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 95

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 95

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Major Parker was married at Laporte, Ind., on December 23, 1847, to Miss Julia Keith, and they became the parents of one daughter, N. Elizabeth, who owns and makes her home on the Parker ranch, managing its 320 acres with splendid ability. She is proud of being a native daughter and is a Re- publican in her political affiliations, taking a progres- sive interest in community affairs through her mem- bership in the Neighbors Club. Major Parker passed away on October 20, 1892, the mother surviving him until January 31, 1911, both worthy pioneers whose memory will always be held in grateful remembrance.

HARRIET NEWELL HARVEY .- Among the worthy and esteemed residents of Santa Clara County is Miss Harriet Newell Harvey, who is now located upon a ranch of twenty-four acres in the neighborhood of Coyote, which she is successfully conducting. She is the Western representative of an old New England family. Her grandfather, Elias Harvey, a native of Rhode Island, removed to Con- necticut and followed the occupation of farmer until his death, which occurred in Colchester, that state. In the family was a son also named Elias, who was born in Colchester, Conn., and in manhood became a merchant and later was engaged in agricultural pursuits, remaining on the old home place until the time of his death. He was a prominent figure in both local and state affairs, as a Republican in poli- tics representing his district in the state legislature for one term. In local affairs he served as school director for many years. He married Miss Sallie Maria Ransom, a native of Salem, Conn., and she passed away in Colchester. Her grandfather, John Ransom, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War.

Of a family of two sons and three daughters, Har- riet Newell Harvey was the youngest daughter and next to the youngest child. She was born in Col- chester, Conn .. November 19, 1843, and was there reared to womanhood. Her education was received in the public schools and in the academy at Colches- ter. After the death of her father, March 17, 1879, she remained at home nine years, taking care of her mother, who died March 16, 1888. In 1890 Miss Harvey came as far west as Kansas, where she vis- ited with relatives. Following this trip she and her oldest sister came to Madrone, Cal., and visited an uncle, Joel W. Ransom, for several months, after which, in 1892, she returned to Connecticut and spent three months. In the same year she again came to California and became a member of the family of Joel W. Ransom, her mother's brother. Mr. Ransom's death occurred July 11, 1897, on the farm where Miss Harvey now resides, which her uncle has deeded to her three years previous to his death, and which consisted of eighty-three acres. The ranch is devoted to the raising of prunes, apples and other fruit. In the management of her ranch, Miss Harvey shows a marked adaptability for the work. The property is located on the Monterey Road, one-half mile south of Coyote. Miss Harvey was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Coyote and was active in its various departments during the existence of the church, having served as president of the Ladies' Aid Society for twelve con- secutive years, and she made it one of the most efficient societies in the county, She was also one of the trustees and stewardesses of the church and is highly esteemed and respected for the many good deeds she has done.

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

L. H. ALBERTSON .- A prominent citizen of Santa Clara County particularly active in the Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce is L. H. Albertson, learned in the law, in which he has been admitted to practice, ex- perienced in extensive dairying, and now the owner of many acres of blackberries, famous for their rare quality and great productivity. He was born in Den- mark in 1868, and there grew up on his father's farm. When he was eighteen, he crossed the ocean to Amer- ica and for a while settled in Iowa; but in 1890 he came to California and pitched his tent in Stanislaus County. He acquired property near Newman, and there pursued grain farming.

Desiring a still higher education, Mr. Albertson in 1891 entered upon the academic course of the Col- lege of the Pacific; and in 1900 he was graduated from this institution. Following this, for a year he took advanced work at Stanford, and in 1901 he war married to Miss Thomasine Headen, youngest daughter of the late Dr. Benjamin Franklin Headen. and the only child of that distinguished surgeon now living-a cultured and accomplished lady. After his marriage Mr. Albertson ran a large dairy for years and succeeded; and later he turned the place into a fruit ranch, where he now has seven acres of Himalaya blackberries, among the wonder producers of the Santa Clara Valley. Mr. Albertson is also operating a ranch in Livingston, Merced County, where he owns 120 acres which he is rapidly setting out to a vineyard, besides being engaged in dairy- ing. Not caring for the general practice of law, he has never followed it, although his knowledge of law and legal processes has often helped him in his own or in community affairs.

