History of Santa Clara County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 105

Author: Sawyer, Eugene Taylor, 1846-
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1928

USA > California > Santa Clara County > History of Santa Clara County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 105

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

In 1918 Doctor Porter was called to San Jose to fill a vacancy in the rectorship of Trinity parish, caused by the resignation, in November, 1917, of the Rev. Halsey Werlein, and since then he has had supervision of Christ Mission, San Jose, the Church of Our Savior at Santa Clara, and St. Thomas' Mis- sion at Sunnyvale. He has become vice-president of the Civic Welfare League, is a member of the San Jose Chamber of Commerce and has acted as vice-president of the Public Forum Committee. He is the clerical member of the Rotary Club and is also a member of the San Jose Country Club. He votes with the historic Democratic party and finds delight in seeking to elevate civic standards. He belongs

to the Phi Alpha fraternity. He was made a Mason in San Jose Lodge No. 10. F. & A. M., is chaplain of San Jose Lodge No. 522, B. P. O. E., and is in- tensely interested in the Boy Scouts movement. With over 800 communicants, Trinity parish may well be said to be in a prosperous condition.

Since taking hold here in 1918, Doctor Porter has continued untiringly as an educator, and he has car- ried on the great work of Trinity Church uninter- ruptedly. He gives especial attention to the all- important matter of organization, both within and without the church, and thereby better succeeds in maintaining vital connections between his parish and the rest of the social and religious world. He is also a successful author, having written, among other things, with facility and force, "The Bible in the Prayer Book," published in 1913, an index used by many teachers; "Love One Another," "Carry Your Corner," and "The Inside Inn," together with some of his best sermons. His publishers now have his latest work on the last words from the Cross, under the title, "Magnet of the World," which will soon be off the press.

At Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, on June 12, 1912, the Rt. Rev. William Ford Nichols, Bishop of California, joined Dr. Porter in matrimony with Miss Dorothy Hallowell, the daughter of John Hallo- well of San Francisco, and a native of Mendocino County, born near Fort Bragg. The union has been singularly happy, and Doctor and Mrs. Porter's home life has been rendered even brighter by their three children, Noel Edmund, Cedric Starling, and Richard Grenville Porter.

GEORGE C. ANDERSON .- Among the pioneer mercantile establishments of the Santa Clara Valley that of the George C. Anderson and Brother Grocery Company stands well to the front, their business at 324 East Santa Clara Street having been established for more than thirty years. Born at St. Louis, Mo., December 23, 1870, he is a son of Henry H. and Caroline J. (Stillman) Anderson, who came to Cali- fornia in 1875 and decided to make the Santa Clara Valley their permanent home, engaging in the grocery business and establishing a line of stores.

George C. Anderson was educated in the public schools of San Jose, but his spare hours were spent in his father's store, thus early in life his training began and he was soon put in charge of one of the stores. When his father passed away in 1898, the stores were gradually disposed of, and all efforts were centered on the great store in San Jose. For a number of years, Mr. Anderson was engaged in the manufacture of Beech Nut Jaffe, under the name of the Fig Prune Company, which he established but disposed of to the California Beech Nut Com- pany; later he was the proprietor of the Mission Leather Drapery Company, which was sold to a Los Angeles firm.

The marriage of Mr. Anderson occurred in San Jose and united him with Miss Cora Hamil, whose parents came to California in the '60s. Mr. Ander- son takes great pride in the beautiful grounds sur- rounding their home and preserves his health by personal care of his garden. Fraternally, he is iden- tified with the Woodmen of the World. He has witnessed much ot the growth and progress of this part of the state, and has contributed to the prosperity and improvement of the city and state.

Robert L. Hogg. M. D.

665

HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

ROBERT L. HOGG, M. D .- A physician who, following exceptional scientific and technical prepara- tion for his work, and years of active practice, has come to take front rank among the best representa- tives of medicine and surgery in Santa Clara County, is Dr. Robert L. Hogg. A native of Kentucky, he was born April 27, 1873, at Booneville, the son of Stephen P. and Sally Anna (Combs) Hogg, both na- tives of Kentucky, Stephen P. Hogg, the father, was o prominent attorney in his native state. where he served as prosecuting attorney and also as a member of the constitutional convention. Both parents have now passed to their reward.

