History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 212

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

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Reared in Indiana, Mr. Richardson obtained his early education in the public school, later attending the state university of Indiana, from which institu- tion he received his B. A. degree with the class of 1893. Removing to California in 1894, he received his A. M. degree from Stanford University and his LL.B. in 1896 from Cornell. Upon finishing his education, he established himself in his profession in San Jose, where he has successfully practiced since 1896. In 1900 he served for six months as justice of the peace.

The marriage of Mr. Richardson, August 31, 1901, united him with Miss Marguerite E. Kibbe of San Francisco, and two children have been born to them, Helen Dale and Donald Bird. In politics he votes with the Republican party; in his religious belief he is a consistent member of the Episcopal Church, and he is greatly interested in gymnasium work of the local Y. M. C. A. He is one of San Jose's promi- nent and very useful citizens, and enjoys the respect and good-will of a host of friends, and contributes very materially to the advancement of the community in which he resides.

HENRY W. McCOMAS .- Prominently identified with the legal profession of San Jose Henry W. McComas takes a conspicuous part in all the com- munity's affairs. A native son of California, he was born on the Rush McComas tract near Santa Clara, Cal., in the year 1871, a son of Hon. Rush McComas, a native of Cabell County, W. Va., born in 1830. Rush McComas was the son of Hiram and Rebecca (Hatfield) McComas, and in 1841 they re- moved to Platte County, Mo., where Rush was edu- cated. When but a young man of twenty-three he was elected assessor of Platte County, Mo .; later in 1857, having purchased an interest in a Missouri steamboat, he was given the position of clerk on the

In the year of 1861, he came with his steamer.

family, by way of the Isthmus of Panama to Santa Clara, Cal., and here he became greatly interested in agriculture, in 1864 purchasing a ranch of eighty acres, which he farmed successfully. In 1877 he was elected a member of the assembly of the State Legislature and in 1878 he was elected a member of the Constitutional Convention which met and formed the constitution of 1879; in 1879 he was elected to the state assembly and served on the committee of public lands, taking a leading part in the successful effort to obtain the appropriation to build the present State Normal School at San Jose. In 1884, he was elected county treasurer of Santa Clara County and served his community four terms until 1892. In 1893 Mr. McComas became president of the Garden City Bank and Trust Company, which he filled for six years, and after his resignation as president of the bank, he spent his remaining years on his ranch. He passed away in April, 1903, an honored member of the Masons and Eastern Star, his widow surviving him until July, 1905. His mar- riage in Platte County, Mo., in 1853 united him with Miss Ann E. Swope, a native of Kentucky and they were the parents of eight children; four of whom are now living; Cora M. the wife of the late D. W. Burchard; Ella, now Mrs. W. F. Cole; Harriett, and Henry W., the subject of this sketch.

Henry W., the youngest child, was educated in the grammar and high schools of San Jose. He was graduated from high school in June, 1891, and was employed in the county treasurer's office during the last term of his father's incumbency; he then be- gan the study of law in the offices of Judge F. E. Spencer and D. W. Burchard and was admitted to the bar in 1895. He has successfully practiced since then, making a specialty of civil and probate law cases. For seven years he served in Company B. of the National Guard and largely through his in- fluence Company M of the old Fifth Regiment, N. G. C, was formed for service during the Spanish- American War. He has always been affiliated with the Republican party and believes that the prin- ciples advocated by this party can best serve the na- tion. He is an active member of San Jose Parlor No. 22, N. S. G. W., of which he is secretary. Al- ways interested in the welfare of orphans, Mr. Mc- Comas is serving as local chairman of the Native Sons and Native Daughters Homeless Children's committee, in which work the above two orders are sponsors and in this way are able to place for adop- tion the homeless child in a childless home. Dur- ing the recent war, he served his country as county chairman of the Four Minute Men, having charge of about thirty speakers and in that way did very effective work. His service received recognition from the government in a form of a Certificate of Honor issued by the committee on public information; aside from this he was also active in the various Lib- erty Bond, Red Cross and other war drives. In addition to his busy professional life, Mr. McComas takes a live interest in horticulture, and spends his week-ends on the old home ranch at Agnew, the property of himself and his sister, Harriette. Forty acres are devoted to the raising of pears, in which he takes great pride. He was active in the organiza- tion of the California Pear Growers' Association, which organization has done so much to forward and promote the pear industry in California. He is also a great lover of floriculture and has raised some