Public spirited to a marked degree, Mr. Albertson served for three years as president of the Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce, his term extending from 1913 until 1916; and during this period he was very active in collecting and installing exhibits from the Santa Clara Valley for its exhibit at the Panama-Pacific Exposition at San Francisco in 1915, at which exposition he took the first gold medal with his Himalaya blackberries. He also took a first prize for a two-year-old Guernsey bull, and the reserve championship with the same animal, and his was the only livestock prize bestowed on any exhibitor from Santa Clara County. Mr. Albertson is now among the pioneer farmers and stockraisers of these parts. His close observation, study and experience has made him well posted, so much so that his conclusions and ideas have been often sought and are followed by many others with good success. It is to men of the type of Mr. Albertson, who are not afraid to work, venture and experiment that the county owes much of its present development and greatness.

Mr. Albertson is particularly active in interest- ing the public in the improvement of the proposed Alviso water-way, which will open the way for ship- ping by water all kinds of fruits and products from river points to the Santa Clara Valley. He visions the making of a consolidated city of San Jose and Santa Clara, and of extending its limits to the water-ways at Alviso. In order to do this, the Alviso channel or slough will have to be straight- ened and deepened, so that boats laden with the products of the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys can run up from the river points through the Bay to Alviso. He is making a strong and active ap-

peal for these improvements, and his reports and plans, now a part of the Congressional Record, were taken up by Congress through Senator Phelan, who was actively supporting the project, and it would no doubt have already been an accomplished fact had it not been for the intervention of the war.

Mr. and Mrs. Albertson make their home on the Headen ranch and in the improvements made there they are preserving as far as possible Dr. Headen's ideas of replanting the place to orchards and berries and particularly in the preserving the row of red- wood trees lie planted in the sixties as well as the live oak grove that is the admiration of all who see them. The redwoods along the state highway have now become a landmark, admired by thousands of tourists. In 1913 they built a beautiful stucco resi- dence, up-to-date in every respect, and there they dispense a generous hospitality. As a member of the Alumni of the College of the Pacific, Mr. Albertson retains his association with both the aca- demic and the student world.

OSTRUM H. YERKES .- An Iowan who has been succeeding so well, since he established him- self in California that he is now rated as one of the leading dealers in wood, coal, hay and straw in Santa Clara County, is Ostrum H. . Yerkes, whose office and yards are at 1066 Main Street, Santa Clara. He was born in Benton County, Iowa, on May 16, 1875, the son of S. A. Yerkes, a gentleman now eighty-five years old, a well-to-do farmer with an enviable record for public service as a supervisor. He was born in Indiana, came to Iowa before the Civil War, and married at Vinton Miss Catherine Hite. They reared a family of twelve children, eleven of whom are still living; and they themselves are both now living at Vinton, Benton County, lowa. The youngest of the family is thirty-four, and the eldest fifty-four.

The eldest son and the fifth child, Ostrum, was sent to the country schools, and then he went for a year to the Tilford Academy at Vinton; and grow- ing up to hear good reports of the Golden State, he decided to come out to California. He became coach- man for Mrs. T. B. Dawson at Sunnyvale, and there met his future wife, Miss Alice Rupp, daughter of John Rupp, the well-known railway man, once mas- ter-mechanic for the C., R. I. & P. Ry., who for forty-five years lived at Washington, Iowa, and is now living retired on a pension granted by the company, at the home of Mr. Yerkes in San Jose. He is a member of the G. A. R. back in Iowa, from which state he volunteered in the Civil War when but fif- teen years old and served through that entire strug- gle. He was in the siege of Vicksburg and went with Sherman on his March to the Sea and took part in the Grand Review at Washington, D. C., at the close of the war. Mr. and Mrs. Yerkes were mar- ried on Washington's Birthday, 1904, at Washing- ton, Iowa, and they remained in Iowa for a year after their marriage, when Mr. Yerkes conducted a furniture store at Vinton; but at the end of that time they decided to return to California, this being, in their opinion, the only place in which to really live. In 1905, they came to Santa Clara, and Mr. Yerkes leased the old lumber yard and went into business. By close application to the needs of his patrons, anticipating their wants and leaving no stone unturned to please and satisfy them, Mr. Yerkes

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has built up a good, paying trade, and for the pur- poses of a prompt delivery he maintains three wagons, and a two-ton Moreland truck.

Mr. and Mrs. Yerkes own a handsome residence, the old property of the banker, Mr. Birge, one of the finest homes in the town, and two children,-Mar- garet C. and John Stephen Yerkes-share its com- forts and pleasures. The family attend the Bap- tist Church, and Mr. Yerkes is a deacon in that congregation. In matters of national political im- port, he favors the Republican party platform. He is a Mason, an Odd Fellow and a Modern Wood- man, and is affiliated with the Santa Clara lodges.