Robert L. started to learn the lessons of life in the public schools and continued his course of study at the University of Kentucky, where he took a scien- tific course and then entered the University of Louis- ville, where he was graduated with the M. D. degree in 1893. On leaving the university he began his practice at Hazard, Ky .; then in 1894 he removed to Paso Robles, Cal., where he practiced for a year and a half. In 1895 he located at Saratoga, Santa Clara County, since which date he has continued to prac- tice here, a well known figure in the life of the com- munity, prominent equally as a physician and sur- geon and as a man with the best interests of his dis- trict at heart, loyal to his state and to the city where he has resided so long.

The marriage of Dr. Hogg in Saratoga united him with Miss Agnes Josephine Hourecan, a native daughter of Saratoga. Her father, John Hourecan, was a pioneer of California, coming to the state in the early '50s, and was one of the early settlers of Saratoga. Dr. and Mrs. Hogg are the parents of three daughters; Melita Mary graduated at Stanford University in 1921 with the degree of A. B., majoring in psychology, and is now the director of the psycho- logical clinic at Louisville, Ky .; Norma Dorothy is a graduate of the State Teacher's College and now teaching at Hanford; Agnes Gertrude is attending the Dominican College at San Rafael. Dr. Hogg showed his patriotism regardless of his large busi- ness and property interests by volunteering his serv- ices, enlisting in the Medical Corps of the U. S. Army. He was commissioned a first lieutenant and was stationed at Fort Riley until after the armistice, receiving his discharge December, 1918, when he re- turned and resumed his practice. He is affiliated politically with the Democratic party, and fraternally is an Elk and an Odd Fellow, and also belongs to the American Legion. He is an active and interested niember of the American Medical Association, also of the state and county medical organizations, and is one of the examining surgeons for the U. S. Pension Department. Besides successfully taking care of a large and lucrative practice, he looks after a fine ranch property, which he owns in the vicinity of Saratoga, and has large property interests in the town of Saratoga, owning the Hogg Building, the princi- pal business block in this thriving town. He im- proved his orchard place, setting out most of it to an orchard of prunes and apricots. He improved fifty-three acres and sold it and now has an orchard of thirty acres; here he has built his residence located on the Saratoga Road above Saratoga where he re- sides with his family. Dr. Hogg is active in the Saratoga Improvement Association, serving two terms 32

as president and director of the Blossom Festival. Deeply interested in the cause of education, he served acceptably as a member of the school board and is an original trustee of the Los Gatos Union high school; he is one of the organizers of the Saratoga State Bank and served as vice-president and director until it was sold to the Garden City Bank & Trust Company; he was one of the organizers and a stock- holder and now a director of the Saratoga Inn. Inc., a local company formed to promote a new hotel in Saratoga, which is a success and credit to the town, in fact there is not a movement started for the up- building of the town and county that does not have his hearty support and cooperation. Before being called into service, he was active in all war work, chairman of the local war work council until he went to Fort Riley and as such had charge of the various Red Cross and Liberty bond drives, all of which went over-the-top in their subscriptions.

MILES MONROE CALEB .- A man of strong personal force, of the stimulating rather than the aggressive kind, Miles Monroe Caleb, although re- tired from active business life, is still a prominent factor in the development of the resources of Santa Clara County. A native of New York, Mr. Caleb was born in a rural district twenty-two miles south of Buffalo, Chautauqua County, July 31, 1842, the son of Peter B. and Catherine (Stevenson) Caleb, the father a native of Delaware County, N. Y., while the mother was reared in New Jersey. Jerry Caleb, an uncle, served in the War of 1812 with distinction. The boyhood of Miles M. Caleb was spent on the farm, and he attended school in Orleans County, in the great Empire State.

At the outbreak of the Civil War he ran away from home and enlisted in Company B of the Third Michigan Cavalry, under Captain Wilcox, on August 31, 1861. He began his training at Grand Rapids, Mich., and by the first of November the regiment was on its way to St. Louis, Mo., and he was in the battle of New Madrid, ten miles south of Island No. 10 in the Mississippi River. Owing to the hard- ships and exposure encountered in the service to his country, he contracted a fever, was sent to a hospital and remained there until July, 1862, when he had sufficiently recovered to be removed to his home in New York, but the physicians despaired of his life and he was honorably discharged on account of phys- ical disability in July, 1862. The careful nursing of his home folks proved beneficial, and on Decem- ber 10, 1863, he reenlisted in the army, this time with Company A, Second New York Mounted Rifles, under Captain Rushmore. He also served on de- tached service under Gen. Phil. Sheridan, being taken prisoner in October, 1864, at Richmond, but was fortunate in being paroled in four days. Many hardships were endured, and many narrow escapes; four horses were shot from under him during battles. His record as soldier deserves special mention, and on August 23, 1865, he was honorably discharged at Buffalo, N. Y. Two years later, he again took up the work on the farm, and also went to Pennsylvania and worked in the oil fields for two years.

