History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 215

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

USA > California > Santa Clara County > History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches > Part 215

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

offices of the local organization. He is a past worthy master and since 1913 he has been state treasurer of the California Grange and with his wife has attended every state session, being elected a member of the executive committee at the first session. Mr. Farrell is the local chairman of the "sign-up" committee of the Prune and Apricot Growers, Inc .; a charter mein- ber of the Farmers and Merchants National Bank of Mountain View, he assisted in its organization and was on its first board of directors, a large stockholder, he is now serving as its vice-president and one of the board of directors. Mrs. Farrell has been active in civic and social circles and is a charter member and ex-president of the Mountain View Woman's Club, and is a charter member and past president of Col. Peter Porter Circle of Ladies of the G. A. R. of Mountain View. She is interested in the cause of edu- cation and for nine years was president of the board of trustees of the Mountain View grammar and high schools. She is chairman of the Mountain View auxiliary of the American Red Cross and gave valu- able service during the war, as did her husband, who was active in all the drives and other Government ac- tivities. Mr. and Mrs. Farrell are members of St. Joseph's Catholic Church at Mountain View.

GEORGE WASHINGTON TALLMON. - A hale and hearty octogenarian resident of Morgan Hill, whose more than four score years rest lightly on his shoulders, is George Washington Tallmon, a native of Chautauqua County, N. Y., where he was born near the village of Dunkirk on October 12, 1837. The family removed to Iowa in pioneer days and Mr. Tallmon was educated in the schools at Davenport, then entered Iowa College at Daven- port for a preparatory college course, finishing his schooling at Beloit College, Beloit, Wis., and fol- lowed the teaching profession, being principal of the school at Davenport, Iowa, when he enlisted on September 6, 1862. in Company E, Twentieth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and was made second ser- geant and a year later was commissioned as first lieutenant. He was active on the various fronts dur- ing his term of enlistment, though spent considerable time on detached duty. His company wintered at Prairie Grove and in the winter of 1862-63 Mr. Tall- mon returned north as a recruiting officer. In March, 1863, he rejoined his company and went to St. Louis, rejoined his regiment and embarked on boats at St. Louis, Mo., going down the Mississippi, besieging Vicksburg on July 4, 1863. The shortage of sup- plies necessitated a heavy guard and in this work and in solving the problem of getting additional food for the troops Mr. Tallmon had many exciting and unusual experiences. After the surrender of Vicksburg and Port Hudson, he finally went on to Washington, D. C. He resigned his commission on May 9, 1865.

Settling in Scott County, Iowa, on his return from the war, he became extensively interested in stock and grain farming, raising as high as 6,000 bushels a season. He was prominent in the public life of the locality, and held the offices of school director and justice of the peace for many years. During the war, on March 2, 1862, Mr. Tallmon was united in marriage with Miss Susan Carhart, a native of Syracuse, N. Y., who passed away at their home at Grinnell, Iowa. They were the parents of twelve children, as follows: Grace died in infancy; Ada

1396

HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

died at the age of twelve; Angeline is the wife ofcilia, and after them the twins, Charles and Rich- Rev. Burton Jones,-they reside at Forest Grove, Ore., and have eight children; Clara is the wife of Professor Lines Jones of Oberlin College and is the mother of five children; George Albert, a rancher at Morgan Hill, is married and has ten children; Susan married Rev. B. F. Sargent and they reside at Berkeley; Lucy is the wife of Harry Miler of Walnut Creek and they have four children; Marga- ret married Dr. L. Rutherford of Peoria. Ill., and they have five children; Clover married L. D. Smith, has four children and lives in Humboldt County; Esther is a teacher at Morgan Hill; Edith is a mis- sionary in China; John died at the age of eighteen.

In 1902 Mr. Tallmon came to California, seeking a milder climate, and for a time resided at Berkeley, removing to Santa Clara County in 1906. Since coming here he has acquired seventy-seven acres in Willow Canyon and his residence and ten- acre ranch on Dunne Avenue, near Morgan Hill, where he lives in comfortable retirement, wide-awake and interested in all the issues of the day. He has always been prominent in G. A. R. circles, belong- ing to Lookout Mountain Post at Berkeley. He is a stanch Republican and has been since the days when lie cast his presidential vote for Lincoln, and one of his cherished memories is the speech it was his privilege to hear the Great Emancipator make at Beloit, Wis., before he became president.

