History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 204

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

USA > California > Santa Clara County > History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches > Part 204

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

At Detroit City, Minn., on June 25, 1889, Mr. Fitch was married to Miss Rose L. Blanchard, a native of Wisconsin, and their union has been blessed with one daughter, Margaret, a graduate of Stanford Uni- versity. Mr. Fitch was made a Mason in Cascade Lodge No. 28, A. F. & A. M., in Great Falls, Mont., and is now a member of Fraternity Lodge No. 399, F. & A. M., in San Jose, and of Howard Chapter No. 14. R. A. M., San Jose Commandery No. 10, K. T., San Jose Pyramid No. 9, Sciots, and Aahmes Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Oakland, and of the San Jose Lodge of Elks. Locally he is active in the Santa

1322

HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

Clara County Auto Trades Association and was its president for the first three years of its existence and is still a director; and is also a member of the State Automobile Association. Mrs. Fitch is an active member of the Eastern Star and the Order of Ama- ranth, and the White Shrine, and is prominent in civic and social circles. In national politics Mr. Fitch votes with the Republicans, and duing the recent war he was on all the Liberty and Red Cross drives.

GIACOMO MARTELLA .- A fine old California family whose patriotism in the hour of trial was never found wanting, but demonstrated its value in unmis- takable fashion, is recalled in the life story of Giacomo Martella, a native of Switzerland, where he was born at Gordola, in Canton Ticino, in 1859, the son of Giacomo and Bernarda (Giattonini) Martella. He attended the excellent Swiss schools, grew up to a useful round of labor, and when eighteen and ready to cope with the world, he left Switzerland, continu- ing his journey until he reached California and San Luis Obispo County. For a number of years he worked on dairy ranches, and then he leased a large dairy ranch near San Luis Obispo from a Mr. Lopez, which he operated for three years.

On November 24, 1883, Mr. Martella was married at San Luis Obispo to Miss Adelina Canet, a native of San Luis Obispo County and the daughter of Joaquin and Lucia (Mirra) Canet. Her grandfather, Vincent Canet, a native of Valencia, Spain, served in the Spanish navy, finally sailing around Cape Horn, and while in a South American port he left the ves- sel to come to California while it was still under the Mexican regime. He received a grant on Morro Creek, San Luis Obispo County, and there he thrived as a large farmer, stockman and miller, building the first mill in that region, which was run by water power from a dam that he constructed. Here he manufactured meal and fine white flour, people com- ing long distances from remote places to obtain what was then a luxury in this part of the country. He be- came wealthy and very influential, and when he died his request to be buried on a cliff opposite his ranch home was followed, and there his body rests in peace. His marriage had united him with Rosa Butron, a native daughter of California and a relative of the Alviso family, and six children were born to them, Joaquin Canet, Mrs. Martella's father, being the eld- est. After finishing his college course, he followed farming on the home ranch until he became interested in stock raising in Northern Mexico, where he died of smallpox. Mrs. Martella's mother came from a prominent old Castilian and Chilean family, who were early settlers of Santa Clara County but later re- moved to San Luis Obispo County, and there she died at the age of sixty-seven. Of her five children, Ade- lina was the second eldest, and she was reared on a part of the old Canet grant, attending a private Spanish school and the public schools.

After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Martella lived for a while on part of the Canet grant, and then they removed to Guadalupe, in Santa Barbara County, and followed farming on the old Jerry Donovan ranch, where they had a large dairy. While in Santa Bar -. bara County Mr. Martella was in partnership with Henry Bonetti, late of San Jose, and represented else- where in this volume. In time Mr. Martella went to Los Alamos, Santa Barbara County, and there for two years he had a dairy in partnership with his

brother Benjamin, then moved back to Guadalupe and leased Mr. Bossi's ranch and for many years ran that place. Selling out to J. J. Johnson, Mr. Martella en- tered into both dairy and the raising of cattle on a larger scale than ever before, and he ran two ranches and had between 700 and 800 head of cattle. He sold out to Henry Bonetti for $16,000 in 1903 and moved into Kings County, where he purchased two ranches near Hanford-one of 500 acres and one of 490 acres,

devoted to alfalfa. There he maintained a dairy of 200 cows and also conducted a good-sized cheese factory. After a while he sold the 490 acres, but Mrs. Martella still owns the 500-acre ranch. He also pur- chased a ranch of 100 acres near Tracy, and this ranch Mrs. Martella also owns, as well as the hundred or more cows upon it, which are leased to a dairyman.

