History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 181

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

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The ranch is about nine miles from Morgan Hill. Joseph A. was married in 1909 to Miss Irene J. Baker, a daughter of the late pioneer, Reuben J. Baker, who settled near Almaden in the early '50s, and married Miss Winifred Hart, now living in San Jose, Mr. Baker having passed away Angust 6, 1918. Miss Irene Baker was born in Hollister and attended the Notre Dame Convent in San Jose and later the San Jose State Normal School from which she grad- nated in 1905. She taught for five years in the schools of Stanislaus, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties. They have three children: Ernest J., Richard W., and Luceil I. Joseph Matteis is a member of the Eagles' Aerie No. 8 of San Jose, and in politics is a Republican. He has served as a trustee of the Uvas district school for nine years; for fourteen years he was road master of the district and superintended the construction of many new bridges and roads; he is now manager of his mother's ranch; Michael C., born at San Jose, November 15, 1886, served in the U. S. Army in the One Hundred Forty-fourth Field Artil- lery and was five months overseas with the Grizzlies; he was eighteen months in the service and was dis- charged January 28, 1919, and is now home working on the rauch; Teresa M. was born June 15, 1887, and is the wife of Giacinto Conrotto and they are the parents of two children, Catherine M., and Michacl B. Mr. Matteis lived to be fifty years old and passed away July 14, 1908. The work of clearing and pre- paring the land for vineyard was no easy task, but they have a fine vineyard of seventy-five acres; choice California wines were made and shipped from the ranch until 1918 and since that time the good prices paid for green grapes are so attractive that all the vineyardists sell their grapes in this way for ship- ment throughout the country. Mrs. Matteis is a typ- ical home-body, highly esteemed by her many de- voted friends, and is a worthy mother of a fine family of children who are respected throughout the community in which they reside.

PHILLIP DALY .- Among the useful citizens of the Morgan Hill community is Phillip Daly who is the owner and operator of a baling press for hay and grain and by hard work and strict attention to busi- ness has won a place for himself in that locality. He was born on Staten Island, N. Y., December 31. 1864, the eldest son of Patrick Daly, a native of Ireland, who came to America in 1850. He married Miss Kate Connely, also a native of Ireland, in 1862, and in 1868 they removed to San Jose, Cal .. and in July, 1872, the Daly family came to Gilroy and settled on North Monterey Street, where the original home place still stands. His father died in 1899, aged seventy-four and the mother on October 3. 1916, at the age of seventy years. Phillip entered the public schools in 1868 and in 1873, at the age of ten years, was obliged to leave school and assist his father. When he reached the age of seventeen he hired ont as a ranch hand with Horton & Daniels and worked with a threshing crew for ten years in San Benito, Monterey and Santa Clara counties.

Mr. Daly's marriage united him with Miss Jose- phine Atkinson, a daughter of Richard Atkinson, a pioneer of Santa Clara County, whose biographical sketch will be found in this work. Mr. and Mrs. Daly. are the parents of five children: Viola is a graduate nurse of St. Joseph's Hospital and now re- sides in San Bernardino; Richard served in the U. S.

G. F Gallagher

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Navy on board the cruiser Montana and did trans- port duty for eleven months; he is married and has one child living; Phillip A. served in Company A, First U. S. Engineers, overseas for five years and is now in active service. He has the honor of wearing the Distinguished Service Cross, awarded him after a sharp engagement at Verdun in 1918; he has also been awarded the French Croix de Guerre; Gladys is a graduate of the San Jose State Normal School with the class of 1919 and is now teaching in Men- dota, Fresno County, Cal .; Bernice is the wife of Al- phonse Bonetti, a rancher of Morgan Hill and they are the parents of two children. What success has come to Mr. Daly has been through his own efforts and perseverance, and the family enjoy the respect and esteem of the entire community.