JOHN ANDREWS FREITAS .- A prominent rancher of Santa Clara County is John Andrews Freitas, who was born on September 15, 1887, the son of Joseph and Lucretia (Cumbra) Freitas, natives of Madeira, in the Azores Islands. They removed to Hawaii and there lived for four years; and in 1897 they reached California, after which Mr. Freitas was busy in Oakland, at various kinds of labor. They had eight children, among whom our subject was the seventh. Mary, the eldest is now Mrs. Dupont, in Oakland; then there is Ernest Freitas; Antone a farmer in East San Jose; Manuel lives on the Al- maden Road, near Los Gatos; Marsoline lives at Santa Clara; the next arc Joseph and Margaret.

When he was seven years old, John Andrews ac- companied his parents to Santa Clara, and in that town he attended the grammar school. At the age of eighteen, he began to make his own way in the world, and he worked on farms, at the Western Distilleries at Agnew and for ten years he was employed by the San Jose Brick Company. In 1919, he took up farming and rented twelve and one-half acres of prune and apricot land at the corner of Kirk and McKee streets. At the end of two years he leased 150 acres, five acres of which were given up to a vineyard, and there he has prospered. Proud of the land in which he has found such advantages, Mr. Freitas, as a good Republican, has sought to do his duty as a citizen, and to enthuse others with the same admiration for America.

In Oakland, Cal., on June 29, 1908, Mr. Freitas was married to Miss Margaret Fereirra, the daugh- ter of Manuel and Antonia Fereirra, both natives of St. Miguel in the Azores. Mrs. Freitas came to the United States when she was eight years old, and for another eight years lived in Boston, Mass .; then removed to Oakland. Ten children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Freitas. Willard W. is the oldest son, then come Alice May, and Margaret Ce-

ard, and then Manuel, Dolores Madaline, Roy Jo- seph, Daniel Andrews and Robert James

JOHN J. MICHEL .- A native son of California, John J. Michel has demonstrated what industry and perseverance will accomplish in this favored section. He was born at Nicholas, Sutter County, September 1, 1874, the son of John Adam and Anna Margaret (Krieg) Michel. The father came to Cali- fornia in the '60's, from his native country of Ger- many, having been born at Abrefaussen. He had engaged in farming in his native land, and after set- tling in California bought land in Sutter County and continued to farm, raising grain and stock. He passed away in 1900, but the mother still lives at the age of eighty and is hale and hearty. They were the parents of seven children: Frank Joseph; Mary Eva, now Mrs. Otto Abel of Cupertino; Kasper Joseph; John J. of this review; Folka Margretta, now Mrs. Hous- ley; Elizabeth Catherine, Mrs. Waters of Shasta County; and Regina Hermina.

John J. attended the public schools of Nicholas and helped his father on his ranch until he came to Santa Clara County. He was married at Nicholas on June 30, 1915 to Miss Folka Margaretta Peter, a native daughter, born at Nicholas, Cal., a daughter of Kasper Joseph and Regina (Bergardt) Peter, the father a farmer. Her mother's people came from Germany and settled in California many years ago. Mrs. Michel obtained her education in the schools of Nicolaus. During 1915, Mr. Michel came to Santa Clara County and bought a ten-acre orchard on the Homestead Road a half mile west of the Collins school house and has continued to live there. Mr. and Mrs. Michel are the parents of two children, Helen Virginia, and Esther Margaret. Mr. Michel is a Republican and votes for and supports the candidates of that party.

OTTO ABEL .- An enterprising rancher of the Santa Clara Valley, who by industry and persever- ance has succeeded in accumulating a substantial competence, and comfortable home, is Otto Abel, who owns a fine orchard on the Homestead Road. He was born in the Rhine Province, Germany, June 22, 1865, the son of John and Eva Abel, both natives of that country, and there he was reared on a farm and received his education, remaining at home until he was eighteen years old, when he left home, bound for America and California. He settled first in the Sac- ramento Valley and did farm work for ten years near Marysville, Cal., then removing to the Santa Clara Valley he bought ten acres on the Foxworthy Road. For five years he farmed this place and worked for neighboring farmers, thus enabling him to pay for his ranch. He resided on this place for twelve years, then disposed of it and rented a fifteen-acre fruit ranch, and ran this for two years; then in 1907 bought the thirty-acre orchard on the Homestead Road. This ranch was set to prunes, but was an old orchard and Mr. Abel pulled out the old trees and planted it anew; also built a new house and other buildings, making substantial and attractive improvements.

Mr. Abel's marriage occurred in the fall of 1893 in Sacramento, and united him with Miss Eva Michel, a native daughter born near Nicolaus, Sutter County, a daughter of Adam and Margaret Michel. Both parents were natives of the Rhine Province in Ger- many, and were farmers there. They are the par-

James M. Kenyon

1399

HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

ents of three children; Anna, now Mrs. H. J. Baum- gartner, residing on a ranch; Lawrence resides in Sunnyvale; and Edward lives at home with his par- ents. Mr. Abel disposed of ten acres of his ranch in 1915, retaining the balance of twenty acres.

