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 120

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 120

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JOHN A. FELLOM, SR .- A worthy representa- tive of the type of citizen which has made California a great state is John A. Fellom, Sr., a man well- known and highly honored in the vicinity of Gilroy, and who has always used progressive efforts along agricultural and stockraising ideas. He is living re- tired on his ranch, part of which he rents to others. The Fellom family was first interested with the af- fairs of the West through Matthew Fellom, whom accident rather than design lead to the coast of Mon- terey in the latter 30's. Born in Denmark, in 1801, he became dissatisfied with his native conditions, while yet a boy, and shipping on a merchant vessel, found relief from monotony in a seafaring life for several years. However, life on the vessel was not all clear sailing, and he finally succeeded in escap- ing and reached the California coast. He cast about for a means of livelihood and found employment with John Gilroy, for whom the town of Gilroy was named, and was set to making soap. In time he be- came an expert soap maker, and he continued at his trade until he had accumulated some money. He invested his earnings in 1750 acres northeast of San Ysidro and for years was a stockraiser in that vicin- ity, having as many as 800 to 900 head of stock on the ranch at one time. In 1853 he changed his loca- tion to a ranch in the vicinity of his son's present home, but returned to San Ysidro in 1861 and erected a comfortable rural residence, where his death occurred on December 16, 1868. He married Miss Manuela Briones, a native of Santa Clara County, who died in 1858 at the age of thirty-five. They were the parents of eleven children, only three attaining maturity: John A., the subject of this re- view; Adele, now Mrs. Martin, of San Juan; and Sinfriano. After the death of his wife, Mr. Fellom married Ricarda Castro, of Santa Cruz County.

John A. Fellom was born on his father's ranch at San Ysidro, October 17, 1840, and received his edu- cation in the schools of Gilroy, where a school had been established about 1853. From the age of fifteen his recollections are of farm life and stockraising, and the purchase and sale of hogs, cattle and horses. He continued in the stock business until 1868 when he began to do general farming. His home place consists of 270 acres five miles northeast of Gilroy, which he improved himself, and he also owns 153 acres near San Ysidro where his son has a dairy.

The marriage of Mr. Fellom occurred in 1874 and united him with Miss Blandina Ortega, a daughter of Joseph Ortega, one of the large landowners and farmers in Santa Clara Valley. Mrs. Fellom was born in San Ysidro, June 3, 1853, and through the

years has truly been a helpmate to her husband through systematic management of the home and un- failing sympathy with all his plans and aspirations. They are the parents of eight living children: Corin- na, the wife of Joseph Fitzgerald, who have one son and reside in San Jose; John A, Jr., married to Miss Florence Nickel and residing in Old Gilroy on a fine twenty-two acre ranch, and for seven years he has been road superintendent for the San Ysidro district; Isabella, the wife of Robert Burns, who have two daughters and reside at Santa Monica; Louis, who married Miss Josephine Boone, having two daughters and reside on a ranch of twenty-two acres near the Fellom place; Peter, who married Miss Roll, who have one child and reside in Gilroy; Mary, who is the wife of Charles Thomas, and have one daughter and reside in San Francisco; William M., who lives on his father's 153 acres; and Lauretta, who is the wife of Robert Jones. The family are members of the Catholic Church and endorse the principles of the Democratic party. Mr. Fellom is hale and hearty at the age of eighty-three and is probably the oldest citizen residing there who was born in Old Gilroy. The ranch, which was obtained from the Spaniards in the early days, is a part of the San Ysidro Grant and has been owned by the Fellom family since 1870.

CLAYTON R. THOMAS .- Prominent among the experienced, most progressive and successful orch- ardists of Santa Clara County may well be mentioned Clayton R. Thomas, who has contributed his share toward making Gilroy famous beyond even the con- fines of California. He was born in the old town, on January 25, 1854, the son of the well-known and now deceased pioneer, Massey and Phoebe (Bane) Thomas, the former an Argonaut among the sturdiest of 49ers, was the proprietor of a fine ranch of about 500 acres within the township of Gilroy. A sketch of his family is published elsewhere in this historical work.

Clayton R. Thomas, the ninth child in a family of ten, and the first born in California, went to school at Gilroy and was reared on the Thomas' ranch, just south of town, and after school and later he worked on the farm for his father. In 1892 he acquired his share of the acreage, some seventy acres, and about forty-two acres he set out to prunes. This land he has made the most of; and since he has always been an ardent advocate of co-operative marketing by farmers. His operations, more and more extensive. have become to be a matter of interest and benefit to others as well as to himself. He is a stockholder in the California Prune & Apricot Association and also in the Gilroy branch of the Garden City Bank & Trust Company.