ALFRED D. GALLAGHER .- Prominent among the most enterprising, scientifically-venturesome and eminently successful representatives of sturdy, pro- gressive pioneers whose toil and sacrifice were such that they and their descendants have deserved to in- herit the fruits of the earth and to enjoy the good things of life, is Alfred D. Gallagher, next to the largest pear grower of Santa Clara County, who is ranching on some 360 acres on the Alviso Road, about four miles north of San Jose. He was born on the old Gallagher Ranch in Santa Clara County, on April 5, 1869, the son of Andrew Thomas Gal- lagher, who was born in New York City on May 4, 1831, the son of Andrew T. and Mary (Siskron) Gallagher, natives of Ireland, who had migrated to America and had settled in the metropolis. Andrew Thomas grew up in New York, attending school and at fourteen entering the employ of William T. Jen- ninigs & Company, well-known merchant tailors of Gotham. On October 16, 1848, however, he took passage on the barque John W. Cater, then com- manded by Captain Richard Hoyt and bound for California by way of Cape Horn; and on the four- teenth of March, 1849, he reached San Francisco. Shortly after his arrival, he purchased the launch Mary and Catherine, but after running her for a few trips to Sonoma he sold the vessel and pushed on inland to Tuolumne County, where he tried his luck at mining at Sullivan's Camp. After a few months, he moved over to Santa Clara County, and for a few weeks was employed in the Redwoods; and then he took up teaming between Redwoods and Alviso, and still later he transported freight from Alviso to San Jose and Santa Clara. At the same time, he also transported freight between San Francisco and Alviso, using the schooner Catherine Miller which he purchased for that trade and sometimes even com- manding the vessel himself. At the end of two years, he decided to make a complete change of work, and then he took a position as clerk in one of the ware- houses in Alviso, faithfully performing his duties, different as they were to his previous, more inde- pendent operations, until 1863.

As early as June, 1853, Mr. Gallagher, following his marriage, had established his residence upon property he had purchased in the Alviso district, about four and a half miles north of Santa Clara and one mile south of Alviso-a fine farm of 160 acres of very productive land, and there, besides rich pas- turage, he was soon raising grain and hay. He also 50

had forty acres of orchard, devoted to nearly all the varieties of fruit grown in that section, and to toma- toes and other vegetables, of which he also had eight extra acres, the same amount of land which he set aside for raspberries and blackberries. Five artesian wells gave him all the water needed, and a pleasant and comfortable cottage home, with outbuildings, testified to his enviable prosperity.

On September 26, 1852, Andrew T. Gallagher was married to Miss Maria Remonda Martin, the dau- ghter of John and Vaclecia Bernal (Ortega) Martin. The maternal grandfather, John Martin, was a na- tive of Scotland, a ship's carpenter on a man-o'-war, who came out to America about 1828 or 1829 and settled for a while in San Francisco. Later he went inland to the neighborhood of Sausalito, in Marin County, and in 1834 he came to Alviso, where he acquired several thousand acres of the Embarcadero Grant; and during the cholera epidemic of 1850 he died of that dread disease. Mrs. Maria Ramonda ( Martin) Gallagher was born at the Mission San Jose and died at the age of forty-four years, on the thirtieth of May, 1879.

They were the parents of thirteen children: Mary, born August 12, 1853, became the wife of Mortimer D. French of San Jose-she died 1911, aged fifty- seven years; Martha, born May 1, 1855, died in 1897 from injuries received in a runaway; Andrew T., Jr., born March 17, 1857, died the same day as the father, June 20, 1897; Sarah, died at nine years of age; Edward E., born December 26, 1860, lives re- tired at Long Beach, Cal .- married Miss Mattie Taylor of Pullman, Wash., and has one child, Mary Anita, the wife of Lester Folger of Pullman, Wash .; Richard M., born August 10, 1863, resides at San Jose, Cal., retired; he married Miss Elizabeth Stezer of San Francisco; George F., born September 18, 1865, at Alviso, became one of the leading pear- growers of the Santa Clara Valley; he died May 20, 1921, left a son, George E. Gallagher, and his widow whose maiden name was Julia A. Loverin who passed away at San Jose, on January 23, 1922; Basilia M., born July 13, 1867, became the wife of Edward F. Mohrhardt of San Francisco; she died November 10. 1918, and left one child, Edward F. Mohrhardt; Alfred D., born April 5, 1869, of this review; Charles W., commission merchant of Oak- land, married Miss Stella Shrader; they have three children, Andrew T., Raymond and Martha E .; Wil- liam M., born June 16, 1873; Mabel L., the wife of Arthur S. Luce, resides at San Jose; James Walter, was an infant when his mother died, May 30, 1879, surviving her by three weeks.

Alfred attended the Alviso schools while being reared on the old Gallagher ranch where, some forty years ago, his father had instituted irrigation by means of an artesian water supply. This ranch, which was gradually expanded to its present size, includes 120 acres devoted to the growing of pears. 130 acres of apples, and 110 acres for pasturage, berries and hay. About 1905 a packing house was built near the old home ranch, and in 1919 a second packing house was erected on the new ranch. Twenty-five men are employed here steadily on the average, and in the busy season this number is in- creased to twice as many. For the last four years

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the average yield has been sixty carloads of pears, and each year about six to eight carloads of quinces are shipped to distant points.

