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 207

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 207

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Mr. Ridley has been married twice. His first union was with Miss Lovina Giguiere, who passed away leaving two children: Edgar, who is associated with his father in his farming operations; and Pearl, now the wife of Charles Johnson of San Jose. For his second wife, Mr. Ridley chose Miss Florence John- son, born in California, and the circle of their friends is a large one. He is a Republican in his political views and for forty years has been identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He has never been afraid of hard work and has labored dili- gently and persistently to attain his present success. Recognizing the duties and obligations as well as the privileges of citizenship, he has ever taken a deep and helpful interest in public affairs and his aid and influence are always on the side of advance- ment and improvement.

FRANK PHILLIPS .- A progressive, enterprising young business men of Palo Alto, Cal .. Frank Phil- lips is a native son of this state, born at Half Moon Bay, San Mateo County, Cal., and for the past seven years has conducted the Elite Market located at 218 University Avenue, Palo Alto. His parents are Manuel and Mary Phillips, retired farmers living at Half Moon Bay, the parents of seven children, four sons and three daughters, of whom six are living. One son, Joe, is in the dairy business in Palo Alto.

Frank grew up on his father's farm and received his education in the public schools of the district. Early in life he selected the meat market business for his life occupation and worked in his home town until 1913, when he came to Palo Alto and was em-

ployed in several markets and became efficient in all lines of the business. In 1915 he purchased the market formerly owned and conducted by George Carey and since Mr. Phillips assumed control, the business has received new life and is steadily grow- ing. Mr. Phillips caters to the best trade in Palo Alto, his market is scruplously clean and sanitary, and he carries the usual line of fresh and salted meats, has ample coolers, refrigerators and has the most modern, sanitary and up-to-date refrigerator show cases. In his political views, Mr. Phillips is a sound Republican, and he belongs to the N. S. G. W. He owns an attractive prune orchard of five acres beween Mountain View and Mayfield, and belongs to the Prune Growers' Association. A generous, public-spirited citizen, he subscribes liberally toward the support of all projects for the benefit of the town and county.

GEORGE W. CALKINS .- A rancher whose in- telligent operations and enviable results entitle him to general respect is George W. Calkins, living at his home on the Saratoga Road. Mr. Calkins was born in Richmond, Wis., 1863, and is the son of George and Mary (Markham) Calkins, who were both natives of England. Mr. Calkins' parents came to the United States when they were very young, and began farming in Wisconsin. The father passed away some time ago in Wisconsin, while the mother spent her last days in Santa Clara County. Of their six children, George is the youngest. He attended school in Wisconsin, after which he followed farming until 1893.

Mr. Calkins was married in Lawson, Colo., in 1893, to Miss Bertha Bullock, born near Janesville, Wis. They came to California and settled in Santa Clara County in the year 1893, where he purchased his present property, consisting of twenty-two acres, which was set to prunes, peaches and apricots. His orchards are considered among the very best in that vicinity and he has spent much time and labor and planning in bringing them to this degree of product- iveness. He is a believer in cooperative marketing and is a member of the California Prune & Apricot Growers Association and the California Peach Growers Asociation and the Farmers Educational and Cooperative Union of America. Mr. Calkins is a man who lias always worked for the forward movement of the community in which he lives and has made many good friends. Politically, he is a Republican. He is a member of the San Jose Grange and of the Woodmen of the World. In religious faith, he and his wife are active members of the First Methodist Episcopal Church in San Jose.

A. E. TANNER .- As manager of the California Garage, 328 University Avenue, Palo Alto. A. E. Tan- ner has shown unusual capability and initiative in this position, for which his training and experience has well qualified him. Mr. Tanner, popularly known as "Steve" Tanner among his friends, is the son of E. H. Tanner, who is at the head of this firm, and who is also a resident of Palo Alto. He was born at Oscoda, Mich., September 24, 1889, and when he was seven years old his parents removed to San Francisco, Cal., where his boyhood days were spent. At the age of twenty he became connected with the Tacoma Motor Car Company as a machinist and was with them from 1909 until 1911. He then became

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a machinist for the Tacoma Bottling Company, later joining the sales department of that concern, and then city salesman for four years.