JOSEPH WALTER DUDLEY BLABON .- A man who by his own efforts has risen to a prominent place among the agriculturists and horticulturists in the Santa Clara Valley is Joseph Walter Dudley Bla- bon, a native son of the county, born on the old Bla- bon ranch on the Mountain View Road, June 12, 1865. He is the son of Walter L. and Anna F. ( White) Blabon, natives of Chesterville, Maine, and Boston, Mass., respectively. His grandfather, Dr. Otis Blabon, was also a native of Maine and was a scafaring man, as well as a physician. He had sailed all over the world, studied navigation and in time be- came a captain, Deciding to come to California, he and his son Francis secured passage in a four-mast schooner named Sacramento, bound for San Fran- cisco. On the way the captain and second mate died and when they put in to Acapulco the first mate was very ill and it was thought wise to leave him. Thus it became necessary that Otis Blabon take command as captain as he was the only man aboard that under- stood navigation, and he brought the schooner safely into port where he turned it over to the company agent in San Francisco. Dr. Blabon then came to Santa Clara County purchasing land on the Stevens Creek Road where he resided on the farm and prac- ticed medicine until 1863. He then returned to Maine remaining there until 1875, when he came back to Santa Clara County and located near Saratoga. One of the sons, George Blabon, was the founder of the George Blabon Company of Philadelphia, to- day the largest manufacturers of oil cloth in the world. Walter L. Blabon came to California via Panama in 1860, arriving in San Francisco on De- cember 8. He farmed in the Cupertino district for four years. In 1864 he purchased the old homestead which consisted of 130 acres where he engaged in farming and reared a family of four children.

J. D. Blabon, as our subject is familiarly known. has been a close student of orcharding and is a pio- neer in the fruit industry. By his well directed efforts and close application he has become one of the larg- est prune growers in Santa Clara County. His land holdings over the state are extensive, his favorite possession being Madrone Mineral Springs, a hunt- ing lodge beautifully located in the center of 400 acres of the Mount Hamilton range. Mr. Blabon first became interested in these springs, when after a stay of five weeks the drinking of the water entirely cured him of a serious stomach trouble that different physicians had been unable to conquer, and on finding that the property was for sale, he purchased it. The medicinal property of the water has great curative power, so pronounced by the leading physicians of the state.

In San Francisco March 8, 1894, J. D. Blabon was united in marriage with Miss Abbie L. Martin, a native daughter, and their union has been blessed with three children: Walter Vance, Kingdon B. and Elodie. The name of Blabon will always stand out prominently in California and Santa Clara Valley, for the first members of the family in this state were forerunners of its development and aided materially in bringing about its present prosperity. The younger generation are following in the footsteps of their sires and are found in the vanguard where progress is the watchword, and of these J. D. Blabon is recog- nized as one of the leaders. His entire life has been actuated by high principles and honorable actions and his efforts in behalf of the progress of his com- munity have been far reaching. As a horticulturist he is among the most successful in the valley. He is a man of great energy and has accomplished much in the development of the great natural resources of this famous valley.

HUBERT O. F. MENTON .- Prominent among the most progressive dentists of Northern California. and interesting as the worthy representative of one of the oldest and finest families in Santa Clara County, must be rated Dr. Hubert O. F. Menton of Santa Clara. He was born in San Luis Obispo County, the son of the late Hugh D. Menton, a pio- neer of Santa Clara, who came to San Francisco in ' the latter part of 1849, and the next year moved to Santa Clara. He was born in Manchester, England. the son of Hugh and Hannah Menton, natives of Birr, Kings County, Ireland, who married in Ire- land, then traveled for a year or two, and finally went to Australia. Then they returned to England. Grandfather Menton settled at Santa Clara in the spring of 1850, and he became a large landowner north of Santa Clara.

