History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 178

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

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In 1861 Mr. Herring volunteered in Company D. First California Cavalry, for service in the Civil War. They proceeded to Southern California, marched across the desert through Arizona and New Mexico to El Paso, Texas, and thence as escort to 105 pris- oners to Fort Clark, after which they returned to El Paso. Thence he went to Fort Craig and a year later was detailed with others to escort Governor Goodwin and his outfit to Fort Whipple, Ariz., where he remained until his discharge, September 7, 1864, after which he returned to California. At first he followed orcharding in Butte County; then he he- gan teaming into Nevada, hauling lumber to the mines, and he later helped build the railroad through the Sierra Valley; afterwards he spent some time riding after cattle and learned to handle and rope cattle. In 1871 he came to San Jose and established the Califor- nia Agriculturist as a monthly and published it seven years in the interests of the farmer, standing stanchly for prohibition. He also published two different dailies, the Independent Californian and the other the Garden City Times. In December, 1878, he was taken ill and had to go to the mountains to save his life, so he sold out to the Rural Press of San Francisco. He then homesteaded on government land in the San-

ta Cruz Mountains, built a residence, and set out a twenty-acre orchard of apples, prunes and pears; the rest of the ranch he devoted to stockraising; later he turned the management of the ranch over to his son and for a time lived in San Francisco. Twenty- seven years ago he located in Los Gatos where he owns a comfortable home and resides with his wife, whom he married in Santa Cruz. She was Dr. Laimee (Perkins) Jewell, a widow who was graduated in medicine in New York City. She had first come to California as early as 1851, but returned East and studied medicine in New York City, after which she practiced medicine in Santa Cruz. A woman of much capability and culture, she has been a splendid help- mate and devoted wife, their union having been blessed with two children: Fred D., who is on the old home ranch, and Joe P., a taxidermist in Los Angeles. Mr. Herring is an Odd Fellow and with his wife is a member of the Rebekahs and the Santa Clara County Pioneer Society. He is also a member of the E. O. C. Ord Post No. 82, G. A. R., Los Gatos, of which he is a past commander and Mrs. Herring is a member of the Woman's Relief Corps.

SIDNEY M. CUTHBERTSON .- Among the pop- ular and efficient officials of Mayfield, Cal., Sidney M. Cuthbertson is capably filling the position of city clerk in a creditable and satisfactory manner. Besides attend- ing to his official duties, he is active in the real estate and insurance business, and is the owner of several houses and town lots in Mayfield. He is a native son of California and was born at Manchester, Mendocino County, June 23, 1873, on the 160-acre ranch which his father had taken from the Government as a home- stead. This land is still the property of the two mem- bers of the Cuthbertson family. His parents, R. H. and Grace (Grant) Cuthbertson were both natives of Scotland. His father was a weaver by trade and worked in the silk mills of his native city of Glas- gow. The name Cuthbert came from St. Cuthbert. a prelate and noted Scotch divine, and the same traits and characteristics have been handed down from gen- eration to generation, there being many public speakers and preachers in the family; also machin- ists and manufacturers. The mother is a distant relative of the late General U. S. Grant, and when quite a young girl was left an orphan. She came to Canada with her parents, hut her father died when she was seven years old. She was bound out for seven years as was the custom for homeless orphan children, but received such ill treatment that she ran away to Detroit when nine years of age. While in the employ of the wife of a U. S. Army officer, she came to San Francisco. At Detroit she had met Mr. Cuthbertson, her future husband, and he followed her to San Francisco where they were married. They became the parents of ten children, all of whom are living and all well educated, most of them being col- lege-bred men and women: George W. became a lieutenant commander in the U. S. Navy during the late war and is now in the commercial marine ser- vice; Harriet is the wife of Prof. R. E. Swain, pro- fessor of chemistry in Stanford University. He was mayor of Palo Alto three different times and is a very prominent citizen of that city; Robert is a broker in Los Angeles; Sidney M. is the subject of this re- view; Jessie is a graduate of the San Jose Normal School and is now a teacher in the grammar schools of Palo Alto; Henry resides in Palo Alto; Grace, a graduate of the San Jose Normal School and a stil-

