History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 122

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

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JOHN Q. A. BALLOU .- Numbered among the oldest and best posted horticulturists of the Santa Clara Valley, John Q. A. Ballou still retains his clear mind and alert intellect at the age of ninety-five and it is indeed a rare privilege to converse with him. The founder of the Ballou family in America was Maturin Ballou, of French and Norman lineage, who migrated from England in 1645, and became an asso- ciate of Roger Williams in Rhode Island. He had two sons, John and James. In the sixth generation from him was Abram Ballou, a native of Rhode Island and besides being a farmer was a shoemaker, which occupation he followed for some years in New York state and there died His son, Otis, was born in Smithfield, R. I., and removed to New Hampshire, where he married Lydia Chamberlain in 1816. Later he settled in Hartland, Windsor County Vt., and combined the trade of a shoemaker with the occupa- tion of farmer. During their residence there his son, John Q. A., was born, a representative of the eighth generation in descent from the founder of the family in the United States. When he was seven years of age, the family removed to Walpole, N. H., and the father continued his trade of shoemaking and farm- ing. Later the family returned to Rhode Island and there the father passed away. His wife died in New Hampshire in 1849. She was a granddaughter of Thomas Chamberlain, one of the earliest settlers of New Hampshire and a lieutenant under General Stark in the Revolutionary War.

J. Q. A. Ballou was the eighth child in a family of twelve children, eleven of whom attained mature years, and was born March 26, 1827. He attended the common schools and learned the trade of cutter in a shoe manufacturing establishment, and at the age of twenty-two had risen to the position of foreman of the manufacturing department. He continued in this employ until March 1, 1849, when he and his brother, George W., sailed from Boston on the ship Sweden around the Horn, and after a voyage of 153 days landed in San Francisco on August 3 of that year, just fifteen days before the landing of Bayard Taylor, correspondent of Horace Greeley's New York "Trib- une." They hurried on to the mines, but six weeks after their arrival George W., was taken ill and died at Coloma. In January of 1852, J. Q. A. returned to the east via Nicaragua and in May of the same year accompanied by his two brothers, Warren S, and Charles O., they started back by the same route. Their tickets provided for passage in the North American from San Juan Del Suer to San Francisco, but that steamship having been wrecked they finished their trip by a voyage on the S. S. Lewis instead. Warren S. Ballou returned East within a year but Charles O. stayed until 1860, when he also went back and enlisted, became second lieutenant and was killed during the terrific fighting at the battle of Fredericks- burg, while acting as captain.

After his second arrival in California in 1852, J. Q. A. Ballou went to the mines in Sierra County. In March of 1853 he went to Santa Clara County, and arriving at San Jose, March 14 of that year, he put up at Price's Hotel, which was located where the Wilcox Building now stands. Its proprietor was Col. John Price, a brother of the Confederate general and ex-governor of Missouri, General Sterling Price. In 1855 Mr. Ballou turned his attention to the nursery business and in 1857 purchased his present property in the suburbs of San Jose on the Milpitas Road, and he was thus engaged until 1862, becoming the best posted man on fruit cultivation in the Santa Clara Valley and well deserved that honor, for many years were devoted to the study of obtaining the best re- sults with the varied products which the soil would bring forth. One of the first experiments that Mr. Ballou tried was the boring of a well on his ranch, and in February, 1857, water was reached. Mr. Bal- lou was associated with the introduction of bee cul- ture in California. His ranch consisted of forty acres and was plantcd to pears, apples and plums. In addi- tion he has a stock farm of 140 acres on the Guada- lupe on First Street a quarter of a mile north of the city limits. For thirty-five years he has been interest- ed in city property in San Francisco besides owning valuable property in San Jose. He was the first man to experiment in drying fruit in the sun, an indus- try that has since developed into a most profitable occupation in Santa Clara County. In 1864, while on a visit to his New England home, he married Miss Catherine J. Kimball, daughter of Timothy D. and Jane Alice (Mann) Kimball, residents of Claremont, N. H. Mr. and Mrs. Ballou were the parents of two children; Allis K, Mrs. Wager Bradford, and George Ballou, an accountant in the auditor's office of the shipping board in San Francisco. Mrs. Ballou passed away in 1914.