At Gilroy, on June 11, 1889, Mr. Thomas was mar- ried to Miss Fanny E. Keith, a daughter of Michael H. and Lucinda (Longmire) Keith; the former came first in 1849 across the plains and in 1852 went back to Missouri via Panama. He made his home in Marion County for years, but only came back to California for a visit in 1896. He died at Kirksville, Mo .. in 1897. Mrs. Keith resides with her children in California, surviving her highly-esteemed husband, became herself the center of a circle of devoted friends. Mrs. Thomas, a graduate of the Kirksville Normal, came to California in 1884 to teach school. Three children have blessed this union of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas: Sadie, now deceased; Clayton Russel,

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doing his duty manfully in overseas service for seventeen months in the U. S. Army during the World War, is married and is now a partner with his father in fruit culture; Elizabeth, a graduate of the University of California, at Berkeley, class of '19, is a teacher in the Denair School, Stanislaus County, where she enjoys esteem and popularity. Mr. Tho- mas is a Democrat, and as such has always sought to elevate the standard of civic pride and American political thought and action.

WILLIAM KNOX BEANS .- Interesting as both the descendant and successor of a pioncer who at- tained real eminence and distinction in the California world of finance, William Knox Beans is a financier worthy of study for himself, both on account of his own experience and record, and because of his envi- able position of influence and power as president of the Bank of San Jose. He was born in Nevada City, Cal., on May 7, 1857, the son of Thomas Ellard and Virginia (Knox) Beans, the father a native of Salem, Ohio, who first saw the light there in 1828, and was a descendant of fine old Scotch-Irish stock which had made its way from Europe through Virginia to Ohio. Thomas Ellard Beans was a pioncer of San Jose. who rose to great prominence as a banker and founded the Bank of San Jose, and is elsewhere represented in this volume.

William K. Beans was educated principally in pri- vate schools in San Jose and then the College of the Pacific, after which he entered Mount Union College in Mount Union, Ohio. In 1876, after two years, he returned to the Coast, and having said good-bye to student days, he entered his father's bank in 1878. There he began at the lower rounds of the ladder and gradually worked his way up through various posi- tions of responsibility and experience: and on July 19, 1905, lie was elected president of the bank to suc- ceed his father, who had just died after so many years of brilliant and faithful service. To the in- stitution he has given his undivided time and the suc- cess of his management is seen when it shows an in- crease of 330 per cent in assets in seventeen years.

Mr. Beans was married in San Francisco in 1889 to Miss Gertrude Moore, a daughter of Judge John H. and Bettie P. Moore, who came to California in the carly '50s, the father being a prominent attorney and judge in San Jose. She is a native of San Jose and they reside at 1260 The Alameda, where Mr. Beans follows the course of political events under the banners of the Republican party, maintains his live interest in the doings of the Native Sons of the Golden West, in which great organization he is proud to claim membership, and cultivates, in his spare hours outdoors, his choice flower garden. He is a member of the St. Claire Club and a charter member of the Commercial Club. Mr. Beans is the oldest banker in San Jose and no man is better or more favorably known. Like his father he is con- servative and the people of the valley have the greatest confidence in the bank and they appre- ciate his genuine worth and integrity.

CASTILLEJA SCHOOL .- Prominent among the well-known educational institutions of California which have conferred distinction not only upon Santa Clara County, but upon the great Pacific common- wealth as well, Castilleja School, now completing its fifteenth year, has contributed to extend the fame of Palo Alto in particular, and to add another charm to

the university center already the admiration of thou- sands from all parts of the world. Its principal is Miss Mary Ishbel Lockey, A. B., of Stanford Univer- sity, and she is ably assisted by a corps of over thirty well-trained teachers. The school was founded in August, 1907; and such has been its steady growth that it now has six buildings occupying a block of about five acres; these are grouped and arranged so that the pupils may practically live out of doors. A court, 250 feet broad, opening toward the south, gives freedom and privacy, and the other half of the block is laid out in tennis, basket ball, and volley ball courts, and general playgrounds.

