History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 241

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

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PASQUALE BISCEGLIA .- An Italian-American who has made good in an important field and in such a manner that his success. the results in part of fore- sight, experience and unremitting industry, have bene- fitted others besides himself, is Pasquale Bisceglia, who was born in Cosenza, Italy, on February 9, 1871. the son of Gabrielle and Clara Bisceglia, both of whom died in Italy. They were the parents of seven children, and two of the brothers of our subject, Joseph and Bruno, came to America and California in 1894, a year prior to the advent of Pasquale. The names of the children are as follows: Joseph A .; Clementina, now Mrs. Cribari of San Jose; Pasquale, our subject; Filippina, now Mrs. De Rose; Bruno; Maria; and Alfonso. Joseph, Mrs. De Rose, Bruno and Alfonso are interested with our subject in the operation of the great Bisceglia cannery. His school- ing was largely obtained through his own efforts, with the result that if he is anything, it is that he is self- made in every way and exceedingly practical. He assisted his father until he came to the United States in 1895, arriving in San Jose in March of that year. He chopped wood for a couple of years, and then the brothers established a fuel yard in East Santa Clara. In 1903 they established a small cannery at Llagas Creek in Morgan Hill, in order to take care of the tomatoes which they had raised that year, and their first pack was 800 cases; two years later they moved the plant to Morgan Hill and built a new cannery and extended their operations to the canning of fruit as well as tomatoes; then in 1907 they built a can- nery in Gilroy and operated the two of them until 1913 when both were abandoned, and they purchased nineteen acres on South First Street in San Jose and built a modern cannery, and from time to time have added to it until they now own and operate the larg- est cannery in the valley. It is built of concrete, iron and brick and is 264x710 feet. They use only the best of everythnig, and apply only the best methods and the most modern apparatus; and it is not sur- prising that they ship their goods all over the world. Their plant is sanitary in every particular and their employees enjoy the fine rest rooms and dining room and restaurant. The Bisceglia brothers cooperate

in every way and own and operate 200 acres of or- chards; besides this they own much valuable real estate in San Jose and Oakland; they also operate their fuel business on Santa Clara Street between Fourth and Fifth streets in San Jose. Mr. Bisceglia is a live wire in the San Jose Chamber of Commerce, and he endeavors to support all the programs of that excellent institution.

When Mr. Bisceglia was married in Italy in 1906, he took for his wife Miss Amalia De Rose, a clever woman who has proven just the helpmate desired; and they, with their children, Gabriel, Clara, Joseph, Bruno and Clorinda, attend the Holy Family Cath- olic Church. In national politics a Republican, Mr. Bisceglia abandons party lines in all local campaigns and votes for the best man and the best measures.

F. NED SCOFIELD .- An enterprising business man, a progressive and helpful citizen, F. Ned Sco- field has a record which places him among the repre- sentative business men of San Jose. A native of California, he was born in Santa Barbara, October 2. 1886, a son of the late Frank K. Scofield, who passed away in San Francisco in January, 1921. He was a member of the Scofield family who came over from England and settled in Connecticut in 1629, near Stamford, and where members of this famous family have continued to reside. His mother was Miss Gertrude Whitney, also of a noted pioneer familiy of pre-Revolutionary times. The Whitney family came from the North of Ireland, but their early an- cestors were English, who migrated to Ireland, and who had an English coat-of-arms. His mother re- sides in Stockton at the present time.

F. Ned Scofield obtained his early education in the public schools of Phoenix, Ariz., and when his par- ents removed to California, he attended the public schools of Los Angeles; later he supplemented by terms in the Los Angeles Military College and the Throop Polytechnic School at Pasadena, Cal. When his father established a millinery business on North Spring Street, Los Angeles, he became a clerk in the store. His father was very successful in all his mer- cantile ventures, but during the great earthquake and fire in San Francisco in 1906, he suffered severe losses and was forced to sell 640 acres of the best land that he owned in Santa Barbara County at a very low price. However, undaunted by his losses, he again engaged in business and prospered. Mr. Scofield inherited his father's determination and will to suc- ceed, and his advancement was accomplished rapidly. He was engaged, for a time, with the Louis Simon- sen wholesale tailoring establishment in Los Angeles, Cal. During the year of 1914, in partnership with his father, the Scofield Millinery store was established in San Jose, and at the end of four years, he was sole

proprietor. He conducts a thoroughly up-to-date establishment, modern in every particular, handsome showcases, beautiful furnishings, and caters to the most fastidious. He employs competent trimmers, and has special buyers in the Eastern fashion centers. He also employs five saleswomen, besides a window trimmer. Besides his ,San Jose store, he is the owner and proprietor of a similar store in Stockton.