JAMES MONROE KENYON .- A worthy repre- sentative of a prominent pioneer family, James Mon- roe Kenyon, was born on the old Kenyon ranch on Homestead Road, three miles west of Santa Clara, February 26, 1863, the son of James Monroe and Mar- tha (Roberts) Kenyon. The father first came to Cal- ifornia in 1849 and the following year bought the ranch on Homestead Road. He was a native of Adams County, Ohio, born May 29, 1817, on the banks of the Ohio River. The paternal grandfather, Jonathan Kenyon, a native of Vermont, came to Ohio when a young man, located in Adams County and engaged in farming. He served as a soldier in the War of 1812, and was a stanch Republican to the day of his death; he married Sarah Stratton, born in Kentucky, her father Aaron Stratton, a native of Virginia, having removed to the Blue Grass state, where he engaged in the manufacture of salt. He was an extensive slave owner and a man of prom- in:ence in the community, where he died in 1829. He was also a soldier in the War of 1812. James Mon- roe Kenyon, Sr., received a good education in the public schools, and helped his father on the farm until he was sixteen years of age, when he was ap- prenticed to learn the carpenter's trade. He did con- tracting and building throughout the county and in Cincinnati. He then went to St. Louis and followed his trade for a time; then to Alton, Ill .; he then re- turned to his Ohio home and followed his trade for a few months. In company with his two brothers, Samuel and Thompson, he went to Missouri and worked at his trade, and in 1849 he started for Cal- ifornia, making the trip with ox-teams. Upon his arrival in the spring of 1850, he went into the mines and remained there until the fall of the same year when he came to Santa Clara Valley. Mrs. Kenyon was a native of Lewis County, Ky., the daughter of

Woodford Roberts. Her mother died while they lived in Kentucky and after Mrs. Kenyon located in California, Mr. Roberts came west on a visit in 1889, passing away a few years later at an advanced age. Mr. and Mrs. Kenyon had a large family, six of whom grew to maturity. Mrs. Sarah F. Gardner was a resident of Santa Clara County until her death; John Fletcher is deceased; Harvey Thompson, deceased; Mrs. Emma Slavens of Santa Clara; B. Frank resides on the old home place; and James Monroe, of this sketch. The father had been an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church since he was sixteen years of age; he passed away in 1907 at the age of ninety years and Mrs. Kenyon died the same year.

James Monroe Kenyon was educated in the public schools of Santa Clara and the College of the Pacific. In Santa Clara occurred his marriage at the age of nineteen to Miss Mira Rea, a native of Placer County, Cal., who passed away in 1918, the mother of three children; Elsie V., now Mrs. Brickly, and resides in Los Angeles; Minnie E., Mrs. McNally, resided in Tuolumne County until she passed away in March, 1922, and Addie I. is Mrs. Paul Nerell and lives in San Jose. There are seven grandchildren. After his marriage, Mr. Kenyon farmed a portion of the

old home place and in 1885, he removed to Aptos. Santa Cruz County, where he engaged in farming and became the possessor of a 160-acre ranch, a portion of it overlooking Monterey Bay and Salinas Valley. Here he set out an apple orchard; half of the prop- erty is still in native timber with its tall redwood trees. He still owns the ranch, but in 1908 returned to Santa Clara County, taking up his residence on his present place of fifty acres on Fruitvale Avenue. Here he devotes his time to raising prunes and apricots and has developed it into a very valuable place. In polities Mr. Kenyon is a Republican; he is master of Santa Clara County Pomona Grange, serving his second term and is a member of the Saratoga Im- provement Association. He joined the Methodist Church when a young man of seventeen years, is now a member of the Saratoga Methodist Episcopal Church in which he is secretary of the board of trus- tees and recording steward. He takes pride in be- ing a member of the Santa Clara County Pioneer Society, and can be counted upon to assist and en- dorse all progressive measures.

