History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 208

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

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Mr. Berry's marriage occurred in Portsmouth, N. H., December 17, 1890, when he was united with Miss Gertrude A. Bell, a very able young woman who has proven to be a true helpmate. She is a native of New Hampshire, having been born at Portsmouth and is a daughter of Meshach H. and Harriet H. (Works) Bell, born at Kittery, Maine, and Portsmouth, N. H., respectively. The Bells are an old and prominent New England family, Mrs. Berry being a lineal descendant of George Bell, a member of the Continental Congress. Meshach H. Bell served in the Civil War in the Tenth N. H. Volunteers. He was a merchant in Portsmouth until he retired. He passed away May 12, 1921, while Mrs. Bell had preceded him many years. Mrs. Berry is the only child of this union and is a grad- uate of Portsmouth high school. Mr. and Mrs. Berry are the parents of two children: Clifford was educated at the Campbell high school and the Poly- technic School of Engineering at Oakland, serving in the radio department of the U. S. Army as a teacher during the World War; he is an electrician, and owns and conducts the San Jose Battery station on South Market and Williams streets. Millard W. is a graduate of Campbell high school and was in the First Division of U. S. Engineers, serving two years overseas at the front during the World War and is now assistant agent of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company at Sunnyvale. Mr. Berry is a member of Charity Lodge No. 365, F. & A. M., Campbell and is also past grand of the Morning Light Lodge No. 42, I. O. O. F. He was one of the organizers of the Camp- bell Board of Trade, now the Campbell Improvement Club, having been an active member since its or- ganization. Mr. and Mrs. Berry are widely and fav- orably known in Santa Clara County Mr. Berry's

long years with the Southern Pacific bringing him in contact with many people, who appreciate his kindly courtesy. In politics he maintains an independent course, voting for men and measures rather than party. He concentrates his efforts and attention upon his business affairs and in all that he undertakes manifests a most progressive spirit.

HALE ROY MILLER .- Agricultural life has ever had a lure for Hale Roy Miller and his success- ful career has been developed through continued ap- plication, coupled with energy and ability. A native son of the Golden West, he was born in San Fran- cisco, May 3, 1874, the son of Stephen B. and Mar- garet (Secord) Miller. Stephen B. was a native of the Province of Ontario. The grandfather, William Baldwin Miller, was born in New York and removed, when a young man, to Canada, where he married. He was a farmer by occupation and bought 100 acres of rough land, cleared it up and made it his home until his death. There was a family of ten children of whom Stephen B. Miller was the youngest. He lived on the home place and was married there April 24, 1861, to Margaret Secord, a native of the county where he was born. After their marriage, they re- sided on the home place until 1869, when they came to California. He first entered the mines, then into the lumber camps near Dutch Flat, and was there for two years, then went to San Francisco where he engaged in the wood and coal business with his brother William, and continued in this business for about fourteen years; he passed away in 1885. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Miller made her home in San Francisco until the next fall, when she pur- chased her present ranch of twenty-four acres near Los Gatos, on the Los Gatos and Saratoga Road, where she built a fine residence and made other valu- able improvements. Mr. and Mrs. Miller were the parents of four children: Kittie G., Nettie E., Wil- liam J., and Hale Roy, the subject of this review.

He was educated in the public school of the Aus- tin district and at the age of sixteen he started in driving a team and for eight years successfully han- dled a six-horse team over the rough mountain roads of the Santa Cruz and Big Basin country. When twenty-three, he entered the employ of the Hume ranch, under J. D. Farwell, continuing as teamster foreman and engineer on the ranch for twenty years. When James A. Clayton & Company of San Jose purchased the ranch, Mr. Miller was made superin- tendent and continued in charge for three years, when he leased the place and is now extensively en- gaged in orcharding, and he also owns an orchard on Glenn Una Drive.

In Los Gatos on September 7, 1898, Mr. Miller was united in marriage with Miss Sarah E. Clinkinbeard, a native of Monterey, Cal., a daughter of Kinzea Stone Clinkinbeard, the pioneer, who was born in Missouri in 1842 and crossed the plains in 1851 in an ox-team train with his parents. They resided in Jackson, Amador County, where he attended school at Squaw Valley, near Truckee. He was a farmer and operated a hay press, then went to Lake Tahoe and there built and owned the first steam launch on Lake Tahoe. He married Miss Sarah Ella White- head, born in the Sierra region of California in 1856; her parents crossed the plains to California in 1853.