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dent of Stanford who is now the wife of Joseph H. Borden, the president of the Palo Alto Furniture Company; he is an ex-president of the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce and is now a school trustee of the Palo Alto grammar schools; Alexander M. married Miss Irene Childs, the daughter of the ex- president of the First National Bank of Palo Alto. He is a graduate of the Stanford University and is now teaching in the Redwood City high school. He is a chemist of note, having pursued post grad- uate courses at Heidelberg, Germany, and at Yale. He was a trustee of the Union high school in Palo Alto and clerk of that board; Ernest J. is a graduate of the San Jose Normal school and is now the prin- cipal of the Union Grammar school at Campbell, the largest union grammar school in the county; Alice B. is the wife of Donald Steele. She is a graduate of the Stanford University and received her A. M. de- gree from that institution. She taught in the Mendo- cino high school and is an accomplished musician. R. H. Cuthbertson died in Palo Alto in 1920, at the age of eighty years; Mrs. Cuthbertson is still living and resides in Palo Alto and is hale and hearty at the age of eighty.

Sidney M. Cuthbertson began his education in the public schools of Mendocino County, and later entered the San Jose high school and has the honor of editin. its first class annual, "The Blue and Silver." He also organized the Ecclesia Literary Society. He was graduated in 1895; then entered the University of the Pacific and spent one year there. He was an honor student, excelling in public speaking and was selected as the orator to deliver the address for the anni- versary of the Arcania Literary Society, an honor rarely conferred on a freshman, it being the usual custom to select an upper classman. He entered Stan- ford University in 1896.

Mr. Cuthbertson's marriage united him with Miss Margaret Bailey, a native of Crescent City, Del Norte County, Cal., a daughter of Mrs. Mary Bailey and is a member of a large and prominent family, owners of a big ranch on the Smith River in Del Norte County. Her father died when she was ten years old but her mother is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Cuthbertson are the parents of three children: Don- ald is a freshman in the Palo Alto high school; was the valedictorian of his class in grammar school; Florence, and Beatrice. Before his marriage, Mr. Cuthbertson was general agent for the King, Rich- ardson Publishing Company and was one of the prize agents of that firm winning a prize bicycle in the summer of 1896. Later he became an agent for the International Correspondence Schools at Scranton, Pa .; held agencies in California and also one in Ne- vada. He again distinguished himself in this capa- city, collecting more money in one month than any other agent in the employ of the I. C. S. at that time (1904), winning the "Honor of the World." and Rank No. 1, and thus became known to all I. C. S. agents everywhere, the prize being a free trip to the St. Louis World's Fair, so with his bride he took in the exposition on his wedding trip. Returning to California he and his wife settled in Mayfield and in 1905 built their commodious and modern residence. He was chosen secretary of the Santa Clara County Promotion Association, and worked to organize this body into a County Chamber of Commerce. He was made secretary of the Mayfield Chamber of Com- merce and was placed on the speaking force of the

State Association of Chambers of Commerce at the 1915 State Convention held in San Francisco and is considered one of the best and most forceful speakers on the force and is a good booster for improvements and advancement along all lines. In politics he is a stanch Democrat and was chosen secretary of the Democratic Central Committee in 1908 and served in that capacity until 1916. He was appointed to the position of City Clerk and in 1919 was duly elected to the position for a period of four years. He is a notary public and is the Mayfield agent for the Liver- pool, London and Globe Fire Insurance Company. Hard work and persistent effort in business affairs has brought him prosperity and Mayfield is indeed proud to count him among her enterprising boosters. The family belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church of Mayfield and Mrs. Cuthbertson is a mem- ber of its choir.

ST. JOSEPH'S HIGH SCHOOL .- Prominent among the institutions of learning in Santa Clara County doing so much to help make California one of the most desirable of all states in the Union for home centers and places of residence, is St. Joseph's High School, an outgrowth of St. Joseph's College, a Catholic institution, embracing a grammar school for boys and girls, and a high school for boys. The building was erected in 1906, directly after the great earthquake and fire, and in August of the following year it was opened for instruction with an approxi- mate enrollment of 100 boys. The original faculty consisted of Brother William, who is at present the head of St. Louis College in Honolulu; Brother Adam, who is now the principal of the school, and Brothers James and Thomas. There are 250 pupils enrolled, under the direction of a faculty of eight. Brother Adam is assisted by Brother John, Brother Thomas, Brother Alexander and Brother William, and these scholarly instructors make up the high school faculty; while Brothers Aloysius, Thomas, Nicholas and Paul have charge of the grammar school. Besides these two departments, the Sisters of Notre Dame conduct the girls' grammar school department with an enrollment of 400. In addition to imparting sound learning, the greatest precautions are taken, also, to safeguard the morals of those entrusted to the authorities of the institution.

