History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 256

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

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WILLIAM LIONEL HARES .- Among the suc- cessful orchardists of the Santa Clara Valley is nun- bered William Lionel Hares, who is thoroughly con- versant with the details of modern horticulture and viticulture and in the management of his business interests displays foresight and enterprise. A native of West Virginia, he was born in Greenbrier County, February 24, 1874, his parents being Chas. H. and Sarah (Proby) Hares, both of whom were born in England. On his maternal side, Mr. Hares is a de- scendant of the English nobility and traces his lineage back to William Proby, the first Earl of Carysfort, the family being represented in Foster's English Peerage. Chas. H. Hares and Sarah Proby were mar- ried in Seaton, Devon, where they were also born. In 1871 they came to the United States, settling in Greenbrier County, W. Va., where they were engaged in stockraising until 1880. He removed to Le Mars, Iowa, and in 1884 they made their way to California. The father purchased a ranch in Paradise Valley, San- ta Clara County, devoting his energies to its cultiva- tion and improvement and in time came to have a splendid orchard. Here he was bereaved of his faithful wife in 1902, and in 1910 the father sold his holdings and returned to his old home in England where he re- sided until his death in December, 1920. This worthy couple had five children, two of whom are living: Chas. H., Jr., of San Jose, and Wm. L. of this review.

In the acquirement of an education William L. Hares attended the public schools and the San Jose State Normal, after which he assisted his father in the operation of the home farm. For seventeen years he has conducted his interests independently and is now the owner of a well-improved orchard and vine- yard tract of twenty-five acres situated just off Union Avenue, near the school of that name, in Santa Clara County. He has made a careful study of soil and cli- matic conditions here in relation to the production of fruit and his operations are conducted along the most progressive lines, resulting in excellent returns.

In San Jose in 1903, Mr. Hares was married to Miss Mary Frances Machado, the daughter of B. S. and Mary (Murphy) Machado; the latter was the daughter of James Murphy who crossed the plains with his family in an ox-train as a member of the Murphy party in 1846. B. S. Machado was born in San Diego and both parents were pioneers of Santa Clara County. Mr. and Mrs. Hares have five chil- dren: Louisa, Gladys, Lionel, Alma and Leo. Mr. Hares is a Republican and fraternally he is identi- fied with the Independent Order of Foresters. He has led an active and useful life, and the years have chronicled his growing success; at the same time he has labored for the upbuilding of his community, whose welfare and progress have ever been to him matters of earnest consideration.

HENRY A. MINEO .- A native son of California who was born and reared in Santa Clara County, and who is prominent in the commercial life of Los Gatos is Henry A. Mineo, owner of a successful trucking, hay and wood business. He was born in East San Jose, May 13, 1885, the son of Joseph and Josephine Mineo. About fifty years ago Joseph Mineo came to California and settled in the Santa Clara Valley and has been engaged in the fruit business for many years. Both parents now reside in Los Gatos. Henry A. was educated in the public schools, but at the carly age of thirteen left home to make his own way. For a number of years he worked in the Almaden Mines; then he worked at farm work and teaming. In 1912 he engaged in teaming in the Santa Cruz mountains and advanced until he now owns two five-ton trucks and during the busy season employs about twenty-five men to take care of the business. The men cut posts, pickets and ties in the mountains and they are transported on pack mules to the roads, where he can load his trucks to take them to market.

The marriage of Mr. Mineo, in San Jose, October 7. 1903, united him with Miss Rose Lancaster, born in Los Gatos, the daughter of Henry and Mary Lancaster, who came from England to Santa Clara County where her father engaged in sawmilling. They are the parents of one child, Mervyn. Mr. Mineo is a Republican and fraternally he belongs to the Red Men. He spends his leisure time in hunting, being fond of the great outdoors, and is enthusiastic over the growth and development of Los Gatos and the sur- rounding territory.

CONRAD JESSEN .- A retired resident of Gilroy who enjoys the esteem of all familiar with his excellent record for industry and useful, successful life, is Con- rad Jessen, who was born on the Isle of Alsen, Den- mark, on February 4, 1846, and was reared at home until his fourteenth year. His father was Jess Jes- sen, a tailor by trade, and he came to America in 1874. Conrad went to sea in 1860 entering the service of the Danish national merchant marine on a vessel called "Concordia." Next he was on the "George" for a year, then he was on several German ships and or. November 16, 1869, he left Hamburg for the last time on a Norwegian ship, Frederick Peterson. He put in at San Francisco on May, 1870, 159 days out from Hamburg; and once in the Bay city, he decided to abandon the sea and to make a new start in life.

