History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 243

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

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The marriage of Mr. Martin occurred in Cleve- land, Ohio, October 31, 1893, and united him with Miss Anna Josephine Vouwie, the daughter of John and Elizabeth (Hoffman) Vouwie. The Vouwie fam- ily was of French lineage and the mother was of old Knickerbocker stock. The father was a manu- facturer in Cleveland'and one of the pioneer and in- fluential business men. Mrs. Martin is next to the youngest child in a family of ten children and at- tended the public school and the Notre Dame Aca- demy in Cleveland, from which she was graduated. Mr. and Mrs. Martin are the parents of three child- ren: Ralph, educated in the University of Santa Clara and Stanford University and now associated with his father in business; Helene, a graduate of the Notre Dame College and the State Normal School majoring in music and now supervisor of music at Pittsburg, Cal .; Anita, who attends the Normal Training School, San Jose.

In 1911, Mr. Martin sold his interests in Marion, Ohio, and after visiting various centers in the East looking for a permanent residence place, he arrived in California in February, 1912, and three months later settled in Santa Clara County. and purchased his present place; his ranch contains fourteen acres set to walnuts, interplanted with prune trees. Mr. Martin began the study of walnut culture and mar- keting and soon saw the necessity of cooperation in marketing. There being some 2,000 acres in wal- nuts in the county, and this resulted in the Santa Clara County Walnut Growers' Association, affiliated with the California Walnut Growers' Association with headquarters in Los Angeles, and Mr. Martin is a director of the latter organization.

Mrs. Martin had a pleasant experience in social affairs in Marion, Ohio, where Mrs. Warren G. Harding was her first caller and a mutual friendship was formed that has endured ever since. Mr. Mar- tin gives his support to progressive, constructive

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legislation, regardless of party lines, and is an active member of San Jose Council No. 879, Knights of Columbus, as is his son, Ralph Martin.

WILLIAM N. ECONOMOU .- The far-off land of Macedonia was the birthplace of William N. Econ- omou, where he first saw the light of Smardese, on November 6, 1892. He is the son of the late Nich- olas G. and Ellene (Dinken) Economou, both born, lived and died in Macedonia. The father was a well- to-do tradesman, owned extensive properties both at Athens and Macedonia. He died at the age of forty-five, while the mother passed from this life when thirty-eight, survived by three children; Wil- liam N., of this review; Apostolos, who served as second lieutenant in the Greek army, and Constan- tina, now attending school in Greece. Owing to the early death of his parents, William was thrown upon his own resources at a tender age and for two years worked in a plaster and cornice decoration works at Athens, Greece. Hoping to better his con- dition, in 1907, he came to America and landed in St. Louis, Mo., in November, where he found work for a time. In 1912 he came to San Francisco and soon after opened a cafe, known as the "Old Frisco" at Polk and Broadway. He met with financial re- verses and had to go to work for others until 1917. when he opened a fine eating place in Berkeley, with a friend for a partner. This was maintained amica- bly until he enlisted for service in the World War.

It seems quite proper to make mention of the services rendered the country of his adoption by Wil- liam N. Economou when the world was rocked by the World War. When the enrollment of men of suit- able ages for military service was demanded by our President, he enlisted on May 5, 1917, at Berkeley; on April 26, 1918 he was notified to report for im- mediate service and was sent to Camp Lewis, Wash- ington, where he was assigned to Company Thirty- seven, Depot Brigade; on May 25, he was trans- ferred to Company D, Three Hundred Sixteenth En- gineers, Ninety -- first Division, known as the "Wild West Division" as it was made up of men from eight Western States. After months of hard and inten- sive training at Camp Lewis, orders were at last received to go East and they were transported across the continent and on July 6, 1918, embarked for France. When crossing the Atlantic the boat on which our subject was a passenger, sighted a Ger- man submarine and the squadron formed battle for- mation and had target practice for a few minutes. The Ninety-first arrived at Liverpool on the 18th and four days later were at Cherbourg, France. In order to billet the men they were scattered in half a dozen villages covering about twenty miles of ter- ritory. Their intensive training was continued until they were thrown into their first battle, and having gone to France to fight, they were elated when that call came, which was early in September; and on September 6 they started their march toward the front. September 12 they reached St. Mihiel front and were at once ordered in reserve, but they did not take part in that engagement at the front lines. But even under shell-fire for three days, they at- tempted to dry their clothes under cover of the woods that partly protected them. September 16 they left St. Mihiel and marched toward the Argonne-Mcuse front, where they achieved fame and glory. On Sep- tember 19 they were only three miles from the front

