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 79

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 79

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Five children were born to Pierre and Mfrs. Pel- lier. Louis died at the age of sixteen. Henriette is the subject of this story and was educated at Notre Dame College. Helene, now deceased, became the wife of P. Prudhomme and the mother of four children. Elise is the widow of Leon Renaud and mother of eight children, and resides at Evergreen. Josephine, who is Mrs. Mitchell Casalegno, is the mother of six children, and the happy family re- side at Morgan Hill.

Henriette Pellier was reared at the old rancho home, and in 1880 married her first husband, Pe- ter H. Mirassou, a native of France, who migrated to America in 1878-a man of strong moral char- acter who was very resourceful. They had five children. Denise is now Mrs. Enos Bechis, and she resides with her two children at Oakdale, on their 200 acres of orchard. Peter Mirassou has a vineyard of 100 acres at Evergreen and lives there with his wife and two children. Theresa, now Mrs. John Bidou, has two children and lives at Prune- dale. Herman Mirassou and wife live on Cypress Avenue, with their four children; he is an orchard- ist. John Mirassou is a rancher on the McLough- lin Road. Mr. Mirassou passed away early in 1889 at Evergreen.

Her second marriage was to Thomas Casalegno, in July, 1890, and they remained on the old place till 1909, and where Mrs. Casalegno had lived for fifty years. The family then removed to Oakdale, where Mr. Casalegno, who had emigrated from Italy to America in 1885, proved successful as a rancher and business man. They resided at Oakdale for ten years and recently they removed to San Jose, in which hospitable city, at 155 South Twelfth street, they dispense a cordial welcome to their friends. The family belongs to St. Patrick's Parish Cath- olic Church. Mr. Casalegno has been successfully engaged in orcharding since he first pitched his tent in the Santa Clara Valley in 1905; and in his arduous work, prosecuted according to the last word of science and with most modern methods and up- to-date apparatus, he has been ably assisted by his family. Their eldest child, Annette, is the wife of S. Mondo of Oakdale; Celestine is at home, and Thomasine is the wife of M. Mondo, and resides at Ripon, in San Joaquin County.

472

HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

JEREMIAH D. CASEY-An early settler of Santa Clara County where he lives retired from active business, Jeremiah D. Casey, more familiarly known as "Jerry," was born in County Roscommon, Ireland, December 28, 1834. Mr. Casey's ancestors belonged to an early English family, who were people of ster- ling integrity and on account of which, they were en- trusted and put in charge of the extensive estates belonging to the Crown of England.

At the age of nineteen, Mr. Casey left the paternal roof, and embarking for America, landed in New York in 1853. His first work was that of farm laborer. Not being content with this line of work, he removed to Brooklyn, New York, where he was employed by a dairy company for a number of years. With the characteristic industry and thrift of his forbears, he had accumulated sufficient money to take him to California and in 1863 he arrived in San Francisco, where he stopped for a short time and worked in a dairy near the city. In 1865 he came down to Santa Clara County and this has been his home ever since. Purchasing sixteen cows for $1600, he delivered milk to the residents of Almaden Hill. The first piece of property he bought was seven acres for $500 from John McDonald. To this he added in 1871, a tract of 169 aeres from Mrs. Dunn, for which he paid $6,000, making 176 acres in all. With his younger brother, John Casey, as a working partner, about 1874, he bought 770 acres near the Almaden mines and this was devoted to the raising of stock and a dairy by the brothers until their partnership was dis- solved, when John took over the stock and the hill ranch as his portion, Jerry keeping the 176 acres. John sold out later to Steve Cannon and in 1885 he died, unmarried. It was about 1876 that our subject negotiated for the Elwood ranch of 120 acres and this gave him 296 aeres of good land and it has been known as the Casey Ranch ever since and was operated by Mr. Casey with good success until he retired in 1910, when he leased the property and came to reside in San Jose. He made a specialty of raising horses and cattle, and through his close attention to business he was able to retire with a competency.

On August 15, 1877. Mr. Casey married Miss Susan Gallagher, of Massachusetts, who was also an early settler of California, having removed from there in the year of 1866. Mr. and Mrs. Casey reside at 376 Park Avenue, San Jose, where they are satisfied to spend their remaining days. In religious views the accepted faith of the family is that of the Catholic Church and they are ardent supporters of its teach- ings. Mr. Casey is respected and honored throughout the community in which he resides and has been counted among the publie spirited citizens of the county where he is now one of its oldest residents.