At San Jose, on July 6, 1912, Mr. Gallagher was married to Miss Mamie Davis, a native of Alton, Humboldt County, and the daughter of Harrison and Margaret (Keating) Davis. Her father was a native of Ohio, where he was born about 1835; he accompanied his parents to Illinois, when they re- moved to that state and remained there until about 1850, when he came across the plains to California and settled in Gilroy; but after two years he went into Humboldt County. Mr. Davis is dead, but her mother, Mrs. Davis, still lives and is residing here, a very interesting lady, as a native of England and the representative of an old English family. Mrs. Gallagher is the seventh in a family of twelve child- ren. Harry was the oldest, then came Elizabeth, Bert, Rose, Thomas and Francis, and after Mamie were Sewell, Ernest, Angeline, Sarah and Vernon. Mrs. Davis, who lives with the Gallaghers and con- tributes greatly to the cheerfulness of their hos- pitable hearth, is a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Janner) Keating. John Keating was a sea captain; Elizabeth Janner was a native of Southampton, Eng- land, and when she was four years old, her parents removed with her to Australia, where they lived until this daughter was seventeen years old, residing at Albana, on King George's Sound. From Australia the family came to California, and here she met and married Mr. Davis. Mrs. Gallagher attended the schools of Humboldt County, and now she has three children of her own in school: Margaret, Alfred, Jr., and Geraldine.

OTTO L. KETCHUM .- Another practical rancher of pronounced executive ability is Otto L. Ketchum. the experienced and very efficient superintendent of J. E. Smith's Solis Ranch, on the Watsonville Road, about eight miles northwest of Gilroy. He was born at San Jose on December 17, 1867, the son of Elvin M. Ketchum, a native of Michigan who migrated to California in 1850, by way of the Isthmus of Panama -a worthy, sturdy pioneer who survived the turbu- lence of the mining period, and reached San Jose in the early '60s. He married Miss Henrietta Edson, daughter of Henry B. and Achsah H. (Soper) Edson, both of whom were natives of Vermont; and they mi- grated to California by way of the Isthmus, in 1856. located in the Santa Clara Valley, and finally settled at San Jose. Mr. Ketchum was an expert carpenter, a man capable of accomplishing a great deal for the young commonwealth into which he had come; but he died a premature death in the early '70s.

Otto Ketchum was reared and schooled in the Llagas district; and he also attended the Reed Street school at San Jose. From the time of leaving school until coming to his present place, he followed ranching and orcharding. In 1914 he became a foreman for the Solis Ranch of J. E. Smith, near Gilroy, his long ex- perience in fruit culture, since he was a boy, com- mending him to the proprietor of the famous farm tract. He has eighty acres of very choice land under excellent cultivation, and now very fruitful. Mr. Ketchum resides upon the Smith place with his mother, and he is thus able to give the ranch his closest attention.

A Republican in matters of national political im- port, but a good, nonpartisan "booster" when it comes to putting his shoulder to the wheel, Mr. Ketchum is a member of the Gilroy lodge of Odd Fellows, and also the Masonic lodge at Gilroy. He takes pride in discharging responsibility in the most conscientious manner, and devotes as much personal care to Mr. Smith's choice ranch as if it were his own. Fellow- ranchers feel the value of an inspiration to do, and to do well, derived from his stimulating example.

WILLIAM F. GIACOMAZZI .- An enterprising, progressive rancher who, in forging steadily ahead, has set the pace for others as well as for him- self, and has promoted the good fortune of neigh- bors and competitors, while building up his own prosperity, is William Francis Giacomazzi, the well- known dairyman whose farsightedness led him to invest in a motor transport for milk which has been of the greatest service. He was born at Salinas, on August 14, 1896, the son of James and Catherine Giacomazzi, the former a native of Mogheno, Switz- erland, in Canton Ticino, who came out to Cali- fornia in 1886 and settled in Monterey County. Mrs. Giacomazzi passed away at Salinas in 1900, but Mr. Giacomazzi survived until 1910. Both lived worthy lives, and both died rich in friends. They had three children beside our subject, who was the third. Vincent was born in Switzerland on August 14, 1886. James, Jr., is deceased; and Elven, the young- est, is with his brother in business.