In May, 1911, Mr. Martella moved onto a ranch of forty acres which he had bought on Lundy Road, in the Berryessa district. This place was devoted to alfalfa and he maintained a dairy of forty cows here, and Mrs. Martella is now leasing this property. With a devoted wife, who proved the best of help- mates, and a family of nine children, all of whom are living, Mr. Martella had much to live for, but he bade goodbye to the scenes of this world on Janu- ary 7, 1921, leaving behind him a record for useful- ness many might well envy. The following are their children: Mary, a Sister of Charity, died at Emmets- burg, Md., in 1918; Theresa, Mrs. Giovanetti, lives at Santa Clara; Margaret is Mrs. Regetti and resides at Redwood City; Kate is the wife of Charles Toole of San Jose; Cora married Leland Calice, assistant man- ager of Black's Package Company, San Jose; Willie is on the home ranch; Victor is with the Southern Pacific Railway; Violet is Mrs. William K. Volkers of San Jose; Irene, who is engaged as a stenographer, and Charles, a graduate of Heald's Business College, reside with their mother in San Jose.

Two sons of Mr. and Mrs. Martella saw service in the World War in defense of their country. William enlisted in July, 1918, and went to Camp Lewis, where he trained in a machine gun company; and in Janu- ary, 1919, he received his honorable discharge. Victor entered the United States Navy in June, 1918, and was sent to San Pedro to train, being furloughed to the reserve in January, 1919. These chapters of army and navy service the young men are naturally proud of, performing their patriotic duty efficiently and well. Since Mr. Martella's death, Mrs. Martella has as- sumed the management of the property which she owns, continuing in the line marked out by her hus- band, carrying out his ideas and ambitions and show- ing much ability. She is a member of St. Patrick's Church at San Jose and contributes liberally to all its benevolences.

JOSEPH L. JUAREZ .- Undoubtedly the oldest settlers of the Uvas district, the Juarez family have been closely identified with its development, and as manager of the large Juarez ranch, Joseph L. Juarez is following the traditions of his forebears. He was born on August 10, 1883, on the home place, the son of Juan Juarez, born at Monterey, Cal., in 1841. He married Felicita Garcia, born in San Luis Obispo, and they had sixteen children, eight now living: Albert, of Guadalupe; William, of San Jose; Alice, of San Jose; Frank, of Riverside County; John, of Los Gatos; Joseph L., the manager of the ranch; Daniel, of Oakland; and Edward, in Santa Barbara County.

Y Martella

Adelina Martella

1327

HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

Those deceased are: Frances, Nellie, Angie, André, and Juanita, all of whom died after twenty years old; Josie and Louis died when eighteen and Vincent at the age of three. The family were reared on the ranch on the Uvas road and attended the Mountain Dell school. The father died in 1899, at the age of fifty-eight, from heart failure while at his work clear- ing timber from the hillside. Part of the property when acquired was Pueblo lands, and some he ac- quired from the government. The land was divided among the heirs after the death of Mr. Juarez, each having their own interests. The proceeds of the acreage are divided, also the expenses of production. The Juarez ranch consists of 390 acres of land. Ten acres are set to vineyard, a fine property in itself, and the balance is devoted to grain and stock raising.

After the death of his father, John L. Juarez be- came the manager of the ranch, and lived with and cared for his mother until her passing away in 1919 in her seventieth year. A hard worker, industrious and capable, he gives the property his undivided at- tention, devoting practically all his time to its man- agement, and he has a bright future before him, as a reward for his years of efficient labor.

JOHN L. HAGELIN .- A successful rancher who enjoys the esteem of a wide circle of acquaintances is John L. Hagelin of Campbell. Having taken out his naturalization papers soon after coming to Amer- ica, he is a good, patriotic American citizen, loyal to the land of his adoption. He was born in Animskog, Elsborslan, Sweden, March 3, 1856, and is the son of Andres and Anna (Anderson) Hagelin, who were both natives of Sweden and spent their lives there, the father being a blacksmith. John was reared and educated in the schools of his native country, learned his father's trade and did military duty in Sweden.

