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 150

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 150

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"Help all God's creatures"- So you lived your life, In loving service to the poor and sick, None were too lowly, nor had sinned too far. You voiced the suffering of the dumb, Lifted high a Magdalen's sore heart, And stooped to shelter in your arms Some wounded dog.

Friend of the helpless, Surely in the great beyond A recompense divine doth sound Within thine cars: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, my brethren, ye have done it unto Me."

The Mercury Herald also contained this equally affectionate tribute by Anne Whitney Wakefield: "In the passing away of Mrs. Isabelle C. Merriman, a rare and wonderful personality has left us. The thought of death cannot be associated with that life so intense, so vivid. Of her now the parting words of Browning sing themselves into our ears:

"'Greet the unseen with a cheer!

Strive and thrive Cry 'Speed, fight on, fare as ever There as here.' "

"Authough in failing health for about a year, Mrs. Merriman was most active to the last, and one re- joices that the end came so quickly to her. A long illness and failing powers would have been the heav- iest cross for her to have borne. Her humane work for man and beast has been pursued in this county since before 1906. It was unremitting. And her private means were lavishly poured out in the self- imposed work.

"Upon her surely fell the mantle of America's great- est humanitarian, Henry Bergh, who was for long periods a guest in the home of her childhood, and from him she surely imbibed much of the burning desire to alleviate the sufferings of dumb beast and abused child. Day and night, year in and year out, she has responded unfailingly to the call for help. She has been known to carry on her own back at night a bundle of hay to some starved cow or horse when no one else would go, so that it might be re-

lieved before morning. The burden of all the griefs she bore for others at times seemed almost to break her heart, but she never flinched nor faltered. Her last years were most cruelly saddened by malicious attacks made upon her character and work by some who probably have never achieved the smallest frac- tion of the good for humanity that she did.

"The cause of the negro race .and the great need of helping its advancement now was one in which she took a most vital interest. She was a member of the National Association for the Advancement of the Colored People, and secured many memberships to the San Jose branch by personal solicitation among her friends. Above all else she mothered scores of home- less, abandoned or illegitimate babies or children, tak- ing them into her home, clothing, feeding and lov- ing them. Personally, she found private homes for all these children, and always kept herself in touch with conditions after they left her sheltering care. Hers was a great, tender, mother-heart, and there was also a burning sense of justice that would fight against all odds for the oppressed. For her no human words of praise should be spoken,-only the Divine, "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord,' should echo in our hearts. 'And they shall be Mine' saith the Lord of Hosts, 'in that day when I make up My jewels.'"

PATRICK B. SINNOTT .- A member of one of Santa Clara County's pioneer families whose name will ever be linked with its early history and develop- ment, Patrick B. Sinnott has had a part in its stirring events, having come here in the year 1851. He was born on April 23, 1841, at Quebec, Canada, the son of John and Elizabeth (Bolger) Sinnott, the latter being a sister of Mrs. Martin Murphy, of the well-known Murphy family, who started to cross the plains in 1844, the first white family from east of the moun- tains to settle in California. John Sinnott was born in County Wexford, Ireland, in June, 1800. He was fortunate in having good facilities for an education and in grasping the opportunity, so that when he embarked on his career he was well fitted to assume its responsibilities. He followed the occupation of farmer and stockraiser in his native country until 1831, when he came to Quebec, Canada. There he married Miss Elizabeth Bolger, a native of Canada, and they became the parents of five children: Cather- ine is in the Notre Dame Convent at San Francisco; Mary became the wife of John Murphy, and both passed away at San Jose, Icaving eight children: Thomas J., who was a prominent farmer at Milpitas, is deccased; Patrick B. is the subject of this sketch; Ellen resides at Milpitas and is the owner of part of the old Sinnott ranch.

In 1851 John Sinnott brought his family to Cali- fornia via the Isthmus, following the Chagres River and Crossing to Panama City with pack mules. They reached San Francisco in June of that year and came directly to Santa Clara County, where Mr. Sinnott rented a farm of his brother-in-law, Martin Murphy, near Mountain View. In 1856 he purchased 200 acres of the Alviso estate at Milpitas, and to this he added by purchase until he was the owner of 1,000 acres, where with the assistance of his sons, he was exten- sively engaged in farming and stock raising. His sound sense and business judgment assured him suc- cess in his undertaking and he soon ranked among the leading farmers of the county. He lived to be

MRS. ISABELLE MERRIMAN

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

eighty-three, and his wife reached the age of eighty- two, and both passed away at Milpitas, highly hon- ored for their fine traits of character.

