History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 197

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

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JAMES A. THOM .- A veteran of the Civil War. James A. Thom was born in New York City, April 29, 1846. His father, Archibald Thom, was born in Ayreshire, Scotland, a carpenter by trade, who came to New York City when a young man, where he married Mary Merrill, a native of Canada. They removed to. Milwaukee, Wis., in 1850 and later moved to Columbia County, Wis., engaging as a contractor and builder. Still later he located in Clarence, Iowa, engaging for a while in farming but later as a hardware merchant. After this he lived for a time in Huron, S. D., until he came to San Jose where he resided until his death, while his widow spent her last days in Long Beach.

James is the oldest of their six children, was reared in Wisconsin where he attended the public schools. In February, 1865, he volunteered and enlisted in Company B, Forty-eighth Wisconsin Regular Volunteer Infantry. After being mustered in at Milwaukee, he was sent to St. Louis and then campaigned in Missouri and Kansas until after the close of the war. Returning to Wisconsin he was mustered out in Madison, in February, 1866. After the war he engaged in farming in Minnesota, living in Olmstead, Mower and Meeker counties at dif- ferent times. Next he homesteaded in Renville. Coun- ty, Minn., where he farmed until 1890, when he came

to California with his family and located in Santa Clara County. He purchased a ranch on the Los Gatos Road where he set out an orchard. He also worked in warehouses and was employed in one warehouse in Campbell for twenty-three years from the time it opened until his health failed which forced him to give up his work.

Mr. Thom was married at High Forest, Mower County, Minn., September 30, 1877, to Mrs. Ellen (Ross) Johnson, born in Palmyra, N. Y., a daughter of Clark and Alice (Warren) Ross, natives of New York. Mrs. Thom's maternal grandfather, Caleb Warren, served in the War of 1812. Clark Ross re- moved to Fond du Lac, Wis., engaging in farming. He served in the Second Wisconsin Regular Vol- unteer Infantry during the Civil War as did four of his sons .. Ellen Ross was first married in Wis- consin, to Philander Johnson, a native of Vermont, a farmer in Wisconsin where he died, leaving his wid- ow and four children: Alice, Mrs. Hutchins, who has been with the J. C. Ainsley Packing Company since 1884; Frank died near Los Gatos; Harley lives in Iowa and George in San Francisco. Soon after Mr. Johnson's death, his widow removed to Mower County, Minn., where her mariage to Mr. Thom occurred, which resulted in the birth of three children: Ella and Carl died of diptheria while the family was enroute to California. Ross lives in Van- couver, B. C. Mr. and Mrs. Thom make their home on Sunnyside Avenue, Campbell. Mr. Thom was made a Mason in Clarence, Iowa, and is now a member of Charity Lodge No. 362, F. & A. M., at Campbell. He is a member of E. O. C. Ord Post No. 82, G. A. R., Department of California and Nevada at Los Gatos, while Mrs. Thom is a member of the E. O. C. Ord Women's Relief Corps.

CHARLES PERONE .- A resident of California since 1894, Charles Perone was born in Ramianca, Novara, Italy, March 25, 1878, a son of Vincenzo and Josefa (Rosetti) Perone, farmer folk who spent their days in their native country, the father passing away in 1893. Of their family of eight children, three are living: Mallia is a farmer and stockraiser at the old home. Mrs. Maria Panighetti of Los Gatos, and Charles, the subject of this biography, who was reared on the home farm. On March 25, 1894, his sixteenth birthday, he left for California, arriving in San Jose, April 20, of that year. He worked for Mr. Panighetti on the ranch and soon learned hor- ticulture and viticulture as it is done in California. He continued to work for Mr. Panighetti for eigh- teen years. During this time he made two trips back to Italy; in 1899 he made his first trip to the old home, visiting his mother, his father having passed away before he left home. After a four months' pleasant visit, he returned to California. His mother died the next year, in 1900.

In 1911 Mr. Perone made a second trip to his old home and while there he was married on October 28, 1911, to Miss Delphina Balardone, and returned to California with his bride. In 1914 he purchased his present place of eighty-one acres, located just off the Bear Creek Road and this he has improved, so he has a full-bearing orchard and vineyard. He is a hard worker and is very energetic and well de- serves the success that has come to him. They have two children, Josephine and Vincent. Politically Mr. Perone is a Republican.