JOHN W. SULLIVAN .- A native son of Califor- nia who has chosen the professional life of an at- torney for his career and who has held a number of positions of responsibility in the city of San Jose, is John W. Sullivan, who was born on August 15, 1864. San Jose being his birthplace. He was the son of Patrick and Elizabeth (O'Sullivan) Sulli- van, who came to California during the carly days of 1860. It was pioneers, such as these, who helped in the building of this great commonwealth and through their indomitable courage and work made possible all the comforts and luxuries that the pres-

ent generation now enjoys. Both parents passed to their reward some time ago.

John W. Sullivan received his education in the public schools of San Jose, graduating from the grammar school and then entering the State Nor- mal; he also graduated from that institution May 22, 1884, and taught school for a number of years, studying law in the meantime. He was admitted to the bar on May 4, 1886, and practiced law in San Jose for awhile and then went to Los Angeles, and San Fernando, where he taught school for a year. Going on to San Diego he entered the law firm of Hunsaker and Britt, remaining with them a year. The next three years were spent in Mexico and on his return he went to Plumas County and taught school for two years. He then ran for the of- fice of district attorney during the election of 1894. but was defeated and returning to San Jose in the fall of 1894 again began practicing law and has since given his time to the legal profession. He served as city attorney of San Jose during the years of 1912-14 under the administration of Mayor Monahan.

Mr. Sullivan's marriage, which occurred on May 7, 1904, united him with Miss Jane Ruger, and they are the parents of four children: John, Jane, Henry and Sophia.

Nearly all of Mr. Sullivan's life has been spent in Santa Clara County and all of his energy and enthusiasm has been given to its development, com- mercially, socially and morally. He is well and fa- vorably known and has a large clientele, maintain- ing offices in the Ryland Building. He has been president of the Santa Clara County Bar Associa- tion for the past two years and is a member of the State Bar Association and also of San Jose Parlor No. 22, Native Sons of the Golden West, of which he is a past president.

FREDERICK C. BURRELL .- A far-seeing, ex- ceptionally enterprising and progressive rancher is Frederick C. Burrell, whose enviable success is un- doubtedly due to much self-denial practiced in the beginning, in order to well establish himself, and to untiring diligence and sensible administration of his affairs in order to keep things running smoothly and expanding ever since. He is a native son, born in historic Gilroy on September 26, 1857, the son of Edward Burrell, a native of Clyde, Wayne County, N. Y., who came to California, by way of the Isth- mus, in 1849, mined for a time, and then, having con- cluded that the Golden State offered excellent oppor- tunities for young men, went back to Illinois, where he had originally prepared for his California expedi- tion, and there, at Plainfield, married Miss Louisa Hannibal. She was a native of England, and was brought out to the States and Illinois by her parents when she was two years old. As a wedding journey, Edward Burrell and his bride set out for California in an ox-team train; and during their trip of six months, they met many exciting. as well as interest- ing, experiences. The same train included the parents of Mrs. Burrell, so that they had as merry a party as could then be formed.

The Burrells settled, first at Gilroy and then at Pacheco Pass, where they were extensively engaged in raising sheep; and finally the family moved to a ranch of 103 acres south of Alviso, and there Edward Burrell set out thirty aeres of orchard, and in course of time endured the usual hard and trying exper- iences confronting the pioneer rancher and fruit

Gerry basey

475

HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

raiser. And, having merited the esteem of everyone who knew them on account of their intelligent methods of procedure, their hard and honest work, their fair and square and kindly dealings with others. Mr. Burrell died on the ranch north of San Jose, and Mrs. Burrell died in Santa Clara. Of their family of nine children, three are living. Frederick C .. Mrs. Eltha Parmer and Mrs. Edith Parmer, both residents of Santa Clara.

Frederick C. Burrell, who was destined so worthily to represent these intrepid, worthy pioneer-parents. was sent to the public schools at Alviso, and later, having matriculated at the College of the Pacific, was duly graduated with honors as a member of the class of '79. He then took up teaching as a profession, and for five years taught in various places, in the latter part of the period succeeding Judge P. F. Gosbey as principal of the Alviso School. At the end of these first five years, Mr. Burrell was given a state educational certificate entitling him to teach for six years more in California without further ex- aminations or credentials; but by this time he had concluded that he could render society a greater ser- vice in other fields. While teaching, he had bought eleven acres of raw land south of Alviso, and he now began its development.

