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 91

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 91

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He was born at Claremorris, County Mayo, Ire- land, on June 24, 1856, the son of James Hughes, a well-known farmer and contractor, who built and kept in repair many of the important post-roads in that country. He had married Miss Margaret Gay- nord, of County Mayo, and they became the parents of eight children, four boys and four girls. One of the sons, James Hughes, a brother of our subject, is maintenance of way foreman of the Northwestern Pacific Railway, and resides at San Rafael.

Educated in Ireland, John Hughes came to Amer- ica in 1880; and after a residence of two years in New York State, he came west to California. Oak- land seemed to appeal to him most; and there, engag- ing with the Southern Pacific Railroad Company, in its construction work, he quickly showed such pro- ficiency that he was made foreman. He continued with that company for thirty-seven years, or until he retired, and came to have as many as 150 men under him; and few if any construction bosses en- joyed a record for greater ability or dependability. During the building of the Pacific Coast Railway, he was construction foreman under L. Fillmore, the di- vision superintendent at Santa Barbara.

Mr. Hughes came to Santa Clara when he was twenty-one years of age, and he remained there for thirteen years; and after that he removed to Agnew, where he became a foreman of a special gang, and then foreman of larger gangs. Only in 1917 was he persuaded to retire and enjoy the fruits of his hard work at Agnew. As such an honored employe of the company he has a life pass over the entire rail- way system, and is thus encouraged to see something of the outside world.

By a first marriage, Mr. Hughes had one child, now Miss Mary Hughes, a trained nurse of San Jose; and at his second marriage, in Santa Clara, he was united with Miss Alice Costello, a native of Ireland who grew up in California. They have had ten chil- dren: James is employed by the Southern Pacific Railway and resides at Agnew; Thomas, an exem- plary young man, of wonderful physique, attained a height of six feet four inches, and was a Southern Pacific brakeman, and was killed in a railway acci- dent when he was only twenty-one years of age; Jeannette is the wife of Anthony La Mar, and re- sides at Agnew; Margaret is at home; John, em- ployed by the Southern Pacific, married Miss Ger- trude McNamara, and resides at Porta Costa; Wil- liam died when he was three and a half years old; Catherine graduated from Santa Clara high school and is now attending the State Teachers' College at San Jose, and her sister, Anna, is a student in the San Jose high school, while Michael Francis is at the high school at Santa Clara, and Peter still en- joys the shelter of the paternal roof. The family at- tend the Roman Catholic Church at Santa Clara.

564

HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

IRWIN EDGAR POMEROY .- A man of much native ability and business acumen, who is a practical orchardist, having contributed much toward the pres- ent high and flourishing development of horticulture in Santa Clara County, is Irwin E. Pomeroy, one of the original organizers of the California Prune and Apricot Association, a trustee from the beginning, and now chairman of the board of trustees. He is a native son-a fact which makes his subsequent rela- tion to California all the more interesting; and he was born in this county on the fifteenth of December, 1870. His father was Marshall Pomeroy, whose life story is found on another page of this volume.

Irwin E. passed through the various grades of the public schools, and then in order the better to equip himself for the necessary tussle with the world, he took a business course for which the College of the Pacific was famous. After graduating from the com- mercial department in 1889, he assumed charge of the Pomeroy orchard, and he is still the efficient man- ager. In 1899 the members of the Pomeroy family incorporated the 'Pomeroy Orchard Company. of which the pioneer, Marshall Pomeroy, was the foun- der and is still president, while Irwin E. has been its manager and treasurer. The company has 120 acres of various sorts of fruit trees, and so well has he developed this extensive area that it is today one of the choicest ranch properties of its kind in the county. Believing cooperation is the only successful means of making a success of marketing the fruit raised by the farmers, Mr. Pomeroy has been active in the various cooperative organizations in the county and was one of the organizers of the present Cali- fornia Prune and Apricot Association, in which he has taken an active part in assisting in guiding its destinies to the present successful issue. A member of the board of trustees from the beginning, his serv- ices have been recognized by his being elected chair- man of the board of trustees and a member of the executive committee. He was a director and vice- president of the old Santa Clara Valley Bank until it was purchased by the Bank of Italy, and is now vice- chairman of its local board of directors. He is treas- urer of the Knowles Pottery Company, a new indus- try just built in Santa Clara for the manufacture of fine china and porcelain ware.

