History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 127

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

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Peter Dunne was graduated from the Santa Clara College in 1884 with the degree of B. S., and then he engaged in business in San Francisco. In 1895 he removed to San Jose and took charge of his mother's estate; and this, one of the notable California properties, he has continued to oversee, while his mother is still living, at present at the age of ninety- tour. With the fruits of a valuable training, and the affectionate conscientiousness of a loyal son, Mr. Dunne has been able greatly to increase the worth et the properties under his charge, and has so proven a steward of the kind capitalists and corporations are always seeking.

On April 6, 1888, Mr. Dunne was married to Miss Josephine Rose Masten, the daughter of N. K. Mas- ten of San Francisco, and they have been granted eight children, six now living-Peter M., a Jesuit priest; Mary K. became the wife of Roy A. Silent of Los Angeles and the mother of a daughter, Patricia; Josephine M. married Cedric Rae Richmond of San Jose; Dorothy R., a sister in the Convent of the Holy Name; Catherine M. and Margaret M .; the fifth child, james and the youngest, Eleanor, died in infancy. Of those living, the three eldest girls were born while the family lived in San Francisco and the others in San Jose and they were educated at Notre Dame in San Jose and the Holy Name in Oakland. Josephine is a graduate of the University of California and Mary was a senior when she left and Catherine was a junior. The family attend the Catholic Church. Mr. Dunne works for civic betterment under the banners of the Democratic party, and belongs to the Knights of Columbus and Y. M. I.

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

WILLIS S. CLAYTON .- How much of the cred- it for the phenomenal prosperity of San Jose is due to the acknowledged leadership of such far-sighted, cour- ageous and progressive men as Willis S. Clayton, the president of the First National Bank, only those fa- miliar with the dependency of commerce on the fin- ancial, and the enviable part played by the First Na- tional Bank in the life and growth of Santa Clara County can realize. Born a native son in San Jose, of October 10, 1864, and grounded well in the public schools of the city, Willis S. Clayton graduated from the University of the Pacific in 1884, and at once be- gan his business career in the office of James A. Clay- ton & Company, his father's firm. Eventually he be- came managing partner, and in that responsible posi- tion he remained for a quarter of a century, often having charge of very important interests and helping to build up the business.

This real estate business, of which he was such an important part for many years, was established by his father in 1867, and ever since that date has been one of the sound institutions of the city and the oldest business of the kind to remain in control of one family in the state of California. It is located at 34 West Santa Clara Street in a building owned by the firm, and after the death of its founder the business was continued by Willis S. and the late Edward W. Clayton. In 1907 Willis S. was elected president of the First National Bank of San Jose, of which his father was the founder and for many years the presi- dent. Giving up his real estate business he has since devoted his entire time to building up the bank's in- terests. The first year after he assumed the leader- ship the deposits jumped from one to two million dollars; and he was also instrumental in the erection of the splendid bank building at the corner of Santa Clara and First Streets, one of the substantial as it is one of the ornate structures in the city.

Willis S. Clayton was united in marriage at San Jcse, with Miss Anna Bradley, daughter of E. L. Bradley, prominent pioneer and large land holder of the county. Mrs. Clayton is an accomplished woman and is a leader in social and club life in San Jose. Their children are James Bradley and Willis S., Jr. Mr. Clayton was elected in 1921, president of the California Bankers Association, serving in 1921-22 and he is president of the California State Automo- bile Association, 1922-23. He is a Knights Templar Mason and a Shriner and belongs to some of the leading clubs of San Francisco and San Jose. Mr. Clayton has always tried to do his part to advance the material interests of city and county, is public spirited and a supporter of all progressive measures for the well-being of the people.

EDMUND W. MAYNARD .- One of the most loved and highly esteemed business men who con- tributed to make San Jose a better city through his great love of books was the late Edmund W. May- nard, who was born at Bratton, Yorkshire, England. His father was Col. Edmund Gilling Maynard, who spent twenty-one years in the British Army, serving with distinction in the Crimean War and in the In- dian mutiny. In 1869 Col. Maynard brought his fam- ily to Canada, where they resided for about six years. However, the climate proved too severe for Mrs. Maynard, so the Colonel decided to take up his resi- dence in New Zealand, but upon arriving in Cal- ifornia took a decided liking for this state with the

result that he came to Santa Clara County and set- tled in San Jose. Thus it was here that Edmund Maynard received his education. Here too he was married in 1892 to Miss Anna M. Tomkin, a dangh- ter of Dr. Alfred Royce Tomkin, an early settler here, who was county coroner and public adminis- trator at the time of his death, and a granddaughter of James Alexander Forbes, one of the original owners of the New Almaden mine and the first British consul to California under the Mexican rule.

