History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 209

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

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mines and remained for a year. He then spent a short time in New Hampshire and for four years resided in Vermont, going from that state to Nevada in 1877. There he was for four years stationary en- gineer for the G. W. Grayson Company at the In- dependence Mine at Tuscarora, and then made his way to Oregon, bought a farm in Union County and farmed one year, and then sold and located at Pioche, Nev., as engineer for the same company. In 1883 he came to San Francisco and in January, 1884, to Santa Clara County, where he purchased twenty years of the Garden tract on the Shannon Road, which he planted to fruit. The next year, in order to make a livelihood, he went to Fresno as a stationary engineer in the Hildreth gold district, continuing for four years. Mr. Beedle is an expert horticulturist, special- izing in the raising of prunes and apricots, in which he has been very successful. He has a nice row of orange trees that is well cared for and he has sent exceptionally fine specimens of this fruit to London, England, for exhibition in their fairs.

On December 30, 1877, in Vershire, Vt., Mr. Beedle was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth S. Rowe, born in Devonshire, England, who came to Vermont when six years of age with her parents, Samuel and Mary (Cheynoweth) Rowe, and they became the parents of a daughter, Nellie B. Mr. Beedle's po- litical allegiance is given to the Republican party. Although he has traveled extensively, he has never found a region so well adapted to the raising of fine fruit as the Santa Clara Valley, and he is enthusiastic in his support of its advantages, pronouncing it the garden spot of the world. With his family, he is a student of Christian Science.

WILLIAM RADTKE .- An enterprising, thor- oughly competent contractor whose executive ability has been well demonstrated at Gilroy, is William Radtke, who was born at San Francisco, on March 11, 1888, the son of August Radtke, a cooper by trade, who had established himself in business at San Fran- cisco in 1886. He retired to take up orcharding in the Santa Clara Valley, and for a number of years he farmed near San Jose in the Hamilton district, and passed away in August, 1916. He had married Miss Adelheid Blanken, who proved a devoted wife and an affectionate mother, and attended conscientiously to the elementary schooling of her son, sending him to the Hamilton Grammar School. At the age of fourteen, the lad went to work at the Enterprise Foundry, owned by John Roll of Santa Clara, but six months later he went into San Francisco to enter the employ of Robert Hall, the machinist. Not long afterward, he took up the carpenter trade, serving a three-year apprenticeship in the employ of Charles Stockholm; and by the time he had reached his eighteenth year, he had done some small 'jobs in contracting, and decided to work for himself.

Among the first contracts completed were those for the Los Altos Grammar School, the private resi- dence of Paul Shoup, the president of the Southern Pacific Railroad, at Los Altos; the Ed Seifert Garage at San Jose, and the bridge across Guadalupe Creek at West Santa Clara Street, in San Jose. In 1913, he concreted the reservoirs for the City of Gilroy, which impounds the water-supply for Gilroy and con-

serves some 8,500,000 gallons of water. The year previous, Mr. Radtke came to Gilroy, and since then he has contracted the very finest of all the buildings in the town. During 1921 alone, he successfully completed over $250,000 worth of contracts in Gilroy, and in addition he was also almost constantly busy with one contract or another in the suburban or rural districts. Among the larger buildings in Gilroy are the Louis Hotel, and Masonic buildings.

At Oakland, on March 21, 1912, Mr. Radtke was married to Miss Clara Loewen, and their home life has been made brighter by two children, both boys, John William and Thomas Madsen Radtke. Mr. Radtke is both a Mason and an Odd Fellow; and al- though a Democrat by national political preference, he has shown such broadminded nonpartisanship that his fellow-citizens have honored him with member- ship in the city council.

CHARLES L. NICHOLS .- A far-sighted, hust- ling business man, whose enterprise in providing the best of everything, and plenty of it, for the car- owner and car-user, has been thoroughly appreciated not only in Los Gatos, where he is established, but in near-by sections of Santa Clara County, is Charles L. Nichols. The experienced and accommodating proprietor of the Los Gatos Auto Supply Company is a native of the Buckeye State, born at St. Claires- ville, Ohio, on July 19, 1885, the son of J. W. and Caroline (Hoge) Nichols. The father died when Charles was a mere child, and in 1903, Mrs. Nichols and her son came to California and soon settled at Los Gatos. Charles was fortunate in becoming a student in the Preparatory College at Swarthmore, near Philadelphia, Pa., and then he worked as as- sistant surveyor for the Western Pacific, when they were building through Plumas County, Cal. He next entered the service of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad and engaged in preliminary and location work on the transcontinental line in Mon- tana and Idaho. Through hard study and practical experience he gradually mastered engineering; but he was induced to go to Tampico, Mex., and to purchase a ranch, which he farmed for a year and a half.