He did almost all the work himself, and practiced many self-denials in order to get his land paid for; and in the arduous work of setting out fruit trees and berry plants and bushes, he experienced many discouragements such as would have induced others with less vision and fortitude to throw up the sponge. But, little by little, he succeeded and gradually as he progressed he added to his holdings, until he had forty-four acres, thirty of which he had set out to fruit trees. He made this place his home, too, and as he further prospered, he bought the William Erkson ranch of ninety-seven acres, and undertook to develop this tract from its raw state, also putting out another thirty acres of orchard here. These tracts he still owns, as well as the old home ranch of 103 acres, which he purchased from his father's estate, so that with this additional thirty acres of or- chard, he has, all in all, some ninety acres of fine orchard, while the balance of his land he devotes to general ranching.

Mr. Burrell has certainly made a decided financial, as well as a scientific, success of his agricultural ef- forts, but to do this. he has had to work very hard and to deny himself many pleasures. Often, for ex- ample. when the markets were unstable, he has had to sell the choicest of pears for twenty-five cents per box, and in addition was compelled to haul them to market. Pears, apples and berries have been his principal fruits; and if, at times, he realized far less in market-price for his products than the labor and worry would justly entitle him to get. he has had the satisfaction of knowing that he not only produced some of the finest fruit in Santa Clara County. for the enjoyment of humanity somewhere, but by such conscientious and highly intelligent methods as he had always employed, after the most careful study of conditions and the latest results of science, he has contributed much to the advancement of California horticulture.

At Santa Clara. on July 14. 1896, Mr. Burrell was united in marriage with Miss Myrtle B. Willis, a native of Visalia and the daughter of J. T. and Mabel

(Bennett) Willis, both Kentuckians, who came to California-Mr. Willis arriving here as early as 1852. He became a prominent rancher and stockraiser, and did his share to develop California. The families of Bennett and Willis settled in Tulare County, and there Mrs. Willis died, whereupon Mr. Willis removed to a small ranch near Agnew, in 1893, living there, practically retired, until his death. Two of his chil- dren survive him-Mrs. Burrell and her brother, H. C. Willis, also of San Jose. Four children have been granted Mr. and Mrs. Burrell: Chester Alton was graduated from Stanford University in 1919, and dur- ing the World War he took the training in the R. O. T. C. there. Clyde Everett graduated from the Davis Agricultural School in 1920, and also trained with the R. O. T. C. at Stanford. The other two sons are Kenneth Ray and Howard Russell.

In 1910 Mr. Burrell removed to San Jose and built a fine modern house at 196 South Eighth Street, giving every attention to the details of the structure and attaining exceptional results, and there, amidst the comforts he has so justly earned, he is living happily with his family, although he still continues to give his personal supervision to his agricultural enterprises. In matters of national political concern, he marches with the Republican legions, but he is too broad-minded, when it comes to purely local is- sues, to be partisan, and is among the first to endorse and support what seem to be the best men and the best measures for the communities in which he lives and thrives. He is a member of the San Jose Cham- ber of Commerce, and with Mrs. Burrell is an active, devoted member of the Baptist Church of Santa Clara. Mrs. Burrell, in addition, is a member of the Women's Christian Temperance Union, and has for years found pleasure in advancing its work and making known its helpful ideals.

WILLIAM HENRY CHRISMAN .- As one of a large number of men who have found business opportunities in the county of Santa Clara, and in turn have endeavored to promote the commercial de- velopment of this portion of California, mention be- longs to William Henry Chrisman, who with his brother Walter L., under the firm name of Chris- man Bros., owns the oldest wood, coal and hay establishment in the valley. This county is also his birthplace. having been born here December 12, 1867. a son of Josiah and Mary (Britton) Chris- man; both early pioneers of California, coming here in 1864; the mother passed away in 1916, but Mr. Chrisman is still living at the age of 80 years.

In 1872 the family removed to San Mateo Coun- ty and there William Henry Chrisman was edu- cated in the public schools of San Mateo. Dur- ing the year of 1888, when he had reached his ma- jority, he established himself in business in San Jose, as a partner with an uncle, J. H. Chris- man, dealing in hay, in which business he has continued successfully through the years of his resi- dence here. The firm of Chrisman Bros. was es- tablished in July, 1893, when W. L. bought into the firm. and they are members of the Chamber of Commerce and the Merchants' Association of San Jose. Fraternally W. H. is a Mason, and belongs to Islam Temple of San Francisco and is a Knight of Pythias and an Odd Fellow. Politically he is a Republican.