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The father followed bridge building on the Southern Pacific; then located at Oakland, where he invented a process for the manufacture of artificial marble. Later he removed to Monterey County and became the superintendent of the Laurellis ranch of 7000 acres, then owned by Mr. Spaulding of Oakland, Mr. Clinkinbeard's brother-in-law, and now owned by the Del Monte Company. He built the flume that fur- nishes water for Pacific Grove in 1880, employing 500 Chinese to do the work. He next came to Santa Clara County and bought forty acres three miles below Santa Clara and set it to Bartlett pears and strawberries, one of the first pear orchards in the district. Selling the ranch to B. F. Weston, he moved to Santa Clara and later to Los Gatos, where he died in 1895, leaving a widow and ten children, of whom Mrs. Miller is the fifth oldest. He was a Knights Templar Mason and helped to organize the O. E. S. of Los Gatos, and was a life member of the Odd Fellows in Oakland. Mr. and Mrs. Miller are the parents of one child, Robert James, a student in Los Gatos high school. Mr. Miller is a stanch Re- publican and fraternally is a member of the Wood- men of the World and the Chamber of Commerce in Los Gatos. For eighteen years he was a member of the Los Gatos Volunteer Fire department. Mrs. Miller is a member of the Los Gatos Chapter, O. E. S. A lover of nature and horseback riding, with her saddle horse, Sandy, she has explored and is very familiar with the trails throughout the Santa Cruz Mountains. Deeply interested in Santa Clara Coun- ty, Mr, and Mrs. Miller gladly give their best efforts to the advancement of the community.

CARLTON CARLYLE CRIPPEN .- Daily en- gaged in the arduous work incident to the Mainte- nance Department of Stanford University, Carlton Carlyle Crippen is of an acquiring and inquiring mind, who can write very authoritatively on the trotting horse, his breeding and development, partic- ularly as related to the period when the great Palo Alto Stock Farm was at the zenith of its glory. It has been said that a man's real character manifests itself in his diversions. Visiting the Palo Alto Stock Farm was Governor Leland Stanford's diversion. It was easily the greatest establishment of its kind in the world, and here the great builder of the Central Pacific and the University which bears his name, came for recreation. After years of faithful service in helping the Governor bring out his galaxy of record-breaking pacers and trotters, coming in con- tact with him under all conditions, Mr. Crippen has no hesitancy in saying that Governor Stanford was one of the finest men that ever lived.

As a young man of good attainments, who had grown up on an Ashtabula County, Ohio, farm, Mr. Crippen, while yet a young man, became a fancier of fast horses. When the colts from Mr. Stanford's celebrated stallion "Electioneer" first startled the world with their record-breaking performances, Mr. Crippen was curious to know whether their phenom- enal records were due to their breeding or to spe- cial training, and so in 1889 he came out to Califor- nia, secured employment on the great Palo Alto Stock Farm and there went to work as a trainer un- der the noted horseman Charles Marvin, then super- intendent of the Palo Alto Stock Farm, continuing