RUFUS E. STEWART .- A man of vigorous ac- tivities, who knows how to persevere and to give his energy and intelligent direction to the task at hand, Rufus E. Stewart holds the responsible position as manager of the Esperanza Ranch on the San Jose- Saratoga Road, near Cupertino. Mr. Stewart can well be proud of his association with the Golden State, as he is not only a native son, but the son of an intrepid pioneer of '49, that hardy band whose ranks are growing thinner year by year. He was born at San Diego, February 26, 1881. the son of Robert M. and Mary (Ellef) Stewart, born in Texas and Tennessee, respectively. Mrs. Stewart passed away some years ago, and the father passed away in December, 1921, at the age of eighty-one, having had an eventful life as a miner in Texas, Arizona and California, coming here at the height of the gold rush, crossing the plains in an ox-team train in 1849, and afterwards engaged in stock raising in San Diego County. He was one of the developers of the Dia- mond Mine in that county, and owned a 3,000-acre ranch; he afterwards farmed near Santa Ana. Rufus E. Stewart was educated in the schools of Los An- geles, the family having removed to the vicinity of that city, and he then became interested in farming and stock raising, gaining a thorough and practical experience. From the time he was a lad he was em- ployed by Thomas H. B. Varney, of Varney, Green & Owens, known throughout Southern California as bill posters and sign painters. Mr. Varney treated him as if he had been a son, and a warm friendship sprang up which has endured ever since. In 1913 Mr. Stewart came to Santa Clara County as super- intendent of the Meads ranch at Alviso, and the great care he gave their pear orchard brought it up to good production and put it on a profitable basis. After two and a half years he resigned this position to accept his present place, offered him by his old friend, Thomas H. B. Varney, as superintendent of the Esperanza Ranch. In 1916 Mr. Varney pur- chased the ranch and a few weeks later bought the Col. Hersey ranch, adjoining, the two comprising 115 acres, and Mr. Stewart as superintendent has given it his best efforts in the development, and is rapidly bringing the orchards into splendid shape, the quality of the fruit being a very high standard.

1400

HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

During the busy season he employs fifteen people to assist him in handling the products of this large acre- age. The ranch is well equipped with the latest im- proved farm machinery, including a tractor, and the fruit of the orchards is handled by the California Prune and Apricot Growers' Association, for both Mr. Stewart and Mr. Varney are strong believers in cooperative marketing. Mr. Stewart has been a close student of horticulture and his valuable experi- ence and close observation make him well posted and authoritative in his line. He is very systematic and methodical, so from the first day on the Esperanza Ranch he has a record (card system) of every detail and transaction, including a weather report.

In Santa Cruz, on November 4, 1908, Mr. Stewart was married to Miss Annie Livingston, who, like himself, is a native of California, born in San Fran- cisco, a daughter of Henry H. and Agnes (Bodell) Livingston, who were natives of Ohio and Chicago, Ifl., respectively. When a youth her father crossed the plains over the overland trail in pioneer days with his parents, and when the Civil War was raging he enlisted in defense of the Union, serving in a Cali- fornia regiment. He died in 1913, being survived by his widow until 1914. Mrs. Stewart was reared in Fruitvale and there received a good education in the public schools. She is a woman of much native business ability and is intensely interested in her hus- band's work, aiding and encouraging him materially in his ambition, and Mr. Stewart gives her no small credit for the success he has accomplished as a hor- ticulturist. Mr. Stewart is a Democrat in his po- litical affiliations and a loyal supporter of all that makes for the upbuilding of Santa Clara County. He is fond of the open, and spends as much of his time in outdoor recreation as his busy life will permit.

JOSEPH WOLF .- About three miles west of Santa Clara on the Wolf Road, is the well-tilled farm of twelve acres belonging to Joseph Wolf, an industrious and honorable citizen of Santa Clara County. Mr. Wolf was born in Minneapolis, Minn., July 3, 1866, the son of Antone and Elizabeth (Murer) Wolf. The father was a native of Ger- many and came to Minneapolis when a young man and was married after arriving here. When he arrived in Minneapolis it was a small town and he could have taken a 160 acre claim now in the city of Minneapolis but like hundreds of other pioneers he had the desire of locating where there was tim- ber, so he took a claim in Medina township, about eighteen miles out, and cleared the land. When he had it well improved he sold it and bought a small farm at Crystal Lake, four miles from Minneapolis. There he built the first hotel, the Crystal Lake, and was its proprietor for ten years when he rented it and lived in Minneapolis. When the hotel burned he built a large brick hotel; later he sold it and came to California in 1886 and spent the rest of his life in the Cupertino district as did the mother.

