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 220

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 220

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On December 6, 1916, Mr. Bronk was married to Miss Mary Silva, a native of Fayal in the Azores, and one of seven children of Jesse and Louisa Silva, the former a farmer of experience and good standing, who is still living in his native land, as is his good wife. Mrs. Bronk came out to California in July, 1915, and lived with her sister, Mrs. Antone Dutra of Sunnyvale until she was married. One child, Joseph Bronk, has blessed this union. Mr. Bronk belongs to Wayne Station Lodge No. 132, of the I. D. E. S., and it is needless to say that among the members of that fraternity, no one is more welcome.

M. T. SEQUEIRA .- A native of the Azores who has made good since coming to America, acquir- ing United States citizenship and establishing him- self comfortably as a progressive, successful rancher, is M. T. Sequeira, of 52 Lucretia Avenue, about two miles southeast of San Jose. He was born on April 2. 1862, at Fayal, the son of M. T. Sequeira, who had married Miss Mary Sequeira, and when about fourteen or fifteen he crossed the ocean and on June 29, 1877, arrived at New Bedford, Mass. For nearly seven years he worked there for wages on a ranch, during which time he had all too lit- tle opportunity to attend school; and in 1883 he came West to California, first stopping for a while in San Francisco, and then locating in Contra Costa County. His first work on the Coast was in brickyards, as a laborer, and for fifteen years after he came to San Jose, in 1889, he was employed by the R. Mil- lard Brick Manufactury Company at their plant on the Story Road.

While at New Bedford, Mr. Sequeira was mar- ried to Miss Amelia V. Sequeira, a native of St.

Ecken Mc/Lee Dora Mckee

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

George in the Azores; and she has become the mother of four children. Antone V. and Mary A. go to school; and there are Hannah A. and Helen. The family worship at the new Church of the Five Wounds, to the building of which Mr. Sequeira has donated much money. He belongs to the U. P. .. E. C., in which he is a past president, and to the Druids. A Republican in matters of national poli- tics, he was made a citizen in San Jose. Mr. Se- queira owns eight acres of fine prune and apricot orchard near San Jose, while Mrs. Sequeira owns seventeen acres of excellent prune orchard, both su- perior ranch lands. He is a member of the Cali- fornia Prune & Apricot Growers, Ine., and does what he can to promote the activities and success of that organization.

EDSON McKEE .- For more than fifty years Edson McKee has been identified with Santa Clara County, being one of the pioneer horticulturists and ranchers of Cupertino, Cal. He was born in Calhoun County, Ill., September 28, 1855, the son of James MeKee, born October 22, 1818, in Ohio. He came out to Illinois, where he was reared, and in young manhood married Abbie Rice, who was born in Mich- igan, May 15, 1826. They were farmers in Illinois until they migrated across the plains to Sonoma County, Cal .. crossing the plains in 1858 in wagons drawn by horses. From Sonoma County they went to San Luis Obispo, where they resided until 1870, when they located in Santa Clara County. In 1872 James MeKee purchased a ranch of 75 acres on the Doyle Road, and on this fertile farm he and his wife spent their remaining days. He died May 12, 1895, his widow surviving him until March 12, 1921. This worthy couple were the parents of four sons: James Frank is a resident of this county; William W. of Los Angeles; Charles died October 30, 1855, aged four years; Edson, the subject of this sketch, re- ceived his education in the public schools of Cali- fornia, meanwhile assisting his father on the farm. When sixteen years of age he started out for him- self, spending a year at Roseburg, Ore., and thence making his way to Spokane, where he was employed until he had saved some money. He purchased 142 ares of railroad land, which he improved, engaging in general farming.

In Spokane Mr. MeKee was married April 2, 1893, to Miss Dora Fine, a native of Missouri, a daughter of J. J. and Frances (Hopkins) Fine, farmers in Missouri until they removed with their family to Spokane, Wash., where they were pioneers and im- proved a farm. They now reside in Tekoa, Wash. Mrs. McKee was the fifth oldest of their eight children. In March, 1894, Mr. MeKee brought his family to Santa Clara County and took up farming on his father's place, running the place for his father until his death, and since then he has set out some orchard and reset some of the trees, and installed a pumping plant not only sufficient for irrigating his orchards, but those of some of his neighbors as well. Mr. McKee now owns and operates about twenty- seven aeres located on the Doyle Road, a part of the old McKee homestead. It is very choice land and is set to peaches, cherries, apricots, and prunes, all in full bearing and is bringing in a splendid income. He also owned a place in the St. Thomas district, which he improved and sold at a satisfactory profit.