In 1908, Mr. Nichols returned to Los Gatos and married Miss May Lyndon, one of the popular belles of the town; and then, in this section, he worked for the Pacific Gas & Electric Company. In 1916, he made the move of particular interest to all those who have since been served by him through his thorough knowledge of the automobile industry and the life and wants of the autoist: he began in the auto sup- ply trade, modestly at first, but in such a level-headed manner as to assure future success. Today, having builded and grown gradually, but surely, he has one of the most complete stocks in this region, carrying tires and oils, and also doing first-class vulcanizing; Mr. Nichols both meets the want of the traveler and he also anticipates his needs and so is ready for every emergency. Mr. and Mrs. Nichols attend the Pres- byterian Church, and Mr. Nichols is a member of Los Gatos Lodge No. 292, F. & A. M., and with his wife is a member of the Eastern Star. He is a member of the Santa Clara County Auto Trades Association, the State Automobile Association, and the Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce.

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LOUIS ONEAL .- Among the leading lawyers of Northern California, Louis Oneal figures prominent- ly. At the time of his election to the California Senate, in 1901, he had the distinction of being the youngest member of that body, but his marked abil- ity was soon recognized by his colleagues and in the session of 1903 he was appointed chairman of the committee on corporations, a position he filled with such capability as to attract the attention of his asso- ciates. He was particularly interested in the removal of the capital from Sacramento to San Jose, for which he presented a bill, but with unfavorable results. The ability displayed while a member of the State Senate was indeed gratifying to the Republican party, which nominated him, and to his community in general.

Near Winnemucca, Humboldt County, Nev., Sen- ator Oneal was born, November 24, 1874, being sec- ond among three children comprising the family of George W. and Sarah G. (Trousdale) Oncal, natives, respectively, of Missouri and Illinois, but both resi- dents of Nevada since about 1851. At the time of crossing the plains George W. Oneal was only a boy, but he at once began to mine at Gold Hill. Later he engaged in the cattle business in Paradise Valley, in which he continued for a long period; in later years horse and cattle raising occupied his attention. During his entire residence in the west he was inter- ested in mining. For many years he resided in Santa Clara County, but is now deceased. Louis Oneal ob- tained his early education in the public schools of San Jose, supplemented with a business course. His first means of livelihood was as a grocery clerk, but being energetic and determined to succeed, he began to study law privately and continued until he was ad- mitted to the bar, April 25, 1895. With B. L. Ryder as a partner, he opened a law office in the Ryland block and later was in the office of Howell C. Moore. In 1896 he was appointed deputy district attorney under B. A. Herrington and filled the position accepta- bly for two years, after which he became a member of the firm of Herrington and Oneal. The county board of supervisors appointed him city justice in January, 1900, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of John W. Gass, and he remained in the position until November, 1900, when he resigned, subsequent to his election as state senator. He has extensive interests in cattle and horse raising in Santa Clara County, to which he gives considerable time.

The marriage of Mr. Oneal in November, 1902, united him with Miss Anna Hatman, who was born in this city and received a thorough education abroad in the University of Leipsic. In that famous institu- tion her special studies were music and art, in which she had the advantage of the training of the best masters that Germany affords. One son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Oneal, Duncan, a Santa Clara Uni- versity student. Mr. Oneal is a stanch supporter of the principles of the Republican party and firmly be- lieves that the platform of this party is conducive to the highest progress of the nation and the greatest prosperity of its citizens. The Santa Clara County Republican League, when under his leadership, took an active part in campaign work and proved a valu- able aid in local party work. Fraternally, he is a member of the Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias and the Elks. He is progressive and enthusiastically in- terested in all civic affairs, and is a member of the

Chamber of Commerce. During his busy life, he takes time for recreation and finds the most pleasure in horseback riding. It was largely through his in- fluence that the California Round-up Association was organized, thus bringing to the present generation a touch of the vivid life of the old Spanish days. He has ever believed in constructive measures and has occupied a position of leadership, and is actuated at all times by a high sense of duty.