Patrick B. Sinnott was a lad of ten years when the family arrived in California, and so became identified with the open life of the West in his early years. He was thoroughly trained in the duties of farm life on his father' ranch and became a vaquero of note. Much of his boyhood was spent in the saddle and he could mount and ride any horse, however wild, and had a reputation far and wide for his daring feats of horsemanship. For a time he attended Santa Clara College, but the greater part of his time was spent in assisting in the care of the large interests of the Sinnott ranch. Upon the death of his father he be- came the owner of a fine farm of 367 acres, part of the estate, and for many years he operated it as an extensive dairy, meeting with splendid success. There he made his home until four years ago, when he re- tired from active business life and purchased his present home at Palo Alto.

In 1887, Mr. Sinnott was married to Miss Ella Twohig, who was born at San Francisco, the daugh- ter of Timothy J. and Ellen (Carroll) Twohig, highly respected pioncer residents of Alameda County. Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Sinnott. The eldest passed away in infancy; John J. died at the age of cighteen; Helen Aloyse graduated at the San Jose Teachers College and took a post-graduate course at the University of California; she is now a teacher in the Palo Alto schools; Elizabeth is a sister in Notre Dame Convent at San Franisco, and Mary is also a member of that order; Ethel C., who gradu- ated from the San Jose State Teachers College and also attended Stanford University, is secretary for the city health office of Palo Alto; Maud T. gradu- ated at the San Jose State Teachers College and also attended Stanford University; she is engaged in teach- ing at Centerville, Alameda County. Mr. Sinnott has lived a long, useful and interesting life in the state of his adoption and he and his family stand high in the community where they have lived so many years.

THOMAS BENTON NICHOLS. - Counted among Mayfield's most progressive and enterprising citizens are Thomas Benton Nichols and his talented and estimable wife, who are the editors and proprie- tors of the Mayfield News, a clean and newsy week- ly newspaper. He was born at Maquoketa, Iowa, December 9, 1861, and grew up in Jackson County. His father was born near Cleveland, Ohio, on August 1, 1834. At the outbreak of the Civil War he was a member of a company of volunteer infantry and was mustered into service during September, 1862, at Maquoketa, Iowa. He was shot on October 19, 1864, in the battle of Cedar Creek, W. Va., and on November 27, 1864, passed away at the hospital at Winchester. His mother, before her marriage Eliza- beth D. Viers, was left a widow with two children, Emma L., who is now the widow of Jean Stevens and resides in Los Angeles, and Thomas Benton, the subject of this review. His mother, married the sec- ond time to George W. House, a Civil War veteran, and they ran the old Phoenix House at Maquoketa for many years after the war. Thomas B. grew up there and at the age of sixteen went into the old Maquoketa Sentinel office as "printer's devil" and office boy. He also worked in the job office and on the weekly paper and was occupied for six years; then went west to Sioux City and worked on the Sioux City Journal;

later on he went to Kansas City, Mo., and worked for Kansas City Bank Note Printing Company on job work; he then worked in various places, Chicago, Kansas City, and Omaha.

Mr. Nichols' first marriage united him with Miss Minnie Koder and they were the parents of one child, Loise, now the wife of Joe Birkenholt, a gov- ernment employee at Monroe, Iowa. Mrs. Nichols passed away in Omaha and Mr. Nichols then re- moved to Monticello, Ia., where his second marriage occurred, uniting him with Mrs. Harriet Waters, nee Conery, a daughter of a Civil War veteran John Con- ery, who had also enlisted from Maquoketa, la., and served in the same company with Mr. Nichols' father. When the latter was shot, he fell into Conery's arms. Mrs. Conery was Miss Margaret Fopplis. Mrs. Nichols. is the mother of three children by her first husband: Harry, who died at the age of twelve years; Bertha, Mrs. A. T. Anderson, resides in Fresno; Richard R., works at Stanford University.

Some twenty-five years ago, when Richard was quite young, being then about five years of age, he became separated from his mother, and although a diligent search was made for him, his parents were unable to get any tidings of his whereabouts. His mother, who had been untiring in her efforts to find her boy, was at last rewarded. He had grown to manhood and married, and with the knowledge that he was born in Maquoketa, Ia., he wrote there and located his uncle and aunts. Word was rushed to Mayfield and the mother was nearly overcome with happiness that her son was found. On October 22, 1921, he arrived in Mayfield.