The union of Mr. and Mrs. McKee has been blessed with nine children: Ora L. is Mrs. Sargent, residing in Oakland; Dollie M .; Alfred served in the Forty- sixth U. S. Field Artillery, being stationed at Camp Kearney until after the armistice, when he was dis- charged; Jayd, Ralph, Edmond, Floyd, Oliver, and Amos. All of them, with the exception of Mrs. Sargent, are under the parental roof and assisting the parents in their horticultural enterprise. Mr. and Mrs. McKee are liberal and enterprising, aiding as far as they are able movements for the improvement and betterment of the community. In national pol- itics, Mr. MeKee is a staneh supporter of the Re- publican party.

JOHN CASTELLO .- A modern, well-improved ranch of 103 acres, situated two miles from San Jose, pays tribute to the care and labor bestowed upon it by its owner, John Castello, who ranks with the progressive farmers and dairymen of Santa Clara County. He was born on the Isle of St. George, in the Azores, November 20, 1876, a son of Victory and Isabella ( Mendonza) Castello, both of whom were born in Calyeata, on that island. The father was the owner of a small farm, which he continued to cultivate until his demise in 1885, when he was fifty-three years of age, while the mother passed away in 1898, also at the age of fifty-three. Of their children four sons and a daughter are residents of California, while a son and a daughter are still living in the Azores.

When eighteen years of age, in 1894, John Cas- tello started for Marin County, Cal., to join an older brother, Joseph, who had preceded him to that section by five years. This brother is now a prominent rancher residing near Visalia, Cal., while another brother, George, is the owner of a ranch near Tracy, Cal. For five years John Castello re- mained in Marin County, receiving at first twenty dollars per month, and having carefully saved his earnings, when he had $900, he made his way to the Santa Clara Valley, he invested this capital in good dairy stock. His farm was situated on May- bury Road and in association with his brother, George Castello, he continued to operate that place for seventeen years. As time passed their business continued to grow steadily and they kept eighty milk cows, while they farmed 230 acres under lease. Six years ago Mr. Castello purchased the old Curtin Ranch of 103 acres, situated two miles from San Jose, at the corner of the Capitol and Story roads, and this he has since conducted. He has made many improvements upon the place, erecting a mod- ern residence and substantial barns and outbuildings, while he also operates a dairy, employing three men for this purpose. Aside from dairying he is also engaged in horticulture, having about ten acres de- voted to raising prunes. His buildings are well equipped and thoroughly sanitary and he brings to the management of his farmi a scientific knowledge of modern agriculture and a progressive and open mind.

Mr. Castello was married in San Jose to Miss Mary Fielda, a native of Newark, Cal., and a daugh- ter of Frank and Mary Fielda; the father is de- ceased and the mother resides in Oakland. Mrs. Castello is the second oldest of nine children. Mr. and Mrs. Castello have two children: Angie, who on December 25, 1920, married Antone Souza, of Santa Clara; and La Verne. Mr. Castello is a

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

Republican in his political views and he keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day. He is a member of the California Prune and Apri- cot Growers, Inc., and of the Associated Milk Pro- ducers of San Francisco, and is also identified with the U. P. E. C. and the S. E. S., while his wife is a member of S. P. R., S. I. and the Druids in San Jose. His genuine personal worth and his activity in a useful occupation have combined to make him one of Santa Clara County's valued citizens.

JOHN SVILICH .- A leading orchardist of the Santa Clara Valley, whose schooling was limited to seven days in his entire life, but who has succeeded far beyond many men more generously schooled, is John Svilich. He was born on the Island of Lissa, Dalmatia, November 30, 1861, a son of Martin and Victoria (Vidovich) Svilich, both born in Dalmatia. The father was a shoemaker and the family lived on a farm. There were two sons in the family: Vincent was a rancher in Santa Clara County until he became blind and now lives in Oakland, and John, the sub- ject of this sketch. Early in life John began to work on farms about the home neighborhood, and before coming to the United States he was in the Austrian army for four years. When he arrived in America, in 1889, he first settled in Portland, Ore., and re- mained there for six months, then came to Santa Clara County. Cal. Four months of each season he spent in Washington and Oregon fishing in the Co- lumbia River district and during the winter worked on ranches and five years was thus consumed; then for four years more he worked on ranches in various parts of Santa Clara County and by good manage- ment and economy accumulated sufficient money to lease a twenty-acre farm on the Boity Road, and was engaged in fruit raising for eight years. In 1906 he purchased a twenty-acre ranch on the Homestead Road about one-half mile west of the Collins School; then he added five acres to his ranch bought from Mr. Calvert; later purchased ten acres adjoining in the D. C. Milligan subdivision. In 1919 hie bought the Wolff place of thirty-one acres, sixty-six acres in all, a full-bearing orchard devoted to prunes, apricots, peaches and cherries. He has his own irrigating plant and the water is piped to the different parts of his ranch, and with the best of cultivation, his ranch is paying a fine profit. He is also engaged in buying, drying and selling fruit to packers, while he ships cherries to Eastern markets.

