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 127

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 127

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It took the train piloted by Joel Clayton eighty- seven days to reach California, arriving in Santa Clara County in August, 1850. This short time was made because of the superior leadership of Joel Clay- ton, by whom no single detail was lacking to keep men, teams and wagons in the best of condition, so that on their arrival they were able to state they had lost neither man nor beast during the long journey. It usually took six months or more to make a jour- ney of that length by most of the immigrants. James Clayton and his chum stuck together and he tried his luck in mining in Placer and Mariposa counties; even going to Australia. Upon arriving there the party was warned of the animosity the Australians had for the Californians because of the hanging in San Fran- cisco by the Vigilantes, of the "Sydney Ducks." The Californians were distinguished, in those early days, by their red-top boots worn outside of their pantlegs. By concealing their boot-tops and avoiding the public taverns Mr. Clayton and his chum reached the mines, which proved, to their disgust, that there was vastly more gold in California than in Australia. The young men had saved money enough to pay their way home aud were ready to make the return voyage. The ship being short of seamen the captain told them if they would ship as sailors and help bring the boat to San Francisco he would refund their passage money and pay them $100 in money; to this they agreed and James Clayton became third mate. After a haz- ardous journey, fraught with many hardships, the most important being the lack of water for drinking. they reached port. Upon arriving at San Francisco the captain decamped for the mines and the men were unable to get any part of their money by the sale of the ship and its cargo, there being so many sim- ilar cases of abandoned ships in the bay.

In 1853 Mr. Clayton became permanently identi- fied with Santa Clara County, located in Santa Clara, where he opened and conducted a photograph studio, this being the second one to be opened in the state, Later he moved the studio to San Jose, which had become the largest of the two towns, and in the latter part of the '50s, he moved there with his fam- ily. Then the photographer made his own plates and the "patient" had to sit for five minutes in order to have the impression made on the negative. While in Santa Clara, Mr. Clayton with John B. Hewston, started the first movement ever made in the town to curb the exteremely common use of liquor; and he started the first movement to open a Y. M. C. A. In 1861 Mr. Clayton was elected county clerk on the Republican ticket, and reelected in 1863; at the same time carrying on his photo studio. In 1867 he em- barked in the real estate business in San Jose and thereaffer remained active in the realty field until his death. The result of his identification with this

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

department of commercial and financial affairs was that he became a large property owner, was able to accomplish a great deal of good in his time, and left a large estate to others to administer and enjoy, when he finished his period.

Prior to 1887, all the salable property and grant lands in Santa Clara Valley passed through his hands at least once. He acted as advisor to the native Californians, by whom he was trusted implicitly to buy and sell for them, also to loan their money, often in the earlier days with no compensation. He started the first abstract and title business in Santa Clara County, one of the first in the state as well; was also one of the promoters and original owners of the first electric lighting plant in the county; one of the orig- inal promoters of the First National Bank of San Jose in 1874 and later became its president, serving for many years. This was organized to reduce the rate of interest to 10% per annum, the rate having fluctuated from 11/2% to 10% per month. After he had been in the realty business several years he branched out into the original booster for this Val- ley and prepared neat illustrated literature which he scattered widely in the Middle West and thus was the cause of so many settlers coming from as far East as Illinois to take up homes in this county. As a land boomer he was a success, the majority of the settlers coming from the mining camps in the early days, while later they came from the states west of Illinois. He always made good his guarantees.

In March, 1860, James A. Clayton was married to Miss Anna L. Thompson, a native of Indiana and the daughter of Robert P. and Amy F. Thompson, who had come to California in 1857. Seven children sprang from this happy union. Mary E. married Car- roll W. Gates and lived in Los Angeles; both are de- ceased; Edward W., now deceased, was for many years associated with his father and later with the James A. Clayton Company in the realty business; Willis C., also was connected with the James A. Clayton real estate interests and is now president of the First National Bank of San Jose; Ethel, grad- uated from the University of the Pacific and is asso- ciated with her father's company; Grace Elizabeth, died in infancy; and the youngest members of the family are John J., and Florence Clayton. Mrs. Clayton passed away in 1914.

Mr. Clayton was a member of San Jose Lodge No. 10. F. & A. M .; also of the Methodist Church, and in 1888 he served as lay delegate to the confer- once held in New York; was a standpat Republican, ard that same year was an alternate delegate at large to the National Convention held in Chicago. He was a trustee of the University of the Pacific, and no man ever did his duty more conscientiously in such a po- snion, and few have done more to advance on broad, inviting lines the permanent interests of this important institution of higher education.

