History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 235

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

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Mr. Nicholson was united in marriage on April 7, 1920, with Miss Marie Irilarry, a resident of San Francisco. Fraternally he is an Elk and a member of the Modern Woodmen of America; the Knights of Columbus and American Legion; also is active in the State and County Bar Association. He is a member of the Catholic Church of San Jose. He has made rapid progress in his professional work and is counted among the prominent and success- ful lawyers of Santa Clara County.

WILLIAM A. WOLFF .- A native son, William A. Wolff was born in San Francisco, October 10. 1888, a son of Peter and Elizabeth Wolff. The father was among the early settlers of California, coming here in 1870 from Schleswig-Holstein, where he was born under the Danish flag. He was a school teacher for nine years, but after coming to California he engaged in farming and dairying, first in Marin County, and then in San Francisco where he is still active in the dairy business. Mr. and Mrs. Wolff are the parents of four children: Beulah, William A., Fred, deceased, and Helen. The second eldest. William A., attended school in San Francisco and helped his father in the business. Quite early in life he started out for himself, going first to San Mateo County, where he worked for wages on ranches; later he did dredging work on the Sacra- mento River and inland points for the Olympic Dredging Company of San Francisco. In 1916 he came to Santa Clara County to work for his uncle, Claus Wolff, who owned a ranch on the Home- stead Road about one-half mile west of the Cuper- tino and Mountain View roads. The ranch con- sisted of thirty-one acres set to prunes, and upon the death of his uncle, which occurred shortly after he

began work on the place, he and his two sisters inher- ited the place and continued to live on it for three years. In 1919 they sold the ranch to J. Svilich, a neighbor, and since that time Mr. Wolff has been liv- ing on the ranch and working for Mr. Svilich.

Mr. Wolff's marriage occurred in San Francisco on November 1, 1915, and united him with Miss Debora Jones, a native of San Francisco and a daughter of Patrick and Anna Jones. Her father came to California in the carly days and served many years on the San Francisco police force, and for a time he was employed by the Wells Fargo Express Company. Mrs. Wolff is the oldest of a family of six children, namely, Debora, Nellie, James, Morris, Patrick, Jr., and Mary. She attended the convent and also the public schools of San Fran- CISCO. Mr. and Mrs. Wolff are the parents of four children: Geraldine, William A., Jr., Harold and Beulah. Enthusiastic over the possibilities of this section, Mr. Wolff expects to invest shortly in an orchard home in the Santa Clara Valley.

REV. RICHARD COLLINS .- The pastor of St. Patrick's Church of San Jose, Rev. Richard Collins, was born in Ireland and educated at St. Brendan's Seminary in Killarney and St. Patrick's College at Carlow where he studied philosophy and theology and on June 9, 1900, he was ordained to the priest- hood. He came to San Francisco in 1900 and for seventeen years was assistant at St. Agnes Church, during seven years of which time he was also Chap- lain of the League of the Cross Cadets and then was pastor at St. Rose's and St. Brendan's Church. In November, 1919, he came to San Jose and since then he has been pastor of St. Patrick's Church.

CLIFTON D. CAVALLARO .- A delightful in- spiration is imparted through the life-stories of such successful men as Clifton D. Cavallaro, one of the esteemed and influential attorneys in San Jose, the city in which he was born on October 26, 1880. His father was Frank Cavallaro, who had married Miss Marie La Cecla; and with their family they came to California in 1877. They had, in time, four children, and among these Clifton was the second. He at- tended the grammar and high schools of San Jose, and from the latter he was graduated in 1898. Then he went to Stanford University, and for three years specialized in law; and on August 15, 1905, he was admitted to practice at the bar in California. Since that year he has been a practicing attorney in San Jose-and none has been more successful.

Mr. Cavallaro was married on August 23, 1905, the ceremony taking place at San Jose, to Miss Mabel Sutfin, and they have had one child, a daughter named Geraldine Marie. The family attend the Methodist Church, South, and both Mr. and Mrs. Cavallaro participate in every movement making for social or political uplift. A Republican in national politics, Mr. Cavallaro is extremely public-spirited, and he served in Camp Fremont for seven months as a tent secretary for the Y. M. C. A. attached to the Thirteenth California Infantry. He belongs to the Native Sons, the Loyal Italian-American Club, and also the Delta-Chi, the legal fraternity, and the Santa Clara County Bar Association. If Mr. Cavallaro has any hobby, it is music, and he is ever ready to encourage the study and appreciation of the great musical masterpieces. At the first Pro-

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gressive Republican campaign, he was chairman of the platform committee, and in that responsible re- lation to the great movement of the time he had his share in shaping the destiny of the Progressives. Santa Clara County is proud that she is repre- sented at the Bar by such a worthy member of the legal profession.

