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 153

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 153

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MRS. OLLIE M. WILKES .- A woman who has nobly done her part to build up and improve the hotel business in Palo Alto, and who, as proprietress of Hotel Palo Alto, has displayed much business acumen in her efforts to give satisfaction and enjoy- ment to her patrons, such a woman is Mrs. Ollic M. Wilkes, who is a native of Wisconsin, having been born at Milwaukee. Early in life she was deprived of both parents and was adopted by Peter R. and Mar- garet Wolf. Her foster-father has passed away, but Mrs. Wolf resides with her at the Palo Alto Hotel, now cight-five years old.

In 1896 she married Albert Balentine Wilkes, a native of Clinton, Jowa, and that year they removed to Seattle, Wash. Several years later they settled in Sonoma County, Cal., and remained for four years; then came to Palo Alto in 1915 and rented the Palo Alto Hotel. Mr. Wilkes is at present engaged in business in Texas, and Mrs. Wilkes manages the hotel with the help of her son. Mr. and Mrs. Wilkes are the parents of two children; Evan C. was in the U. S. Navy as gunner's mate; Merna M. is the wife of J. F. Van Druten, who is engaged in newspaper circulation and movie promotion enterprises in Cal- ifornia cities. They reside in Palo Alto and are the parents of one child. Margaret. Mrs. Wilkes was brought up in the Episcopalian faith and takes an ac- tive interest in philanthropic and patriotic work. being past president of the Woman's Relief Corps of Palo Alto. Before her marriage Mrs. Wilkes was the effi- cient auditor for the A. W. Rich Company, large mer- chants in Milwaukee, and this experience has enabled her to carry forward her hotel business with thorough- ness and faithfulness which have been the principal elements of her success. The Palo Alto is the principal commercial hotel in the city and under her efficient management is proving a decided success. Mrs. Wilkes is a good example of what an American wo- man can accomplish. Bright, interesting, and public- spirited, she never loses an opportunity to speak a good word for Palo Alto.

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

TOM CARDOZA .- A prominent and influential resident of Santa Clara County is Tom Cardoza, vice-president of the Palo Alto Dairy Company, of 314 University Avenue, once active in the build- ing world, hauling over one-half of the materials required for the Stanford University structures. For the past eight years he has been a leader in the local dairy world, and in that role has done much to advance California agricultural interests. He has lived for thirty-six years in Palo Alto; and although he himself had little or no opportunity to go to school, he is affording his children the best of edu- cational advantages, determined that they shall not be handicapped as he has been. He was born in the Island of Pico, in the Azores group, on De- cember 23, 1863, the son of John Cardoza, a farmer, who owned his farm, and Laura (Silva) Cardoza. There were four children-three sons and a daugh- ter-in the family; and Tom was the second in the order of birth. He stayed at home until he was seventeen, and then, setting sail from the balmy islands, he landed at old Castle Garden on June 14, 1880. He came by rail to San Francisco, when he was fourteen days in crossing the continent; and for five years he worked as a teamster in Contra Costa County.

He then came, as a young unmarried man, to what is now Palo Alto, and for two years he worked for Henry Seale, and thirty-five years ago he was married to Miss Mary Silva, who passed away after four years of felicitous wedded life. Two children had died within eleven months, and it was their death that caused the demise, from a broken heart, of the devoted mother. Thereafter Mr. Cardoza took up contracting for teaming, and hauled gravel, rock and sand-gravel for building purposes in Palo Alto. He also supplied road-building gravel. He attended strictly to business, and it grew until he had twenty-two teams. He also hauled furniture for the boys' dormitory, for Encina Hall, also the old Robley Hall, from the railway cars; and as he was more than dependable, he never lacked for work.

Mr. Cardoza first became interested in dairying at Palo Alto. He became financially interested in the Palo Alto Creamery Company, now known as the Palo Alto Dairy Company, of which he is the prin- cipal stockholder and vice-president, George Will- iams of Manteca being the president. Among val- uable city property, he owns two residences and sev- eral lots; and he is also stockholder in the Palo Alto Bank. The Palo Alto Dairy Company employs five workmen and a bookkeeper, and in its field it is one of the most desirable of local enterprises.