Joel Ransom

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

fine specimens of dahlias and chrysanthemums and has the honor of having the McComas Dahlia named after him. Mr. McComas is an active mem- ber of the San Jose Chamber of Commerce and a charter member of the Commercial Club, and is affiliated with the Christian Church of San Jose, of which his parents were members. Thus his life record is praiseworthy, containing many points of interest and as a citizen he is highly esteemed in the community of which he has so long been a valuable member.

JOEL W. RANSOM .- Since his first location in Santa Clara County in 1883, Joel W. Ransom lived in the vicinity of Madrone and Coyote until the day of his death, and to such men is due the progress and development of the county, which has earned for her the title, "The Garden of the World." At the time that Mr. Ransom acquired his ranches they were hay and grain fields and the progress in their cultivation and development has been a remarkable example of what industry and perseverance will ac- complish. The Madrone tract contained 402 acres; thirty acres were used for pasture land, while the balance was given over to the cultivation of fruit, which he superintended in setting out. In 1884 he set out an orchard of about thirty acres of apricots and three years later it bore a heavy crop, some of the trees bearing as much as one hundred pounds to the tree. He lost the entire crop and at once pulled out the trees and set out prunes. He planted about eighty-five acres in vineyard, table and raisin grapes; also in 1884 he planted sixty acres to French prunes and in 1885 100 acres were set to the same fruit, and in 1886 added ten acres more, making in all 270 acres in French prunes, which was at that time probably the largest French prune orchard in the world, containing 19,000 trees. The farm resi- dence was a commodious, one-story building, well adapted to the needs of his family. Much attention was given to the grounds surrounding the residence and numerous varieties of tropical and semi-tropical plants could be found in them. At the same time that he bought the property at Madrone some six miles from this ranch, at Coyote, he purchased a portion of the old Fisher grant that contained a little over eighty-three acres; on this place he set out the orchard and a small vineyard; there was a fine two- story residence with all modern conveniences on the place, and this he moved into in 1892.

Joel W. Ransom was born in Salem, New London County, Ct., October 4, 1821. His parents, John S. and Lydia (Newton) Ransom, came from old New England families, and his paternal grandfather served in the Revolutionary War. His father was a farmer and was born in 1788 and passed away in 1871, eighty-three years old. Joel was reared in his native county until he left home in 1841 to make his own way. He went south and located at Cahaba, Ala., and engaged in the general merchandise business; while there he heard of the discovery of gold in California and disposing of his property he set out for New Orleans on January 22, 1849, where he hoarded a schooner for Panama. He was twenty- four days crossing the Isthmus; he waited over two months for a sailing vessel that would take him to San Francisco. On the ninety-first day out from Panama he sailed through the Golden Gate.

He at once went into the mines and his history from that time is the history of nearly every miner of those days; he had his ups and downs, and mined throughout Northern California. In 1862 he went to Idaho and from there to British Columbia and later to Montana, where in 1866 he established him- self in Butte City and remained there until he re- moved to Santa Clara County; he engaged in several kinds of businesses and in the years of 1871-72 was county assessor of Deer Lodge County, Montana, a territory at that time.

Mr. Ransom's marriage in Montana, on December 9, 1878, united him with Mrs. James Ruy, now de- ceased. Since 1892 Miss Harriet N. Harvey, a daugh- ter of his favorite sister, has made her home on the Ransom ranch and caring for her uncle. Prior to his death he deeded to her the eighty-three acres where they were living. He was an active member of the Odd Fellows and lived up to the precepts of the order. He passed away July 11, 1897, honored and beloved by all who were privileged to know him.