Edmund Maynard became a successful business man in San Jose where he conducted one of the largest and best known book and stationery stores in this city. However, he was not permitted to en- joy the fruits of his success, for he was called by Providence July 5, 1917, mourned by all who knew him and particularly by his family and friends. He was a great lover of books and was a good judge of their merits, so his advice in courses of reading was frequently sought. He was a talented musician, the flute being his chosen instrument, and he was an active member of the San Jose Symphony Orches- tra and the San Jose Harmonic Orchestra. He was also a member of the Chamber of Commerce and the Business Men's Association, the Sons of St. George, Odd Fellows and the Woodmen of the World. He was greatly interested in civics and stood for high morals and Christian influence. Among his business associates, Edmund W. Maynard was looked up to as a man of unquestionable honor, of progressive ideas and of unusual business ability. With his personal friends he was loved as few men are loved; his unselfishness, ready sympathy and keen sense of humor, endcared him to all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance; he was especially fond of children and scores of them, large and small, will sadly miss "Uncle Ed" as he was affectionately called by his host of friends. His loss was greatly felt in the business world as well as in the social life of San Jose.

P. R. WIGHTMAN .- One of the foremost figures in the business and public life of Sunnyvale is P. R. Wightman, a successful merchant, who is also serv- ing as mayor of the town, and in both connections he is making a most creditable record, holding to hugh standards of manhood and citizenship. He was born in Lockport, III., six miles north of Joliet, March 15, 1873, a son of Hon. George Wightman, who served in the Illinois Legislature and was also a prosperous farmer and stockman. The mother, Mrs. Susan (Sisson) Wightman, was a daughter of Captain Sisson, an early pioncer of Illinois, who aided in building the old blockhouse at Fort Dear- born, in Cook County, to protect the white settlers from Indian attacks, also engaging in warfare against the Redskins.

When P. R. Wightman was a lad of fourteen his. father died and his mother then sold the farm and removed to Plainfield, 111., where he attended the public schools, later entering a business college at Valparaiso, Ind., where he spent a year in study. He next went to Newton, Kans., and for a year was employed in the store of his brother. Frank Wight- man, at that place, after which he made his way to Sayre, Okla., where for seven years he had charge of the general mercantile establishment owned by his father-in-law, J. D. Clay. In 1907 he left that

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

state for California, first locating at Glen Ellen, where he engaged in merchandising for a year, going from there to Cloverdale, in Sonoma County, where for three years he was similarly occupied, and while residing in that place was elected a member of the board of trustees. He became proprietor of a large general store at Sunnyvale, which he conducted most successfully, having a thorough knowledge of the business and ever recognizing the fact that satisfied patrons are the best advertisement. In the early fall of 1921 Mr. Wightman sold out his store, and on November 1, 1921, with C. W. Shepard as part- ner, he started the Sunnyvale Supply Company, deal- ers in all kinds of lumber and building materials, tnel and feed. This was accomplished by buying out two Sunnyvale business concerns, The Sunnyvale Fuel and Feed Company and the Minton Lumber Company. His many friends are glad to know that the Sunnyvale Supply Company is meeting with merited success.

In Oklahoma, in 1900, Mr. Wightman was mar- ried to Miss Myrtle Clay, a native of Texas and a daughter of J. D. Clay, a prominent merchant of Sayre, Okla. To this union has been born a son, George Clay. Fraternally Mr. Wightman is identi- fied with the Woodmen of the World and the Knights of Pythias and the Elks Lodge at Elk City, Okla., being a charter member of the last named organization. In April, 1921, Mr. Wightman was elected chairman of the city board of trustees. He had previously served on the board for a short time, being chosen to fill the vacancy caused by the death of John Hendy, of the Hendy Iron Works. Mr. Wightman is proving a capable executive, giving to the town a businesslike and progressive administra- tion, characterized by needed reforms and improve- ments. A broadminded, public-spirited citizen, he takes a deep interest in everything relating to the welfare of the district in which he lives, and has been most earnest in his support of those projects whihc are a matter of civic virtue and civic pride.

