History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 177

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

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At Santa Clara, in 1911, he married Miss Mar- cella Williams, of San Jose, and they have two sons, James and Sylvain, Jr. The family attend the Roman Catholic Church and Mr. Le Deit is a mem- ber of the Foresters of America, the Woodmen of the World and the Elks.

Richard French, Mr. Le Deit's partner, was born in England, on April 24, 1879, the son of Josepli and Frances French, who came to Pittsburgh, Pa., with their family from England in 1887 and later moved to St. Paul, Minn. Richard, who came to America in 1890, was educated for the most part in England, and for a term at a St. Paul Minn., school. In 1895, he engaged in the glass business; and on March 10, 1920, he came to San Jose and with Mr. Le Deit succeeded to the proprietorship of this con- pany. He married Miss Stella J. Winks, and they have three children, all girls, Laura Thelma, Stella Faye, and Mary Velma. Mr. French did not take long to join hand and heart with his fellow-Amer- icans, and he participated in the Spanish-American War as a member of Company G, Eighteenth U. S. Infantry, thereby doing his highest patriotic duty.

WILLIAM F. SERPA .- Among California's na- tive sons, who have done their share in the up- building of the city of San Jose, is William F. Serpa, who is engaged as a plumbing and sheet metal con- tractor, having been engaged in this business for himself since the year 1914. Mr. Serpa was born on February 21. 1885, and is a native of San Jose, a son of Manuel F. and Mary (Marshall) Serpa. The father came here in 1874 and it was here that he met and married Mrs. Serpa, who was also a na- tive of California, having been born in Placer County; her father was an early settler, coming to Califor- nia during the pioneer days; Mr. and Mrs. Serpa still make their home at San Jose.

Mr. Serpa attended both the grammar and high schools of San Jose and at the age of twenty-one became an apprentice in the plumbing trade. He worked for a number of years as a journeyman in Oakland and San Jose at this line of business and. then he decided to start in business for himself, es- tablishing his shop during the year 1914. He has installed the plumbing in many of the larger resi- dences, and buildings, among them Mr. Schmidt's residence at Wright Station, and Mrs. Joseph's resi- dence. Evergreen; S. H. Chase residence, R. H. Borches' residence, C. Kimberlin residence, Naglee Park; the Metropolitan Store, the Curtner-Wright Garage, the Delmas Paper Company, on North Mar- ket Street; the Montgomery Building, all school buildings in 1920, but one, and did a large amount of sheet metal work on the park and race track, and has secured the contract for all work for the Western Pacific from Milpitas to San Jose. In all his un- dertakings he has been very successful, and he has established a reputation for excellent work.

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Mr. Serpa's marriage in March, 1907, united him with Miss Marie Ickler and they are the parents of four children: Clara, Hazel, Thelma, and Beryl. Mr. Serpa was very active during the World War in the different war drives, showing the patriotic spirit which he feels toward his country. He is also active as a member of the Chamber of Commerce and fraternally, is a member of the Modern Wood- men of America and the Odd Fellows. In national politics, he casts his vote with the Republican party.

A. KIEFFER BURKETT .- In each community are found men of business enterprise and thrift whose activity and progressive ideas place them in the front rank of the real builders of our commonwealth and among these in San Jose is A. Kieffer Burkett, contractor and builder. He was born in Jefferson, Ashe County, N. C., June 16, 1882, the son of R. H. and Elizabeth (Smithdeal) Burkett. The father and grandfather were both natives of North Carolina and the mother was born in Virginia.

A. K. Burkett was educated in the grammar school of Jefferson and at the age of sixteen, he went to West Virginia and worked in the coal fields of Mc- Dowell County for a year and a half. In 1901 he came to California, located near Santa Cruz where he was employed on a dairy ranch for three years. He next was employed by the California Powder Company, which later became a branch of the Du Pont powder companies, for seven years, in time hecoming a foreman in the manufacturing depart- ment of dynamite and black powder. In 1914 he came to San Jose and spent three years with L. I. Kelly, contractor, learning the carpenter trade, after serving his apprenticeship, he began contracting for himself, specializing in first-class bungalows.

