History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 146

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

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

tons capacity for the storage of hay, which he shipped to the San Jose and San Francisco markets. After 1901 he was very successful as a dealer in horses, and as a hay merchant in Gilroy. He was a member of the Knights of Pythias. In 1914, on January 20, he passed away, survived by his widow and three children. Mrs. Sheldon was Miss Minnie W. Pfeiffer, a niece of Henry Miller, before her mar- riage, on August 2, 1883, and she is an active mem- ber of the Gilroy Women's Club, and the Tuesday Reading Circle. Josephine W. Sheldon became the wife of Henry Kickham, a prominent stockraiser of Santa Clara County. Gerry W. saw service in the World War overseas for over two years, and on his return home married Miss Lily A. Tilton. He car- ries on ranching at Gilroy. Mildred C. has become the wife of S. G. Cornett, and the mother of one child, Mildred Marie. They 'reside in Los Banos, where Mr. Cornett manages the Bank of Italy.

MRS. ELIZABETH LOWE WATSON .- Emi- nent among the most distinguished California women, widely known and honored for their intellectuality and effective participation in important movements for the uplift of the human race, Mrs. Elizabeth Lowe Watson, the famous inspirational speaker, en- joys an enviable status throughout the Golden State.

This friend of good things was born in Solon, Ohio, in 1843. Her parents, Abraham and Lucretia Daniels Lowe, soon moved to Leon, N. Y., where Elizabeth received a common school education, and early became an inspirational speaker on liberal re- ligions lines anti-slavery, temperance, peace and woman's rights. For over fifty years she has been a life-member of The American Peace Society.

In 1861 she married Jonathan Watson, prominent in the development of the Pennsylvania oil fields. They established a beautiful home in Rochester, N. Y., which soon became a center of intellectual, spiritual and reform activities. This young woman cared for five step-children and four of her own; diptheria came and two little ones were gathered in by the good angel of immortality. Her eldest, Will L. Watson, the stay and comfort of his mother, at twenty-five, suddenly sickencd and "was not, for God took him."

The gifted daughter, Lucretia, a graduate of the University of California, beloved by all who knew her, "Life's Golden Flower," her mother's one per- fect joy, married B. Grant Taylor of Collins, N. Y., now clerk of the Supreme Court of California, and both were ardent coworkers with Mrs. Watson until the passing on of Mrs. Taylor in 1913.

1n 1878 reverses of fortune came and in 1880 the family moved to Santa Clara County, making an ideal country home, "Sunny Brae," at Cupertino. Mr. Watson passed away in 1892. Almost imme- diately after coming to California, Mrs. Watson was engaged for regular Sunday services in San Fran- cisco, out of which grew the Religio-Philosophical Society, with Mrs. Watson as its pastor, at the Metro- politan Temple. The Temple had a seating ca- pacity of 1500, and was often filled to the doors with an audience composed of people of all denomina- tions. In 1882 she filled a four months' lecture en- gagement in Australia, which was in every way a pronounced success.

"Sunny Brae," still owned by Mrs. Watson, with its lovely lawns, noble trees, rare shrubbery, wooded

ravine and nearby mountains, has been the scene of remarkable gatherings. For nearly thirty years, on the first Sunday in June, religious services were held under "Temple Oak," which has a spread of eighty-seven feet in all directions,-where crowds from far and near came to hear the gospel of human brotherhood, peace, equal rights, temperance and a demonstrated immortality. On these days the neigh- borhood church dispensed with its morning service, minister and congregation joining generously in the meeting at "Sunny Brae." Here Susan B. Anthony and Dr. Anna Howard Shaw delighted crowds of people during one of the latest suffrage campaigns.

Mrs. Watson was president of the California Equal Suffrage Association for two years, 1910-11, and the suffrage victory was won during her administration. Notwithstanding her almost fourscore years she is still popular as a platform orator and is earnestly working and praying for the abolishment of war and the perpetual reign of peace on earth. She is the author of "Song and Sermon," a small collection of poems and lectures, and is at present engaged in writing the history of her psychical experiences.