When Mr. Pomeroy married at Santa Clara, on May 8, 1900. he took for his wife Miss Florence Mabel Dawson, a native of San Jose and a member of a pioneer family, among the very first canners of fruit in Santa Clara County. She is a graduate of the San Jose State Normal School. Four children have blessed the happy union: Marshall B., Irwin Edgar, Jr., Clara Belle, and Thomas Dawson. The family attends the Episcopal Church, and Mr. Pom- eroy belongs to the Lions Club, the Automobile Club. the Chamber of Commerce, and is a charter member of the Commercial Club; he is also a hearty supporter of the Republican party, although he does not allow his partisanship to interfere with his endorsement and aid of the best obtainable, under whatever ban- ner, for the community in which he lives and thrives.

FRANK C. WILCOX .- An experienced rancher who is exceptionally efficient in executive capacity is Frank C. Wilcox, the popular ranch foreman for Richmond-Chase. He was born in Rhode Island on April 21, 1861. the son of Orin I'. Wilcox, a watch- maker by trade. a native Rhode Islander, who had married Miss Sarah E. Peckham, also of that state, and they had seven children. Horace C. is now at

Watsonville; Emma is deceased; Jessie has become Mrs. Howard, of Marshfield. Ore .; Frank C. is the fourth of the family; Percy G. is deceased; Hattie is Mrs. G. A. Tuttle of Watsonville; Orina is also de- ceased. Orin Wilcox came out to California in Oc- tober, 1861, and settled at Watsonville, where he engaged in the jewelry business until his death in that place in 1902. Mrs. Wilcox is still living at Watsonville, at the age of eighty-seven years.

Frank Wilcox went to school for awhile at lr- vington. in Alameda County, and then at a very early age he pushed out into the world for himself. He took up whatever proved most remunerative, did clerical work, and also went from "broncho-busting" to teaming. When able to do so, he attended the Commercial College at Irvington, and then he took a position with White & De Harts of Watsonville, as a clerk in their sawmill, and since 1881 he has been residing in both San Jose and Watsonville. For a number of years Mr. Wilcox was foreman for Mr. Walter Curtner, and he had charge of his sheep- herding camps throughout California; then, for three years. he engaged in horse-training in San Jose. Warmsprings or Sunol; and then he returned to Watsonville and again became a clerk in the saw- mill of White & De Harts.

Mr. Wilcox was also foreman for D. I. A. Frazer of San Jose, for fourteen years, and he spent one year with the Flickingers of Berryessa in their pack- ing plant. He was also foreman for the George Her- bert Orchard of San Jose. In 1918 he became fore- man of the Dutard Ranch of San Francisco, some 110 acres lying along the Piedmont Road, south of the Sierra Road. Since that time, the Richmond- Chase Company of San Jose has purchased the ranch, but Mr. Wilcox has remained there as ranch foreman. This ranch is devoted largely to the grow- ing of apricots. Mr. Wilcox is a Republican, and an enthusiastic booster for local progress.

At Santa Cruz on April 24, 1892, Mr. Wilcox was married to Miss Mary White, a native of the Cala- veras Valley east of the town of Milpitas. Her par- ents were Edward and Mary White, and the former came to California about 1866, from Galway, Ireland. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Wilcox: Edna is Mrs. F. I. Moore of Hollywood; Percie is Mrs. F. A. Rose of San Jose; Mabel married Wil- liam Giacomazzi and lives at Milpitas; Ethel is at home. Mr. Wilcox is a member of the Alum Rock Camp of the W. O. W., and for a long time has served the lodge as clerk.

EDWARD AND AUGUSTA SCHLAUDT .- Among the many capable and thriving horticultural- ists of Santa Clara County. Edward Schlandt, of San Jose, holds a noteworthy position. A man of versa- tile talents, energetic and progressive, he has met with good success in his business operations, and is everywhere respected as a citizen of worth and in- tegrity. To his wife, who is an equal partner in the successful florist business located at 119 South Second Street, Mr. Schlaudt accords the honor of being the founder and manager of this flourishing business.

Edward Schlaudt was born March 13, 1860, at Lawrenceburg, Ind., the son of George Phillip and Christine Schlaudt, both natives of Germany, where they were reared and married; the father, who was employed in a furniture factory at Lawrenceburg, lived to be seventy-eight. and the mother seventy-

Irwin E. Pomeroy

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

five. They were the parents of seven children, of whom Edward was the fourth; two brothers had re- moved to Kansas, one of the brothers, Henry, had established a shoe store, and while on a visit to his home in Lawrenceburg, had told such glowing sto- ries of the advantages of Kansas, that when he was ready to return, his brother, Edward, went with him and became interested with his brother in the shoe business in Topeka, and was thus engaged for seven years. Previous to his removal to Kansas, he had worked in the factory which employed his father.