Mr. Ballou also helped pioneer the fruit canning industry at San Jose, where the first cannery was started in 1870 by Dr. Dawson, and in 1874 it was incorporated under the name of the San Jose Fruit Canning Company. In 1879 Messrs. Ballou and Ozier became owners of three-fifths of the capital stock and Mr. Ballou served as its president for three years. He was also prominent in the organiza- tion of the Farmer's Union Store and for many years served in the capacity of secretary and is still a stockholder and director. As a result of an opera- tion for cataract, Mr. Ballou has lost his sight and can only distinguish the light from darkness, but he still retains his wonderful memory and it is indeed interesting to converse with him upon the early his- tory of California in the early mining days. Mr. Bal- lou has been connected with the organization known as "California Pioneers" since 1856. It was started in 1849 and one of the points of eligibility is that the member must have been a resident of Califor- nia before statehood. This organization is a very noted one, among other things being the residuary legatee of the James Lick Estate. He is also a mem- ber of the Santa Clara County Pioneer Association. From the formation of the Republican party in 1856 Mr. Ballou has been a firm believer and an advocate in Republican principles. In 1866 he was elected a member of the county board of supervisors, but re- signed three years later. Fraternally he is a mem- ber of the Masonic lodge No. 10 in San Jose.

Agrilesson

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

HON. ISAIAH ALONZO WILCOX .- A grate- ful posterity such as makes up the rank and file of California citizenship today will always gladly honor such patriot pioneers as the late Hon. Isaiah Alonzo Wilcox, who for years participated in the direction of public affairs, while he enjoyed distinction as one of the foremost settlers who had contributed sub- stantially toward the scientific and practical devel- opment of the varied fruit interests of Santa Clara County. A native of the great Empire State, he was born in Herkimer County on September 16, 1822, the son of Asa and Clarissa (Nichols) Wilcox, also natives of that county. His father both followed agricultural pursuits and conducted a well-stocked store, besides looking after other business interests. and thus it happened that Isaiah, during his attend- anee at the local schools, not only received such an education as is possible to obtain from books, but he imbibed much else of great benefit to him in after years. He progressed so well, indeed, that at twenty he undertook to teach school, and in that field he asserted his powers and leadership qualities to the extent that the authorities induced him twice to accept the office of superintendent of schools. He was far from satisfied with pedagogy, however, and at the age of twenty-four began to study law. partly under the distinguished Judge Loomis. Unfortu- nately, too close application to his study impaired his health, and he was forced to seek outdoor activity. He took up various occupations, even trying his luck at cod-fishing off the Banks of Newfoundland, in 1849; and having decided that he must make a still greater change, he turned his attention to the genial climate of the Pacific Coast, about which everybody was then talking, on account of the excitement fol- lowing the discovery of gold.

Making his way via the Isthmus of Panama, he at length arrived in San Francisco in 1852; and al- though he had almost an aversion to mining, he ac- companied others in search of gold. He worked for a while at Little York. Waulope and Red Dog, but, discouraged on account of his continued poor health, he returned to San Francisco, and soon made his way to the new town of Alameda. Messrs. Chipman and Augenbough, founders of the proposed city, made him foreman of the survey, and he then went to work in the redwood distriet north of Oakland. In partnership with Henderson Llewelling, who had been a pioneer in importing fruit trees to the West- ern Coast, he bought 500 acres of land, later laid out as Fruitvale, but owing to trouble on account of the title, their plans with the property were never made use of. In 1856 he went to San Francisco, and there, with E. J. Loomis, he established a commis- sion and produce house that was soon known for its enterprise and dependability. Two years later, when the excitement as to gold spread along the Fraser River, he established stores at Victoria, on Van- couver Island, but the failure of the mines and the consequent departure of the miners forced him to close the shops again.

Concentrating his attention upon the advantages offered by Alameda County, Mr. Wilcox engaged actively in fruit culture there; and in 1867. con- vinced that Santa Clara County offered still greater opportunities, he removed hither, settling on Olive Avenne, three miles northwest of Santa Clara, where he continued his fruit planting and cultivating on

about sixty acres. He had some 6,000 trees, mostly Bartlett pears and French prunes, and between the trees he cultivated onions and strawberries, evolving with the latter a very profitable industry. He had six acres of alfalfa, and managed that corner of his busy ranch so well that he gathered six crops a year from the rich land.