WILLIAM WATSON ABERNATHY .- Among the highly-esteemed settlers of Santa Clara County are William Watson Abernathy and his good wife, residents of the vicinity of Saratoga, who are en- joying the fruits of courageous industry, foresight and thrift. Mr. Abernathy was born in Ohio near Xenia, June 18, 1849, the son of Samuel and Lydia Abernathy. His father was a farmer and when William was twelve years of age, his father moved to Lafayette, Ind., and there William lived until he was twenty-one years old, then returned to Ohio where he worked in a tile factory for two years. Then he went to Linn County, Iowa, and was mar- ried there at Center Point, September 21, 1873, to Miss Sarah E. Hodgell, who was born near Barnes- ville, Ohio, in 1853, the daughter of John and Emily (Carpenter) Hodgell. The father was a native of Ohio and of English origin, while Mrs. Hodgell was a native of the same state. They were farmers and removed to Linn County, Iowa, in 1872, where they died. John Hodgell served in the Civil War as a member of an Ohio regiment.

Mr. Abernathy engaged in farming in Iowa until 1876, when they moved to Jewell, County, Kans, and engaged in farming near Jewell until 1901, when they came to San Jose, Cal. Mr. Abernathy was in the feed and fuel business for nine years and then he and his son bought their present place on the Saratoga Road, near Moreland Station, and here they have since resided. Mr. and Mrs. Abernathy have two children: Minnie now resides in Iola, Kans., she is the wife of Frank R. Forrest, and they be- came the parents of three children-Josephine, Ed- win and Wendell; A. Frank married Miss Nettie Melone and they have two children-Florence and Frances. A. Frank was superintendent of the Sorosis Farm in Santa Clara County for about seven- teen years but is now running his own orchard. Mr. Abernathy's farm consists of fifteen and a half acres, two acres are set to apricots, one acre to peaches, and the remainder in prunes. Mr. and Mrs. Aber- nathy are active members of the Christian Church at San Jose. Mrs. Abernathy is a charming lady of talent and winning personaliy and has been a true helpmate to her ambitious and industrious husband. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen.

Elizabeth Love Whats on

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

EDWARD F. ELLIS .- From pioneer times to the present the Ellis family has been connected with the development and upbuilding of Santa Clara County along agricultural lines, and Edward F. Ellis, who is operating a portion of the old homestead, is worthily sustaining the traditions of the name in this respect. He was born near Los Gatos, ou the old Ellis Home- stead on Shannon Road, December 8, 1871, a son of John and Ann (Kennedy) Ellis, born in New York and Canada, respectively, who journeyed to California around Cape Horn in a sailing vessel in the '50s. The father was a tanner by trade and the family took up their residence on a farm of 163 acres situ- ated on the Shannon Road, where Mr. and Mrs. Ellis spent their remaining years, the former passing away in 1876 and the latter in 1915. They had three children, all of whom are living, Edward being the oldest and the only one now in Santa Clara County. After completing his public school course he aided his mother in the cultivation of the home ranch, as his father had died when he was only five years old, continuing to operate the ranch and care for his mother on the home place until she died. He now owns thirty-four acres thereof, the remainder of the property having passed out of the possession of the family. He is a practical agriculturist, whose stand- ards of farming are high, and everything about the place indicates that he follows progressive methods. He has an orchard of apricots and a vineyard.

Mr. Ellis gives his political allegiance to the Re- publican party, for he deems that its policy best con- serves national progress. He is a lover of fine horses and for recreation turns to hunting and fishing. His entire life, covering a period of fifty years, has been passed in this community, whose welfare and progress are to him matters of deep moment, and the sterling worth of his character is indicated in the fact that he is held in the highest esteem by those who have known him from the early days of his boy- hood to the present time.

JAMES PRINCEVALLE. - Justly prominent among the business men of Santa Clara County is James Princevalle, the popular mayor of Gilroy, who has done so much in the creating of the new, up-to- date and beautiful city. The historic town owes a generous share of its mercantile impetus to this na- tive son who was born there on September 1, 1875, and who came to be the owner of two of the most profitable and desirable enterprises, an ice-cream and confectionery manufactory, and a grocery, formerly owned by his highly-esteemed father, long the land- mark at the corner of Monterey and Fourth streets. His father, Giacomo Princevalle, identified with the past rather than with the present Gilroy, was born in Italy and crossed the wide seas in 1849, his mind aglow with better prospects in the land of gold; but meeting with the same small measure of success there which discouraged thousands, he wisely turned his energies to other channels, and settled in San Francisco, where he opened a store. He had many difficulties with which to contend on account of a lack of knowledge of English and of American busi- ness ways; but the wide-awake folks of the hustling bay city were not slow in recognizing the value of his honesty and his genial, helpful ways, and in time

he found a foremost place among the most prosper- ous of Italian-Americans there. He found his ideal in an Italian maiden named Palmina Lomietta, and having married her, they established themselves in prospective domestic comfort and happiness; but a disastrous fire in San Francisco, sweeping away everything he had, and almost demanding as addi- tional toll the lives of his wife and baby, turned his attention to inland Gilroy.