In 1880 he came to the United States and landed in New York, then went to Pennsylvania. He first worked in a tannery at Wilcox and later at Dagus Mines. At this place his brother Anton was accident- ally killed in the mines. Later he worked in tanbark and lumber camps in Kane County. Going on to Chicago for a short time, he again went to work in the mines, this time in Ishpeming, Mich. It was in this state that he met and married Miss Britta Mag- nuson, also a native of Sweden. They became the parents of two children: Anton Walter, is deceased; Anna, who lives at home, received a splendid educa- tion, graduating from high school and then later tak- ing a business course. In 1898, with others, Mr. Hagelin went to St. Michaels, Alaska, and with a comrade, John Bryantson, and four others, were the discoverers of Nome. He spent four summers and one winter there and meeting with good success. During this time his family were residing in San Francisco, and in 1904 they moved to Santa Clara County where they purchased nineteen acres where they now reside. He has made many improvements on his ranch setting it mostly to prunes and apricots, and is receiving no small income from the fruits of his labors. He has made three trips back to Sweden, but is always glad to be back on the soil of his chosen state-California. It is interesting to know that his entire wealth consisted of $6.75, besides he was in debt for his passage, upon arrival in the United States, and he is proud, to be recognized as a "self-

made" man, and well he may be, since his success has been accomplished in the face of seemingly insur- mountable difficulties. The family are members of the Swedish Mission Church in San Francisco.

GEORGE C. WOLFE .- A rancher of the Gilroy section of Santa Clara County who has been fairly successful in the development of a fine orchard prop- erty is George C. Wolfe, residing on New Avenue, northeast of Gilroy. He was born in Red Willow County, Nebr., October 12, 1878, the fourth son of Henry M. and Mary C. (Richman) Wolfe, natives of West Virginia, where they were married in July, 1873. Their first two children were born in that state before they removed to Nebraska, which was at a time when there were no railroads in that locality and Indians were numerous and often dangerous. Soon after locating in Nebraska Mr. Wolfe engaged in the stock business and met with good success in the venture. Always of a progressive nature he erected a small flour mill at Indianola, Nebr., and operated it for a time, but not finding it large enough to meet his demands he disposed of it and went to Culbertson, that state, and there erected a larger mill and prospered accordingly. Such were the excel- lency of his products that he took many premiums at the various fairs in the state. After a residence of nearly twenty years in Nebraska he migrated to California in 1893, bringing his family and locating for a short time in the vicinity of San Martin, but soon sold out there and bought some land, fifty-three acres, in the San Ysidro district, and immediately began its development and soon had the third prune bearing orchard in his section. When he located on his property there were but four houses between Morgan Hill and Gilroy on the east side of the val- ley, there were no north and south roads and the country was one vast grain field. He had the first prune drier and dipper in his locality and believed in keeping abreast of the times in every way. He also was a buyer of prunes, which he dried and sold. Deeply interested in educational advancement, he served as a trustee of the San Ysidro district for some years; likewise was one of the pillars of the M. E. Church in Gilroy. A Republican and a Mason, he died in 1917 at the age of sixty-two years. Mrs. Wolfe makes her home with a daughter in the vicin- ity of the home place.

George C. Wolfe was reared on the Nebraska farm and attended the public schools of their locality and finished at the school in Gilroy. Until his marriage he assisted in the development of the home ranch and learned the details of the orchard business by practical experience. For about ten years he op- erated a hay baling machine in this part of the county and became well known to the majority of the ranch- ers hereabouts. In 1898 he bought thirty acres on New Avenue, prepared it for orchard and by hard work and patience added to his holdings until he now has eighty-three acres of finely improved or- chard which yields handsome returns. He believes in cooperative movements and is a member of the Cali- fornia Prune and Apricot Association.

In 1898, Mr. Wolfe was united in marriage with Miss Stella L. Branin, who was reared and educated in San Francisco, and they have four children: Mil- dred A., became the wife of Ralph W. Fowler, and

1328

HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

they are ranching near Gilroy; Delbert, is assisting his father with the ranch work; Inez V., graduated from the Gilroy High School in 1922 and is at home; and Ernest W., a pupil in the public school. In pol- itics Mr. Wolfe is a Republican and fraternally be- longs to the Foresters and the Fraternal Aid Union. He is also an active member of the Methodist Church of Gilroy. Always vitally interested in public affairs, he can be counted upon to do his duty at any and all times for the advancement of his locality.