Mr. Wilcox was married in 1859 to Miss Mary Frances Abbott, the daughter of the California pio- neer, Stephen Abbott, a charming lady, who first saw the light at Wilton, N. H., and bade adieu to the scenes of this world on May 13, 1891, at the age of fifty-three. The worthy couple were blessed with four sons and one daughter: Frank Asa is the subject of a review on another page; Harry W. is deceased, survived by a widow, who resides in the East; Emily A. Wilcox married Francis J. Henry, who is engaged in mercantile pursuits at Glendale. where they reside; Walter I. is a dentist and enjoys a lucrative practice in San Francisco; he resides on a part of the premises of the Wilcox Fruit Company. and is that company's secretary and treasurer. Irving A. Wilcox, who is married and also lives on a part of the fruit company's property, is the manager.

Isaiah Alonzo Wilcox's prominence in the Western fruit industry is attested by the fact that the Califor- nia State Horticultural Society selected him as its representative at the Industrial Exposition in New Orleans, where he accomplished much to arouse a live interest in the soil, elimate and products of Cali- fornia, and the fruits of his intelligent and conseien- tions labors were apparent in the large number of desirable settlers who afterwards located in the state. He assisted effectually in organizing the American Horticultural Society, and was one of the founders of the Horticultural Hall Association of San Jose, a member of its first board of directors. He was also one of the first directors in the Bank of Santa Clara County, and he assisted in founding the Grangers Bank of California. He was a stock- holder in the Farmers' Union store in San Jose, and also in the Santa Clara Cheese Factory. On the organization of the Santa Clara Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, he became a charter member, and he was twice honored as this body's representative in the State Grange. Later he helped to organize the San Jose Grange, and became its first worthy master. He was a standpat Republican, and was a member of the State Legislature for 1886-88, render- ing great service to his constituency. After a very busy and unquestionably useful career, "crowned by prosperity and blessed by many warm friendships," as an earlier writer has said of him, "he entered into rest April 1. 1897, mourned by the pioneers who had labored by his side in the early days of Santa Clara County, and followed to his grave by innumerable tokens of respect on the part of his former associates and companions."

PAUL C. SAINSEVAIN .- A representative of one of the oldest families in the Santa Clara Valley is Paul C. Sainsevain, whose father, Pedro Sainse- vain, came to San Jose from his native place, Begay, France, when he was eighteen years of age, in 1836. and in this old Mission city he met and married Miss Paula Sunol, a native daughter of San Jose. whose father, Don Antonio Sunol, came hither from Spain in 1818, and was the second of the foreigners to come to Santa Clara Valley. Don Antonio Sunol

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

became a large landowner and a successful and in- fluential man. On his maternal side Paul C. Sainse- vain is also descended from the Bernal family, his Great-grandfather Bernal coming hither in 1787 with the old Mission Fathers.

Pedro Sainsevain built the first sawmill in San Bernardino County, and with his brother Louis set out a large vineyard at Cucamonga. Then he ran a sawmill near Santa Cruz and had a grant of land at Santa Cruz, a part of it now being the site of the powder works. In 1849 San Francisco Bay was full of idle boats, as captains could get no sailors to man them because of the rush to the mines. Wish- ing to make a trip to Chile, Mr. Sainsevain char- tered a boat and had to guarantee a crew, so he inanned the boat with Indians, made the trip to Chile, purchased merchandise, and on his return sold his stock at a profit of $50,000. He also en- gaged in business in Yerba Buena. When his old- est children were of suitable age he sent them to Bordeaux, France, to go to school. The mother made the trip and remained for some months, and while she was there Paul C. was born in Bordeaux, May 25, 1856. In 1864 Pedro Sainsevain started a large wine business in New York City, but owing to the conditions of the times he lost heavily. He continued on his ranch in San Jose, where he had 116 acres of vineyard, now Sainscvain Villa. After- wards he was again in business in San Francisco. Then for about eight years he was in business in Central America, later returning to San Jose. After his wife's death he returned to France, where he spent the rest of his days. They had three children: Michael, deceased; Charles, a rancher of San Jose, and Paul C., of this sketch.

He was educated in the public schools of San Jose and at Santa Clara College, and after this he took up the study and practice of surveying and civil engineering under A. T. Herman for two years; then with his father he went to Central America, where he remained for a period of eight years. On his return to San Jose he became secretary and manager of the San Jose Electric Light Company. a position he filled for two years, when he accepted a position with Mr. Pieper, city engineer of San Jose, continuing with him until Mr. Pieper's death, when Mr. Sainsevain received the appointment of city engineer, serving acceptably for a period of six years. During this time he laid out the main sewer and sewer system. Next he was deputy county assessor under L. A. Spitzer until his death, and then under Mrs. L. A. Spitzer until the close of her term of office, when he entered the county surveyor's office eight years ago, since which time he has been serving under Mr. Ryder.

