History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 42

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

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It has been the pleasant custom of the circle to hold recognition exercises at the close of each year and graduate the class finishing the course according to the plan followed at Chau- tauqua headquarters. This marks the conclu- sion of four years' reading laid down by the program of Chautauqua, and each year Colum- bia Circle enjoys a day that leaves the final hours of its study a pleasant memory to each member. On Monday, June 14, 1920, the class of that year, the eighth to pass through the "Golden Gate" of Mrs. Blanchard's leadership. was graduated. This class was one of the largest, number eight-Mrs. Flora Bates, Mrs. Anna Candee, Mrs. Blanche Graham, Mrs. Edith Jensen, Mrs. Kate McChesney, Mrs. Edna McIntyre, Mrs. Eltha Parner, Mrs. Calla Sherman. After a program of songs, recita- tions and reading of "The Year Book." Mrs. Blanchard, made her usual address, telling how much Chautauqua should mean to read- ers and students and how much it had done for her. She announced that five new readers had been enrolled for the next year, the Euro- pean year, and narrated some of the history and aims of the organization.

Lecticonian Society

San Jose's first duly organized debating so- ciety was the San Jose Lyceum. It was in existence during the early part of the '70s and was succeeded by the Lecticonian Society. There are many San Joseans today who are proud of the fact that they were once Lecti- conians, for the organization which kept its head above water for twenty-odd years, did noble work as an educator. It turned out ora- tors, statesmen and divines, and gave to busi- ness and professional men the ability and con- fidence to speak fluently and entertainingly in public. Some of the old members were J. C. Black. C. C. Stephens, J. M. Young, T. E. and I. G. Kennedy, J. R. King, J. L. Crittenden, M. H. Hyland, L. F. Curtis, C. M. Short- ridge, Chris Bergstrom, H. D. Burnett, A. C. Blane, Geo. D. Smith, Alex. Underwood, C. W. Quilty. J. J. McLauren, Tom C. Barry, Dr. J. L. York, E. T. Sawyer, W. Finley, H. C.

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and C. E. Gunn, John MeNaught, John E. Richards, R. J. Stevens, Holton Webb, E. J. MeCutcheon, E. K. Dunlap and J. E. Rymal. Of these Barry, Quilty, Shortridge, the Gunns, Dr. York are dead. Of the living, J. E. Rich- ards is judge of the Appellate Court; Black is the dean of the San Jose bar; Stephens is a leading lawyer of Los Angeles ; Bane is one of the big oratorical guns of the First M. E. Church : Underwood is a wealthy business man of Monterey ; Smith is a San Jose lawyer of fine attainments; Webb was justice of the peace at Riverside in Riverside County, and died over a year after being shot by an Italian who had been defeated in a law suit. Hyland, once Superior Judge is now a San Francisco capitalist. The majority of the Lecticonians had had little or no experience as speakers or debaters when they joined the society, but con- stant attendance and study made of them speakers and debaters such as any county would be proud to own. The society dis- banded in the early '90s.

The Country Club

The Country Club, first known as the Golf Club, was organized twenty years ago by a number of business men who realized that out-of-door sports should go hand in hand with indoor amusement. A tract of land com- prising eighty acres was secured near the Linda Vista links on the Alum Rock road and the Linda Vista Sanitarium was used as a club house. The charter had the following as charter members: T. Ellard Beans, Geo. N. Bowman. D. M. Burnett, W. S. Clayton, E. C. Flagg. Thomas A. Graham, A. D. Grant, O. A. Hale, G. W. Henderson, Ralph W. Hersey, A. C. Kuhn, S. F. Leib. J. C. Lewis, L. L. Morse. L. G. Nesmith, Joseph R. Pat- ton, Hotel Vendome, Guy Vachell, A. K. Whitton, Philo Hersey and William Wehner.

