History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 104

Author: Sawyer, Eugene T
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1934

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In the acquirement of an education Austin N. Losse attended the grammar and high schools of San Jose and the University of California, from which he was graduated with the class of 1905. After completing his studies he became his father's asso- ciate in the dried fruit industry, with which he was connected until 1917, when the business was sold to the Rosenberg Brothers Fruit Company of San Fran- cisco, by whom it is still conducted. Since 1917 Mr. Losse has been interested in business with his brother, Weir C. Losse, and his sister, Mrs. James C. Blair. They operate some of the choicest fruit land in Santa Clara County, being the owners of a valuable fruit ranch of 340 acres, devoted mainly to the raising of apricots, but a considerable acreage is also given over to the production of pears, plums and prunes. Upon the place are two wells, which furnish an abundant supply of water for irrigation

purposes, and owing to the superior quality of the fruit it commands a ready sale. Mr. Losse is thor- oughly conversant with the details connected with the production of fruit, carries on his labors scien- tifically, and keeps well informed on all modern de- velopments relating to his line of work. For a num- ber of years he had the controlling interest in the Vendome Hotel, of which he was manager in 1918.

In San Jose, on August 12. 1909, was solemnized the marriage of Austin N. Losse and Miss Louise P. McGraw, a native of Mankato, Minn., and a daughter of Dr. D. F. and Emma McGraw. The father was for many years a prominent dentist and highly respected citizen of San Jose, building up an extensive practice. Mrs. Losse attended the gram- mar and high schools of San Jose and completed her education at the Marlborough School of Los An- geles, Cal. Two children were born of that union. Beatrice Jessie and Henry Edward. The wife and mother passed away on December 3, 1918, a victim of the influenza epidemic, and in that year Mr. Losse also lost his father. He is a prominent member of the St. Claire Club and is a man of high principles and substantial qualities, progressive and reliable in business, loyal in citizenship and at all times display- ing devotion to the duties that devolve upon him.

FORREST D. SANDERS .- A thoroughly enter- prising and successful business man of Saratoga, who considers it an honor to have been born in this beautiful county, is Forrest D. Sanders, who first saw the light in Los Gatos, March 13, 1878. He is the son of C. W. and Hannah (Showers) Sanders. who came to Los Gatos about 1874. The father is a New Yorker by birth and the mother a native of Missouri. In the pioneer days. the father was an assayer at Virginia City, Nev., and has followed the occupation of mining ever since coming to California and is still in the mines near Angels Camp. The mother is deceased. The eldest of three children, Forrest attended school in Los Gatos until the family removed to St. Louis, Mo., when he was nine years old, when he went to school there. His career was varied by different occupations, first as a newsboy, then as elevator boy at Nugent's Dry Goods Store in St. Louis, and then he embarked in business for himself, owning a second hand store and a wood and coal yard in St. Louis. He was eighteen years old when he returned to Los Gatos in 1896, and for a time worked in a cannery, then for two years he worked in the mines. Not being satisfied with min- ing as a permanent occupation, he assumed the management of the orchard owned by Rev. E. S. Williams; later he purchased a small ranch of his own and in the meantime took up contracting and carpentry and thus went into the lumber business. Owing to the great demand, he first began the manu- facture of fruit trays, but gradually enlarged his business and was so progressive and aggressive that he very soon absorbed the Adams Lumber Com- pany, thus practically controlling the lumber business in the vicinity of Saratoga.

On March 15, 1899, Mr. Sanders was united in marriage with Miss Alice Maud Gardner, of Sara- toga, a daughter of a worthy pioneer family, her father being Daniel F. Gardner, a pioneer horticul- turist who came to California across the plains in 1850, while her mother, Sarah (Kenyon) Gardner, crossed the plains in 1849 with her father, James Kenyon, the pioneer of Homestead Road. They are