H. G. DODDS .- A native son of California and now a retired resident of San Jose, H. G. Dodds was born at Todd's Valley, Placer County, Cal., September 29, 1858, a son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Fulton) Dodds. Thomas Dodds was born in Scot- land, later migrating to Indiana, where his marriage occurred. During the year of 1850 he crossed the plains with an ox-team, settling at Todd's Valley. In 1852 his wife came by the way of the Isthmus of Panama and joined him in Placer County. The father was engaged in mining, in which he had fair success. He was a public-spirited man, serving his community as county assessor and supervisor and also as justice of the peace. He owned a small ranch, which he cultivated and made his home. Mr. and Mrs. Dodds were the parents of nine children, three of whom are deceased, the subject of this sketch being the oldest son.

H. G. Dodds received his education in the com- mon schools of Placer County. When nineteen years of age, he went to Nevada, where he worked in the Comstock mine for four years, then removed to Mexico, settling in the state of Sinaloa, where he worked in the silver mines. His employer was the noted mining engineer, Clarence King, and under his direction and close association he received val- uable and practical experience. Later he moved to the state of Zacatecas, an elevation of 8000 feet above sea-level. Later he prospected and opened a silver and gold mine which he sold to a company and remained as its manager. In 1894 he returned to San Francisco and settled in San Jose, where he was married to Miss Ida Humphrey, a daughter of a Placer County pioneer; she was also born and reared in Todd's Vallcy. her people migrating to California in 1851 from Connecticut. Mr. and Mrs. Dodds are the parents of two children; Lauren, a graduate of Stanford University, now a resident of San Francisco, employed by the Pacific Gas and Electric Company. He married Miss Ann Tabor, residing at Palo Alto, also a graduate of the Stan- ford University; Alice is a student, at the present time, of Stanford.

Mr. Dodds then engaged in mining in Trinity and Tuolumne counties and was fairly successful. In 1901, during the great excitement at Nome, Alaska, he joined the exodus of the thousands headed for

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

the gold fields. He became well acquainted with the late Charles Lane, the millionaire mining man of California and Alaska, and was associated with him in various mining ventures. Self-made and self- reliant, Mr. Dodds has accumulated a considerable fortune owning valuable mining property in Alaska and elsewhere. He enjoys the best of health, and he had his family are living in contentment in their beau- tiful residence at 386 South Eleventh Street, erected in 1920. All enterprises that tend toward the up- building of his home city and county have his hearty support, and it is doubtful if a native son could feel a deeper interest in and love for Santa Clara County than does he, and he enjoys the respect of a large circle of friends and acquaintances.

HARRY E. CLOUSER .- It is interesting to chron- icle the history of a young man who uses his spare moments to originate a method to bring out and make an article that will excel as a building material and yet cheapen the cost, a matter very important in these days, when the great forests of our country are being so rapidly depleted. Such a man is Harry E. Clouser, inventor and patentee of the duplex inter- locking building block, who was born at DuBois, Pa., January 30, 1876. A son of John W. Clouser, a farmer and lumberman, Harry naturally assisted his father and learned farming and lumbering while he grew to manhood; at the same time, however, his education was not neglected, for he completed the courses at the local schools in DuBois. When twenty-one years of age he started for himself, working at the carpen- ter's trade in DuBois until he found his way to Pitts- burg, Pa., where he engaged in contracting and build- ing from 1901 until 1909. In that year he removed to Portland, Ore., and in that city he followed the same line. In 1916 he removed to Stockton, Cal., where he was successful as a building contractor, and it was while thus engaged that he perfected the du- plex interlocking building block, which he patented. In 1921 he organized the Duplex Construction Equip- ment Company, of which he is manager, with head- quarters in San Jose and San Francisco, the main plant being in the latter city. The equipment for the manufacture of this method of construction is specially constructed moulds made of the best grade of machine brass and the press is a high pressure machine of an estimated pressure of forty-two tons. · The units of this construction can be manufactured either by hand or machinery, additional units can be added as trade and business demands. The finished product is absolutely moisture proof and in building construction eliminates lathing, as plaster can be suc- cessfully placed directly on the walls. Units are rigidly cemented together by pouring in the grooves provided for the same, a neat cement "grout" which in the completed wall makes it monolithic or two solid slabs or walls bound together with reinforcing steel. This method of erection is adaptable to any type of building or construction from septic tanks and vaults to the most massive structures. By the sim- plicity of the method of manufacture and applica- tion in the building it is practical to use unskilled workmen except for supervision and thereby reducing the cost of concrete construction to that of frame construction. The development of this new industry was started in Stockton in the early part of 1920, the first building being erected in that city in June of that year. Since then about 200 buildings of various types

have been erected, from oil tanks, in and above ground, septic tanks, water tanks, reservoirs, to warehouses, dehydrating plants, cold storage plants, fruit houses, precooling plants, business buildings, garages and residences of various types.