In 1913 the club moved their quarters by purchasing 611/2 acres on exceptionally good ground near the eastern foothills. Afterwards 3112 acres were leased from Mrs. Gordon. This tract adjoined the Country Club's land, and the combined acreage and splendid situa- tion made the golf links one of the finest on the Coast, permitting a full eighteen-hole course. On one of the hills, the most com- manding one, a club house, up-to-date in every particular was built at a cost of about $15,000. The cost would have been much greater if the lumber had not been purchased from J. A. Chase, a lumber dealer and a club member. Mr. Chase also designed the building. The pipes were laid in two days by fifty club mnem- bers in overalls and jumpers. After their work had been finished they were treated to a fine lunch prepared by the lady members

and served on tables under spreading oak trees. The present officers of the club are V. J. LaMotte, president; J. R. Chace, secre- tary ; First National Bank, treasurer; William Hirst, manager of the club house. The mem- bers number 350.

The Pioneers' Society

The California Pioneers' Society of Santa Clara County was organized June 22, 1875, with 274 charter members. The first officers were Judge A. L. Rhodes, president ; John M. Murphy and Peter O. Minor, vice-presidents ; Alex. P. Murgotten, secretary ; John H. Moore, treasurer : directors, Coleman Younger, Cary Peebels, Davis Divine, A. Pfister and B. D. Murphy. Of the charter members the secre- tary is the only surviving member. The first annual meeting was held in O'Donnell's Gar- dens on June 22, 1876. At its first quarterly meeting, held in September, 1876, in Music Hall, Hon. David Belden delivered an address, replete with droll humor and beautiful senti- ment. Hon. C. T. Ryland was the speaker at the next quarterly, December 20, 1876, and English words were woven into a splendid tribute to the pioneers.

Two memorable social events mark the his- tory of the old-timers. The first was given on September 8, 1877, to celebrate the admis- sion of California into the Union. The Cali- fornia Pioneers of San Francisco, Native Sons and Mexican Veterans were invited guests. The parade was one of the largest ever seen in San Jose. It consisted of the Native Sons, San Francisco Pioneers, and Santa Clara County Pioneers. There were floats represent- ing pioneer times, such as, "On an Emigrant Train," and "The Steamer California," manned by men who came on that vessel. A local ox carried a pack of an old emigrant's outfit. There was also a mining scene, "Working the Claim." which was very realistic. To make the parade seem real one of the valuable oxen hauling the emigrants dropped dead while on the march. At O'Donnell's Gardens, one of the largest barbecues in the history of the state was carried out successfully. In a trench 200 feet long, three feet deep and three feet wide there were spitted twenty-seven hogs, twenty-five sheep and sixteen beeves. Over 10,000 people were introduced to one of the finest meals they had ever tasted. An English guest said he had eaten the roast beef of old England for forty years, but he felt that he had never partaken real roast beef until that Saturday. Uncle Ike Branham was the chief cook and his assistants were A. Legarde, S. O. Broughton, Henry Lux, D. A. Laddy, A. L. Bascom, J. H. M. Townsend, Geo. Cross and R. T. O'Hanlon. The next great event was

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the State Inauguration Day, celebrated on De- cember 20. 1899, and here the success of an earlier day was repeated. It was the grand- est celebration San Jose had ever had. Mayor C. J. Martin was president ; Alex. P. Murgot- ten, secretary ; Mrs. E. O. Smith, program dir- ector, and Gus Lion, financial director : S. W. Boring, grand marshal. The old capitol was reproduced and there were three days of joy- making.