He had an uncle in Watsonville, and this led him to locate there in 1870. In May, 1873 he opened a boarding house, and from 1876 to 1882 he ran the "Scandinavian House," then he built the "Watsonville House." In 1900 he made a profitable exchange of this property for a ranch near Gilroy, known as the Anson place, a stock and grain farm of 2881/2 acres. Sixty-five acres he set out to vines, and the balance are farmed to hay and grain, while 135 acres have been subdivided and sold. In national politics a Democrat, Mr. Jessen has always favored that legis- lation which best guaranteed the development and protection of the industries and resources of the state.

At Watsonville, in 1873, Mr. Jessen was married to Miss Elene Toft, a native of Denmark who came out to America and California in 1871; and four children blessed the union. Christina, who married Mr. Ryder, died in 1913 and their two children, a daughter and son, live at Oakland, and this granddaughter has one

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child. George married Miss Hazel Van Vorkees at Sacramento, and they have one daughter. He died in 1911, aged thirty-six. Cecelia is the wife of George Driever, of Seattle; and they have one daughter. James has a wife and two daughters; and they reside at San Francisco. In 1874, Mr. Jessen sent for his father and mother and a brother, and they came from Denmark to California; his father died at Watsonville at the age of eighty-one, and his mother died there at the age of seventy-six. In the spring of 1912, Mr. Jessen set out for Denmark and other parts of Europe, and made a most delightful tour of four months, luckily before the war-clouds darkened the Old World. He erected a fine home on Bodfish Road, and there he and his wife live in comfortable retire- ment, enjoying in particular his fraternal friendships, having been a member of the I. O. O. F. lodge at Watsonville for nearly forty years.

BARBACCIA BROTHERS .- Among the live, energetic and persevering young business men of San Jose are Philip and Nicholas Barbaccia. They are the sons of Ciro and Josephine (Spatafora) Barbac- cia, both parents being natives of Italy. The father was an extensive farmer and stock breeder in his native country. In 1900, leaving his family in com- fortable circumstances, Ciro Barbaccia came to Cal- ifornia and engaged in horticulture; he purchased raw land and set out different varieties of fruit, his family joining him later. He resided on his twenty- acre orchard until his death, February 21, 1921, his wife having preceded him July 17, 1919. Philip was born in Marineo, Sicily, November 29, 1894; six years later, on May 29, Nicholas was born. Their early boyhood was spent with their father on the farm, the family consisting of the two brothers and their sis- ters, Lea and Rosa.

Philip attended the common schools in Sicily, re- ceiving an education equivalent to our high school course. In 1907 he embarked for America, coming directly to San Jose, and here he was employed by the California Packing Corporation for eight years. During this period he became a trustworthy and ef- ficient employee and learned the ins and outs of canning all kinds of fruits and vegetables. At the time of leaving this company, he was warehouse foreman. The brothers interested local capital in starting a new cannery, and on January 15, 1920, the Santa Clara Valley Canning Company was organ- ized, Philip being elected vice-president of the com- pany. In 1920 the present building, 200x300 feet. was built and equipped with the latest and most modern cannery machinery for packing fruits and vegetables, most sanitary and complete. Shipments are not only made in carload lots all over the United States, but into different parts of the world in both the Occi- dent and Orient.

During the year of 1910, Nicholas, then a boy of ten, came to America with his mother and two sis- ters, coming directly to San Jose. Here he received his education in the grammar and high schools of San Jose. Upon his graduation from the high school in 1917, he was with the California Packing Corpor- ation for three years as time clerk. Instrumental in organizing the company, he became cashier of the Santa Clara Valley Canning Company from its or- ganization in 1920. This company has a capacity of 150,000 cases, but pride themselves on the quality

rather than the quantity of fruit which they produce.

Exercising the lessons of thrift and industry which their father had instilled into them during the early years of their lives, in 1914, the two brothers, jointly, purchased a fifty-acre ranch three miles southwest of San Jose on the Dry Creek Road, planting orchards of prunes, apricots, cherries and peaches. In their various business transactions, the Barbaccia brothers have met with excellent success and are now enjoy- ing the reward of their earlier years of struggle and toil. Both brothers are members of the Italo- American Club of San Jose and St. Joseph's Church. Strong believers in protection, they are stanch Re- publicans.