line trenches, and when they arrived there they were welcomed by gas alarms. September 24 Company D, Three Hundred and Sixteenth Engineers, built bridges over shell holes in No Man's Land by moon- light. On September 25 orders came to take their places in the front line trenches, which had been held by the French army for the last four years, and at 2:30 in the morning of the 26th they made their first move in front of the enemy. The barrage of the guns from the Germans and the American batteries was so intense that it seemed as if the whole world was rocking and that the entire woods confronting them were on fire with the terrific firing. Need- less to say that the Ninety-first did its duty to the last man, accomplished their objective in the face of the heaviest odds, and after eight days of the most severe fighting, in which they had 8,000 casual- ties, were relieved and permitted to rest. Most of those eight days the men had no warm food, and only such as they carried or could gather as they went along; they had no overcoats nor blankets, and were so worn out with continual fighting that they often slept standing for the few minutes they had. The enemy were so firmly entrenched that it took the most herculanean efforts to destroy his machine gun nests, but the American forces set out to dislodge the Germans and they never gave ground, once they had obtained it, and held every position through the hardest kind of work. It was at this place that our subject distinguished himself by saving many of his comrades who had fallen as they rushed towards the enemy. This is conceded to be the most severe fighting that the Americans participated in during the war.

After resting a few days and filling up their ranks, the Ninety-first was ordered to join the French Corps in Belgium. Traveling via Paris and Ypres in Belgium, they reached their destination and with scarcely any rest were thrown into the battle on the main road to Brussels at the crossing of the Ascout River. Here again the Ninety-first distinguished themselves and had a very important part in dis- lodging the Germans from their strong fortifications across the Ascout River from Audenarde, where it flowed through the town. Volunteers were called for to make reconnoissance and Economou was among the eight men selected and he was the only man who got through to the German lines, having reached their divisional headquarters, one mile in- side their lines. He secured all the information pos- sible as to conditions confronting the advancing Al- lied armies and made ready to rejoin his comrades. The Germans were evacuating the town and at day- break the rear guard artillery began shelling Auden- arde, trying to get the spy who held many of their secrets. So intense was the fire that our subject hid in tunnels until he heard the last bridge blown up and then came out of hiding, being surrounded by Belgians who wanted to see the first American to reach their town. The crowd drew a German air- plane, who dropped three bombs near him, killed some of the civilians, but Economou was safe. As he made his way out of town he was followed by artillery fire and it was hours before he reached his own lines. He took refuge in a building which was shaken down by the fire, in fact the town was partly destroyed; at last they dropped a gas shell and he was overcome for over an hour as he was

Wm Economy

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

so weak and tired he could not get his mask ad- justed in time.

He had his information and delivered same to his officers, and the engineers set out to build bridges over the river with material he had discovered while on his reconnaissance. He was ordered to act as pilot to the ambulances that were ordered into Auden- arde that same night as he was the only man who knew the road and it was so dark and stormy he stood on the running board to safely guide them through the dangers, and here again he was gassed, as with his rifle and narrow space he could not get his mask on in time. Arriving in the town he had orders to assemble the wounded and establish a first aid station in the town, which he did at Hotel Le Ville. The Allied armies made twenty-three miles in three days, continuous fighting all the way, but dis- lodged the Germans after four days' hard fighting. The Ninety-first was ordered to rest and later, the French had taken their places and had lost some of the ground gained by the Americans, they were ordered to make their second offensive on November 10, 1918. They regained lost ground and were press- ing the Germans back when the armistice was signed and the war was over. For distinguished services during the two offensives here at Audenarde, Econ- omou received his decorations-the Croix de Guerre and the Gilt Star from the French Government, and the Silver Star and the Victory Medal with three clasps from the United States Government. With the Ninety-first, Economou left France, arriving in San Francisco on April 29, 1919, and was discharged at the Presidio on May 3.