Mr. Svilich was married in Lissa, Dalmatia, o11 November 15, 1884, to Miss Irene Mardisich, the daughter of Joseph and Frances (Bonomo) Mardisich, all natives of Dalmatia. Joseph Mardisich was a sol- dier in the Austrian army most of his life. Mrs. Svilich is the youngest of a family of three children: Mitchell, Antonette, who died in infancy, and Irene. She was reared and educated in her native place and has been an able helpmate to her husband, enconrag- ing and assisting him to gain his ambition. They have five living children and there are seven grand- children: Victoria is Mrs. Mariani, the wife of a rancher in the Cupertino district, who are now visit- ing the old home place in Dalmatia, they have four children-Winifred, Irene, Matilda and Panl; An- tonette is Mrs. Labrovich, the wife of a rancher on Fremont and Saratoga roads, and they have three children-Mary, Irene and Archibald: Joseph and William are assisting the father, while Peter is going

to school. Mr. Svilich has devoted his time to the cultivation and beantifying of his ranch and has brought it to a high state of development.

C. G. SPARGUR .- For many years a leading stockman of Modoc County, Cal., C. G. Spargur, has recently purchased a fine ranch home near Moun- tain View and with his wife are a welcome acqui- sition to the community. A native of Carson City, Nev., he was born on February 24, 1872, and when but a year old, his parents brought him to Modoc County, Cal., where he grew up and received his schooling. While in his early manhood he became interested in the cattle business, and by steady ap- plication to this line of work, became a large stock- man and farmer of Modoc County, his acreage final- ly aggregating 1460 acres of land and for years he kept from 500 to 600 head of cattle, raising them and marketing them in San Francisco. By hard work and intelligent planning, he prospered well. In 1917 he sold his property in Modoc County and

removed to San Francisco, where he resided until he purchased his ranch at Mountain View. Mrs. Spargur was Miss Dora Gray of Modoc County, and in September of 1920 they settled in Mountain View on their beautiful and highly improved twenty-acre ranch on the El Monte Road. There are ten acres in prune orchard and ten acres devoted to apri- cots and is located in one of the finest fruit and residence districts of the county. Mr. and Mrs. Spargur enjoy their beautiful country home, and enter heartily into the spirit of the community which is given to horticulture, rather than stockraising which they had engaged in in Modoc County, and find it an agreeable change. Mr. Spargur is a 32nd degree Mason, being a member of the lodge at Al- turas, Cal., and of the Consistory at San Jose, and with his wife belongs to the Eastern Star Chapter at Mountain View.

JULIUS H. RAINWATER .- As executive of the San Jose Council, Boy Scouts of America, Julius H. Rainwater is doing effective work in building up this branch of the organization, his natural qualifi- cations and broad experience well qualifying him for work of this character. He was born in Pittsfield, Pike County, Ill., December 2, 1887, a son of E. John and Anna (Foote) Rainwater. In the maternal line he is a descendant of Nathaniel Foote, who came from England to America between 1620 and 1625 and settled in the state of New York. The Rain- water family, also of English descent, originally settled at Savannah, Ga., later moving into Kentucky. During the Civil War the grandfather, E. J. Rain- water, cspoused the cause of the Union, made his way north and enlisted in an Illinois regiment, and served in the Civil War; he was captured and while a prisoner his death occurred. After the cessation of hostilities his widow moved with her family to Pike County, Ill., where her son, E. John, was reared and married.