BENJAMIN F. BARKALOW-Identified with Santa Clara County for the past twenty years or more, Benjamin F. Barkalow, one of San Jose's fine old G. A. R. men, having reached the age of eighty years, is now living a comfortable and retired life in the Golden State, still enjoying good health and having had many adventures; he is an interesting conversationalist, his stock of good stories of war and pioneer days never being exhausted. He is a native of Ohio, having been born in Miami County, on October 5, 1841, and was the son of Derick G. and Maria (Beach) Barkalow. The wife and mother died in about 1848, and D. G. Barkalow migrated to Iowa in 1855, and settled near Muscatine, where he continued farming until he died.

Benjamin Barkalow did not enjoy many educa- tional advantages, as in those days school privileges were few. When the war broke out he enlisted in Company G in the Second Iowa Cavalry in 1861 for three years, and later in 1863 re-enlisted in the same company. He served under General Grant up to the time that he took charge of the Eastern forces, after which he served under General Thomas; he probably took part in twenty-five engagements in all, serving for four years, from September, 1861, to September, 1865. He was stationed in St. Joseph, Mo., and participated in the battle of Fort Pillow, and also took part in the engagements at Franklin and Nashville. At the engagement at Prairie Sta- tion he was wounded, being shot in the hip, but not seriously, and was soon able to go back with the regiment. After the war he returned to Iowa and engaged in farming near the old home, and later, in the spring of 1873, he came to Sonoma County, Cal., where he farmed, and also had an orchard at Green Valley, near Sebastopol, remaining here until 1877, when he returned to Iowa, where he purchased an eighty-acre farm devoted to general farming, and here he continued until the death of his wife, who was buried on Decoration Day, in the year 1900. He then sold his holdings and came to California and settled on a ranch at Berryessa, in Santa Clara County, which consisted of twelve acres and was devoted to fruit, but he only remained there for a year when he disposed of his property and moved to San Jose, making his home at 83 Pierce Avenue.

Mr. Barkalow's marriage, which occurred on Sep- tember 16, 1866, in the city of Atalissa, Iowa, united him with Miss Isabella Heberling, who was born in Ohio and was the daughter of Andrew and Miranda Heberling, and they lived a very happy life, until her death occurred in 1900. Mr. Barkalow chose for his second wife Mrs. Anna Irwin, a native of Eng- land, who came to California when a young girl. Their marriage was solemnized in October, 1901, at Oakland, Cal. Having no children of his own, he adopted two, whom they reared as if they had been their own: Cora became the wife of Elmer H. Adams, and now resides in Oakland, Cal .; while D. J. Barka- low is a resident of Los Angeles, Cal. Mr. Barkalow was bereaved of his faithful wife August 25, 1919.

He has long been a member of the G. A. R. and at present is officer of the day of Sheridan-Dix Post No. 7, G. A. R. He is a stanch adherent of the Re- publican party.

MILO RAY PRIEST .- An enterprising business man of the younger generation is found in Milo Ray Priest, the genial and prosperous proprietor of an electric shop in Saratoga. He was born in Harbor Springs, Mich., August 29, 1899, a son of W. A. and Lydia (Stutsman) Priest. His family removed to California during the year of 1906 and locating at Saratoga, the father engaged in his trade of car- pentry and building. Both parents are still living.

Milo Ray began his education in the public schools of his district and then took a commercial course at Heald's Business College in San Jose; later en- tered Herrold's Electrical School in San Jose, when he was graduated in the spring of 1917, when he immediately enlisted in the U. S. Navy and served throughout the war as a wireless operator, and was honorably discharged in 1919, after a service of twenty-nine months. He then spent one year as wireless operator in the Merchant Marine and made a trip around the world. Soon after his return he opened the present business, his shop being well equipped with a full line of electrical supplies. He travels all over the county doing contracting work in his line. His business is steadily growing and his electrical establishment is patronized and ap- preciated by the citizens of Saratoga and surround- ing country and Mr. Priest is winning a place for himself as a substantial and influential citizen.

