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 94

Author: Sawyer, Eugene Taylor, 1846-
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1928

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GEORGE W. ALEXANDER .- The career of George W. Alexander bas manifested business enter- prise and progressiveness, and he is the energetic president of the Alexander Company, manufacturers of Tru-Malt Syrup. A New Yorker by birth, he was born February 22, 1863, in New York City, a son of Isadore and Emily Alexander, who were early settlers in California, coming here as early as 1849, via Nicaragua, the mother returning to her native state, where the subject of this sketch was born. Her return trip was made by the way of the Isthmus of Panama. The father was a shoemaker by trade, and was the first man to teach the China- men of San Francisco to make slippers, and at one time employed as many as 300. He was a man of liberal education and conducted stores in Oakland and San Francisco with marked success. Both

parents have passed away.

George W. Alexander was educated in the public schools of Oakland and learned his trade under the able supervision of his father. He removed to San Jose in 1884 and for eighteen years was engaged in the shoe business. He has the distinction of being the first superintendent of Alum Rock Park, and became known as the "Mayor of Alum Rock."

The marriage of Mr. Alexander occurred in San Jose and united him with Miss Celestine Hart, the oldest daughter of Leopold Hart, pioneer dry goods merchant of San Jose. Mr. Alexander lends his time and influence to the betterment of his commun- ity in general, is actively identified with the Cham- ber of Commerce, Merchants' Association, and Hu- mane Society. Fraternally he is affiliated with the local organization of Elks. His recreation, from his busy cares, is playing golf and he was a charter member of the Golf Club of San Jose and is also a member of the Country Club. Throughout his entire life, he has exercised high and honorable principles and his activities for the good of the community in which he has resided for so many years, has been far-reaching and resultant.

Elise In. Haag

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

WILLIAM F. HAAG .- Coming to America when only sixteen years of age, William F. Haag has by hard work and characteristic thrift built up a for- tune that has been carned by intelligent manage- ment and strict economy. Born in Wittenberg, Ger- many, February 4, 1868, sixteen years later he left for America to seek his fortune in the new country of greater opportunities. Arriving in California he settled in Mountain View, and for a number of years worked on farms throughout the neighborhood. His educational opportunities were very limited, but by practical experience he has become an excellent manager and capable business man.

In 1902 Mr. Haag was married to Miss Elise Rengstorff, a daughter of the late Henry Rengstorff, and at her father's death she inherited the home place of 167 acres on the Sterling road, one and a half miles north of Mountain View. Mr. and Mrs. Haag prior to their removal to Mountain View had lived at Los Altos and had developed a fine orchard home, but in 1911 this place was sold and they re- moved to the old Rengstorff homeplace. The father, Henry Rengstorff, passed away in 1906 and the mother made her home with Mrs. Haag until her demise in 1919. Mr. Haag rents 155 acres of the ranch to a dairy farmer, but for six years Mr. Haag ran it as a grain and hay farm. The place is kept in fine condition and Mr. and Mrs. Haag are enjoying the success that has come to them through intelligent planning and conservative investment. Mrs. Haag is one of a family of seven children, only three of whom are still living. She is a prominent member of the Eastern Star lodge of Mountain View. Mr. and Mrs. Haag are stockholders in the Farmers & Merchants Bank of Mountain View and they will- ingly give their support to matters for advancement of the general good of the community and are enthusiastic boosters for Santa Clara County.

THEODORE JOHNSON .- Acquiring his first ranch property in Santa Clara County in 1897, Theo- dore Johnson is now the owner of seventy-seven acres of choice land in the Edenvale district, a good part of which is devoted to orchard, and his years of industry have brought him good success. Mr. Johnson was born in Skone, Sweden, February 27, 1862, his parents being Johannes and Christine John- son. He was reared and educated at the old home ond as is the custom there, was confirmed at the age of fourteen. Leaving his native land when he became of age, Mr. Johnson came to America, and arrived at San Jose, Cal., May 23, 1883. He re- mained here for six months, and then joined his older brother, Nils Johnson, who had preceded him to this country some four years, and who had gone to work in the mines at Bisbee, Ariz. Theodore Johnson spent three years in the mines there, and on coming back to the Santa Clara Valley, he worked for the next nine years as a gardener on the estate of E. A. and J. O. Hayes at Edenvale. In May, 1897, he took his family for a trip to his old home to see his parents, and he returned to Cali- fornia in October. The next day after he arrived he purchased twenty-four acres of land at Edenvale which he had selected before he left for Sweden, but had been unable to close the deal. Subsequently he added ten acres more, and in 1908 he bought forty-two acres of the Hayes-Chynoweth property

in the Senter tract, and this he has been developing to orchard. The extensive improvements which he has made on his holdings are largely the work of his own hands, so that he is especially deserving of the success which he is enjoying.

