History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 242

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

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

ANDREW OLSEN .- Among the successful ranch- ers in the Cupertino district is Andrew Olsen, whose industry and perseverance have brought him financial independence. He was born in Skane, Sweden, on June 15, 1863, a son of Ole and Johanna (Swansen) Johnson-the former a ship's carpenter, who lived to be eighty years of age. The worthy couple had six children,-Lena, Andrew, John, Sven, Carl and Nels, the latter two now deceased. Andrew attended the public schools of Skane and remained at home until he was a young man; after which he worked on farms until he came to the land of the Stars and Stripes. In 1883 he left the old home to cross the ocean, and after arriving in the United States, he hurried west to Oregon, and settled at Portland. There he was employed for three years as a brick moulder. In 1885, he came to California and settled in Santa Clara County, purchasing two and one-half aeres on Prune Ridge Avenue, which he set out to silver prunes. In 1887, he made him way to Bisbee, Ariz., where he was employed in the Bisbee Smelter for two years; and returning to Santa Clara County, he resumed ranching.

On December 6, 1891, Mr. Olsen was married in San Jose, thereby becoming united with Miss Emma Carlson, also a native of Skane, Sweden, and the daughter of Carlle Anderson and his wife, who was in maidenhood Christina Mickelsen, substantial farmer folks. Three of the four children in the family are still living; and Mrs. Olsen is the eldest. She came to California as a young lady of twenty-one years, and made her home in San Jose, and here she met and married Mr. Olsen. In 1892 he purchased ten acres of land from the Barton estate in the Cupertino district, where he huilt a residence and began setting out an orchard. In 1895, leaving his wife to look after the farm, he again went to Bisbee, Ariz., to earn money to meet the expenses on the home until it could begin to yield an income. He had charge of one of the furnaces in the Bisbee Smelter for a period of twenty-six months, when he resigned and returned to his ranch to resume fruit culture and farming, in which he has since been very successful. In 1899 he bought his present place of twelve and one- half acres from the Barton estate, and here he has made his home. In 1902 he purchased twenty-two and one-half aeres in the Truman tract, and in 1905, he secured another ten acres or more, also from the Truman tract, and ten acres of the Barton estate. In 1915, he built a residence costing $10,000, and in 1921 he put up a $5,000 summer home at Seabright, in Santa Cruz County. Mr. Olsen now owns sixty-five acres of the finest orchards in the county,-full-bear- ing prunes and apricots, his place being sightly and well-improved. He operates his orchards with a tractor, and the most improved implements and methods. In front of his beautiful residence is a magnificent giant live-oak, a splendid symmetrical specimen of these native trees.

The union of Mr. and Mrs. Olsen has been blessed with eight children. Albert Andrew enlisted on May 26, 1917, for service in the World War, and joined Company D, Third U. S. Engineers, after which he was stationed at Fort McDowell, on Angel Island, until July 5, 1917, when he left for Honolulu. There he saw service until December, 1918, when he re- turned to San Francisco and was honorably dis-

charged. He owns a ranch of 100 aeres, in the Cuper- tino district, partly in prune orchard, a very desirable property. On September 15, 1921, he married Miss Rona Fabling of New Zealand, and he is now visit- ing that remote corner on his wedding tour. Mabel I. Olsen was graduated from the San Jose high school in 1914; and she then spent a year at the State Teaeli- ers College in San Jose. She offered her services to the government, and was sent to Washington, D. C., where she did secretarial work from September 1, 1918, to November, 1920; and she is now engaged in secretarial work in Oakland. Evelyn P. is a graduate of the San Jose high school, and she is now attend- ing Stanford University, with the class of 1922. Anna S. also graduated from the San Jose high school, in 1917, and the State Teachers College in 1919. Then she taught for two years in Merced County, and she is now attending the University of California. A. Amanda is another graduate of the San Jose high school, having belonged to the class of '21; and she is now taking a course as a trained nurse at the O'Connor Sanitarium, in San Jose. Marie Christina was accidentally killed by the discharge of a gun, pass- ing away on June 12, 1909, at the tender age of six years. Hilma C. and Esther Elizabeth are attending the Palo Alto Union high school. From the above it will be seen what a very interesting family are the Olsens, and how the fond parents are placing within the reach of their children all the educational advan- tages of a high order they may command, believing that the future greatness of the country depends on the education and culture of the American youth. Devoted to her husband and their children, Mrs. Olsen is a splendid example of American womanhood. She has been an able assistant to her husband, by ad- vice and encouragement, in the attainment of his am- hitions, and quite naturally Mr. Olsen gives her no small eredit for a share in his achievement of success. Independent in polities, he believes in supporting the candidate for office who is best fitted to serve the community. Fraternally, he is an Odd Fellow, affiliated with Mountain View Lodge.