Gustin n. Lasse

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

the parents of two children, David F., who is associ- ated with his father in the lumber business, and John F. Mr. Sanders has been a life-long stand-pat Republican, and for six years he has served as school trustee. Mr. Sanders united with the Cen- tenary Methodist Church in St. Louis in 1894, and soon after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Sanders be- came members of the Congregational Church in Saratoga in which they have taken an active part, contributing liberally to its benevolences, Mrs. San- ders taking an active part in the ladies' societies of the church. Since the Christian Church federated with the Congregational, they are now members of the Federated Church and continue their activity. Mr. Sanders has been active as president of the Christian Endeavor. Mrs. Sanders is a cultured woman and as such exerts her influence for good in the community. She is prominent in civic and social circles, being a member of the Foothill Study Club and the Parent-Teachers' Association. Mr. Sanders is a man of pleasing personality which, coupled with much native business ability, speaks for his success. He has the interests of the com- mutity much at heart and is active in all movements that have for their aim the improvement of the town and betterment of the people. He is a member of the Commercial Club and the Men's Club and it was this latter organization that made the local Boy Scouts a possibility and success. He joined the True Fellowship Lodge, I. O. O. F., Santa Clara, and later demitting, became a charter member of Sara- toga Lodge No. 428, I. O. O. F., of which he is a past grand. He is also a member of Encampment No. 77, San Jose, and with his wife is a member of Saratoga Rebekah Lodge No. 337, in which Mrs. Sanders served two terms as noble grand. Mr. San- ders is also a member of the Foresters of America and the Modern Woodmen. He has been an active member of the Saratoga Improvement Association since its organization in 1900 and since 1921 has been the president of the Association.

JAMES CASLEY .- Noteworthy among the most thriving, able and progressive business men of San Jose, is James Casley, general cement and sewer con- tractor. Inheriting his industrious and energetic spirit and the sterling virtues of a long line of sturdy English ancestry, he has met with success in his active career, and has won the confidence and good- will of the community in which he resides. A native of England, he was born October 17, 1860, in Corn- wall, parish of St. Just, which was also the birthplace of his father and mother, James and Elizabeth (Thomas) Casley. The father, James Casley, fol- lowed the occupation of farming during his entire lifetime. While he did not aspire to holding a public office, he was progressive and public spirited and always interested in the welfare of the community in which he resided. He retained his interest in public affairs to the day of his death, which occurred at the age of seventy-three.

During his early boyhood, James, Jr., attended school in his native parish, receiving instruction from his father in farming and agriculture, which served him well in future years. The youth of Mr. Casley was not singled out for special favors on the part of good fortune, and he is essentially a self-made man, depending always upon the natural and ac- quired gifts which aided his ambition. He was reared to habits of extreme thrift by his parents, and

when he arrived at the age of twenty-two, with an inborn determination to succeed, he embarked for America, and landed in Quebec, Canada, on July 6. 1882. His first job was that of farmhand at the meager wage of twenty dollars per month. This served to tide him over for a time, but not satisfied with this, four months later he went to Michigan, where he obtained employment in the iron and cop- per mines. During the next year. he went to La Salle County, Ill., again taking up the work for which he was best fitted, that of farming. He leased land near Marseilles, Ill., paying as high as four dollars per acre rent, and was successful in his ven- ture, his chief crop being corn. Still he was not satisfied with farming as a vocation, and leaving the scene of his success, he came to California in No- vember, 1891, locating at San Jose. His early les- sons in thrift had caused him to accumulate some funds, and he very soon invested in property in the Montgomery and Rea subdivisions, later erecting a residence on North Seventeenth Street.

Before leaving Illinois, Mr. Casley was married to Miss Salina Price in Marseilles on December 9, 1885. Mrs. Casley was also a native of England. heing born in Halsoen, September 16, 1855, and she came to America in 1880, locating in Illinois. Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Casley: Albert. deceased; William, deceased; Lizzie, deceased; Mary married Walter H. Ratz, and they have one child, Gertrude, a graduate of high school, resides with her parents; Alice, a graduate of the State Normal School, is teaching in the public schools of San Jose. Mrs. Casley passed away in October, 1915, and is buried in the beautiful cemetery at Oak Hill, where the children who are deceased are buried.

Soon after coming here, Mr. Casley chose his loca- tion for his business, and with his usual energy, he has established himself as a general cement and sewer contractor, making for himself an enviable reputation. His one ambition, throughout his busi- ness career, has been to excel in the quality of his work, and keeping this in mind at all times, he has succeeded in establishing himself as the leading con- tractor in his line of Santa Clara County. He has laid miles and miles of sewer and his cement work has always been first class. Mr. Casley used a ditch- ing machine in his work and was the first man to own one in Santa Clara County. This is a great labor-saving device, since before operating this ma- chine, he regularly employed twenty-five men, and now the same amount of work can be accomplished with the help of four men. Mr. Casley has built many of the beautiful bridges, which are the pride of Santa Clara County, and he has been successful. far beyond his expectations, in his chosen work.

