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 111

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

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Georges Roberts

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

GEORGE ROBERTS-Distinguished as one of the foremost Spiritualists of the West, George Rob- erts, with his devoted wife, had the honor of as- sociating San Jose in a somewhat permanent man- ner with psychic science, now and for years past a subject of intense study by some of the noted intellects in every country. He was born in New York Mills, near Utica, on May 22, 1832, attended school near Utica, and when he was nineteen years of age engaged in farming and other occupations. Dissatisfied with the opportunities there presented, Mr. Roberts in 1860 set out for California; and so it happened that the most fruitful part of his life has been identified with the Coast.

His father, John Roberts, was born in England, March 19, 1807, and died in Clarks Mills, N. Y., February 7, 1890, while his mother, who was in maidenhood, Saralı Bowers, also a native of Eng- land, born June 16, 1804, died at Clarks Mills, June 10, 1854. In 1844 they removed to Osceola in Lewis County, N. Y. After a limited schooling George worked two seasons on the tow path of the Erie Canal. He afterwards drove a stage in New York City for 2 years. His father having died while he was a lad he was left to make his own way in the world. In 1851 he married Miss Nancy Green at Osceola, N. Y., and together they came to California in February, 1860. His first venture was in Nevada County, where with two other men he developed a prospect at Omega Camp, afterwards buying out his partners, but his mining operations were only partially successful. He then opened a general mer- chandise store at Omega which he conducted until 1869. when he came to San Jose.

He first bought twenty acres on the Almaden Road, about three miles from the city where he built a home. Farming was slow business for him after his years of activity in the mines, so he sold the farm and moved to town and opened a general store in the Archer building next to Kocher and Blauer's jewelry store. This also was slow business. He has often said that he sold more goods on a Sunday morning in the mines than he could sell here in a week. He disposed of the store and bought the Lick House, then located on the Ryland property. He sold the Lick House in 1874 and concluded to go on a camping trip through the southern portion of the state. At this time the Lompoc Land Colony scheme was beginning to at- tract attention. He heard it talked of when he reached Santa Cruz and bought two shares. While in Watsonville he heard nothing else talked of so he returned to Santa Cruz and San Jose and se- cured proxies from those who had bought shares and then proceeded to Lompoc, where the meeting to organize the colony was to be held.

The promoters of the scheme were mostly San Francisco real estate dealers who had no other in- terest in the colony than to sell shares and take their commission. Being fortified with these proxies Mr. Roberts was in a position to largely control the situation. Fred Adams was elected president and Mr. Roberts the secretary of the colony and as Mr. Adams was absent most of the time the greater part of the management fell upon the secretary. Mr. Roberts built himself a house and also the first store in Lompoc and gave his entire attention to the interests of the colony for a number of years.

He was instrumental in establishing the Bank of Lompoc and was its first president and also served as postmaster. He invested largely in city lots and country property and contributed several thousand dollars to bring the railroad into Lompoc. Crops were good, values increased and his investment proved a wonderful success. But they still loved San Jose, so returning to this city they built an ele- gant residence on Stockton Avenue where they lived for many years, Mr. Roberts still looking after his interests in Lompoc. Mrs. Geo. Roberts was a firm believer in a life after death and in hier Stockton Avenue home she had a room set apart for seance purposes and spiritualists of forty and fifty years ago remember the wonderful manifestations taking place there. Room was limited in the house-she could not accommodate all who wanted to come-so in 1910 she induced Mr. Roberts to buy the prop- erty on the corner of Fifth and St. John streets where he built a modern home on the corner and the beautiful temple adjoining known as Roberts' Temple, at a cost of about $35,000. The building was dedicated to the cause of spiritualism and regu- lar services have been held there ever since. Up to the time of Mrs. Roberts' passing, November 26, 1916, the entire expense of all services was met by Mr. Roberts. No collection or offering was ever taken in the Temple. After his wife's death Mr. Rob- erts felt that he would like to be relieved of the responsibility of the management of its affairs and so deeded the property to the Sleeper Trust.

While on a trip to his old home in Nevada County in the fall of 1910 Mr. Roberts met with an accident from which he never entirely recovered. He passed away October 8th, 1920. He was a kind-hearted man, little given to talk, but was a profound thinker. Of his immense fortune he had left little. He pro- vided magnificently to every relative and many friends while he was yet able to see that it was done right. No one ever did George Roberts a kindness who was not rewarded for it.

