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 180

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 180

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Alice Hall attended Miss Buckman's private school and San Jose Institute, from which she was gradu- ated, after which she engaged in teaching for two years, until her marriage to Mr. Edwards. As Mr. Edwards prospered he purchased eighty acres, and by subsequent purchase acquired 450 acres in the Oak Grove school district, devoting his time to rais- ing grain and stock until he began setting out or- chards. He was interested in the Farmers' Union in

early days and was one of the founders of the Home Union, being president of that large mercantile es- tablishment for many years. He was also interested in banking. His ranch was well improved with a large, beautiful country residence, but it was de- stroyed by fire, after which he purchased a large residence on South Second Street in San Jose, where he made his home until his death, March 31, 1915. Mr. and Mrs. Edwards were blessed with two chil- dren: Mrs. Cora Conklin died in San Jose, and Wilbur J. is the president of the Security State Bank of San Jose. Henry W. Edwards was a member of San Jose Chapter No. 10, F. & A. M., and in politics he was a stanch supporter of Republican principles. He was a man of splendid judgment and an able manager, very liberal and enterprising and always ready to do his part in the building up of the county and state, and worthy objects always received his hearty support and cooperation. In his business dealings he was honest and reliable, having the con- fidence of all with whom he came in contact in a business way. His friendship was greatly prized, and at his passing Santa Clara County lost one of her best citizens. Since his death Mrs. Edwards continues to reside at the old home and, with the assistance of her son, looks after the large estate left by Mr. Edwards, who always gave much credit for his success to his wife, who encouraged and aided him in every way. Mrs. Edwards is now one of the pioneers and, having been very observant, she is a fund of information, and it is interesting to hear her discourse of early days in Santa Clara County. She attends the Episcopal Church.

FRANK J. MILLER .- A far-seeing, enterprising and successful business man of Palo Alto, whose success in his affairs has been due to his tenacity of purpose is Frank J. Miller, the capable proprietor of Miller's grocery, located at 203 University Avenue. He was born in Vienna, February 28, 1881, of respected parents who were in comfortable circumstances, and grew to manhood in the beautiful capital of Austria. His education was obtained in the fine schools of his native city; he gained a reading, writing and speaking knowledge of the Slavic languages, as well as German. Early in life he began working in stores and bakeries in Vienna, as a salesman, as well as baker and caterer, but desiring to better his condition, he came to America, arriving here when he was twenty-four years old, and worked in bakeries and delicatessen shops in New York, Chicago, Denver and San Francisco. He was married in San Fran- cisco to Miss Josephine Mesenburg, a native daughter of California, born and reared in San Francisco, the daughter of a well-known business man of the Bay City, and a woman of much ability; she is truly a helpmate to her husband and he attributes much of his success to her assistance and encouragement.

Fourteen years ago Mr. Miller located in Palo Alto and started in business in a modest way. He has a thorough knowledge of the grocery business, delica- tessen and bakery lines, as well as the art of catering, serving and furnishing viands for banquets, parties, etc. Since coming to the United States, he has ac- quired a good knowledge of the English language and of business management. He has built up a large and paying business in Palo Alto, using two auto trucks for delivery, and employs a number of bakers and clerks. Mr. Miller has built his residence

HW Edwarda

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

at 115 Emerson Street, with all the comforts and conveniences of a thoroughly up-to-date American home. Mr. and Mrs. Miller are the parents of one son, Frank J., Jr., a bright lad of eleven years. Mr. Miller carries a full line of groceries, and makes all his delicatessen and bakery goods in his own shop in his building at University Avenue and Emerson Street. Mr. and Mrs. Miller have won the friendship of their townspeople and are justly popular in Palo Alto business, fraternal and social circles.

RAY MUIR .- An able business man of Mayfield who is contributing to the growth of his town is Ray Muir, a native son of California and the grandson of a pioneer who came from the East in the days of '49. Mr. Muir was born at Willets, Mendocino County, and is the son of A. J. and Laura (Bigelow) Muir. The father, who was also born in Mendocino County, was engaged for many years in farming and stockraising, and also in the meat business, and he and Mrs. Muir still make their home at Willets.