Many of the early pioneers have gone over the range, but a few are left in the society. In order to keep up the interest the member- ship now includes all those who have resided fifty or more years in California. At the last annual meeting held at Alum Rock Park on June 5, 1921, officers for the ensuing term were elected as follows: President, William E. Gage ; first vice-president, H. C. Morrell; sec- ond vice-president, F. B. Kennedy ; third vice- president, J. J. Sontheimer ; secretary, A. P. Murgotten; treasurer, Mrs. A. P. Hill; and- itors, Mrs. M. H. Hermann, J. G. Glendenning, C. C. Smith, W. D. Dampman, W. H. Law- rence. Following is the list of active mem- bers: W. C. Andrews, Chas. L. Adams, Mrs. J. Appleton, H. W. Arbogast, J. Q. A. Ballon, Mrs. E. D. B. Bradley, Mrs. Lulu Blanchard, J. C. Black, L. A. Booksin, M. A. Boulware, Miss L. A. Brimblecom, J. B. Burrell, Mrs. E. C. Best, W. K. Beans, Otis Blabon, Dr. J. M. Bowen, W. S. Clayton, Chas. Cable, Mrs. J. R. Cornell, Geo. O. Comstock, J. B. Collins, Harry W. Coe, Mrs. M. T. Daunes, H. A. De Lacy, W. D. Dampman, Mrs. W. D. Damp- man, Chas. Doerr, Mrs. C. Dickson, Peter J. Dunne, Mrs. L. A. Erkson, Mrs. Mary A. Estes, Mrs. L. A. Fowler, Chas. Frost, Mrs. Chas. Frost. Perley F. Gosbey, J. D. Guerraz, Chas. T. Givens, J. W. Gould, H. Gnerraz, Miss M. E. Gordon, J. E. Gordon, J. G. Glen- denning, Phil Herold, S. N. Herring, Mrs. S. H. Herring, Mrs. M. H. Herrmann, J. H. Hamon, Mrs. J. H. Hamon. Andrew P. Hill, Mrs. A. P. Hill, Mrs. Eliza Isom, Mrs. A. C. Joseph, Mrs. N. A. Jennings, Mrs. Mary H. January. A. W. Kennedy, F. B. Kennedy, Frank Kenyon, J. A. Lovell, Mrs. Mattie R. Lewis, A. B. Langford. Alex. P. Murgotten, Mrs. A. P. Murgotten, H. C. Morrell, Mrs. H. C. Morrell, Antone Matty, Mrs. Riley Montry, Thos. Monahan, E. C. Munn, Mrs. E. C. Munn, E. L. Moody, N. E. Manning, Archie McDonald, Mrs. A. McDonald, Mrs. A. W. McDaniels. H. S. McClay, Mrs. E. McCrack- en, Mrs. R. T. O'Hanlon, Jacob Overton, John F. Pyle, H. T. Pyle, Mrs. Mary J. Pyle, F. G. Pyle, Mrs. M. Palmer, Mrs. E. H. Pot- ter, N. A. Pellerano, Henry A. Pfister, Leon- ora Rider, John E. Richards, L. D. Stephens. Albert Schroeder, Fred M. Stern, Chas. D.

Sykes, S. P. Sitton, Mrs. J. E. Saulsbury, C. C. Smith, Mrs. J. C. Selby, Mrs. M. E. Searles, Mrs. S. M. Smith, Mrs. K. Travis, Mrs. J. M. Tarleton, Mrs. C. M. Tennant, Otto F. Van Dorsten, Mrs. Frances Verser, Mrs. L. J. Watkins, E. H. Wemple, Mrs. J. C. Wool, Mrs. G. F. Williams. H. J. Wallace, Mrs. Chas. Doerr, Jasper S. Scott, Mrs. Frank Ful- ier. W. J. Cartner, Gustave Nelson, Mildred M. Overfelt, Irving P. Henning, Edward God- frey, Matilda Godfrey, Mary E. Hatch, Nils Anderson, Emily M. Hanson, Mrs. J. P. Hil- dreth, Mrs. Mary Stone, Mrs. Otto Van Dor- sten, Mrs. Sue J. Seybolt, Eugene Knicker- bocker, Mrs. Flora J. Saxe, Chas. W. Kenyon, Mrs. E. J. Kell, H. G. Dodds, Mrs. M. E. Pyle, Mrs. Mary Overfelt, O. F. Gohranson, W. F. Chipman, J. G. Reid, John Widney, W. E. Gage, Ed. Haley, Mrs. Emma Laird, Mrs. Luvena Selfridge, Mrs. Louise Collins, Geo. Bray, O. F. Gohranson, Jr., Mrs. B. F. Lirt- zinger, Mrs. M. J. Ashmore, Mrs. J. D. Guer- raz, Mary Z. Oakes, E. T. Sawyer. Charles D. Sykes, former president, died on July 7, 1920, at Boulder Creek.