In 1912 Mr. Tanner was married to Miss Ida M. Edwards of Tacoma, Wash., also a native of Michi- gan, and one son has been added to their household, Albert E., Jr. In September, 1921, E. H. Tanner and our subject took over the business of the California Garage, one of the largest and finest garages in the Santa Clara Valley. They maintain a well-equipped machine shop and service station, and handle a full line of tires and all auto accessories. They also have a well-organized sales department, having the agency for three high-grade and popular makes, the Hudson, Essex, and Franklin cars. The Tanner family have been a very substantial acquisition to the business and social circles of Palo Alto, where they have rapidly made a place for themselves.

L. A. MONIER .- A business man whose steady stream of success is well deserved is L. A. Monier, the popular proprietor of the Liberty Cash grocery at 254 University Avenue, Palo Alto. He was born in France on June 23, 1879, the son of Antoine Monier, who was an artillery officer for thirty years in his native land. As our subject grew to manhood, he too enlisted in the French Army, training for five years; then for two and a half years was at Nancy, France, and two and a half years in Susa, Tunis, Africa, a French possession, serving as an artillery- man. Having completed his ten years of military service under the French flag, he came to America with a sister. Arriving in San Francisco in 1903, he entered the Park Riding School and learned the art of riding and training horses and was there at the time of the great earthquake and fire in 1906. He then removed to Berkeley and was employed in a creamery; then he went to San Mateo and entered the employ of Levy Bros. department store. His intelligence and capabilities were soon recognized and he was given the position of buyer for the firm, and for twelve years he filled the position with thorough- ness and faithfulness, and the training has been in- valuable to him. In 1917, in company with his brother-in-law, he visited Palo Alto with the view of establishing his own store and during that year opened his store in this beautiful college city. He handles a first class stock of domestic and imported delicacies, and staple and fancy groceries, and cm- ploys five clerks to take care of his growing busi- ness. Mr. Monier's marriage occurred in Oakland, Cal., and united him with Miss B. Gelin, and they are the parents of one child, Marie T. Mr. Monier contributes generously to all that tends to the de- velopment of Palo Alto and county.

CLIFFORD M. FORD .- A recent graduate of Stanford University who by intelligence and good management is making a success of the restaurant business is Clifford M. Ford. He graduated with the class of 1921, majoring in business economics and is now putting his college training to practical use. He is one of the genial proprietors of the Stanford Cafe, located at 214 University Avenue, Palo Alto, Cal., W. C. McCombs and Lloyd E. Schwab being in partnership with him. He was born at Fullerton, Cal., November 1, 1898, the son of Elmer R. and Grace (McDermont) Ford, the former a native of

Battle Creek, Mich., and the latter the daughter of an Orange County pioneer, Alexander McDermont. His father became an extensive walnut grower and rancher in Orange County and both parents still reside there.

Clifford M. Ford grew up in Orange County and his education was received in the grammar and high schools of Fullerton, where he was graduated with the class of 1917. He then entered the Universty of California at Berkeley and began his course of busi- ness economics remaining there for two years; then he transferred his credits to the Stanford University and was graduated in 1921 with the degree of A. B. Mr. Ford's pleasing personality and kindly disposi- tion has brought him a large circle of friends who appreciate him for his honesty of purpose, integrity and worth. The Stanford Cafe is filling a long-felt need in the way of excellent quality at inoderate prices; sanitation and modern equipment is strictly adhered to and the patronage is steadily increasing.

WILLIAM BENJAMIN ALLEN. - Prominent among the successful business men of Palo Alto, whose integrity and progressive methods have highly commended themselves to their fellow-citizens, and so provided for them a loyal, patronizing public, is William Benjamin Allen, a native son of Santa Clara County, who was born in San Jose in 1878. He is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Graves Allen, well- known pioneers, Mr. Allen having come to San Jose from New York State in 1856 and spending the greater part of his life in this vicinity. In 1871 he married Harriet Ables, whose family was prominent in the Berryessa District. William B. Allen was educated in the public schools of San Luis Obispo County, and when sixteen years old started working in a hardware store, and has continued in that import- ant field ever since. Pushing out into the world, he sailed for the Hawaiian Islands, where he remained for five years. At San Jose, on June 26, 1901, Mr. Allen married Miss Winifred Jeffreys, a native daugh- ter. They have two children, Lloyd Jeffreys, born in Honolulu, May 26, 1902, and Edyth Winifred, born in Palo Alto, January 9, 1906.