MRS. HATTIE E. TOPHAM .- The highly- esteemed daughter of a sturdy, successful pioneer, Mrs. Hattie E. Topham of San Jose can look back, in her contented spherc, and view with peculiar pride and satisfaction the great strides made in the phe- nomenal development of that part of the Golden State with which she and her family have had so much to do. A native daughter always proud of her association with the California commonwealth, Mrs. Topham was born at Forest Home, Amador County, on October 29, 1853, the daughter of W. D. Castle, a native of New York, who moved to Michi- gan and there married Miss Frances Ferry, a native of that state. Mr. Castle was a flour miller in Mich- igan, and in '49, as a real Argonaut, crossed the great plains on horseback. After a strenuous ex- perience of three years on the coast, he returned East to get his wife; and in 1853 he once more braved the dangers and the hardships of continental primitive travel and made his way back to Cali- fornia. He was for a while a miner in Amador County, and then he opened the Forest Home Hotel and the local grocery there. In 1868 he came to Santa Clara County, having just previously main- tained a dairy in Amador County, which required him to get into the mountains for feed for his cat- tle. It will be seen, therefore, that Mr. Castle en- dured and overcame much in order to progress in

such a manner that his prosperity would denote real progress for his fellow-citizens and the state.

Inasmuch as the facilities for schooling were poor in Amador County at that time, Mr. Castle seut his daughter to the Perry Seminary at Sacramento; and after coming to Santa Clara County, she attended first the high school and then the Normal School. After that she engaged in teaching for fifteen months in Auburn, Placer County; and at Milpitas, on De- cember 21, 1874, she married Edward Topham, a native of Toronto, Canada, where he was born on December 26, 1840. His father was William Top- ham, and his mother, before her marriage, was Eliza Sylvester.

In 1868 Edward Topham came out to San Fran- cisco by way of the Isthmus, and for a while re- sided in Santa Clara County. He was a blacksmith, and was experienced in wagon and carriage building. He bought out the interest of S. F. Ayers, and then he and David S. Boyce were partners for years at Milpitas. He had had a blacksmith shop there for several years previous to this marriage, and he also owned a grocery; and he resided at Milpitas for thirty-one years prior to his death, in April, 1905. He and Charles Carle were partners for fifteen years in the grocery, and he also had a farm of forty acres near Milpitas. In addition, he and A. A. Davis and Goulder Slankard had a cattle ranch in the moun- tains near the New Idra Quicksilver Mines, and this valuable property, consisting of about 10,000 acres, was known as the Laguna Ranch, and supported on an average of not less than 500 head of cattle. The range was covered with springs, there was plenty of water, and it was a beautiful spot. Spurred on by the motto, "Nothing venture, nothing share," is it any wonder that Edward Topham succeeded for both himself and others where many a competitor failed? He was a standpat Republican, and as such did what he could to clevate the standard of good citizenship. He belonged to the Masons of San Jose, and both he and his good wife were popular members of the Eastern Star. Soon after he arrived in California, Henry Tophanı, an elder brother, followed, then re- turned East, and afterward came to Milpitas with his wife; and for a number of years he kept a ware- house there. Ten years later; William Topham, a younger brother, also came to California, and he is now living on a fruit ranch at Berryessa.

Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Top- ham. Clarence is a farmer in Tulare County. He married Nancy Cameron and they have three chil- dren, Melba, Lester and Hariett. Frank H. is a citrus grower at Lindsay. He married Miss Jessie Chase and they have three children, Lois, William and Francis. Edward is a surgeon and physician at San Francisco. He married Cecile Belle Mcclellan and is the father of two children, Neddie and Jack. Chester A. is with the W. L. Atkinson Realty Com- pany in San Jose. He married Anna Evans and has two children living, Beverley and Chester; Maxwell is dead. Blanche is Mrs. J. M. Barrett of San Jose and has a son, Chester Barrett. Clifton is ou the Fort Miller Ranch at Friant in Fresno County. He married Charity Harrison and they have three daughters, Dorothy, Helen Ann and Betty Louisa. Alida is the wife of Alexander H. Cameron, a citrus grower at Lindsay, and has one son, Harold. Estella's husband is J. B. Moore, a merchant of the same town, and they have a daughter, Maxine.