The objects of the society are to cultivate social intercourse; to form a more perfect union among its members; to create a fund for charitable purposes; to assist in burying the dead and assisting the afflicted: to create a bond of regard and friendship among the members of the society; to establish a lib- rary, collect minerals, relics, heirlooms, cur- iosities and articles of intrinsic and historical value of pioneer days; to collect and pre- serve information concerning its members, and other pioneers; statistics and data of the pioneer history of the county and state; to receive donations and bequests, to hold and use the same so as best to transmit to future generations a faithful and correct history of the past, so as to maintain, as far as possible, a continuity of historic narrative for the fu- ture.

Harry Jubilee Bee, whose career has been sketched in an earlier chapter, died in San Luis Obispo in 1898. He was the oldest pio- neer in California and he furnished much in- teresting material to A. P. Murgotten while that gentleman was publishing and editing The Pioneer. Bee took a prominent part in the first hanging of Americans in California. In July, 1849, Bee and a number of San Jose- ans were at work in the mines of Dry Creek, near the upper fork of the American River. The adjoining camp was occupied by a com- pany of miners composed of Peter Haggerty, of San Jose, a man named Griffin, and five de- serters from Stevenson's regiment. Three of the deserters were named Campbell. Freers and Davis.

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Haggerty's party had good luck at the dig- gings and one day, about the middle of July, a large bag of gold dust was exhibited to Bee as a result of their labors. Haggerty was the treasurer and on that same day Griffin came to him and stated that the five deserters had concocted a scheme to steal the dust, and advised him to change the place of burial. This advice was followed, but it afterwards appeared that the five men were watching him while he was making the change. The next day the deserters came to Haggerty and demanded a settlement and a division of the dust. Haggerty went out to obtain the bag and was alarmed and surprised to find that it had been stolen. When he came back and announced the loss the five men began to laugh. As evidence to convict was lacking the deserters were allowed to leave camp. They were followed next day by Bee and Haggerty, who arrived in San Jose early in August.

The five deserters were there and in a short time they had gambled away the stolen mon- ey. In October they started back to the mines. On the road from the Livermore ranch, in Alameda County, to the San Joaquin Valley they fell in with a sailor, who was also on his way to the mines, and he was induced to become one of their party. When the San Joaquin was reached the party of six came upon two men-an American and a German. It was customary in those days, when one man met another on the road to exchange courtesies as follows: "Where have you been?" The answer would perhaps be: "I've been to the mines." Then the question would be: "How have you made it?" The interro- gated party would open his shirt and disclose his pile, if he had any. It was so in the case of the German. He was asked the usual question and the bag of dust was disclosed. The American had no money.

That night the two parties camped near each other. In the evening Campbell pro- posed to rob the German and his companions, except the sailor, assented at once. After some argument the sailor was induced to go along. At midnight, Campbell, Freers and Davis relieved the German of his earnings, the sailor acting as guard, after which the victim was shot in the arm "for fun." The robbers then started back in the direction of San Jose. At a Mexican ranch near where the town of Pleasanton now stands, they stole six horses. The owner followed them to San Jose, and after learning that they had camped in the mustard, on the banks of the Guada- lupe about two miles from the pueblo, he came to town and notified Harry Bee of his loss and discovery. The American had come in a

short time before, having left the wounded German at Livermore's. Dr. Ben Cory was sent out to attend to him. Bee was informed of the robbery and from the description con- cluded that the Dry Diggings miners were the culprits. A search for them was at once in- stituted and Campbell, Freers and Davis were traced to the house of Woods, the alguazil, on Santa Clara Street. Bee suspected Woods of complicity in the hiding of the deserters and upon his statement Woods was removed from his official position by the alcalde, and Bee, who had before held the office, was appointed in his place.