The marriage of Mr. Schlaudt in 1880 united him with Miss Augusta Hoeffmer, and they are the par- ents of three children: Mrs. Mabel Kendall of San Jose; Chester E., who attends to the nursery and greenhouses, married Miss Minta Helms; Merl is the wife of Jerry Hiam, and they are residents of San Francisco. In 1881 Mr. and Mrs. Schlaudt came to San Jose, and in 1882 Mrs. Schlaudt conceived the idea of raising flowers for market, while Mr. Schlaudt was engaged in the trade of carpentry. Dur- ing his spare moments, a small greenhouse was con- structed. Mrs. Schlaudt worked with intelligence, energy and a determination that meant success, and soon Mr. Schlaudt was called upon to build the second greenhouse, and as the business prospered, more were built, until at the present time there are seven greenhouses on lands contiguous to their nur- sery and adjacent to their residence at 625 North Second Street, San Jose. Seven years ago they started a retail store across from their present loca- tion, but very soon they found it too small, so in about a year they leased the building at 119 South Second Street and their business has grown to fine proportions. They carry a fine stock of cut flowers, frames, ornaments, flower seeds, vegetable plants, potted and flowering plants, and are prepared to make floral designs for weddings, funerals and other occasions, and enjoy a large pa- tronage. They own considerable valuable property, which is increasing in value steadily, and are as- sociated as stockholders in the Nucleus Building and Loan Association; also in the Farmers' Union Bank of San Jose. Mr. Schlaudt is a stanch Republican, serving on the election board of the nineteenth pre- cinct of San Jose for twenty years, consecutively. Fraternally he is a member of the Elks, Eagles, Fra- ternal Brotherhood, Odd Fellows and Woodmen of the World. His son, Chester E., is a member of the Masons, and Mrs. Schlaudt is a member of the Eastern Star and the Rebekahs; also of the Woman's Relief Corps. The family are consistent and hon- ored members of the Grace Lutheran Church of San Jose. Mr. and Mrs. Schlaudt are broad-minded, public-spirited, honored by all who know them, and popular because of their many amiable traits.

JOHN McBAIN .- A building contractor who has made for himself an enviable reputation as a first- class contractor in building, both for the originality of his up-to-date work and the thoroughness and de- pendability of his workmanship, is John McBain of Noble Avenue, about two and a half miles east of Berryessa. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on January 29, 1877, the son of Angus and Elizabeth (Saugec) McBain-the former a descendant of an old-line Scotch family, the latter a native of Bo- hemia, of Czecho-Slovanian ancestry. Mr. McBain

was a building contractor, well known in Glasgow for his extensive operations; and it is rather natural that our subject should also rise to prominence in this field.

After attending the graded school until he was eleven years old, Jolin set ont to make his own liv- ing. He served an apprenticeship under John Forbes of Glasgow, and when nineteen commenced to con- tract on his own responsibility. He did well enough in the crowded Old World, but was sure that he could do better in the New; and so, in 1902, he crossed the ocean to New York, where he remained for three years, busy building as a contractor. Then, in 1905, he came to San Francisco, and there he worked for six months. . His next shift took him to San Mateo, but he stayed only a short while and went on to Sacramento, in which city various com- panies kept him engaged for a year and a half.

In 1908, Mr. McBain removed to Mountain View, Santa Clara County, where he made his residence, at the same time he started to contract in San Mateo. He also established himself at Burlingame, where he lived for about three years. In 1918 he purchased a ranch of thirty acres on Noble Road, cast of Berry- essa, and he has lived on this ranch ever since. He also owns ten acres at Mountain View. Both of these ranches are set out with apricot trees, and both are irrigated. He also owns a ranch of seventy-six acres on the Calaveras Road, in the hills cast of Mil- pitas, where part of the land is given to an apricot orchard, and part to the raising of hay.