Returning to civilian life, Mr. Economou remained about the Bay district a short time, then came to Gilroy and bought an interest in the Liberty Grill, remaining there until in August, 1921, when he sold out and opened the Victory Cafe at the corner of Martin and Monterey streets. Here he has a very modern establishment and is fast building up a good and profitable business through his square dealing with all with whom he comes in contact and he has already made a place for himself in the community. He takes an active part in the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce and the local post of the American Le- gion; is a Republican in national politics, but in lo- cal matters believes in supporting the best men. In religious faith he adheres to the teachings of the Orthodox Greek Church.

FRENCH W. LAKE .- A booster whose services to Santa Clara County are always highly appreciated is French W. Lake, the orchardist of Bodfish Road, near Gilroy. He was born in Brodhead, Green Coun- ty, Wis., on August 5, 1888, and since his settling in the Golden State has made good to such an extent that his own success is the best endorsement of things Californian. His parents were Jacob and Lavina (Burdick) Lake, the former a native of Wis- consin, who was reared in Lafayette County, brought up on a farm and there sent to school. He engaged later in lumbering and in milling, and in 1897 he migrated to California and settled in Los Angeles. After a while he conducted a general store at La- manda Park, and there he also operated a ten-acre ranch. At the end of three years he returned with his family to Wisconsin, and when, in 1906, they again came West, they located at San Jose. Since then, Mr. Lake has been farming near Saratoga on a very desirable ranch he acquired by purchase.

French Lake continued his studies at the Poly- technic College of Engineers at Oakland, from which he received his degree in 1913; he entered the em- ploy of the Southern Pacific Railroad and remained in the Department of Construction, Western Divi- sion, until 1916, then enlisted in the U. S. Army, at Oakland, and joined the infantry; and two years later he received his commission as second lieutenant.

The following year he was made first lieutenant in the First Engineering Corps, and then he was de- tailed to service at Washington, D. C. He remained with the War Department nine months, but at the first opportunity for foreign service he volunteered, reaching Antwerp, Belgium, in the fall of 1919.

While at Washington, Mr. Lake was married to Miss Gertrude Smith, a daughter of Norwood Smith, a prominent attorney of Natchitoches, La., represent- ing the Texas, Louisiana & Pacific Railroad, and at Natchitoches she was reared and schooled. On ar- riving abroad he was assigned to Department B, 1st R. R. Op. Engrs., at Coblenz, and he had a won- derful experience in a foreign land; and his exper- ience was all the more agreeable because he was permitted, with the privilege given concerning wives to other officers, to send for Mrs. Lake. In August, 1920, a baby son was born to them at the romantic spot on the Rhine, and the little fellow was at once named French W. Lake, Jr. In December of the same year, Lieut. Lake asked for his release, and resigned his post; and on returning to America, and California, he came into the Santa Clara Valley and settled here. Wishing to establish interests for him- self, he purchased the farm known as the J. P. Sargent ranch, not far from the Lewis place in the foothills near Gilroy, and he at once set about the development of the property, and such has been his success that in the past year alone he has made won- derful strides. He is most optimistic about the future of the Valley and he never loses an opportunity to inspire others with enthusiasm and courage.

W. H. MAIN .- An expert, enterprising and very progressive leader in the automobile world of Santa Clara County who has done his part in affording adequate service to the people of Los Gatos desirous of getting prompt, first-class and moderate-priced machine-shop work at home, is W. H. Main, owner of the "Automotive." one of the best-equipped estab- lishments in this part of the state, at Los Gatos, near which town he was born. On March 8, 1885, he entered the family of J. M. Main, a well-known orchardist who died in 1917, the son of pioneers who came here in very carly days; and growing up, he was married to Miss Emma C. Franklin, the daughter of the distinguished Major William H. Franklin. J. M. Main hauled the first quicksilver obtained from the mountains in this locality, and for twenty-two years he teamed over the steep moun- tain grades and was widely known as one of the ablest of men in his line of activity, thoroughly fami- liar with routes and knowing every face likely to be encountered on the way.

