History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 169

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

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JUDGE WILLIAM G. LORIGAN .- An eminent jurist of the State of California, and a man of bril- liant mental attainments, Judge William G. Lorigan ever wore the stainless ermine of judicial integrity, displaying in his rulings a quick perception of the principles of justice and a deep and discriminating study of the precedents and precepts of law applica- ble to every case, bearing himself always with a lofty impartiality toward the parties and the interests in- volved. In his bearing toward the bar he was dis- tinguished for the courtesy accorded to every mem- ber, and the esteem, confidence and veneration in which he was held will continue to make fragrant his memory through the years to come.

The parents of this distinguished jurist were both natives of Ireland and came to the United States in their early youth, settling in Ohio, but in 1852 they removed from Cincinnati to the gold fields of Aus- tralia, and during their temporary residence there William G. Lorigan was born in 1855. Five years later his parents returned to America, and coming to California, settled in Santa Clara County. Here the son passed his youth, taking up his residence in San Jose in 1884. His education was obtained at Santa Clara College, and at St. Vincent's College at Cape Girardeau, Mo. Early in life he began the study of law, and after a thorough course of preparation with the firm of Moore, Laine, Delmas and Leib, at San Jose, he was admitted to practice by the Supreme Court in 1879, when only twenty-three years of age. He immediately engaged in practice in partnership with Harry Benson, and it was not long until he became recognized as one of the best lawyers in the city. An interesting coincidence of this early partner- ship is the fact that his associate became Justice of the Supreme Court of Oregon, while Judge Lorigan rose to the same distinction in California.

Judge Lorigan was elected twice to the now extinct office of justice of San Jose, and in the fall of 1890 to the office of Superior Judge of the county. He was reelected to the Superior Bench twice and immedi- ately after being chosen for the third term he was appointed by Governor Gage to the Supreme Court of the state to fill a vacancy caused by death; he was elected again and again to this high position until he retired in the fall of 1918. A man of deep convictions, Judge Lorigan was greatly impressed with the re- sponsibilities imposed by the judicial office entrusted to him under our system of government, and for a judge to "play the political game" was in his eyes beneath the dignity of the Supreme Court.

The bench and bar of the community had great admiration for the ability of Judge Lorigan, and at his passing, Justice John E. Richards of the District

Court of Appeal, said: "I regard Judge Lorigan as one of the ablest jurists who ever sat on the bench in the State of California. From the time of his admission to practice in the early '80s he displayed the possession of a fine legal and judicial mind to a marked degree. He was selected as a member of the Supreme Bench of California among many aspi- rants, and from the time of his first appearance on that tribunal he ranked among the most capable of the men who have sat upon it during the long term of his service there. He was particularly marked for his great industry and for his intense and constant love of justice in the concrete and for his knowledge of the decisions of the Supreme Court of the State of California. His opinions were always full and able, especially those in the domain of criminal law, in which he excelled. He contributed to the body of our substantive law a large number of very able opinions and the law as he declared it in these opinions will be cited by lawyers and jurists with special reference to himself during all the state's subsequent history."

The following tribute is from the Modesto Herald: "Some twenty years ago. Judge Lorigan, then of the Superior Court of Santa Clara County, was by mutual agreement of the anti- and pro-irrigationists called to Modesto to decide a case. Judge Lorigan listened very patiently to the attorneys on both sides for about a week and promptly decided that the anti-irrigation- ists were in the wrong and the pro-irrigationists were in the right. Immediately thereafter the pro-irriga- tionists took heart, the irrigation bonds rose from nominal to a comparatively fair valuation, and the Modesto and Turlock Irrigation districts came into the developing stage. These bonds are now above par. and upon the development of these districts and their bonds many other irrigation districts of Cali- fornia are based. Stanislaus County, in particular, and the ever-increasing irrigation districts, owe more to Judge Lorigan's decision in the cases in which he sat in Modesto than to any other influences that have ever been exerted. And Judge Lorigan's decision in this case was so comprehensive and complete that appeal was never contemplated."