In 1851 Mr. Roberts married Miss Nancy Green, the ceremony taking place at Osceola, N. Y., a good woman, who left the world better for her having been in it, when she passed away on November 26, 1916, aged eighty-six. Mr. Roberts was a Republican but he was too broad-minded to allow himself to meet local issues in any spirit of partisanship, and hence he was one of the first to pull with his neighbors, regardless of party, for the best men and the best projects for the community's progress.

The last year of his life was brightened as well as lightened by his niece, Miss Edna Sayles, who came at his invitation to care for and minister to his comforts and thus the life of this grand old pioneer passed out in his eighty-eighth year.

WALTER R. PEACOCK .- An esteemed citizen prominent in fraternal circles, Walter R. Peacock has a record of nearly half a century of profitable and pleasurable activity in the mystic halls of the I. O. O. F. He is a Republican in matters of national politics, as he is also a veteran soldier; but he is too good an American to allow partisan politics to cloud his vision, and he endeavors to discharge his civic duties according to the broadest possible platform. He was born in Philadelphia on October 9, 1856, the son of S. J. Peacock, a native of New Jersey, whose family dates back to the days of the Revolution. His

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great-grandfather lived in New Jersey, and his grand- father was a Methodist minister there. S. J. Pea- cock married Miss Elizabeth B. Roselle, and her family came from England, and she was born in the British Isles. The worthy couple had five children; but today only our subject and a brother, living at Newark, N. J., survive. The father served his full three years as an apprentice to a carpenter and after that he served four years as an apprentiee to a stair- case builder-in those days a trade by itself.

Walter Peacock attended the local grammar school and then for a year went to the high school, and since his thirteenth year has made his way in the world. He went to work in the iron and sheet- metal works in Philadelphia, and served three years in learning that trade. He continued to follow that occupation until, on December 5, 1873, he joined the U. S. Army, in which he saw thirty years and twenty- six days of active service. being retired on December 31, 1903. He enlisted as a private, and was retired as ordnance sergeant. During the Spanish-American War, he served under various generals, ineluding General Cook, when he was stationed at Fort Apache, Arizona. During the earlier part of the war, he was in the Arizona department, and during the latter part, he was in the Colorado department. In the late World War, he again gave his services to the United States, and he served as sergeant major from March 28. 1918, to August 31, 1919, when he was at Stanford University and was an instructor of the R. O. T. C. From October 1 to December 15. 1918, he served as an instructor, with the rank of sergeant- major, of the S. A. T. C. at Stanford; and from May 24 to July, 1918, he served, with the same rank, in instruction work at the Reserve Officers' Training Camp at the Presidio.

In 1903. after having been retired from the army, Mr. Peacock came to San Jose and retired from active life. The next year, he joined the Ancient Order of Foresters, and he has been a member since. He entered this order in the Mount Hamilton Court, but a few years later this was absorbed by the Gar- den City Court. On December 28. 1878, Mr. Pea- eoek joined the I. O. O. F., and the next year he went through the chairs of the order, and he is now a past grand. He has been secretary of San Jose Encampment No. 23 sinee May 16, 1907, and he is a past chief patriarch of the San Jose Encampment No. 35. He is also a member of Canton No. 9.

On August 28, 1885, at Pierre, then in Dakota Territory, Mr. Peacock was married to Miss Bertha Bergen, a daughter of Gust Bergen, a native of Germany who was born not far from Berlin and when fourteen years old came to the United States. He came West to the Dakota Territory, obtained land and there lived many years; and as he was a good musician, he was widely popular. Five children and seven grandchildren have sprung from this for- tunate union. Bertha H. is Mrs. Clift. a widow living with her father in San Jose. She was born in Dakota, and has one daughter, Bertha Lillian. Walter J. lives at Vallejo. Cal. He was born at Madison Barracks, N. Y., and the rest of the family were also born there. Walter married Miss Hattie Baker of San Jose, and they have one daughter. Alma M. D. G. Peacock lives at 515 Twenty-eighth Avenue, San Francisco. He has been twice married, and had two children by his first wife. For his second wife

he chose Miss Mabel Reick. and they have one child, Dorothy. Emma M. is at present Mrs. Frank Grigsby of 42 Union Street, San Jose; and they have one daughter, Vivian. Ida M. has become Mrs. W. A. Rasmussen, of 381 Delmar Avenue, San Jose; and they have one son, W. A. Rasmussen, Jr. Since coming to San Jose, Mr. and Mrs. Peacock have made their home at 2 Sanborn Avenue.