TOM LAMBERT .- During the latter part of 1920, three enterprising Sunnyvale young men, who are very much interested in the art of wireless communi- cation, established the Radio Shop in San Jose. These young men are Tom Lambert, Arthur E. Bessey and E. H. Bessey. Their efforts have met with success and the first unit of a manufacturing plant at Sunny- vale was completed about February 15, 1922; it has been found necessary to double the size of the plant and the second unit is now under construction. The plant is equipped to manufacture wireless apparatus of all descriptions, receiving sets, amplifiers, tube transmitters, rheostats, condensers, etc. In addition they will handle standard lines of other makes.

Tom Lambert was born at Plymouth, England, in 1893, and came to California when he was twelve years old. He attended the grammar school at Oak- land, Cal., and subsequently was graduated from the Polytechnic high school of that city. As a youth he became intensely interested in radio work and wire- less telegraphy and gained such proficiency that in 1908 he entered the radio sea-service, and for the next seven and one-half years he worked as radio opera- tor in the merchant marine, flying the American flag. His interest in radio development was unflagging and he found his greatest pleasure in the study of radio operation development.

Returning to California, he was placed in charge of the Marconi Institute at San Francisco, and was director of instruction during the late war. He then started in to manufacture radio appliances in San Francisco, and after continuing two years sold out and came to San Jose in February, 1920. Then he became associated with his present partners. In a back room in the Bank of Italy building in San Jose, the three young men worked, manufacturing on a small scale, ran a radio school and opened up a retail shop. Their business prospered and has paid its way from the start. Quarters in San Jose becoming too small, they moved to Sunnyvale, which is their home city. The site of their plant is on Murphy, Radio and Sunnyvale avenues, and the first completed unit is 40x220 feet, the building and equipment to cost in the neighborhood of $100,000. They now employ 125 radio mechanics, which will soon be increased to 200, as they have advance orders for $750,000 of their products. They are perfecting a new special receiv- ing apparatus which will be especially adapted for home use. It will be built similar to the ordinary phonograph cabinet, an ornamental piece of furniture which only needs to be connected up and the owner can listen in on concerts given by broadcasting sta- tions in different parts of the country. One-hour concerts are now given at the Radio Shop in Sunny- vale every Tuesday and Friday evenings. These concerts are regularly heard in Sterling, Ill., which is close to record distance for music and voice. From a

Lamin Oneal

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

single room in the Bank of Italy building in San Jose to a magnificently equipped factory, from a business starting with nothing to advance orders on hand aggregating $750,000, in two years, is the actual achievement of these young men, whom the city of Sunnyvale may well congratulate itself on acquiring.

JOHN BAUMAN .- Born in that picturesque part of Switzerland, Canton Uri, John Bauman first saw the light of day in 1861. His boyhood and early man- hood was spent in his native land and his advantages for an education were extremely limited. He knew nothing but hard work, but the lessons of thrift and economy of his younger days served as a stepping stone to his success in later life. When he reached the age of eighteen, he sailed from Havre, France, bound for America, to him the land of opportunity. Upon his arrival at San Francisco, he worked for wages and by careful saving and sacrifice, he was able to accu- mulate enough to go into business and for twelve years he was in business with his present partner, Frank Marty in San Jose. All the money they could save was invested in dairy cows until they now have forty milch cows on their ranch of 100 acres leased from Sam Martin. From a very small beginning, Mr. Bauman has steadily climbed until he has become well-to-do and is highly respected in the community in which he lives, and is numbered among the suc-

cessful dairymen of the country. His native intelli- gence has made him a well-informed citizen and he can be counted upon to lend his aid in all measures for the advancement of his locality. To such citizens as Mr. Bauman the community and the county are indebted for those sterling characteristics which en- courage investment and general advancement. He is public-spirited and active in public affairs.

MITCHELL UCOVICH-NICK UCOVICH- PETER UCOVICH .- As keen and progressive busi- ness men of Santa Clara County the three brothers, Mitchell, Nick, and Peter Ucovich, compose a trio of successful restaurateurs, who have taken their place in the ranks of active business men. Mitchell Ucovich, the eldest of the three brothers, was born in Dalmatia, Jugo-Slavia, in 1881, a son of Paul and Mary (Skanse) Ucovich. The father, Paul Ucovich, was a successful farmer in his native land, acquiring some 10,000 acres of land, on which he raised olives and grapes. Both parents are deceased. They were the parents of eight children, one of whom is de- ceased, the other seven children being the heirs to the large estate left intact by the father.