Brother Adam was born and reared in Chicago, a son of Adam and Susan Adam, and first saw the light on December 23, 1867. He came to San Jose at the commencement of the school, and since 1908 has been principal of the boys' department. He has had a wide experience in educational work, part of which was acquired at Chicago, San Antonio, Texas; Washington, D. C .; Louisville, Ky., and at Baltimore. The school offers complete grammar and high school courses, and affords facilities for the study of science, mathematics and business. Even a wireless school is conducted here under the direction of C. D. Her- rold. The "get-together" spirit is fostered to a great extent by the faculty. During the past three years, since Reverend Grisez has had supervision of the school, the basement has been excavated, cement floors and partitions put in, the former covered with wooden flooring, iron supports have replaced the old wooden posts for bracing the floor above, and an adequate heating and lighting system installed. Dur- ing the school season moving pictures are shown

Jhve. R. martin, S.J.

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

every Friday afternoon for the pupils and in the evening the program is repeated for the benefit of the grown-ups, to whom an invitation is always extended, and afterwards a dance is given, with music by the school's orchestra. Socials and business meetings are also held here. A cafeteria has been installed and a daily service is maintained at reasonable prices for the convenience of all pupils who wish to take ad- vantage of it. The service is also in operation during the dances and social gatherings.

REV. THOMAS R. MARTIN, S. J .- A cultured and highly educated man, filled with enthusiasm for the education of boys for the priesthood, and train- ing them to be devout and religious, Rev. Thomas R. Martin occupies the position of rector of the Noviti- ate of the Sacred Heart located at Los Gatos, which he is filling worthily and capably. He was born in Boston, Mass., the fourth oldest of a family of six children born to Thomas and Catherine (Kelly) Martin, natives of Scotland and Boston, Mass., re- spectively. Thomas was reared in the cultured en- vironment of the Hub City and there attended the public schools. On completing the high school in Massachusetts, he came to Los Gatos, Cal., in 1902 and entered the Novitiate of the Sacred Heart as a novice where he made his classics. He then entered the House of Philosophy at Gonzaga College at Spo- kane, Wash. where he completed philosophy and then taught at Gonzaga College for two years; then at St. Vincent's College, Los Angeles for three years; then entered Woodstock College in Maryland, where lie completed his theology and was ordained at that ed- ucational institution in 1917 by Cardinal Gibbons for the California Province. He taught one year at Scat- tle College, then came to Los Gatos as teacher of classics at the Novitiate of the Sacred Heart and in July, 1921, was made rector, thus becoming the head of the institution where he began his novitiate.

The Novitiate of the Sacred Heart at Los Gatos is an interesting educational institution. For many years it was located at Santa Clara and is one of sev- eral colleges on the Pacific Coast, or rather the California Province, of the Society of Jesus. The provincial headquarters are in Portland and they have colleges at Los Angeles, Santa Clara, San Francisco, Seattle, and Spokane and have churches in various places and Indian missions in Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and Alaska. In time the quarters of the No- vitiate at Santa Clara became too small, so in 1888 they established the Novitiate at Los Gatos. The present grounds, comprising a quarter section of land in the foothills above Los Gatos, commands a wonderful view of the Santa Clara Valley and the large and commodions buildings are erected on a natural pla- teau, requiring much excavation and filling for the site of the buildings. The first wing was built in 1906 and the right wing was finished in 1914, each two sto- ries high. The class rooms, study rooms and dormito- ries are all equipped with the most modern furnish- ings and there is also a large chapel. Here the schol- astics are trained in mathematics, academic and clas- sical courses, preparatory to entering the House of Philosophy. There are about sixty young men in the institution and the faculty is composed of six Jesuit Fathers, who teach the various branches, with Rev. Thomas R. Martin in charge. Father Martin is in- tensely interested in the institution, where he re-

ceived his instruction in classics, and leaves no stone unturned to assist the scholastics under him to ad- vance their education and instill in them a high regard for their leading an upright and true Christian life.