JAMES PATRICK SEX .- A representative mem- ber of the legal fraternity, James Patrick Sex is highly esteemed by his associates. A native son of California, he was born in San Jose April 7, 1875, a son of Peter and Margaret (Kenny) Sex. In 1851 his father came to California via the Isthmus of Panama and settled first in San Francisco, but during the gold rush went to Amador and Calaveras coun- ties: later during the gold excitement, he moved to the Feather River country, then journeyed into Brit- ish Columbia and Canada.

A few years later, in the year of 1857, Mr. Sex returned to California and settled in Amador County, where he became a naturalized citizen; he remained there until 1859 when he came to San Francisco for a short time and from there to Mon- terey and San Luis Obispo counties, where he was engaged in the eattle and sheep business. In 1866 he returned to Santa Clara County and engaged in farming, and later was employed as general night man with the San Jose and San Francisco Railroad, which had just been completed. On account of fail- ing health, he only remained with them for one year, and returned to farming and for a year or more operated a threshing machine in partnership with Thos. Boyter and Dennis Hayes.

After his marriage to Mrs. Margaret (Kenny) Shaw, who was also a pioneer of this country, Mr. Sex was engaged in general teaming, which he con- tinued until 1896, after which he became superin- tendent of Calvary Cemetery and was thus engaged until his death, which occurred in 1902. Mrs. Sex passed away April 17, 1887. By her union with Mr. Shaw Mrs. Sex had two children. one of whom grew up-Margaret Shaw the wife of James Me- Kagney of San Jose; and of her union with Peter Sex there were also two children, William, who died in infancy and James Patrick.

James P. Sex received his preliminary education in St. Joseph's College, supplemented by a course in Santa Clara College, when he received the coveted degree of Ph.B. in 1909 and his LL.D. in 1910. He had matriculated in Santa Clara College in 1890 for the class of 1894, but circumstances arose which compelled him to leave college in 1893, and he en- tered Wm. A. Bowden's law office and studied law until he was admitted to the bar, April 27, 1896, and later on to the U. S. District Court, August 3, 1909. After his admission he practiced law for a year with Mr. Bowden, until June 1. 1897, when he entered the county elerk's office as a deputy county clerk under Henry A. Pfister, serving until June 1, 1902. He then opened a law office and practiced law until January 1, 1904, when he entered the distriet attorney's office as assistant district attorney under Judge Jas. H. Campbell, continuing under him and his successor, Arthur M. Free, until November 1, 1911, when he resigned to again enter the general practice of law with offices in the First National Bank Building, San Jose, where he has a lucrative

James . Sex.

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practice among a large clientele. He is well known and popular, and his business is not alone confined to Santa Clara County and the Bay region, but over the whole State of California, having had nu- merous interesting and hard-fought cases in the course of his legal career.

In July, 1909, with Father Joseph W. Lydon, Mr. Sex was one of the organizers of the law depart- ment of the University of Santa Clara, which was opened in August, 1909, since which time he has been professor of criminal law, a chair he has filled acceptably and well. Since January 1, 1920, he has also conducted the class of practice and the moot court of the above institution.

The marriage of Mr. Sex, January 29, 1900, united him with Miss Nellie G. Ward, born in San Fran- cisco, the daughter of John and Julia Ward. She graduated at Notre Dame College in 1897. To them has been born one daughter, Helen Marie. Politic- ally he is a Democrat, is a third degree Knight of Columbus, belongs to the Young Men's Institute, and is a faithful and devout member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church. He has richly deserved the suc- cess he has achieved and it is the wish of all who know him that he may long live to enjoy the fruits of his labors, and the good will of his many friends throughout the community.

FRANCIS MARION EVANS .- A pioneer whose life and work have left a deep and abiding impress on his day was Francis Marion Evans, a native of Missouri, where he was born on January 19, 1837. His father, Josiah Evans, was a frontiersman and a farmer, who had married Miss Cavery Ann Smith; and when the lad was twelve years old, his parents set out across the rough country to California and soon settled in the Placerville district, where Mr. Evans mined for a number of years. In time the family migrated further to Santa Clara County and there, cast of Milpitas, they found part of the old Tularcitos grant, which took their fancy; and Mr. Evans purchased 500 acres of the grant, buying it twice, in reality, on account of a dispute in the title. He set out ten acres to prunes, and devoted the bal- ance of the land to general farming. The land proved a good investment, and the past season twelve acres have been devoted to the cultivation of tomatoes, and round about the home, which was erected on the ranch in 1870, stock, grain, hay and seed are raised. There were four children in the family, Francis being the eldest.