Judge Lorigan was in failing health for about two years and he passed away at San Francisco, where he had been making his home, on April 2, 1919, at the age of sixty-four. He was survived .by his widow, Mrs. Annie F. (Burgis) Lorigan; a son, Barthol W. Lorigan, a real estate dealer at San Jose; a daughter, Mrs. Burgis Lacoste of San Francisco; and three brothers, Henry F. Lorigan of Oakland, Frank V. Lorigan of San Francisco, and Charles M. Lorigan of San Jose; the latter has since passed away. A deceased sister, Minnie, was the wife of George Nicholson of Alviso. Mrs. Lorigan was a native daugh- ter, born in San Francisco, whose father, Capt. Rob- ert Berseford Burgis, a native of England, was a sea- captain. His wife was Annie Picking, also born in England, and they were married in Christchurch. New Zealand. In the early '50s Captain Burgis took up his residence on Rincon Hill, San Francisco, but continued to follow the sea until his death. Mrs. Lorigan completed her education at Williams' Young Ladies' Academy. Judge Lorigan was an influential member of the Young Men's Institute, the Foresters and the Elks. Rising by native force of character to

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an eminence of distinguished usefulness, his career commands the admiration of all classes of society, and should especially excite the young men of today to an imitation of the virtues of his exemplary life.

EDWARD NOBLE WILLIAMS .- A resident of California since 1875, Edward Noble Williams was born in Burlington, Iowa, July 28, 1858. His father, J. M. Williams, was born in New Jersey and was a pioneer of Burlington, engaged in contracting and building. The family moved to San Jose in 1875, when the mother died. His father spent his last days on our subject's ranch, passing away at the age of eighty-five. Edward N. was the youngest of four children born of this, his father's second marriage, being educated in the grammar and high school in Burlington until his junior year, when he accompanied his parents to San Jose in 1875. His brother, B. F. Williams, was a surveyor, and Edward worked under him as a surveyor until Black's store was opened. when he became a clerk in this store. Four years later he resigned to begin ranching on the Summit, having purchased sixty-five acres from the Burrell ranch about forty-one years ago, which he immediate- ly began clearing and setting to orchard and vine- yard, and now has one of the fine places in the Bur- rell district, the orchard being in prunes and plums.

Mr. Williams was married in the Burrell district to Mary E. Pratt, born in Marysville, Cal., where she was reared and educated. Four children have blessed their union: Hattie B., E. J., A. B. and Mari- an E .; E. J. served overseas for about two years dur- ing the World War. Mr. Williams has served ac- ceptably as trustee of Burrell school district for twelve years. Fraternally he is a member of Soquel Lodge of Odd Fellows.

HERMAN SUND .- One of the oldest settlers of Los Gatos who has had much to do with the growth and development of the city, as well as shaping the destinies of its civic and municipal government is Herman Sund, who is highly respected and greatly loved and esteemed by everyone in this beautiful city. He is a native of Sweden, born at Venesburg, in December, 1844, a son of Herman and Margaret Sund. He was reared in his native place, had the advantages of the excellent schools for which Sweden is famous, and when fifteen years of age he left home and apprenticed to the carpenter trade. When twenty- three years of age he shipped aboard a vessel as a carpenter and sailed to different countries including Europe, West Indies, North and South America. In 1865, having quit the sea, he came to the United States and followed his trade in different Southern states and in Kansas until 1873, when he came to California. Locating in Oakland he worked at his trade in San Francisco. As foreman of carpenters he assisted in building the First and Second street cable roads in that city, on Clay and Geary streets.

In 1881, Mr. Sund located in Los Gatos and bought a ranch in the city, adding to it until he had forty- one acres. He engaged in contracting and building, and also established a lumber yard in 1884, which he ran for many years in connection with his building business, and being very active and energetic he built up a great portion of the city. He also improved his ranch with orchards, and since the city has grown he has laid out a portion of his land which he has

sold to builders of homes. When Los Gatos was in- corporated in 1887 he was elected a member of the board of trustees and reelected to the office. He took an active and prominent part in shaping the destiny of this beautiful foothill city, being now the only one living of the original charter board he is not only referred to as the father of the town but as the grandfather of the town.

Mr. Sund's first marriage was in Kansas, when he was united with Josephine Peterson, who died leav- ing three children. After coming to Los Gatos he was married to Miss Louise Schrepper, born in Glarus, Switzerland, a well-educated and cultured lady who came to San Francisco when twenty-two years of age and to Los Gatos in 1883, so she has also seen the growth of this pleasant city. Mr. Sund is a splendid specimen of the upbuilders and sup- porters of worthy measures, and a believer in pro- tection for Americans, he is a stanch Republican.