Joseph was their only child and he was educated in the public schools of Minneapolis. When he reached sixteen years of age he was apprenticed to learn the machinist trade in the Perry Machine Shops adjoining the big flour mills and became an experienced machinist, working at his trade for four years. In 1886 with his parents he came to California and upon arrival settled in Santa Clara County. He purchased an eighty-acre tract of land

a quarter of a mile north of the Homestead Road, three miles west of Santa Clara. The ranch was grain land, and he was among the first to set out vineyards and orchards. When it was all set ont, he began selling portions of it, until now he has only twelve and one-half acres left, which is in full-bear- ing cherries, apricots and prunes; there is an ir- rigating plant on the place that flows 350 gallons to the minute. Since settling on the ranch, Mr. Wolf has made substantial improvements in the way of a comfortable residence and other buildings. In 1909 he was instrumental in having the road put through from the Homestead to the San Francisco Road and it was named the Wolf Road in his honor.

Mr. Wolf's marriage occurred in October, 1916, and united him with Mrs. Villa (Amos) Graham, born in Iowa. She passed away in December, 1919, leaving an adopted daughter, Grace Graham, who presides gracefully over his home. Of recent years, Mr. Wolf has been engaged in general hanling and is equipped with a three and a half ton truck and a two ton truck, which are especially adapted to the hauling of fruit from orchards; he also has a Sampson tractor with which he does orchard work; and a wood saw for sawing stove and furnace wood. Mr. Wolf has fitted up a machine shop on his ranch run by a gasoline engine that furnishes power for his turning lathe, circular saw and other ma- chinery; he also does auto-body building and has invented an auto-body that serves two purposes, for general hauling and for hauling fruit from orchards. He is a member of the California Prune and Apricot Association and the California Cooperative Canneries.

RALPH W. EATON-The worthy son of a dis- tinguished pioneer, now retired, Ralph W. Eaton is interesting, first because of his family connections, and secondly on account of what he himself has ac- complished to add to the credit and honor of the family name. He was born at Sterling, Reno County, Kans., on May 27, 1882, the eldest son of Ernest C. and Viola L. (Merrell) Eaton, and a maternal grand- son of Major William Merrell, who served as a major under General Sherman in the Civil War and was later prominent in G. A. R. circles in California, where he died. On July 12, 1901, Mr. Eaton re- moved with his parents from Kansas to California. where his father invested in a ranch on Homestead Road, a fine orchard tract of twenty acres two miles out of Santa Clara.

Ralph attended the Santa Clara high school for a couple of terms, and soon was working as a rancher and the stand-by of his parents. In July, 1910, he signed a contract with the Government to transport mail by automobile from San Jose to Mt. Hamilton -a new departure from the old-time method of horse and stage-and only after he had conducted this en- terprise for three and a half years did he sell out to a Mr. McCormick. Since that time, and before he entered the service of the Government, Mr. Eaton has been a Santa Clara Valley orchardist. He bought and sold several ranches with profit, and at present owns a ranch on the White Road, four miles from San Jose, which he has improved from a stubblefield to a prune and peach orchard.

Ernest C. Eaton, the father of our subject, made an enviable reputation as a very successful operator in ranch land, by himself highly developed, and as one of the most respected directors of the San Jose

1403

HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

Mutual Loan Association; and Ralph Eaton, al- though still a young man, has certainly proven a chip off the old block. His parents were always con- sistent prohibitionists, and he has been equally con- scientious as a progressive in national politics, and in every way a first-class "booster" of the region in which he lives, works and thrives.

At San Jose, May 24, 1906, Mr. Eaton was married to Miss Beulah James, born at Mattoon, Ill., the daughter of D. W. James, of Santa Clara, the well- known mechanic, who is a native of Illinois and mar- ried a native Ohioan, Miss Olive Crowel, like him- self a pioneer worthy of the honor of posterity. One child, Joyce La Verne, blessed this union; and she is a student at Horace Mann School. The family reside in their comfortable and hospitable home at 799 South Seventh Street, and with his wife Mr. Eaton is a member of the Methodist Church.

FLOYD O. BOHNETT .- For over a half century the Bohnett family has been continuously identified with the agricultural development of Santa Clara County and in this field of activity Floyd O. Bohnett is proving a worthy successor of his father, being recognized as one of the most progressive orchardists of this part of the state. He was born on the old home place on the Los Gatos and San Jose road, August 15, 1894, his parents being Joseph and Tamer (Barker) Bohnett, born in Michigan and California, respectively. In 1870 the father came to California from Michigan, purchasing a tract of 180 acres in Santa Clara County, which he farmed a few years and then sold and bought fifty acres on the Los Gatos Road; here he set out an orchard and after twenty- eight years sold it to his son Floyd O. He now lives retired in a bungalow on an acre of the ranch. He was very successful in his farming operations and in 1888 erected a beautiful home, in which our subject is now living. The mother passed away in September, 1920. They had eleven children, five girls and six boys, all living, and all but two of them in Santa Clara County.

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

History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 215

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