Re-establishing himself here in 1869, Giacomo Princevalle commenced again, facing and surmount- ing each succeeding new difficulty with fortitude and optimism. Beginning with a little fruit stand on a street corner which many pioneers will recall, he en- tered the grocery trade, branched out and further developed, until he was able to retire from active business life in February, 1904. Four sons and one daughter blessed their union, and James, the subject of our story, was next to the youngest in the family.

James got all the help and benefit possible from the public school courses, and then pursued a com- mercial course at the Garden City Business College, from which he was graduated in 1896, when he en- tered upon the years of training under his father which were to prove, after all, the most valuable aids of all. In 1898 he commenced to manufacture con- fectionery, and also began to make ice-cream and to operate a fine soda-water plant. He was success- ful from the first; and in February, 1904, he was able to purchase the well-established grocery from his father, and to carry the responsibility of the joint enterprises. His store soon was recognized as one of the most substantial institutions in the local com- mercial world, carrying a large and varied assortment of strictly first-class goods.

As might be expected from so enterprising and public-spirited a young merchant, who has here in- vested all his estate, and who is therefore deeply in- terested in the future welfare of the whole region, Mr. Princevalle has been long interested in political movements and propositions, especially those fostered by the Democratic party. He first assumed the re- sponsibility of public office when, in 1904, he was elected by a large majority as the Progressive can- didate to the Gilroy City Council, soon serving as chairman of the street, and a member of the police, fire, water, gas and public buildings committees. His broad, progressive views made themselves felt throughout town life; and it is not surprising to find him mayor of Gilroy, having been elected to that high office in May, 1920. He is a member of the Gilroy Fire Department, is active as second vice- president of the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce, is a member and secretary of the State Retail Grocers' Association, his popularity there and high standing in the community of Gilroy as a representative mer- chant enabling him to exert the widest influence on measures most favorable to the grocery-consuming public. When Mr. Princevalle married, at Hollister, on June 29, 1902, he chose for his life-companion Miss Eva F. McFarland, a native of Albany, Ore., and she presides with grace over their household. Mr. Princevalle is a member of the I. O. O. F. and the Foresters, and he is also a member of the B. P. O. Elks of San Jose, and is president of the Gilroy Golf and Country Club.

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

H. L. PARKMAN .- Prominent among the most progressive, able business men of California may well be mentioned H. L. Parkman, one of the honored citizens of San Jose, who, together with his accom- plished wife, who is a member of a well-known pio- neer family of Santa Cruz County, are representatives of the best forces and tendencies in the California civilization of today. Although living on his fine fruit ranch at Sunnyvale, Mr. Parkman carries on his extensive business operations in San Francisco and so joins his country life with the throb of the Coast metropolis. He was born at San Jose on February 17, 1879, a son of the pioneer musician, Professor George Parkman, who is still alive, at the ripe old age of eighty-five, and resides with his daughter, Mrs. C. C. Spalding at Sunnyvale. Notwithstanding his advanced years he is busily engaged every day, and holds a very responsible position at the State Hospital at Agnew, where he is superintendent of the shoe department. He was San Jose's pioneer band and orchestra leader, and was born at Cardiff, Wales, and was married in England to Miss Elizabeth Ann Parsons, a native of the ancient and beautiful city of Bath. He came out to America in 1851, and crossed the great plains the same year with his de- voted wife; and they at once located at San Jose. Mrs. Parkman continued to live in Santa Clara County until 1913, when she passed away on June 6, in her seventy-third year, at the home of her son, the late Dr. Wallace E. Parkman, in San Jose.