Hugh D. Menton grew up to manhood in the Santa Clara Valley, and he was one of the first pupils of the Santa Clara College. In Santa Clara he was married to Miss Annie T. Murphy, who was born at Burlington, Iowa, and came here a young lady, about 1870. He later moved to San Luis Obispo. and while there in the early '70s, Hubert was born. Mr. Menton went heavily into the cattle business in San Luis Obispo County, but the great drought of 1877 was so disastrous to him that he lost heavily; and having returned to Santa Clara County, he ran the Alum Rock Ranch, which still bears the name he gave it. These ups and downs of the pioneer who so generously contributed in every way to advance the permanent and better development of the new country with which he had cast his lot assume a new attraction for the reader when he understands that our subject's ancestors came originally from France and fought under William the Conqueror. Dr. Menton pursued a classical course at Santa Clara College, and graduated with the class of '92; and having matriculated in the College of Dentistry in San Francisco in the fall of 1895, he was graduated from the University of California three years later, and before he was twenty-one years of age, with the degree of D. D. S. He then opened an office in his home town, where he has ever since had a live prac- tice. Both professionally and socially he is ever alert to exert the best and most lasting influence for the upbuilding of the city and its environs.

JOBlabou

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

BURT STEVENS .- A well-known and successful agriculturalist of Santa Clara County is Burt Ste- vens, a highly-esteemed resident of the Coyote dis- trict. where he was born on the ranch he now owns. on August 12, 1872, the son of Orvis Stevens, a native of Chittenden County, Vt. At the age of twenty- one, in 1852, his father came to California via Pan- ama, and went to the mines at St. Joe's Bar, Yuba River, near Downieville, where he remained for one year, and also mined in Sierra County. He then re- moved to Nevada County and conducted a dairy for one year, and came back to California and engaged in stockraising in Solano County. Within the next year he made a trip East, remaining three months; and on his return to California he settled in Chip- sey's Flat, Sierra County, where he carried on a butcher business for several years. In 1868 he settled in Santa Clara County and engaged in farming until 1875, when he rented the "Twelve-mile House," where he conducted a store, a blacksmith shop, a hotel and the postoffice: he was also a school trus- tee of the Encinal school district, of which he was one of the organizers. He married Louisa Leonard and they were the parents of ten children, seven liv- ing. of whom our subjeet is the third oldest. Orvis Stevens, who was a Mason, passed away in 1917, and Mrs. Stevens in 1920.

Burt Stevens attended the Eneinal grammar school and finished in 1887; then attended the Garden City Business College for two years and in the meantime helped his father on the ranch; then went gold-seek- ing to Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, and did not return until 1905. His marriage occurred in Santa Clara County in 1907, and united him with Miss Addie Berry, a daughter of Charles E. Berry, a pioneer of California, who is now deceased. They are the par- ents of two daughters, Ruth E. and Edith L. Mr. Ste- vens purchased the original home place, a ranch con- sisting of 1081/2 aeres and in partnership with his brother. James, is cultivating and developing it. The place had been set to orehard about 1880, being among the very first in the district. Mr. Stevens has served his locality as school trustee of the Eneinal district, and since 1898 he has been a member of Observa- tory Lodge, I. O. O. F., in San Jose.

JOHN B. KERWIN .- Among the prominent pro- fessional men of Santa Clara County is John B. Kerwin, attorney at law, now with the Joseph Rueker Company as head of their legal department. He was born in Santa Clara County, Cal., on May 22. 1865. a son of Thomas and Catherine (Me- Gauren) Kerwin, and comes of a good old pioneer family; his father, Thomas Kerwin, who landed in Boston, 1849, having come to this country in 1854 after the gold rush. Thomas Kerwin was born in Galway County, Ireland. and his parents were Michael and Mary (Coulin) Kerwin; the mother having died when he was about nine years old and his father being a commercial agent, he was left almost entirely on his own resources. At the age of thirteen he went to Liverpool, England, and in that city began to work as a messenger in the harbor police inspector's office, he then obtained employ- ment as collector for teamsters and draymen and engaged in this work for some time, when he de- cided to come to the United States. In 1849 he put this plan into action and landing at Boston, he went to the country and spent ten months near Cam- bridge in gardening, then returning to Boston en-

graged in various occupations until he became em- ployed by Russell and Company as a salesman in their furniture establishment; here he remained until the year 1854 when he came to California and set- tled in Santa Clara County where he worked at orchard cultivation on the Gould place in Santa Clara County for about two years. He acquired a large amount of land, owning at one time 600 aeres, 320 of which he himself cleared and cultivated. His success was due to his indomitable will and steady perseverance. His marriage united him with Miss Catherine McGauren and they became the parents of six children: Mary Ann, Catherine P., James Patrick, John B., Louis and Ignatius. The father is still living and resides in San Francisco.