The residence is an L-shaped structure, with fifty- three rooms and two large screened sleeping porches. A sunny infirmary, which can be completely isolated in case of need, provides for illness; all the living rooms are planned for entertaining and for comfort. The school building has an assembly room and study hall, five rooms for the intermediate and the lower schools, five recitation rooms for the upper school, a book-store and offices, a study porch, and two sun- porches for the younger children. A pergola con- nects the recitation hall with the gymnasium and au- ditorium; the latter has a modern, well-appointed stage and is fitted with lockers and shower baths. The Domestic Science bungalow is a model cottage where girls may learn thoroughly and practically the art of home-making and home-keeping. Recently an additional building, called the Lodge, has been erected as a residence for the teachers. Orchard House, built in the summer of 1921, affords the Music and Art departments a home having attractive and dis- tinctly advantageous features.

The swimming pool, the latest addition to the equip- ment of Castilleja, is one of the greatest sources of pleasure and physical development on the grounds. It is a beautiful open air pool, built of white concrete, with steam-heated dressing rooms Swimming can be indulged in throughout the year as the water is tem- pered to suit the weather, and scientific instruction in swimming, diving and life-saving is part of the phys- ical education work.

The purpose of Castilleja School is to give an edu- cation that is broad, not merely academic, and though essentially a university preparatory school, a general course is arranged for pupils not wishing to enter college, and in every case an effort is made to develop systematic and scholarly habits of thought. Gradu- ates are admitted without examination to Stanford University, the University of California, and Mills College, and the school is accredited by Wellesley, Smith, Vassar, and Mt. Holyoke colleges. Adequate time and attention are given to English, and there are courses in Latin, French, Spanish, History, Mathe- matics, Science, Home Economics, Art, and Music. Believing that every girl should be taught to manage a bank account and to live within a specified income, the school instituted a bank of its own; each girl is furnished a check book and required to pay her bills for books, school supplies, sewing materials, chap- eroning, concerts, incidental expense, etc., by check, and she is graded in this work as in any other school subject. Special attention is given to the physical condition of the girls, and it is the desire of the school to have the pupils realize that future happiness and efficiency depend on cultivating habits of health. The school is non-sectarian, but gives definite training in ethics and religious principles. Social service is em-

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phasized, and each pupil is led to assume responsi- bility for some particular branch of relief work.

Castilleja is situated in the best residence portion of Palo Alto, and has an unbroken view of the beautiful and fertile Santa Clara Valley extending on one side to San Francisco Bay and the Mount Diablo Range, and on the other to the Santa Cruz Mountains be- yond which lies the Pacific Ocean. The equable, de- lightful climate makes out-of-door life possible throughout the year and invites frequent excursions to the picturesque country about. On the other hand, its nearness to San Francisco (thirty miles) and to Stanford University (one mile) gives opportunity for instruction and pleasure through lectures, con- certs, and dramatic entertainments; thus the pupils of the school have the unusual advantage of both town and country life

REV. GEORGE HENRY WHISLER .- With nearly 400 communicants, the First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto is one of the important charges of this denomination in the State of California, and fortunate indeed is it to have as its spiritual leader a man of the ability of Rev. George Henry Whisler, who has already endeared himself, in the carly days of his pastorate, to his congregation, by his sym- pathy, wisdom and fine comprehension of the pro- blems of the modern-day church. Descended from a fine old New York family, George Henry Whisler was born at Albany, N. Y., on July 10, 1893, the son of Berthold and Elizabeth (Eisele) Whisler. The father was engaged in lumbering in partnership with his brother, David Whisler. Berthold Whisler passed away when his son was only ten years old, but the mother is still living. For many years after her husband's death she kept up the old family home at Albany, but she now makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Davis, the wife of Rev. E. E. Davis, the pastor of the Dutch Reformed Church at Athens- on-the-Hudson.

Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Bert- hold Whisler, and four are now living, George Henry Whisler being the youngest. His early education began in the public schools at Albany, N. Y., and while yet a student in the Newark, N. J., high school, he chose the ministry for his life work. Graduating from this institution in 1912, he then entered Rutgers College at New Brunswick, N. J., taking the classical course and graduating in 1916 with the A. B. degree. Next he attended the Dutch Reformed Theological Seminary for one year, giving up his studies to enter the army Y. M. C. A. work. For a short time he attended an officers' training camp at Fort Niagara, N. Y., and was commissioned a first lieutenant in the Field Artillery, but was later transferred to the bal- loon division of the air service, with the rank of first lieutenant, being stationed at various places, begin- ning at Camp Devens, Mass., and ending at Ross Field, Cal., where he resigned his commission June 1, 1919. He now holds the rank of captain in the re- serve corps, receiving this commission the day after his resignation. Entering the San Francisco Theo- logical Seminary at San Anselmo, Cal., he graduated there in April, 1921, and was ordained on May 18 of that year, becoming pastor of the large parish of the First Presbyterian Church at Palo Alto, this ap- pointment in itself being a tribute to his unusual qualifications for leadership in the religious world.