In the acquirement of an education Julius H. Rain- water attended the grammar and high schools of Pittsfield, Ill., and Drake University of Des Moines, Iowa, after which he became a student at the Uni- versity of Chicago. When twenty-one years of age he became principal of the high school at Bondu- rant. Iowa, filling that position for two years, and in 1911 he was appointed by the South Park Com- missioners of Chicago as director of Ogden Park

John Svilish

Irene Svilich

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to which he gave his attention for seven years. In October, 1918, he was made field scout executive of the Chicago stockyards district, Boy Scouts of Amer- ica, in which connection he had charge of the activ- ities of forty troops of Boy Scouts, and in Angust of the following year he was transferred to the West Side district, being in command of 100 Scout troops. In October, 1920, he came to San Jose as executive of the San Jose Council, Boy Scouts of America, and is rapidly building up the organiza- tion here. At the time of his arrival there were four troops, with an active enrollment of 124, while there are now twelve troops and 425 Boy Scouts, all this being accomplished by Mr. Rainwater in less than a year and proving conclusively that nature has especially qualified him for work of this nature.

At Springfield, Ill., on September 6, 1911, Mr. Rainwater married Miss Florence Nitsche, a native of Chicago and a daughter of Fred C. and Laura (Tilling) Nitsche, the former a steam engineer. Mrs. Rainwater attended the grammar and high schools of Chicago and she is also a graduate of the Chi- cago Musical College. Three children have been born to them: Julius H., Jr., Genevieve and Ger- aldine. A man of high aspirations and ideals, Mr. Rainwater's ambition is to make the Boy Scouts a recognized department of prevocational education for boys and he is performing work of a most im- portant character, being connected with an organiza- tion which is instilling in the youth of the land a spirit of helpfulness, loyalty and patriotism destined to prove a great national asset in years to come.

JOE J. FERREIRA .- An experienced, successful orchardist who well represents the spirit of progress which has placed California in the lead in scientific agriculture, is Joe J. Ferreira, who was born on the Isle of Pico, in the Azores, on April 21, 1867. His father was Manuel J. Ferreira, one of a well- to-do family of farmers, stockmen and ranch own- ers; and his mother, before her marriage, was Miss Annie J. Rose. Of strong, moral character, Mr. Ferreira became a large factor in the building up of the fine home parish in which he died, full of years and honors, aged seventy-two, on March 24, 1888. Mrs. Ferreira came out to America and Cali- fornia and lived to a fine old age, passing away on August 18, 1916, at the home of our subject, while he still lived on Maybury Road.

Joe Ferreira had very little schooling, but he had the capacity to look far into the future, and with plenty of courage and faith in himself, he left home at the age of twenty-two and came out to America. Two brothers had preceded him hither, John E. having come eleven, and Manuel some seven years before. He at first made for Siskiyou County where he went to work in the mines for four years; and then he entered upon stockraising and general farming. Four years later, he returned to his Old World home to bring out to California the other members of the family; and on his once more set- tling in California, he purchased a farm in Sis- kiyou County.

On November 26, 1903, Mfr. Ferreira was married to Miss Mary Noya, who was born on the Island of Flores on June 22, 1886, the daughter of Joseph Noya, a quartz miner, and his wife, Mary. Mr. Noya passed away on April 24, 1920, honored by all who knew him. Eight children sprang from this union. Mary and Joseph are students; then

come Helen and Annie. Margaret and Tony are twins; and George is the youngest born, of those surviving. The last in the order of birth was Min- nic, and she died when two and a half months old.

In 1904 Mr. Ferreira purchased sixteen acres in the Campbell orchard district in the Santa Clara Valley and removed to this county; and three years later he sold his ranch and bought twenty-six acres of orchard on the Maybury Road. In 1914, he ac- quired forty acres of excellent soil on the Mc- Kee Road, and twenty-eight acres of this he has planted to French prunes, nine acres to pears, one acre to peaches, one to apples, and one to alfalfa.

Mr. and Mrs. Ferreira and family are devout members of the Church of the Five Wounds, at East San Jose, to the support of which they have donated generously. Mr. Ferreira was made a citi- zen of the United States some thirty years ago, while a resident of Siskiyou County, and having joined the ranks of the Republican party, he has ever since held himself ready to support any measures for the upbuilding of the town and county. He is a strong member of the C. P. & A,, and he also belongs to the U. P. E. C. and the I. D. E. S .; while Mrs. Ferreira is a member of the S. R. P. S. I., and the Ladies' Society of the Church of the Five Wounds.