AF Umbarger

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

AUSTIN FLEMING UMBARGER .- Among the successful and highly respected pioneers of Santa Clara County who did much to improve and build up the Berryessa district as a fruit section, was the late Austin Fleming Umbarger, who was born in Wythe County, Va., on August 6, 1836, but at an early age he accompanied his parents to Marshall, Il1., where he was reared on a farm. On the breaking out of the Civil War he enlisted as a member of the Thirty- fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, Second Brigade, Second Division, Fourteenth Army Corps, in which he served three years. Soon after the war was over he started to California via Panama, arriving at San Francisco in 1866, then coming to Santa Clara County.

On November 29, 1874, Mr. Umbarger was married to Miss Josephine Bowen, a native of Barrington, Ill., and they made their home on their ranch on the Penctencia Creek Road. Here they set out orchards and brought the place to a high degree of cultivation so that the Umbarger ranch was considered one of the valuable properties of this locality. They spent the remainder of their days on this ranch. Mrs. Um- barger passed away March 16, 1912, and the father died November 5, 1918. He was a member of the Odd Fellows and the G. A. R. On the Umbarger ranch their only daughter, Nellie was born and reared, her education being acquired in the schools of this district and in the San Jose high school. On June 27, 1911, she was married to Earl E. Blackburn, a native of Callaway County, Mo., who came to California in 1908. They reside on the Umbarger ranch, which Mrs. Blackburn inherited at her father's death, con- tinuing the care of this valuable property, which is in full-bearing orchards of prunes, apricots, and cherries. Mr. and Mrs. Blackburn's marriage has been blessed with the birth of a daughter, Jean Eve- lyn, and from their attractive home, like the Um- bargers, they radiate the old-time hospitality.

WILLIAM D. STEWART .- A fine type of the self-made, self-reliant Scotch-American is William D. Stewart, now enjoying, at middle age, a comfortable home at 377 South Second Street, San Jose. He was born at Pitlochry, Perthshire, Scotland, on January 1, 1855, the son of Duncan Stewart, a farmer, who had retired to Pitlochry, and was there living when our subject was born. He was a Scotch Highlander, well-informed and respected. He married Jane Duff, a sister of the late Dr. Duff, of Edinburgh, where Mrs. Stewart was born. The Duffs were always rated among the best Scotch families, and Dr. Duff was a minister in the Free Church of Scotland, and for many years served as a missionary to India. Both of these worthy parents lived and died in Scot- land. They had twelve children, but all are de- ceased save three: William D. is the subject of our interesting review; Finley is a plumber doing an ex- tensive business at Tongi, Morocco; and Maggie has become Mrs. Leary, and resides near Liverpool, Eng- land. She has a son, Jack, employed by the Cali- fornia Packing Company at Madera, Cal.

William Stewart grew up in Scotland until his fourteenth year; and then he decided to come to America, doubtless largely on account of James Stewart, one of two older brothers already in the United States, who had served in the Union Army, and after that had come to Nevada. In April, 1870,

William reached Elko, Nev., although he had arrived at Castle Garden, in New York, in July, 1869, after a voyage on one of the old Anchor Liners running out of Glasgow; his mother had died in Scotland two years before, and he had said good-bye to his father, relatives and friends. While in the East, he went to Washington, D. C., to see the other elder brother, Mungo Stewart, who was a stonecutter by occupation and was working on the Capitol. He stayed in Washington that fall and winter, and the following spring set out for Nevada. He has thus made his way in the world since he was fourteen.

He started to work in a livery stable, then became a swamper, and having gained his employer's confi- dence, he was advanced to seventy-five dollars per month, and although a mere boy, received the highest wages paid to the best of the men. He soon be- came a teamster, and then he was getting $125 per month and his board. He worked there for four years, and all this time he saved his money. The railroad was then built, so he went to Alpha and handled gen- eral merchandise from Alpha to Eureka with an eight- een-mule team. When the railroad was completed to Eureka, the teams were put on to haul from Eureka to Belmont, Nev., a stretch of 100 miles, and also from Eureka to Tibo, another 100 miles, and from Eureka to Piochi, 180 miles, and from Eureka to Ward, now called Ely, another 100 miles. That was in 1875, and he freighted all over those routes.