At San Jose, in 1887, Mr. Johnson was married to Miss Amanda Nelson, like himself a native of Sweden, and three children have been born to them: Lily Christine is the wife of Frank Anderson, a rancher, and they have five children; Carl Johan married Miss Ingeborg Buck, they have four chil- dren and reside at Edenvale; Emil Theodore assists on the home ranch, which is situated on Cottle Road. Mr. Johnson is a charter member of the California Prune and Apricot Growers, Inc., and has belonged to the Druids for more than thirty years, being a charter member of the local lodge. A patriotic citi- zen of his adopted country, he received his citizen- ship papers in the early nineties and has since then been an adherent of the Republican party.

WILLIAM W. PARKS .- A cattleman rated as among the most extensive operators in all Santa Clara County who has been able to display repeat- edly the most admirable public-spiritedness, although his exacting business interests withdraw him from social life, is William W. Parks, a native of New York, where he was born at South Glens Falls, in Saratoga County, on October 3, 1875, the son of Mfr. and Mrs. William Parks, and the grandson of IV. W. Parks. William Parks, Sr., was a stock- man who came to California in 1881 and first pitched his tent near Los Gatos in Santa Clara County; and soon afterward he removed to the Calaveras Val- ley, where he took up a homestead of 160 acres on the hills, which he not long afterward gave up. William W. Parks became interested in range land to the east of Calaveras Valley, and during the last fourteen years he has been in control of about 14,000 acres of range land owned by the Spring Valley Water Company, part of the land lying in the Cala- veras Valley, but most of the acreage situate on the hills directly to the east. There he breeds and raises most of his cattle, but occasionally he makes a trip to Nevada, to purchase range stock. He either raises or buys the cattle he needs, runs them on the range, and then sells them on the markets; and the amount of his stock ranges all the way from 500 to 1800 head of cattle, according to the season's supply of feed.

As a boy Mr. Parks attended the public school in the Oak Ridge district, in the Calaveras Valley, but this was all the schooling he enjoyed; he was an observant reader, however, and when he had reached manhood was well prepared to cope with the world. At San Rafael, on September 23, 1910, he was mar- ried to Miss Bertha Pierce, a native of Marshfield, Coos County, Ore., and the daughter of John C. and Orian (Moorehead) Pierce, natives respectively of Maine and Yreka, Siskiyou County, Cal. Mr. Pierce came out to Oregon when a young man, and Mrs. Parks' maternal grandfather was a '49er, who came to California in the gold rush and after- ward moved North to Oregon. Mr. Pierce was for many years identified with the Simpson Lumber Co. of Oregon, and became widely known to the building trade. Mr. Parks is a member of the San Jose Lodge No. 522, B. P. O. E., and both he and his wife are ardent supporters of the Republican party and its political platform.

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

STEPHEN POOLE SANDERS .- Among those who were the real promoters of Santa Clara County and contributed in a substantial manner to her up- building was numbered Stephen Poole Sanders, whose personal worth and business ability, whose progres- sive citizenship and high standards, were attested by the circle of warm friends whom he left behind when death called him. He was born at Paradise West, Nova Scotia, April 23, 1835, and is the son of Will- iam and Irene (Poole) Sanders, who were both na- tives of Nova Scotia. Mr. Sanders' grandfather, who was of English descent, was born and reared in New England and being a United Empire Loyalist, he re- moved with his family to Nova Scotia in order to avoid fighting against England. Of their seven children, Mr. Sanders was the fifth oldest and was reared and educated in Nova Scotia. He began mak- ing his livelihood as a photographer and had his bus- iness in St. John, N. B. In 1858 he came to Cali- fornia by way of the Isthmus of Panama and his first work was in the mines; later at Marysville, he opened a photograph gallery and after working there awhile, he engaged in the same business for a short time in San Francsico. Going from San Francisco to San Jose in 1867 he followed this line of work there for the next three years.