The marriage of Mr. Scofield occurred in Los An- geles in 1909 and united him with Miss Martha Eliza- beth Withers, a native of New Mexico. They are

E. St Owsleys

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the parents of two children, John Francis and Gran- ville Owen, and the family reside at 435 South Four- teenth Street, San Jose. Their home is the rendez- vous for their host of friends, who find great pleas- ure in their congenial company. Mr. Scofield has not devoted his time exclusively to his private interests, but has taken a keen interest in municipal affairs, always ready to lend his influence toward the advance- ment of the community in which he resides. He is a thoughtful, conservative business man, whose greatest happiness is found in his home and in the management of his important and steadily growing business. He is very optimistic for the future great- ness of Santa Clara Valley and is enthusiastic in his praise for the beautiful city of San Jose and surround- ing country. He is an honored and active member of the Native Sons of the Golden West, also of the Lions Club of San Jose.

EDGAR H. OWSLEY .- A native son of San Jose, Edgar H. Owsley is well known to the resi- dents of the city as a leading exponent of the terpsi- chorean art in its highest form, being recognized as one of the most successful dancing masters in the state. He was born December 17, 1877, a son of Henry and Abbie (Stoddard) Owsley, both now de- ceased. After completing the work of the public schools he served seven years' apprenticeship with W. W. Montague, a leading plumber of this city. He acquired a thorough knowledge of the trade, which he has followed from the age of sixteen years, and since his twenty-fifth year has been in business for himself. He has built up a large trade in this connection, limiting his work to residences, and had charge of installing the plumbing in the Hale resi- dence in Alameda, and also in some of the finest homes in San Jose. On examination by the state board Mr. Owsley was given a plumber's certificate of competency.

For a number of years Mr. Owsley has been en- gaged in teaching scientific dancing to adults, his place of business being located at 138 North Fif- teenth Street, and he expects in the near future to devote all of his attention to his professional work. He has made an exhaustive study of the subject and is thus well qualified to instruct his pupils in an art which lends itself to such beauty and grace. His classes are very popular with the better class of people in the city and his school is provided with eight grades: the first grade is novice and prepara- tory, the second and third grades social, fourth and fifth grades intermediate, the sixth and seventh, as- sistants, and the eighth for teachers. He maintains high standards in dancing, greatly deploring the tendency of the age toward lowering this beautiful and expressive art. He holds diplomas from the United Professonal Teachers of Dancing of America.

Mr. Owsley is independent in his political views, casting his ballot in favor of the candidate whom he deems best fitted for office without regard to party affiliations. Fraternally he is connected with the Foresters and the Moose, and he finds recreation in fishing and quoits. In his profession he has gained that prominence which follows superior ability and concentrated effort, and his efforts have not only been crowned with individual success, but have also been a source of benefit to his city along both business and artistic lines.

THE UNIVERSITY OF SANTA CLARA .- Not alone among the citizenry of Cailfornia, but through- out the world, the name of Santa Clara brings thrills to the hearts of sons who, far from their beloved Alma Mater, cherish her memory and her teaching. The University of Santa Clara is the oldest institu- tion of higher education in Santa Clara County, and is rich in historical value. Starting in the early Mis- sion days, when, on March 19, 1851, Bishop Joseph Sadoc Alemany, who had been newly consecrated for California, placed Father John Nohili in charge of the abandoned Mission of Santa Clara. Eighteen years earlier it had counted 1125 neophytes in its Mission family; at the time Father Nobili assumed charge, the church and furniture were out of repair and the few buildings that were not either sold or stolen, were in a state of ruin. Orchards and vine- yards were destroyed or in possession of squatters. The ten thousand cattle, ten thousand sheep and one thousand horses had been stolen or scattered, but the dauntless padre with $150 in his purse and bound- less trust in Providence, labored faithfully, nursing the poor natives through a scourge of cholera, and teaching the few children. From this humble school amid many hardships, he laid the foundations of the first beginnings of Santa Clara University.

