History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 206

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

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In 1887 his vineyard yielded 300 tons of grapes; twenty acres were planted to prunes and the remain- der was devoted to the raising of hay and grain. S. P. Stockton was a native of Alabama, born July 16, 1829. His mother died when he was young and he

left home at an early age; he drifted westward to Mississippi and later made his home in Tennessee and Arkansas. Upon arriving in California he first located at Santa Cruz; then, in 1854, he went to Mon- terey, where he went to farming, pre-empting 160 acres of land. Later he was engaged in stockraising in San Luis Obispo County, and retained his in- terest in the business for several years, but after 1859 left it in charge of his partner and devoted his full time to his large land holdings. Twenty-eight years of his life were devoted to viticulture and his success was gained by careful application to the details of the work. In 1869 Mr. Stockton married Miss Susie Welch, formerly of Missouri, but a resident of this state since 1852. They were the parents of three children-Paul, Frankie, and Herbert. Mr. Brown is an adherent of the Republican principles in na- tional politics, and with his wife takes an active in- terest in community affairs.

THOS. E. KEARNEY .- An enterprising and far- seeing manufacturer of San Jose is Thos. E. Kearney, the proprietor of the State Foundry and Pattern Works, located at 14 Stockton Avenue, San Jose. He was born at San Francisco, his parents now being numhered among the highly esteemed residents of Berkeley. After having attended the Columbus gram- mar school of Berkeley, he graduated from Humboldt evening school of San Francisco as mechanical draftsman; at the same time he served an appren- ticeship as pattern maker after working at his trade both as workman and as foreman for manufacturers in connection with foundries. In 1914 he came to San Jose as foreman pattern maker of the Bean Spray Pump Company, remaining with them until 1917; resigned to go to the Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo County, remaining as pattern checker until the armistice, then returning to San Jose, his favor- ite city, to open the State Foundry and Pattern Works, which was a success from the start. He then married a San Jose girl and has planned to re- main a permanent resident of this city, enjoying the climate and beauties of the Santa Clara Valley.

MARY E. SCHERREBECK .- The daughter of a worthy pioneer of Santa Clara County, who is an esteemed resident of San Jose, is Mary E. Scherre- beck, the daughter of Patrick G. and Bridget (Madi- gan) Sullivan, both natives of Ireland. The father was born in Askeaton, County Limerick, in 1813, and his parents, John and Mary (Sheehy) Sullivan, were natives of that county. In 1827 the family emigrated to Eastern Canada and located in St. Edwards County, where he engaged in farming and stock- raising, in which occupation Patrick was reared, re- ceiving at the same time a good education. He con- tinued with his father in operating the farm until 1842, when he took a portion of the old homestead and operated it for himself. In 1842 he married Miss Bridget Madigan, the daughter of Daniel and Ann ( Hanley) Madigan, natives of Ireland, who emigrated to Canada and in 1853 came to California. Mr. Sul- livan was engaged on his farm until 1851, in which year he and his wife came by steamer to California via the Isthmus of Panama. Arriving in San Fran- cisco January 2, 1852, he immediately located in Santa Clara County, where he rented land and took his place among the pioneer farmers of the county. In

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

1854 he purchased his first land, comprising fifty- three acres located just east of San Jose. He resided upon this land until 1856. He then purchased 266 acres of land situated on the Alum Rock Road at the corner of King. This he stocked with about 300 head of cattle, among which was a dairy of seventy cows, and he became one of the pioneer dairymen of the county. The land increased in value and he made improvements upon it, then others claimed owner- ship under Spanish grants, and he had to buy out the claimant, and in 1865 he gained a complete title and ownership to the property. His operations had proved very remunerative; also his fifty-three-acre tract first purchased had become very valuable, and he ranked as one of the most prosperous and wealthy farmers of his section. He conducted his farming operations until 1879, when he retired from the active pursuits of life and sold his farm to his sons. Mr. Sullivan had previously sold fourteen acres of his fifty-three-acre tract, and at his death, which occurred April 6, 1886, left the balance of his valuable prop- erty to his widow. He always ranked in public spirit, enterprise, and liberality in public improvements, among the leading men of his section. He was one of the projectors of the Alum Rock Road, and gave the right-of-way through his land, and fenced the road at his own expense. Of a family of nine chil- dren, the subject of this review is the youngest, and only two others are living, Annie A., now Mrs. Fitz- gerald, and Frank J. Mrs. Sullivan lived to be eighty-five years old.