In 1882 Mr. Sanders purchased a farm consisting of twenty-five acres of stubble field which he set to prunes and here he has proven to be a very success- ful horticulturist. This property is still in the pos- session of the family. Mrs. Sanders' maiden name was Nan Amelia Alline, and she was born in Nova Scotia, the daughter of Joseph and Parnel (De Wolfe) Alline. They were natives of Nova Scotia and of French descent. When Nan Alline was four years old her parents removed to St. John, N. B., where she attended the public schools, and was a devout ad- herent of the Baptist Church. It was in St. John that she met Mr. Sanders and the romance culminated in their marriage in San Francisco, November 17, 1862. Miss Alline having made the journey via Panama to join her intended. Mr. and Mrs. Sanders were the parents of a son. Alline De Wolfe, who passed away at the age of four years. They reared a niece, Jennie M. Saunders, who has been a member of the family since she was five years old and so was like a daughter to them. She now has charge of the home place. Mr. Sanders passed away at the age of sev- enty-nine, but was very active until his demise, which occurred in 1914. He was a member of the State Grange. A man of high ideals and integrity, his life and character had an uplifting influence upon the development of the section of the country in which he passed his days.

WALTER G. FITZGERALD .- The bar of Santa Clara County acknowledges in Walter G. Fitzgerald, one of its most influential and prominent members. A native of California, he was born near New Alma- den, Santa Clara County, August 30, 1873, the oldest of five children born to Thomas and Mary A. Fitzger- ald, natives of the province of Quebec, Canada. His grandfather, named Walter Fitzgerald, was born in County Wexford, Ireland, and at an early age left his native land and settled in Canada, where the father of our subject was born about 1840. Walter Fitzgerald, Sr., was the father of seven sons and one daughter, and while residing in Canada was engaged in farming and lumbering.

Before the discovery of gold in California, reports

of its rich soil had reached the family of the Fitz- geralds in their quiet home among the pines on the St. Lawrence, and they at once resolved to go west. Two of the sons, James and John, were sent on ahead and arrived in California in 1851. Their report of the climate and the richness of the soil created a desire to settle in this state. Walter Fitzgerald, Sr., sold his holdings in Canada and with his remaining family started for California via the Isthmus of Panama and arrived in San Francisco in 1853. The family settled at Gilroy and began the erection of a home. The boys secured from Daniel Murphy, an old friend and acquaintance of the family, who had come from the same part of Canada a few years previous, a con- tract to split redwood rails in the mountains near Gil- roy, and as a compensation for their labors in making rails and hauling them to the valley, secured from Mr. Murphy a 1000-acre tract of valley land near Ma- drone. The rails taken from the virgin forest by the Fitzgeralds over fifty years ago may still be seen forming the heavy post and rail fences which enclosed the possessions of the Murphys between San Jose and Gilroy. Walter Fitzgerald, Sr., came of a hardy and long-lived family and he himself attained to the age of ninety years. All of the seven sons suceeded well in California, and some married and reared fam- ilies and have descendants living in the county.

Thomas Fitzgerald, the father of our subject, pur- chased a ranch of about 800 acres between Madrone and the New Almaden mines, and was engaged in general farming and stock raising until 1884 He then disposed of his ranch and invested in a 200- aere farm near Gilroy, on which he resided until he passed away in 1890. He was married in California to Miss Mary A. Cullen. a daughter of Thomas Cullen, who came to California from the same part of Canada as did Mr. Fitzgerald, in 1867. On the homestead of the Fitzgeralds near Gilroy, Walter G. acquired a sound constitution and sane views of life. His preliminary education was practical and thorough and was acquired in the country schools and at the grammar and high schools of Gilroy. In 1895 he began the study of law in the office of WV. A. Johnston, an able and prominent lawyer of San Jose, and after studious application to his work, was admitted to the bar in December, 1897.

After being admitted to practice law, Mr. Fitz- gerald followed his profession in San Jose until 1903, at which time he removed to Gilroy, where he is still practicing. In 1908 he was elected mayor of Gilroy, serving in that office one term, and since that time has been serving his community as city attorney. He was one of the organizers of the Chamber of Commerce and served first as vice-presi- dent, then succeeded H. Hecker as its president and held this office for eight years. The steady growth of this body was largely due to the untiring efforts of Mr. Fitzgerald.

The marriage of W. G. Fitzgerald occurred in San Francisco September 8, 1913. and united him with Miss Adelaine Cassamayou, and they are the parents of two children, Thomas Gerald and Kathleen A. both attending school. Full of energy and determination, and having a thorough knowledge of the theory and practice of the law, Mr. Fitzgerald is the most influential member of the bar in his community, and maintains the dignity and high standing of his family. He is a member of the County Bar Asso-

Stephen P. Sanders

Mrs N. A. Sauders

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

ciation and politically he is a stanch Democrat, and has been a member of the County Central Committee. He is a volunteer fireman and a member of the Elks Lodge of San Jose. He has always been actuated by a spirit of advancement in all that he does and he has sought not only to promote material progress but also to aid in the intellectual and moral devel- opment of the community in which he resides.