This principle of a house within a house has been applied to modern construction by the inventor of the duplex construction system and has overcome ev- ery objection lodged against concrete houses or build- ings. A great advantage of this method of construc- tion is to lessen the volume of material used and at the same time making a stronger building by reason of separating the volume in two lines at a proportion- ate distance to its weight or thickness, giving a greater base area of wall. Then, too, it makes the building fireproof and can be manufactured wherever sand and cement can be procured. All the essentials of comfort, stability and durability are incorporated, and at a cost reduced to that of frame construction, which means much in this day of the rapidly diminishing American forests, thus saving the pine and spruce for other urgent needs. Three basic patents have been allowed and others are pending. Associated with Mr. Clouser, are Floyd O. Bohnett and L. D. Bohnett, two prominent young men of Campbell and San Josc. This method has not only been introduced all over California and the coast, but in the East.

Mr. Clouser was married in DuBois, Pa., to Miss Jennie E. Brown, born in Penfield, Pa., a woman of much culture and a lovable character, who lived for her family and gave her influence for the good of the community. Mr. Clouser was bereaved of his faithful wife May 15, 1922, a good woman, deeply mourned by her family and many friends. Their union was blessed with five children. Russell is a farmer at Harrington, Del. Blanche is the wife of James E. Trayer and presides over her father's home. Edna F. is Mrs. Geo. Thompson of Escalon. Annie and John are at home. Mr. Clouser is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and is a public-spir- ited man, being optimistic for the great future of his country and ready at all times to give of his time and means to the upbuilding of this great commonwealth.

THE SAN JOSE ABSTRACT AND TITLE INSURANCE COMPANY .- The success of a title guaranty company rests primarily on the broadness of vision of the men who conduct its affairs and there is no greater business calamity that could hap- pen to a community striving to grow in a real estate sense than to have a title guaranty company with narrow-minded men at the head of it. Some cities have such companies and such men and they are a distinct detriment in a commercial sense to the com- munity they exist in-they are throttlers of legiti- mate real estate and mortgage business and a bane on real estate activity. The progressive, up-to-date community of San Jose is fortunate in having such a forceful organization as the San Jose Abstract and Title Insurance Company. It is a distinct asset, not only to those interested in real estate, but for the commercial good of all of San Jose. The San Jose Abstract and Title Insurance Company is located at 76 North First Street and dates back with its prede- cessors to the year of 1867, having succeeded to the business of all of the early searchers of records, ex- cept Edward Halsey, whose books and business have more recently been added to this concern. T. C. Edward became interested in abstracting in the sev-

Harry &. Clouser ,

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

enties and in 1891 with Edgar Pomeroy, Sam P. Howes and J. M. Pitman, all pioneers, as owners and founders of the business incorporated the San Jose Abstract Company. They are all living and residents of San Jose and Santa Clara County, T. C. Edwards being the only one of the four who is now actively interested in the company today, being its present president. They formed this company as a partnership, consolidating all the leading ab- stractors of San Jose during the year of 1891, tak- ing in the Edwards & Pitman Abstract Company and the Pomeroy & Howes Company, first embark- ing under the name of the San Jose Abstract Com- pany. The company has recently been reorganized in order to comply with California's stringent laws pertaining to guarantors of land titles and was in- corporated February 1, 1920, under the name of the San Jose Abstract and Title Insurance Company, with a capital and surplus of $250,000 and it now guarantees titles as well as making abstracts. The business is conducted along the most modern busi- ness lines, Judge Tuttle of the San Jose Bar, an authority on land titles and real estate law, be- ing its principal title examiner. The officers are as follows: T. C. Edwards, president; Hiram D. Tuttle, vice-president; M. E. Lennon, secretary; L. P. Edwards, the son of T. C. Edwards, is general manager. They employ about twenty-five people, all specialists in their lines, being proficient in their work as searchers and abstractors. This company has the only complete set of abstract books in the county and can guarantee every title passed upon. It has put up $100,000 in securities, with the State Insurance Department which is held by the State Treasury as provided by laws of California, the company's patrons being protected in this manner, and is progressing under its new incorporation, do- ing a general abstract and title guarantee business, and attending to escrows. Its valuable set of ab- stract books are kept in fireproof concrete vaults, which were especially built for its records during the time the company was known as the San Jose Abstract Company. This company built and owns the building which bears its name, which is very conveniently located near the Hall of Records of Santa Clara County. Originally there were forty- one Spanish grants, and there are now about 50,000 separate parcels of land in Santa Clara County and the San Jose Abstract and Title Insurance Com- pany has the complete records of every title and every transfer, Lis pendens, mortgages and other in- struments ever recorded in Santa Clara County.