On February 5, 1918, Mr. Burkett was married to Miss Stella Stowers, a native of Bluefield, W. Va., the daughter of Stewart Stowers, a successful farmer of Bland County, W. Va. Mr. Burkett is a Demo- crat and has been quite active in the ranks of his party; fraternally he is a member of the Odd Fel- lows. Besides attending to his contracting business, he is improving an eighteen-acre ranch on the Mon- terey Road. He manifests an interest in questions of public concern and he has ever held to high standards in manhood and citizenship.

LYLE R. NASH .- A successful executive who profits both by his own valuable experience and that of others, and who never fails to study environment and present-day conditions, with the result that, while seeking immediate prosperity, he is also paving the way for the attainments and profits in the mor- row, is Lyle R. Nash, the efficient general manager of the Nash, Englehart, Silva Manufacturing Com- pany, at San Jose. He was born at Monmouth, War- ren County. Ill., on September 9, 1882, the son of Robert W. Nash, who is superintendent for Ander- son-Barngrover Company in San Jose, and had mar- ried Miss Clara Rodgers. The family came to Cali- fornia in 1883, so that Lyle is almost a native son, coming here when he was a few months old.

He enjoyed all the advantages of the public school system, the San Jose State Normal and the fine courses of one of the San Jose business colleges where he was graduated in 1903, and after that he was fortunate in learning the machinist's trade in the machine shop of Anderson-Barngrover Com-

pany, at which he worked for several years. On the first of February, 1913, the Nash, Englehart, Silva Manufacturing Company was established, with the services of five men; and now, such has been the remarkable development of the concern and its flattering patronage, twenty-five men are needed to do the work in the making and repair of general agricultural and other machinery. Their plant is located at 502 to 512 West Santa Clara Street, where they have a complete machine shop and have the agency for the Fairbanks, Morse & Co.'s motors, engines, pumps and accessories. Mr. Nash belongs to the San Jose Chamber of Commerce and Merchants Association, and as a practical man of real business accomplishment is able to contribute toward whatever that excellent organization plans. In national politics he is a Republican.

At San Jose on May 24, 1905, Mr. Nash was mar- ried to Miss Dorothy V. Drinkwater, a native of San Jose and a graduate of San Jose State Normal. One child, Wilmer Westelo, has blessed their union. Mr. Nash is a member of the United Presbyterian Church. He was made a Mason in Fraternity Lodge No. 399, F. & A. M, San Jose, and is a member of San Jose Scottish Rite bodies and of the San Jose Pyramid No. 9 of the Sciots, and is a Yeoman and a Modern Woodman, and he is fond of hunting, fish- ing and the game of baseball. He is public-spirited, and has been a popular school trustee.

STANLEY BASSETT SMITH .- An enterprising horticulturist of Santa Clara County is Stanley Bas- sett Smith, who for the past fourteen years has de- voted his energies to the operation of a desirable ranch, situated on the Los Gatos-Santa Clara Road. A native of the state of New York, he was born July 31. 1889, of the union of James and Ellen (Sawyer) Smith, the former a well-known educator, who was for ten years principal of the academic department of Grinnell College, Iowa, and after coming to California in 1888 he became prominently identified with edu- cational interests of this state. He was one of the organizers of the Campbell Union high school and acted as its principal from 1900 until his demise, which occurred in 1912. While residing in the East he also conducted private schools and his life was devoted to the profession of teaching, in which he was very successful. The mother makes her home in Campbell.

Stanley B. Smith is one of seven children of this family, five of whom were graduated from the Camp- bell high school, and later he entered Leland Stan- ford University of this state, which conferred upon him the A. B. degree in 1911. He has since given his attention to the cultivation and development of his ranch of twenty-seven acres, which is situated in Santa Clara County, specializing in the raising of prunes and apricots. His labors have ever been of a. con- structive nature and intelligently carried forward.

Mr. Smith married Miss Isabel Rowell, born in Fresno, Cal., daughter of W. F. Rowell, a pioneer rancher of Fresno County, who died in San Jose. Mrs. Smith is also a graduate of Stanford, class of 1914. This union has been blessed with two children, Frances and Albert. Mr. Smith is a valued member of the local Grange, being past master, and his political support is given to the Republican party. He is a member of Charity Lodge F. & A. M., at

2. E . Jeed.

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

Campbell. He is deeply interested in everything that pertains to the welfare and progress of his commun- ity, county and state, and is a young man of enter- prise and determination, who is making wise use of his time, talents and opportunities.