One of a family of two sons and three daughters, Ray Muir grew up at Willets, attending the public schools there and also the Santa Rosa Business Col- lege. Before attending business college however, he worked on his father's farm and at the slaughter house in connection with his meat business, and after his graduation he helped incorporate and organize the Little Lake Meat Company at Willets, and for several years acted as its secretary and treasurer. In 1919 Mr. Muir came to Mayfield, where he leased the Mayfield Cash Market and started in business. handling a complete line of fresh and smoked meats. This is the oldest market in the northern part of Santa Clara County, in fact it was established and doing business before the town of Palo Alto was in existence, and has been operated continuously as a meat market with the exception of the two years just before Mr. Muir leased it. Under his propriet- orship the market is doing a prosperous business, as he handles only first-class products and gives his per- sonal attention to every detail of the business. Mr. Muir is at present fitting up a first-class meat mar- ket in the new Allison Peacock Block at 111 Lincoln Street in Mayfield. This market will be equipped with mechanical refrigeration and first-class fixtures; and particular regard will be paid to sanitation.

At Willets Mr. Muir was married to Miss Edith Lewis, a native of Canada, and they are the parents of one son, Ray, Jr. Mr. Muir was placed in Class 4 during the late war and was not called until just before the armistice was signed. Though a Democrat in politics, Mr. Muir is not unduly partisan but takes a live interest in all public matters, giving his aid and influence to all that will aid the community.

EUGENE DELYON .- Born under the French flag, on the Island of Martinique, Eugene Delyon has had the unique experience of a four years' resi- dence on the Island of Tahiti, in the South Seas, now the mecca of thousands of travelers whose tastes are for the far places of the earth. Mr. Delyon was born at Flor de France on July 13, 1882, and there he was educated and spent the years of his young manhood. A wish to see more of the world led him to leave his island home and his first view of the United States was when he crossed the continent on his way to the South Seas where for four years he conducted a shoe business on Tahiti.

Coming back to the United States, he located at Palo Alto and for four years was employed at Thoit's

Shoe Store there. He then started in business for himself, opening up a shoe store and repair shop at Stanford University. In 1910 he opened up a sec- ond shop at Mayfield and operated them both until the late war, when for a time he was in the service of his adopted country. At this time he disposed of his Stanford University shop to his brother, who still runs it, and since returning from the U. S. service he has given all of his time to his business at May- field. He carries a well-selected stock of footwear and has a full complement of shoe-repairing machin- ery, run by electric power, and he is himself an ex- pert in this work. This is the only exclusive boot and shoe store in Mayfield and Mr. Delyon has built up a substantial business there which bids fair to in- crease year by year, due to his genial personality and his up-to-date business methods.

STEVE ANDERSON .- A public-spirited official, who, as chairman of the committee on roads and high- ways of the city of Mayfield, is largely responsible for the excellent new reinforced-concrete highway running through this city, is Steve Anderson, a pio- neer resident of northern Santa Clara County and well known in business circles as a dealer in sand, stone and gravel and conducting a general teaming business. Mr. Anderson was born near Stockholm, Sweden, March 3, 1870, the son of Anders and Jo- hanna Person; the mother is still living at the old home place in Sweden. The father, who was for many years a carpenter, died at the age of eighty- nine years, on March 7, 1922, at his home in Sweden.

In 1887 Mr. Anderson came to America, joining his brother Peter, who had been in California some time and who is now a successful building contractor in Oakland. Another brother, Martin, died in Oakland in 1917, while a third member of the family, Anton Anderson, is a well-known resident of Mayfield, being proprietor of the Mayfield Transfer Company. When Steve Anderson first came to California he went to work for Judge Stanley on his great ranch, vineyard and orchard in Napa County. There he remained for two years, when he came to the large stock ranch of Senator Leland Stanford at Palo Alto. He went to work as a farm hand, but it was not long until Sena- tor Stanford learned that young Anderson was an expert horseman, and so set him to work teaming, handling the big teams in the ranch work. He was soon made stock foreman and had charge of the thousand head of work and draft horses on this immense estate. He helped raise grain where the city of Palo Alto now stands, and saw Stanford University built up nearly from the beginning. Mr. Anderson continued on the Stanford ranch for many years, and in 1911 he came to Mayfield and started his present teaming business, in which he uses four draft horses, while his son drives an auto truck.

Two children were born of Mr. Anderson's mar- riage to Miss Hannah Anderson, Sante Howard and Mabel. Mr. Anderson is captain of the volunteer fire company, having held that post for the past ten years. In 1920 he was elected a member of the board of trustees of Mayfield and as chairman of the com- mittee on roads and highways, he has done excel- lent work, the new road through Mayfield being one of the best pieces of highway in the state and a credit to the town. Republican in politics, his influence and counsel are eagerly sought by the local party leaders and he is justly popular. He belongs to the Druids and the Ancient Order of Foresters.