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ALEX W. HESS, SR .- Hale and hearty at the age of sixty-six, so that he forges ahead like a vigor- ous man in his forties, and popular as an active and prominent man in the fraternal life of the community, Alexander W. Hess, chief engineer of the San Jose Water Works, enjoys opportunity, influence and an enviable status in a section of the great California commonwealth whose natural resources and assured future have drawn hither an exceptionally large num- ber of able men, each representative of something worth while. He was born in Santa Clara County, four miles southwest of San Jose, on the old Infirm- ary Road, just opposite the old brick yard, on Decem- ber 12, 1855, the son of James B. Hess, a native of Indiana, who came across the plains in an ox-team train in the stirring days of '49, when it took seven months to make the trip. He married Miss Mary Josephine Walton, born in Kentucky, who came to California via the Isthmus of Panama in 1852, and in San Jose she met Mr. Hess. James B. Hess was a miner; and with a brother, Alexander Morris Hess, later located in Santa Clara Valley in about 1851. They each had claims of 160 acres of land in the middle of the valley. This land was on the old Galindo Grant, and afterward the Galindo estate con- tested the rights, and all the land involved was in the court for several years. Later, when the Government secured control, James Hess preempted the land.

Unfortunately, James Hess eventually was swin- dled out of the land and lost all that he had; and when our subject was sixteen years old, he took his family-consisting of nine children, among whom Alexander was the oldest-and all his belongings and moved the family to San Mateo County, where he at first settled on the Hamm Ranch. But he stayed there only a couple of years, after which he returned to San Jose, where he spent the rest of his days. He had at length passed through many hardships, and the strenuous life he was forced to lead caused him to break down much sooner than might have been expected. When sixty-eight, he laid aside the cares and worries of this world, conscious at least that, as a sturdy, honest, intelligent pioneer he had done something commendable for those who came after him. Mrs. Hess is still living, at the remark- able age of over ninety years.

When five years of age, Alexander had to walk a long way to school, along a path which led through the haunts of wild cattle, and had to look sharp and move lively at times to look out for his own safety. He recalls other experiences at an age even earlier. The Digger Indians, a dirty, thieving tribe, had been prowling about his father's place at one time, and one morning, when the little fellow was at play and his mother was not watching, an Indian picked him up and started off with the object of stealing him. His mother luckily discovered his absence soon enough to survey the landscape, and when she saw the pack of Indians moving off, and one Indian car- rying the dangling, screaming child, she raised such an alarm as a fond, anxious mother might be expected to give, James Hess responded by seizing a pitchfork and hurrying after the kidnapers; and catching up with them, he jabbed the fork into the Indian carrying the child, and in short order got the youngster safely into his possession again. The In- dians, however, were so covered with filth and ver- min that before taking the boy back to his weeping

mother, he stripped the tot of all his clothes, pre- ferring nakedness to infection. Mr. Hess remembers when, as a boy growing up, the valley was nothing but plains. Wild cattle roamed at will, and there were many wild animals such as California lions and bears around the foothills. In 1862 there was a big flood and he has seen the valley covered with water and the same year it was also covered with snow. In those days the country between Dry Creek and Los Gatos was covered with chaparral and May Day picnics were held at Froments Mills, Los Gatos. In the sixties a dry year came and cattle starved by the thousands. They browsed on the leaves of trees and yet they starved and died, leaving skulls and bones all over the valley. The San Francisco and Santa Clara Railroad came into the valley in the sixties, and the stagemen were loud in their complaints, but they found new pursuits and forgot it, and now the railroads arc confronted with the competition of auto stages and trucks. So things are reversed again. Thus he has seen the whole val- ley change from plains to waving fields of grain, and from the grain fields to alfalfa and orchards, a veritable garden spot.

Alexander Hess attended the country school until he was twelve years old, and later on he enjoyed two years at the University of the Pacific, at San Jose, and one year at a business college in San Jose. On push- ing out into the world to earn a living, he first sought work in the Mackenzie Foundry, where he labored for two years; and then he joined the fire department, and for seven years was an engineer there. He then spent two years in the machine shop of Joseph N. Wright; and followed a busy period there. This was a good introduction to his present responsibility in the service of the San Jose Water- works, upon which he entered in 1885; for he has been there so long and so actively, that he is the oldest employee in the San Jose Waterworks, his badge being number 1, and he has been chief en- gineer of the home plant at 374 West Santa Clara Street all but three years of the time. This plant has a capacity of six million gallons in twenty-four hours. He has held his position now for thirty- seven years. When he came all the company had was a 42 inch by 12 foot boiler and a No. 10 Knowles pump. That same year they installed a compound Duplex pump of two million gallons capacity in twenty-four hours, including two seventy- five horsepower boilers. This ran for ten years.