Bee at once went at work. That night he raised a posse of men, among them Peter Quincy, Uncle Ike Branham, Charles White and Samuel Young. A short time afterwards Campbell and Freers were decoved into Bee's shoe store in the old Lightston building, and arrested. A little later Davis was caught out- side the building. Three days afterwards the three men were brought before the alcalde for trial, and mainly through the testimony of the sailor, who gave state's evidence and thus es- caped punishment, the deserters were convict- ed and sentenced to be hanged. The same day-for the law moved swiftly in these times -the men were taken to Market Square and summarily executed. John Yontz acted as master of ceremonies, Bee having been re- leased from that duty for the reason that he had just baptized the men and thus became their godfather. After life was extinct the bodies were taken to Santa Clara and buried in the Catholic Cemetery.

Lorenzo D. Stephens, a member of the Pio- neers and the last surviving member of the famous Jayhawkers' party of gold seekers, whose terrible suffering in Death Valley in 1849 forms a thrilling chapter in the history of the California gold rush, died in an Oakland hospital in February, 1922, at the age of 93. His residence was in San Jose and for over seventy years he was a picturesque figure in the life of Santa Clara County. His wife died in January, 1922. He is survived by a daugh- ter, Mrs. Emma Falconer, of Berkeley, and a son, Dr. L. L. Stephens, of Seattle. Wash.

The records of the Jayhawkers shows that they were the first people with the exception of Indians to set foot in Death Valley; the first to discover silver in Nevada and the first to discover those nitre and borax deposits which have proved of such great value to the commercial world. Unwilling discoveries they were, during fifty-two days of existence with almost no food, and five days during which they were without a drop of water.

The party originally numbered thirty-five men and included one woman, the wife of a preacher, and several children. They set out

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with ox teams from Galesburg, III. on Ap-1 5. 1849, and passed safely through Salt Lake City late in July. The season was late when they arrived at the Mormon capital and reports were received telling of the awful experiences of the Donner party on the northern route to . the gold fields-experiences which forced some members of that party into cannibalism to prolong life. Other wagons joined with the Jayhawkers in forming a train of 107 wagons at Salt Lake City with the idea of reaching California from Salt Lake by a southern route.

All went well until 250 miles south of Salt Lake, when, disregarding the advice of their guide, they started due westward in an effort to cut off several hundred miles. The distance by the map looked short and easy.

The train proceeded without incident until they came to a sheer precipice of a thousand feet or more in the Wasatch Mountains. Since progress seemed impossible the majority of the train resolved to follow the advice of their guide and turn southward again to the Santa Fe trail. The Jayhawkers, however, explored for a descent and found it. Not realizing what they were doing they then embarked on a journey across the Great American desert. Four months were required in traversing about 800 miles of this desolate region, fifty-two days of which they were without food, except as they killed their starving cattle. The little water found was mostly alkaline and unfit to drink. One member of the party. crazed by suffering, wandered away and was lost. Three other members of the party lay down on the trail and died.

The one woman of the part was forced to listen to her suffering little ones plead for a drink. Sometimes as many as five days would pass before they could plunge their swollen tongues in the alkaline springs. The wagons were cut to carts and the carts in turn gave way to pack saddles in an effort to facilitate progress through the sands.

The imprint of death was on the faces of the members of the party when two men form- ing an advance party sighted the ranch of Don Juan Salazar in the Santa Clara Valley. The plight of the party was made known and vaqueros went to their assistance. This rescue occurred on February 4, 1850, a date always observed in the reunions of the members of the Jayhawkers, which were held annually until three years ago, then ceased, as Lorenzo Dow Stephens was the sole survivor.

American Legion

The American Legion is a fraternal club. It was organized on October 4, 1919. The plat- form, as set forth in the constitution, is as follows :

"For God and country, we associate our- selves together for the following purposes :

"To uphold and defend the constitution of the United States of America; to maintain law and order ; to foster and perpetuate a one- hundred per cent Americanism; to preserve the memories and incidents of our association in the Great War; to inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community, state and nation; to combat the autocracy .of both the classes and the masses ; to make right the master of might; to promote peace and good will on earth; to safeguard and transmit to posterity the principles of justice, freedom and democracy ; to consecrate and sanctify our comradeship by our devotion to mutual helpfulness."