THOMAS CHURNSIDE .- An horticulturist in the. Saratoga district, Santa Clara County, Thomas Churnside is a native of Australia, born at Little River, Victoria, of Scotch descent; his father, Robert Churnside, was an extensive sheeprancher in Vic- toria. Thomas received his education in the schools of Victoria and also Edinburgh, Scotland, and then entered the University of Melbourne, where he was graduated with the degree of LL.B. After some years spent in a law office in Melbourne, he traveled in Europe for several years and then came to the United States, arriving in New York City in 1912, and the same year came on to California. After traveling over the state for some time, seeing con- siderable of the Pacific coast region, he decided to locate in Santa Clara County and engage in fruit raising. He purchased his present place two miles north of Saratoga, devoting his ranch to the cutliva- tion of prunes and apricots, and is favorably located in the foothills in a frostless belt. Intensely interested in his chosen calling he is delighted with soil and climate and naturally a booster for this valley of wonderful resources. Mr. Churnside attends the

andrew Olsen

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Emma S. Olsen

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Presbyterian Church in San Jose, and he is a mem- ber of the California Prune and Apricot Association, deeming it an important adjunct to fruit raising.

FRANK L. CAMPS .- No one more than the well- traveled autoist better knows the high quality of the superior service offered and always guaranteed at Camps' Garage in Los Gatos, a well-equipped estab- lishment operated under the personal direction of Frank L. Camps. In March, 1920, he bought this, the oldest garage in Los Gatos, and he has made it a success ever since he has had charge. Prior to coming to Los Gatos, Mr. Camps was active in the garage field in Lodi, and prior to that, for twenty- four years, he had been a photographer at Ashland, Ore., at the same time that he had the Ford agency for a large portion of Jackson County, Ore., and all of Siskiyou County, Cal. He thus had a great deal to do with introducing not merely Ford cars into the North, but to encourage automobiling in gen- eral; and when he sold out, in 1916, to come to San Joaquin County, and engaged exclusively in the garage business, his departure was widely regretted.

So successful has he been since establishing him- self at Los Gatos that he now employs four men regularly, and often could use more to advantage. He has a complete machine shop and makes a spe- cialty of welding and battery work. A substantial man of affairs in the commercial world, Mr. Camps is equally solid when it comes to performing his civic duties, which he generally discharges in ac- cordance with the leadership of the Republican party.

A native of Germany where he was given the ad- vantages of a sound general education, and inheriting capacity for hard and thorough work, Mr. Camps has become the best of Americans, adapting himself admirably to the life and institutions of the country in which he has so long been a public-spirited dweller and toiler. He has been twice married, and has a son, Max V. Camps, by his first union. His second wife was Mrs. Lillith M. Harrison of Missouri, who had two children by her former marriage. Mr. Camps is an Elk, and also belongs to the Fraternal Aid Union, and is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, the Merchants Association and the Santa Clara County Auto Trade Association.

MARSHAL E. THOMAS .- Coming to Gilroy, Cal., in October, 1918, after a wide experience in farming in several other parts of the country, Mar- shal F. Thomas now makes his home on Foothill Road, San Martin, and is already closely identified with the affairs of this fine orchard district, one of the thriving sections of the Santa Clara Valley. Mr. Thomas is a native of the Hoosier State, born at Anderson, Ind., the son of A. W. and Kate (Hill) Thomas, the latter also a native of Indiana. A. W. Thomas was a graduate of Harvard College and was admitted to the bar when a young man, and for some years was active as a practicing attorney be- fore coming to Indiana. Both parents trace their family history to the early days of America. The eldest son of the family, Marshal E. Thomas was educated in the public schools of Indiana, removing with his parents to what is now North Dakota in 1883. Here the father engaged in farming and was prominent in the affairs of that early day, being U. S. Government agent and superintendent of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation, holding this of- fice from 1884 to 1894; he was also active in the

political life of the community, being a staunch Re- publican. He is now living retired at Ashland, Ore.