But the seed that was to grow into a flourishing university was sown long before that time, even though those enterprising pioneers did not anticipate how great the harvest would be. Even in the days when the Jesuit Fathers, Kino and Salvatierra, in 1697, traveled from Mexico to Lower California, and began to fulfill their dream of Christianizing the natives by establishing Missions, the hopes for a glorious enlightenment of that portion of the New World were born and nurtured in the hearts of those courageous priests, and their faith in the ultimate grand results did not fail to be realized. We must here incidentally recall the historical fact that the Jesuit Fathers, Kino and Salvatierra, assisted by nu- merous recruits of their order from Europe, succeeded in founding more than a hundred Missions in North- ern Mexico and Lower California, during the com- paratively short period of seventy years, from 1697 to 1767. In this latter year, by an iniquitous decree of Charles III of Spain, all the Missions were sup- pressed, fifty Jesuits were expelled from the country, and thousands of native Indians cruelly deprived of all spiritual ministration. The Roman authorities soon replaced the exiled Jesuit Missionaries by the zealous Franciscan Fathers, whose untiring and suc- cessful labors in that field began in the year 1767.

The hundreds of alumni, whom this university has produced, are now men conspicuously noted in the scientific, professional and political world, and from their places high in national honor they bow with reverence and gratitude to their Alma Mater.

Many brilliant men have graced the staff of officers and faculty, and the list of those who have served as presidents helps to show by whom much of the strength of intellectual and spiritual growth was inspired. The first president of Santa Clara College was the Reverend John Nobili, S. J., a native of Rome, who had spent part of 1850 and 1851 minister- ing to the spiritual needs of those stricken with cholera, and who opened the first school in the Valley

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of Santa Clara on the Feast of St. Joseph, March 12, 1851. At this little day school, the nucleus of Santa Clara College, he continued to preside until his death in 1856.

The Reverend Nicholas Congiato, S. J., a native of Cagliari, Sardinia, was the second president, his term lasting from 1856 to 1858; then, for almost twenty years, he was pastor of St. Joseph's Church in San Jose, where he built the present stately church. He died in 1897.

The Reverend Felix Cicaterri, S. J., was the third president. He first saw the light at Venice, Italy, where he acquired great learning in his study of lap- idary inscriptions. His term was from 1857 to 1861, and he died at Woodstock, Md., in 1873. During the next four years the Reverend Burchard Villiger, S. J., who came from Switzerland, was the fourth presi- dent, passing away in 1903, at Woodstock, Md., like his predecessor.

Rivarolo, near Genoa, Italy, was the birthplace of the Reverend Aloysius Masnata, S. J., the fifth presi- dent, from 1865 to 1868. Cagliari again gave a Sar- dinian for the office-the Reverend Aloysius Varsi, S. J., who, as sixth president, had charge from 1868 to 1876. He built the magnificent Church of St. Ignatius on Hayes Street, corner of Van Ness Ave- nue, which was destroyed by the earthquake and fire of April, 1906. He died at the age of seventy-one.

The Reverend Aloysius Brumengo, S. J., who was born in Turin in 1836, became the seventh president in the historic Centennial Year of 1876, continuing four years, and providing the ample outfit of physical apparatus, for which the college became noted. From 1880 to 1883, and from 1888 to 1893, the helm was taken by the Reverend John Pinasco, S. J., the eighth and ninth president, who, like Father Masnata, came from the vicinity of Genoa. The Reverend Joseph W. Riordan, who was born at Quincy, Mass., in 1857, became the tenth president of Santa Clara College, and, having taken charge when the whole country was laboring under a general financial de- pression, carried the institution safely through the most dangerous crisis, both enlarging and beautifying the library. The Reverend Robert E. Kenna, S. J., a native of Jackson, Miss., who crossed the great plains with his parents in 1849, when only five years old, was the eleventh and twelfth president, serving from 1899 to 1905. During Father Kenna's incum- bency the college celebrated its golden jubilee, and the "Redwood" was started. It was at this time too that, aided by the efforts of Father Kenna, the Cali- fornia State Redwood Park became a reality. He died in 1912, mourned throughout the state.

The Reverend Richard A. Gleeson, S. J., a native of Philadelphia, was the thirteenth president of Santa Clara College from 1905 to 1910, and in that latter year he became the president of the Jesuit high school in Los Angeles. Father Gleeson was succeeded by erend Father Zaccheus J. Maher, S. J., the present Santa Cruz, the fourteenth and last president of Santa Clara College and the first president of the University of Santa Clara.

