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 231

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 231

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In the public schools of Bates County, Charles R. Smith pursned his education. He continued to live with his foster parents until his marriage and in 1890 came with his bride to California, settling at Los Gatos, and subsequently had charge of the F. F. Britton ranch of 115 acres at Gilroy. Upon this property he set out an orchard of prunes, apri- cots and peaches, continuing its cultivation for four years, when he came to San Jose, in 1894, and pur- chased a fifteen-acre tract of undeveloped land near the old Agnew stock farm. He engaged in the raising of fruit and made many improvements upon the place, including the erection of a good home. While improving this land to a prune and apricot orchard he also turned his attention to well drill- ing, in which line he has been active for twenty- seven years. He has two sets of hand tools and one gasoline power rotary machine and has built up a large business in the Santa Clara Valley, also operating in the San Joaquin Valley. Owing to the excellence of his work his services are in constant demand and he has drilled the 300-foot, ten-inch well for the St. James Hotel and he also bored a deep well for the Twohy Building, this be- coming a flowing well when completed.

In Cedar County, Mo., on February 28, 1889, Mr. Smith married Miss Minnie Sellers, a native of Kan-

sas and a daughter of William Sellers, a farmer by occupation. She accompanied her parents on their removal to Bates County, Mo., where she was reared and educated, and previous to her marriage she en- gaged in teaching school in that county. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have become the parents of three sons: Harry R. and James Oliver, who are associated with their father in business; and Roy M., who is connected with the Southern Pacific Railroad Com- pany. All three of the sons served in the World War and Roy M. served overseas in the Second Ammunition Train.

Mr. Smith gives his political allegiance to the Re- publican party and is well informed concerning the questions and issues of the day. His career has been marked by steady advancement, due to his close application to his study of the business to which he has turned his attention and his unquestioned re- liability and integrity.

LELAND J. SQUIRES .- Prominent among the experienced railroad men of the Pacific Coast to whom the public owes so much for the safe- ty and conveniences of modern travel, is Le- land J. Squires, the efficient and popular train de- spatcher of the Peninsular Railroad Company. A native son in more or less natural touch with Cali- fornia conditions from his childhood, he was born at Oakland on December 13, 1884, the son of George D. Squires, who first came to California in 1872. In the beginning he was employed in the U. S. Mint in San Francisco and then for years he was a re- porter on the chief papers of San Francisco, the Bulletin, Call and Chronicle, so that he remained a newspaperman until 1895. Later, he studied law, and he is still a practicing attorney in San Fran- cisco and has been active as a Republican. He had married Miss Minnie Gabrell, a woman of enviable accomplishments, but she is now deceased.

Leland attended the public school of Woodside, and then he learned the printer's trade. In 1909 he came to San Jose, entering the employ of the Peninsular Railroad and he has been with this company for eleven years. He worked for three years as a con- ductor, and then he was advanced to his present po- sition, that of train despatcher. Since identifying himself with railroad work, he has songht to mas- ter every detail, and with the result that his knowl- edge and its conscientions application, his fidelity and unselfish service have given satisfaction alike to the patrons and officials of the road.

At Pacific Grove, on October 26, 1910, Mr. Squires was married to Miss Lenora Mosher, a native of Palo Alto, and a fit companion for so busy and am- bitions a man. Mr. and Mrs. Squires attend the Baptist Church. Mr. Squires belongs to the Inde- pendent Order of Foresters, in which he is very ac- tive and he is a district deputy. There is but one court here, with a membership of about 300, and it will not be Mr. Squires' fault if that member- ship is not soon increased to 500. Both Mr. and Mrs. Squires are public-spirited, deeply interested in Santa Clara County and its future, and both did good war work. Mr. Squires was active as a commit- tee man on the War Work Council for Santa Clara County, and he is just as busy and efficient, when his services are demanded, in boosting the programs of the Chamber of Commerce.

