for six months carried the United States mail from Dunlawton to Fort Capron, one hundred and fifty-two miles, a difficult trip and made in a sail-boat. In 1855 he returned to New York, and on October 5th sailed from that city, and arrived in San Francisco on the 29th of October of that year. Soon after his arrival he passed a month in Angel's Camp and vicinity; thence returning to San Francisco by way of Sacramento. Here he worked at the carpenter's trade until January 23, 1856, when he engaged with H. C. Hudson in his Mustard and Spice Mills. While in this employ he came to Santa Clara county, but his health contin- uing weak he visited several places along the coast and finally returned to San Francisco. Having formed a company to proceed to the Frazer river, July 4, 1858, he sailed in the clipper ship E. F. Willets, Captain Holmes, com- mander, and on arriving was elected Captain of the expedition. After endur- ing many hardships the company was disbanded at Yale, where the subject of our sketch remained, and afterwards commenced mining with a rocker. In October he returned to San Francisco; thence came to Alviso and Mil- pitas, where, with V. W. Van Vie, he rented land, put in a crop, but this proving a failure, he leased one hundred acres of land on the Alviso tract, which he farmed until 1866, when he purchased the farm on which he now resides in Burnett township from Cyprino Fisher; here he has lately built a fine residence. Mr. Brewer was a member of the Vigilante Committee in San Francisco, being one of Captain McDonald's company. Mr. Brewer is very much pleased with the climate of Florida, as he sought that country in quest of health, being greatly reduced in strength and emaciated from the effects of weak lungs, having suffered a great deal from hemorrhage. He so thoroughly recovered that since his return he has enjoyed perfect health, and has no feeling of the oppression that is so common with sufferers of the dread disease-consumption. "Health is happiness." When he visited Florida his weight was one hundred and twenty-five pounds and his former weight one hundred and seventy-five pounds, average.
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BIOGRAPHIES-BURNETT TOWNSHIP.
Edward Carling. Born in England, July 29, 1829, and was educated there. In 1852 he emigrated to Australia, where he engaged in mining for twenty years, one-half of the time being passed in New Zealand. He was successful, but like most miners, he lost the greater portion of his earnings in speculation. He then came to California arriving at San Francisco, March, 1872, and immediately proceeded to Santa Clara county. After nine months passed in San José he purchased land in the Las Animas grant, on San Felipe creek, where he is now engaged in farming and stock-raising. Mar- ried, February, 1863, Ellen Springelt, a native of England.
Captain William Fisher (Deceased). This old pioneer was born in Bos- ton, Massachusetts, in the year 1813. At the age of twelve years he left home and shipped on board a vessel for three years, hoping to benefit his health which had been delicate. At the end of three years he returned to his native State, but soon after sailed for Upper California. Not long after he proceeded to Lower California where he built a small vessel, and in company with Captain Hanks, made the trip to Mazatlan, on which voyage she was wrecked. He lived for many years in Lower California, and about 1845 came to this country and bought the Rancho Laguna Seca, comprising four square leagues. He then brought his family up to this valley, where they arrived in the month of April, 1846. He now stocked his property with horses and cattle, at the same time conducting a mercantile business in San Josć, the latter of which he disposed of, on account of ill health, in 1849, to Josiah Belden, who was his clerk at the time, and retired to his ranch to manage its affairs. He was not one of those who went to the mines at the
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