W. H. Main joined the other boys at the local schools, and when old enough to do so, entered the oil business, working for two and a half years as a driller and a steam engineer for the Watsonville Company, then, for another two and half years, he was outside gas engineer for the Fairbanks Morse concern. In 1905 he went to San Jose, took up auto- mobile repairing and worked with Al Hall, famed

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for his association with the Liberty Motor, continu- ing there for four years. He left San Jose in 1910 and opened the Gem City Garage; but in March, 1914, he sold out and then, for a couple of years, was in the laundry trade. In 1916 he returned to the automobile industry and four years later opened his present place where he employs two men steadily and which has such a full equipment of machinery that he is prepared to take care of any job. Being the pioneer automobile man of Los Gatos, the Main shop remains the mainstay of the town.

At San Jose, 1905, Mr. Main was married to Miss Maude E. Cornell of Los Gatos; and their married life has been rendered happier by four children: Dorothy, Edna, Barbara, and Rettie. Mr. Main is a Mason and a Republican.

ANDRE AZEVEDO .- Dairy interests of Santa Clara County find an enterprising representative in Andre Azevedo, who by his practical, progressive and scientific methods has made the Vendome Ranch one of the show places in Northern California. He keeps abreast of the times in every way and his diligence and determination have brought to him well-deserved success. He was born on the Isle of St. George, in the Azores, January 10, 1874, the son of John Mat- tos and Izabel (Santos) Azevedo. For many years the father successfully engaged in general farming, but he is now living retired on that island at the age of eighty years, and the mother also survives.

Mr. Azevedo is the fourth in a family of thirteen children and he acquired a fair education in the pub- lic schools of his native island, on which he con- tinued to reside until his seventeenth year, when he sought his fortune in the United States, six of the family having already preceded him to this country. Landing at Boston, Mass., he journeyed to San Mateo, Cal., and for a season was employed in driv- ing the horses for a hay press, receiving $1.50 per day. In October, 1891, he went to Point Reyes, in Marin County, where he worked for two years, after which he went to Sausalito, and with his hard-earned savings purchased a one-eighth interest in the White Kitt Ranch, near that place. Owing to the general business depression then existing throughout the country, he made slow progress and at the end of twelve years removed his share of the business, con- sisting of eighty head of stock, to another ranch, be- coming a partner of Manuel S. Casho, and for five years they were associated in dairying. Mr. Aze- vedo then acquired possession of the dairy, which he later removed to Novato, forming a partnership with M. T. Freitas, now a retired capitalist of San Rafael. This relationship continued successfully for nine years, when the business was sold to Messrs. Hill & Kilpatrick, its present owners, and while a resident of Novato Mr. Azevedo was instrumental in organizing the Novato Bank, of which he remained a director until recently.

In 1919 Mr. Azevedo came to the Santa Clara Valley and became one of the owners of the Ven- dome Dairy, located on the Brokaw Road, north of San Jose. His business associates are F. S. Soares, M. A. Silveira and Frank Scamas, all of whom are prominent residents of San Francisco, and proprie- tors of the San Francisco Dairy Company. They lease 420 acres, of which 300 acres are situated near Alviso, while the 120-acre tract is located on the Brokaw Road, where Mr. Azevedo resides, and they are the owners of 300 head of stock. The Vendome

Dairy furnishes employment to eleven men, is mod- ern, sanitary and well equipped. Mr. Azevedo pos- sesses that expert knowledge of his occupation which can come only through long practical experience and is ably and intelligently conducting the dairy, which he has made one of the models of its kind in this section of the state.

On September 25, 1899, Mr. Azevedo was married to Miss Anna Bettencourt, who came to California with her brother in 1893, locating at Sausalito. Four children have been born to them: Manuel, a resident of San Rafael, married Miss Rosa Matos, of Novato, by whom he has one child; John, of Sunnyvale, Cal., married Mary Machado, the daughter of F. A. Machado, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume; Andrew and Eva are attending school. Mr. Azevedo gives his political allegiance to the Re- publican party and is a member of the Church of Five Wounds at East San Jose. He is a charter member of the Milk Producers Association of San Francisco, and for the first four years following its organization was a member of the board of directors. He is a member of the Ancient Order of Druids and is also identified with the U. P. E. C., the I. D. S. I., of which he is a past officer, and the I. D. E. S., of Oakland, Cal., of which he is the supreme officer.