J. & Pachino

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

JAMES ELWIN PERKINS-Broad experience as a builder has well qualified James Elwin Perkins for the conduct of his present business as a building contractor and his thorough knowledge of the trade, combined with his reliable and progressive business methods, have won for him a large share of the pat- ronage of the public. He was born at Stetson, near Bangor, Maine, April 22, 1871, a son of Joseph H. and Emma (Randall) Perkins, the former also a native of the Pine Tree State, while the latter was born in New Hampshire, both being representatives of old and prominent New England families. The father followed the sea for many years, acting as second mate on an ocean-going vessel. He passed away at the age of sixty-six years and the mother afterward removed to Lynn, Mass., and in the gram- mar schools of that city her son, James E. Perkins. acquired his education. In 1888 he removed with his mother and stepfather, Henry Damon, to San Jose, Cal., learning the carpenter trade under Mr. Damon. He then followed his trade, working ten years for Mrs. Winchester, after which he became foreman for Z. O. Field, a prominent Santa Clara County con- tractor, being in charge of the construction of the Y. M. C. A. building, the Alum Rock Natatorium, the Horace Mann School building, the Christian and Methodist Churches and other public edifices. After seven years as foreman, he severed his connection with Mr. Field to enter the building field on his own account and is now specializing in the construction of first-class bungalows. Long experience enables him to intelligently direct the labors of those whom he employs and he uses none but the best of mater- ials, erecting substantial as well as attractive dwell- ings. He displays sound judgment in the manage- ment of his interests and his business has enjoyed a rapid growth, so that he now ranks with the leading building contractors of San Jose. His operations are not alone confined to San Jose and vicinity, but he has also constructed residences in Los Gatos, Santa Cruz and Hollister.

Mr. Perkins resides with his mother, who is still vigorous and active at the age of seventy-eight years. They own two residences on Thirty-fourth and Santa Clara Streets, where they make their home. Mr. Perkins built one of the first houses in this district, being one of the first to purchase lots on Alum Rock Avenue. A Republican in politics, he is identified with the Good Fellows Lodge, No. 1, of San Jose. Hc is a member of the Builders Exchange and the Chan- ber of Commerce also receives his support. Through- out his career he has closely applied himself to the work in hand and as the years have passed has gained that expert knowledge which makes him an authority in his line of work.

FLOYD A. PARTON .- Prominent among the most interesting, because most promising young men of important business affairs in Santa Clara County may well be mentioned Floyd A. Parton, bond and investment broker, associated with Mitchum, Tully & Company, the well-known investment firm of San Francisco, who are correspondents of Kidder, Pca- body & Company of New York; himself identified with Santa Clara County and San Jose since 1895. He was born in Waitsburg, Wash., on March 25, 1886, the son of Frank Parton, a flour miller, presi- dent of the Preston, Parton Milling Company of

Walla Walla, which had a branch at Waitsburg and catered to both that state and the entire Northwest. He passed away in 1893, while he was mayor of Waitsburg, especially honored in Masonic circles. He had married Miss Lucy Morgan, an accomplished lady who belonged to one of the most highly-es- teemed families in Washington, and when he died she took their three children and moved to California, settling in 1895 at San Jose. She was a good mother, and our subject passed a boyhood brightened throughi a happy home and numerous educational advantages.

At San Jose, Floyd commenced his schooling in the grammar grades, after which he went through the high school, from which he graduated in 1905. Naturally studious, and able to both hold his own and assume leadership among students, he next matriculated at Stanford University, which became his Alma Mater when he bade adieu to the halls of learning with the class of '09, and once shoulder to shoulder with the world, he entered the employ of the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company, in whose service he remained for over seven years, leaving them only when he had attained to the dis- trict traffic superintendency of the San Jose division.

For a while Mr. Parton was vice-president of the Wilson Candy Company, a wholesale manufacturing concern of Palo Alto and Fresno, which served both Santa Clara and San Joaquin valleys; but in the spring of 1919 he established himself in the general insurance and investment brokerage. The activities of Mitchum, Tully & Company, already referred to, embrace the Pacific Coast states in the distribution of conservative investment securities, providing for the public an investment service of the most con- structive character. They are correspondents and representatives of Messrs. Kidder, Peabody & Com- pany of Boston and New York, and on the Pacific Coast they reflect the conservative character of that long-established concern in the New England and Empire states. The policies of these two companies are identical, and are always conceived along lines of high ideals and conservativeness, for Kidder, Pea- body & Company's position in the financial world is the result of long, honest and industrious effort on the part of men endowed with keen foresight and, all in all, pronounced ability. Mitchum, Tully & Company are made up of California men, promi- nently identified for years with financial and invest- ment circles, and Mr. Parton's part in extending the connections of the firm is highly creditable.