ELVERT ERNEST PLACE .- Leading among those whose successful management of worthy and important enterprises has contributed much to Santa Clara County is Elvert Ernest Place, the experienced undertaker and proprietor of an ambulance service. He was born at Burns, Mich., on November 5, 1863, the son of Alexander F. and Sarah M. (Blood) Place, natives of New York who migrated to Shiawassee County, Mich., and there pioneered where the old homestead, still standing, was the center of life to many. Mr. Place took up flour milling and followed it all through his busy life; and when he passed away. on January 7, 1891, he left behind an excellent record of accomplishment. Mrs. Place is also among the great silent majority, and she will be pleasantly re- membered by many a pioneer appreciating her true and neighborly character.

Elvert went to the local grammar schools. and then was graduated from the high school at Laingsburg, Mich., and he remained with his father, active in the latter's enterprises, until he came out to California in 1884, when he established this business under the firm name of A. F. Place & Son, dealers in furniture and undertakers. At the end of three years, however, the elder Mr. Place again took up milling, this time in San Benito County; but in 1891 he met with an accident which cost him his life. Elvert had bought his father's interest in the firm when Alexander Place went South, and he has continued the business ever since. In the fall of 1887, he commenced for himself; in 1884, the business was established on East Main Street; and they remained there until the develop- ment was such that in 1887 he found it necessary to remove to the Willey Block, where he remained until July 27. 1891; when he was burned out with a com- plete loss. Not discouraged, Mr. Place immediately opened a new establishment at 13-15 Santa Cruz Street, with modern undertaking parlors and a furni- ture store. In 1920 he purchased the old Curtis Cog- shall home at 115 Santa Cruz Street, which he remod- elled, redecorated and furnished for a modern funeral home. On January 1, 1922, he disposed of his furni- ture interests and retired from that line to give all his attention to funeral and ambulance service. As- sociated with him is his son, Geo. B., also a licensed embalmer. They have modern, up-to-date equipment, and render the most satisfactory service in under- taking and ambulance such as those sensitive about scientific methods and artistic standards could desire.

At Laingsburg, Mich .. on March 10, 1887. Mr. Place was married to Miss Emma Beardslee, of his home town, and they have one child, George B. Place. Mr. Place's grandfather Blood was a noted missionary among the Indians, and the old Blood homestead in

Philip Barbaccia

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

Michigan, ou the Clinton-Shiawassee line, is still in the Blood family. Mr. Place is a Republican and he belongs to the Odd Fellows in which, as one of the oldest members, he has progressed through all the chairs, and he is a member of the Rebekahs, the Knights of Pythias, where he is a past officer, and the Druids. He was one of the organizers of the Central Coast Counties Funeral Directors' Associa- tion and has been its treasurer since; and active in bringing about harmony and good will among the members of the association. He is also a member of the State and National Funeral Directors' Associa- tions. He is a member Los Gatos Chamber of Com- merce, Merchant's Association, and the Men's Club of the Presbyterian Church.

A. J. TEIXEIRA .- Through industry and capabil- ity, A. J. Teixeira has won a substantial measure of success as a building contractor and he is now living retired in San Jose, where for the past thirty-seven years he has made his home. He was born on the Isle of Pico, in the Azores, May 20, 1863, a son of Manuel Bernardo and Mary (Constancia) Teixeira. There the father successfully followed the occupation of farming until his demise and the mother passed away at Flagstaff, Ariz., while en route to San Jose. When a lad of eight years A. J. Teixeira became a sailor and until his twenty-third year he continued to follow a scafaring life, being accorded few educa- tional opportunities. At length he tired of that life and in search of a suitable locality in which to take up his permanent residence, at first went to Boston, Mass., afterward to New York City, and at length came to San Jose, arriving in the city, January 15, 1884. Conditions here pleased him so well that he decided to remain and he has never had occasion to regret his choice, for here he has found the oppor- tunities for advancement which he songht. Taking up the carpenter's trade, he soon became well known in that connection and built up a large business as a designer and contractor, owing to the excellence of his work and his promptness and reliability in the exe- cution of contracts. For twenty years he continued in active business, during which period his labors were an important factor in the upbuilding and im- provement of San Jose. He is still the owner of an estate on the Isle of Pico, in the Azores, and is ac- counted one of the substantial citizens of his com- munity.