L. H. SHORE .- One of the prosperous ranchers of the Mountain View district of Santa Clara County is L. H. Shore, a representative of a prominent family of Kings County, Cal., where he still owns an excellent ranch of 160 acres. He was born in the rural district near Hanford, June 24, 1874, a son of John H. and Susan (Hahn) Shore. The father crossed the plains in an early day and became a pioneer of Tulare County. He passed away in 1890 and the mother in 1915. They were the parents of nine children, the subject of this review being the fourth child. His education was obtained in the public schools of Hanford, and then he followed in his father's footsteps, becoming a successful. rancher of Kings County.

The marriage of Mr. Shore occurred at Santa Clara and united him with Miss Leora Bubb, the daughter of that worthy pioneer, William Henry Bubb, who was born in Washington County, Mo., December 26, 1836, and with his parents crossed the plains to California in 1850, arriving at Placerville, September 26, going from there to Fremont, on the Sacramento River, where they remained three months; then to Nevada County, afterwards to Dow- nieville, Yuba County, and finally to Santa Clara County, locating at Mountain View in 1851. There in conjunction with his father they followed the stockraising business until 1855, and in 1857 went to Fresno and Tulare Counties, started on his own ac- count and continued there until 1865, when he sold out and returned to the Santa Clara Valley. Mr. Bubb became a very extensive farmer of the district, and besides owning a ranch of 150 acres, he owned a half-interest in the large warehouses at Mountain View. On October 16, 1867, at Mountain View, he was married to Miss Susan Farrar and of their family of children only two are living, Mrs. L. H. Shore and Mrs. Louise Adams, the wife of Charles E. Adams, of San Jose. William Henry Bubb passed away at his home forty years ago, the mother surviving until 1913.

Q. Chevedo

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After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Shore farmed in Kings County for five years; then they moved back to the old Bubb homestead where they have lived ever since. They have improved their place and keep it in a high state of cultivation. Mrs. Shore represents a type of energy no less forceful than that of her father, and through hard work and care the old homeplace has been kept in excellent repair and is one of the most comfortable of the old-time houses in the Santa Clara Valley. The fine drives, well-kept yards, family orchard, family garden, the fine old live oaks, eucalyptus and other kinds of trees, which were planted by her father, and are now gigantic and imposing in their beauty.

GEORGE R. LEWIS .- Among the wide-awake, far-seeing and capable business men, who are respon- sible for the permanency of the buildings and resi- dences of Los Gatos, is George R. Lewis, the owner of the oldest plumbing and tining establishment in Los Gatos. A native of Burlington, Iowa, he was born August 22, 1869, and is the son of Osmar and Jennie E. (Gibson) Lewis; the father now resides in Oakland. George R. attended the public schools of his native city and then attended Doane College at Crete, Nebr. In 1886 he came to California and located at Los Gatos, and in the following year pur- chased the business of Perkins & Son. In 1897 Os- mar Lewis disposed of his grocery business and joined his son in the plumbing business. The father is now retired, but the business is still known under the firm name of Lewis & Son. Many of the best business blocks, the high school and many of the principal residences attest the splendid character of Mr. Lewis' workmanship.

The marriage of Mr. Lewis united him with Miss Maud Salisbury of Thompson, Pa., and they have two children, Alfred O. and Howard S. Mr. Lewis was a member of the board of trustees of Los Gatos for four years and gave his best efforts to improve the city; during this time the Carnegie Library was provided for and the erection of the building begun. He has served his community as a member of the board of school trustees for thirteen years and dur- ing the entire time was secretary of the board He is a member of Ridgely Lodge No. 294, I. O. O. F., and served as secretary for four years, and is also a past grand. For twenty-six years Mr. Lewis has served as superintendent of the Presbyterian Sunday- school. Keenly interested in all matters that pertain to the progress and prosperity of California, he is an active member of the Chamber of Commerce and takes a good citizen's part in all civic matters.

WILL GEORGE LIDLEY .- Los Gatos, now rec- ognized as one of the most progressive and most promising of towns in Santa Clara County, is fortun- ate in having, among her well-equipped and well- managed business houses, an excellent pharmacy, of which Will George Lidley, one of the popular of professional men in the Valley, is proprietor. He was born at Kansas City, Kans., on January 7, 1891, the son of John Lidley, an expert mechanic, who had married Miss Freda Liapple. The family came to San Francisco in 1907, and there Mrs. Lidley, beloved by a wide circle of appreciating friends, breathed her last, survived by her husband.

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 243

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