In 1918, at Pasadena, Rev. Whisler was married to Miss Helen Bell Ledyard of Pasadena, a graduate

of the Pasadena high school and of Stanford Uni- versity, class of '17, and she also holds a master's. degree from Columbia University, New York. A devoted Christian, with her training and culture she is a true helpmate to her husband. They are the parents of two children, George Henry, Jr., and Francis K. Ledyard Whisler. Justly popular with all classes, Rev. Whisler has entered heartily into the life of the community, taking an aggressive part in all its forward movements. Prominent in the American Legion, he is the chaplain of the local post and is very active in the establishment of a new home for this patriotic organization. He is a member of the Zeta Psi Fraternity of North America.

MRS. MARY WEST THOMPSON .- Coming from a line of distinguished forbears, famous in the days of the Revolution and the early history of colon- ial days, Mrs. Mary West Thompson, the widow of the late Frank P. Thompson, is one of Palo Alto's highly honored citizens. Gracious, cultured and pub- lic spirited, she resides at her comfortable home at 909 Alma Street, surrounded by many of her child- ren, who enjoy with her the high regard of the com- munity. A native of the Old Dominion, Mrs. Thomp- son was born September 6, 1842, at Norfolk, Va., the daughter of Capt. John Wharton West, U. S. N., born in Philadelphia, Pa., who had married Miss Mary Holt of Norfolk, Va. The West family are intimately connected with the early history of Penn- sylvania and are descended from Col. John Nixon of Revolutionary fame, to whom belongs the honor of first reading the Declaration of Independence to the Continental Congress. Another relative was Robert Morris, who so ably guided the financial affairs of the Colonial government and was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Mrs. Thompson was reared in Norfolk, Va., and there received her education in Catherine Baylor's private school, one of the select educational institu- tions of that day. Her father died when she was ten years old, and a few years later her mother brought her family to San Francisco, Cal., sailing via the Isthmus on the Atlantic and reaching here in Jann- ary, 1860. The same year her marriage occurred, when she was united with Frank P. Thompson and they became the parents of nine children: Mary M., is Mrs. John L. Meares of Seattle, Wash .; Page Ed- loe, is the widow of Dr. W. J. Baker, late of Fresno, and she resides with Mrs. Thompson; Thomas Lar- kin, a locomotive engineer, resides at Palo Alto; Sallie H., is deceased; Frank, passed away in in- fancy; Helen C., is the wife of George B. Huil of San Francisco; John West, is a graduate of Stan- ford University and now an electrical engineer at Pueblo, Mexico; Robert A., is a newspaper man at San Francisco, while his twin sister, Roberta, is the wife of George B. LaFarge of Seattle, Wash.

For many years prominent in the newspaper world. Frank P. Thompson was born in May, 1841, at Ka- nawha, W. Va., then Virginia. His father, Robert A. Thompson, a prominent lawyer, was sent by Pres- ident Polk to settle the land grant controversy in California; he settled a great many of the Spanish grant claims and it is worthy of note that none of his decisions have ever been reversed. A historic family, the Thompsons came to Virginia from Eng- land before the days of the Revolution and helped to establish this Government, and many of its mem- bers have been prominent as congressmen, diplomats

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and customs house officials. A brother of Frank P. Thompson, Thomas L., was at one time secretary of state of California and later served as ambassador to Brazil during President Cleveland's administration. Another brother, Robert A., whose picture adorns the State Capitol at Sacramento, wrote a history of California, but suffered the complete loss of his manuscript during the earthquake and fire of 1906. These three brothers were associated together as editors and publishers of the Santa Rosa Democrat, and later Frank P. Thompson established the Hum- boldt Standard, and subsequently the Redwood City Democrat. In 1898, Mr. Thompson went to San Salvador, Central America, where he was sent to organize and establish the San Salvadorian Peni- tentiary after American plans and ideals. After three months he succumbed to the yellow fever and passed away there in December of that year, his remains being interred there. The Thompsons have been devout Episcopalians for generations and one of their ancestors, Rev. John Thompson, was prominent in the early annals of the Episcopal Church in America. Politically they have always given their allegiance to the Democratic party.