Mr. Casley has taken an active interest in Republi- can politics ever since coming to the West, serving as a delegate to the county convention on the Re- publican ticket in 1910. Fraternally, he is a member of the Woodmen of the World and an Odd Fellow. He is a stockholder in the Don Jose Investment Company of San Jose and has extensive real estate interests in that city. He is public spirited and en- terprising, and his example of industry and sobriety may well be followed by the seekers of success. Mr. Casley received his citizenship papers while a resi- dent of La Salle, Ill., during the year of 1888, from the Superior Court, presided over by Judge Snyder.

664

HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

REV. A. W. NOEL PORTER, Ph. D .- A schol- arly representative of the Episcopal clergy in Cali- fornia, the Rev. Dr. A. W. Noel Porter, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, San Jose, enjoys a status and exerts an influence socially, intellectually, and religiously such as anyone might envy who was de- sirous of leading the world onward and upward to better things. He was born at Bellary, India, on December 18, 1885, the son of John and Martha ( Starling) Porter. John Porter was born in Devon- shire, England, educated in the public schools, and graduated from a military academy, after which he received a college degree. He was then sent to India. where he was promoted to be Regimental Inspector and was put in charge of military schools. He mar- ricd in Barbados, of the West Indies, Miss Martha Starling, who was born there, and had been educated in a French academy at Paris; but as her parents were extensive landowners in the West Indies and the Isle of Barbados, she made her home there. They resided for a time in England then in Ireland and then once in India, where the father died in 1888. survived by his wife and children, our subject and his sister, Mrs. Albert Leehome of Santa Barbara. The mother died in England in 1900.

Mr. Porter attended the Grosvenor House School in England, which was located at Walthamstow, and from there he was able to effect his entrance, by examination, to the University of Southern California. Coming out to Los Angeles in 1902, in 1904 entered the university. He acted as secretary and treasurer of the S. D. Sturgis & Bro. Company, while study- ing, and enjoyed a varied business experience which gave him a keen insight into practical busi- ness methods. He had already been fortunate in the matter of inheritance; for his paternal ancestors, from whom sprang men prominent in India and Aus- tralia, were widely experienced in military and naval affairs, and his forebears on his mother's side were prominent as churchmen and plantation owners. One branch of the Porter family were early settlers of Virginia, members of which took part in the Colonial and Revolutionary struggles. In 1908 Mr. Porter received the Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Southern California, and six years later he was given the Bachelor of Divinity from the General Theological Seminary in New York City. In 1911 he had been ordained a deacon and priest by Bishop Johnson and became rector of St. James Episcopal Church in Los Angeles, and in 1915 he received his Master's degree from his Alma Mater. In 1916 the degree of Doctor of Philosophy was conferred upon him by the College of the State of Iowa.

In 1918 Doctor Porter was called to San Jose to fill a vacancy in the rectorship of Trinity parish, caused by the resignation, in November, 1917. of the Rev. Halsey Werlein, and since then he has had supervision of Christ Mission, San Jose, the Church of Our Savior at Santa Clara, and St. Thomas' Mis- sion at Sunnyvale. He has become vice-president of the Civic Welfare League, is a member of the San Jose Chamber of Commerce and has acted as vice-president of the Public Forum Committee. He is the clerical member of the Rotary Club and is also a member of the San Jose Country Club. He votes with the historic Democratic party and finds delight in secking to elevate civic standards. He belongs

to the Phi Alpha fraternity. He was made a Mason in San Jose Lodge No. 10. F. & A. M., is chaplain of San Jose Lodge No. 522, B. P. O. E., and is in- tensely interested in the Boy Scouts movement. With over 800 communicants, Trinity parish may well be said to be in a prosperous condition.

Since taking hold here in 1918, Doctor Porter has continued untiringly as an educator, and he has car- ried on the great work of Trinity Church uninter- ruptedly. He gives especial attention to the all- important matter of organization, both within and without the church, and thereby better succeeds in maintaining vital connections between his parish and the rest of the social and religious world. He is also a successful author, having written, among other things, with facility and force, "The Bible in the Prayer Book," published in 1913, an index used by many teachers; "Love One Another," "Carry Your Corner," and "The Inside Inn," together with some of his best sermons. His publishers now have his latest work on the last words from the Cross, under the title, "Magnet of the World," which will soon be off the press.

At Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, on June 12, 1912, the Rt. Rev. William Ford Nichols, Bishop of California, joined Dr. Porter in matrimony with Miss Dorothy Hallowell, the daughter of John Hallo- well of San Francisco, and a native of Mendocino County, born near Fort Bragg. The union has been singularly happy, and Doctor and Mrs. Porter's home life has been rendered even brighter by their three children, Noel Edmund. Cedric Starling, and Richard Grenville Porter.