In Saratoga, in 1922, Mr. Priest was married to Miss Mary Ruch, born in Nebraska but reared and educated at Saratoga. Mr. Priest is a member of the Saratoga Improvement Association, also the Odd Fellows. He is an enthusiast for the great outdoors and when his business will permit, spends what time he can in the mountains and at the seashore. He is deserving of whatever success has come to him, and it is the wish of all who know him that he may continue to advance in prosperity and usefulness and the good will of his many friends.

FREDERICK C. WILLSON. - A successful orchardist of the Morgan Hill district is Frederick C. Willson, who has given constant attention and unstinted labor to the development of his holdings since locating here. Mr. Willson was born at Buf- falo Grove, Iowa, June 21, 1872, the son of John Warner and Lima (Hadsell) Willson, both natives of Burlington, Mich., and members of worthy pio- neer families of that state. John Warner Willson had a fine record for service in the Civil War, serv- ing as a non-commissioned officer in Company E, Twelfth Michigan Volunteer Infantry and after the Civil War he married and located in Iowa, where Mrs. Wilson died in 1880.

When Frederick C. Willson was seven years old the father and four children removed from Iowa to Michigan, and in 1885, they located in western Kansas near Oberlin, and here F. C. graduated from the high school in 1892. He then went to Sedalia, Mo., and completed a business course at the Central Business College. Two years later he came on west to Cali- fornia, and was graduated from Heald's Business College in San Francisco. He then entered the em- ploy of the Southern Pacific Railroad ferry service and after a short time became cashier and book-

B. F. Barkalow

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keeper for the Brigham-Hoppe Company, continuing until 1905. Mr. Willson then accepted a position with the Goodyear Rubber Company at San Fran- cisco as manager of their office department, contin- uing with them until 1916. It was in November, 1916, that he and his family arrived at Morgan Hill, Santa Clara County, and here he purchased the prop- erty known as the Aydellote Rancho, one and one- half miles east of the town. The place is devoted to prunes, grapes and peaches, and under Mr. Willson's care it is becoming a valuable property.

At San Francisco, on December 23, 1901, Mr. Will- son was married to Miss Etta May Bennett, who was born at Newton, Iowa, the adopted daughter of her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. George Bennett, esteemed residents and pioneers of Iowa, who came to California in 1898, where Mr. Bennett died. Mrs. Bennett is still living at San Martin. Mr. and Mrs. Willson are the parents of three children: Mildred L., Fred C., Jr., and J. Freeman, all attending school.

C. B. GOODWIN .- A very efficient public official is C. B. Goodwin, city manager of San Jose. A native son, he was born in Santa Clara County on August 6, 1889, the son of William and Clara (Schulte) Goodwin. Both of these parents enjoyed enviable family ties; and on the maternal side, the grandparents, as early settlers, did much in their time and sphere to prepare the way for those com- ing after them. Our subject attended the grammar and high schools of San Jose, graduating from the latter institution in 1908, and then he went to Stan- ford University. There he had every advantage in studying civil engineering, and in December, 1912, he was the recipient of the A. B. degree. He also was given his diploma as a civil engineer.

Taking up his professional work in earnest, Mr. Goodwin went to San Francisco and for two and a half years was with H. J. Brunnier, the well-known consulting structural engineer; and after that, for another two and a half years, he was with the Fed- eral Construction Company, general contractors. His return to San Jose marked his entrance into mu- nicipal work here as the assistant city engineer; and in September, 1918, he was made city engineer, a responsibility he faithfully discharged until he ac- cepted his present position of city manager, October 4, 1920. Independent in politics, loyal, first, last and all the time to his native state, as to his country as a whole, Mr. Goodwin has never wanted for occa- sions when he could, and when he also did, display his public spiritedness and his absolute confidence in San Jose and the county.

On New Year's Day, 1915, Mr. Goodwin was married to Miss Alma Robinson, a companion whose varied gifts he has more and more appreciated. Mr. and Mrs. Goodwin attend the Presbyterian Church at San Jose, but they are also interested in, and respond to the appeals of, the uplift work instituted and carried on under other banners.

ROSCOE D. WYATT .- That the widely-influen- tial San Jose Chamber of Commerce owes much of its present efficiency, whereby it has been able to accomplish much for the development of Santa Clara County, to its wide-awake manager, Roscoe D. Wy- att, all who have followed the Chamber's rapid and healthy growth of late will realize. With all due credit to those who did the invaluable pioneer work before him, Mr. Wyatt has certainly carried the flag

of conquest beyond where, even under the most favor- able circumstances, it had ever been placed.