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

HARRY JOHNSON .- A nurseryman and orchard- ist who uses modern methods and scientific care in the development of his holdings, is Harry Johnson, whose ranch lies on the Almaden Road, five and one- half miles south of San Jose. He is a native son of Santa Clara County and was born two miles south of San Jose on the Northern Road April 1. 1882, his parents being Andrew and Hattie (Farley) Johnson, born in Skane, Sweden, and Quebec, Canada, res- pectively. The father was a sailor who came around Cape Horn to San Francisco when he was eighteen years old. He quit the sea and was one of the early farmers here, coming here in the '70s, and here he married Miss Farley, who had come here with her parents. Andrew Johnson passed away when Harry was only four years old. Mrs. Johnson continued horticulture, making her home on the ranch until her death in 1908. They had three children, two of whom are living, Harry being the oldest; he obtained his education in the public schools, with the addition of a course at the San Jose Business College, where he was graduated in 1898, and then went to work on ranches in this vicinity. He saved his money and when he was only seventeen years old he was able to make a payment of $300 on his first piece of prop- erty, which he afterwards sold at a profit. In 1905 he began raising nursery stock, as well as fruit growing and in 1917 he purchased his present place, adding to it until he had ninety acres devoted to nursery and orchard, but he has since disposed of some of his holdings and now has a fine tract of forty-five acres, half of which is devoted to his orchard and nursery. He makes a specialty of growing trees that are par- ticularly adapted to this locality and he finds a ready market for his stock. He also grows about forty acres of garden truck a year.

On March 4, 1904, Mr. Johnson was married to Miss Gertrude Greenwalt, born in this vicinity, a member of a well-known old-time family here. Her father, George Greenwalt, was also born here and her grandfather was a pioneer settler. Mr. Johnson is a Republican and as one of the community's public- spirited citizens he can always be counted upon to aid in any progressive movement. At present he is serving as school trustee of Pioneer school district.

MRS. CATTHERINA GERAUD MATTEIS .- A successful rancher of Santa Clara County is found in Mrs. Cattherina Geraud Matteis, who owns and controls 364 acres of land on the Croy Road, nine miles from Morgan Hill. She was born on August 5, 1859 near the village of Moncucco, Italy, and grew to young womanhood in her native village. On April 2, 1882, she was married to Ernest Matteis, who was born in Moriondo, Province of Turino, on June 5, 1858 and was reared and schooled in his native town. Their first child was born on January 15, 1884 and died in infancy. On April 5, 1885, Joseph A. was born near the place where his father first saw the light of day. During that same year the young peo- ple started for their new home in America and Califor- nia, and arrived in San Jose in October, 1885. During the following twelve years Mr. Matteis was occupied steadily as chief chef at the La Molle House in San Jose; later at the Overland Club and the California Restaurant altogether for about twelve years. In 1897 the family removed from San Jose to the Uvas district where Mr. Matteis had purchased 194 acres of forest lands, which has been gradually brought under cultivation and set to orchard and vineyard.

The ranch is about nine miles from Morgan Hill. Joseph A. was married in 1909 to Miss Irene J. Baker, a daughter of the late pioncer, Reuben J. Baker, who settled near Almaden in the early '50s, and married Miss Winifred Hart, now living in San Jose, Mr. Baker having passed away August 6, 1918. Miss Irene Baker was born in Hollister and attended . the Notre Dame Convent in San Jose and later the San Jose State Normal School from which she grad- uated in 1905. She taught for five years in the schools of Stanislaus, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties. They have three children: Ernest J., Richard W., and Luceil 1. Joseph Matteis is a member of the Eagles' Aerie No. 8 of San Jose, and in politics is a Republican. He has served as a trustee of the Uvas district school for nine years; for fourteen years he was road master of the district and superintended the construction of many new bridges and roads; he is now manager of his mother's ranch; Michael C., born at San Jose, November 15, 1886, served in the U. S. Army in the One Hundred Forty-fourth Field Artil- lery and was five months overseas with the Grizzlies; he was eighteen months in the service and was dis- charged January 28, 1919, and is now home working on the ranch; Teresa M. was born June 15, 1887, and is the wife of Giacinto Conrotto and they are the parents of two children, Catherine M., and Michael B. Mr. Matteis lived to be fifty years old and passed away July 14, 1908. The work of clearing and pre- paring the land for vineyard was no easy task, but they have a fine vineyard of seventy-five acres; choice California wines were made and shipped from the ranch until 1918 and since that time the good prices paid for green grapes are so attractive that all the vineyardists sell their grapes in this way for ship- ment throughout the country. Mrs. Matteis is a typ- ical home-body, highly esteemed by her many de- voted friends, and is a worthy mother of a fine family of children who are respected throughout the community in which they reside.