in Governor Stanford's employ for many years. While the Palo Alto Stock Farm was a place where Governor Stanford came for diversion and relaxa- tion, nevertheless, it became a financial proposition of great magnitude. From this farm was sold over $500,000 worth of horses within six months. One horse, "Ario," which was discovered and trained by Mr. Crippen, brought $125,000, being the highest price ever paid for any racer up to that time, while a shipment of 100 horses brought on an average $1,500 each in the New York Madison Square Garden sale, January, 1892. It is safe to say that the Palo Alto Stock Farm became the most noted establish- ment of its kind in the world, and there Governor Stanford produced more record breakers and world's champions than any other dozen men in the world. Without doubt Governor Stanford's four greatest horses were: Electioneer, champion sire of world's champion trotters, the greatest sire of early and ex- treme trotting speed that ever lived, begetting kings and queens of the trotting world from all classes of mares: Palo Alto, 2:0834, world's champion trotting stallion in 1891 and one of the gamest trotting race horses that ever lived, having met defeat but twice during his entire racing career; Sunol, 2:081/4, the wonderful daughter of Electioneer who held the world's 2 years-old record in 1888 of 2:18, and world's three-years old record in 1889, 2:1012, and the world's four-years old record in 1890, 2:101/4, and champion trotter of all ages in 1891, as a five-year old, 2:081/4, and sold to the late Robert Bonner for $41,000. She is the only trotter that ever held the world's record at 2, 3, 4 and record of all ages at five years old: Arion, 2:0734, was discovered, broken to harness and received his first lessons from C. C. Crip- pen. Made record of 2:1034 as a two-year old, which remained the world's two-year old record for seventeen years, and sold for $125,000 to J. Malcomb- Forbes of Boston, Mass. Besides the many colts that Mr. Crippen handled and trained at Palo Alto that developed into record-breakers he trained or managed many others that in their day also were champions of the race course, among them Search- light, 2:031/4, world's champion 3, 4 and 5 year old pacer that sold for $15,000; Kinney Lou, 2:0734, a champion trotter for which $25,000 was twice re- fused; Sonoma Girl, 2:041/2, "The Girl from the Golden West" as she was often called, sold to Lotta Crabtree, the actress, for $26,000 after winning a number of sensational races on the Grand Circuit in 1907; Lecco, 2:0934; Redeem, 2:0914; Bonnie Ansel, 2:091/4, and Oyoho, 2:0714. Mr. Crippen's greatest interest was in the scientific breeding and training of fast horses, but as the interest in horse racing waned, he found it necessary to take up other lines of work. He has contributed many excellent articles to such well-known sporting papers as the "Breeder and Sportsman," "The California Horseman" and "The Western Horseman."

Mr. Crippen was born at Colebrook, Ashtabula County, Ohio, June 14, 1866. His father, Cyrus R. Crippen, was a soldier in the Civil War, who after that struggle married Miss Desire Marsh of Ashta- bula County, Ohio, where they settled down to farm- ing and reared their two children, Carlton Carlyle of this review, and a daughter, Dora, now the wife of

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Dr. Sterling of Kansas City, Mo. Carlton Car- lyle grew up on his father's farm, attended the con- mon schools, and later graduated from Orwell acad- emy in Ashtabula County.

He was married at Mayfield to Miss Augusta Duke, a daughter of Captain George and Mary Duke, both of English blood, pioneers at Mayfield. Mr. and Mrs. Crippen have a very cozy home at Mayfield and are the proud parents of two children, both well known and highly respected: Roy D., who is adver- tising manager for the Fidelity Bank at Fresno, and Dorothy May, who graduated from the San Jose Teachers' College, and is now engaged in the schools at Mayfield as a teacher. Mr. Crippen has held his present responsible position for the past five years; he attends very closely to his work, is capable and efficient, and last but not least, is very faithful to his trust. He is a great admirer of the founder of the University, while his love of the equine species and sportsmanship is as keen as ever.

DISMO M. DENEGRI .- One of a large number of men who have found business opportunities in the county of Santa Clara, and in turn have endeavored to promote the commercial activities of this portion of California, Dismo M. Denegri is one of the suc- cessful druggists in San Jose. A native son of Cali- fornia, he was born in San Francisco, March 30, 1882, a son of John B. and Mary Denegri. During the Civil War, his father served in the Confederate army; later migrated to California and settled in San Jose and engaged in the grocery business. Both father and mother have passed away.

His early education was obtained in the public schools and afterwards attended the San Francisco Polytechnic school; later going to the College of Physicians and Surgeons in San Francisco, from which institution he graduated in 1902 with the degree of Ph. G. He is an able linguist, being able to converse fluently in four languages. For a time after his graduation, he clerked in various drug stores of San Francisco, but in the year of 1914, came to San Jose and established his own business, which is growing steadily, now owning two stores.

The marriage of Mr. Denegri in November 1912, united him with Miss Mary Vatuone, a daughter of the old pioneer family of that name. Two children, Dismo, Jr., and Elena, have been born to them. Politically Mr. Denegri votes the Republican ticket, and served his party as assemblyman for one term in 1911-12. He presented the bill and was instru- mental in having Discovery Day changed to Colum- bus Day. His influence has been a many-sided one, and embraces practically all phases of growth in the town. Especially has he promoted all movements for the betterment of his fellowmen. During the World War he was active in all the drives, and his familiar- ity with several languages, enabled him to sell as high as $75,000 worth of Liberty bonds in one day. At the 1919 election he became a councilman for San Jose. His forceful, determined disposition, backed by the esteem of the community, enabled him to suc- cessfully conduct his own campaign. He held the honored position of president of the Italo-American Club of San Jose, is a Knight of Columbus, also an Elk; is an active member of the Chamber of Com- merce, the Merchants' Association, and the Com-

mercial Club. He and his family are consistent members of the Catholic Church of San Jose. For his recreation, he is an ardent admirer of the national game of baseball; also enjoys a bout with his fellow boxers. The optimistic spirit which he possesses has brought him his present prosperity and the esteem of his community.