Nick Ucovichi was born in Dalmatia in 1884, and Peter, the youngest of the three brothers, was born in 1886. The boys were reared on the farm, and there learned valuable lessons in industry and thrift. Two of their maternal uncles were early settlers in Leeds City, N. D., and wrote such glowing letters to the family in Dalmatia that Mitchell Ucovich deter- mined to seek his fortune in the far-away land of promise, and in 1898 he embarked for America, land- ing in New York City May 2. Remaining there but a short time, he came direct to San Jose, where he began work in the Overland Restaurant. His early lessons in frugality caused him to save his earnings and invest in business for himself. In a few years he was able to purchase the Overland Restaurant, and on April 19, 1906, he was joined by his brother Nick Ucovich, and in 1908 the third brother, Peter,

joined them. They became the owners of two res- taurants, which they later disposed of, and in 1916 the restaurant known as "Nick's Place," at 9 North Market street, was established. Nick Ucovich was the originator of the establishment and the name was suggested by him.

The marriage of Nick Ucovich united him with Josephine Munoz, and Peter Ucovich married Isa- bella Munoz, her sister, both natives of San Jose who were daughters of an early Spanish family. Mr. and Mrs. Peter Ucovich have one child, Mitchell.

Mitchell Ucovich is a naturalized citizen and is an adherent of the principles of the Republican party, and supports its candidates for various offices. Fra- ternally he is affiliated with the Loyal Order of Moose. He is the business manager, while Nick and Peter Ucovich are the efficient chefs, a combination that is bringing them the deserved patronage and success. They are stockholders in the new Growers' Bank and take just pride in local community affairs. As public-spirited citizens they subscribe liberally to all measures that lead toward the advancement of the locality in which they live.

J. S. FARIA .- Portugal has furnished many desir- able citizens to California, particularly in relation to the dairy industry, and among those who have become prominent in this field of activity is J. S. I`aria, who in association with his brother is the owner of a well-irrigated and finely-improved farm in Jefferson district of the Santa Clara Valley. For the past fourteen years he has operated this place and ir business matters his judgment has ever been found sound and reliable and his enterprise unfaltering. He was born on the Island of Fayal, in the Azores, May 19, 1867, and in the fall of 1883, when a youth of six- teen, left his native land and sailed for the United States. For several months he worked in a brick- yard at Taunton, Mass., and on January 6, 1884, he arrived in California, settling at Milpitas, where he secured employment on a dairy farm. For nine years he continued in the employ of one farmer and during that period gained a comprehensive knowledge of dairying, afterward turning his attention to the bail- ing of hay, at which he worked steadily in Santa Clara County until 1907, with the exception of three sea- sons, which were spent in a similar manner in San Mateo County. For the past fourteen years he has been associated with his brother, Frank S. Faria, who is two years his junior, in the ownership and operation of an excellent dairy farm of fifty-two acres, situated in the Jefferson precinct, on the Lawrence Road. Their farm is conducted along the most modern and progressive lines, a large pumping plant having heen installed, one of the wells being 445 feet in depth, while their buildings are thoroughly equipped and of substantial construction. They keep thirty high-grade Holstein cows and theirs is one of the model dairy farms of the celebrated Jefferson District.

Mr. Faria married Miss Minnie S. Silva, a native daughter, who passed away three years after their union. Her sister, Mary, born at Watsonville Cal., is now the wife of his brother, Frank, and they are the parents of four children: Thomas H., Marie A., Teressa C., and Clarence J. Mr. Faria has become a naturalized citizen of the United States and his study of the political questions and issues of this coun- try has led him to become a supporter of the Re- publican party. In religious faith he is a Catholic

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and he is also a member of the U. P. E. C. A man of fine physique and attractive personality, his strict integrity, close application and executive ability have won for him the unqualified respect and esteem of all with whom he has been associated and he ranks with the progressive agriculturists and dairymen of Santa Clara County.