At San Jose, on March 20, 1911, Mr. Parton was married to Miss Wilna Andrews, the daughter of W. C. Andrews, a pioneer of San Jose, president of the Farmers' Union and director of First National Bank, who married Miss Ada Cooper, a native of Petaluma. Sonoma County, and a member of a pioneer family who came out to California in early days. Two children have been born to them, the elder, Elizabeth Parton, died at the age of eight years, and the younger is William Andrews Parton. Both Mr. and Mrs. Parton are very popular in the social circles of San Jose, and Mr. Parton enjoys prominence as a fraternal man. He is a Knights Templar Mason, and he is also a member of the B. P. O. Elks, in which organization he takes a very active part. He belongs to the Lions Club, the Com- mercial Club, Chamber of Commerce, the Country

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Club, and San Jose Tennis Club. He is active in athletics, holding the county tennis championship from 1909 to 1912; since that time he has been prominent in golf circles. In national politics he is a stanch Republican; but he never allows partisan- ship to interfere with his loyal support, as a good "booster," of the best men and the best measures.

JAMES ROGER McCHESNEY .- Prominent in the educational and financial world before coming to California, James Roger McChesney has been the vice-president and manager of the Rucker-McChes- ney Company since December 1, 1915, this being one of San Jose's leading firms in the realty and insur- ance field. Mr. McChesney was born in Lafayette County, Mo., April 15, 1872, his parents being Wil- liam King and Julia Frances McChesney, both par- ents being natives of Washington County, Va. The father, who settled in Lafayette County, Mo., in 1858, served in the Confederate Army.

The public schools of Missouri furnished Mr. Mc- Chesney's early education, and he later attended the University of Missouri, graduating there with the degree of B. A. in 1906; he had also studied at the University of California in 1902. Before begin- ning his university course he had already entered the profession of teaching in 1889, and for four years taught in the public schools of Missouri; the next seven years he held the responsible post of president of Odessa College, at Odessa, Mo. Next he was superintendent of the schools of Hamburg, Ark., for eight years, thus giving nineteen years of splendid service to educational work; he was also school ex- aminer of Ashley County, Ark., for a short time, and still holds state life teacher's certificates in Missouri and Arkansas.

Leaving the pedagogical field, Mr. McChesney en- tered the world of finance, and for six years was cashier and director of the Bank of Seiling, at Seil- ing, Okla. Coming from there to California, on December 1, 1915, Mr. McChesney purchased the insurance and rent business of the Rucker Realty Company, which at that time was incorporated as the Rucker-McChesney Company, Mr. McChesney becoming vice-president and general manager of the company. The Rucker Company was established in 1874, and thus is one of the oldest firms in its line in the Santa Clara Valley. Its founder was Joseph E. Rucker, a California pioneer, who came to the Golden State in 1852, and who passed away in 1890. In 1883 he took his son, Joseph H. Rucker into partnership with him, and in 1901 the firm was in- corporated as Joseph H. Rucker & Company, popu- larly known as the Rucker Realty Company.

At Odessa, Mo., Mr. McChesney was married to Miss Minnie Alice Gammon, on December 26, 1894, a talented woman of congenial tastes, who was for several years engaged in teaching in Missouri and Arkansas. Her parents were William T. and Eliza- beth A. Gammon, the father holding the rank of Colonel in Stonewall Jackson's army during the Civil War. They are members of the Presbyterian Church and active in all its good works. Mr. Mc- Chesney was an elder in the Presbyterian Church in Missouri and Arkansas of the U. S., popularly known as the Southern Presbyterian Church for twelve years, and in the Presbyterian Church of the U. S. A. in Oklahoma and San Jose for ten years, and twice

was sent as commissioner to the General Assembly of the church. For many years a Mason, Mr. Mc- Chesney was senior warden and later worshipful master of Prairie Lodge No. 465, F. & A. M., Ham- burg, Ark., and king, Olive Chapter No. 12, R. A. M., of Hamburg. While a Democrat in national policies, Mr. McChesney is inclined to be independent in his views, where local measures are concerned.