In 1895 they installed the Holly engine, which did duty until 1914, when they began using electric- ity, but the Holly plant is kept in running order in case of accident. They also had two 150 horsepower boilers to run the Holly pump station.

In 1914, as stated above, they installed four seven- ty-five horsepower electric main pumps, and also a fifty horsepower and a seventy-five horsepower elec- tric well pump, and since then they have added a new well and seventy-five horsepower pump. Thus all the improvements have been made since Mr. Hess' advent with the company, and he has had charge of the installation of the machinery and pumps.

On June 15, 1880, Mr. Hess was married to Miss Flora M. Spangenberg, the ceremony taking place in San Jose, a gifted lady born in historic Westches- ter County, N. Y. Her father was an artist who attained fame. Two children have blessed the

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union of Mr. and Mrs. Hess. The elder is Alexan- der W., Jr., who served his time as machinist with the Union Iron Works, then made a trip to China and Japan on the S.S. "Korea." Soon after his re- turn he enlisted in the U. S. Navy, serving two en- listments, or eight years. The last four years he was chief machinist. During this time he served on the cruiser New York, cruiser Maryland, and the battleship Kearsarge. After eight years he retired from the Navy and was employed by the Pelton Water Wheel Company in San Francisco, resigning in 1917 to become machinist for the San Jose Water- works under his father and has continued there since. He married Ethel January, a granddaughter of Wm. A. January, one of Santa Clara County's honored pioneers, and they have two children, Carol and June. The only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alex- ander Hess, Hazel Helen, is the wife of Hugo Mans- feldt, a noted San Francisco musician. She is also an accomplished musician, being a fine pianist, and they are both teaching in San Francisco.

Mr. Hess was made a Mason in San Jose Lodge, No. 10, F. & A. M., of which he is senior warden. He is also a member of Howard Chapter, No. 14, R. A. M., and San Jose Council, No. 20, R. & S. M., San Jose Commandery, No. 10, K. T., Islam Temple. A. A. O. N. M. S., San Francisco, and is a member of the Sciots and the Commandery drill corps. He has been a Modern Woodman for the past eighteen years, and is escort in San Jose Camp, No. 7777, and holds membership in Liberty Camp, No. 5134. Royal Neighbors of America. He is a stockholder in the San Jose Building and Loan Association, and in national politics is a Republican.

JAMES SMITH .- A native of England, James Smith was born in London, February 4, 1842. Com- ing to the United States at an early age, he grew up in Maine and when twenty years of age he enlisted December 28, 1862, at Skowhegan, in Company E, First Maine Cavalry, going to Virginia with his regi- ment. On October 12, 1863, he was wounded and captured by the rebels and was sent as a prisoner to Belle Isle. After enduring suffering and starvation he was exchanged at Richmond, March 7, 1864. He was honorably discharged June 20, 1865, on the ex- piration of the war. Among some of the engage- ments in which he took part are Brandy Station, Culpepper C. H., Middleburg, Charles City Cross Roads, Slaughter Mountain, Weldon Railroad, and numerous skirmishes. After his discharge he came to New York City, where he was employed in Lloyd's Leather Factory. In England he had known the Lloyd family and an attachment sprang up be- tween Alice Lloyd and himself which resulted in their marriage in 1874. Alice Lloyd was born in England and came to Connecticut with her parents when she was two years old. Her mother passed away three weeks after they landed, and she was brought up by an elder sister and educated in the Brooklyn schools, whither her father had removed and established Lloyd's Leather Factory.

After their marriage Mr. Smith removed to Con- necticut and worked in a leather factory at Peabody six years, when he came out west to California, arriving at San Francisco, Cal., in 1881. In 1887 he located a homestead of 160 acres at Wrights, Santa Clara County, where he was engaged until

1894, when he came to Campbell, where he built a residence and resided until his death in 1915. He was a member of the G. A. R. and the U. V. L. Mr. and Mrs. Smith had two children: Joseph George, served in the First California Regiment in the Spanish-American War, and is now in Alaska; Alfred William, is an expert automobile mechanic and a graduate of the International Cor- respondence Schools; he now makes his home with his mother. Mrs. Smith continues to reside in Camp- bell, looking after the interests left by her husband and is a valued member of the Methodist Church.