PHILLIP DALY .- Among the useful citizens of the Morgan Hill community is Phillip Daly who is the owner and operator of a baling press for hay and grain and by hard work and strict attention to busi- ness has won a place for himself in that locality. He was born on Staten Island, N. Y., December 31. 1864, the eldest son of Patrick Daly, a native of Ireland, who came to America in 1850. He married Miss Kate Connely, also a native of Ireland, in 1862. and in 1868 they removed to San Jose, Cal., and in July, 1872, the Daly family came to Gilroy and settled on North Monterey Street, where the original home place still stands. His father died in 1899, aged seventy-four and the mother on October 3, 1916, at the age of seventy years. Phillip entered the public schools in 1868 and in 1873, at the age of ten years, was obliged to leave school and assist his father. When he reached the age of seventeen he hired out as a ranch hand with Horton & Daniels and worked with a threshing crew for ten years in San Benito, Monterey and Santa Clara counties.

Mr. Daly's marriage united him with Miss Jose- phine Atkinson, a daughter of Richard Atkinson, a pioneer of Santa Clara County, whose biographical sketch will be found in this work. Mr. and Mrs. Daly are the parents of five children: Viola is a graduate nurse of St. Joseph's Hospital and now re- sides in San Bernardino; Richard served in the U. S.

G. F Gallagher

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

Navy on board the cruiser Montana and did trans- port duty for eleven months; he is married and has one child living; Phillip A. served in Company A, First U. S. Engineers, overseas for five years and is now in active service. He has the honor of wearing the Distinguished Service Cross, awarded him after a sharp engagement at Verdun in 1918; he has also been awarded the French Croix de Guerre; Gladys is a graduate of the San Jose State Normal School with the class of 1919 and is now teaching in Men- dota, Fresno County, Cal .; Bernice is the wife of Al- phonse Bonetti, a rancher of Morgan Hill and they are the parents of two children. What success has come to Mr. Daly has been through his own efforts and perseverance, and the family enjoy the respect and esteem of the entire community.

ALFRED D. GALLAGHER .- Prominent among the most enterprising, scientifically-venturesome and eminently successful representatives of sturdy, pro- gressive pioneers whose toil and sacrifice were such that they and their descendants have deserved to in- herit the fruits of the earth and to enjoy the good things of life, is Alfred D. Gallagher, next to the largest pear grower of Santa Clara County, who is ranching on some 360 acres on the Alviso Road, about four miles north of San Jose. He was born on the old Gallagher Ranch in Santa Clara County. on April 5, 1869, the son of Andrew Thomas Gal- lagher, who was born in New York City on May 4, 1831, the son of Andrew T. and Mary (Siskron) Gallagher, natives of Ireland, who had migrated to America and had settled in the metropolis. Andrew Thomas grew up in New York, attending school and at fourteen entering the employ of William T. Jen- ninigs & Company, well-known merchant tailors of Gotham. On October 16, 1848, however, he took passage on the barque John W. Cater, then com- manded by Captain Richard Hoyt and bound for California by way of Cape Horn; and on the four- teenth of March, 1849, he reached San Francisco. Shortly after his arrival, he purchased the launch Mary and Catherine, but after running her for a few trips to Sonoma he sold the vessel and pushed on inland to Tuolumne County, where he tried his luck at inining at Sullivan's Camp. After a few months, he moved over to Santa Clara County, and for a few weeks was employed in the Redwoods; and then he took up teaming between Redwoods and Alviso, and still later he transported freight from Alviso to San Jose and Santa Clara. At the same time, he also transported freight between San Francisco and Alviso, using the schooner Catherine Miller which he purchased for that trade and sometimes even com- manding the vessel himself. At the end of two years, he decided to make a complete change of work, and then he took a position as clerk in one of the ware- houses in Alviso, faithfully performing his duties, different as they were to his previous, more inde- pendent operations, until 1863.

As early as June, 1853, Mr. Gallagher, following his marriage, had established his residence upon property he had purchased in the Alviso district, about four and a half miles north of Santa Clara and one mile south of Alviso-a fine farm of 160 acres of very productive land, and there, besides rich pas- turage, he was soon raising grain and hay. He also 50

had forty acres of orchard, devoted to nearly all the varieties of fruit grown in that section, and to toma- toes and other vegetables, of which he also had eight extra acres, the same amount of land which he set aside for raspberries and blackberries. Five artesian wells gave him all the water needed, and a pleasant and comfortable cottage home, with outbuildings, testified to his enviable prosperity.