In 1872 Mr. Caleb removed to Flint, Mich., and it was there on July 29, 1874, that he was married to Miss Lucile McNett, a daughter of Benjamin P. McNett, a non-commissioned officer, who enlisted from Saginaw, Mich., serving till the close of the war.

666

HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

Mr. Caleb followed his trade of carpenter for thirty- five years while residing in Flint, Mich., and suc- cessfully conducted a contracting and building busi- ness. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Caleb: Charles E. is married and resides in San Francisco, he was a member of the Michigan Na- tional Guards; Harry A. resides at home with his parents; Nellie G. is the wife of R. O. Price, and they are the parents of two children. Mrs. Caleb has served as president of the W. R. C. and is a member of Ladies of the G. A. R., and in 1918 was the honored president of the Sheridan-Dix Post No. 7 of the W. R. C. of San Jose. It was during the year of 1904 that the family decided to seek a milder climate and removed to San Jose, where they have continuously resided, with the exception of three years. They have an attractive and comfortable home on Spencer Avenue, and are to make this their permanent residence. After removing to San Jose, Mr. Caleb, assisted by his son, Harry A., followed contracting and building for nine years, and many buildings attest his proficiency. In partnership with his sons he purchased a twenty-acre vineyard in the San Joaquin Valley, seventeen miles northwest of Fresno, and resided there for three years, then the vineyard was disposed of for $7,000.00; the same ranch recently sold for $17,000.00. In his political preferment, Mr. Caleb adheres to the principles of the Republican party. Fraternally he is identified with the Odd Fellows; he is also an active member of Sheridan-Dix Post No. 7, G. A. R., of San Jose. As one of the practical builders of the city the record of his useful life forms no unimportant chapter in the annals of Santa Clara County, and deserves a permanent place in its history.

VALENTINE DAVID NICHOLS .- The record of the life of Valentine D. Nichols, now living in re- tirement in San Jose, is a striking exemplification of the truth that industry, perseverance and determina- tion, reinforced by the sagacity resultant from con- tact with the business world, is uniformly rewarded by success. Born near Wolcottville, La Grange County, Ind., October 26, 1845, he is the son of Nelson Irvin and Keziah (Waltman) Nichols, the latter born in Huntington, Pa., and coming to La Grange County, Ind .. as a bride in 1834. Both paternal and maternal grandparents were prominent in the early history of New England. The father was an early pioneer of Indiana, was prominent in the development of the public school system of In- diana, and was a leader in all advance movements for the betterment of his local community.

On September 17, 1862, Valentine D. Nichols en- listed in the Twenty-third Indiana Battery, com- manded by Capt. James H. Myers, and received his training at Camp Noble, which is now included in the present site of Indianapolis. While in training at this camp, his battery was called out to stop the raids of Morgan's men. The following year Mr. Nichols' battery went to East Tennessee, and was under the command of Burnside until he went East. Extreme hardships were endured by the soldiers, never stopping to establish winter quarters, but al- ways in active service, and in 1864 found Mr. Nichols with the Schofield Corps under General Sherman in his famous Atlanta campaign. Mr. Nichols has the remarkable record of being through twenty-seven skirmishes and coming out without a wound; among

the battles in which he participated were Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain, Atlanta, Franklin, and Nashville. Altogether Mr. Nichols served three years continu- ously, lacking six weeks; was promoted to the rank of corporal, for gallantry in action, and was mus- tered out on July 2, 1865, at Indianapolis, returning to his home on July 4, 1865. For a time he was employed at farm work, and during the winter months attended the academy adjacent to his home town and taught one term in Indiana and later several years in Minnesota. In 1868 he migrated to Douglas County, Mich., settling on a homestead of 160 acres 104 miles from a railroad. By dint of hard work, economy, and industry, he acquired a farm of 400 acres. He specialized in white York- shire hogs; also raised wheat, flax, oats, timothy, and red clover. His standing in the community as a successful agriculturist and an influential citizen is shown by the fact that for thirty-four consecutive years he presided over the justice court at the town of Brandon. In the organization of the township of Brandon, Mr. Nichols used his influence, and was rewarded by being elected clerk of the board, which position he filled creditably for fifteen years; he served as a school director for twenty-five years. Mrs. Nichols was also elected a school director, and has the distinction of being the first woman elected to such an office in Douglas County; she also served as treasurer of the board for a number of years. Politically, a stalwart Republican, he was a member of the Republican County Central Committee; also serving as a state delegate. He was a member of John Reynolds Post No. 51, G. A. R., of Alexandria, Minn., and he served as commander of this post two years, or until his removal to California. His life has always been actuated by the highest principles of integrity, which has been used in the service of his community, and wherever he has resided, the community has been greatly benefitted.