JOHN E. TEED .- A veteran of the Civil War, who has been a resident of California since 1900, is John E. Teed, born in Cleveland, Ohio, March 3, 1847. His father, E. D. Teed, was born in New York, removing to Ohio. He there married Susan Gee, a native of Pennsylvania, and they were farmers in the Buckeye State until they removed to Waupaca, Wis., and thence on to Owatonna, Minn., where the father spent the rest of his days. The mother died in Cottonwood County, Minn. Of the six children born to this worthy couple, John E. is the second and grew up on the Minnesota farm from ten years of age, receiving his education in the public schools. At the time of the Civil War, his youthful soul was stirred with patriotism and he left his books to enlist in the Union Army, February 11, 1863, in Company A, Tenth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, being mustered in at Fort Snelling and sent to the front and under General Price he served in the battles of Tupelo, Miss., Oxford, Miss., then in the campaign after General Forrest and the battle of Nashville; thence via New Orleans to Spanish Fort, Miss., and was in the en- gagement of the taking of Spanish Fort; thence to Montgomery, Ala., Meridian and Vicksburg, Miss., and was then transferred to Fort Snelling, where he was mustered out in August, 1865, having just passed his eighteenth year. He resumed his studies, caught up with his classmates, and in due time he obtained a teacher's certificate. He taught school at Big Bend, Minn., and was there at the time of the big blizzard, January 14, 1872. He kept the children in the school house all afternoon and night and until four the next afternoon, using all the scantlings, benches and desks for fuel and that, too, in a newly built schoolhouse. About four o'clock the second afternoon the nearest neighbor, a physician, braved the storm and brought some food. Mr. Teed went back with him, obtained his team and sled and with it brought the children to the doctor's house. After teaching for five years, he engaged at carpentering and was a successful contractor and builder, having built many fine residences.

In 1900 he came to Sonoma County, Cal., thence he moved to Oakland and in 1901 to Los Gatos, com- ing here because he was suffering severely from in- flammatory rheumatism. In a short time he was re- lieved of his trouble and again engaged in contract- ing and building, a business he has continued with success ever since; he has become a property owner in Los Gatos and has great faith in the future of this beautiful foothill city.

Mr. Teed was married in Owatonna, Minn., to Miss Charlotte Jones, who was born in New York State, coming to Medford, Minn., with her parents where she was educated for and followed the profession of teaching. They have two children, Mrs. Jessie Johnson, of Johnson Avenue, where her father makes his home and Mrs. Della Stoneking of Taft. Mr. Teed served as town trustee of Los Gatos for one term and is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and served as a member of the official board for many years both in Minnesota as well as here. He is a member of the E. O. C. Ord Post, No. 82, G. A. R.

DAVID WILLIAM CAMPBELL .- For decades, San Jose has been famed, among the most prosperous business centers and the most attractive home towns, for its law and order, and much of its recent en- viable reputation is undoubtedly due to the efficiency and conscientiousness to duty of David William Campbell, the popular captain of police. A native of Loudoun County, Va., born near Leesburg, Sep- tember 30, 1850, he is the son of Henry and Amelia A. Tarlton Campbell, both of whom are dead, the father having passed away prior to his devoted wife. Three brothers of our subject participated in the Civil War and lost their lives in the great conflict.

David attended the private schools of his local- ity, the public school system not having then been developed in that part of the country, and for years he followed farming in Virginia. In 1870 he moved to Clark County, Ohio, and that fall went to Spring- field, Ill., where he farmed in Sangamon County until March, 1876, when he came to San Francisco, Cal., arriving March 16. Three days later he came to San Jose and here he worked on a dairy farm for five years and then delivered bread and other bakery wares for six years more and such was his fidelity and cheerful attention to the wants of his customers that he soon built up a large business.

In December, 1888, Mr. Campbell was appointed to the police force, and January 1, 1889, he began his work as policeman. At the end of two years he was elected constable for two years, and at the conclusion of the first term was re-elected for a like period. In 1895 he returned to the police force; and in 1902 he was appointed captain. Since then Captain Campbell has been very closely identified with the development of the best interests of the city. His views on civic affairs lead him to endorse. as a rule, the platforms of the Democratic party; but he is really a man above mere partisanship, and so finds it easy to pull strong and effectively with any body of local citizens for whatever is apparent to him as promising the best for the community.