476

HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

Mr. Chrisman's marriage September 9, 1896, unit- ed him with Miss Alice Hobson, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas M. Hobson, the Hobson family being among the oldest pioneers of the valley. Mr. and Mrs. Chrisman have two sons, Herman, a senior in Stanford University; Norman Ellsworth, attending the San Jose high school. In religious belief, Mr. Chris- man is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, while his wife belongs to the Episcopal Church. Mr. Chrisman is a true lover of the great outdoors and is extremely fond, of fishing. He has always been interested in the advancement of his community, is progressive and enjoys the esteem of many friends and business associates.

HOMER KNOWLES .- Prominent among the new-comers in Santa Clara whose natural ability. record for professional and social accomplishments, and promise of future value to the community, have contributed to assure them the warmest welcome, are Mr. and Mrs. Homer Knowles, the former an expert in the pottery trade, and the latter distin- quished as a direct descendant of John Marshall, ex-Chief Justice of the United States. Mr. Knowles was born on July 6, 1884, and grew up at East Liverpool, Ohio, and he was educated at Trinity School, in New York City, at the Peekskill Mili- tary Academy, and at St. Paul's College, in New York. He finished his education by traveling in Europe, seeing the Old World extensively; for he was fortunate in an affectionate, cultured and in- dulgent mother. She was Ida Stockdale before her marriage; and she was born at Georgetown, Pa., the daughter of the president of the Dollar Savings Bank, at Pittsburgh, and president of the Pitts- burgh & Cincinnati Packet Company. In 1900, Mr. Knowles came to California for six months to look around; and today finds him settled in one of the most progressive cities, the leading pottery manu- facturer of California.

On August 27. 1902, Mr. Knowles was married to Miss Alma Marshall, a daughter of Attorney E. D. Marshall, of Chester, W. Va., who has recently settled in Santa Clara; and this fortunate union has been blessed with three children; Gail, Alma and Homer. Each of the children are endowed in some exceptional and promising manner.

The Homer Knowles Pottery Company, of which Mr. Knowles is both president and general manager. manufacture dinner-sets and hotel dishes. It was conceived of at East Liverpool, Ohio, Mr. Knowles' place of birth and his former home, and it was in- corporated under the laws of Delaware on June 17. 1920, with a capitalization of $750,000. The pot- tery plant is located on a plot of six and a half acres on the Alviso Road, just north of the Santa Clara city limits, and ground was broken for the factory on April 14. 1921. The cornerstone of the main building, 159x355 feet in size, was laid on June 9. Mr. Knowles drew all the plans for the factory, as well as for the five upright kilns, and he will prob- ably install one tunnel kiln, 321 feet long, with the capacity of ten uprights. An entire shipload of Eng- lish potter's clay, the largest single shipment ever received by an American potter, was consigned to and has recently been received by him at the Santa Clara pottery; it contained 3,684,000 lbs. of the de- sired-for material, and was shipped by way of the

Isthmus, through the Panama Canal. This English clay can be laid down at Santa Clara very much cheaper than at East Liverpool, Ohio, and from this fact alone it will be seen that the new dinner-ware pottery, which is expected to be in operation in 1922 and to employ some 225 men and women, will be most favorably located.

It has been estimated that several thousand peo- ple attended the official ceremonies marking the lay- ing of the cornerstone, when there were notable speakers. The president, Homer Knowles, delivered a short address of welcome and introduced Judge Charles A. Thompson of Santa Clara as chairman; and then the Rev. Noel Porter, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church of San Jose, made the presentation speech. This was responded to, on behalf of Santa Clara, by Father Timothy L. Murphy, president of the University of Santa Clara. A. K. Frye, of San Francisco, industrial agent of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company, spoke of the advantages to a community of her industries. The ceremonies were opened with a parade, led by a band and a squad of motorcycle police.

The site for this property at Santa Clara was se- lected after approximately twenty cities in Califor- nia had been visited, and as the plant will be situ- ated within the yard limits of Santa Clara on the main tracks of the Southern Pacific at the intersection of the main Coast line to San Francisco, and the main western division to Oakland, there will be a spur track with an outlet at both ends, and a spur with a capacity of ten cars at the works. The plant is also on the main State Highway between San Fran- cisco and Los Angeles, forty-three miles from San Francisco and 427 miles from the Southland metrop- olis. As an investment for California money this company should prove a great attraction. Billions of dishes are in daily use, millions of them are broken and replaced each day, and the Eastern pot- teries are unable to supply the demand.