The Reverend Timothy L. Murphy, S. J., ascended to the presidency of the University of Santa Clara in November, 1918. He resigned on account of ill health in July, 1921, and was succeeded by the Rev- erend Father Zaccheus J. Maher, S. J., the present

president, who was installed July 22, 1921, and is a tower of strength to the institution.

There are 300 students in Santa Clara University and many applicants, owing to its lack of buildings and accommodations, had to be turned away. It is fortunate for this venerable institution that one so zealous, capable and enterprising as Father Maher should be at its head during the critical hour in its Million Dollar Drive for its rebuilding. He enters heart and soul into the laudable project of making it a first class modern seat of learning. The alumni association is composed of men in the highest ranks of California's professional, business and financial life, and the necessary funds will no doubt be speed- ily raised. In April, 1922, the University held the centenary celebration and jubilee festival of the found- ing of the Santa Clara Mission by the Franciscans, and its children gathered home from many countries to help their Alma Mater rejoice, and with worship, song and drama- vividly portrayed the history of that renowned Mission.

One of the faculty, the Reverend Jerome Sixtus Ricard, S. J., has won almost world-wide renown by his wonderful skill in forecasting weather, and the title of "Padre of the Rains" has been affectionately given him. Father Ricard is an authority on sun spots and has written and lectured much on these strange phenomena. In 1903 he was successful in establishing a fine meteorological observatory, and with the valuable instruments he secured has been able to accomplish fine scientific work, highly appre- ciated by both national and foreign astronomers. Santa Clara has justly won fame through the brilliant talents of many of her alumni. Too much praise can- not be given Martin Merle for the splendid help he has given during the several years he has been con- nected with the college. As author and director of the Santa Clara Mission Play, he has added fame to the Alma Mater, and the production of this magnifi- cent play has brought rich financial results.

WALTER G. BERNTHAL .- A young man of exceptional capacity for hard detail work and en- dowed with executive force, Walter G. Bernthal has already made a place for himself in the business circles of Palo Alto, since coming here in April, 1919, as proprietor of the Ford Agency, in connec- tion with which he operates a first-class garage and machine shop. Mr. Bernthal was born at Detroit, Mich., April 21, 1894, the son of Rev. G. A. and Agnes (Pfeiffer) Bernthal. The father, who is prom- inent in the clergy of the Lutheran Church, is now the pastor of St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in San Francisco, and there the parents make their home at 969 Eddy Street.

When a lad of eight years, Mr. Bernthal was brought to San Francisco by his parents and he was educated in the public schools and in Concordia Col- lege, from which he was graduated. Soon after he left college, he became interested in the automobile business and went to work for the Ford Motor Com- pany at San Francisco, beginning at the lowest round and holding nearly every place in the Ford plant, finally becoming wholesale manager for the Ford Motor Company for Northern California. When the World War broke out, he entered the U. S. service and was in the Three Hundred Sixteenth Ammuni- tion Train for over seventeen months, receiving his

BR. Phillips

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honorable discharge, with the rank of lieutenant, at Gettysburg, Pa., February 4, 1919. Returning to San Francisco, he decided upon Palo Alto as his future location, and in April, 1919, he bought out the garage and machine shop of Thomas N. Fuller, at 525 Alma Street. He handles the entire Ford line and is building up a splendid business, keeping the old patrons and making new friends every day. He devotes all of his energies to his business and is rewarded with its continually increasing volume, and requires the services of from eight to twelve men in his machine shop.

CLARENCE E. PHILLIPS .- A worthy repre- sentative of a very interesting old American family, harking back to the stirring days of the American Revolution, is Clarence E. Phillips, the well-borer, a native of Nebraska, where he was born at Shadron, on January 24. 1892, the son of Frank and Jennie (Zuver) Phillips, the former a native of Nebraska, the latter a daughter of Iowa. Frank Phillips was a well-borer and he engaged in the well-drilling busi- ness at Shadron, where he had the old-fashioned horse-power drilling rigs. He came to California with his family in 1895, locating in San Jose, where he established himself as a successful well-driller. He was also a stationary and steam engineer and car- penter, and he did general contracting and building. He built the Brown Building, remodeled the St. James Hotel, and tore down and dismantled the old San Jose electric tower, 260 feet high, a great engi- neering feat, and did it without stopping the street car service for a minute. He was a man of much ability and business acumen. Six children made up the Phillips family, and our subject was the third in the order of birth: Ethel, Mrs. Bert Rodgers of San Jose; Elsie, Mrs. W. A. Lawrence; Clarence E .; Leora, now of Warm Springs; Claude and Ernest live at San Jose. Claude enlisted when eighteen, on June 7, 1918, in the heavy coast artillery, serving overseas, returning in May, 1920, and was honorably discharged at San Francisco, May 21, 1920.