ANTON M. JENSEN .- A successful contractor and builder in Los Gatos is Anton M. Jensen, a native of Denmark, born in Jylland, February 22, 1885, a son of Hans and Cecilia (Askov) Jensen, farmers of the island kingdom, who had nine chil- dren, seven of whom are living, Anton M. being the fifth eldest. He received a good education in the ex- cellent schools for which Denmark is noted. When fourteen years of age he apprenticed at the carriage maker trade for four years at Esbjerg and during this time he attended night school, where he studied architecture and drawing, a knowledge of which he has found of great value and assistance these later years. Soon after completing his apprenticeship he came to the United States in 1903, locating first in West Denmark, Wisc., where he worked at the carpenter trade for eleven months. Having a brother, Nicholai Jensen, a rancher at Salinas, Cal., Anton came hither in 1904. He entered the employ of the Western Union Telegraph Company, working on the line through to Los Angeles for two months, then spent eleven months working at the carpenter trade in Fresno, after which he came to San Leandro, being employed in the woodworking department of the Best Manufacturing Company. In February. 1906, he located in Los Gatos, working at his trade here and in San Jose.

In 1906 Mr. Jensen was married in San Jose to Miss Juanita Gerlefsen, also born in Denmark, who came to Los Gatos with her parents when she was three years old. Her father, Hans Gerlefsen, was the blacksmith on the Hume ranch until he established the first blacksmith shop at Austin Corners. After two years he sold the business, since which time he has been engaged in orcharding near Los Gatos. His wife was in maidenhood Anna Petersen, and Mrs. Jensen is the only child. In 1909 Mr. Jensen began contractng and building in Los Gatos and many fine homes and business buildings bear testi- mony of his ability, among them being Crescent Dell, Austin school house, the G. Wood and B. C. Scott residences, Saratoga; Saratoga school, Crider, Beck- with and Nicholas residences, Los Gatos; Crider's store, Field and Fred Berryman buildings in Los Gatos. Mr. Jensen is the leading contractor in Los Gatos and is very successful. He owns a fine resi- dence on Santa Cruz Avenue, where he resides with his wife and two children, Gertrude and Wanita. He is a member of the Odd Fellows, and with his wife is a member of the Rebekahs of which Mrs. Jensen is a past noble grand; and she is also a mem- ber of the Civic Center, Ladies' Aid and the Pres- byterian Church. Mr. Jensen is enterprising and progressive and is a member of the Los Gatos Cham- ber of Commerce.

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HENRY BONETTI-A conspicuous example of the outstanding success that can be gained solely through one's own efforts is found in the life of one of Santa Clara County's prosperous citizens, the late Henry Bonetti, who left his native country at the tender age of thirteen, coming to this country all alone to get a start in life while young, and through his untiring efforts and keen business ability he ac- cumulated a comfortable fortune and was one of the largest landowners of Santa Clara County. A native of Switzerland, he was born in Canton Ticino on Jan- uary 2, 1862, the son of Juliano and Addolorata Bo- netti. His father was a leader in the public affairs of his community and a keen business man, being the postmaster in his home town and also the owner of a large merchandise store there. Attracted to America by the tales of the Argonaut days, he made the trip around the Horn in 1852, landing in San Francisco, spending about two years in the mines. He then went to Australia, where he spent ten years, engaging in the stock business, and then returned to Switzerland, having circumnavigated the earth. Here he was married and blessed with a large family, and remembering the opportunities that awaited one in California and being very ambitious for his children, he asked his eldest son, Henry, if he would not like to go to this new land. Although but thirteen, Henry readily assented and started on the long trip alone. Arriving at New York, he crossed the continent to Sacramento and came by boat down the Sacramento River to San Francisco. He remained there but a short time, going to Olema, Marin County, where he worked on a dairy and stock farm for about three years, getting five dollars a month and his board.

In 1877 Juliano Bonetti brought his large family to California, first settling in Marin County, going to San Luis Obispo County in the latter part of 1878, where they acquired considerable land. From there they moved on to Guadalupe, Santa Barbara County, and there bought a large acreage. After having es- tablished all of his children in ranching and other lines of business, Mr. Bonetti, with his wife and two youngest children, returned to Switzerland, where he passed the remainder of his days, living to be seventy-seven years old; Mrs. Bonetti lived to be seventy-one years of age. Of their eleven children, of whom Henry was the eldest son, but four are now living: Americo and Pia, now Mrs. Pezzoni, now live in San Jose; Victoria is in Switzerland and Marino is in New York.