While living in North Dakota, Marshal E. Thomas was married to Miss Jennie Smart, the daughter of Mrs. Carrie Smart, now deceased. In 1909 they re- moved to Oregon and in 1911 they took up their residence in Missouri, where Mr. Thomas engaged in farming. They remained there but one' year, how- ever, going on to Bartley, Redwillow County, Nebr., where Mr. Thomas became extensively interested in raising fine stock and grain farming on a large scale. They made their home there until 1918, when the lure of the Golden State brought them to the Coast. After a short residence at Gilroy, Mr. Thomas pur- chased the William Hersman place at San Martin in January, 1919, and removed his family to this fine twenty-acre ranch, with its comfortable home and highly developed prune orchard Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas: Harold, now a rancher at home, was in the S. A. T. C. at the University of Oregon; William assists on the home ranch; Ray- mond served in the U. S. Army, being stationed in Texas; George and Levi are deceased. Mrs. Thomas, who was born November 13, 1879, passed away at San Martin, October 27, 1921, and her death, while just in the prime of womanhood, came as a severe blow to her family and the many friends she had made during her residence here. For many years a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, Mr. Thomas is a Republican in his political preferences. He is enthusiastic over the possibilities of the Santa Clara Valley and enters heartily into all movements for its development.

A. ANDERSON .- An experienced, enterprising business man whose methods have commended him to a large clientele is A. Anderson, the proprietor of the popular transfer, and the dealer in fuel and feed at 131 Lincoln Avenue, Mayfield. He is a self-made man, possessed of good sense, and a hard, intelligent worker, and as such he has been able to establish himself comfortably in an enviable manner; and being patriotic, public-spirited, generous, he never fails to share with others some of the fruits of his prosperity, and so exemplies the model citizen. He has resided at Mayfield for thirty years and is an ex- chief of the fire department there. He also served four years as trustee of the city of Mayfield.

Mr. Anderson was born near Stockholm, Sweden, on November 12, 1872. His father, Anders Person, died at the age of eighty-nine years on March 7. 1922, but his mother is still living on the old home- place in the Northland. When fifteen years of age Mr. Anderson left his old home and landed in New York City at Castle Garden, coming on to California to join his older brother, Stephen, who was at May- field and was working for Governor Stanford on the Palo Alto ranch. He also was engaged by Stanford, and he continued on his celebrated stock-farm for five years. Governor Stanford, as everyone familiar with the history of those days knows, had noted running and trotting horses, for which Mr. Ander- son helped to care, and in one season alone he sold five horses for half a million dollars.

Mr. Anderson worked around in different placer mines, spending five years in El Dorado and at Placer, Cal., and in 1906 he engaged in business in Mayfield. He knew what the community needed, and he also knew what the people want-a square dealer;

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

and he has been successful from the start. He is influential for good citizenship in Republican circles, and is a popular member of the Druids.

MANUEL THEODORE AZEVEDO .- As the president and manager of the American Dairy Com- pany, one of the model institutions of its kind in San Jose, Manuel Theodore Azevedo is counted among the progressive men of the city and county. He was born in Portugal on October 15, 1870, the son of Manuel T. and Marianna Genevieve Azevedo, who were both natives of that country and spent their entire lives within its confines. Manuel Theo- dore received his schooling in his native land and, at the age of seventeen, in 1887, left home for his jour- ney to America. He arrived in Boston on October 6, and at once hegan his journey across the conti- nent to California, going direct to San Mateo, where he secured work on a dairy and for three years worked as a ranch hand, at the same time that he was learning the ways of the American folks. He was frugal and saved his money, and in 1890 he leased land and began dairying for himself, spending in all fourteen years in San Mateo County.