At Millboro, Mass., Mr. Teixeira was married to Miss Mary D. Dutra, also a native of the Isle of Pico. In 1882 she came to Boston, Mass. Her parents. were Manuel and Mary Dutra, of Pico, where the father was well-known as a shoemaker. Mr. and Mrs. Teixeira have become the parents of seven children: Mary, the wife of George La Selta, a prominent mer- chant of East San Jose; Manuel, who is married and is an engineer in the employ of the Southern Pacific Rail- road Company; Mariana, Mrs. Price, resides at Cody, Cal .; Tony, a graduate of Columbia University and now a well-known architect and teacher of drawing in the San Jose high school while during the World War served as an officer in the U. S. Navy; Emmeline; Joseph; and George. All of the children were born in California with the exception of Mary. Mr. Tei- xeira is an artist of no mean ability. He has done much fine decorating, such as altars and panelings in Catholic churches. He did the painting and decorat- ing in the Church of the Five Wounds in San Jose,

the Portuguese chapel in Turlock and his many paintings in his home as well as in those of relatives and friends. He is a member of the U. P. E. C. and the Independent Order of Foresters. Starting out in the world when but eight years of age, he has stead- ily worked his way upward through persistency of purpose, energy and determination, and none can grudge him his success, so worthily has it been won.

GEORGE A. WOOD .- Born in the foothills of the Green Mountains, George A. Wood, at the age of twelve, went with his father's family to Wisconsin, later removing to Minnesota, where he continued his studies and taught school. He took his college course at the University of Minnesota, graduating in 1878. That same year he went into business in partnership with his brother. They chose for the location of their enterprise the new town of Ortonville in the western part of the state, in territory which was being rapidly settled, and carried the three staple commodities for a new country-lumber, hardware and farm machinery, the partnership continuing for thirty years. When the railroad was extended westward into South Dakota they moved their headquarters to the growing rail- road town of Milbank, South Dakota.

The time and place were both advantageous for their lines of goods, and by diligent effort and close attention to business, they built up one of the largest and most successful retail businesses in the state. Having his business career successfully started, his next move looked to the establishment of his home. In 1879 he married Miss Caroline Rollit of Minne- apolis, a daughter of the Rev. Charles Rollit, an Episcopal clergyman. Mrs. Wood is also a graduate of the University of Minnesota of the class of 1879. They have seven children, six of whom have college degrees. and all of them in California.

During his residence in the Middle West Mr. Wood visited California for several successive winters, and in 1908 he removed to Santa Cruz, where he and his brother had bought a mill and lumber company of which he is now president. In 1911 he took up his residence in the beautiful foothill village of Saratoga, a place which he considers the most beautiful in the state, if not in the world, for an all-the-year-round home. He still has interests in South Dakota. While Mr. Wood generally votes the Republican ticket, he reserves the right to vote for the man best fitted for the office. He is an active member of the Congrega- tional Church.

JOSEPH F. NOYER .- A rancher whose enter- prise has resulted in his setting a pace for some of his fellow-farmers is Joseph F. Noyer, of Hamilton Ave- nue, Campbell. He was born in Flores, among the beautiful Azores, on February 15, 1866, the son of Frank and Frances Noyer, who first came to Cali- fornia many years ago. They remained only a short time, however, and then they returned to their island home. When Joseph was fourteen years of age, his father crossed the ocean to New York, going on to New Bedford, Mass., and at the end of three years there, he came on to California, and worked on ranches in Alameda County.

In 1884 Joseph Noyer came to Santa Clara County and took up ranch work, and for ten years farmed on the Piedmont Road, growing hay and market-garden- ing vegetables. On December 15, 1921, he bought his present place of five acres devoted to raising

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prunes and apricots. At San Francisco, on April 8, 1893, he was married to Miss Mary Rogers, a native of Boston and the daughter of Antone and Rosalie (Ferreira) Rogers, the father a fisherman off the coast of Massachusetts, who in 1886 moved to San Francisco, and for many years he worked for the Sterling Furniture Company there. Twelve children have blessed this union of Mr. and Mrs. Noyer. Mary died in 1896; Rose is Mrs. Dutra; Clara passed away in October, 1918; Frank, Rita, Nellie, Joseph, John, Anna, Manuel, Henry and William are attending the Campbell school. Mr. Noyer is a member of the U. P. E. C. of Milpitas, and Mrs. Noyer belong to the S. P. R. S. I. of Milpitas. Santa Clara County owes much of her present enviable prosperity to such sturdy, progressive settlers as Mr. and Mrs. Noyer, w hose steady advancement is well deserved.