DR. ARTHUR B. MAYHEW .- Modern Amer- ican dentistry owes much to such scientifically- trained specialists as Dr. Arthur B. Mayhew, who is identified with Palo Alto as one of the eminent and most popular practitioners here. A native son, naturally proud of his association with the great California commonwealth, he was born at Red Bluff in 1870, the son of Charles R. Mayhew, a native of St. Louis, Mo., who, a year before the famous Ar- gonauts, ventured overland in 1848 by means of ox- team and prairie schooner. He married Miss Mary A. Kearns, a native of Ohio, who grew up in Shasta County, Cal., where her step-father, J. J. Bell, was an extensive stockraiser and ran the toll-bridge across Clear Creek. Dr. Mayhew's father died sev- enteen years ago; his mother lives at Oakland and is seventy-three years old. The founders of the Mayhew family in America came out to the Colonies from England in the famous ship Mayflower.

Arthur B. Mayhew attended the common schools in Red Bluff and continued his schooling in San Francisco, and in course of time he was graduated with honors from the San Francisco College of Physicians and Surgeons. Since then, for thirty years he has practiced dental surgery in San Fran- cisco, Sacramento and Palo Alto. When yet a stu- dent in the San Francisco College of Physicians and Surgeons he began to practice dentistry; and from 1893 until 1899 was thus engaged in San Francisco. In 1899 he came to Palo Alto, opened up a dental office and lost no time in building his residence at 639 University avenue. and he has owned this house ever since. He was honored with an appointment to the State Board of Dental Examiners in 1902 and served creditably for eight years. He left Palo Alto the year of the earthquake and maintained an office at Sacramento from 1906 until 1911, and from 1911 to 1914 he lived and practiced dentistry at Yreka, Siskiyou County. In 1917, in order to give his children the educational advantages afforded by the Stanford University, he resumed his home at Palo Alto and is therefore with one exception the dentist of seniority in Palo Alto. His continually growing patronage is sufficient attestation of the high esteem in which he is held both professionally, and as a

citizen, neighbor and friend. A Republican in nation- al politics, Dr. Mayhew never lets pass an opportun- ity to contribute what he is able to give toward the elevation of civic standards. Naturally, he belongs to the Native Sons of the Golden West.

At San Francisco, in 1898, Dr. Mayhew was mar- ried to Miss Florence Hackley, a native of Indiana, and their fortunate union has been further blessed with the birth of three children: Gladys E., the wife of R. S. Miesse, a broker at Los Angeles, residing at 5301 Aldama street, Highland Park, they have one child, Jacquelyn; Lauretta C., is the wife of H. Mal- colm Hay, with the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co., and resides in Palo Alto; Elizabeth, is a student in the San Jose State Teacher's College.

MISS HARKER'S SCHOOL .- Few wide-awake, progressive communities conveniently situated with reference to neighboring cities of importance, and the mountain and the sea, have been equally fortu- nate with Palo Alto in attracting educational institu- tions such as give strength and grace to this great university town, and few educational institutions of the rank and fame of Miss Harker's School, one of the sources of pardonable pride to Palo Alto's ambi- tious citizens, enjoy such an inspiring environment, lying as it does in the beautiful Santa Clara Valley with the sequoia-clad bills rising beyond on the one hand, and, on the other, the blue Coast Range beyond a silver line of San Francisco Bay -- the whole afford- ing the student the quiet atmosphere conducive to serious work, while living in the refining influence of quietly beautiful surroundings. The School was founded in 1902 by Miss Catherine Harker, a native of Oregon, who is a graduate of Vassar, where she received the A. B. degree. It was incorporated in 1915 and is housed in a main building erected in 1907, two cottages-one for the Lower School, the other for the Domestic Science Department, and a building especially adapted for the Kindergarten. In 1921 a new gymnasium was built, costing $16,000. The school property embraces about seven acres laid out in gardens, playgrounds and courts for tennis, basket- ball and baseball, and the proximity to Stanford University and the accessibility of San Francisco offer the exceptional advantages, without the dis- tractions, of a metropolis.

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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 120

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