At the time the father returned to Switzerland, Henry Bonetti and his brother, Teofila, leased the ranch in Guadalupe and prior to his marriage sold his interests to his brother. Henry acquired some land in Guadalupe, and when his father died, as ad- ministrator, he sold the father's ranch and his own in Santa Barbara County, where he was extensively engaged in the dairy business, having a herd of 200 milk cows, and was also engaged in breeding cattle and sheep on a large scale. He established a Swiss cheese factory on his place, and produced some of the finest Swiss cheese in the state, employing his own countrymen, who were expert cheese makers.

In 1908 Mr. Bonetti removed to San Jose, where he purchased the ranch of Dr. Charles Wayland, consisting of 130 acres, the Melrose estate of 130

acres, and the J. H. Henry ranch of 4,000 acres. Later he disposed of the first two ranches and a part of the Henry ranch, but still was the owner of 3,554 acres of fine land. In 1914 he purchased the William Bogen place at 1440 Alameda, and this has since been the family home.

The marriage of Mr. Bonetti, uniting him with Miss Artemisa Arellanes, occurred at Santa Maria. October 4, 1888. She was born in Ventura County and was educated in the convent at San Luis Obispo, and was the daughter of Juan B. and Francisca Arellanes, her father being an early settler and prom- inent stock-raiser of Santa Maria. Eleven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Bonetti, six sons and five daughters: Alfonso, Henry, Oliver and James are on the ranch in Santa Clara County; James at- tended the Agricultural School at Davis; Edward attends Santa Clara University. Theodore, Peggie, Artimisa, Mary, Dolly, and Edwina were all edu- cated in the convent at Hollywood, Cal. In political affairs Mr. Bonetti gave his support to the Republi- can party. He was heartily interested in the welfare of his adopted country and was a liberal subscriber to all the Red Cross and Liberty Loan drives during the war. Mr. Bonetti died December 29, 1921, aged almost sixty years.

R. C. SUESS .- A man of good business ability, R. C. Suess is filling a long felt need in operating a radiator and fender repair works in San Jose, and is an expert in his line of work. His business, located at the corner of Market and William streets in San Jose, in with the Eagle Auto manufacturers, con- stitutes the principal radiator and fender repair works of the city. Mr. Suess was born in Houston, Texas, July 4, 1876, a son of Henry and Margaret (Nebut) Suess, the father being engaged in farming and stock- raising in that state. R. C. attended the public schools of his native state, but the school of practical experienced proved the most profitable. When the call came from his country for his services, he en- listed in Company C, First Infantry, serving two years of the Spanish-American War, at Havana, Cuba; Savannah, Ga., and in Florida. He afterwards rendered valuable service on the police force of his home town. He was later employed by the Houston and Texas Central Railway and by other large shops, becoming an expert sheet-metal worker.

The marriage of Mr. Suess in 1900 united him with Miss Annie Small, a native of Hill County, Texas, and eleven years later they removed to San Jose, Cal. They are the parents of three children: Walter, who enlisted with the Thirteenth Infantry and saw service in France, Germany and Austria-Hungary; Chester, a student in the grammar school in San Jose; Vernon assists in his father's business. The family residence is at 42 North Willard. Fraternally Mr. Suess was made a Mason in the Blue Lodge at Corsicana, Texas; is a member also of the Scottish Rite, the Sciots and is a Shriner, being a member of Islam Temple, San Francisco. He is a Democrat in his political affiliations, and with his family he attends the Baptist Church of San Jose. He is a man of engaging personality, of strength and in- tegrity of character, and has a striking spirit of good-fellowship that is winning for him an enviable position among the business men of San Jose.

ABonelli

Artemisa Bonetti

Sadie G. Carper Samuel Aclearper

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

SAMUEL H. CARPER .- A native Ohioan whose previous experience in civic affairs as an honored public official has made him particularly welcome as a citizen of California, is Samuel H. Carper, well known for his success in the building line. His head- quarters are at 419 Josefa Street, San Jose, but his field of work is anywhere in Santa Clara County. He was born at Bettsville, Seneca County, Ohio, on July 25, 1858, the son of Frederick Carper, a native of Berkeley County, W. Va., who had married Miss Mary A. Britton, also of West Virginia.

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 197

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