William Giacomazzi attended the grammar school at Salinas, and later went to Heald's Business Col- lege, and he grew up to inherit an interest in a fine grain farm of 330 acres in Monterey County. In 1916, he came into Santa Clara County, and three years later, in November, he opened a dairy on the Tuttle Ranch on Capitol Avenue. In 1920, he sold the dairy back to Mr. Tuttle, and then he took up trucking. In partnership with his brother, Mr. Giacomazzi owns two trucks of one and a half tons each, and two trucks of two tons each, and one truck of three and a half tons; and he makes both day and night trips; a night trip to Oakland and a day and night trip to San Francisco,-hauling milk for the farmers, carrying consignments to the East Bay Milk Producers' Association. All in all, they haul about 350 cans of milk daily, and although they employ two drivers, they take turns in going along themselves.

Public-spirited and patriotic to an admirable de- gree, Mr. Giacomazzi served in the late World War, enlisting on September 5, 1918. He was sent to Camp Kearny and was in the Sixteenth Trench Mortar Battery, stationed there until the end of the war. Then, on February 5, 1919, he was hon- orably discharged at the Presidio at San Francisco. On February 8, 1920, he was married at San Jose to Miss Mabel B. Wilcox, a native of Berryessa, and the daughter of F. C. and Mary C. Wilcox and a granddaughter of Orin Wilcox, who with his family of seven children came around the Horn to California in 1861. They left their Connecticut home on the day that the Civil War broke out. Orin Wilcox became a prominent jeweler at Watsonville. Mrs. Giacomazzi was schooled at Berryessa and San Jose, where she attended Heald's Business College. One son has been granted Mr. and Mrs. Gia- comazzi,-William Francis, Jr. Mr. Giacomazzi is

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a Republican, and as such has sought to elevate the standard of citizenship, especially among his parents' countrymen coming to California and as- sociated with him; and in fraternal matters, he is active as a member of the Maccabees and the Wood- men of the World at San Jose.

ALDEN FRENCH .- An enterprising, successful rancher whose progressive methods are as interest- ing as the splendid results he has attained, is Alden French, who dwells about two miles south of Alviso. He was born on the old French Ranch on November 2, 1879, the son of Mortimer D. French, a native of Wisconsin, who had married Miss Mary Gallagher, a native of Santa Clara County, the daughter of An- drew Thomas and Maria (Martin) Gallagher, and the granddaughter of Andrew T. and Mary (Sis- kron) Gallagher, of New York. In the fall of 1848 her father sailed on the bark John W. Cater for Cali- fornia by way of Cape Horn, and he reached San Francisco the following March. He took up mining, among his other ventures, in Tuolumne County, and when he came to Santa Clara County went to work in the Redwoods. Later he purchased a schooner and carried freight between San Francisco and Al- viso. Eventually, he settled down to farming on 160 acres in the Alviso district, near Santa Clara. Mrs. French died in 1911 at the age of fifty-seven years, while Mortimer D. French passed away in 1906, at the age of sixty-six, and was buried on the day be- fore the great San Francisco earthquake. He was a farmer, a cattleman, and also a grain and hay farmer, the eldest in a family of seven children; and he was thirteen years old when his father died. His mother was a native of New York and crossed the plains from the Empire State with her parents. Mortimer D. French prospered exceedingly as a farmer and stockman, his holdings being increased to 300 acres. He was a large grain farmer and later on he became a breeder of Percheron horses and Durham cattle and was a leader in this line for many years. The French home ranch was a noted place.

Mr. and Mrs. Mortimer French had eight children: Alden, John, Ernest A., Hazel, Marian, Albertina, now deceased; Gertrude, and Andrew, also deceased; and when Alden was four years old, his father left the ranch, moved to San Jose, and in partnership with Mr. Jarvis engaged in distilling. Then he took up the buying and selling of horses, hay, wood and coal. Alden, therefore, attended the grammar school in San Jose, and for two years he continued his stu- dies at the high school in that city. When nineteen years old, he entered the service of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company, and for nine years he was in charge of their store room in San Jose. Then, in various departments, he worked for over eight years for the Walsh-Col Wholesale Company of San Jose. In the spring of 1919, Mr. French became actively engaged in the management of the Gallagher ranch, on the San Jose-Alviso Road, and he has ever since been foreman of this farm, in which he also has an estate interest. It was purchased by Andrew Tho- mas Gallagher in the fifties, and had about 123 acres, in time well-irrigated and supplied with artesian water. More land was added, and now there are about 360 acres, one-third of which is devoted to the growing of pears, somewhat more to apples, while

110 acres are given up to pasture, berries and hay. Packing houses are near-by, and from twenty-five to fifty men are given employment. Sixty or more carloads of pears and six to eight carloads of quinces are shipped annually. Mr. French also has an estate interest in a ranch of fifty acres left by his father, on the Mountain View-Alviso Road, which is devoted to pasture and hay.