Mary E. Sullivan was born on the site where she now resides, on the northeast corner of Alum Rock Avenue and King Road. She was educated at Notre Dame College, San Jose, remaining at home with her parents until her marriage, which occurred April 3, 1888, and united her with Thomas J. Scherrebeck, a native son of San Jose, born November 21, 1849. His father, Peter Scherrebeck, was a native of Den- mark and came to California, around Cape Horn, in 1835. He was a seafaring man, and for many years was engaged as a trader in the harbor of San Fran- cisco and surrounding country. His mother, Mary (Sullivan) Scherrebeck, came to Santa Clara County in 1846, as a member of the family of Martin Murphy, Sr. The father passed away in San Francisco in 1862, and the mother in 1892. Until the age of fif- teen he attended school, receiving his education at St. Ignatius College in San Francisco, and upon the death of his father he became a clerk in a dry-goods store, continuing until eighteen years of age. He then learned the trade of carpenter and followed this until 1878. He then spent a year working in the lumber mills in Mendocino County, returning to San Francisco in 1879. He continued his occupation as a carpenter until April, 1888, when he came back to Santa Clara County, when he was married and took up his residence here. Mr. and Mrs. Scherrebeck are the parents of two children: Marie S. is a gradu- ate of Notre Dame College and San Jose State Nor- mal, and taught at Napa until she became the wife of Claud Harry Dean of Napa, who is with the Napa City Water Company, and they have three children- Marie A., Dorothy D., and Doris E. Thomas P. was educated at St. Joseph's high school, then spent four

years with Wells Fargo & Co. Express Company and a like period with the San Jose and Peninsular Railway as motorman and conductor, and is now fireman between San Francisco and Santa Barbara for the Southern Pacific Railroad. He is married to Miss Rosella Seebach, a native of San Jose, and they make their home with his parents. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus Lodge No. 879 of San Jose, and the Order of Railway Employees, and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen.

ANTON T. NIELSEN .- The proprietor of the Altomont Creamery at 262 University Avenue, Palo Alto, Anton T. Nielsen, has met with splendid suc- cess in his business since locating here and has also established a branch creamery at Mountain View. Mr. Nielsen was born in Jylland, Denmark, Novem- ber 24, 1886, the son of Niels K. and Mette Nielsen. The father, who was a railroad man, died when Anton was only four years old, and when he was nine, his mother also passed away, so that he had to face the problem of making a living at a very early age. There were four sons in the Nielsen family, and among them Anton is the third, and the only one in America. He began his life as a wage earner among strangers, working on a dairy farm, mean- while attending school as much as he could, and he received a thorough training in dairy and farm work that stood him in good stead in later years. When he was twenty-two years old, Mr. Nielsen came to America, Oakland, Cal., being his destination, and shortly afterward he went to work on a dairy farm near Pleasanton, and after six months he came to San Jose, being employed by the Golden Nugget Creamery there. He was a hard worker and ambi- tious, so soon mastered all the details of the cream- ery business, becoming buttermaker. He then formed a partnership with Mrs. Jackson in the Royal Ice Cream Company for two years, when Mr. Gulmon bought out Mrs. Jackson's interest, the Royal Ice Cream Company being operated by the firm of Gul- mon and Nielsen for the next year. Mr. Nielsen then started the Crystal Creamery, which he operated for two years, then going to Stockton, where he leased the Royal Ice Cream Company's business for a year. In 1918 Mr. Nielsen came to Palo Alto and bought the University Creamery and soon thereafter the Altomont Creamery, which he operates with fine success, as well as the branch at Mountain View, eighteen people being on his pay roll.

In 1911 Mr. Nielsen was married to Miss Opal Young, who was born at Allen, Mich., and they have one child, Virginia Ruth. They make their home in the attractive residence which Mr. Nielsen pur- chased, at 624 University Avenue, Palo Alto. He also purchased the property at 262 University Avenue, where his business is located, and here he expects to erect a two-story and basement building of concrete to accommodate his large and fast-growing business. The Altomont Creamery uses about 500 gallons of milk a day and makes about 200 gallons of ice cream daily, also a large output of butter and cottage cheese, which all find a ready market due to their superior quality.