Mr. Sainsevain resides in a comfortable home he owns in Sainsevain Villa, a subdivision his father laid out of the 116-acre farm in 1870. In San Fran- cisco occurred the marriage of Mr. Sainsevain and Lillian Ebeling. She is a native daughter, born in San Francisco, whose father was one of the pioneer jewelers of that city. Their union has been blessed with two children: Eugenio, died at the age of twen- ty years, just as he was entering Stanford University, and Isabelle, now Mrs. Schweitzer, who has one child, Eugenio Schweitzer.

JOSEPH E. RUCKER .- From the date of his arrival in California, in the early days of 1852, Joseph E. Rucker was intimately associated with the upbuild- ing of the Santa Clara Valley, first with its ranching interests, and later as the founder of the firm popu- larly known as the Rucker Realty Company, pioneers in the real estate business of this locality and active factors in its development.

Joseph E. Rucker was born in Howard County, Mo., in 1831, the son of William T. and Verenda S. (Taylor) Rucker, who moved to Howard County, Mo., in 1830, soon after their marriage in Virginia, where the father was born in 1809 and the mother in 1810. In 1832 they removed to Saline County, Mo., and for the next twenty years they engaged in farm- ing there, successful among their generation and honored for their many sterling qualities. 1n 1852 the whole family made the long trip across the plains to California, and William T. Rucker succeeded in bringing through 200 milch cows, no small undertak- ing in that day, but a very profitable one for him, as he had purchased them for ten dollars a head and was able to dispose of them for from $150 to $200 a head. Soon after arriving here he bought 160 acres of land southwest of Santa Clara, which he sowed to wheat, his first crop yielding fifty bushels to the acre. This was in the season of 1852-53 when seed potatoes and seed wheat each cost five cents per pound. Mr. and Mrs. William T. Rucker were the parents of eleven children: Joseph E., of this review; Mary L., Mrs. Benj. Campbell; John S .; W. D .: R. T .; Dr. H. N .; Z. T .; Nancy C., Mrs. John P. Finley; George F .; Margaret E., Mrs. Clark; B. W. Mr. Rucker passed away in 1879, his wife surviving him a number of years, her death occurring in 1897.

In 1853 Joseph E. Rucker took up eighty acres of land, which he farmed until 1855, when he bought a dairy near Gilroy. In 1858 he disposed of this and bought a ranch, which he operated until 1864, when he sold it. Then he bought the ranch at Campbell, where he lived until he bought a tract of ten acres in The Willows in 1874, and that same year went into the real estate business, in which he was engaged during the remainder of his life. In 1883 he took his son into partnership with him, the firm becoming J. E. Rucker & Son, successors to Rucker & Page, and this company became foremost among the realty and insurance concerns of the Santa Clara Valley.

In 1855 Joseph E. Rucker was married to Miss Susan Brown, a native of Holt County, Mo, who came to California in 1851 with her parents, Samuel and Susan (Woods) Brown. They were also pio- neer settlers of Missouri, coming there in 1825 from their old home in Kentucky. Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Rucker: William B., Annie, deceased; Mary E., now Mrs. M. A. Boulware; James T. and Samuel N., twins; the latter was a member of the State Legislature in 1885, and in 1889 was mayor of San Jose; Joseph H. is now head of the realty business, with offices in both San Jose and San Fran- cisco; Susan is the wife of Judge P. F. Gosbey of San Jose; Lucy M., the wife of Dr. Chas. A. Way- land. Joseph E. Rucker passed away in 1890, sur- vived for seven years by his devoted wife. A life-long Democrat, he took an active interest in the affairs of his party, and he was a Mason, belonging to San Jose Lodge No. 10, F. & A. M., Howard Chapter

F.a. Wimax

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

No. 14, R. A. M., San Jose Commandery, K. T., and San Jose Chapter No. 31, O. E. S. A conscientious member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and a generous supporter of its benevolences, he was the first single man to join this church in the Santa Clara Valley, which church was built by his father and known as Rucker's Chapel. A worthy pioneer, he contributed much to the permanent upbuilding and development of this section of California, his death closing a career that had been upright and honorable in every relation of his well-spent life.