ARTHUR W. TEMPLEMAN .- Prominent as a hardware merchant of Los Gatos, Arthur W. Temple- man is contributing his share to the progress and growth of the local community. He was born in Hampton, Annapolis County, Nova Scotia, Decem- ber 1, 1877, the son of John and Annie ( Hoffman) Templeman, both natives of Nova Scotia of English parentage. John Templeman was a farmer but also followed the sea; he became a prominent and influ- ential man in his community, where he still resides, while his wife passed away some years ago. Of the five children born to this worthy couple, Arthur W. is the oldest. When he arrived at the age of eight- cen he followed in the footsteps of his father and be- came a seafaring man and was for five years on coast- wise vessels. 1n 1900 he concluded to leave the sea, and coming to California, located in San Francisco, where he was employed as clerk for three years in a hardware store. Coming to Los Gatos he clerked and occupied the position of manager for five years for what was then a small concern. In 1915 he pur- chased the business, which he has enlarged so it is now counted one of the finest hardware and sporting goods houses in this section of the state.

Mr. Templeman's marriage occurred in San Fran- cisco in November, 1904, and united him with Miss Laura Hardwick, born at Annapolis, N. S., a daugh- ter of William and Elizabeth (Fleet) Hardwick of Nova Scotia, also of English parentage. They are the parents of one daughter, Mima. Politically Mr. Templeman is a Republican of stanch party loyalty. He was made a Mason in Los Gatos Lodge No. 292. F. & A. M., and is a member of Howard Chapter No. 14, R. A. M. and San Jose Commandery No. 10, as well as the Scottish Rite bodies in San Jose and Islam Temple, in San Francisco and with his wife is a member of Los Gatos Chapter No. 128, O. E. S. and the White Shrine in San Jose. While being alert to every business chance or opportunity, he is also interested in everything that pertains to the general welfare and his cooperation can be counted upon to further any measures for the public good.

TRACY LEARNARD .- A distinguished citizen of Gilroy is Tracy Learnard, widely known as a suc- cessful journalist and now serving as postmaster of Gilroy. He was born at Lawrence, Kans., on July 19. 1872, the son of the late Col. O. E. Learnard, who first saw the light at Fairfax, Vt., on November 14, 1832; and as a boy he attended first the common schools in the Green Mountain State and then the Bakersfield Academy. After that he attended Nor- wich University, and still later he was graduated from the Albany Law School; and he began the practice of law at Crestline, Ohio. There he became interested in the struggle for freedom in Kansas, and deter- mined to go into the territory and do what he could to make Kansas a free state, with the interesting result

that of those sturdy pioneers who came to found a free commonwealth on the Western prairies, few did more in that noble cause than Col. O. E. Learnard. He arrived in Lawrence in the winter of 1855-56, and soon became active in the free state ranks. He was put in command of a regiment of cavalry in the event- ful year 1856; and the campaigns of that year were strenuous and almost continuous, and Col. Learnard rendered valuable service through all the critical per- iod. He successfully executed the movement ordered by Gen. Lane for the final expulsion of the Border Ruffians, and he was frequently complimented by the free state leaders for his devotion to the cause and for his ability as an officer.

In the winter of 1856-57, Col. Learnard made plans for founding a new town in Kansas, and in this enter- prise he associated himself with other business men at Lawrence. In the spring of 1857 they laid out the town of Burlington, in Coffey County, and there Col. Learnard built the first mill, the first business house. He also erected the first building for church and school purposes. In the fall of 1857, Col. Learn- ard was elected to the territorial council, serving three sessions in this important body; he was not only an ardent Free State man, but a Republican. He was chairman of the convention at Osawatomie, convened on May 18, 1859, which organized the dis- trict; and he resigned to become lieutenant-colonel of the First Kansas Volunteer Infantry in the Civil War. In 1863 he resigned his commission, but in 1864 he again offered his services when Kansas was threaten- ed by the Price Raid; and he was in all the battles of that campaign which defeated General Price. For many years, Colonel Learnard was associated with the railroad development of Kansas; he was claim agent and tax commissioner for the L. L. & G. Rail- road, and from this position he went as a director to the Kansas City, Fort Scott & Gulf Railroad, after- ward known as the Kansas City, Springfield & Mem- phis Railroad, and now a part of the 'Frisco system. He was tax commissioner for this railroad for thirty years, and a great part of the time he had an office at Kansas City. He also engaged in the newspaper business, and published the Lawrence Journal, a con- solidation effected by him, after purchase, of the Lawrence Daily Journal and the Daily Tribune. This paper he owned and edited until a short time before his death. President Cleveland appointed him super- intendent of the Haskell Institute, the Indian School near Lawrence, and this position he held for a year. He was a Unitarian and one of the chief members of the Unitarian Church of Lawrence. In 1862 he married Miss Mary S. Eldridge, daughter of the well- known pioneer of Lawrence, Kans., now deceased. Colonel Learnard passed away at his home in Law- rence on November 5, 1911, and at present he is survived by his widow and two children, one of whom is the subject of our review. After his demise, Col. Shalor W. Eldridge paid him a noble tribute in his "Recollections of Early Days in Kansas."