FRANK W. STEWART .- Prominent among the most energetic, far-seeing, successful and influen- tial business men of Santa Clara is undoubtedly Frank W. Stewart, of 1053 Franklin Street, a na- tive of Payson, Utah, where he was born on May 31, 1878, the son of William Duff Stewart, now liv- ing retired at San Jose, a native of Perthshire, Scot- land, who came to America when he was seven- teen years old. In 1871 he made Nevada his des- tination, and until 1885 he engaged in freighting. At Eureka, in that state, he was married to Miss Maggie Weisik, and he continued to live at Eureka until 1885, for a time being a partner of W. L. Pritchard, nicknamed "Nick of the Woods" and an original, odd character. Mr. Stewart built up a large freighting business, furnishing transportation from Palisade to Eureka, and from Eureka to Bel- mont, Pioche, Ely, Tibo and other neighboring min- ing camps. He and his associates became the own- ers of thirteen twenty-mule teams, and in 1885 took a couple of twenty-mule teams and drove them over- land to Butte, Mont. He used the teams to haul wood, for he furnished wood to the smelters for the Anaconda Mines. From Butte Mr. Stewart re- moved to San Jose, Cal., in 1887, and he engaged in the real estate movements affected by the Boom; and later he went back to Nevada, and settled at Beowawe. near Elko, and engaged in the stock business. He stayed there from 1889 to 1905, when he went to Tonopah and Goldfields to embark in mercantile pursuits; but since 1908 he and his de- voted wife have lived in San Jose, residing at 227 South Second Street.

Frank W. Stewart attended the public schools in San Jose, and then pursued courses of study in what is now Heald's Business College. He next joined his father in the stock business in Nevada, and was with him as a partner for fifteen years and two months, and when only seventeen years of age, had charge of 18,000 head of stock. He continued to manage the business until 1905; and when his father removed to Tonopah, he came to Santa Clara where. two years before, he had been married to Miss Ethel Parker, a daughter of Charles Parker, the capital- ist. Then and there he engaged in orcharding, and for eight years he made a specialty of growing prunes; in 1911 he started in with his present busi- ness as a dealer in wood, coal and building materi- als, for which he uses one team and two trucks.

Charles Parker, just referred to, has been one of Santa Clara County's most substantial citizens for many years. A native of Missouri, he was born in Jackson County on March 20, 1845, the son of a Kentuckian, William Parker, who had married Miss Sarah H. Wilson, a native daughter of Maryland. Far back in 1838, they moved from the Blue Grass State into Missouri, where Mr. Parker engaged in farming and stockraising, and so it happened that until Charles Parker was eighteen years of age, he grew up in that field of activity, where he also re-

ceived the best educational advantages that the local- ity and the times could afford. In 1863 he went West and became a well-known teamster on the great route between Kansas City and Santa Fe; in 1867 he came back to Jackson County to farm, but in 1871 he responded to the lure of California and moved West to Santa Clara County. This was a year after he had married Miss Elsie T. Mason, the daugh- ter of lames C. and Mary (Staples) Mason, resi- dents of Jackson County, a charming lady who passed away within less than a year. In November. 1876, he was married to Miss J. J. Hudson, a resi- dent of Santa Clara County, and the daughter of William D. and Mary Ann (Haun) Hudson, who became the mother of one child. Ethel H. One child has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Stewart- a daughter, Nadene. Mrs. Stewart is a native daugh- ter, and so is her mother, who was born seven miles from Santa Clara.

Mr. Stewart has been successful to a high degree, his progress affording a fine illustration of what brains, industry and integrity will do; and he has become a substantial stockholder in the Santa Clara Branch of the Garden City Bank & Trust Co. of San Jose. He is an Odd Fellow, and belongs to Lodge No. 52, at Santa Clara.