He attended the grammar schools in Missouri, and completed his schooling in California, but the de- mands of a busy life precluded his carrying studies beyond the lower grades. At San Jose, on December 12, 1869, he married Miss Lydia R. Trueman, a native of New Brunswick, Canada, and the daughter of Marcus and Rebecca (Reynold) Trueman, who brought her to California in 1868 by way of the Panama route. They stopped for a while in San Francisco, then Mr. Trueman took up farming, and after that he engaged in undertaking. He lived to be eighty-three years old, and his good wife breathed, her last when past eighty. Mr. Evans built an attrac- tive home on an elevation commanding the valley below, and on that beautiful spot he and his wife reared a family of six children: George, Nellie, Ann, Mrs. Topham, Elizabeth, C. J. and Arthur. Francis

Marion Evans, who was a standpat but broad- minded Republican who exerted the best of influence in politics, died on November 26, 1915, particularly honored by his fellow-members of the Pioneers and Grangers of Santa Clara County.

JOHN H. COSTIGAN .- A popular public official of Milpitas is John H. Costigan, who in addition to the performance of his duties as constable is a pros- perous rancher and the successful proprietor and manager of one of the best livery stables in all Santa Clara County. A native son proud of his association with the great Pacific commonwealth, he was born seven miles west of Gilroy, in Santa Clara County, on September 23, 1861, the son of John J. and Mary E. Costigan. His father was a resident of Illinois when he decided to migrate westward to California; and he came to the Golden State by way of the Isthmus route, and arrived in San Francisco in 1854.

Almost immediately, as the result of his insight and foresightedness, he came on to Santa Clara County, where he engaged as a merchant at a place between Edenvale and Cottage Grove, where there used to be a quicksilver mine, establishing himself in business as a partner of R. McIlroy. In that place and way he continued a number of years, or until the quicksilver mine was abandoned, when he lost heavily through the indebtedness to him of those who suddenly left the mine country. He then en- gaged in the raising of sheep near Gilroy, and so it happened that the lad John attended the school in the Adams district. Later, when his father had taken up an express business in San Jose, he went to school there in the old city hall, the eldest in a family of ten children, only six of whom are still living. These surviving representatives of one of the worthiest couples ever settling in Santa Clara County are, our subject; Alice, now Mrs. J. R. Grant of Gilroy; Anna, now Mrs. Walter Espinoza of Moun- tain View; Robert, who is field manager for Milpitas of the California Packing Corporation; Isabelle, and George, tractor driver with the California Packing Corporation at Milpitas.

When John H. Costigan was twenty years old, he accepted employment with William Tennant at the Twenty-one Mile House, and later he worked for G. J. Murphy, on the Murphy Ranch, at Gilroy; and when Mr. Murphy removed to Milpitas, he became foreman of the Moreland Stock Ranch, conducted there by Mr. Murphy, and which was devoted to the raising of fine horses; and in association with Mr. Murphy, in horse-breeding, of thoroughbred trotting horses, he remained active as a leader for ten years, his experience proving of real value not only to the interests of the famous ranch, but in the advance- ment of this branch of California industry.

In 1898 Mr. Costigan became constable of Milpitas, five years after he moved into the town itself, and he has since held that responsible office, to the entire satisfaction of everyone, displaying level-headedness and both public spirit, resolution and bravery in the performance of his duty, maintaining law and order, and doing justice by all who have official dealings with him. In 1912 he embarked in the livery busi- ness, and he has continued to furnish Milpitas the best service of that kind she has ever enjoyed.