In 1903, Mr. Allen returned to California and pitched his tent in Palo Alto. Here he established the Palo Alto Hardware Company, which is among the enterprises most worthy of mention in the com- munity. It is located in the Nevada Building, at a corner of University avenue and Bryant street, and occupies the entire ground floor and basement. The purchase of this building and the maintenance of high-grade stock are the substantial evidences of the faith the Palo Alto Hardware Company has in the permanent growth of this renowned academic center. The Palo Alto Hardware Company was incorporated at the same time it was established, and for the past nineteen years has occupied a leading place among the mercantile establishments of Palo Alto. It has been under the active management of W. B. Allen, its president and manager, who had associated with him, his father, B. G. Allen, as secretary and treas- urer, until the latter's death in January 1919. At all times the company has had an efficient staff of as- sistants, which has enabled it to maintain a high standard of service, much appreciated by this com- munity of representative people.

Chas Berry

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

CHARLES BERRY .- A wide-awake, experienced and successful man, and an early settler of Santa Clara County, Charles Berry has been closely identi- fied with many of the forward movements of Camp- bell. He was born in Lancashire, England, December 21, 1863, the son of John and Mary (Wilkinson) Berry who were also natives of Lancashire, where the father was a cotton manufacturer.

In 1877 John Berry brought his family to the United States, thinking of the better advantages and greater opportunities and in Marshall, Lyon County, Minn., he engaged in flour milling and farming until 1884, when he located in Santa Clara County where he engaged in farming. There, too, he and his wife died. Of their four children, Charles is the second oldest, and at the time of their arrival in this coun- try was only fourteen years of age. He received his education in the splendid schools of England where he was graduated before coming to America; then he assisted his father in the mill until he took up the study of telegraphy and on completing the course he entered the service of the Western Union Telegraph Company being stationed in the city of Chicago, until he moved to California to join his parents. He arrived in Santa Clara in 1885, where he entered the employ of the Southern Pacific Rail- road Company; then in 1886 he moved on to Camp- bell and since that time has been in the employ of the same company here as agent and is now in his thirty-sixth year in one position. He also served as postmaster of Campbell for two years and has been the Wells Fargo agent for thirty-five years.

Mr. Berry's marriage occurred in Portsmouth, N. H., December 17, 1890, when he was united with Miss Gertrude A. Bell, a very able young woman who has proven to be a true helpmate. She is a native of New Hampshire, having been born at Portsmouth and is a daughter of Meshach H. and Harriet H. (Works) Bell, born at Kittery, Maine, and Portsmouth, N. H., respectively. The Bells are an old and prominent New England family, Mrs. Berry being a lineal descendant of George Bell, a member of the Continental Congress. Meshach H. Bell served in the Civil War in the Tenth N. H. Volunteers. He was a merchant in Portsmouth until he retired. He passed away May 12, 1921, while Mrs. Bell had preceded him many years. Mrs. Berry is the only child of this union and is a grad- uate of Portsmouth high school. Mr. and Mrs. Berry are the parents of two children: Clifford was educated at the Campbell high school and the Poly- technic School of Engineering at Oakland, serving in the radio department of the U. S. Army as a teacher during the World War; he is an electrician, and owns and conducts the San Jose Battery station on South Market and Williams streets. Millard W. is a graduate of Campbell high school and was in the First Division of U. S. Engineers, serving two years overseas at the front during the World War and is now assistant agent of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company at Sunnyvale. Mr. Berry is a member of Charity Lodge No. 365, F. & A. M., Campbell and is also past grand of the Morning Light Lodge No. 42, I. O. O. F. He was one of the organizers of the Camp- bell Board of Trade, now the Campbell Improvement Club, having been an active member since its or- ganization. Mr. and Mrs. Berry are widely and fav- orably known in Santa Clara County Mr. Berry's

long years with the Southern Pacific bringing him in contact with many people, who appreciate his kindly courtesy. In politics he maintains an independent course, voting for men and measures rather than party. He concentrates his efforts and attention upon liis business affairs and in all that he undertakes manifests a most progressive spirit.