ADOLPH WILLIAM EHRHORN .- An intelli- gent, hard worker is found in Adolph William Ehr- horn, a successful rancher of Mountain View, who owns a ranch of thirty acres, a portion of the old Martin Murphy ranch, twenty acres being planted to Bartlett pears and the balance of ten acres to cherries. A native son of California, he was born in San Francisco, January 6, 1869, a son of the late Adolph Paul Ehrhorn, who came to San Francisco in 1848 from Peru, where he had been engaged in the mercantile business. He married Louisa Bolton McFarland, whose father was a native of Scotland, while her mother was born in France. Mrs. Ehr- horn was born in Peru, South America, where her father was in the general merchandise business. Adolph Paul Ehrhorn was born in Hamburg, Ger- many and was descended from a long line of mer- chants, and was one of the early merchants of San Francisco. He and his wife were the parents of fourteen children, ten of whom grew up, and nine living: Oscar A., is a merchant at Cochabamba, Bolivia, South America. He is married and has three children. Mrs. W. A. Nygh is a widow resid- ing at Palo Alto. Edward M. is horticultural com- missioner of the Hawaiian Islands and Marie also resides there. George lives in San Francisco, where he is employed by the Spring Valley Water Com- pany. Mrs. Louise James resides in Palo Alto. Charles H. is engaged in the real estate business in Santa Ana, Cal. Adolph William is the subject of this sketch. Mrs. Basil Prior, who resides with her husband at Lindsay, where he is an orange grower. The oldest member of the family was Frank, who died at San Francisco.

Adolph William attended the public schools of San Francisco, and Mountain View. After his father's death, the city property was traded for a Moun- tain View ranch of twenty-five acres of the old Tom Steele place, which was planted out to orchard in 1884. Mr. Ehrhorn bought his present place in 1906. planted it to orchard and during April, 1919, took up his residence there. He was married in San Francisco to Miss Lillie Strauch, a daughter of

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

John O. Strauch, a warehouseman of San Fran- cisco, and they are the parents of six children: Dor- othy, a student at Stanford: Jack, also at Stanford; Marie Louise in Mountain View high school; Adolph William, Jr., a student in high school: Kath- ryn and Robert in grammar school. Mr. Ehrhorn is a member of the Pear Growers' Association. Suc- cess has crowned his well-directed efforts and the reward of prosperity is his by hard work, perseverance and industry.

MAJOR LEWIS FOSTER PARKER .- A worthy pioneer settler whose name is linked with the earliest days of California and Santa Clara County, is the late Maj. Lewis Foster Parker, who contributed much toward the development of Almaden township, for so many years his home. Major Parker was horn on March 20, 1824, in Highland County, Ohio, his parents being William and Elizabeth (Davis) Parker, both natives of Pennsylvania. On his paternal side Major Parker was of English descent, while his mother's people were of Welsh origin. His parents removed to Highland County, Ohio, and later to In- dianapolis, Ind., where William Parker built the first flouring mill. He afterwards returned to Ohio, where he passed his remaining days. Lewis F. Parker had a brother, J. D. Parker, living at Terre Haute, Ind .. who held the office of county clerk of Vigo County, so made his way thither as a young man and attended Terre Haute Academy, after which, for a time, he assisted his brother in the county clerk's office. He then proceeded to Laporte, Ind., where he was em- ployed as a clerk in a store and it was in that city he formed the acquaintance of Miss Julia A. Keith, whom he afterwards married. Mr. Parker then en- gaged in farming until the discovery of gold in Cali- fornia was heralded in the East and with others he outfitted with horses and pack ponies and came horse- back across the plains, being enroute about six months, arriving in California September 1, 1850.

Going first to Georgetown, El Dorado County, he next located at Horseshoe Bend, where he engaged in mining, going from there to Spanish Flat. Here his wife joined him, coming via Panama in 1852; he remained there until 1856, then came to Santa Clara County, and settled on a ranch of 320 acres in Almaden township, the place now owned by his daughter, Miss N. Elizabeth Parker. Here he en- gaged in farming and stockraising, the country be- ing then only sparsely settled and quite in its primi- tive state, so that his labors paved the way for the succeeding generations. Prominent in the military affairs of the state in the early days, Mr. Parker was a commissioned captain of the New Almaden Cavalry, Company K, California Militia, on Jan- uary 28, 1865, and served until November 1, 1867, being promoted to the rank of major. He was also active in the public affairs of the county and was a prominent Republican; he also served as dep- uty county assessor under D. M. Harwood and W. O. Barker. The school district was organized at the Parker home about 1858. The question came up for a name of the district; some suggested Parker, but the Major was too modest to permit it. After other names had been suggested Mrs. Parker said, "Why not call it Union district," as the people in the district were strong pro-union. Thus it was decided and Major Parker was school trustee from its organ- ization until he resigned.

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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 94

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