Mr. Cordoza was married a second time on Feb- ruary 29, 1892, when he chose for his wife Miss Anne Andrade in San Leandro, Cal. They have had eleven children, nine of whom are living. Alfred is a student at Stanford University, and the others, Harry, Louisa, Annie, Laura, Josie, Eva, Effie and Elsie (twins), all attractive and highly creditable children. Laura mar- ried Charles Ross, and resides at Palo Alto. Louisa married Tom Oates, resides in Bakersfield where he is engaged in the laundry business. Mr. Cardoza resides with his family at 760 Homer Avenue. He is a mem- ber of the U. P. E. C. Society, of which he was treas- urer for many years, and he also belongs to the In- dependent Order of Foresters. He prefers the plat- forms of the Republican party, but he never allows

partisan politics to interfere with his doing what- ever he can to endorse and forward the most com- mendable local movements.

GEORGE F. MORELL .- A successful man who always finds time to lend a hand, and generally a very helpful one, to advance every worthy movement in local affairs is George F. Morell, the genial man- ager of the Palo Alto Times. Born at South Am- herst, Mass., September 24, 1886, he is the son of John Fowler Morell, born in Lenox, Mass., and Alice (Goodrich) Morell, a native of Stockbridge, Mass. Both paternal and maternal grandparents re- sided in Massachusetts. Prior to 1800 his maternal ancestors were prominent in the life of Connecticut settling there as early as 1630. His paternal ances- tors were from Pennsylvania, locating there in 1756. George Morell began his education in the grammar schools of South Amherst and then entered the Flushing high school in New York City, and was graduated with the class of 1904; he then came out to California and was a student of the Stanford Uni- versity from 1905 to 1910. Upon completion of his course at Stanford he became the advertising man- ager of the Co-operative Land Company of San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley, and in August, 1912, he was sent to Merced in the interest of this company, in 1915 being made manager of their Mad- era and Merced county colonization projects. He also became interested in cattle raising and remained in Merced until 1917.

The marriage of Mr. Morell occurred on August 19, 1911, and united him with Miss Athene Frances Bates, a daughter of Dr. Walter E. and Eudora ( Hart) Bates, and a resident of Davis, Cal., the young people meeting at the Stanford University where they were both students. Mr. Morell was a resident of Merced at the beginning of the late war and organized a company of volunteers in April, 1917; he enlisted at the Presidio in San Francisco in August, 1917, in the Reserve Officers Training Corps. On November 27, 1917, he was commissioned first lieutenant and was assigned to the Twentieth In- fantry, and in August, 1918, he was commissioned captain in the same regiment. During the time of his residence in Merced he served as trustee of the Union high school, was secretary of the Merced County Board of Forestry, and took a leading part in many other civic enterprises. In June, 1919, he purchased a controlling interest in the Times Pub- lishing Company of Palo Alto and is now manager of that company and the Times. The Times has been a daily at three different periods. Once for four months, in 1895, under the direction of Tom Kemp; next in 1902 for five months, and thirdly, since 1905 to the present time. In October, 1920, Mr. Morell became a member of the executive staff of the Bank of Palo Alto, and during 1920, 1921 and 1922 he served as vice-president of the Chamber of Com- merce of Palo Alto. Mr. Morell was the organizer and first commander of Fremont Post No. 52, Amer- ican Legion, at Palo Alto, and in 1920 was the chair- man of the American Legion committee for the Eighth congressional district, also chairman of the Welfare Fund committee of the American Legion for Palo Alto Public Health Hospital. He is the owner of ranch property in Monterey, San Benito,

TOM CARDOZA

ANNE ANDRADE CARDOZA

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

Madera, and Merced counties. A consistent worker for higher civic standards, better citizenship and community advancement of every sort, Mr. Morell was organizing chairman of the Palo Alto Rotary Club and the first vice-president of that organiza- tion. He holds a commission in the Reserve Corps of the U. S. Army and is now captain, commanding Company F of the 363rd Infantry, 91st Division.

ANTONIO RIANDA .- Among the successful dairymen of the Gilroy district is Antonio Rianda, who by hard work and a determination to succeed has achieved his ambition and has become well-to-do. He was born in Canton Ticino, Switzerland, Sep- tember 25, 1865, the son of Antonio Rianda, also a native of the same canton. His mother was Agnes Leoni before her marriage, and she passed away when her son Antonio was seven years old. The father left his home and went to South America and from there came to California in 1849 and engaged in mining, and finally returned to Switzerland and spent the remainder of his days in his native canton. In 1881, Antonio Rianda, Jr., came to America, and California, and located near Watsonville, where he remained for five years and later engaged in farming near Salinas and Soledad. In 1886, he removed to the James H. Ellis' place, near Gilroy, and conducted a dairy business on shares successfully for eight years. He manufactured butter and cheese at Fac- tory No. 15 on this ranch.