JOHN ANDERSON .- A well-known figure in the business life of San Jose, is John Anderson, one of the early settlers, who is a dealer in staple and fancy groceries, provisions of all kinds, wood and coal, and mill blocks. Having been a resident for forty-six years and engaged in business for over thirty-five years in San Jose, he has witnessed the marvelous growth of the city from a small village to an up-to-date, hustling city of 50,000 population. Mr. Anderson was born at Ollov near Engelholm, Sweden, May 29, 1858. His parents, Christian and Christine Anderson, were thrifty farmers and were the owners of a good-sized farm, and John, the second oldest son, grew up in the ways of farming and gained a knowledge of those qualities which make both a good farm and a good farmer. He gained what education he received in the schools of Sweden, and at the age of sixteen he decided to come to America in 1875, where he joined his brother, Niels, who had preceded him some time. Arriving in San Jose he lost no time in finding a place to work and took a place as a farm hand. Con- tinuing for a year and a half, he went to Castor- ville, Monterey County, and was employed for an- other year and a half on a dairy ranch. He next joined a gang of hay balers and worked on a hay press for two years, then with a San Francisco meat packing company he spent another two years as a butcher. Returning to San Jose, in 1885, he kept a hotel for two years, becoming the proprietor of the Old Scandinavian Exchange Hotel which was lo- cated on Post Street in San Jose, and later was the owner of a restaurant. He continued in different lines of business until the year of 1900, when he started in the grocery business which still engages his attention. His store is located at 253 West San Carlos Street and here he and his son Howard can be found daily waiting on their numerous custo- mers. Mr. Anderson now owns the corner where his store building stands, also a comfortable frame residence located adjoining at 357 West San Carlos Street where he and his family make their home.

Mr. Anderson's marriage, which occurred July 12, 1884, at San Jose, united him with Miss Johanna Johnson, a sweetheart of his boyhood days, who was also born in Ollov, Sweden. They were school- children together and their married life has been one of harmony. Mrs. Anderson became the parents of a family of eight children, three of whom died when very young and one, Carl, passed away at the age of twenty-one years; Annie is the wife of Charles R. Berry, a stationer in San Francisco; Hilda be- came the wife of M. E. Pedler and resides at Pen- ryn, Cal .; Jeannette is at home; Howard helps his father run the store and also resides at home. Al- though Mr. Anderson is now sixty-three years old he is a man of rugged health and as hard-working as ever. He and his wife take a live interest in the community's welfare and to them there is no spot cqual to Santa Clara County. Mr. Anderson is a

Lauk .HoyX

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

member of the Grocers, Wood and Coal Dealers, and other trade associations of San Jose, and also of the San Jose Chamber of Commerce, the Knights of Pythias, the Druids, and the Druids Circle, the Swedish lodge of San Jose. In religious faith, he is an active member of the Swedish Lutheran Church in San Jose to which he gives both of his time and means. Politically, he is a Republican.

FRANK L. HOYT .- An enterprising general con- tractor and building engineer who is widely known for his many successful operations in various parts of California, some of which have been carried out on a bold scale, is Frank L. Hoyt, of San Jose. He was born near Saratoga Springs, N. Y., on Septem- ber 12, 1880, the son of Able Hoyt, who was a suc- cessful farmer and who died in the East. He had married Miss Elizabeth Grinnell, who came to Cali- fornia after her husband's death and spent her re- maining years here. They were a worthy couple, and each enjoyed that priceless blessing, a circle of devoted, friends.

Frank L. Hoyt attended the schools of his rural district, and when he went to Wisconsin, he pursued the courses of a first-class high school at White- water and was in time graduated with honors. Hc was then fifteen years of age and he had been ap- prenticed for two years to the carpenter's trade. He then completed the millwright and flour mill- ing trades, and afterwards operated and remodeled some of the largest flour mills in the Northwest, and then he studied civil engineering. Next he traveled through the Northwest and in 1901 came to California.

From 1903 until 1913 he was in business in San Francisco and Santa Rosa where he erected many large buildings, and in 1913 he removed to San Jose and here he has since been engaged in the contracting business. He designed and erected, among other edifices, the plants of the Herbert Packing Company, Inc., Shaw Family, Inc., California Pack- ing Corporation, at Seventh and Jackson streets, and also built additions to their C. F. & C. A. plant, the Temple Laundry Company's plant, the potash plant of the Western Industries Company, at Agnew, the Pacific By-Products Company plant and the building for the Muirson Label and Carton Company, on Stockton Avenue, are examples of his workmanship as well as the refrigerating plants for the Security Warehouse and Cold Storage Company, on North First Street at the S. P. depot, and he designed and built the Santa Clara County Walnut Growers Asso- ciation plant at Santa Clara. He has done much re- frigeration work for the Security Company, George Le Deit, the Crystal Gold Nugget Butter Company, A. G. Col, J. F. Pyle & Son, Inc., O'Brien's, Sara- toga Market and others. Mr. Hoyt designed and constructed the Homer Knowles Pottery Company's plant at Santa Clara, for manufacture of hotel and dinner ware. This is the only plant of its kind on the Pacific Coast and he is a stockholder and a director in this concern. He also erected, among many others, the fine residences for Mrs. J. E. Fisher, H. J. Martin, Frank Howorth, M. F. Ball, J. Q. Patton, Mrs. F. H. Ryan, and the business blocks for O'Brien & McCabe and R. M. Lipe, as well as many other important structures. Mr. Hoyt specializes on industrial plants and is a large em- ployer of labor, keeping from twenty to 150 mechan-