HALE ROY MILLER .- Agricultural life has ever had a lure for Hale Roy Miller and his success- ful career has been developed through continued ap- plication, coupled with energy and ability. A native son of the Golden West, he was born in San Fran- cisco, May 3, 1874, the son of Stephen B. and Mar- garet (Secord) Miller. Stephen B. was a native of the Province of Ontario. The grandfather, William Baldwin Miller, was born in New York and removed, when a young man, to Canada, where he married. He was a farmer by occupation and bought 100 acres of rough land, cleared it up and made it his home until his death. There was a family of ten children of whom Stephen B. Miller was the youngest. He lived on the home place and was married there April 24, 1861, to Margaret Secord, a native of the county where he was born. After their marriage, they re- sided on the home place until 1869, when they came to California. He first entered the mines, then into the lumber camps near Dutch Flat, and was there for two years, then went to San Francisco where he engaged in the wood and coal business with his brother William, and continued in this business for about fourteen years; he passed away in 1885. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Miller made her home in San Francisco until the next fall, when she pur- chased her present ranch of twenty-four acres near Los Gatos, on the Los Gatos and Saratoga Road, where she built a fine residence and made other valu- able improvements. Mr. and Mrs. Miller were the parents of four children: Kittie G., Nettie E., Wil- liam J., and Hale Roy, the subject of this review.

He was educated in the public school of the Aus- tin district and at the age of sixteen he started in driving a team and for eight years successfully han- dled a six-horse team over the rough mountain roads of the Santa Cruz and Big Basin country. When twenty-three, he entered the employ of the Hume ranch, under J. D. Farwell, continuing as teamster foreman and engineer on the ranch for twenty years. When James A. Clayton & Company of San Jose purchased the ranch, Mr. Miller was made superin- tendent and continued in charge for three years, when he leased the place and is now extensively en- gaged in orcharding, and he also owns an orchard on Glenn Una Drive.

In Los Gatos on September 7, 1898, Mr. Miller was united in marriage with Miss Sarah E. Clinkinbeard, a native of Monterey, Cal., a daughter of Kinzea Stone Clinkinbeard, the pioneer, who was born in Missouri in 1842 and crossed the plains in 1851 in an ox-team train with his parents. They resided in Jackson, Amador County, where he attended school at Squaw Valley, near Truckce. He was a farmer and operated a hay press, then went to Lake Tahoe and there built and owned the first steam launch on Lake Tahoe. He married Miss Sarah Ella White- head, born in the Sierra region of California in 1856; her parents crossed the plains to California in 1853.

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The father followed bridge building on the Southern Pacific; then located at Oakland, where he invented a process for the manufacture of artificial marble. Later he removed to Monterey County and became the superintendent of the Laurellis ranch of 7000 acres, then owned by Mr. Spaulding of Oakland, Mr. Clinkinbeard's brother-in-law, and now owned by the Del Monte Company. He built the flume that fur- nishes water for Pacific Grove in 1880, employing 500 Chinese to do the work. He next came to Santa Clara County and bought forty acres three miles below Santa Clara and set it to Bartlett pears and strawberries, one of the first pear orchards in the district. Selling the ranch to B. F. Weston, he moved to Santa Clara and later to Los Gatos, where he died in 1895, leaving a widow and ten children, of whom Mrs. Miller is the fifth oldest. He was a Knights Templar Mason and helped to organize the O. E. S. of Los Gatos, and was a life member of the Odd Fellows in Oakland. Mr. and Mrs. Miller are the parents of one child, Robert James, a student in Los Gatos high school. Mr. Miller is a stanch Re- publican and fraternally is a member of the Wood- men of the World and the Chamber of Commerce in Los Gatos. For eighteen years he was a member of the Los Gatos Volunteer Fire department. Mrs. Miller is a member of the Los Gatos Chapter, O. E. S. A lover of nature and horseback riding, with her saddle horse. Sandy. she has explored and is very familiar with the trails throughout the Santa Cruz Mountains. Deeply interested in Santa Clara Coun- ty, Mr. and Mrs. Miller gladly give their best efforts to the advancement of the community.