MICHAEL O'BRIEN .- A worthy veteran of the Civil War, who bore more than an average part in that great conflict is Michael O'Brien, for many years an upbuilder of the orchard interests of the Santa Cruz Mountain region. He was born in Utica, N. Y., April 14, 1840, a son of Patrick and Margaret (Griffin) O'Brien, farmers in that splendid section of the Empire State, where Michael assisted on the home place as he grew up to habits of industry and economy, while he received a good education in the local public schools. Stirred with patriotism he volunteered his services to his country in the spring of 1862, enlisting in Company E, Fourteenth New York Volunteer Infantry, a second-year regiment; but he was held in service for three years. being first transferred to Company B, Forty-fourth New York Volunteer Infantry (the Ellsworth Avengers) until that regiment was discharged, when he was trans- ferred to Company D, Second New York Heavy Ar- tillery. During his service he was in thirty-two gen- eral engagements besides numerous skirmishes. Among others he was in the Seven-Day Battle, Mal- vern Hill, Gaines Mill, Chancellorsville, Fredericks- burg, Antietam, South Mountain, Gettysburg, where he was slightly wounded in the right leg; Mine Rim, Petersburg, where, on June 17, 1863, he was taken prisoner and sent to Andersonville and imprisoned in that horrible place for six months and three days. During this time, with sixty others, he tunnelled out and they made their escape, separating and going in pairs; by travelling nights and hiding daytime he made his way within twelve miles of Charleston, where he and his partner were captured and returned to Andersonville, and there he had the scurvy very bad. Both armies had arranged for an exchange of 10,000 prisoners. They were formed into squads of ninety and each squad went inside of the dead line to be examined by a doctor, the, worst cases being allowed to go. He was not passed as the doctor said he could stand it another month, but his partner was passed. Mr. O'Brien watched until he saw the gnard's back turned, then jumped across the line into the ranks of his squad, thus he was paroled with the others, but he took a desperate chance of being shot to save his life, for he would have died had he re- mained in prison much longer. They went to Annap- olis Camp, where he rejoined his command to help to take Richmond. He was present at the surrender of General Lee at Appomattox, after which he marched to Washington and took part in the Grand Review. He was mustered out and honorably dis- charged at Alexandria, Va., in May, 1865. Returning to his home, he spent some time on the Frie Canal. steering a canal boat, and became very familiar with that region. In 1867 he took the steamer San Fran- cisco and crossed to the Pacific side via of the Nica- ragua route, from where he came on the old boat New York to San Francisco. For a time he was engaged in trucking, and then came to Santa Clara

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County and took a homestead of 160 acres at Wrights, built a cabin and by grubbing and clearing improved the place so he had a good tarm later setting out an orchard and vineyard. He farmed it for thirty-three years and then sold it to his brother, Thomas, who has since died. He then bought an- other ten acre ranch near Wrights, devoted to orch- ard and vineyard, but sold it in 1920. He lived at Wrights until March, 1922, when he located at Los Gatos. He is a member of E. O. C. Ord. Post.

HARRY V. GORDON .- A young man who has made a success of horticulture who also served his country in the Spanish-American War is Harry V. Gordon, a native son of Sonoma County, born at Healdsburg, September 27, 1877; his father, Eugene Gordon was also born there. Grandfather Andrew J. Gordon was born in Missouri and crossed the plains in 1846 a member of the Donner party until the train divided and he came with those who took the old trail and came safely and in due time to California. Andrew J. Gordon followed farming near Healdsburg, locating on Dry Creek and owned a large farm on the Russian River bottoms, now very valuable as hop lands, but he sold it in early days and moved to Anderson Valley, Mendocino County, and engaged in stockraising; later he re- moved to Texas where he became a large landowner and resided until his death. The father, Eugene Gordon, was also a stockman in Anderson Valley until he removed to Texas, where he followed the same business until his death. The mother of our subject was Laura Trailor; she was born in Illinois and came to California with her parents, who lo- cated at Kelseyville, Lake County, Cal., where she grew to womanhood. Some years after her husband's death, Mrs. Laura Gordon married Jacob M. Cox, a prominent rancher and official of Santa Clara County, a union that proved very happy until Mr. Cox was summoned by death. She now makes her home in Oakland.