FRANK A. WILCOX .- A representative of Santa Clara County whose success in life has enabled him to command an influence helpful to many others besides himself, is Frank A. Wilcox, widely known for his association with the Wilcox Fruit Company, resid- ing on Coffin Road, three miles to the northwest of Santa Clara. The son of the Hon. Isaiah Alonzo Wilcox, one of the most esteemed pioneers of Santa Clara County, Frank Asa was born in Fruitvale, Alameda County, on November 16, 1860, the eldest in a family of four sons and one daughter, and while vet a youth he was fortunate in mastering a thorough knowledge of the fruit trade, so that long before most young men, he was able to start in business for himself with a good practical experience as part of his capital. Toward the close of 1889, he secured by purchase twenty acres of choice land lying west of his father's ranch in Santa Clara County, and com- menced to raise seeds and fruits, and two years later, he added to his holdings a twelve-acre tract, which he set out in fruit, and in 1904 he bought another twenty acres, also for fruit culture. About the same time he formed a working agreement with Charles Parker of Santa Clara and W. H. Metson of San Francisco, and first undertook the growing of vege- tables for seeds; and from that early venture of nearly twenty years ago, sprang the California Seeds, Inc .. of which Mr. Wilcox was secretary, and they shipped seeds to all parts of the United States, and even to Europe. Although so successful in the seed business that that industry alone almost monopolized his at- tention, he continued to operate his thirty-two acres, and also to take care of his one-fifth interest in his father's estate.

After the death of his father, in 1897, the Wilcox Fruit Company was incorporated. It took over the orchards and business of the deceased pioneer, and developed an enviable property and trade. Its present officials are F. A. Wilcox, president, I. A. Wilcox, general manager; and Walter Wilcox, secretary and treasurer. The company has sold off some land, and bought other land, since Isaiah A. Wilcox's death, and at present it has seventy-six acres. Frank A. Wilcox with his two sons owns eighty-six acres, the whole being devoted to growing pears. Mr. Wilcox saw the need of drainage for this section, so with others laid a drain pipe line for 6000 feet to get a proper outlet, and then he laid tile throughout his property, which he finds of great benefit to the land and his growing orchards. He has also installed an underground system for spraying the trees, oper- ated from a central plant. By this method spraying can be done immediately after a rain, instead of the old way of having to wait several weeks for the ground to dry sufficiently to allow the hauling of the tank wagon. He is a stockholder in the Bank of Italy, and he also is a director in the California Pear

Growers Association, which he helped to establish in 1918. He helped to organize at San Jose, the Co- cperative Canneries, a state-wide institution, and he is a director of the Santa Clara unit.

At Santa Clara, in 1886, Mr. Wilcox was married to Miss Mary L. Ortley, a native of Santa Clara County and the daughter of Capt. John Jacob and Almira Ortley, honored pioneers. Her father, one of the ablest sea captains of several oceans, brought his own ship to the Pacific Coast in 1849, and after- ward engaged in Coast trade; and her mother, who was Miss Wade before her marriage, crossed the great plains to the Golden State to reach her longed- for goal. Captain Ortley, then running a line of freight steamers between San Francisco and Alviso, and he and Miss Wade were married on Christmas Eve, 1858, and they made their home near Alviso. A sister of Mrs. Wilcox is Mrs. Frank A. Hunter, and her history is given elsewhere in this work in the life-story of her husband. Three children blessed this fortunate union of Mr. and Mrs. Wilcox. Fannie Almira had become a gifted, promising young lady of twenty when, in 1907, she died, popular as a grad- uate of the Santa Clara high school. Lloyd Ortley Wilcox, married Miss Nola McCline of Santa Clara, and they have two children, Barbara and Frank Al- fred. Adrian C. Wilcox, graduated from the Uni- versity of California and has become an agricultural expert. He entered the U. S. service and for two years during the war he was associated with the Agricultural Department in the work of increasing the production of wheat-an important work for which he was especially recommended by his former professor; he was married to Miss Irma Currie of Los Angeles, a granddaughter of the founder of Tus- tin, Orange County. Frank A. Wilcox's father died on April 1, 1897; and his mother, who was Mary Frances Abbott before her marriage, breathed her last on May 13, 1891. In 1906, Mr. and Mrs. Wilcox built their beautiful residence, which they later re- modeled, making it a commodious country house. Mr. Wilcox is an Odd Fellow, a past grand and a past chief patriarch in the Encampment.

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 122

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