Eight children were granted this eminent pioneer couple. George, now sixty years old, is a musician at Eureka. Elizabeth died in her fourth year, while crossing the great plains. Charles died twenty-four years ago. Will passed away in Montana, in 1911. He was a carpenter by trade. Jessie is the wife of the Hon. C. C. Spalding, of Sunnyvale, whose life- history will be found outlined in another part of this historical work. Dr. Wallace E. Parkman breathed his last at San Jose, on October 5, 1915, forty-three years old. Maud died when she was ten years old; and Harry Leland, the subject of this sketch, who is the youngest of the family. The lat- tcr's early life was passed in San Jose, and when able to take up responsible work, he entered the circulation department of the Evening News, taking charge of that responsible work, and later managed the ad- vertising end. His first employer was Charles Will- iams, at that time the proprietor of the News; and he was with him for many years. Mr. Parkman con- siders that the training and experience he acquired there were invaluable, for Mr. Williams was one of the greatest masters of system in San Jose business circles. Resigning from the News, Mr. Parkman went to San Francisco and engaged with the Em- porium, where he was for a year in charge of the credit department; and when he left, he joined the Gorham Rubber Company as a salesman. When that concern was absorbed by the United States Rubber Company, he entered the employ of the latter, and having amply demonstrated his ability and dependa- bility, remained in their service for ten years. Re- signing once more, he became district manager of the Republic Rubber Company, with whom he remained six years. He resigned that position on January 1, 1921, and accepted the management of the Acme Rubber Company's interests, with the Ralph Pugh Rubber Company, at San Franisco.

When Mr. Parkman left the United States Rubber Company, eight years ago, he sold his residence at 3217 Central Avenue, Alameda, built by himself, and bought twenty acres on Pastoria Avenue, Sunny- vale; and in 1920 he built a beautiful, two-story resi- dence there. Mr. and Mrs. Parkman offered numer- ous ideas and novel features which were incorporated in the general plan by the architect, Warren Skill- ings of San Jose; Henry Bridges of the same city became the contracting builder. It is one of the finest residences at Sunnyvale, surrounded as it is by a well-kept ranch in a high state of cultivation, with a fine orchard of apricots, peaches and prunes. Mr. Parkman has always been public-spirited, and is at the present chairman of the board of school trus- tees of Sunnyvale.

At San Jose, on October 12, 1904, Mr. Parkman was married to Miss Birdie R. Cummings, a native of Santa Cruz and the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George H. Cummings, the well-known teamster contractor of Santa Cruz. She is also the niece of Fred and Charles Cummings, prominent citizens of that city. Mr. and Mrs. Parkman have one child-a daughter, Harriet Rowena. Mr. Parkman is a member of Apollo Lodge, F. & A. M., at Alameda, Lodge No. 522, B. P. O. E., at San Jose; Sunnyvale Lodge, I. O. O. F., the Eastern Star of Sunnyvale and the Transporta- tion Club of San Francisco. Mrs. Parkman is a member of Carita Chapter of the Eastern Star No. 115, at Alameda, while she is capably and creditably serving as the first president of the Parent-Teacher Association at Sunnyvale.

ALAN ELTZROTH CURTNER .- Among the native-born sons of California who is a worthy repre- sentative of the Curtner family of Santa Clara County, is Alan Eltzroth Curtner, whose father is also a native of California. Alan E. was born in Warm Springs, Cal., January 17, 1896, the son of Allen E. and Rosabella (Hewitt) Curtner. The father was born in Warm Springs, October 5, 1867; and grew to manhood on the farm of his father, Henry Curt- ner, and received his education at the Irvington Academy, of which the latter was one of the found- ers, and one of Santa Clara County's best known philanthropists, whose life story is found elsewhere in this history. Allen E. Curtner married Miss Rosa- bella Hewitt, a native of England, who came to Cali- fornia with her parents when she was fourteen years old. They reside on a ranch located on Maude Avenue, one and one-half miles from Sunnyvale, which consists of 275 acres, most of which is rented. They are the parents of three children, of whom Alan E., the subject of this sketch, is the youngest. Isa- bella is the wife of Bud Moore; Louise is the wife of Derol Chace. Alan E. obtained his education in the grammar schools of Warm Springs, after which he attended Washburn school and the Mountain View high school. When he was eleven years old his father moved to the ranch on Maude Avenne, and here he grew to manhood. On June 1, 1918, he entered the U. S. Army and was sent to Camp Kearney, being attached to Battery E, One Hundred Forty-third Field Artillery, and was in training until August 1 of the same year, when with his regiment he was ordered overseas, entraining to Camp Mills, Long Island; sailing on the transport Armach from Hoboken he landed in Liverpool, thence to La Havre, France, via Southhampton, then to Poitiers, and was

arkmay.

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

encamped there two weeks. For a short time he was stationed near Bordeaux, then was at Camp de Souges one and one-half months. At the time the armistice was signed his company was preparing to take position at the front at Metz, Germany. He was then returned to the embarkation camp near Bordeaux and was among the first to arrive in New York, receiving his discharge at the Presidio, San Francisco, in January, 1919.