William & Lande

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

FATHER WILLIAM J. LANDE .- Closely identi- fied with all the movements that aim to encourage and strengthen the moral and uplifting forces of the com- munity, Father William J. Lande, the well-beloved pastor of the church of St. Joseph a Cupertino, at the town of Cupertino, and also Sacred Heart Church at Saratoga, is among the most active and progress- ive of the clergy. A native of Ireland, he was born in County Limerick on April 14, 1875, a son of Will- iam J. and Ellen (Cummins) Lande, natives of that country who were engaged in farming pursuits until they were called by Providence to the world beyond.

William J. Lande was educated in Christian Brothers College at Doon, when after completing his classics he entered St. Patrick's Theological Sem- inary at Thurles, where he finished his physics, the- ology and dogmatics, after which he was ordained a priest at Thurles Cathedral by the great Arch- bishop Croke, for the Archdiocese of San Francisco, on June, 18, 1899. Among his classmates ordained at the same time were Bishop John J. Cantwell, of Los Angeles; Father Sampson of Sacred Heart, Oakland; Father Kiely of Petaluma; Father Quinn of St. An- thony's, East Oakland; Father Butler of San Fran- cisco; and Father William Cantwell of Ross Valley. Soon after his ordination Father Lande came to America, arriving at San Francisco December 4, 1899. His first charge was at St. Brendans Church, San Francisco, then for two years he served the par- ish of St. Patrick's Church, San Jose. The next ten years he was located at St. Peter's Church, San Francisco, and during the last two years there he was acting pastor. Eight years of this period his time was given principally to the work of the City and County Hospitals of San Francisco, also the Contagious Pa- vilion, Pest House, St. Catherine's Home and to the tubercular patients around the Bay, ministering faith- fully to them and looking after their spiritual welfare, doing his duty with unselfish devotion, so that his name is a household word in many homes around the Bay. Father Lande was next appointed assis- tant pastor of St. James Church, San Francisco, where he remained for three years, and in 1915 he took up his present charge, at Cupertino and Saratoga.

For twenty-five or thirty years, services had been held at Villa Marie, on Stevens Creek, the country home of the Jesuit Fathers of Santa Clara, in the chapel near the entrance to the property. Succeed- ing Father Ricard, S. J., who had succeeded Father Cichi, Father Gabriel took charge of the chapel in 1902. As the larger portion was coming, not from Montebello, as formerly, but from the valley, it was decided in 1907 to close the chapel and build a church at Cupertino. Alex Montgomery donated the site of one acre and the church was erected at a cost of $9,000, with Father Gabriel in charge. After this Rev. W. McMillan, S. J., was in charge for three years, being again replaced by Father Gabriel, the last Jesuit father to have charge of the parish, for in 1913 Archbishop Riordan, D. D., transferred au- thority in most of the missions in Santa Clara County to the secular priests, when Father Thomas O'Con- nell, the present pastor of St. Patrick's Church, Oak- land was appointed the first rector of the parish. In August, 1915, Archbishop Riordan appointed Father Lande to take charge, Father O'Connell being trans- ferred to Mission San Jose.

The parish, though rather new, is progressing rap- idly, as the territory, with its wonderful orchard 56

development, is coming into world-wide notice. Recently Archbishop Hanna purchased the Snyder farm on Cupertino Hillside, within the parish of St. Joseph a Cupertino, and soon plans to establish a $5,000,000 preparatory college for boys studying for the priesthood. The farm is beautifully located on Permanente Creek at the foot of Bald's Peak and commands a magnificent view of the valley. Father Lande is greatly beloved in his parish for his deeds of charity, and his friends and parishioners appreciate him for his true worth as a citizen of the community.

MATHIAS P. JEPSEN .- Among those who have of recent years been attracted to Palo Alto by the superior educational advantages of Stanford, is the family of Mathias P. Jepsen, now happily domiciled in their new home at 471 Channing Avenue, entering heartily as they do into the civic life of the city. A native of Denmark, Mathias P. Jepsen was born near Tunderin, Slesvig, on April 1, 1863, being the oldest son and child of the four children of Mathias A. and Paulina Jepsen, the former being a blacksmith who participated in the war with Germany in 1864, through the outcome of which, that portion of Den- mark was forced under the German flag. The par- ents have passed away; while three of their children are still living: Mathias P., of this review; Hans Christian Jepsen. the treasurer and clerk of Douglas County, Nev .; Christine who came to Nevada as a young lady, married in California August Hansen, moving back to Nevada. She died at Reno in No- vember. 1901, leaving three children. Margrethe is the wife of Adolph Kastensen, and lives in Sles- vig, which, since the World War, has regained its place under the folds of the Danish flag. The Jep- sens never became reconciled to German authority, and although they were compelled to learn German in their schools, yet they spoke mainly the Danish language in their home.