Mr. Wyatt was born at Salem, Ill., on March 11. 1883, the son of Robert A. and Laura E. Wyatt, and so came to attend the public schools of the Prairie State. In course of time, he became a student at the Southern Illinois State Normal University at Carbondale from which he was graduated in 1903, and then, having matriculated at the University of Illinois, he was graduated in 1909 from the College of Literature and Arts, with the Bachelor of Arts degree, and from the College of Law with the LL. B. degree. He then taught in both the grammar and high schools in Illinois for three years and later, for three and one half years, practiced law in that state.

Deciding to break into a new field, Mr. Wyatt removed to the East and became manager of the Hoboken, N. J., Chamber of Commerce, a post he filled so acceptably that he remained there for four years. His reputation traveled westward, and on December 1, 1919, he was appointed manager of the San Jose Chamber of Commerce. While in Illinois, Mr. Wyatt had been mayor of the city of Salem from 1913 to 1915, as he was also secretary and treasurer of the Salem Ice Company, and in both of these fields of endeavor, as well as in his Hoboken office, he had acquired much, including an increased knowl- edge of human nature, which has been of great service both to San Jose and to Santa Clara County. His general knowledge of Eastern as well as of Western conditions is a valuable asset in itself.

At Carbondale, Ill., on June 11, 1908, Mr. Wyatt was married to Miss Lillian Ethel Toler, the daugh- ter of Capt. John Toler of that city; and this union has been blessed with the birth of one son, Fran- cis D. Wyatt. While in college and the university, Mr. Wyatt belonged to the Acacia College fraternity and the Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity, and later he became a Mason, and is a member of the Chapter, the Council and the Consistory. He is also a member of the Rotary Club.

ARTHUR W. VOLKERS .- The identification of the Volkers family with the Pacific Coast section of the Great West, dates hack to 1878, when Fred Volkers came to Santa Clara County, Cal., and en- gaged in agricultural pursuits, later establishing a transfer and storage business in San Jose, one of the first in this line, of which Arthur W. Volkers is manager and owner. A native of California, having been born in San Jose December 14, 1885, he is the son of Fred and Elizabeth (Birnbaum) Volkers; the father came to California in 1878, the mother fol- lowing four years later, and for the first four years they engaged in farming. Then Mr. Volkers served six years on the San Jose fire department and in the year 1888, established the well-known business of Volkers Transfer and Storage Company and later at the present headquarters, 131 North Market Street. and here he continued until the time of his death in 1914; the mother is still living.

Arthur Volkers received his education in the pub- lic schools of his native city and then took a com- mercial course in the Pacific Coast Business Col- lege in San Jose and for three years was in the employ of the Bank of Palo Alto. In 1906, he began working with his father and at his father's death, he took over the active management of the business, which he has built up to a high state of efficiency.

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He has the name of giving the best and quickest service in that city and prides himself in having the goods delivered in the very best condition. He uses three motor trucks and employs five men.

Energetic and enthusiastic in all he does, Mr. Volkers takes an active part in all the movements that make for the betterment of the city in which he lives and is an ardent worker in the Chamber of Commerce. He is a member of the California State Draymen's Association and also a member of the Ob- servatory Parlor No. 177, N. S. G. W., of which he is past president and he is also an enthusiastic mem- ber of the San Jose Commercial Club. Mr. Volkers is very fond of outdoor life and enjoying fishing and hunting, he takes great pleasure in spending his leis- ure moments in this way.

JOHN S. BARNUM-For more than a quarter of a century, John S. Barnum has been identified with the commercial activities of San Jose, and has contributed much to developing the natural resources of Santa Clara County. He was born in Knoxville, 111., on October 24, 1842, the son of Amond and Cath- erine Barnum, the former a hatter by trade. Denied the opportunity of an education, and losing both par- ents when only a small lad, John S. Barnum was forced to earn his own way, and being of a roving dispo- sition, and without restrictions of any kind, he con- eluded to make the journey across the plains, and finally landed in Denver, Colo., in 1861.