Mr. Nichols worked with John Lanigan on the Monticello Times until he removed to California in 1904; then he worked on various papers and in job offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Niles and other places. Settling in Redwood City he worked on the Redwood City Democrat for J. V. Swift, its editor and proprietor, and they are the best of friends; then he removed with his family to Mayfield and he bought the Mayfield News from Thomas B. Scott, about six years ago. During the month of December, 1916, a disastrous fire occurred which destroyed the entire printing plant, and they carried no insurance. They nobly made a new start, bought new and more modern equipment and now operate a first class newspaper and job printing office. They are enthusiastic "boosters" for Mayfield and were energetic in helping to get the State Highway through Mayfield, which has been an impetus toward greater advancement. May 1, 1922, Mr. Nichols dis- posed of a one-half interest in the Mayfield News to Mr. Herbert D. Triplett of San Francisco who there- by became a partner in the Mayfield News. He is a native of Austin, Nev., where he was born April 2. 1894. Educated in the public schools of Nevada and the Mission High School of San Francisco, he early entered the printing and newspaper business and has a wide acquaintance with newspaper men on the Coast. He was married at San Francisco, February 8, 1919, to Miss Bernice Jones, a native daughter and now the mother of one child, Wm. Charles Triplett. Mr. and Mrs. Triplett are valuable acquisitions to the staff of the Mayfield News and are heartily wel- comed in Mayfield.

Mr. Nichols is an Odd Fellow. Mrs. Nichols is the past president of the Ladies' Relief Corps of Redwood City and is now an active member of the

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

W. R. C. of Palo Alto; she is also active in the Methodist Church of Mayfield. Mr. and Mrs. Nichols radiate a spirit of progress and good fellowship and stand for everything that is good for the upbuilding of Mayfield and environs.

HENRY TANNER HILL .- A thoroughly wide- awake and successful rancher who is not only deeply interested in developing his ranch, but is also ready to support any movement of common interest to other ranchers as well, is Henry Tanner Hill, who lives on North First and Gish streets, San Jose. He was born in County Cork, Ireland, on August 16, 1861, the son of Henry M. and Jane (Tanner) Hill-the former, who was a farmer, a native of Scotland and the latter a native of England. As a boy, Henry lived four miles from the nearest school; and as he was com- pelled to hop, skip and jump across the bed of a river on thirty-two stepping stones in order to reach the school at all, it may be surmised that he did not have the best opportunity for acquiring a very extended education.

On July 1, 1880, Henry Hill reached Santa Clara County, and although he had a sister living in Ala- meda County, he preferred to settle here. For three years he worked on a threshing machine, and for the next two years, he undertook whatever seemed most lucrative. Next he worked for four years for Mr. Colombet as caretaker of his place and then five years for the San Jose Gas Co., and a short time for the city water works, then worked eight years for the Griffin Skelley Packing Co., after that two years for the Santa Clara County Fruit Exchange. Next he put in three months for the city of San Jose at Alum Rock Park, and so he progressed until 1901 when he bought a ranch of twelve un- improved acres at the corner of Gish Road and First Street in San Jose. There he erected a dwelling and suitable farm buildings, and set about developing the tract; and when he had brought it to a high state of improvement, he sold the property and bought the ranch on Gish Road, just across from his former ranch. This new farm tract comprised eighteen acres, and was also unimproved land when he entered into possession; but there also he was not long in putting up a farm dwelling and other desirable build- ings, and then he planted the acreage in alfalfa.

Mr. Hill has been twice married. On March 1, 1890, he was joined in matrimony with Miss Anna Murphy, a native of County Cork, Ireland, and the daughter of substantial Irish folk who never left their native country. She died in San Jose six years after marriage. On the occasion of his second mar- riage, at San Jose, on Christmas Day, 1897, Mr. Hill took for his wife Mrs. Lenora (Hoehn) Miller, the widow of O. U. Miller, who passed away in Illi- nois before she came to California, and by whom she had had one son, Fred Miller, with the Asso- ciated Oil Company in Fresno. She was the daughter of Fred and Amelia Gottschall Hoehn, and was born in Illinois, but her father was born in Adlesburg, Saxony, December 4, 1832, while the mother was born in Reimsfeldt, Germany, in 1845, and died at Carlinville, Ill., September 18, 1892. Her great- great-grandfather, Christofal Hoehn, was born in Switzerland, 1695. He was of large stature, 7 ft. 8 in. tall. He was night watchman in Nearohta, Ger- many, and died at 105 years of age from a broken limb sustained while skating on ice in the perform-