Mr. Knowles, the president and manager, belongs to a family of potters. His grandfather started the business in 1853, and his father, the late Homer S. Knowles, one of the greatest potters of his time, commenced business when he was fifteen years old. Together, they made the Knowles, Talor & Knowles Company, famous in every town and city in the United States. The name Knowles, whenever found on domestic ware, has long signified as much as the name Haviland on French china. The members of the board of directors arc: Homer Knowles, Irwin F. Pomeroy and W. H. Cook of Santa Clara; C. E. Marcum of Los Altos; W. J. Dougall and Frank L. Hoyt of San Jose.

The advent of the Knowles family to California adds as materially to the social and religious life as it does to its industrial and financial life. Mfr. and Mrs. Knowles adhere to the Episcopalian faith and Mr. Knowles is the treasurer of the Episcopal Church at Santa Clara. He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce of Santa Clara, and the Commercial Club of San Jose. He is also a member of the California State Automobile Association, and the Transportation Club of San Francisco, and is an associate member of the American Ceramic So- ciety. In politics he is a stanch Republican, and a personal friend of President Harding.

IN. leastte

479

HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

MRS. CALIFORNIA CASTLE .- As a well-known pioncer and a native daughter, Mrs. California Cas- tle occupies a position of prominence in her section, which has been her home for many years. Born in Georgetown, Eldorado County, Cal., July 9, 1851, she has the honor of being the first white child born in this hustling mining town; this fact caused a great deal of excitement among the miners, and from many miles they came to pay homage to the babe. It was the custom of the miners to flock to Georgetown on Sundays and learning that the first baby had ar- rived, about 400 came in and finally insisted on secing the baby. Many of them having left their little ones in the East, were so reminded of their own children that they wept: finally the baby was brought out on a pillow and the miners circled around and laid fifty dollar gold slugs on the pillow and said to the folks, "If you let us name her Eureka, we will make her so rich she will never want"; but her father rejected their offer and clung to the name he had given her, California. Her father. Daniel Reel, was a native of Pennsylvania, and her mother, Elizabeth Boone, before her marriage, and a cousin of Daniel Boone, was born in Ohio. In 1849 they came over- land to California, crossing the plains in the customary way, behind ox teams, in company with the Boone family, direct descendants of Daniel Boone. The trip across the plains occupied nine months and was fraught with many dangers and hardships. The fam- ily first settled in Placerville; remaining there but one year, they removed to Georgetown, a mining section, where Mr. Reel erected the first hotel. He contributed much to the advancement of this section of the country and was a highly respected citizen. Later his hotel was burned down, but he rebuilt it and continued in business in Georgetown, and by his persistency and close attention to business, he amassed a considerable fortune. During the year of 1868, the family removed to Drytown, Amador County. where Mr. Reel engaged in the hotel busi- ness. It was here, in the year 1870 that he died, the mother passing away in San Jose about 1900. Of their seven children, California was next to the youngest.

California Reel obtained her education in the public schools of Amador County. After the death of her father, the family removed to Sale Station, Nev., and she went to school in Carson City. In 1869 she came with her mother to San Jose, where she was married to Isaac Newton Castle. Mr. Castle was a native of New York, migrating to California in 1852, coming by way of the Isthmus of Panama. Being ambitious to attain individual success, he soon became an influential eitizen of his community, investing extensively in land and cattle. His real estate hold- ings were located in the counties of Merced, Stanis- laus and Santa Clara, and a large ranch in eastern Oregon where ranged 5000 head of cattle, their brand being a circle on the left hip, while the horse brand was two small c's on the shoulder. He ran about 250 head of horses, and bought cattle in Ne- vada and Mexico by the trainloads and brought them to California. He trailed 1500 head of beef steers, three to five years old. from eastern Oregon to Marysville, where he sold them. He was the first man to do this, was laughed at by people who said it couldn't be done, that they would get poor enroute, but in a little over six weeks, he brought them over- land fat and ready for market. The cattle were stretched out for five miles along the road. Mrs. Castle accompanied her husband on nearly all the 26

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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 79

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