In San Francisco in 1882, Captain Campbell was married to Miss Mary Welch, born in San Francisco, a daughter of John and Mary Welch, early settlers of San Francisco, and their union has resulted in the birth of two children. Eva, the elder, is Mrs. B. Henshaw of San Jose; while Ethel, who also had many friends, died in her twenty-first year. Mr. Campbell is the oldest man in service in the police department, having served a third of a century.

LOUIS F. OLDHAM .- One of the enterprising and active men in the Santa Clara County, who gives substantial encouragement to every plan for the promotion of the public welfare, is Louis F. Old- ham, a native son and the son of a '49er, and he has aided materially in bringing about the prosperity all now enjoy. Mr. Oldham was born on Moorpark Avenue, Santa Clara County, December 17, 1856. where the County Infirmary now stands. He is the son of George W. and Isabelle (Sanor) Oldham, now deceased, the father, a native of Indiana, and the son of Thomas Oldham, the family tracing their an- cestry back to John Scott, who fought under Lord Baltimore in Colonial days. The mother was a native of Ohio and a daughter of Michael Sanor.

George W. Oldham came to California in 1849, crossing the plains with an ox-team, and first went to Placerville, where he was for a short time in the

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

miines. In 1850 he came to Santa Clara Valley and took up a 300-acre tract of land, where our subject was born, and engaged in farming and stockraising. He reached the ripe old age of ninety-three years, passing away in 1917, his wife having died at the age of seventy-two years. Mr. and Mrs. George Oldham were the parents of five children: Charles F., Win- field Scott, now deceased; Louis F., of this sketch; George T., and William R. Louis F. received his education in the public schools of Santa Clara County and since making his own livelihood has spent his time in ranching and raising stock. In 1878 he started out for himself and in 1880 he moved to Sara- toga, where he engaged in farming, later he opened a meat market and continued in this business for some years, till he again took up farming, making a specialty of orcharding. In 1917 he purchased his pres- ent place, a ten-acre ranch, which is mostly set to prunes, and is in full bearing.

Mr. Oldham's marriage, which occurred on August 28, 1878, united him with Fannie Jepson, a native of Fond du Lac, Wis., the daughter of Benjamin and Frances (Yates) Jepson, both natives of England. Mr. Jepson came to the United States at the age of twenty-one and coming to California about the year of 1870 engaged in farming; he served in a Wis- consin regiment in the Civil War for three years and five months under General Sherman. There were three children in the Jepson family: Sarah, de- ceased; Charles and Fanny. Mr. and Mrs. Oldham are the parents of one child, Le Roy. They are members of Centella Methodist Episcopal Church in San Jose. Mr. Oldham is a member of the California Prune & Apricot Association.

IRVING WALTER SNOW .- No line of work is so productive of good to a community as that of the molder and trainer of the youth of the land, and Irving Walter Snow, as supervising principal of the Los Gatos schools, is proving himself a prominent factor in the educational development of the com- munity. A native of California, he was born in the rural district near Berryessa, June 7, 1879, the son of George W. and Cora A. (Lucas) Snow, the father a prominent orchardist who came to California in 1876 and settled on the place near Berryessa, where he lived and died. He passed away in 1917; his widow survives him and resides in Los Gatos. Irving Walter received his preliminary education in the grammar school at Berryessa; then at the academy of the College of the Pacific and the College of the Pacific, graduating in 1904 with the degree of A. B. He then entered the University of California and in 1907 received his Master's degree. His first position was as assistant and vice-principal of the Campbell Union high school and he remained in this capacity until 1912, when he was elected principal, serving until 1920, when he became supervising principal of the Los Gatos schools.

The marriage of Mr. Snow united him with Miss Angeline Weaver, a resident of San Jose and a daughter of A. M. Weaver, who came from Connecti- cut in the '60s. Fraternally he is a Mason and an Odd Fellow, and he is actively interested in the National Education Association, the California Teachers' Association, the California High School Teachers' Association, and the California Principals' Association. His political endorsement is given to

the candidate best fitted for the office, rather than following strict party lines. Success has crowned his intelligently directed efforts and his years of con- centration have culminated in gaining for him a posi- tion of responsibility in the intellectual and moral development of the city and county.