In 1878-79, he bought an eight-mule team from a Frenchman, and in 1883 J. L. Whiteside was his part- ner. From 1879 to 1883, their business grew, and in 1883 he owned five twenty-mule teams, with wagons and equipment complete. In 1883 he bought out his partner, who went to Los Angeles, where later he died. Business fell off-came practically to a stand- still; and he met with heavy reverses, largely be- cause of the demoralization of silver. He saved two twenty-mule teams, and started off with them to Butte City, Montana, and he was thirty-three days on the road going seven hundred miles. He slept ont, suffered the hardships of rain and even snow- storms, and never stopped; and arriving in Butte, he engaged in the wood business.

On January 26, 1886, he sold all the mules and other equipment and came to San Jose, arriving here in February, 1886; and he built three cottages for rent on North Third Street, and up to June, 1888, did a little real estate business. Then he had the oppor- tunity to take charge of the Dean Estate stock ranch at Beowawe, Nev., which consisted of a vast range and had 4,500 head of cattle and 4,500 head of horses; and for fourteen years he ran this stock enterprise successfully. In 1902, he went to Tonopah, and upon leaving the Dean Estate he was presented with a gold watch, engraved as follows: "Presented to W. D. Stewart, in gratitude for faithful service to the Dean Estate, April, 1902." He was in Tonopah during the gold boom, and he ran a feed corral, and between 1902 and 1905 he made $20,000: In the fall of 1905. he came back to San Jose, and he has been here ever since. Mr. Stewart is president of the Copa de Orr Mining and Milling Company, owners of a mine located at Glencoe, Calaveras County, Cal., which is a good prospect; and he is at present retired except for the looking after his interests there. In 1918 he slipped and fell at the mine and injured his left hip-

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

joint, and he has been invalided ever since, and only recently he has been able to get around slowly and by the use of a crutch.

At Eureka, Nev., in 1883, Mr. Stewart was married to Miss Maggie Wissig, a native of Germany, who came to America the same year, 1869, in which he migrated, and who grew up in Philadelphia and San Francisco. One child blessed this union-Frank, who is well known as a business man of Santa Clara. Mr. Stewart is a Republican, and he holds to the tenets of the Presbyterian Church.

HENRY C. WALTER .- Among the enterprising men who have been instrumental in building up the horticultural interests of this section is Henry C. Walter, whose property is located on the Saratoga Road. He was born in Philadelphia, Pa., on Novem- ber 24, 1857, the son of Mathis and Caroline (Krause) Walter, both natives of Germany, the father being a cooper by trade.

The parents came to California in 1868, locating on a ranch near Mountain View and later on Perma- nente Creek, when the wife died, December 1, 1889, at sixty years. The father is a veteran Odd Fellow and is still living, hale and hearty at the age of ninety-two years, having been born April 16, 1830. They had seven children: Henry C., our subject; John H. died at nineteen; Chas. W. resides at Long Beach; Carrie J., Mrs. Seagraves, resides at Sara- toga; Mrs. Louise Gaster resides at Lodi, and Louis E. at Mountain View; Emma was the wife of Geo. W. Cox and died in January, 1916.

Henry C. attended the schools of Pennsylvania and Santa Clara County and has since devoted his time to farming. He has always been a stanch ad- vocate of temperance, neither does he use tobacco. He has a fine collection of books and has made several artistically finished book-cases and several other valuable pieces of furniture.

His marriage occurred on February 21, 1897, at the Wm. Cox home, and united him with Mary J. Cox, the daughter of William and Dicey (Baggs) Cox. pioneers of this region. Mr. and Mrs. Walter have one son, Howard C., who is in charge of their or- chards on the old Wm. Cox home place. They have about twenty acres here and twenty-one acres on Cox Avenue devoted to prunes, now all full bearing. The place is well improved with a large fine resi- dence and other buildings including a dryer, being beautifully located on Saratoga, near the corner of Cox Avenue. Mrs. Walter was born on this place in 1855 and was reared and educated here, so she is naturally very fond of her childhood home. After completing the public school, she attended the Uni- versity of the Pacific. She has become greatly in- tcrested in horticulture and has been an able assistant to her husband in his orcharding.

Liberal and kind hearted, they take pleasure in dis- pensing the good old time California hospitality. They are members of the Christian church at Sara- toga and are adherents of the Republican party.

CARL WESLEY HAMAN .- A man of wide ex- perience and executive ability, Carl Wesley Haman has covered an unusual field in his business and professional life, as a school teacher, in the banking business, the newspaper field, as a horticulturist, and now as assistant manager of Rosenberg Bros. & Company, in all of which he has attained success. He was born in Monticello, Lewis County, Mo., Oc-

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 127

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