On August 1, 1861, he offered his services to his country, but was refused on account of his youth; however, the enlistment officer agreed to accept him if he would get the consent of his parents. He told them that both of his parents were dead, and that he had no guardian, and upon his word he was ac- cepted and joined the First Colorado Infantry under Col. John P. Slough. The Colorado troops were used to protect the frontier from invasion, and were sent on an expedition into New Mexico under Colonel Slough. General Sibley, the rebel general, had or- ganized a brigade to attack the frontier of New Mexico, but Colonel Slough was so well acquainted with the lay of the land along the frontier of New Mexico that he and his troops overtook General Sibley at Apache Canyon, and a sharp encounter was engaged in, in which the rebel troops were routed; following them up, a second engagement at Peralta, N. M., was fought with disastrous results to General Sibley's forces. Out of 3,800 well equipped men who left Texas, only two squads returned, one of 184, and one of ninety men, all their arms and ammunition having been destroyed. Mr. Barnum was returned to Colorado and discharged, his term of enlistment having expired. He at once reenlisted with his old command, which became the First Col- orado Cavalry, and with them he served until the close of the war.

During the year of 1863, Mr. Barnum was on a fur- lough to join his brother, Col. W. L. Barnum, who was in command of the Eleventh Missouri Volunteer Infantry, had been wounded and was left for dead on the battlefield, was recognized by his wife and sent to a hospital and later recuperated near Spring- field, Ill. Arriving at Springfield, he found that his brother had gone to Memphis, Tenn., only the day before his arrival. His first thought was to proceed on his journey to Memphis; but he joined a company of convalescents on their way to St. Louis, Mo .; how-

ever, before reaching his destination, his furlough had expired and he was arrested as a deserter. After some time spent in explanation, he finally convinced the commanding officer that he was not a deserter, but that he was endeavoring to join his brother in Memphis, Tenn. The commanding officer gave him orders to return to Colorado to his own regiment. However, after spending several days trying to get transportation back to Colorado, he finally was obliged to purchase a saddle horse, and made the trip across the plains on horseback, which consumed eighteen days, from St. Joseph, Mo., to Denver, Colo., via the Platte River route, a distance of 720 miles. He then remained with his own regiment until he was mustered out at Leavenworth, Kans., on November 18, 1865.

Returning to civil life Mr. Barnum went to Chi- cago, Ill., and visited his brother for a short time. During military service he succeeded in saving some- thing like $1750 and he made up his mind he would travel and see' something of the world. With the true spirit of adventure, he had decided to take the first boat out of Chicago, going whithersoever it was bound, and had decided to end up at the South Sea Islands; but here again he was to be disappointed, for the extreme cold weather prevented him from leaving Chicago, the lake being frozen for three miles out. He then went to Junction City, Kans., where a friend, Mr. Streator, owned and operated a large merchandise house. He was employed by Mr. Strea- tor, and in 1866 was placed in charge of ten four- mule wagons loaded with sutler supplies bound for Fort Lyon, Colo. When 120 miles out from Junc- tion City, at Fort Harker, he was ordered not to go on, because of the activities of the Cheyenne Indians; however, undaunted, he proceeded on his journey across the plains. After being out but one day from Fort Larned, at Owl Creek, the train was over- taken and stopped by Indians; however, his presence of mind served him well; hurriedly making a corral of his wagons, so as to protect his men and sup- plies in case of necessity, Mr. Barnum, who was the youngest man in the party, boldly went out among the Indians, and when he began speaking to them in their own language, they listened attentively, and an old Indian, whom he had befriended two years previously, recognized him and told his associates what Mr. Barnum had done for him, and the wagon train was allowed to proceed on its way. Many men had attempted this journey, but had met disaster.

Probably few pioneers enjoy such a record of frontier life as Mr. Barnum; it is recorded that he crossed the plains twenty-two times before the rail- roads were in operation. He has the distinction, to- gether with a Mr. Munger and Mr. Virgus, of nam- ing the city of Wichita, Kans. They met with some opposition, others wishing to have it named Sedg- wick, but Mr. Barnum and his companions were de- termined that the city should bear a distinctive name, so it was finally decided to name it Wichita, after the Wichita Indians, the cleanest of all tribes. Mr. Barnum made a trip in 1909 to Wichita to see the town he had been away from for thirty-one years. In the '70s he served his government as a U. S. deputy marshal; and was also deputy sheriff of Ells- worth County, Kans. After leaving Colorado, he spent ten years in the vicinity of Santa Fe, N. M., and then went to Washington and engaged in the

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 235

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