The marriage of Mr. Rianda united him with Miss Ellen Watson, born January 22, 1872, the daughter of that early pioneer, Alexander Watson, a native of Scotland, who was born October 6, 1834. When he was a babe in arms he was brought by his parents to the United States, and they first located in South Carolina, then went to New York where Alexander was reared and educated in Herkimer County. He lived on a farm until 1859 when he started for Cali- fornia via the Isthmus, and on his arrival here went to work in the mines. In 1860 he came to Santa Clara County and was employed as a dairyman for several years; in 1868 he purchased an interest in a ranch, but this was subdivided in 1871. He married Lavina Bryan, a native of California, and they were the parents of three children: Ellen, Mrs. Rianda; Martha, Mrs. Linderleaf; and Alexander.

Mr. and Mrs. Rianda are the parents of four child- ren: Roy, served twenty-two months in the U. S. Army overseas in the engineers corps, and is now a rancher near Gilroy; George, enlisted in the army during the late war and served three months at a training camp; Harry, was ready to go when the armistice was signed, and is at home; and Elsie G., a stenographer at Gilroy. These children were born, reared and educated in Gilroy township. Mr. Rianda became a citizen of the United States in 1887, receiv- ing his papers in Judge Lorigan's court. In politics he is a liberal Republican. He has been a member of the Swiss Benevolent Society since 1887, and an Odd Fellow since 1888. In 1894 he purchased forty- eight acres of land in the Watson subdivision. His home place now consists of ninety acres, making a fine, highly cultivated ranch and dairy farm. He also owns 195 acres of range and hill land. With the help of his sons he has conducted a dairy since 1894. He was one of the original stockholders of the First National Bank of Gilroy, now known as the Gilroy

Branch of Garden City Bank and Trust Company, and he is also a stockholder in the Bank of Italy, Gil- roy Branch.

ROBERT WALKER .- In the passing of Robert Walker, Santa Clara County lost one of her most progressive citizens who, during his long residence here, did his full share in bringing about the won- derful transformation that has made the Santa Clara Valley one of the garden spots of the United States. Mr. Walker was born in Hamilton, Ontario, Can., September 15, 1842, the son of John and Ann (Mc- Intosh) Walker, the former born in Edinburgh, while Mrs. Walker was a native of the Highlands of Scotland. When a young man he crossed the ocean to America, locating at Montreal, Canada, where he was married, and from there removed to Ancaster Township, near Hamilton, being one of the pioneers of that district. He passed away in 1885, his widow surviving him several years, passing away at the age of ninety years.

One of a family of eight children, Robert Walker remained at home until he was twenty years old, and in 1862 he left on the long journey to California via the Isthmus of Panama. On reaching San Fran- cisco he left by the next steamer for Victoria, British Columbia, and in 1863 he went inland to the Caribou gold mines, near the Fraser river, and nearly 400 miles from Victoria. Here he remained until the fall of 1865, when he returned to San Francisco, and in the following spring he made another trip to British Columbia, this time engaging in mining at Big Bend, on the Columbia River. Not finding the mines profit- able, however, he returned to California and settled in Monterey County, where he farmed for three years. In 1871 Mr. Walker came to Santa Clara County and purchased land on the Los Gatos and San Jose road, and there he built a country home that was one of the well-known landmarks of that part of the country. He added to his holdings until he had over 400 acres, and through his capable super- vision it became a very valuable property. A leader in the financial life of the community, he was a director of the Bank of Los Gatos and of the Los Gatos Fruit Packing Company.

While living in Monterey County, Mr. Walker was married to Miss Eliza Jane Parr, a native of Santa Clara County and the daughter of Jonathan and Eliza (Lowe) Parr, both born in England and pio- neers of California coming across the plains in 1846. Jonathan Parr became owner of 3000 acres on both sides of Los Gatos creek, and here they both died. Mrs. Eliza (Parr) Walker died in October, 1893, the mother of three children, Leslie R., deceased, Myrtle, and Vivian C., deceased. Myrtle Walker, the only child living, became the wife of Frank A. Johnson, and two children were born to them: Robert P., who was in the U. S. service for eighteen months during the World War, and Alice A. Mr. Johnson passed away in 1900 and Mrs. Johnson still makes her home on her ranch near Los Gatos. Prominent in the fraternal circles of his days, Robert Walker became a member of the Odd Fellows in 1888, and he was for many years a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen He passed away in October, 1900, closing a life full of kindly deeds, and in which success had come as a reward of his integ- rity and upright spirit