Resolved never to become a German soldier, Ma- thias Jepsen left home when nineteen years of age, for Mono County, Cal., where he arrived in 1883, and entered the employ of T. B. Rickey. the cattle- man, where he worked steadily for seven years and thoroughly learned the cattle business, Mr. Rickey being the owner of 18,000 cattle on the average. About this time he found a helpmate in Miss Marie Jensen, who, as a young woman, left her Danish home and came to Douglass County, Nevada, in 1885. They were married in 1889 and in 1890 Mr. Jepsen bought 150 acres in Douglass County, Nev., and began as a farmer and stockman. Good for- tune attended him and as that part of Nevada devel- oped, the town of Gardenville was located upon his land, and was needed for townsite purposes. He continued farming for thirty years, platted a part of his holdings and in 1918 disposed of all the balance to good advantage. A son being then a student at Stanford, he and his family moved to Palo Alto and bought their present residence property on Channing Avenue.

The union of Mr. and Mrs. Jepsen has been blessed with six children: Sophine, graduated from the Reno Normal, taught for a short time and married Robert Dempster, a storekeeper at Gardenville, Nev., and is mother of three children-Kenneth, Gordon and Bobbie; Matilda graduated from the University of Nevada at Reno, and later did post-graduate work at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, and became

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

a high school teacher in Nevada. She married Otto Hussman, a civil engineer, at Grant's Pass, Ore., where they are now living; they have two children- Margaret and William; Paulina is the wife of H. C. Springmeyer, a well-to-do rancher at Menton, Nev., and they have two children-Lcslie and Paula. Clar- ence died at the age of twelve; Hans J., who was at Camp Fremont during the recent war, received his A. B. degree from Stanford and is now a law student at the Law School of the University of Chi- cago; Mabel is at home. Mr. Jepsen is a man of high ideals, an American, by choice, and devoted to his adopted land. He was naturalized while living in Mono County, Cal., and adheres to the principles of the Republican party.

H. HOOPER .- A man who has contributed his share towards the building up of Los Gatos and vicinity is H. Hooper, who has been a resident of California since 1889, locating in Los Gatos the fol- lowing year. He was born in Anson, Me., Sept. 16, 1861. His father, Francis Hooper, was a stone mason and followed contracting and building. Our subject received a good education in the public schools and when he arrived at the age of seventeen years he was apprenticed at the carpenter's trade, soon removing to Brookline, Mass., where he completed the trade, he continued to work in Massachusetts until 1887, when he came to San Francisco, Cal., and in 1888 located in Los Gatos. He was immediately employed as a carpenter continuing steadily for a period of seven years, and then engaged in contracting and building, and many of the business houses and resi- dences are specimens of his work.

Mr. Hooper's first marriage occurred in Boston, Mass., where he was united with Miss Agnes Holi- han of that city. She passed away in Los Gatos, leaving a son, Frank Hooper, who resides in Oak- land. Several years later Mr. Hooper was married to Mrs. Nellie O'Connor, a native daughter of Califor- nia, and they reside in a comfortable home on Glen- ridge Avenue. In politics Mr. Hooper is an in- dependent, preferring to vote for the man and not be bound by party preferences. Enterprising and public-spirited he is ready at all times to aid move- ments for civic progress.

MARY F. BARNES .- Highly favored as the daughter of a worthy pioneer whose place is assured among those to whom the society of. today owe so much, Mary F. Barnes of 58 South Ninth Street, San Jose, is a native daughter naturally proud of her as- sociation with the Golden State; she was born in Santa Clara County, while her father, Martin Barnes, was a native of New York City. He lived to be seventy-nine years, three months and fifteen days old, and he passed away on April 14, 1915. He had mar- ried Miss Katherine Malonc, a native of County Mayo, Ireland. Her father was a public officer and for twenty years a censor in the Censor Building at Dublin. Her mother's first cousin, John T. Malone, was for years district attorney of Santa Clara Coun- ty. An uncle of her mother was James Malone, another California pioneer, and for years a court reporter in San Francisco, who enjoyed the reputa- tion of being the fastest shorthand reporter of the West. The above John T. Malone, who married a Miss Fallon, after being district attorney, became an

actor of national repute, comparable with Booth and Barrett. Grandfather Jno. Marshall Barnes was an extensive and successful brick contractor in New York City and under his father, Martin Barnes, learned brick building in all its details.