He had met with a fair degree of success in his ventures, and his next move was to Napa County, where he continued his business three years. The lure of the alfalfa country about Newman, Stanis- laus County, next drew the young man's attention, and he moved down there and conducted a dairy until 1916, when he disposed of his holdings to good advantage and came to San Jose and bought an in- terest with Manuel Lewis, and they took over the old American Dairy delivery and at once organized the American Dairy Company. As soon as Mr. Aze- vedo became identified with the concern they pur- chased the property at the corner of Seventeenth and East Santa Clara streets and erected suitable buildings and equipped them with the most modern and necessary machinery, and on Angust 1, 1916, they moved from their old location to the new. The actual working time spent in erecting and equipping the plant was forty days. In 1917 their business was incorporated and Mr. Lewis became the president. Eighteen months after they began business Mr. Aze- vedo disposed of part of his stock in the company and went to San Francisco and engaged in the hotel business for two years. Then he came back to San Jose and bought the controlling interest in his old company and assumed the entire management, and ever since there has been a steady growth. As the business has expanded he has kept adding equipment from time to time and now has one of the most sanitary plants to be found in Santa Clara County. A force of twenty-three people are necessary to carry on the business and there are five delivery wagons and five auto trucks used in delivering their prod- ucts to their customers. Besides their own prod- ucts the company handles the Isleton butter. Mr. Azevedo is a stickler for sanitation and cordially in- vites the public to inspect his model plant.

When Mr. Azevedo married he chose for his wife Mrs. Emily Belcher, and the event was celebrated in Oakland. In politics Mr. Azevedo is a stanch Republican, and fraternally he holds membership in the Woodmen of the World, the United Ancient Order of Druids and the Portuguese Fraternis; he is a live wire in the San Jose Chamber of Commerce and the San Jose Progressive Club; and belongs to

the Catholic Church. He is a loyal American and during the World War participated in all the drives for funds. He is honorable in all his dealings and is well deserving of his success.

ANGELO STURLA .- A worthy representative of the younger generation of the Italian-Americans, whose parents were early settlers of Santa Clara County, is Angelo Sturla, an esteemed citizen of Gil- roy Township. A native son of California, he was born at San Ysidro (Old Gilroy) on August 24, 1883, the son of John Sturla, Sr., a native of Genoa, Italy; his mother was Louisa Rolari, who came to America when she was fifteen years old. John Sturla came to America when he was seventeen years old and went direct to San Francisco and joined his father and brother in the vegetable busi- ness. The first investment in land was near Gilroy, and by good management and economy, John Sturla has become well-to-do and the interest he has taken in the development of the locality in which he re- sides has made him a prominent citizen of Gilroy.

The eldest of a family of seven children Angelo attended the public schools until about sixteen years old; then for the next eleven years helped his father develop his ranches, and the intelligence and care exercised in the development of their land has added greatly to the prosperity of the community. The marriage of Mr. Sturla united him with Miss Anna Schmitt, a daughter of Frank Schmitt, a pioneer of San Ysidro, where Mrs. Sturla was reared and schooled. They are the parents of three children: Evelyn Barbara, Leland Frank, and Richard John. In national politics Mr. Sturla is a Republican; fra- ternally he is a member of the Improved Order of Redmen and the Eagles. For twelve consecutive years he has served on the San Ysidro school board and his activities have resulted in many improvements, such as new buildings and improved equipment. He has also served as judge of the election board of the San Ysidro district. He is a member of the Cali- fornia Prune and Apricot Growers' Association and he owns a fine twenty-five acre orchard set to French prunes, located on the Holsclaw Road.

ARTHUR J. ROBINSON .- Born in far-off Aus- tralia, Arthur J. Robinson came to this country when he was but fourteen years old, so that he has grown up a loyal and patriotic son of his adopted land. Mr. Robinson was born in Queensland on November 20, 1889, the son of Henry and Elizabeth (Winnett) Robinson, the former a native of Ireland. In 1903 he came with his parents to San Martin, Cal., and the family located on a ten-acre ranch there. Of their eleven children three were born in California.

Arthur J. Robinson attended school in the San Martin district, completing the first year of the high school course, and then went to work on the home ranch, helping his father develop it, some of the acreage being planted to orchard. Henry Robinson gradually added to his holdings here until at the time of his death, April 26, 1920, his estate consisted of fifty acres of fine land to which has been added thirty acres of vineyard and ten acres of prunes.