At San Jose, on September 6, 1893, Mr. Costigan was married to Miss Mary Ellen Elrod, a native of Gilroy and the daughter of N. and Hannah (Fitts) Elrod, natives of North Carolina, who came to Gil-

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roy in early days. Mrs. Costigan owns a ranch of 160 acres in the Adams district near Gilroy, while Mr. Costigan has a farm of equal size in Lassen County, taken up by him under the enlarged Home- stead Act. Six children have blessed this union: Vivian has become Mrs. Edward Costigan of Mil- pitas; Mamie is Mrs. Silveira of Livermore; Etta Costigan dwells in San Jose; Lester lives at home; Avis is now Mrs. V. C. Eller of Fresno; Archie Ray died in May, 1921. Mr. Costigan is a standpat Democrat, whose experience and foresight are sought for the councils of his party, and he is a member of the Milpitas lodge of the U. P. E. C.

WILLIAM H. SELBY-A very successful ranch- er who is also an expert carpenter, is William H. Selby, of 269 South Fifteenth Street, San Jose, whom the citizens of Santa Clara County are pleased to honor, first as the son of a worthy pioneer, secondly as the husband of a talented lady who well represents another pioneer family of note, and third, as one whose forward movements have always meant something promising to others besides himself.

A native son, he was born at San Jose on April 9, 1862, the son of John Samuel and Sarah (Brelsford) Selby, long highly-esteemed residents of the Santa Clara Valley. His great-grandfather, John Selby, was a native of Maryland, and he migrated to Ken- tucky, and later settled where he died, in Callaway County, Mo. He had a son, William J. Selby, who was born in Shelby County, Ky., and grew up a car- penter; and later he was a farmer in Callaway County, Mo., where he lived until his demise. He married Miss Julia Ann Turley, also a native of Ken- tucky, who passed away in Missouri. John Samuel was one of a family of seven children, and was born in 1834 in Callaway County, where he attended school. On April 17, 1853, he set out on a five- months' trip to California. He took a good look at the Santa Clara Valley, and the result of the inspec- tion was his locating at San Jose. He soon went to work in Marin County, in the redwood district, after which he returned to San Jose.

Then he took up farming, and purchased 150 acres at Berryessa; but at the end of three years he sold this tract and bought a farm five miles north of San Jose- 100 choice acres, of which he soon had four- teen set out in orchards. Once established as a farmer, he followed contracting and building as well; and from 1892 he was one of the best supervisors, for four years, Santa Clara County ever had. He married Miss Brelsford, a native of the Hoosier State, the ceremony taking place at San Jose; and two sons and three daughters blessed this union. Mary mar- ried William E. Trimble, a farmer of San Jose; Emma Jane is the wife of Ed. Able, of Milpitas; Wil- liam H. is the head carpenter at the State Hospital at Agnew; Lizzie Lee became the wife of W. E. Coombs, of San Jose; and George Wray is a citizen of Santa Maria. Jolin S. Selby was active as a Demo- cratic politician, a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and also a member of the Metho- dist Episcopal Chuch South. As a lumberman at Vir- ginia City, and in other places and fields of activity, he steadfastly set forth the example of a straight- forward Christian gentleman.

William H. Selby attended the Orchard School in Santa Clara County, the third child in the family, and when old enough to do so, took up carpentering with

his father. When twenty years of age, he assumed the responsibilities of contracting in partnership with his father; but in December 1898, he entered the ser- vice of the state, and became the supervising carpen- ter and builder, in charge of maintenance at the Ag- new State Hospital. He lived on the old Selby ranch, until 1911 when he moved into San Jose.

At San Jose, on August 23, 1893, he married to Miss Alice Meads, a native of Santa Clara County, the daughter of John Wesley Meads, who came to California in 1853, locating in Santa Clara County His grandmother was a member of the old Amos family of Kentucky, and near relative of Gen. Robert E. Lee. John W. Meads was born in Baltimore, Md., on April 11, 1834, the son of William Meads, also a native of that city, a famous vegetable gardener of early days. John W. Meads grew up in a family each one of whom made a name and record, and in young manhood was apprenticed to the mason's trade. When he came out to California he traveled by way of the Isthmus of Panama, and he rented land near Alviso, on the Alviso and San Jose road, where he engaged in farming until 1865. He married Miss Agnes Louise Emerson, a native of Maine, and the daughter of Capt. Charles Emerson, who brought his family to California by way of the Horn in 1849, as master of his own vessel. He located his family in San Jose while he continued to follow the sea for many years, making trips to both the Orient and Europe. He was shipwrecked twice, losing two ves- sels. His wife was accidentally killed while a pas- senger on the steamer Jennie Lind, when the boilers aboard blew up in San Francisco Bay.

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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 111

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