GEORGE C. ANDERSON .- Among the pioneer mercantile establishments of the Santa Clara Valley that of the George C. Anderson and Brother Grocery Company stands well to the front, their business at 324 East Santa Clara Street having been established for more than thirty years. Born at St. Louis, Mo., December 23, 1870, he is a son of Henry H. and Caroline J. (Stillman) Anderson, who came to Cali- fornia in 1875 and decided to make the Santa Clara Valley their permanent home, engaging in the grocery business and establishing a line of stores.

George C. Anderson was educated in the public schools of San Jose, but his spare hours were spent in his father's store, thus early in life his training began and he was soon put in charge of one of the stores. When his father passed away in 1898, the stores were gradually disposed of, and all efforts were centered on the great store in San Jose. For a number of years, Mr. Anderson was engaged in the manufacture of Beech Nut Jaffe, under the name of the Fig Prune Company, which he established but disposed of to the California Beech Nut Com- pany; later he was the proprietor of the Mission Leather Drapery Company, which was sold to a Los Angeles firm.

The marriage of Mr. Anderson occurred in San Jose and united him with Miss Cora Hamil, whose parents came to California in the '60s. Mr. Ander- son takes great pride in the beautiful grounds sur- rounding their home and preserves his health by personal care of his garden. Fraternally, he is iden- tified with the Woodmen of the World. He has witnessed much of the growth and progress of this part of the state, and has contributed to the prosperity and improvement of the city and state.

Robert L. Hogg. M. D.

665

HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

ROBERT L. HOGG, M. D .- A physician who, following exceptional scientific and technical prepara- tion for his work, and years of active practice, has come to take front rank among the best representa- tives of medicine and surgery in Santa Clara County, is Dr. Robert L. Hogg. A native of Kentucky, he was born April 27, 1873, at Booneville, the son of Stephen P. and Sally Anna (Combs) Hogg, both na- tives of Kentucky. Stephen P. Hogg, the father, was a prominent attorney in his native state. where he served as prosecuting attorney and also as a member of the constitutional convention. Both parents have now passed to their reward.

Robert L. started to learn the lessons of life in the public schools and continued his course of study at the University of Kentucky, where he took a scien- tific course and then entered the University of Louis- ville, where he was graduated with the M. D. degree in: 1893. On leaving the university he began his practice at Hazard, Ky .; then in 1894 he removed to Paso Robles, Cal., where he practiced for a year and a half. 1n 1895 he located at Saratoga, Santa Clara County, since which date he has continued to prac- tice here, a well known figure in the life of the com- inunity, prominent equally as a physician and sur- geon and as a man with the best interests of his dis- 1rict at heart, loyal to his state and to the city where he has resided so long.

The marriage of Dr. Hogg in Saratoga united him with Miss Agnes Josephine Hourecan, a native daughter of Saratoga. Her father, John Hourecan, was a pioneer of California, coming to the state in the early '50s, and was one of the early settlers of Saratoga. Dr. and Mrs. Hogg are the parents of three daughters; Melita Mary graduated at Stanford University in 1921 with the degree of A. B., majoring in psychology, and is now the director of the psycho- logical clinic at Louisville, Ky .; Norma Dorothy is a graduate of the State Teacher's College and now teaching at Hanford; Agnes Gertrude is attending the Dominican College at San Rafael. Dr. Hogg showed his patriotism regardless of his large busi- ness and property interests by volunteering his serv- ices, enlisting in the Medical Corps of the U. S. Army. He was commissioned a first lieutenant and was stationed at Fort Riley until after the armistice, receiving his discharge December, 1918, when he re- turned and resumed his practice. He is affiliated politically with the Democratic party, and fraternally is an Elk and an Odd Fellow, and also belongs to the American Legion. He is an active and interested member of the American Medical Association, also of the state and county medical organizations, and is one of the examining surgeons for the U. S. Pension Department. Besides successfully taking care of a large and lucrative practice, he looks after a fine ranch property, which he owns in the vicinity of Saratoga, and has large property interests in the town of Saratoga, owning the Hogg Building, the princi- pal business block in this thriving town. He im- proved his orchard place, setting out most of it to an orchard of prunes and apricots. He improved fifty-three acres and sold it and now has an orchard of thirty acres; here he has built his residence located oui the Saratoga Road above Saratoga where he re- sides with his family. Dr. Hogg is active in the Saratoga Improvement Association, serving two terms 32