"The American Legion is to be commended in its efforts to enlist the membership of every honorably discharged soldier, sailor and marine who served his country in the late war. This organization has before it a great work if it is to accomplish its ideals in creat- ing a true spirit of patriotism among the Am- erican citizens, which shall be as energetic and powerful in times of peace as was that spirit in the dark days of war. The Grand Army of the Republic has done a great work and has stood as a magnificent example be- fore the American youth since the days of the Civil War, ever instilling in our people, by precept and example, love of country and en- forcement of law and order. We cannot mea- sure the benefits of this great organization nor ever pay the debt of gratitude which we owe it. But the ranks of the Grand Army of the Republic have become so diminished dur- ing the past few years that but a handful of the grand old veterans still remain. It is for this new organization, made up of the vet- erans of the World War, to assume the toga of its similarly patriotic predecessor, and car- ry forward its cherished ideals. There is no organization like the Legion, made up as it is of a million and one-half men and women who answered the call of home and country, which has forsworn any policy of a partisan or political nature, and whose whole endeav- or is to furnish our country with protection, both from its enemies within as well as those without. It is an organization which caters to neither class nor mass, but stands for the enforcement of the will of the sovereign maj- ority."

The Legion is open to army nurses as well as to former soldiers. The membership is 1045, mainly from Santa Clara County. The officers are : Archer Bowden, president ; Frank V. Campbell, secretary. An employment bu- reau is maintained and the finding of seventy- five places per month has been the average.

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Law Library and Bar Association

The San Jose Law Library was started in 1874 in the Knox Block. Its growth has been steady and now there are over 6000 books on the shelves. The librarian is Louisa J. Spen- cer, who has held the position for many years. The directors are O. D. Richardson (chair- man), Judge S. F. Leib, N. Bowden, Judge John E. Richards and Judge H. D. Tuttle.

The Bar Association was formed in 1915. The officers are: John W. Sullivan, president ; Matthew Mulcahy, secretary, and L. E. Pe- tree, treasurer. The objects of the associa- tion are to advance the standard of the men- bers in morals and professional duties, to prosecute members who are derelict in con- duct, and to create a fraternal feeling among the members. John W. Sullivan is chairman of the committee on investigation.

Housewives' League

To combat the high cost of living by mak- ing war on the profiteers, the San Jose House- wives' League was organized in November, 1919. There were over 200 members on July 1, 1920. The officers are: Mrs. Paul Clark. president ; Mrs. M. W. Capp, secretary, and Mrs. R. J. Lanford, treasurer. Mrs. J. E. Hancock is button and membership superin- tendent. The business of the League is to gather and publish recipes for sugarless and other cheap eatables: to investigate cases of profiteering and ascertain why the grocers have to charge so much when the producers receive so little; and to look into all matters connected with the high cost of living. Al- ready much has been accomplished. Facts have been gathered regarding profiteering and when a case has been made the proper officials have been notified.

Daughters of the American Revolution

The Santa Ysabel Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution was organized in San Jose November 10, 1896. The charter members were Mrs. Sutton Palmer, Mrs. William B. Gano, Miss M. Polhemns, Mrs. W. K. Beans, Mrs. M. G. Gates, Miss Edna Leib, Mrs. T. Ellard Beans, Miss Frances Beans, Mrs. Pedro Merlin Lusson, Mrs. Paul Furst, Miss Bessie Moore, Miss Rowena Beans, Miss Lida Leib. The regent, Mrs. Samuel Franklin Leib, was appointed by the then state regent, Mrs. Virginia Knox Mad- dox. Since then the list has been extended. The chapter meetings are held at the resi- dences of the members. The genealogical standing of all the members is as follows :

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 42

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