The marriage of Mr. Nichols on December 24, 1877, united him with Miss Katharine Landa, a daughter of Albert and Mary (Kaiser) Landa, natives of Bohemia, who migrated to America in 1855, set- tling in Iowa for nine years and then went to Minne- sota. They were stanch admirers of their adopted country and both lived to a good age, the mother being eighty-four and the father seventy-five when they passed away. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Nichols: Ethel, now Mrs. Elmer Riley, resides in Monterey County; Benjamin, a rancher at Butte, Mont., is married and has two children; Kezia is the wife of James Duncan, they are the parents of six children and reside in San Jose; Marcus, a rancher, also of Butte, Mont., has a wife and four children. Mr. and Mrs. Nichols had two grandsons, Marcus J. and Valentine David Ukestad, both from North Dakota, serving in the World War, the latter still in the U. S. Navy. In fact, from the early In- dian and Revolutionary wars to the present time, members of the Nichols family have been partici- pants, with the exception of the war with Mexico.

Mr. Nichols came to California in 1903, settling in San Jose and bought a place in College Park, at 854 Elm Street, content to reside here for the re- maining years of his life. Since locating here three of Mrs. Nichols' sisters have located in San Jose on account of the climate. Mr. and Mrs. Nichols have made a number of visits to their old home in Minne-

669

HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

sota, but they prefer the milder climate of California for their permanent residence. Mr. Nichols is an honored member of the Col. A. G. Bennett Post G. A. R. of San Jose, and a life member of the Union Veteran Legion, serving as colonel of Camp 160. San Jose. In the years past, while a resident of Minnesota, Mr. Nichols was extremely fond of hunting and fishing, and this sport was both pleasant and profitable, as the streams of Minnesota abound with fish, and the forests were full of wild game.

ORVILLE BENJAMIN HART .- A native son who displayed much business ability and became very successful in the business life of Los Gatos was the late Orville Benjamin Hart, a native son of this great commonwealth. born near Gilroy, Santa Clara County, December 26. 1871. His father, 1. B. Hart, was a native of New York and was an early settler of Santa Clara County, becoming a successful and prominent rancher in the Evergreen district, where he spent his last days, passing away May 2, 1922, aged eighty-three years. His widow, who was Miss Helen Cottle, is a native of Missouri. Of their five children, Orville B. was the second oldest. being reared on the farm to habits of industry and useful- ness while he attended the public schools. After completing the local school he entered a business college in San Jose, where he was duly graduated. He then engaged in ranching at Hollister until 1909, when he came to Los Gatos and purchased the Ford agency, to which he gave his undivided time. build- ing up a large business with a complete repair and service station, but his health became impaired and he was not permitted to enjoy the fruits of his labors. for he was cut down while still comparatively in the prime of life, passing away on March 11. 1922. He was a truly good man, liberal and enterprising, who always willingly aided all movements that had for their aim the building up of the community. His taking away left a void not easily filled, he was mourned by his family and many friends. He was a popular member of the Odd Fellows and the Elks, as well as the Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce and the Santa Clara Valley Auto Trades Association. Politically he was an ardent Republican.