John B. received his education in the public schools of Santa Clara and later took a collegiate course in Santa Clara College and read law while in the deputy county clerk's office, where he also was clerk of Judge Reynolds' court, and was ad- mitted to the bar in 1895, he then praetieed alone in San Jose and San Francisco. For four years he worked on ranches and still owns the ranches. He then joined the Rucker Company on June 17. 1918. and is in charge of the legal department.

Mr. Kerwin's marriage united him with Miss Lucy L. Reynolds of San Francisco, and they are the parents of Lucy M., Leonie T., Thomas Theodore, Martha M. and Roland N. Mr. Kerwin is very active in the Chamber of Commerce and the San Jose Realty Board. and being deeply interested in the upbuilding of Santa Clara County is also a mem- ber of the Cupertino Improvement Club, the Farm Owners' and Operators' Association, now the Fed- erated Farmers of California, the California Prune and Apricot Growers, Ine., and the California Bar Association. In national politics he is a Democrat.

GEORGE GRIMM .- Since coming to California in 1886, George Grimm is now among the success- ful orchardists of the Santa Clara Valley. He is a native of Germany, born in Wilhelmsdorf, March 4, 1861. a son of Ludwig and Elizabeth (Young) Grimm; both parents were natives of Germany and were prosperous farmer folks, and they lived and died in Wilhelmsdorf.

George Grimm was educated in the schools of his native land and came to the United States when he was twenty-six years old. Locating in San Fran- cisco he followed his trade of carpenter, which he had learned before leaving Germany, about fifteen years. Upon coming to the Santa Clara Valley in 1902 he went to work as a carpenter for the West- ern Distilling Company and was sent to Agnew where he worked for ten years at his trade; at the end of this time he removed to the Cupertino district and purchased thirty acres, which had been set to orchard, but upon which Mr. Grimm made a number of improvements in the way of buildings, etc. The success that has come to him has been earned by hard work and careful planning. Besides the thirty aeres, Mr. and Mrs. Grimm bought and deeded to their four children twenty-four acres, and Mrs. Grimm owns twenty-six acres of orchard and her interest in the home place is seventeen acres.

Mr. Grimm's marriage on December 4, 1886, united him with Miss Mary Beckert, also born in Germany, and they are the parents of four children: Otilia ( Mrs. R. Berry) ; Alvina ( Mrs. Elmer Maas) ; George and Elsie. In his political affiliations he is a steadfast adherent to the principles of the Republican

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party. Since Mr. Grimm has been in this county he has watched the development of the fruit industry with interest and seeing the future of it, invested in his orchard and devotes his time to his improvements and at the same time to aiding all worthy move- ments for the good of the town, county and state. He is a member of the California Prune and Apricot Growers, Inc. Mr. Grimm is esteemed for his per- sonal integrity, the industry and faithfulness of his life, and his loyalty to his adopted country.

LUTHER CUNNINGHAM .- Having continuously resided in Santa Clara County for forty years, Luther Cunningham is counted among the most important horticulturists of Saratoga district. He was born in Solano County, Cal., December 25, 1869, the son of Joseph and Mary Jane (Gooding) Cunningham, the father a native of middle Tennessee and the fifth gen- eration of the Cunningham family in the United States, while the mother was born in Randolph Coun- ty, Mo. The ancestors came from Scotland and some fought in the Revolution, others in the War of 1812 and some in the Indian wars. In 1843 Mr. Cunning- ham bought a farm in Randolph County where he lived for twenty years during his residence in Mis- souri. In the fall of 1846 he married Miss Mary J. Gooding, a daughter of Judge Joseph Gooding, a Virginian who became an early settler of Missouri and was one of the carly judges of Randolph County. While farming in Missouri, Joseph Cunningham be- came interested in the gold excitement in California and leaving his family in Missouri, for the time being. he equipped with ox-teams and wagons crossing the plains in 1849, following mining for three years with varied success, when he returned to his Missouri farm. In 1863, he sold his farm and again crossed the plains, this time bringing his family. He was captain of the train and having had the experience of the trip in 1849 was well qualified for the place. The family first settled in Solano County and raised grain and stock until 1881, when he sold his place and removed to Santa Clara County and purchased a farm adjoining Saratoga where they resided until he died. He was one among the first to engage in fruit raising in this vicinity. He operated a small nursery and there grew the trees for his own and other orchards. He and his wife were active in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church all their lives.

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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 95

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