PETER J. DUNNE .- A most interesting man of varied experience such as many would-be students of life and the ways of the world might well envy, is Peter J. Dunne, the far-seeing manager of the exten- sive Catherine Dunne estate at San Jose. He was born southeast of Gilroy in Santa Clara County, and first saw the light on October 19, 1865. His father, James Dunne, was born in Ireland in 1817, but

came to America when quite young and located in New Orleans, where he worked at any honest labor his hands found to do. He had but a limited school- ing, thus his progress was slow. He prospered and married and he and his wife became the parents of five children of whom only one, J. F. Dunne, is alive. He owns the original Dunne cstate of 15,000 acres of fine ranch land at San Felipe, where is carried on a general ranching business. This son was born in the '50s and spends part of his time in San Francisco. The other children were: Caroline, Catherine, Peter and Joseph, all dying before they reached the age of ten years. Mrs. Catherine Dunne, his wife, died on June 21, 1857, aged twenty-eight years. Mr. Dunne spent some time in South America after he left New Orleans as a flour merchant and he came to San Fran- cisco in the latter part of the '50s and engaged in the general merchandise business, meeting with good suc- cess. In 1862 he married Mrs. Catherine Murphy and they spent their married life on the San Felipe ranch, which Mr. Dunne had bought and proceeded to develop. This second marriage brought three children: Mary P., Peter J., and Catherine B., all born on the San Felipe Ranch, which was his home at the time of his death, June 8, 1874. He was a Democrat of the old school and was a man of energy and strict integrity and ready to assist any worthy project for the benefit of town, county or state. Mary Phileta married Joseph H. Rucker, the real es- tate dealer of San Jose; the second in the order of birth is the subject of this review; and the Catherine B. is Mrs. Ralph W. Hersey.

Peter Dunne was graduated from the Santa Clara College in 1884 with the degree of B. S., and then he engaged in business in San Francisco. In 1895 hc removed to San Jose and took charge of his mother's estate; and this, one of the notable California properties, he has continued to oversee, while his mother is still living, at present at the age of ninety- four. With the fruits of a valuable training, and the affectionate conscientiousness of a loyal son, Mr. Dunne has been able greatly to increase the worth ci the properties under his charge, and has so proven a steward of the kind capitalists and corporations are always seeking.

On April 6, 1888, Mr. Dunne was married to Miss Josephine Rose Masten, the daughter of N. K. Mas- ten of San Francisco, and they have been granted eight children, six now living-Peter M., a Jesuit priest; Mary K. became the wife of Roy A. Silent of Los Angeles and the mother of a daughter, Patricia; Josephine M. married Cedric Rae Richmond of San Jose; Dorothy R., a sister in the Convent of the Holy Name: Catherine M. and Margaret M .; the fifth child, James and the youngest, Eleanor, died in infancy. Of those living, the three eldest girls were born while the family lived in San Francisco and the others in San Jose and they were educated at Notre Dame in San Jose and the Holy Name in Oakland. Josephine is a graduate of the University of California and Mary was a senior when she left and Catherine was a junior. The family attend the Catholic Church. Mr. Dunne works for civic betterment under the banners of the Democratic party, and belongs to the Knights of Columbus and Y. M. I.

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

WILLIS S. CLAYTON .- How much of the cred- it for the phenomenal prosperity of San Jose is due to the acknowledged leadership of such far-sighted, cour- ageous and progressive men as Willis S. Clayton, the president of the First National Bank, only those fa- miliar with the dependency of commerce on the fin- ancial, and the enviable part played by the First Na- tional Bank in the life and growth of Santa Clara County can realize. Born a native son in San Jose, on October 10, 1864, and grounded well in the public schools of the city, Willis S. Clayton graduated from the University of the Pacific in 1884, and at once be- gan his business career in the office of James A. Clay- ton & Company, his father's firm. Eventually he he- came managing partner, and in that responsible posi- tion he remained for a quarter of a century, often having charge of very important interests and helping to build up the business.