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

FRANK ALLEN CUSHING .- Business inter- ests in Los Gatos find an enterprising representative in Frank Allen Cushing, who for the past fourteen years has here engaged in contracting teaming and he is also the owner of a blacksmith shop, display- ing sound judgment and capability in the conduct of his affairs. A native of Iowa, he was born at Red- ding, March 1, 1876, and his parents were Benjamin and Addie (Allen) Cushing. The father became the owner of a stock ranch in South Dakota and in 1890 he came to California, where he continued to follow his chosen occupation on a ranch at the Summit in Santa Cruz County until his demise, which occurred on July 4, 1917, while the mother had passed away in 1880 in Illinois. Of their three children, two girls and one boy, Frank Allen is the second oldest.

Frank Allen Cushing acquired a public school education in South Dakota and at Austin Corners district school in Santa Clara County, but quit school to assist his father in the operation of the home farm until he was sixteen years of age, when he started out in the world on his own account. He began work for Mr. Sabin on the Tip Top Ranch driving a team; then with R. R. Bell of Los Gatos in the same work; then for others until 1903 when he bought a six-mule team and outfit at Boulder Creek and teamed for one year. In August, 1904, he came to Los Gatos, where he engaged in teaming, purchasing more teams, which he used in hauling lumber and other commodities from the mountains. His busi- ness has developed with the passing years and he now uses thirty-two head of horses and furnishes employment to from four to ten men. He takes contracts for hauling and does all kinds of excavating, road building, etc., in addition to which he is the owner of a blacksmith shop, and in both lines of activity success has rewarded his efforts. He owns a residence at 120 Santa Cruz Avenue where he re- sides with his family. He still owns the old ranch in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

In Los Gatos, Mr. Cushing married Miss Dora Hensley, one of California's native daughters from Porterville, a daughter of William and Phoebe Hen- sley, pioneers of Tulare County. William Hensley came to California across the plains with an ox- team, and subsequently he crossed the plains twice. He has passed away, but his widow is still living, hale and hearty, at Los Gatos. Mr. and Mrs. Cush- ing are the parents of two children: Ben is associ- ated with his father in business, and Pearl is the wife of John Panighetti of Los Gatos. There is one grandchild, Allen Carlos Panighetti. Mr. Cush- ing gives his political allegiance to the Republican party. He has led an active and useful life, employ- ing every opportunity to advance, and is accounted one of the public-spirited men of his community.

SAN JOSE MERCURY HERALD .- The history of the San Jose Mercury Herald starts on June 20, 1851, with the publication of the Weekly Visitor, which in August, 1852, was changed to the Register. In 1853, F. B. Murdock procured control of the weekly, changed its name to the San Jose Telegraph, and as such it continued to appear until 1860, when it was merged into the Telegraph and Mercury, acquired by William N. Slocum, who soon dropped the word Telegraph, and called it the San Jose Weekly Mer- cury, and the Mercury it has been ever since. In the spring of the following year, 1861, J. J. Owen ac-

quired control of the paper, and from then until 1884, when it was purchased by the late Charles M. Shortridge, the history of the paper and the name of J. J. Owen are inseparably linked. Dreamer, vis- ionary, poet, "forty years ahead of his time," as he was declared to be, the influence wielded by him, through the columns of the Weekly Mercury from 1861 to 1871, and the Daily Mercury for the thirteen years following, in the growth and upbuilding of San Jose and Santa Clara County, can truthfully be said to be without parallel.

For three months after November 5, 1861-the date of its first appearance-the Daily Mercury was dis- tributed, but on February 2, 1862, under an editorial headed Our Brief Candle, Owen advised his readers that publication would be suspended. Nine years later, in August of 1869, under the co-management of J. J. Conmy, the Daily Mercury again made its ap- pearance. In March of 1871, Cottle again became Owen's partner. The two purchased the Guide and the Independent, merged their three newspaper prop- erties into a daily, and the San Jose Daily Mercury for the third time resumed publication. From that time publication has been continuous.

Of outstanding importance in the first issue of the Daily Mercury (1861) is J. J. Owen's declaration of the policy of the paper, a simple, straightforward ex- pression of a journalistic ideal of the highest order that more than anything else explains the survival of the Mercury through long years of struggle and disappointment. "We do not expect to please all," Owen wrote. "Our minds are differently consti- tuted, and we cannot all see alike. Upon questions of public policy we shall express our views fearlessly, advocating only what we believe to be right, regard- less of consequences." The first Daily Mercury lived but three months, but the declaration of policy enun- ciated in the first issue has lived to this day.