Martin Barnes came to California in 1862, and Miss Malone came out the next year from Boston, and they were married in San Francisco, where Mr. Barnes established himself as a contractor; and he remained actively engaged until his seventy-fifth year when he retired from building. He came to Santa Clara County soon after his marriage and made this city his home until his death. Among other edifices in San Jose he was foreman on the old Normal School Building and did all the brick work on the James Lick Mill, the wine vaults of the Gen- eral Naglee ranch, the Knox Block, the Court House, and many others, as well as many buildings in San Francisco. He died at San Jose, the father of three children, James H. Barnes, Mary F., the subject of this review, and William J. Barnes. James H. Barnes took up brick contracting and for years was as- sociated with Robert Scott and helped to build the famous Scott furnaces for the Cinnabar mines. He is now putting in a large Scott furnace at Marathon, Tex. William J. Barnes is engaged in the piano trade in San Jose.

Mary Barnes attended the Notre Dame Convent for eleven years and there obtained the thorough education which has contributed so much to her hap- piness in life. James H. attended the grammar and high school in San Jose and then went to Santa Clara College. William J. Barnes finished with the grammar schools and after that pursued an excellent course at the Business College in San Jose. Mrs. Barnes died when Mary was only two years old, and when the latter had finished her schooling, she took charge of the home, presiding gracefully over her father's household until his death, and still resides at the old home. Martin Barnes for years made his home on San Fernando Street, between First and Second, and the children were born in a house that stands about the present location of the Navlet Nur- sery Building at 20 East San Fernando Street.

WILLIAM J. BLAUER .- A merchant who has attained success through having built on a founda- tion of unremitting industry, experience and integrity, is William J. Blauer, the president of the Stanford Meat Company, a corporation with a capital stock of $25,000. He was born in Chicago, Ill., on January 28, 1874. His father, Gottlieb Blauer, was a native of Switzerland, and upon his arrival in America came to California and engaged in the dairy business in 1864 in California and Nevada. He went back to Switzerland and married Miss Mary Berger and on returning to the United States lived in Chicago, Il1. When our subject was four years old, the family removed to Corning, Kans., and here he grew to man- hood and received his education in the public schools of that city. His father passed away at Corning when William J. was twenty-seven years old, and his mother died at the same place. They were the par- ents of five children: two died in infancy and a brother passed away in Corning at the age of forty, so that there are only two now living, the subject of

John Jonkin

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

this review and Emma, now Mrs. Rudolph Hanni of Corning, Kans.

When William J. was sixteen years old he came out to San Jose and worked for his uncle Rudolph Blauer, a pioneer delicatessen dealer in San Jose; then he was employed with Lonis Henning, the two positions covering a period of thirteen years, and in that time Mr. Blauer became thoroughly conversant with the meat business. He then removed to Palo Alto and was at first in partnership with A. W. Krumbeck, under the name of the Stanford Market, for three years, then incorporated in 1906 as the Stan- ford Meat Company. Mr. Krumbeck was president of the company until 1914, when Mr. Blauer became president. Fraternally he is a member of the Foresters and is counted one of Palo Alto's dependable citizens.

JOHN TONKIN .- A native of England, whose early days were spent in his native country of Corn- wall, John Tonkin was born at St. Just on October 28, 1860. His parents were Charles and Elizabeth (Ellis) Tonkin, and in the early days the father left his family and their Cornish home in 1862 and came to the United States, settling in Santa Clara County, where he worked in the New Almaden mines. Later he returned to his native land and passed away there. Mrs. Tonkin subsequently came to California, where three of her sons had preceded her, and her death occured at the mines, where the boys were employed. She was the mother of four sons: Charles lives in San Jose, William died in that city; Thomas is also of San Jose and John, the youngest is the subject of this sketch. He received a good educa- tion in the public schools at St. Just until the age of sixteen when he and his mother came to New Almaden, Cal. where three of his brothers lived. He began working as a stationary engineer in the New Almaden mines running the hoist, continuing in that capacity for about fifteen years when he went to Tuolumne County and for two years was busy in the same line of work there, but on returning to San Jose he worked with Mr. Rich, laying track for the street railway then being constructed in San Jose. In 1896 he purchased his present ranch of thirty acres on the Los Gatos-Almaden Road, and this has since been his home. It is all set out to prunes and has become a well-improved property.

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 206

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