CARLTON CARLYLE CRIPPEN .- Daily en- gaged in the ardnous work incident to the Mainte- nance Department of Stanford University, Carlton Carlyle Crippen is of an acquiring and inquiring mind, who can write very authoritatively on the trotting horse, his breeding and development, partic- ularly as related to the period when the great Palo Alto Stock Farm was at the zenith of its glory. It has been said that a man's real character manifests itself in his diversions. Visiting the Palo Alto Stock Farm was Governor Leland Stanford's diversion. It was easily the greatest establishment of its kind in the world, and here the great builder of the Central Pacific and the University which bears his name, came for recreation. After years of faithful service in helping the Governor bring out his galaxy of record-breaking pacers and trotters, coming in con- tact with him under all conditions, Mr. Crippen has no hesitancy in saying that Governor Stanford was one of the finest men that ever lived.

As a young man of good attainments, who had grown up on an Ashtabula County, Ohio, farm, Mr. Crippen, while yet a young man, became a fancier of fast horses. When the colts from Mr. Stanford's celebrated stallion "Electioncer" first startled the world with their record-breaking performances, Mr. Crippen was curious to know whether their phenom- enal records were due to their breeding or to spe- cial training, and so in 1889 he came out to Califor- nia, secured employment on the great Palo Alto Stock Farm and there went to work as a trainer un- der the noted horseman Charles Marvin, then super- intendent of the Palo Alto Stock Farm, continuing

in Governor Stanford's employ for many years. While the Palo Alto Stock Farm was a place where Governor Stanford came for diversion and relaxa- tion, nevertheless, it became a financial proposition of great magnitude. From this farm was sold over $500,000 worth of horses within six months. One horse, "Ario," which was discovered and trained by Mr. Crippen, brought $125,000, being the highest price ever paid for any racer up to that time, while a shipment of 100 horses brought on an average $1,500 each in the New York Madison Square Garden sale, January, 1892. It is safe to say that the Palo Alto Stock Farm became the most noted establish- ment of its kind in the world, and there Governor Stanford produced more record breakers and world's champions than any other dozen men in the world. Without doubt Governor Stanford's four greatest horses were: Electioneer, champion sire of world's champion trotters, the greatest sire of early and ex- treme trotting speed that ever lived, begetting kings and queens of the trotting world from all classes of mares: Palo Alto, 2:0834, world's champion trotting stallion in 1891 and one of the gamest trotting race horses that ever lived, having met defeat but twice during his entire racing career; Sunol, 2:0814, the wonderful daughter of Electioncer who held the world's 2 years-old record in 1888 of 2:18, and world's three-years old record in 1889, 2:101%, and the world's four-years old record in 1890, 2:1014, and champion trotter of all ages in 1891, as a five-year old, 2:0814, and sold to the late Robert Bonner for $41,000. She is the only trotter that ever held the world's record at 2, 3, 4 and record of all ages at five years old; Arion, 2:0734, was discovered, broken to harness and received his first lessons from C. C. Crip- pen. Made record of 2:1034 as a two-year old, which remained the world's two-year old record for seventeen years, and sold for $125,000 to J. Malcomb- Forbes of Boston, Mass. Besides the many colts that Mr. Crippen handled and trained at Palo Alto that developed into record-breakers he trained or managed many others that in their day also were champions of the race course, among them Search- light, 2:031/4, world's champion 3, 4 and 5 year old pacer that sold for $15,000; Kinney Lou, 2:0734, a champion trotter for which $25,000 was twice re- fused; Sonoma Girl, 2:0412, "The Girl from the Golden West" as she was often called, sold to Lotta Crabtree, the actress, for $26,000 after winning a number of sensational races on the Grand Circuit in 1907; Lecco, 2:0934; Redeem, 2:091/4; Bonnie Ansel, 2:0914, and Oyoho, 2:0714. Mr. Crippen's greatest interest was in the scientific breeding and training of fast horses, but as the interest in horse racing waned, he found it necessary to take up other lines of work. He has contributed many excellent articles to such well-known sporting papers as the "Breeder and Sportsman," "The California Horseman" and "The Western Horseman."

Mr. Crippen was born at Colebrook, Ashtabula County, Ohio, June 14, 1866. His father, Cyrus R. Crippen, was a soldier in the Civil War, who after that struggle married Miss Desire Marsh of Ashta- bula County, Ohio, where they settled down to farm- ing and reared their two children, Carlton Carlyle of this review, and a daughter, Dora, now the wife of

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

Dr. Sterling of Kansas City, Mo. Carlton Car- lyle grew up on his father's farm, attended the com- mon schools, and later graduated from Orwell acad- emy in Ashtabula County.

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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 207

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