At Sausalito, on January 2, 1906, Mr. McBain was married to Miss Emma Carlson, a native of San Jose and the daughter of John and Johanna (Johnson) Carlson. Her father came to California from Chi- cago in 1874, and for years had a well-known hotel at the corner of Second and San Fernando streets, and in the hotel field he continued until 1883. Her mother died in her fifty-sixth year. Mrs. McBain at- tended the old Lincoln, and later the Horace Mann school, and still later she went to the Hester and the Mountain View schools. She also was a student for two years at the San Jose high school, and after that she pursued a business college course. A sister of Mrs. McBain, named Anna, is married and has be- come Mrs. McComb Houghton of Astoria. Five children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Mc- Bain; Edith J., Frank E., Angus Carlson, John Charles and Dorris Joan, and they are all in the San Jose schools. Mr. and Mrs. McBain are stanch Re- publicans, and Mr. McBain is a member of the B. P. O. E., belonging to the San Mateo lodge. He also belongs to the Masons of Mountain View, and to the Scottish Rite body at San Francisco.

Mr. McBain is the second in a family of eight children. Mary, the firstborn, has become Mrs. Duncan McClellan of Dennistoun, a suburb of Glas- gow. Theresa is at Pacific Grove; Christina is Mrs. Darrah of Mountain View: Frank lives at Portland; Angus is at Mountain View, and Elizabeth lives at the same place; William, who gave his life during the World War; Frank served from 1917 to 1919 with the Canadian engineers and went through the worst of the fighting without sustaining a wound. He was also one of the Army of Occupation. Wil- liam enlisted in 1914 with the Scotch Highland In- fantry, and went through some terrible battles, and was killed at Vimy Ridge.

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

MRS. GERALDINE E. FRISBIE .- A woman of rare capabilities and good business judgment is Ger- aldine E. Frisbie, the efficient president of the Wo- man's Relief Corps Home of California, and past na- tional president, having served as president of the na- tional Woman's Relief Corps during 1912-13. Since November 10, 1921, the Woman's Relief Corps Home of California has been located at Winchester, Santa Clara County, where it now owns thirteen acres, for- merly owned by Dr. and Mrs. A. E. Osborne, and known as Osborne Hall. Too much credit cannot be given to the noble women who have built up this insti- tution, which provides a real home to mothers, wives, widows, sisters and daughters of Union veterans of the Civil War. It is a state institution, being amenable to the State Board of Control, but an institution which primarily owes its existence to philanthropic and noble California women, starting with Mr. Cadwallader's donation of five and thirty hundredths acres at Ever- green in Santa Clara County, where the first Home was built and occupied until destroyed by fire October 10, 1920. Mrs. Geraldine E. Frisbie was then its president. and through the loyal and hearty support and cooperation of the secretary, Mrs. Sarah J. Farwell, no time was lost in getting temporary quarters for the inmates, who were left in sore distress. Appeals were immediately addressed to the various W. R. C. posts of the state, who re- sponded very promptly in sending money, clothing and food, while the state authorities gave the use of one of the buildings at Agnew, until November 10, 1921, when the present premises had been secured. Dr. and Mrs. A. E. Osborne have given liberally. The sum of $12,500 was obtained as insurance on the former Home at Evergreen. Several thousand dollars have already been expended in remodeling and fitting up Osborne Hall for the Home. Of the $55,000 now in- vested at Winchester, the women have raised $20,000, while the state has appropriated the balance. It will be necessary to purchase some more land in order to meet the needs of the Home, and a movement is now on foot whereby its holdings will be increased to eighteen acres. The present officers of the Woman's Relief Corps Home are as follows: Geraldine E. Frisbie, president, San Mateo; Mary Alice Arthur, matron, Winchester; Mrs. Belle Donovan, vice-presi- dent, San Francisco; Mrs. Sarah J. Farwell, secretary, Oakland; Mrs. Carrie L. Hoyt, treasurer, Berkeley; in addition to the president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer, the board of directors consists of: Pearl M. Baum, Hayward; Sarah A. Martin (wife of Commander Russell C. Martin of the Veterans' Home at Napa ) Napa; and Mrs. Mary L. Farmer, San Fran- cisco. These women have served well and faithfully. the secretary, Mfrs. Sarah J. Farwell, having rendered efficient and faithful service for twenty-six years.

Mrs. Geraldine Elizabeth Frisbie is a native of Rochester, N. Y., a daughter of Hiram D. and Sarah B. (Hall) Sutton. The mother died at the age of twenty-six; her father married the second time and moved to Washington, where the years of Mrs. Fris- bie's early childhood were passed. The Sutton fam- ily were prominent English people of wealth and in- fluence in London, and were the founders of a home for the aged ministers and their families in London. Owen P. Sutton, an uncle, came to San Francisco in 1849; was prominent in the Pioneers Society of which he was one of its first presidents and was also

a member of the Legislature of California. He was a successful banker and was largely interested in min- ing and built many buildings in San Francisco.