as president and director of the Blossom Festival. Deeply interested in the cause of education, he served acceptably as a member of the school board and is an original trustee of the Los Gatos Union high school; he is one of the organizers of the Saratoga State Bank and served as vice-president and director until it was sold to the Garden City Bank & Trust Company; he was one of the organizers and a stock- holder and now a director of the Saratoga Inn. Inc., a local company formed to promote a new hotel in Saratoga, which is a success and credit to the town, in fact there is not a movement started for the up- building of the town and county that does not have his hearty support and cooperation. Before being called into service, he was active in all war work, chairman of the local war work council until he went to Fort Riley and as such had charge of the various Red Cross and Liberty bond drives, all of which went over-the-top in their subscriptions.

MILES MONROE CALEB,-A man of strong personal force, of the stimulating rather than the aggressive kind, Miles Monroe Caleb, although re- tired from active business life, is still a prominent factor in the development of the resources of Santa Clara County. A native of New York, Mr. Caleb was born in a rural district twenty-two miles south of Buffalo, Chautauqua County, July 31, 1842, the son of Peter B. and Catherine (Stevenson) Caleb, the father a native of Delaware County, N. Y., while the mother was reared in New Jersey. Jerry Caleb, an uncle, served in the War of 1812 with distinction. The boyhood of Miles M. Caleb was spent on the farm, and he attended school in Orleans County, in the great Empire State.

At the outbreak of the Civil War he ran away from home and enlisted in Company B of the Third Michigan Cavalry, under Captain Wilcox, on August 31, 1861. He began his training at Grand Rapids, Mich., and by the first of November the regiment was on its way to St. Louis, Mo., and he was in the battle of New Madrid, ten miles south of Island No. 10 in the Mississippi River. Owing to the hard- ships and exposure encountered in the service to his country, he contracted a fever, was sent to a hospital and remained there until July, 1862, when he had sufficiently recovered to be removed to his home in New York, but the physicians despaired of his life and he was honorably discharged on account of phys- ical disability in July, 1862. The careful nursing of his home folks proved beneficial, and on Decem- ber 10, 1863, he reenlisted in the army, this time with Company A, Second New York Mounted Rifles, under Captain Rushmore. He also served on de- tached service under Gen. Phil. Sheridan, being taken prisoner in October, 1864, at Richmond, but was fortunate in being paroled in four days. Many hardships were endured, and many narrow escapes; four horses were shot from under him during battles. His record as soldier deserves special mention, and on August 23. 1865, he was honorably discharged at Buffalo, N. Y. Two years later, he again took up the work on the farm, and also went to Pennsylvania and worked in the oil fields for two years.

In 1872 Mr. Caleb removed to Flint, Mich., and it was there on July 29, 1874, that he was married to Miss Lucile McNett, a daughter of Benjamin P. McNett. a non-commissioned officer, who enlisted from Saginaw, Mich., serving till the close of the war.

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

Mr. Caleb followed his trade of carpenter for thirty- five years while residing in Flint, Mich., and suc- cessfully conducted a contracting and building busi- ness. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Caleb: Charles E. is married and resides in San Francisco, he was a member of the Michigan Na- tional Guards; Harry A. resides at home with his parents; Nellie G. is the wife of R. O. Price, and they are the parents of two children. Mrs. Caleb has served as president of the W. R. C. and is a member of Ladies of the G. A. R., and in 1918 was the honored president of the Sheridan-Dix Post No. 7 of the W. R. C. of San Jose. It was during the year of 1904 that the family decided to seek a milder climate and removed to San Jose, where they have continuously resided, with the exception of three years. They have an attractive and comfortable home on Spencer Avenue, and are to make this their permanent residence. After removing to San Jose, Mr. Caleb, assisted by his son, Harry A., followed contracting and building for nine years, and many buildings attest his proficiency. In partnership with his sons he purchased a twenty-acre vineyard in the San Joaquin Valley, seventeen miles northwest of Fresno, and resided there for three years, then the vineyard was disposed of for $7,000.00; the same ranch recently sold for $17,000.00. In his political preferment, Mr. Caleb adheres to the principles of the Republican party. Fraternally he is identified with the Odd Fellows; he is also an active member of Sheridan-Dix Post No. 7. G. A. R., of San Jose. As one of the practical builders of the city the record of his useful life forms no unimportant chapter in the annals of Santa Clara County, and deserves a permanent place in its history.

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 104

Author: Sawyer, Eugene T Publication date: 1922 Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co. Number of Pages: 1934

Author: Sawyer, Eugene T
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1934