ALEX. BERRYESSA .- An industrious, progres- sive and very successful rancher who may well be proud of his association with a family group of some of the sturdiest and worthiest of California pioneers, is Alex. Berryessa, who lives just south of Alviso, about seven miles north of San Jose. He is not only a Californian, filled with the spirit of the Golden State, but he is a native son, and was born on the ranch now occupied by J. M. Lords, and which was long known as the old Berryessa Ranch. He first saw the light on February 1, 1870, when he became the son of Guadalupe Berryessa, a cousin of Jose J. Berryessa, the well-known Santa Claran. Guada- lupe Berryessa was born in Santa Clara County, on what is now known as the Richards Ranch, on the Alviso Road, fought for the Union in the Civil

War, and married one of the attractive ladies of the neighborhood, Miss Nettie Sanchez, still alive, seventy-four years old, and a resident of Alviso. The paternal grandfather died in the period of cholera, hence our subject does not know much about his forebears, except that they were early-timers. Guada- lupe Berryessa was one of a family of six children, and grew up to be a very experienced rancher.

Alexander went to the Berryessa school, and when eighteen he struck out to support himself. Four years later, he was able to set himself up in farming as his own master, and sometimes to give a helping hand to others in the family. Guada- lupe and Nettie Berryessa had ten children: Alex- ander; Frank, now deceased; Guadalupe, Jr., resides with his mother at Alviso; Fred, Minnie, Ellen, Ada, Mollie, all dead; Lena, is now Mrs. Cyril Glasser and lives at San Francisco; Lillie is deceased.

Alexander Berryessa is managing with his char- acteristic vigor and farsightedness his ranch of seventy-seven acres on the Alviso Road, ten acres of which are devoted to pears, forty to farm-land and the rest to apples, and in this scientific ranching he is ably assisted by his good wife, who was Miss Ella Baumbach, a popular American of German birtlı. Her parents were Cave and Augusta (Stranch) Baumbach; Mrs. Berryessa's parents af- forded her the best educational advantages, first in Germany and then in the United States, to which country she came when a child, accompanying her mother, who died here, September 29, 1921. Mr. and Mrs. Berryessa were married at Oakland in February, 1903. Now they have six children, and each promises to confer additional credit on the good old Berryessa name. The eldest is Elizabeth, who is now the wife of Edgar Monsees, of San Francisco; then comes Myrtle and Alexander, Jr., and the others are Edward, Ethel and Frank.

EDWARD C. ROBERTSON .- The son of one of San Jose's pioneer merchants, Edward C. Robertson is successfully engaged in ranching on a part of the old Robertson estate near Edenvale, where he was born on December 27, 1873. His parents, John and Margaret (Curry) Robertson were both natives of Northern Scotland, members of fine old families there. John Robertson was a shoemaker and very expert in his trade, and desiring the broader opportunity of America for himself and his family. he came to this country in 1868, crossing the continent to San Jose, where he established himself in the boot and shoe business, and was thus numbered among the early business men of this city, carrying on the business for about three years. Fully satisfied that this was an ideal place of residence, he sent for his wife and children to join him the following year. He passed away in 1908, an honored citizen, being sixty-eight years old, Mrs. Robertson survived him until 1915, when she died at Edenvale, aged seventy-four.

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 212

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