ance of his duty. His son, also named Christofal, was born in Switzerland in 1720 and died on the march to Moscow in Russia while serving as a vol- unteer soldier in Napoleon's army. He left three sons: George H., Carl and Fred. George Henry, who was the grandfather of Mrs. Hill, was born at Nearohta, in 1794. He entered service under Napoleon when sixteen years of age and afterwards served in the Prussian army against Napoleon. He brought his family to America in 1846 and died at Alton, Ill., in 1851 of cholera. He married Elizabeth Dora Erhardt of Reimsfeldt, Germany, who also died at Alton in 1867, seventy-two years of age. Mrs. Hill's father's full name was Frederick John Christofal Hoehn, and he came to America in 1846 with his parents, four brothers and a sister. The trip on the sailing vessel to New Orleans took seven months and four days, after which they steamed up the Mississippi to St. Louis. When twenty years of age, under Jerry Job of Alton, he helped to bring a drove of 500 cattle across the plains, there being twenty- two persons in the company. They started March 28, 1853, and arrived in California October 1, that year. In 1860 he returned to Macoupin County, Ill., by the way of Panama. He lived on a farm in Illi- nois for thirty-four years; then he returned to Cali- fornia with his family of seven boys and three girls, his wife having died in Illinois. In 1917, after an absence of twenty-four years he returned again to Illinois for a visit and although eighty-five years of age had an enjoyable trip. He died in San Jose in 1909, aged eighty-seven years. His children were: George H .; Frank L .; Lenora, now Mrs. Henry Tanner Hill; Theodore H .; Mrs. Julia Lawson; Al- bert A .; David A .; Walter F .; Mrs. Ida Isham, and Harry Hoehn.

For twenty years Mr. and Mrs. Hill engaged in dairying and from their herd of about thirty Jersey cows, sold and distributed milk twice a day to their family trade in San Jose. In 1921 they discontinued the dairy and are now planting their acreage to pears. Their union has been blessed with two children: Harry, who is attending the University of Santa Clara, class of '23, and Russell, who is in San Jose high school. Patriotic and public-spirited, Mr. Hill served as a special policeman under Chief DeLacy, and proving to be a fearless and efficient officer he was given the opportunity to join the police force permanently and work in politics. He had little taste, however, for the latter, and so he abandoned for agri- cultural pursuits what would have appealed to many as a promising career.

FRANK W. NIGHTINGILL .- A member of the bar of California since 1905 and a practicing attorney since that time, both in San Francisco and in Santa Clara County, Frank W. Nightingill has specialized particularly in land law. He is a native son, having been born in San Francisco in February, 1882, and is a graduate of Stanford University. Since 1919 he has maintained his office and resided in Palo Alto with his family, consisting of his wife and daughter, Nancy. Mr. Nightingill has always practiced law upon the theory that most controversies between in- dividuals are subject to fair adjustment without the necessity of litigation, that where parties are repre- sented by counsel, a knowledge of the law, together with a disposition to be fair, is all that is essential to the determination of their rights and obligations.

Lenora H. Hill

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

MARION L. PITMAN .- A prominent horticul- turist whose life touches the history of the world- renowned Stanford University in an interesting man- ner is Marion L. Pitman, a native son, who was born on his father's farm in October, 1854. This farm consisted of fifty acres, and it is now included in the Stanford University grounds. His own land is part- ly in Palo Alto, and by his scientific industry, he has made it of especial attraction, at the same time that he has raised its efficiency in production to the high- est limit. His father was Andrew Jackson Pitman, the well-known pioneer, a native of Missouri who married Miss Armenia A. Lewis, also of the Iron State. He crossed the great plains in the year of the Argonauts, and as a genuine '49er, he located in Santa Clara County, where he continued to reside . until his death, in 1897, at the age of about seventy years. He was a farmer, and in the pursuit of agri- .culture bought fifty acres, which he sold again in 1863 to a Mr. Gordon who, in turn, let Senator Stan- ford have it for the proposed institution of higher learning. After that he bought another fifty acres, and the present farm of our subject is a part of this second investment. He was a man of exceptional intelligence and highly progressive; he sought to develop his farm interests along scientific, but emi- nently practical lines, and, in his upward, progressive trend, lie encouraged other ranchers as well.