On September 26, 1852, Andrew T. Gallagher was married to Miss Maria Remonda Martin, the dau- ghter of John and Vaclecia Bernal (Ortega) Martin. The maternal grandfather, John Martin, was a na- tive of Scotland, a ship's carpenter on a man-o'-war, who came out to America about 1828 or 1829 and settled for a while in San Francisco. Later he went inland to the neighborhood of Sausalito, in Marin County, and in 1834 he came to Alviso, where he acquired several thousand acres of the Embarcadero Grant; and during the cholera epidemic of 1850 he died of that dread disease. Mrs. Maria Ramonda (Martin) Gallagher was born at the Mission San Jose and died at the age of forty-four years, on the thirtieth of May, 1879.

They were the parents of thirteen children: Mary, born August 12, 1853, became the wife of Mortimer D. French of San Jose-she died 1911, aged fifty- seven years; Martha, born May 1, 1855, died in 1897 from injuries received in a runaway; Andrew T., Jr., born March 17, 1857, died the same day as the father, Junc 20, 1897; Sarah, died at nine years of age; Edward E., born December 26, 1860, lives re- tired at Long Beach, Cal .- married Miss Mattie Taylor of Pullman, Wash., and has one child, Mary Anita, the wife of Lester Folger of Pullman, Wash .; Richard M., born August 10, 1863, resides at San Jose, Cal., retired; he married Miss. Elizabeth Stezer of San Francisco; George F., born September 18, 1865, at Alviso, became one of the leading pear- growers of the Santa Clara Valley; he died May 20, 1921, left a son, George E. Gallagher, and his widow whose maiden name was Julia A. Loverin who passed away at San Jose, on January 23, 1922; Basilia M., born July 13, 1867, became the wife of Edward F. Mohrhardt of San Francisco; she died November 10, 1918, and left one child, Edward F. Mohrhardt; Alfred D., born April 5, 1869, of this review; Charles W., commission merchant of Oak- land, married Miss Stella Shrader; they have three children, Andrew T., Raymond and Martha E .; Wil- liam M., born June 16, 1873; Mabel L., the wife of Arthur S. Luce, resides at San Jose; James Walter, was an infant when his mother died, May 30, 1879, surviving her by three weeks.

Alfred attended the Alviso schools while being reared on the old Gallagher ranch where, some forty years ago, his father had instituted irrigation by means of an artesian water supply. This ranch, which was gradually expanded to its present size, includes 120 acres devoted to the growing of pears, 130 acres of apples, and 110 acres for pasturage, berries and hay. About 1905 a packing house was built near the old home ranch, and in 1919 a second packing house was erected on the new ranch. Twenty-five men are employed here steadily on the average, and in the busy season this number is in- creased to twice as many. For the last four years

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the average yield has been sixty carloads of pears, and cach year about six to eight carloads of quinces are shipped to distant points.

At San Jose, on July 6, 1912, Mr. Gallagher was married to Miss Mamie Davis, a native of Alton, Humboldt County, and the daughter of Harrison and Margaret (Keating) Davis. Her father was a native of Ohio, where he was born about 1835; he accompanied his parents to Illinois, when they re- moved to that state and remained there until about 1850, when he came across the plains to California and settled in Gilroy; but after two years he went into Humboldt County. Mr. Davis is dead, but her mother, Mrs. Davis, still lives and is residing here, a very interesting lady, as a native of England and the representative of an old English family. Mrs. Gallagher is the seventh in a family of twelve child- ren. Harry was the oldest, then came Elizabeth, Bert, Rose, Thomas and Francis, and after Mamie were Sewell, Ernest, Angeline, Sarah and Vernon. Mrs. Davis, who lives with the Gallaghers and con- tributes greatly to the cheerfulness of their hos- pitable hearth, is a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Janner) Keating. John Keating was a sea captain; Elizabeth Janner was a native of Southampton, Eng- land, and when she was four years old, her parents removed with her to Australia, where they lived until this daughter was seventeen years old, residing at Albana, on King George's Sound. From Australia the family came to California, and here she met and married Mr. Davis. Mrs. Gallagher attended the schools of Humboldt County, and now she has three children of her own in school: Margaret, Alfred, Jr., and Geraldine.

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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 180

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