This real estate business, of which he was such an important part for many years, was established by his father in 1867, and ever since that date has been one of the sound institutions of the city and the oldest business of the kind to remain in control of one family in the state of California. It is located at 34 West Santa Clara Street in a building owned by the firm, and after the death of its founder the business was continued by Willis S. and the late Edward W. Clayton. In 1907 Willis S. was elected president of the First National Bank of San Jose, of which his father was the founder and for many years the presi- dent. Giving up his real estate business he has since devoted his entire time to building up the bank's in- terests. The first year after he assumed the leader- ship the deposits jumped from one to two million dollars; and he was also instrumental in the erection of the splendid bank building at the corner of Santa Clara and First Streets, one of the substantial as it is one of the ornate structures in the city.

Willis S. Clayton was united in marriage at San Jose, with Miss Anna Bradley, daughter of E. L. Bradley, prominent pioneer and large land holder of the county. Mrs. Clayton is an accomplished woman and is a leader in social and club life in San Jose. Their children are James Bradley and Willis S., Jr. Mir. Clayton was elected in 1921, president of the California Bankers Association, serving in 1921-22 and .he is president of the California State Automo- bile Association, 1922-23. He is a Knights Templar Mason and a Shriner and belongs to some of the leading clubs of San Francisco and San Jose. Mr. Clayton has always tried to do his part to advance the material interests of city and county, is public spirited and a supporter of all progressive measures for the well-being of the people.

EDMUND W. MAYNARD .- One of the most loved and highly esteemed business men who con- tributed to make San Jose a better city through his great love of books was the late Edmund W. May- nard, who was born at Bratton, Yorkshire, England. His father was Col. Edmund Gilling . Maynard, who spent twenty-one years in the British Army, serving with distinction in the Crimean War and in the In- dian mutiny. In 1869 Col. Maynard brought his fam- ily to Canada, where they resided for about six years. However, the climate proved too severe for Mrs. Maynard, so the Colonel decided to take up his resi- dence in New Zealand, but upon arriving in Cal- ifornia took a decided liking for this state with the

result that he came to Santa Clara County and set- tled in San Jose. Thus it was here that Edmund Maynard received his education. Here too he was married in 1892 to Miss Anna M. Tomkin, a daugh- ter of Dr. Alfred Royce Tomkin, an early settler here, who was county coroner and public adminis- trator at the time of his death, and a granddaughter of James Alexander Forbes, one of the original owners of the New Almaden mine and the first British consul to California under the Mexican rule.

Edmund Maynard became a successful business man in San Jose where he conducted one of the largest and best known book and stationery stores in this city. However, he was not permitted to en- joy the fruits of his success, for he was called by Providence July 5, 1917, mourned by all who knew him and particularly by his family and friends. Hc was a great lover of books and was a good judge of their merits, so his advice in courses of reading was frequently sought. He was a talented musician, the flute being his chosen instrument, and he was an active member of the San Jose Symphony Orches- tra and the San Jose Harmonic Orchestra. He was also a member of the Chamber of Commerce and the Business Men's Association, the Sons of St. George, Odd Fellows and the Woodmen of the World. He was greatly interested in civics and stood for high morals and Christian influence. Among his business associates, Edmund W. Maynard was looked up to as a man of unquestionable honor, of progressive ideas and of unusual business ability. With his personal friends he was loved as few men are loved; his unselfishness, ready sympathy and keen sense of humor, endeared him to all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance; he was especially fond of children and scores of them, large and small, will sadly miss "Uncle Ed" as he was affectionately called by his host of friends. His loss was greatly felt in the business world as well as in the social life of San Jose.

P. R. WIGHTMAN .- One of the foremost figures in the business and public life of Sunnyvale is P. R. Wightman, a successful merchant, who is also serv- ing as mayor of the town, and in both connections he is making a most creditable record, holding to hugh standards of manhood and citizenship. He was born in Lockport, Ill., six miles north of Joliet, March 15, 1873, a son of Hon. George Wightman, who served in the Illinois Legislature and was also a prosperous farmer and stockman. The mother, Mrs. Susan (Sisson) Wightman, was a daughter of Captain Sisson, an early pioneer of Illinois, who aided in building the old blockhouse at Fort Dear- born, in Cook County, to protect the white settlers from Indian attacks, also engaging in warfare against the Redskins.