Mr. Hart was first married in San Francisco to Miss Matilda Prusch, born in San Jose; she was a graduate of the San Jose High School and the San Jose State Normal, and was a teacher until her mar- riage. She was a woman of much literary ability and many of her poems appeared in the Short Story Magazine, but owing to the time and care she spent with her two children. Haven and Jean, she was un- able to give much time to literary work, as she would otherwise have done. The short poems from her pen, published from time to time, told of Nature's charms and human emotions in language that had the inspiration of the true poet. She passed away April 16, 1912, mourned by all who knew her. Mr. Hart's second marriage united him with Mrs. Susic (Mason) Dietrich, the ceremony being performed in San Jose, April 16, 1919. She was born near Fort Bidwell, Modoc County, the daughter of Eli and Susan (Thomas) Mason, natives of Kentucky, who crossed the plains in an ox-team train to California in pioneer days. Mr. Mason was an early settler of Modoc County and later moved to Lakeview. Ore., where he served as county judge for many years, resigning his office to return to his ranch in

Modoc County, and there he resided until his death, twenty-five years ago He was a popular Mason. His widow now makes her home in Chico, the mother of nine children, five of whom are living. Mrs. Hart, the youngest of the family, was graduated from the Lakeview high school. Her first marriage was to Dr. Adolph Dietrich, a practicing physician of Pitts- burg, Kans., where he passed away December 12, 1912, leaving a son, Leo Oliver Dietrich, who was graduated from the Los Gatos high school, but was called to the world beyond in September, 1920. Since her husband's death Mrs. Hart continues to reside at the old home, looking after the interests left by Alr. Hart and caring for and seeing to the education of his two children, Haven and Jean. Fraternally she is a member of the Rebekahs and Royal Neigh- bors, and the Delphian Club of San Jose.

GEORGE DOUGLAS COTTON .- Identified with the Southern Pacific Railroad Company for over thirty-one years as general yardmaster, George Doug- las Cotton is a native of Illinois, having been born in Chicago on July 6, 1867, a son of Edward and Eliza Frances (Carey) Cotton. His father, for years a traveling salesman, was born in New York State and was descended from English ancestry, the family being among the Puritan settlers of Massachusetts. Patriots in every generation, his ancestors served in the War of 1812, the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, as well as the Spanish-American War and the World War. Mrs. Cotton was born in Troy, N. Y., a daughter of Harvey and Jane (Russell) Carey, also of an old New England family and Revolutionary stock. She died in Oakland in 1914, Edward Cotton having passed away in 1888. Of their three children, George is the oldest and was reared in Erie, Pa. the Cotton family having moved to Pennsylvania when he was a young lad, and thus, he was educated in the public schools of that state, and in the city of Erie, as well as an advanced school under Professor Diefenbaugh. When he became sixteen years of age, he joined the ranks of the Pennsylvania railroad sys- tem and here he was employed in yard service for three years; he then went to the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern railroad and was in their train service for a period of one year and then going with the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad Com- pany, he worked in the same service with headquar- ters in Minneapolis, Minn., until he came to the coast. in 1890. He was employed in the Oakland yards as general yardmaster for the Southern Pacific railroad, and during his stay in Oakland built a resi- dence on Thirty-seventh Street near Telegraph; then in 1907 he was transferred to San Francisco in the same capacity and continued there, with the Southern Pacific Railroad Company until 1914 when he was transferred to San Jose, having in all served this company for thirty-one years as general yardmaster.

Mr. Cotton's marriage in Oakland united him with Miss Harriet C. Hunter. a native daughter of Cali- fornia, having been born in Ukiah; her parents were easterners who crossed the plains in pioneer days. Mr. and Mrs. Cotton are the parents of two children, Har- riet and Geraldine. Mr. Cotton was very active dur- ing the World War in the war drives, taking part in the Liberty Loan, Red Cross and other war drives. He is a Mason, a member of Alcatraz Lodge No. 244, F. & A. M. and Alcatraz Chapter No. 82. R. A. M., both of Oakland; and a member of the Brother- hood of Railroad Trainmen, having been secretary

670

HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

of the local order for many years and a member for thirty-five years. In national politics he is a stanch Republican, but in local matters he is very liberal in his views, voting for the men and the best meas- ures and always on the side of progress and the up- building of his community.

LESTER H. HELWIG .- Among the firms that have their origin in San Jose is that of Sheehy & Helwig, chartered accountants and income tax con- sultants, who have several branch offices over the state of California, where they offer great advan- tages to Internal Revenue taxpayers in compiling reports of income tax, excess and war profits taxes, estate and inheritance taxes, capital stock and state taxes, accurately and according to the requirements of the Internal Revenue Department. The junior partner of the firm, Lester H. Helwig has been con- nected with both State and Federal service since 1904 in different capacities both in Washington and California.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Santa Clara County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 105

Author: Sawyer, Eugene Taylor, 1846- Publication date: 1922 Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co. Number of Pages: 1928

Author: Sawyer, Eugene Taylor, 1846-
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1928