GEORGE W. RYAN .- An experienced, successful rancher whose long years of arduous, intelligent labor have enabled him at last to retire in comfort, enjoying the confidence and esteem of all who know him, is George WV. Ryan, a native of Bethel, Clare- mont County, Ohio, where he was born on May 10, 1852. His father, Patrick Ryan, was a native of Ire- land, who came to the United States when a mere boy; he was a wagon-maker by trade, and he mar- ried Miss Ann Erwin, a devoted wife and an affec- tionate mother. Both died there.

George W. attended the grammar school at Bethel, learned telegraphing, became an operator and a sta- tion agent on the Wabash Railway, and afterwards studied at Oberlin College. At the age of nineteen he went to Shelby County, Illinois, and near Windsor he commenced farming. He raised excellent corn and stock, and continued there for eight years. In 1882 he moved to Pembina, Dakota Territory, and there he owned a farm but engaged in the banking business, continuing altogether eighteen years, and established banks at Crystal and Cavalier in Dakota and Hallock, Minnesota. In 1884 he moved to Spink County, now in South Dakota, and there he home- steaded land, proved up on it, and returned to Pem- bina. In the eighteen years in which our subject re- mained in Dakota, he acquired several thousand acres of land, which he devoted to grain and flax. There, too, he reared his family.

In 1900 he sold out and came to California, and for six years he lived in the Sacramento Valley. In 1906 he removed to San Jose, and he has lived here ever since, engaging in the real estate, insur- ance, and loaning business until 1920. He owns 235 acres in Placer County, Cal., a ranch devoted to plums, pears, peaches and grapes. He also is inter- ested in about 600 acres at Atwater devoted to peaches, almonds, pears, and apricots. Both of his ranches are well irrigated.

At Fairmount, Ill .. on December 1, 1881, Mr. Ryan was married to Miss Mary Short, a native of that place and the daughter of Thomas and Virginia

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

(Lanham) Short. She is a lineal descendant of the old Short family of Virginia, and is also related to the Lanhams. She was educated in the schools of Illinois, and has assisted in the education of three children of her own. Fred S. is a well-known phy- sician of San Jose, in the enjoyment of a large and constantly increasing practice. Clarissa Maud is at home, as is also Margaret C. Ryan.

Mr. Ryan is a Royal Arch Mason. He has today one of the finest homes of San Jose; but the reader will regret to learn that in 1920 he suffered a par- alytic stroke which has made it difficult for him to get about-a severe trial to one for so many years so active and industrious, and always so considerate of and attentive to the wants of others.

JOHN JAMES PEARD .- An honored veteran of the Civil War, with an enviable record for valiant service in that hard-fought conflict, John J. Peard has been a resident of Santa Clara County for close to half a century, witnessing its remarkable growth in the passing decades and contributing no small part to its development. He was born in New Brunswick, August 14, 1843, the son of Thomas and Frances (Lynch) Peard, natives of Ireland, who were Presbyterians in religion. The father was a shoemaker and when John J. was four years old the family moved to New York, which was the family home for a number of years. Later they came to California and here both parents died.

The youthful days of John J. Peard were spent at East Pembroke, N. Y., where he was educated in the public schools. When the Civil War broke out he was cager to give his services to his adopted country and left his books to enlist, September 5, 1862, in Company M, Ninth New York Heavy Ar- tillery, and served for three years; he was in many bitter engagements in that time, experiencing all of the hardships of warfare. Among the engage- ments in which he took part are the battles of Cold Harbor. Petersburg, Monocacy, Charleston, Ope- quam Creek, Cedar Creek, Petersburg, March 25 and April 2, 1865, Sailor's Creek, Appomattox, where he was present at the surrender of General Lee, April 9, 1865. He took part in the Grand Re- view at Washington, after which he was mustered out and honorably discharged, September 29, 1865, having attained the rank of second lieutenant. In 1866 he came to California, locating at Dunning. Yolo County, where he followed ranching for several years. Early in the '70s he came to Santa Clara County and purchased his ranch on Hamilton Avc- nue and he still owns five acres which are set to a fine orchard, devoted to prunes, cherries and apri- cots. This has been his home ever sinec and he is now one of the oldest residents in this section.

Mr. Peard was married at San Francisco in 1910 to Miss Jennie Brock, a native of Toronto, Canada, an accomplished woman, who was reared and educated in New York City. She presides gracefully over his home and has ever been an able helpmate. A stanch Republican, Mr. Peard has always taken an active in- terest in the affairs of that party, and he has been very prominent in the ranks of the G. A. R., being a member of Bennett Post, G. A. R., in San Jose. He is a past commander of both Sheridan-Dix and Bennett Posts.

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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 220

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