Much could be written of the gifted men who have at different times been members of the staff of the Mercury. Of those none has gone farther in jour- nalism than John McNaught, who did some of the best work of his career in the column known as "Random Notes." At one time secretary to Joseph Pulitzer, he later became a director in the Pulitzer School of Journalism and chief editorial writer for the New York World. Others who have since made names for themselves in various professions are H. S. Foote, to whom the county is indebted for an carlier history; Judge John E. Richards, who was chief editorial writer for six years and contributor of special articles; Madge Morris Waggoner, one of our most graceful California poets: Eugene T. Saw- ver: W. C. Morrow; Walter R. Rutherford; John T. Wallace; Dr. E. A. Clark; Ernest Simpson; Jobn, Charles and Guy Milnes: Charles N. Kirkbride, Charles South, Clifford J. Owen; Charles P. Owen; Gerald Beaumont; James Fellom; Ralph Coykendall; Judge David Belden, and many, many more.

For the fifteen years following 1884, it was Charles M. Shortridge, brother of Senator Samuel M. Short- ridge, who guided the destiny of the Mercury. Serv- ing first as an errand boy, he continued with the paper for seven years, leaving it to enter the real estate business. At the age of twenty-eight, aided by business men who had faith in his ability as a journalist, he purchased the San Jose "Times." This

servert

f. A bushing

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

was in 1883. The following year he acquired a con- trolling interest in the stock of the Mercury. He consolidated the two papers into the Times-Mercury, and in 1885, after an unsuccessful attempt by W. A. Taylor to purchase the paper, it hecame again the Mercury, still under the ownership of Shortridge. Although worth considerably less than $10,000 at the time he acquired it. Shortridge so daringly and ten- aeiously pushed the paper forward, aided by a rap- idly growing community, that late in the '90s he was able to dispose of it for $100,000 to an associa- tion of San Jose business men headed by Clarence Wooster and W. H. Wright. Alfred Holman, now editor and owner of the San Francisco Argonaut, was taken into the association, soon aequired a con- trolling interest, and published the paper until its purchase in 1901 by E. A. and J. O. Hayes, the pres- ent owners. About Christmas time of the preceding year, the Herald, an afternoon paper, then "on the rocks" so high and dry that it had not issued a paper for several weeks, had been acquired by the new Mercury owners, who continued to publish both the Morning Mercury and the Evening Herald until November 1, 1913, when the Herald made its last appearance, being merged with the Mercury into the San Jose Mercury Herald.

The acquisition of the Mercury by E. A. and J. O. Hayes may rightly be said to mark the new.order of things in the local journalistie field. The day of the eight-page morning daily for Santa Clara County was gone forever. A new press was purchased, new equipment was added to the mechanical department, an engraving department was installed, new features were added to the paper, and under the managing editorship of E. K. Johnston the San Jose Mercury Herald soon became the equal of the newspapers of which other and larger cities had long boasted. To- day, after sixty-one years of publication, reaching over 16,000 subscribers daily, the San Jose Mercury Herald stands a living and ever-growing monument to those pioneers who, through its columns, did so much for the upbuilding of the Santa Clara Valley. It continues a fitting tribute, not only to the efforts of those who brought it into being and guided it through the years, but to the principles with which it was imbued and for which it has always consist- ently stood. From the date of its inception the Mer- cury Herald has been loyally Republican.

THE STANFORD BANK .- This well known fin- aneial institution was incorporated December 30, 1904, under the title Mayfield Bank and Trust Co. Among the incorporators of the firm were George R. Parkinson, J. J. Morris and Joseph Hutchinson of Palo Alto, and Alexander Peers, Joseph P. Ponee and Leonard Distel of Mayfield, all local pioneers. The bank was first located in the Braechi Building, on Mayfield's main street. It remained there until 1908, when it moved into its new modern bank building at the corner of the State highway and Lincoln avenue, Mayfield. This is now known as the May- field branch of The Stanford Bank. The building is one of the most up-to-date, country bank buildings in the state. In 1911 the name was changed to The Mayfield Bank. From January, 1909, to June, 1918, the officers were Edward C. Ellet, president, and his son, Charles Ellet, cashier. In 1918, Edward C. Ellet

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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 153

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