ies busy on an average, the year round. In 1919 he purchased the controlling interest in the San Jose Brick Company and is now the president and general manager of the company.

On January 1, 1906, Mr. Hoyt was united in mar- riage with Miss Leah Louise Barrows, and they have one son, Frank Louis Hoyt. Mrs. Hoyt was born in Colorado and is a daughter of J. W. Bar- rows, a railroad builder, having been connected with the Denver & Rio Grande; the Northwestern Pacific and the Western Pacific, and now is roadmaster of the Nevada County Narrow Gauge. The Hoyt fam- ily attend the First Baptist Church in San Jose, of which Mr. Hoyt was president of the board of trustees for eight years. He is a member of the Rotary Club, is a Thirty-second degree Scottish Rite Mason and a Shriner; he is a Republican and is serving on the Civil Service Commission. Ranching appeals to him for recreation and he owns 154 acres on the San Felipe Road, which is devoted to diversified production. He is a firm believer and keenly interested in all that affects the destiny of Santa Clara County and the State of California and he can be counted upon to do his full share in helping to promote all worthy movements.

WILLIAM B. HEIMGARTNER. - A native Ohioan, who had enjoyed an interesting career as an editor before coming to California, William B. Heim- gartner has turned his talents to the fruit and poul- try business and is making just as outstanding a suc- cess in this newer field of work. He was born at Dayton, Ohio, August 8, 1877, and there attended the public schools until the time came for him to make his own way in the world. He then entered the print shop of a newspaper and his diligent work there took him up to the editorship of the paper before he came to California in 1900. A serious illness had made it necessary for him to seek a milder climate and after traveling the length and breadth of the state, he finally settled at Madrone in the Santa Clara Valley, the equable climate there making it especially desirable to him.

In 1904, Mr. Heimgartner had so regained his health that he entered the newspaper business at Morgan Hill, acquiring at the same time a poultry business which was conducted in conjunction with his orchard property at Madrone. He was a breeder of high-grade utility stock and also operated a hatchery. After renaming his paper the Morgan Hill Times, Mr. Heimgartner published and edited until 1906, when he sold out, being succeeded in its pro- prietorship by Attorney G. K. Estes of Morgan Hill. Removing to Los Angeles, he established the job printing business known as the Dayton Printery and for the next four years he conducted a large and successful business there.

While in Los Angeles, Mr. Heimgartner was mar- ried to Miss Anna Hoefler, who was, like himself, a native of Dayton, Ohio, but who had been a resident of California four years previous to her marriage. Two sons have been born to them, Wil- liam B. and Franklin L. Mrs. Heimgartner, whose girlhood years were spent in Dayton, was educated at the Notre Dame Academy there, Upon return- ing to Santa Clara County in 1910, Mr. Heimgart- ner, with a partner, Mr. Noll. entered once more in the poultry business, this time more extensively than ever, and they now have several thousand birds in their flock and they also maintain a modern, up-

Leo.B. Burdick

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

Pedro of San Jose: Antone, William, Anna, now Mrs. Manuel Hendricks of San Jose; John, Frank, Henry, Carrie, who married Joseph Hendricks of San Jose, and Minnie and Louis.

Joseph remained at home working with his father for seven years, but he commenced to make his own way by hard labor when he was fifteen. After that he was in the employ of G. L. Downing and he con- tinued with him until he was able to buy, in 1920, a farm of eighty acres, one-fourth of which he devoted to the cultivation of fruit. These eighty acres, ad- joining Downing and Calaveras roads, are a part of the historic Downing Ranch.

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History of Santa Clara County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 231

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