WILLIAM AND GEORGE LIDDICOAT .- As partners under the firm name of Liddicoat Bros., William and George Liddicoat are running a first-class meat market in the Economy Block at 322 University Avenue in Palo Alto. Both are natives of Petwan County, Cornwall, England, where Will- iam was born February 14, 1885, and George, July 31, 1891, being the sons of William and Ellen (Wet- ter) Liddicoat, who are both still living at Par, Eng- land, the father being a well-known shipwright. Will- iam and George were both schooled in the grammar and high school of their native town, and both as soon as they were able to work, were apprenticed to the butcher's trade. While yet a mere lad, William was apprenticed to his uncles, the Liddicoat Brothers, prominent stockmen and meat market proprietors at Loswithel, England. He thoroughly learned every phase of the meat business, including stock-raising, feeding, butchering and retailing meat, as well as buying and selling cattle and other livestock. Thus equipped, at the age of twenty, he resolved to come to the United States, where he arrived in 1905. He worked as a journeyman butcher from coast to coast for some years, thus becoming thoroughly conver- sant with conditions in America before embarking in business for himself. At La Honda, Cal., he opened up his first shop and soon thereafter was joined by his brother George in 1912. Forming a partnership, they leased a 2000-acre stock ranch at La Honda and in addition to running their meat market, they en- gaged in farming and stockraising, feeding and fin- ishing beef cattle for the market. The brothers were thus profitably operating a large and growing busi- ness at the time of the outbreak of the recent war, when having become naturalized American citizens, George joined the ranks while William continued to conduct the business. Joining the Three Hundred Sixteenth ammunition train, Ninety-first Division, George Liddicoat trained at Camp Lewis; he landed at Cherbourg, France, in June, 1918; was at the front for ten months, taking part in the Meuse-Argonne campaign, saw terrific fighting and bloodshed, but with the exception of a painful cut from barbwire, came home in fine physical condition. He was sta- tioned at Cornay, France, November 11, 1918, at the signing of the armistice and spent Christmas of that year in Paris. He was then stationed at Le Mans, France, until April, 1919, when he returned to America and was honorably discharged at the Presidio, San Francisco during May, 1919. He immediately went to Mountain View and with his brother bought out Swall's meat market and together they ran it for thirteen months; then they sold out and leased their present place in Palo Alto in the Economy Store Block and opened for business July 15, 1920. Will- iam Liddicoat is the outside man, buying the live- stock and superintending the slaughterhouse: while George has charge of the retail work in the market, employing four experienced butchers to take care of the trade. The Liddicoat Bros. do the largest retail business of any market in Palo Alto, having their own refrigerating system and requiring two trucks with two drivers to take care of their deliveries.

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Mr. George Liddicoat's marriage occurred in 1920 and united him with Miss Mary Lennon of San Mateo and they are the parents of one child, Mary Ellen. Fraternally he is a member of the Odd Fellows lodge at Pescadero, Cal., while William is a member of the Masons and Sciots. Liddicoat Bros.' latest venture is in the dairy business. They have recently started a large dairy farm on the Page-Mill Road, where they keep thirty registered Holstein milch cows. At present their product goes to San Francisco, but as soon as pasteurizing machinery and other necessary dairying equipment can be installed, it will be retailed from their own market in Palo Alto.

FRANCIS MARION RIGHTER .- A very suc- cessful horticulturist, whose attainments have encour- aged others to work for higher standards and better, larger results, and who thereby has greatly advanced the science and art of California husbandry, is Francis Marion Righter, a resident of Campbell. He was born in Indiana, near Indianapolis, March 4, 1843, and is the son of George G. and Salome (Kilbourne) Righter, born in Virginia and Ohio, respectively. George G. Righter was a farmer and blacksmith and also ran a sawmill and threshing machine. He passed away at the age of fifty-four, and the mother survived him several years.