Marion Pitman attended the local public schools and then pursued the courses of the State Normal School at San Jose. After that he removed to Wash- ington and at Walla Walla taught for a year. Re- turning to Santa Clara County, he was for five years in the milk trade at San Jose, and in 1888 he started to farm where he is now located and where he has ever since successfully tilled the soil. He carries on general farming at the same time that he raises truck-garden stuff and varied fruit; and he has a valuable and beautiful property. At San Jose, in 1881, Mr. Pitman was married to Miss Elizabeth Denne, a daughter of George Denne, a native of Dover, England. They have one daughter, Georgie, who married Joseph E. Shearer of Palo Alto. Mr. Pitman, like his father, is a Democrat.

ELMER S. O'CONNELL .- An enterprising young man who is making a splendid record in the business world and of whom the citizens of San Jose are justly proud, is Elmer S. O'Connell, president of O'Connell Bros., Inc. He was born at Hollister, San Benito County, December 26, 1888, the son of Thomas O'Connell, a California pioneer, who is represented on another page of this history.

Elmer S. O'Connell is the youngest member of his family, who in 1895 moved to San Jose, and there hie grew up, attending the Grant and Mckinley gram- mar schools and the San Jose high school. From a lad he had assisted his father in his business, and on July 9, 1906, when O'Connell Bros. was incorporated, he joined his four brothers in the organization, enter- ing heartily into the business and giving it all of his time. Since 1911 he has been a director and in 1917 he was elected to the office of president of the cor- poration, a position he is filling with much credit and ability. Having worked his way up from the bottom rung of the ladder to the top, he has become very familiar with all the details of this extensive business

during all these years of active participation in the affairs of the company, and so is especially well quali- fied for his important place and appreciates the con- fidence reposed in him, as the guiding hand in its progressive policies.

During the World War, in July, 1918, Mr. O'Con- nell entered the U. S. service, being assigned to Company H, Thirty-second Infantry, and was sta- tioned at Camp Kearny, San Diego, until February 21, 1919, when he was mustered out and honorably discharged with the rank of corporal, after which he immediately returned to San Jose and took up the duties of his position with the company, it having been carried on by his brothers during his absence. Fraternally, Mr. O'Connell is a member of the An- cient Order of Hibernians and the Independent Order of Foresters of San Jose. Reared in San Jose from his youth. he was trained by his parents to habits of in- dustry and self-reliance, which instilled in him the ambition to succeed, and he stands out prominently among the boys of San Jose, who, while yet com- paratively young, have more than made good.

WALTER WALSH .- An able representative of the ranching and horticultural interests of Santa Clara County is Walter Walsh, who was born at San Jose, October 17, 1876, the son of Walter Walsh, Sr., a native of County Kilkenny, Ireland, where he was born on November 1, 1846, not far from the three beautiful lakes that have made Kilkenny fan- ous. His parents were Patrick and Mary (Whalen) Walsh, and they were the parents of seven boys and two girls. Mrs. Walsh passed away in 1853, and Patrick Walsh survived her until 1895, passing away at the age of ninety-seven on the old home farm, where he had spent all his life, and which had been in the Walsh family for many generations, descend- ing from father to son.

In 1860, when but thirteen years old, Walter Walsh, Sr., crossed the ocean and joined an older brother in Boston, Mass., and for several years was engaged in various kinds of employment in that vicinity. In 1869 he came to California, crossing the plains by rail not long after the transcontinental railroad was completed. He located at San Jose and in October, 1870, was married to Mrs. Annie (Coch- ran) Casey who came from her birthplace in Ireland with her parents when she was eight years old. They settled in Massachusetts, remaining there until 1861, when they came to California. In 1878 Mr. and Mrs. Walsh removed to the Catherine Dunne ranch near Tennant Station, and for the next nine years Mr. Walsh managed the property, purchasing his own place of 120 acres in 1888, a tract of land lying five miles east of Gilroy, where he engaged in farming and stockraising. He passed away in December 29. 1907, the father of four living children: Wm., of San Jose; Walter; Mrs. Marguerite Miller, of Beaumont, Cal., and Joseph, on the home ranch.

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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 150

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