GILROY PUBLIC SCHOOLS .- None of the many progressive communities in California is prouder of its public schools than Gilroy, for under the able leadership of Prof. Elmer E. Brownell, the popular supervising principal, they have come to rank among the best schools in the Golden State. The grammar school is attended by Gilroy pupils only, and until lately only the youth of Gilroy have enjoyed the ad- vantages of the Gilroy high school. On August 21, 1921, however, a change for a broader and better policy was effected. Then, on the recommendation of the county superintendent of schools and certain supervisors of the districts to be affected, the Adams, Rucker, Live Oak, Redwood, Sunnybrook, San Ysidro and Prunedale school districts were annexed to the Gilroy high school district, thereby extending widely the range of usefulness, and creating at Gil- roy a union high school. This annexation was the more notable, for it was one of the first of its kind in Santa Clara County, and it was popular from the beginning, for it affords to pupils from the districts mentioned physical education, drawing, manual train- ing, music, cooking and sewing and other advantages heretofore beyond their reach. Five motor busses are now used to transport the pupils between their homes and the high school, at a minimum cost.

Before 1911, the grammar and high schools at Gilroy occupied the same lot, in two separate build- ings, but the board of trustees acquired eighteen additional acres of land, and a new high school build- ing, erected at a cost of some $40,000, was con- structed. This high school structure was formally opened in December, 1911, and according to the more extensive ground plan, the main building will he gradually surrounded by other structures, each to be practical and ornate, and to be dedicated to a particular service. A junior high school will be formed in time, and the eighth and ninth-year pupils will be segregated from the tenth, eleventh and twelfth-year pupils. In 1904 four teachers formed the staff, and today there are twelve teachers and 175 pupils. The first graduation was held in 1904, when eight students stepped forth into the world; in 1920 a class of twenty-five graduated, and in 1922, there was a class of twenty. In 1904 eight teachers taught 350 pupils in the grammar schools; in 1921 fifteen teachers had charge of the welfare of 550 pupils. On May 6, 1922, Gilroy grammar school district voted $180,000 in bonds for the erection of a fourteen-room building in the Hanna field, on ten acres of land, to accommodate a kindergarten and the first six grades; also an eight-room building on the high school grounds, to accommodate the seventh and eighth grades, and to form a junior high school.

Professor Brownell has had heavy odds to over- come, but he has always had the confidence of the citizens in his pioneering work, and that has enabled him to accomplish what he has with the Gilroy schools, in both original and permanent reforms. An evening school was organized in 1916, with regular courses of study in the commercial department, and

8. Harris Herring

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

with courses in mathematics, languages, etc., four teachers directing the ambitions work of from sixty to seventy-five students. A branch of the Free County Library has been installed for the use of both the students and the public, and this in itself has added to the public appreciation of the educational service at their disposal in Gilroy. Professor Brownell has his heart and soul in the work com- mitted to his care, and it must afford him satisfac- tion that the board of trustees have been agreeable to all requests for advancement.

S. H. HERRING .- A California pioneer of 1856 and a veteran of the Civil War, S. H. Herring was born in the town of Poland, Maine, June 20, 1834. The family is traced back to England, and were early settlers of Massachusetts and thence removed to Norway, Maine. Mr. Herring's father, Daniel Her- ring married Phelanda Morey, whose father served in the Revolutionary War; she passed away in 1838. The father removed to Illinois to locate on Govern- ment land, but was taken sick and returned to Maine, where he married a second time and in 1856 the fam- ily moved out to California and here he passed away. S. H. Herring is the only one living of his eight brothers and sisters, of which he was one of the youngest. His youth was spent on the farm and he was early set to work like other farmer boys. He attended the public schools, but obtained the greater part of his education by self study, for they were a family of students, and even in those early days they received eleven different periodicals, all of them scientific. Thus he acquired habits for research work that have continued with him all through life. For a time before coming to California Mr. Herring was employed in a nursery at Brighton, Mass., so had become interested in horticulture before arriving in the Golden State in 1856, having made the trip via Panama. At first he located on a ranch six miles above Marysville and made improvements, but had to leave it on account of a defect in the title. He then removed to near Forbestown, but having con- tracted malaria while in Yuba County, he went into the mountains at Gibsonville, where he recovered.

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 177

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