Francis M. Righter received a good education in the grammar and high school and assisted his father in operating a sawmill. After his father's death, wishing to gain a higher education, he determined to obtain the funds by manufacturing lumber. He was under twenty years of age, but arranged for backing and credit and purchased a sawmill and made a suc- cess of the enterprise. After several years he sold out, having made sufficient to pay his way at the National Normal University at Lebanon, Ohio, after which he taught school in his native state, Indiana, and during a part of the Civil War he served in the commissary department at the . front. Coming to California in 1873, he taught in the schools in different parts of the state, and then going to Southern Cali- fornia, he taught in the schools, now within the city of Los Angeles. After that he went to Santa Clara County and taught in the Mayfield and San Jose schools, and for a short time in Saratoga. During this time he was principal of the schools at Eugene, Ore., and the fourth ward school in San Jose.

In 1879 Mr. Righter was united in marriage with Miss Belle Lutes, a native of Ohio, who was born near Cincinnati, July 15, 1857, the daughter of Alex J. and Lavinia (Willey) Lutes, also natives of Ohio, who were farmers there. Mr. and Mrs. Righter be- came the parents of two sons, George Lutes and Cornelius Erwin Righter, both graduates of Stanford University, and both served in the World War. George, the oldest returning with a first lieutenant's bar. The younger son, better known as "Swede," has made a name for himself as an athlete while at Stan- ford, playing on the football and basketball teams. Perhaps his greatest honor came when he was selected as a member of the All-California Rugby team which represented the United States at the Olympic games in 1920. In the final game at Antwerp they defeated France and became Olympic champions, for which they were presented gold medals by King Albert of Belgium. A tour of Southern France followed the Olympic games in which the team was successful

against the French. During the intervals between the games the members visited points of interest in Hol- land, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Spain. Both of the boys are now engaged in physical education work in California.

In 1882 Mr. Righter purchased a ten-acre ranch at Campbell which was set out in apricots, so in 1887, when it had begun to bear fruit, he decided to retire from teaching and now spends his time in improving and taking care of his orchard, which is a model in many respects. He also owns a ten-acre prune or- chard at Valley View, which is well improved. Mr. Righter has been prominent and active in local affairs, having been a director in the Santa Clara County Mutual Fire Insurance Company since its organization more than twenty-five years ago. He was also one of the organizers of the Farmers' Tele- phone Company of Campbell and is president of the company. He was also one of the original stock- holders in the Bank of Campbell, has been an active participant in every cooperative movement in the valley, and is a member of the California Prune & Apricot Association and the California Peach Grow- ers Association. He has given many years of study to cooperative selling and, as he says: "There is but one all-sufficient cooperative law, and that is the Golden Rule. All things being equal, one must do unto others as he would have others do unto him, there being no other right basis of action. Those who accept this foundation and build their organiza- tion on it may hope to form a permanent association." Mr. Righter wrote a pamphlet on cooperative mar- keting of all farm products, outlining the method and showing that by this method the producer receives more for his product and the consumer pays less. The Farmers Club of San Jose published and dis- tributed Mr. Righter's pamphlet. Mr. Nutting, living near Fresno, who had done a great deal along co- operative lines of marketing, heard of Mr. Righter's method, and after obtaining a copy of the pamphlet substituted Mr. Righter's method for his own, chang- ing only the method of price making. Mr. Righter's method was to sell at public auction to the highest bidder, the organization reserving the right to reject any or all bids. The association's method was to make its own prices without reference to the buyers. On this basis Mr. Nutting and W. H. Wrightson, with a large number of other prominent cooperators, organized the California Raisin Growers Association. It goes without saying that this association has not only brought untold prosperity to the producers, but has also greatly benefitted the consumers. W. H. Wrightson, ex-state president of the Farmers Educa- tional & Cooperative Union of America, publicly stated at a state meeting of the above Union in San Jose that F. M. Righter has the honor of having fur- nished the basis of the California Associated Raisin Growers.

For over twenty-five years Mr. Righter has made a report of his weather observations to Washington. having a U. S. Weather Bureau station on his ranch- latitude N. 38° 18', longitude west 121° 57', elevation 217 feet above sea level -- his station being established before there was a public station in San Jose. He is a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite Mason and in religious faith is a member of the Congregational

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 178

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