Harry V. Gordon is an only child and was reared in Texas from the age of three until twelve. In 1890 he came to San Jose with his step-father, Jacob M. Cox, who is represented on another page in this history. Harry V. Gordon attended school at the Alameda Hester school and during these years he took up horticulture under Mr. Cox, who owned an orchard as well as being the deputy county assessor, so after his school days were over he took charge of the Cox ranch. On the breaking out of the Span- ish-American War, he enlisted at San Francisco July 6, 1898, in Battery I, Third U. S. Artillery, be- ing stationed at the Presidio, until he was honorably discharged March 23, 1899. He signified his will- ingness to go East as a range finder in the U. S. Army, so was sent East and was attached to the range finding department, Battery M, Fifth U. S. Ar- tillery, serving at Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island, until his discharge March 23, 1902. During his stay in New York City he became acquainted with his future wife, Miss Barbara Nosova, who was born in Prague, Bohemia, a daughter of Francis and Marie Nosova. The father passed away in his native land and the mother brought the children to New York City, where she still makes her home. Mrs. Gordon was educated in the schools of Prague and when she came to the United States she resided in New York City until her marriage to Mr. Gordon,

on June 16, 1901. On his discharge, Mr. Gordon brought his wife to his ranch in Santa Clara County, which is a portion of the old William Cox ranch. He has been successful in raising fruit and now owns thirty-four acres devoted to growing prunes. Mr. and Mrs. Gordon have three children: Alma Marie, a graduate of San Jose high school, is the wife of Ralph E. Weaver, residing in Evergreen; Camille Clifford is attending the Los Gatos high school; and Jackson Milan. Mr. Gordon was made a Mason in Liberty Lodge No. 299 F. & A. M., at Santa Clara.

A. H. MATHEWS .- A hard-working, successful business man of Palo Alto, who thoroughly under- stands his business is A. H. Mathews, the wide- awake owner and proprietor of the enterprising firm of Mathews & Company, dealers in staple and fancy groceries at 323 University Avenue, Palo Alto, Cal. He was born in Montreal, Canada, March 31, 1865, a son of Richard and Mary (Borbridge) Mathews, the father being engaged in the real estate business at Montreal. Both parents are now deceased.

Mr. Mathews attended the public schools and later took a business course in the senior high school in Montreal. After leaving school he sought and ob- tained employment as a salesman in the millinery store of John, MacLean and later had charge of the trimming department, remaining in that capacity for eight years. In the fall of 1893 he came to Califor- nia; locating in San Francisco he was employed by Robert L. Toplitz & Company, wholesale milliners, and was in the trimming department for three years when his health failed and he was obliged to take a vacation, and for over two years he traveled about California in quest of health. He went to Carpin- teria, Santa Barbara County, and entered the employ of Charles Curtis, an old school friend, as a clerk in his grocery; then he went to Redwood City and was engaged in the poultry business for two years, and then came to Palo Alto in 1903. He went to work for Earle & Company and was with them for sixteen years, thoroughly learning the grocery busi- ness. On October 1, 1919, he established his own business, first as Mathews & Smith; later his partner, Ray Smith, sold his interest to Mrs. E. D. Clark and the firm name became Mathews & Company; in November, 1920, Mrs. Clark sold her interest to Leslie E. Sampson. Mr. Mathews was married in 1894 at Martinez to Miss Ethel Agnes Borbridge, a native of Canada, and they have a comfortable resi- dence at 244 Byron Street.

CHARLES BEEDLE .- Among those whose pro- gressive spirit and intelligently directed labors have resulted in making Santa Clara Valley the garden spot of California, Charles Beedle is deserving of special mention as one of the leading orchardists of this section of the state. He is a native of Cornwall, England, his birth having occurred February 18, 1850, his parents being William and Hannah (Davis) Beedle, who spent their entire lives in that country, the father being an expert landscape gardener.

Charles Beedle was the ninth of their twelve chil- dren and is the only one in the United States. He ac- quired his education in England and engaged in min- ing from seventeen until twenty-one years of age, when he came to the United States in 1871, first set- tling in New Jersey, where he worked in the iron

Barbara Gordon

Barry V. Gordond .

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 208

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