THOMAS ELLARD BEANS. - Preeminent among the men of affairs in Santa Clara County whose exceptionally fruitful lives have made their demise a matter of wide regret and will more and more to insure to them the most enviable and last- ing fame possible, Thomas Ellard Beans enjoyed to an unusual degree the esteem and goodwill of his fellow men. He was born in Salem, Ohio, on De- cember 5, 1828, of Irish-Scotch parentage, his father, Israel Beans, who had married Miss Jane Byrnes, having emigrated to Ohio from Virginia early in the century. Thomas was sent to the schools of his native town; and later his course of study was sup- plemented in a private academy. He commenced his business career as an apprentice in a newspaper office, next served as a clerk in a country store, and still later was a salesman in a wholesale house. At the age of twenty he was one of a party from Pitts- burgh who determined to try their fortune in the then newly-exploited El Dorado of California; and leaving Pittsburgh in the early spring of 1849, Mr. Beans and his companions crossed the plains in a prairie schooner, in those days the only means of transport, and they arrived at Sacramento in the month of August, 1849.

Mr. Beans engaged in placer mining with some success, and then, with a number of his associates, formed a partnership and opened a general miner's supply store in Sacramento. In 1850, a great flood swept over the country along the Sacramento River and destroyed their building and its contents; and the partnership having been thus automatically dis- solved, Mr. Beans went to San Francisco, intending to return to the Eastern States. While waiting in that city for a steamer to New York, he met an old acquaintance from his native town, a Dr. Patterson, then filling a Federal Government post on the Coast; and Dr. Patterson prevailed on Mr. Beans to aban- don his Eastern trip and to join him and some others in a mining venture in the country near what is now Nevada City. Dr. Patterson wished to set out at once; but owing to the great flood of the year be- fore, it was decided by the miners to remain in San Francisco for the winter. Mr. Beans not only con- cluded to remain with the claims, but he was instru- mental in forming a miners' association of which he was elected the secretary and recorder. This organi- zation was effected to protect the claims of the ab- sent miners from unlawful infringement, and its of- ficers soon found plenty of exciting work to do in carrying out its objects. After a few years, however, of alternate success and failure as a miner, Mr. Beans again turned his attention to merchandising; and established a general merchandise store in Nevada City, which he successfully conducted for eight years. He then engaged in the general commission business in San Francisco until 1866 and in that year he em- barked in banking; and having associated himself with Dr. W. J. Knox, the bank of Knox & Beans

was opened for business in San Jose. This firm was succeeded in 1868 by the corporation ever since known as the Bank of San Jose, of which Mr. Beans was elected cashier and manager. He served in that capacity until 1871, when he was elected president and manager; and he continued in that position until his death. In addition to his connection with this bank, Mr. Beans was prominently identified with many public and private institutions. He was at various times a director of the San Jose Woolen Mills, the San Jose Fruit Canning Company, the Home Mutual Insurance Company, and other cor- porations; and he was for fifteen years a trustee of the San Jose State Normal. As a member of the board of fifteen freeholders, he supervised the preparation of the charter of the City of San Jose; and as a member of the California Pioneers, of which he was at different times an honored officer, he took a lively and substantial interest in the welfare of the survivors of the stirring days of '49. Quietly, too, and in a most unostentatous way, Mr. Beans gave freely and liberally to public and private charities; and deep was the sorrow of innumerable friends when it was announced that he had breathed his last at his home, 489 North First Street, San Jose, on July 12, 1905.

At Nevada City Mr. Beans was married to Miss Virginia Knox, a sister Dr. W. J. Knox, who became his associate in business. Mrs. Beans passed away in about 1862, leaving two children, a son, William Knox Beans, now president of the Bank of San Jose, and a daughter, Mary. Mr. Beans was married a second time, being united with Miss Charlotte Bray and their union was blessed with two children, Fran- ces and Rowena Beans. Mr. Bean's widow survived him until 1910, when she, too, passed to the Great Beyond. Fraternally Mr. Beans was a Mason and an exemplary and highly esteemed man. The day of his passing, William Knox Beans was elected president of the Bank of San Jose, to succeed his father; and Mrs. Charlotte B. Beans was chosen a director. Under such able and conscientious direc- tion, the perpetuity and the continued success and prosperity of the splendid memorial which the genius and the nobility of Mr. Beans erected to both the city of San Jose and himself was assured.

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 209

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