Geraldine Sutton was educated in public and pri- vate schools of Rochester, N. Y. Her first marriage occurred in San Francisco on March 20, 1866, and united her with Lester P. Cooley, a native of Ver- mont. He was a rancher, later owning the Ravens- wood ranch near Dumbarton bridge. They became the parents of five children, all sons, of whom two died in childhood. Those that grew up are: William L., Charles Philip and Frank H. William L. was en- gaged in seafaring, and has three children; Harry pur- sued the night studies in the navigation school at the same time that he was a student in the San Francisco Polytechnic High from which he graduated in 1913, and soon thereafter graduated from the navigation school. He enlisted in the Navy during the World War, but transferred to the Merchant Marine, and sailed the seas during that entire conflict. He was pro- moted to first officer; Lester P .. an ensign in the U. S. Navy was stationed at Brest, France, during the late war: Olive is a graduate nurse, who served during the latter part of the World War. She married Horace Miller, resides in Los Angeles and is the mother of one child, Betty Jean. Charles Philip is a member of the Board of Supervisors, Santa Clara County, re- sides in Palo Alto, and has one child, Stanley. Frank H. resides at San Mateo, where he is engaged in ranching, he is the father of six children; Gerald Mortimer; Harold; Elizabeth is the wife of Dr. Geo. B. Lemon, D. D. S., resides at Salinas and is mother of one child, George Gerald; William L; Charles P; and Francis W.

Lester P. Cooley passed away in 1882, and in No- vember, 1883, Mrs. Cooley married at Redwood City Mr. Frisbie, a Civil War veteran, who served three years with the Wisconsin troops as first lieutenant and special aide and private secretary to General Charles Devan; he passed away in 1885. Since 1887 Mrs. Frisbie has been active in Relief Corps work, serving faithfully and well and she has the loyal sup- port and cooperation of her six coworkers and matron in the care of the Home and its thirty inmates.

NATHAN L. LESTER-WILLIAM WALTER LESTER .- Among the representative horticulturists of Santa Clara County, whose methods have been backed by hard work and close application to the task in hand are Nathan L. and William Walter Lester. Nathan L. was born in Ledyard, Conn .. January 20, 1876, and William Walter was born in the same town October 20, 1879; their parents were Nathan L. and Sarah E. (Spicer) Lester, both born in Ledyard, Conn. The father was born January 1, 1843, and was the third oldest of a family of ten children. His boyhood days were spent on his father's farm and very early he learned lessons of industry and thrift. The first time he came to Cali- fornia was in 1861 and in company with his brother Amos settled in Napa County and leased a tract of land and raised wheat and was thus engaged for seven years; he then returned to Connecticut and settled, on a farm and remained there until 1883; when he again removed to California, and came this time to the Santa Clara County and purchased the homestead on Lincoln Avenue in the Willows dis- trict, San Jose. He began his horticultural ac- tivities with but one thing in mind, a determination

Murs Geraldine E. Frisbie

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

to succeed and the task was pleasurable to him and success crowned his labors to an unusual degree. He first planted thirty-one aeres to prunes, which proved to be a profitable venture. There were times of discouragement, but these were courageously met. He married Miss Sarah E. Spicer in 1871, the daughter of that prominent and distinguished citi- zen of Ledyard, Conn., Judge Edmund Spicer, who had married Bethiah W. Avery. Judge Spicer was a school teacher, farmer and merchant, and also held many positions of trust and honor in New Lon- don County. He was a member of the school board for many years; was postmaster, county clerk, county treasurer, and in 1849 was elected to repre- sent his district in the state legislature, and :.. 1862 was a candidate for the state senate, and for twelve years served as judge of the probate court. During early life he served as captain of a rifle company, and ever afterward was known as Captain Spicer. He was one of the charter members of the Led- yard Library Association and served as its secretary for eighteen successive years. In 1867 he was elected treasurer and librarian and continued until his death in 1890. He was a prominent member of the Congregational Church. Mr. and Mrs. Spicer were the parents of seven children, Mrs. Lester be- ing the third in order of birth. While building a dryer, Mr. Lester fell from a ladder and sustained injuries from which he died June 27, 1900. He was a highly honored and respected citizen of Santa Clara County, a thorough straightforward business man and could be counted upon to keep his word. Mr. and Mrs. Lester were the parents of seven children, Nathan L. being next to the oldest, and William Walter being the third oldest.

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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 91

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