Mr. Curtner's marriage occurred at Santa Rosa on July 3, 1920, and united him with Miss Celesta June Burch, who was born in Illinois and received her education in the grammar and high schools of Los Angeles. After his marriage Mr. Curtner engaged in horticulture, and in the spring in 1921 purchased his present ranch on Homestead Road which is de- voted to raising prunes and apricots and is well watered by Stevens Creek, making it a very beautiful and attractive place with a magnificent view of Santa Cruz mountains. Mr. and Mrs. Curtner are achiev- ing success in their horticultural efforts and have a host of admiring friends.

MISS EMILY S. WILSON .- A highly esteemed resident of New York City, who very worthily rep- resents a pioneer in Santa Clara County still held in sacred remembrance, is Miss Emily S. Wilson, of 58 West 57th Street, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Wilson, since the late '60s identified with this region. They had put behind them, ere coming to California, the hard day's work, and so from their advent in the Golden State they were able to live in comfortable retirement, serene in a grateful ap- preciation of the past and in an optimistic view as to the future-immediate and vastly beyond. Mr. Wilson was born in Marlboro, Mass., on October 13, 1810, the sixth in a family of five sons and six daughters, and he grew up to help his father around the home place. His father, William Wilson, first saw the light at Cambridge, Mass., while his mother, who was Elizabeth Rand before her marriage, came from New Hampshire. The grandfather of our sub- ject operated his own small farm near Marlboro, with which he achieved that success which afforded a support for the family. When eighteen years of age, William Wilson, Jr., tiring of farm work, was apprenticed to a wheelwright and carriage-maker, and having mastered the trade, he followed it, for years, at the old Massachusetts town. As a Free Soiler and Whig, he was town assessor for seven years, and he also served on the board of selectmen of Marlboro and served as the board's chairman. Later he turned his attention and his energies to the care of a large estate in Marlboro, which he man- aged for years. He had been apprenticed to S. R. Phelps, the leading carriage manufacturer of that region, and his daughter, Miss Martha Phelps, be- came Mr. Wilson's wife, in every way realizing his expectations of noble and sympathetic womanhood, bravely shouldering, both in the East and West, whatever of responsibility came her way. She died at Gilroy on November 18, 1893, the mother of five children, Charles F., deceased; Sarah, Mrs. Winslow M. Warren, deceased; Emily Susan, our subject; Lavinia A., Mrs. Marshall E. Hunter, deceased; and Winslow. Mr. Wilson also died in Gilroy July 29, 1905, when past ninety years of age. The family were members of the Congregational Church, to whose support they contributed generously.

Miss Emily was born at Marlboro, Mass., on Sep- tember 12, 1840, and attended Mt. Holyoke College, at South Hadley, from which she was graduated with honors in July, 1861. Then she became a teacher at Mt. Holyoke, and when Mills College wanted a certain instructor, she joined the staff of that grow- ing institution at Oakland. She came to enjoy the diversion and stimulation incidental to wide, edu- cating travel, and spent two and one-half years in Europe, besides making several voyages to Hawaii, and an eight-months' cruise in the South Seas, where no white woman had ever been before, terminating with a delightful visit to New Zealand, Java, China and Japan. Miss Wilson organized the Tuesday Reading Club, and later the F. R. F. G. Study Club, composed of a limited number of the younger women of Gilroy, and belonged to the Tuesday Club of Marlboro, and the Barnard Club of New York; and in each of these she is an enviable influence for higher and better things. Her many friends in Santa Clara County rejoice at the opportunity afforded her to render real service to the world.

ALBERT J. CARREY .- Numbered among the notably successful men of the Gilroy district is Albert J. Carrey the owner and proprietor of the Pioneer Soda Works. He was born in Bordeaux, France, on July 4, 1864, the son of Louis and Katrine Carrey. farmer folks and peasants and parents of nine chil- dren. The father lived to be ninety-four and the mother sixty-five. He was reared and schooled in the country and assisted his father with the farm work and remained at home until 1884, when he decided that a greater future and more opportunities were to be found in America and California, where he had a brother at Gilroy. Arriving in San Francisco in the fall of 1884, he made his way to the town of Gilroy. He found employment on the large ranch of Miller & Lux, and though his knowledge of the English language was very limited, his determination to suc- ceed led him to apply himself during his spare mo- ments in the study of the language and he was ad- vanced to the position of chief foreman of the cheese factory, a position he held for ten years.

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 146

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