CHARLES GAGLIASSO .- An energetic man who did much to improve Santa Clara County and make of it the garden spot of today was the late Charles Gagliasso, who was born in Monforte, Pied- monte, Italy, October 15, 1864, where he was reared to habits of industry and received a good education in the common schools of his native place. He was married at Alba, Piedmonte, January 5, 1885, being united with Miss Margherita Lora, who was born in Guarena, Piedmonte, in 1865, and grew to woman- hood in that interesting country in Northern Italy. In 1887 the young couple came to Santa Clara Coun- ty, Cal., and located in the Montebello district. Mr. Gagliasso became foreman on Dr. Peroni's ranch and cleared and set out the Peroni vineyards, as well as superintending the building up of the winery on the place, and after ten years had 100 acres of the place in vineyard. He then purchased 160 acres of land on Table Mountain at the head of Stevens Creek and proceeded to clear the land and set out vines, in time having a vineyard of over 100 acres, and improved the place with residence and suitable buildings. Later he purchased the Dr. Hillman ranch, afterwards known as the Trout Farm, and proceeded in the same energetic way to improve it. However, these two ranches was not the limit of his capabilities for he also leased the Doyle ranch of 600 or 700 acres and operated it in connection with his two ranches until he passed away, March 4, 1911, leaving his widow and eight children and numerous friends to mourn his demise.

Since her husband's death, Mrs. Gagliasso took over the management of their ranches and with the aid of her children continues to care for and operate the properties. She sold the Trout Farm and pur- chased a splendid thirty-acre orchard at Campbell and a twenty-acre orchard on Mclellan Avenue, near Cu- pertino, where she makes her home. Their eight children are all living and proving themselves worthy sons and daughters of a pioneer couple. Joseph assists his mother in the management of the different ranches; Anne, is the wife of H. W. Reg- nart, a horticulturist of this district; John, also as- sists his mother; Angelina, is Mrs. Conrote of Gil- roy, but now traveling in Europe with her husband; Charles, is also assisting on the home farm; Onorina,

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is the wife of Boze Kriletich, and resides in San Francisco; Fiurivanti and Michael are at home. The children have been given a good education and are a credit to the parental training they have received. Mrs. Gagliasso is an interested member of the Cali- fornia Prune and Apricot Growers' Association and with her family is a member of St. Joseph de Cuper- tino Catholic Church.

ALFRED WASHINGTON ELLET. - Since coming to Palo Alto, Alfred Washington Ellet, the efficient vice-president of The Stanford Bank, has lived so quietly that few of his acquaintances have even guessed at his exceptional technical knowledge of the banking business. The old adage of "poets being born, not made," applies equally to banking as Mr. Ellet has clearly proved by many years of successful work in this intricate and interesting busi- ness. Mr. Ellet is the son of Edward Carpenter Ellet and a grandson of Brigadier-General A. W. E1- let of national fame. He was born at El Dorado, Kan., August 15, 1871. His childhood was spent in El Dorado until he was sixteen, when he entered Swarthmore College where he followed the general college course, and by his close application to his studies laid the foundation for the remarkable suc- cess which has attended his business career. At the age of nineteen he entered the master mechanic's office of the Union Pacific Railway at Ellis, Kans., where he remained for six months, and then held a position with the Gille & Van Peyma Wholesale Hardware Company of Kansas City, Mo., for three years, after which he became a clerk in the National Bank of Commerce of said city, where he remained for a period of twenty-five years, perfecting himself in the work of all departments.

At the end of a quarter century in the bank, Mr. Ellet was appointed deputy bank commissioner for the State of Kansas, and for seven years was an honored and most efficient member of the State Banking Department of that state. He was widely quoted as an authority on banking and has made its every detail a close study. After resigning from the Bank Commissioner's office, he was made vice-pres- ident of The Stanford Bank which was then being established at Palo Alto, and by his keen judgment and personal oversight, as well as his great exper- ience, he has placed the venture upon a firm basis, and made The Stanford Bank one of the solid insti- tutions of the valley. Although holding the office of vice-president of both the Palo Alto and Mayfield branches of the Stanford Bank, he personally attends to all the details of the business of the two estab- lishments and closely oversees the work of his care- inlly trained assistants. Every day finds him at his desk and his office hours are the same as those of his employes. The new, handsomely furnished home of the Stanford Bank in Palo Alto owes its inception to him. Without doubt Mr. Ellet is among Califor- nia's most proficient bankers, having gained his knowledge by close and thorough study in all lines of the business from the days of his earliest man- hood, and has perfected himself in the mysteries of finance and banking as carefully as astronomers or other men of science study their art. The growth of The Stanford Bank has been steady and healthy. On May 31, 1918, it opened with total assets of

$210,352.18, and on June 30, 1922, its sheets showed $503,773.58, and this is mainly due to the clever man- agement of its skilled vice-president.