When P. R. Wightman was a lad of fourteen his father died and his mother then sold the farm and removed to Plainfield, Ill., where he attended the public schools, later entering a business college at Valparaiso, Ind., where he spent a year in study. He next went to Newton, Kans., and for a year was employed in the store of his brother, Frank Wight- man, at that place, after which he made his way to Sayre, Okla., where for seven years he had charge of the general mercantile establishment owned by his father-in-law, J. D. Clay. In 1907 he left that

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state for California, first locating at Glen Ellen, where he engaged in merchandising for a year, going from there to Cloverdale, in Sonoma County, where for three years he was similarly occupied, and while residing in that place was elected a member of the board of trustees. He became proprietor of a large general store at Sunnyvale, which he conducted most successfully, having a thorough knowledge of the business and ever recognizing the fact that satisfied patrons arc the best advertisement. In the early tall of 1921 Mr. Wightman sold out his store, and on November 1, 1921, with C. W. Shepard as part- ner, he started the Sunnyvale Supply Company, deal- ers in all kinds of lumber and building materials, tuel and feed. This was accomplished by buying out two Sunnyvale business concerns, The Sunnyvale Fuel and Feed Company and the Minton Lumber Company. His many friends are glad to know that the Sunnyvale Supply Company is meeting with merited success.

In Oklahoma, in 1900, Mr. Wightman was mar- ried to Miss Myrtle Clay, a native of Texas and a daughter of J. D. Clay, a prominent merchant of Sayre, Okla. To this union has been born a son, George Clay. Fraternally Mr. Wightman is identi- fied with the Woodmen of the World and the Knights of Pythias and the Elks Lodge at Elk City, Okla., being a charter member of the last named organization. In April, 1921, Mr. Wightman was elected chairman of the city board of trustees. He had previously served on the board for a short time, being chosen to fill the vacancy caused by the death of John Hendy, of the Hendy Iron Works. Mr. Wightman is proving a capable executive, giving to the town a businesslike and progressive administra- tion, characterized by needed reforms and improve- ments. A broadminded, public-spirited citizen, he takes a deep interest in everything relating to the welfare of the district in which he lives, and has been most earnest in his support of those projects whihe are a matter of civic virtne and civic pride.

MRS. HATTIE E. TOPHAM .- The highly- esteemed daughter of a sturdy, successful pioneer, Mrs. Hattie E. Topham of San Jose can look back, in her contented sphere, and view with peculiar pride and satisfaction the great strides made in the phe- nomenal development of that part of the Golden State with which she and her family have had so much to do. A native daughter always proud of her association with the California commonwealth, Mrs. Topham was born at Forest Home, Amador County, on October 29, 1853, the daughter of W. D. Castle, a native of New York, who moved to Michi- gan and there married Miss Frances Ferry, a native of that state. Mr. Castle was a flour miller in Mich- igan, and in '49, as a real Argonaut, crossed the great plains on horseback. After a strenuous ex- perience of three years on the coast, he returned East to get his wife; and in 1853 he once more braved the dangers and the hardships of continental primitive travel and made his way back to Cali- fornia. He was for a while a miner in Amador County, and then he opened the Forest Home Hotel and the local grocery there. In 1868 he came to Santa Clara County, having just previously main- tained a dairy in Amador County, which required him to get into the mountains for feed for his cat- tle. It will be seen, therefore, that Mr. Castle en- dured and overcame much in order to progress in

such a manner that his prosperity would denote real progress for his fellow-citizens and the state.

Inasmuch as the facilities for schooling were poor in Amador County at that time, Mr. Castle sent his daughter to the Perry Seminary at Sacramento; and after coming to Santa Clara County, she attended first the high school and then the Normal School. After that she engaged in teaching for fifteen months in Auburn, Placer County; and at Milpitas, on De- cember 21, 1874, she married Edward Topham, a native of Toronto, Canada, where he was born on December 26, 1840. His father was William Top- ham, and his mother, before her marriage, was Eliza Sylvester.

In 1868 Edward Topham came out to San Fran- cisco by way of the Isthmus, and for a while re- sided in Santa Clara County. He was a blacksmith, and was experienced in wagon and carriage building. He bought out the interest of S. F. Ayers, and then he and David S. Boyce were partners for years at Milpitas. He had had a blacksmith shop there for several years previous to this marriage, and he also owned a grocery; and he resided at Milpitas for thirty-one years prior to his death, in April, 1905. He and Charles Carle were partners for fifteen years in the grocery, and he also had a farm of forty acres near Milpitas. In addition, he and A. A. Davis and Goulder Slankard had a cattle ranch in the moun- tains near the New Idra Quicksilver Mines, and this valuable property, consisting of about 10,000 acres, was known as the Laguna Ranch, and supported on an average of not less than 500 head of cattle. The range was covered with springs, there was plenty of water, and it was a beautiful spot. Spurred on by the motto, "Nothing venture, nothing share," is it any wonder that Edward Topham succeeded for both himself and others where many a competitor failed? He was a standpat Republican, and as such did what he could to elevate the standard of good citizenship. He belonged to the Masons of San Jose, and both he and his good wife were popular members of the Eastern Star. Soon after he arrived in California, Henry Topham, an elder brother, followed, then re- turned East, and afterward came to Milpitas with his wife; and for a number of years he kept a ware- house there. Ten years later, William Topham, a younger brother, also came to California, and he is now living on a fruit ranch at Berryessa.

Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Top- ham. Clarence is a farmer in Tulare County. He married Nancy Cameron and they have three chil- dren, Melba, Lester and Hariett. Frank H. is a citrus grower at Lindsay. He married Miss Jessie Chase and they have three children, Lois, William and Francis. Edward is a surgeon and physician at San Francisco. He married Cecile Belle Mcclellan and is the father of two children, Neddie and Jack. Chester A. is with the W. L. Atkinson Realty Com- pany in San Jose. He married Anna Evans and has two children living, Beverley and Chester; Maxwell is dead. Blanche is Mrs. J. M. Barrett of San Jose and has a son, Chester Barrett. Clifton is on the Fort Miller Ranch at Friant in Fresno County. He married Charity Harrison and they have three daughters, Dorothy, Helen Ann and Betty Louisa. Alida is the wife of Alexander H. Cameron, a citrus grower at Lindsay, and has one son, Harold. Estella's husband is J. B. Moore, a merchant of the same town, and they have a daughter, Maxine.

A. F. Umbarger

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

AUSTIN FLEMING UMBARGER .- Among the successful and highly respected pioneers of Santa Clara County who did much to improve and build up the Berryessa district as a fruit section, was the late Austin Fleming Umbarger, who was born in Wythe County, Va., on August 6, 1836, but at an early age he accompanied his parents to Marshall, Ill., where he was reared on a farm. On the breaking out of the Civil War he enlisted as a member of the Thirty- fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, Second Brigade, Second Division, Fourteenth Army Corps, in which he served three years. Soon after the war was over he started to California via Panama, arriving at San Francisco in 1866, then coming to Santa Clara County.

On November 29, 1874, Mr. Umbarger was married to Miss Josephine Bowen, a native of Barrington, 111., and they made their home on their ranch on the Penetencia Creek Road. Here they set out orchards and brought the place to a high degree of cultivation so that the Umbarger ranch was considered one of the valuable properties of this locality. They spent the remainder of their days on this ranch. Mrs. Um- barger passed away March 16, 1912, and the father died November 5, 1918. He was a member of the Odd Fellows and the G. A. R. On the Umbarger ranch their only daughter, Nellie was born and reared, her education being acquired in the schools of this district and in the San Jose high school. On June 27, 1911, she was married to Earl E. Blackburn, a native of Callaway County, Mo., who came to California in 1908. They reside on the Umbarger ranch, which Mrs. Blackburn inherited at her father's death, con- tinuing the care of this valuable property, which is in full-bearing orchards of prunes, apricots, and cherries. Mr. and Mrs. Blackburn's marriage has been blessed with the birth of a daughter, Jean Eve- lyn, and from their attractive home, like the Um- bargers, they radiate the old-time hospitality.

WILLIAM D. STEWART .- A fine type of the self-made, self-reliant Scotch-American is William D. Stewart, now enjoying, at middle age, a comfortable home at 377 South Second Street, San Jose. He was born at Pitlochry, Perthshire, Scotland, on January 1, 1855, the son of Duncan Stewart, a farmer, who had retired to Pitlochry, and was there living when our subject was born. He was a Scotch Highlander, well-informed and respected. He married Jane Duff, a sister of the late Dr. Duff, of Edinburgh, where Mrs. Stewart was born. The Duffs were always rated among the best Scotch families, and Dr. Duff was a minister in the Free Church of Scotland, and for many years served as a missionary to India. Both of these worthy parents lived and died in Scot- land. They had twelve children, but all are de- ceased save three: William D. is the subject of our interesting review; Finley is a plumber doing an ex- tensive business at Tongi, Morocco; and Maggie has become Mrs. Leary, and resides near Liverpool, Eng- land. She has a son, Jack, employed by the Cali- fornia Packing Company at Madera, Cal.

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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 127

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