At San Jose, on October 18, 1904, Mr. French was married to Miss Anna M. Purcell, a native of San Jose, and the daughter of John and Delia Purcell. Mrs. Purcell, who was Teresa Gorman before her marriage, was born in Australia and came to San Francisco at the age of twenty. In 1868 she came to San Jose and two years later she was married to Mr. Purcell. Of their seven children, three are living; May, married Joseph Calice, the manager of Black's Package Company at San Jose; Anna, is Mrs. French; Naomi, is Mrs. Alfred J. Pinard of San Jose. Mr. Purcell, who was at one time superintendent of streets of San Jose, died in 1900. Mr. and Mrs. French make their home on a part of the Gallagher Ranch, although they also own a home at 438 North Sixth Street, San Jose. Four of their children are still living-Mildred Gertrude, Alden Edward, Mary Martha, and Mortimer Alfred French; but their second-born, who was also named Alden, passed away aged eleven months. In national politics a Republican, Mr. French is too good an American not to throw aside narrow partisanship and work for the best interests of the community in which he lives, supporting heartily those men and those meas- ures most appealing to him.

EDWARD DELMAESTRO .- San Jose owes much to the enterprise, progressiveness and business ability of Edward Delmaestro, whose activities as a building contractor have contributed to the improve- ment and development of the city. He has an ex- pert knowledge of the carpenter's trade, which his grandfather and father also followed in this state, and the family name has long figured prominently in building circles of this district. A native son of Cali- fornia, Mr. Delmetro was born at the New Almaden mines on October 23, 1889. His paternal grandfather, John Delmaestro, a native of Switzerland, came to California in 1851 and engaged in contracting, then be- came the first foreman in charge of the construction of the New Almaden mines, continuing with them until his death in 1889. The father was reared in Switzerland, but when fourteen years old he went to South America where he learned the carpenter and cabinet maker's trade. In coming to San Jose, he engaged in contracting and then went to the New Almaden mines, where he became foreman, continuing for thirty years and is now living retired at the age of seventy-two years in San Jose; the mother passed away in 1906. Mr. and Mrs. Delmae- stro had eight children of whom Edward is the youngest, the others being John, who is connected with the Bean Spray Pump Company of San Jose; and Madeline, deceased; Mercedes, Isabel and Teresa of San Jose; Leta of Los Angeles and Mrs. Jennie Sterling, deceased.

In the acquirement of an education Mr. Delmae- stro attended the public schools at New Almaden and then learned the carpenter's trade under the able guidance of his father, when then a lad of fourteen

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years. He came to San Jose and when sixteen he started out as a journeyman carpenter and has pro- vided for his own support since fourteen years of age, and after following his trade for a number of years took a course in architectural designing, con- tracting and building in the International Correspon- dence Schools of Scranton, Pa. He has become recog- nized as one of the leading building contractors of the city, specializing in the designing and erection of first-class bungalows, and also doing general repair work. His work, which is of high character and standard excellence, has been a credit to the city and a feature in its substantial improvement, while his business methods have ever balanced up with the principles of integrity and honesty.

In January, 1906, in San Jose, Mr. Delmaestro was married to Miss Adeline Lunsford, a native of this city and a daughter of Lewis and Isabel (Courtois) Lunsford, who are mentioned elsewhere in this vol- ume. Mr. and Mrs. Delmaestro are the parents of three children: Pearl attending Notre Dame College. Edward, Jr., and Frederick. Mr. Delmaestro is a Republican in his political views, interested in the welfare and success of the party. He is a member of the Builders' Exchange, and with his wife is a member of the Fraternal Aid Union.

MRS. MARY W. GEORGE .- A distinguished rep- resentative of the educational profession in California who has been privileged to contribute something definite, far-reaching and permanent toward the devel- opment of popular education in the great Pacific Commonwealth, and especially to help mould and direct educational movements in Santa Clara County, is Mrs. Mary W. George, formerly dean of women at the State Normal at San Jose. She was born in Racine, Wis., the daughter of S. W. and Elizabeth A. Wilson, and coming to San Jose with her mother at the age of twelve. She attended the high school of this city, and then continued her studies at the State Normal at San Jose, later matriculating at Stan- ford University. There she specialized in psychol- ogy and education, and in due time received the Bachelor of Arts degree.

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 181

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