In 1913 our subject went to the great grain districts in Manitoba, Canada, settling near Brandon, and here he became heavily interested in grain farming. It was while here that he was united in marriage with Miss Meryle Callender, a talented young woman, born and reared in Manitoba, the daughter of Mrs.

M.T. Covado

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Charles Callender, who resides at Brandon. Mr. · Robinson's happy married life was of but short dura- tion, however, as his bride passed away in April, 1920, but a short time after their marriage, and it was only a few days later that the bereaved husband was called to California by the news of his father's serious illness. Despite his hurried trip he arrived here just after the father had passed away, survived by his widow and eleven children, the former now making her home at Gilroy, while his brother, George W. Robinson, manages the Robinson estate. Arthur Robinson has an undivided interest in the Robinson holdings. A hard worker, capable and enterprising, he is devoting his time to its development and is meeting with well-deserved success. He is a mem- ber of the California Prune and Apricot Association.

JOHN W. RICHMAN .- Among the well-known and public-spirited ranchers of the Gilroy district, John W. Richman has become prominent through progressive and straightforward methods, and his influence for the betterment of the community is felt in many ways. He was born in Barbour County, W. Va., on January 17, 1862, the son of Levi W. Richman, born in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley, and the family migrated west in 1873, locating in Red Willow County, Nebr., in July of that year, and were pioneer farmers of that state. Levi W. married Miss Annie Nestor, a native of Barbour County, W. Va., and they were the parents of cleven chil- dren, five of whom survive the parents and four of the five reside in Santa Clara County. In 1876, the family removed to Frontier County, the father en- gaged in farming and stockraising; also bought and sold grain and owned and operated an elevator in Moorfield. The father preceded his family to Cali- fornia in 1893, and acquired a tract of land contain- ing thirty acres, a part of the Catherine Dunne estate east of Old Gilroy, and continued to live on this place until he passed away May 31, 1908. He was a highly esteemed and influential citizen.

John received his education in the schools of Ne- braska and came to California in 1908. Before leaving Nebraska, he was married to Miss Clara Craig, who located in Nebraska in 1882. Mr. and Mrs. Richman are the parents of thirteen children, seven living; D. L. served ten months in the U. S. Army overseas, is now an enterprising rancher; Annie, is the wife of Peter Peterson, and they have one child; George H. assists his father with the ranch work; Mary is the wife of Anton Taddei and they reside near Rucker; Minnie is the wife of William N. Buak and they reside at Watsonville; W. Jefferson is at home; Charles R. is also at home. The Richman ranch now contains ninety acres of highly developed orchard, which is due to the industry and good management of Mr. Richman and his sons; he also owns eight and a half acres near Morgan Hill. He has developed a fine irrigating well on his ranch, by means of which he irrigates his orchard during the dry seasons, and has a dehydrator for drying of the immense quanti- ties of prunes from his orchards.

P. J. MARTIN .- One of the more recent organiza- tions of the Santa Clara Valley, that is an important factor to the development of the county is the Walnut Growers Association, and one of the organizers and the first president is P. J. Martin, who has devoted much time and means to walnut growing. A native

of Connecticut, he was born at Naugatuck, August 7, 1858, the son of P. J. and Helen (Molloy) Martin. The father, who was born in Kings County, Ireland, learned his trade, that of ship carpenter, in England; later coming to America, he settled in Connecticut, at Naugatuck, continuing until he retired.

The youngest of nine children, P. J. Martin, at- tended the high school of Naugatuck until he was sixteen; then took up a trade and served an ap- prenticeship as a moulder with the Tuttle & Whitte- more Company, two years later removed to Cleve- land, Ohio, and worked for the Eberhard Manufac- turing Company, and at the age of twenty he was placed in charge of the foundry of this company, and two years later was made superintendent, having full charge of the plant-the youngest man in charge of a business of this kind in the United States-and he continued in this business for several years. He then removed to Muskegon, Mich., and in associa- tion with three other men organized the Standard Malleable Iron Works, Mr. Martin being vice-pres- ident and treasurer for five years; then removed to Racine, Wis, and there organized the Lakeside Mal- lcable Iron Works, where as vice-president and gen- eral manager he remained for two years; thence to Marion, Ohio, where he reorganized the company and became the vice-president and general manager of the Marion Malleable Iron Works-President Harding was a stockholder in the above company.

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 242

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