When three years of age, Clarence E. accompanied his parents to California in 1895, and in San Jose he went to the Gardner School. At the age of fourteen he commenced to learn well-boring under his father's instruction; and two years later he entered the serv- ice of the Herbert Machine Works of San Jose, to learn the machinist's trade. He remained with that concern eighteen months, and then secured em- ployment with the Southern Pacific Railroad Com- pany as a helper in the round house, where he worked for nearly two years. His next engagement was as a full-fledged machinist in the Oakland rail- road shop of the Southern Pacific; but after only four months he left to go to Sparks, Nev., where he worked about seven months in the shops of the same company. On returning to San Jose, he worked with the Morton Machine Works for half a year, and then he entered into partnership with the A. Ries Drilling Company in that city. Withdrawing from this part- nership at the end of a year, Mr. Phillips went to the Capay rancho in Glenn County and worked for the Layne & Bowler Corporation, helping them to put 10,000 acres under irrigation. He continued in that engagement for two years, having charge of all the pump work and well-drilling on the place; and coming back to San Jose again, he went to work for the Bean Spray and Pump Company as an ex-

pert mechanic. Thence he went to Willows, and there spent two years sinking wells in the rice fields, and then, again pitching his tent in San Jose, he was with Arthur T. Britton's machine shop for a year.

Mr. Phillips and his father once more engaged in well-drilling, when, in June, 1920, to the wide-spread regret of a large circle of friends and acquaintances, his father was killed by an Interurban railroad car on Berryessa Road near San Jose; his widow is still living at sixty-three years of age. Since then Clar- ence Phillips has continued the business alone, main- taining the same standards long such a source of pride to his father. He has power rigs equipped for drilling wells to a depth of 1,500 feet, if neces- sary, and it goes without saying that work entrusted to him is carried out with rare conscientiousness, evidencing a recognition of its responsibility, and is always dependable.

At San Jose, on October 7, 1914, Mr. Phillips was married to Miss Louisa Miranda, a native of San Jose, a daughter of Frank and Jennie (Flores) Miranda, of old-time families here, the father being a cattleman. In national politics Mr. Phillips is a Republican; but his broad-mindedness forbids his taking a partisan view of questions purely local, and hence he is an unusually useful member of the com- munity in which he resids.

FREDERICK J. HUXTABLE .- Born in Ottary- St. Mary, Devonshire, England, March 21, 1878, Frederick J. Huxtable belongs to an old Devonshire family. His father, William D. Huxtable, was a butcher, but the grandfather and great-grandfather were master builders. His mother was Mahala Hay- ward, whose mother was a Drake of the Sir Francis Drake family, and she also traces her family back to Sir Walter Raleigh. Mr. Huxtable's parents are still living in their old home. He is the third oldest of their family of six children and the only one in America. His education was obtained in the national schools. He became a teacher, a profession he fol- lowed for three years, after which he served an ap- prenticeship at the builder's trade for five years, dur- ing which time, as was the custom, he received no wages. He continued working at his trade for six years or more in London and then made his way to Manitoba, where he worked at his trade for two years. Then, having become familiar with conditions, he began contracting and building, establishing a large business, employing forty workmen.

His wife and also his daughter's health being im- paired, Mr. Huxtable was advised to seck the Cali- fornia climate, and disposing of his holdings he came to Sacramento in 1913, where he built two houses; then came to Santa Cruz, where he tried farming, but a big flood in September, 1918, flooded his ranch and he lost everything. Starting anew, he responded to the call for men in the shipyards and was em- ployed at the Union Iron Works for six months. In November, 1919, he located in San Jose, since which time he has been engaged in contracting and building in the Garden City, having some fine residences to his credit. With his family he resides at 377 South Sixth Street. His marriage occurred in London, England, in 1901, when he was united with Miss Isabelle Gatenby, a native of London, and they have two children, Joseph and Gladys.

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 241

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