On September 29, 1898, Mr. Ellet married Lida Anna Lewis of Kansas City, Mo., a charming and popular girl and the daughter of William H. and Mary F. (Doggett) Lewis, a well-known wholesale shoe dealer of Kansas City. Mrs. Ellett's grand- father, the late Rev. W. H. Lewis, of Missouri, was a prominent minister in the Methodist Church, South. He was the author of the History of Methodism in Missouri, was a frequent contributor to the Chris- tion Advocate and the founder of the Young Ladies Seminary at Independence, Mo .; he lived to reach the age of ninety-six years.

Mrs. Ellet's ancestors trace back to the Spotts- wood family of Virginia, of which Alexander Spotts- wood was governor in Colonial days, and to the old Burwell stock one of whom, Lewis Burwell, was a colonel during the Revolution. One of her ancestors, Anna Spottswood, was the heroine in the famous novel "The Virginian," and the "Anna" in Mrs. El- let's name comes from her.

Mrs. Ellet is thus entitled to membership in all the leading patriotic organizations, the Daughters of the Revolution, Colonial Dames, and the Society of Colonial Governors. Mrs. Ellet was born at Chilli- cothe, Mo., but when she was seven years of age removed with her parents to Kansas City. She was educated at the Central Female College in Lexing- ton, Mo., a school of the Methodist Episcopal Church. She is a very gifted woman, generous and beloved by all who know her. Coming as she does from distinguished southern blood, she is an un- swerving Democrat, and laughingly refers to their marriage as the union of the "Blue and the Gray."

STILLMAN H. BENNER-Prominent among the young business men of San Jose is Stillman H. Ben- ner. His untiring energy, his indomitable will to succeed, has been the means whereby he has gained the respect and confidence of the community in which he lives. He was born at Rocky Ford, Colo., February 13, 1890. His parents, Stillman M. and Flora H. (Sheldon) Benner, moved to the state of Washington when Stillman H. was but a year old, his father being an orchardist. In 1893 his parents removed to Campbell, Santa Clara County, Cal., and it was here their son attended the grammar and high schools. When but sixteen years of age, Still- man H. started ont to make his own way in the world. His first experience at wage earning was with the Western Union main office at San Jose.

Having determined to make a place for himself in the music business, Mr. Benner entered the employ of the Eilers Music Company, where he remained for one and one-half years. The next year and a half he spent with the Sherman Clay Music Company. Following this, for four years, he was with the Brown Music Company. Leaving the employ of the latter firm, he accepted a position with Allen's Em- porium at an advanced salary. He remained with them until February, 1920, when he definitely de- cided to open up a business for himself, naming his place Bonner Piano Hospital, at No. 33 East San Antonio Street. He deals in new and second-hand pianos, is an experienced piano tuner, and a piano repairer, and gives it his personal supervision, and he

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is already taking his place among the live young business men of San Jose.

On January 1, 1910, Mr. Benner was married to Miss Mignonette F. Capien, a native of Akron, Ohio, the daughter of J. H. and Lilly M. Capien. The fam- ily came to California when their daughter was eleven years old. Two children, Lester and Fay, have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Benner. Having obtained a thorough experience in the art business at Allen's Emporium, Mrs. Benner has opened an art depart- ment in connection with her husband's music busi- ness, known as Benner's Art Shop. Mr. Benner is a member of the W. O. W. of San Jose.