GEORGE C. PAYNE .- One of Santa Clara's prominent horticulturists is George C. Payne who, with his brothers and sisters, owns and operates a 100-acre ranch on Payne Avenue, about two miles northwest of Campbell, Cal., where he was born November 28, 1874, on the old home place. He is the son of James F. Payne now deceased, who was born at Hudson, N. Y. on March 26, 1833, and who married Phoebe McClellan, a native of Missouri, and the daughter of William McClellan, who was born in Tennessee. Grandfather William Payne, a native of England, came to the United States when only a boy. James F. Payne left New York at the age of eighteen and came to California by way of the Isthmus in 1852, and landed in San Francisco. He first went to Sonoma, Tuolumne County, and there mined for some time, then coming to Santa Clara County in 1854, he engaged in farming. His wife, who was born in 1848, crossed the plains when she was only one and a half years old; she is still living at the age of seventy-two years.

James F. Payne first took up government land at Cupertino, then sold it and bought 222 acres one inile from Los Gatos and also bought the place at Campbell where George Payne and his family now live, in 1875. He had 126 acres here, and fifty-nine acres were planted to fruit during his lifetime. He was a very successful man, and was always a stanch adherent of the Republican party. He passed away in January, 1915. Mr. and Mrs. James F. Payne's children were George C., of this sketch; Perley B., married Myra Hoag; Gertrude lives on the home place; Frederick, deceased; and Louise and J. How- ard, who are twins.

George C. Payne's marriage united him with Helene Schultz who was born in San Jose, a daugh- ter of Professor Charles Schultz of San Jose. They live on the ranch that the children inherited when their father passed away. It now consists of 100 acres and is operated by Mr. Payne and his brother, J. Howard Payne. They are all worthy representa- tives of their pioneer parents and are striving to put into their work the same good qualities of kind- ness and goodwill that made their father and grand- father so successful. Mr. Payne is a Republican in politics. He has been a close student of horticulture and has done much experimenting in that line. Hc spent one year with Luther Burbank on his famous

ranch at Santa Rosa and did most of his hybridizing. For nearly a year he was in Valparaiso, Chile, for W. R. Grace, importers and exporters, looking up the walnut industry of that country and arranging for machinery for grading, bleaching, and packing walnuts. He thoroughly understands grafting, and not only does it on his own place, but for others in the vicinity, and his advice is often sought, for it is well recognized that he is an authority in horti- cultural matters. He was the first to graft walnuts successfully in a commercial way and his system of walnut grafting has been adopted and is being taught at the Oregon Agricultural College at Corvallis.

ALMANDA BAIOCCHI .- Boru in Lucca, Italy, August 9, 1894, Almanda Baiocchi migrated with his parents to America in the year 1900, coming directly to California, settling near Allenton, on the Sacra- mento River. He is the son of Natale and Dosolina (Gini) Baiocchi. Upon arrival in California, his father leased a ranch of some 350 acres on the Sacra- mento River, raising grain and general produce. As a lad, Almanda attended the public schools of Allen- ton , and since the age of fourteen. he has depended upon his own resources. His family had removed to Santa Clara, and he was employed as waiter at the Santa Clara College, where he remained for five years. About this time the family removed to San Jose, where they have since resided. Almanda is the eldest of a family of five children: Paul, Masneto, Bepeno, and Jessie, all living in San Jose. During the year 1911, his father opened business on Santa Clara Street near Vine, from there going to West Santa Clara Street. In 1915 Almanda Baiocchi pur- chased property at 695 West San Carlos Street and erected a store building in connection with a resi- dence, and there he engaged in general merchandis- ing, his father managing the store. During the fruit packing season Almanda Baiocchi is foreman for the Pacific Fruit Product Company plant on West San Carlos, making it very convenient, as it is only a few steps from his home.

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 256

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