Tracy Learnard was educated at a private school at Cambridge, Mass., which he attended from 1888 to 1890, the institution being known as the Brown & Nichols Academy, still flourishing there; and be- tween 1891-94 he attended the State University at Lawrence. In that city, upon leaving his studies,

Ast Templeman

1329

HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

he entered the printing department of his father's newspaper and learned the mechanical side of the newspaper business; then he became a reporter, and next an advertising manager, and at the age of twenty-three, he acquired a one-fourth interest in the business. He next became assistant manager, and also secretary for a period of four years; and he served as secretary of the Douglas County Fair As- sociation, and was instrumental in staging some ex- cellent expositions in the county. In 1898 Col. O. E. Learnard acquired by purchase the land known to all pioneer settlers of Gilroy as the Colonel Angney place-1,000 acres devoted to grain and stockraising; and four years later our subject came out to Gilroy and located on this ranch, and set to work vigorously to developing it as a first-class vineyard and orchard. Since then, he has been president of the California Grape Growers' Protective Association, Santa Clara County branch, and also vice-president of the State association with headquarters for a number of years at San Francisco. He has been a member of the Republican County Central Committee for many years.

At Lawrence, in 1896, Tracy Learnard was married to Miss Georgia Wilder, a native of Lawrence, whose parents were among the sturdy pioneers in Kansas hailing from Massachusetts. She was reared and schooled at Lawrence, and was a graduate of the State University there. Four children make up their happy family. Tracy W. Learnard enlisted for the World War on April 16, 1917, served overseas for seven months and returned with the Twenty-seventh New York Volunteer Infantry, and he is now in the employ of the Pacific Gas & Electric Company at Fall River Mills in Shasta County, Cal. Harry Paul,. formerly a cadet at West Point, is with the Bank of Italy at Gilroy. Mary and Polly Dee both attend Stanford University. At college, Mr. Learnard was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, and he belongs to the Elks, the Sons of Veterans, and the Loyal Legion. In politics, he marches under the banners of the Republican party. In April, 1922, he received his commission from President Harding as postmaster of Gilroy.

The Learnard home is located in a most captivat- ing portion of the Bodfish Canyon. The property was the winter home of Colonel Learnard during his life and he spent a great deal of his time in putting out the extensive vineyard on the place. Mr. Learn- ard took an active part in all the Allied drives during the World War and was a director of the Red Cross from its organization in Gilroy.

LUIGI GAGLIASSO .- A resident of Santa Clara County since 1889, Luigi Gagliasso was born in Piedmonte, Italy, in 1869, where he was reared to a farmer's life and educated in the local public schools. In 1889 he crossed the ocean and the great American continent to Santa Clara County, where he began working on ranches, becoming foreman on the Sullinger ranch in the Cuperinto district. As soon as he was here the required time he took out his citizenship papers. He was married in Cupertino to Christine Sutlane, who was born in France in 1867. After this he purchased a farm of 103 acres on the Soda Springs Road two and one-half miles above Alma, where he cleared fifty acres that he set to orchard and vineyard. Since the fall of 1913 he has also been in the employ of the State Highway.

Mr. Gagliasso was bereaved of his wife in 1919, who left three children, Alice is a Sister of the Holy Family in San Francisco, Jane lives in San Francisco and Louis in Los Gatos. Mr. Gagliasso has been a member of the Italian-French Lodge of Odd Fellows in San Jose since 1893.

EDGAR P. BONAR .- Among the men who have aided much in the building up of Santa Clara County is Edgar P. Bonar, who was born in Farmington, Iowa, on April 10, 1861, the son of James S. and Elizabeth (Cook) Bonar. His father was a contract plasterer and was among the earlier settlers of Iowa, where he worked for a number of years. Coming to California about 1871, by way of one of the first rail- road trains to cross the unsettled country to Cali- fornia, they settled in San Jose and here they have been residents since that time, the father continuing at his trade, and worked on the first building of the College of the Pacific. The father is a native of Ohio and the mother came from Indiana. James S. Bonar lived to a good old age, passing away about 1905, when he was in his seventy-seventh year, while the mother passed away in 1878. Edgar P. was the fourth child of a family of eight children, four boys and four girls; two daughters are living, one in Ore- gon and one in Healdsburg, Sonoma County, while Edgar is the only son living.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 204

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