JOSE J. BERRYESSA-A family with a most in- teresting history is that of Jose J. Berryessa, who was born in the old Mission of San Jose on Novem- ber 9, 1842, the son of Carlos Antonio Berryessa, who had married Miss Josefa Galindo. Nicholas Ber- ryessa, the great-grandfather of our subject, came from Spain around Cape Horn about 1765 and settled in Old Mexico-that is, he tried to settle there, but found that he could not do so with advantage, on account of the wild tribes there. He therefore pushed north into California, and pitched his tent in the Santa Clara Valley. Grandfather Berryessa was also named Nicholas, and was born in this county and died here. Juan Crisostomo Galindo, the maternal grandfather, who died in 1877 at the age of 106 years, was born in Santa Clara County, the great- grandfather having migrated to California prior to the founding of the Missions in this county, when the inhabitants were Indians and wild animals roamed the plains and mountains. Mr. Berryessa remembers when stock became so numerous that they had to gather them in corrals to be killed for the hides and tallow so as to give feed for the re- mainder. After coming here, the Berryessas and the Galindos acquired large portions of land, section after section, in fact all the land that lies between the present eastern limits of San Jose and the moun- tains to the east, and as far north as Milpitas. In after years, this great area was designated in a Spanish grant; but when the Easterners came to Cali- fornia, the Berryessas lost ont through the treachery of one of their family. Carlos Berryessa then bought some of the same land, and later still about one- quarter of a section, from the Pueblo, and there the parents resided until they died. Don Jose is the eldest of their family of eight children, five now living.

Mr. Berryessa was reared to farm life and stock- raising, one result of which was that his schooling was entirely neglected. This deficiency he partly made good in after life. He remained at home with his father until he was thirty-one years of age, al- though he was not satisfied with the life of a farmer. Then he engaged in other pursuits, and among them he took up the threshing of grain; and by his industry and economy, together with his acquired business habits, he was able to purchase a threshing machine, engine, etc., and for many years he has been actively engaged in this line of work. He owns thirty-six acres of the old Berryessa land, which he bought from an uncle, devoted to the cultivation of prunes and general farming, and in 1908 he removed from this ranch to San Jose and retired, and now rents his ranch. He used to raise fine Norman horses and roadsters on these trim thirty-five acres, and with the little ranch are interwoven cherished memories.

At Berryessa, on November 1, 1873, Mr. Berryessa was married to Miss Helena Agnes Davis, born in San Francisco, the daughter of Thomas and Ellen (Herron) Davis. Her father was a native of Eng- land, but at the time of her marriage, he resided in Virginia City, Nev. Her mother, who died when Mrs. Berryessa was only three years old, was of Irish descent. Helena Agnes received her education in the convent in Santa Clara. Eight children were born of this union: Josephine Agnes became the wife of Walter Schlosser, a government electrician living in the State of Washington; they have one child, Mildred. Mary Catherine is Mrs. J. E. Tetrault of Porterville; Mary Elizabeth is Mrs. Martin Haley, of Berryessa; she is the mother of one girl, Catherine; Frederick married Miss Lillian Williams, a San Jose girl, and the daughter of Michael and Anna (Farrell) Williams, who came to California in 1870 by way of the Isthmus of Panama route, from Dubuque, Iowa; Frederick is in the laundry business in San Jose, and he and his wife have two children-May Edith and James Lochr. Arthur was in the U. S. army dur- ing the war, but now employed at Mountain View; Walter is married to Edna Stackhouse. They live in San Francisco and have one child, Eugenia; Neva is living at home, and Albert is at San Jose. The Berryessas are of especial interest, perhaps, because they are among the few California native families to thoroughly Americanize themselves, so that they have long taken an active part in politics. Mrs. Ber- ryessa died March 17, 1902, mourned by a large circle of friends. Mr. Berryessa is a Republican, and under the banners of that party has sought to do what he could to effect civic reforms. He is a member of Santa Clara County Pioneer Society.

ALBERT E. MORRELL .- A native son of Cali- fornia, Albert E. Morrell was born on the Morrell ranch on the Summit, Santa Clara County, October 8, 1874. His father, H. C. Morrell, a native of Maine, came via Panama in 1853. His mother, Clarissa Bur- rell, was born in Ohio. Grandfather Lyman J. Bur- rell came to California in 1849, crossing the plains in an ox-team train. He returned East for his family in 1852 and brought them around Cape Horn and located in Santa Clara County. He purchased land in the Santa Cruz Mountains, being about the fourth or fifth to locate on the Summit, residing there for many years until he retired. Clarissa Burrell came to California when six years of age.

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 169

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