History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 49

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

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The congregation organized before the erec- tion of the synagogue and for a time held serv- ices in Armory Hall on Santa Clara Street, between Second and Third Streets. For sev- eral years the congregation had no rabbi, but on July 17. 1920, steps were taken for a re- organization in a meeting of a reorganized San Jose Independent Order of B'nai B'rith. The order, according to the preamble of the constitution, has taken upon itself the mission of uniting Israelites in the work of promoting their highest interests and those of humanity ; of developing and elevating the mental and moral character of the people of the Jewish faith; of inculcating the purest principles of philanthropy, honor and patriotism ; of sup- porting science and art ; alleviating the wants of the poor and needy ; coming to the rescue of victims of persecution ; providing for, pro- tecting and assisting the widow and orphan on the broadest principles of humanity. The present rabbi is Harvey B. Franklin.

The order started with a roster of over eighty members. The officers are: president, Leon Jacobs; vice-president, I. Marcus ; sec- retary, Meyer Brecker: treasurer, L. Rich- ards ; inside guardan, D, Lavin ; outside guar- dian, Max Mendahlson ; trustees, E. N. Rosen- thal, Max Blum, L. J. Marymont.

Santa Clara County Free Library

In California the county board of super- visors may establish a county free library for that part of the county lying outside of incor- porated cities and towns having free public libraries. In this way the people living in the country may have just as good a library to draw from as their town cousins. County li- brary service has proved so satisfactory that forty-three out of the fifty-eight counties in California now have county libraries. The county library serves the people living in the country and the small towns just as the large city libraries serve the people of the cities.

The end and aim of the county library is to supply all the people in the county with books. To accomplish this branches are started in the community centers, in the post office or a local store preferably. A collection of books is placed here and they are changed often. The size of the collection depends wholly on the demand, as many books are sent as can be used.

The Santa Clara County Free Library be- gan work July 1, 1914, in the Hall of Justice. corner Market and St. James Streets, San Jose. Beginning with three rooms the li- brary now uses seven rooms in the same build- ing and is still asking for more room.

During the six years since the library was started twenty-four community branches have

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been opened at : Agnew, Alma, Alviso, Berry- essa, Burbank, Campbell, College of the Paci- fic, Coyote, Cupertino, Evergreen, Gilroy, Los Altos, Mayfield, Milpitas, Moreland, Morgan Hill, Mount Hamilton, New Almaden, Santa Clara County Branch, Saratoga, Shannon. Stanford, Sunnyvale, Wrights.

In 1915 it was found necessary to open a branch at the Hall of Justice to serve the people who lived just outside the city limits of San Jose. The branch began with one small room, but has grown to seven rooms. There is a pleasant reading room with maga- zines and a good supply of books.

The State Library supplements the service of the County Library. If a book is wanted that is not in the County Library and the de- mand will not justfy its purchase it is bor- rowed from the State Library, and the serv- icc is free to the borrower.

Under the County Library law of California the school districts may join the County Li- brary and receive library service. This means that the district transfers its library fund for the year to the County Library. The advan- tages are many: the school receives in books many times the value of the money invested. an expert buys the books and better prices are secured, the school has access to all the books on the shelves of the County Library.

The service to the schools began in 1914 when four districts joined. Now seventy-one of the seventy-eight public schools of the county have joined the County Library. also two of the high schools. About 35,000 books were sent out to the schools this year. If a school has a phonograph music records are also sent to the schools and these are ex- changed just the same way as books.

Beginning with nothing at all in the way of equipment in 1914 the library now has over 48,000 books and over 14,000 borrowers. With twenty-five community branches, seventy-one school branches and two high schools, there are ninety-eight branch libraries in the county where the people may draw books. Many of the school branches serve the grown people as well as the children. Miss Stella Huntington is the county librarian.

The Carnegie Library

The honor of being the father of the San Jose Public Library belongs by right to I. F. Thomas, a carriage maker, who tried to arouse public interest in the project in the spring of 1872. He did not succeed, but after he had ceased agitation, another effort was made by a number of prominent citizens, this time with success. In the summer of 1872 an organiza- tion was perfected in the office of Judge D. S. Payne and incorporation soon followed, the

name chosen being "The San Jose Library Association." The following officers were el- ected for one years: D. S. Payne, president ; A. Pfister, vice-president ; C. D. Wright, re- cording secretary ; C. C. Stephens, correspond- ing secretary, and Henry Philip, treasurer. The object of the association was the estab- lishment of a library and reading room; the collection of a cabinet, scientific apparatus, works of art, etc. The constitution provided that the association should not be conducted or controlled in the interest of or by, any de- nominational, sectarian or political party, but should be controlled and managed in the same broad and liberal spirit that actuated the founding. By this wise provision the coop- eration of all classes, sects and creeds, was se- cured, and success was achieved almost at the outset. Mayor Pfister set the ball rolling by donating $1612.62, his salary, and citizens fol- lowed him on a smaller scale. The old books of the Y. M. C. A., which practically ceased to exist some time prior to this incorporation of the Library Association, were purchased at a nominal rate and on September 1, the rooms were formally opened. Twenty life members (fee $25) were secured and also over 300 an- nual and monthly members. In a few years, the library had a fine museum and over 2000 books. The first rooms were in the second story of the Knox Block, corner of First and Santa Clara Streets, and at first were suppos- ed to be of sufficient size to meet all require- ments ; but the growing popularity of the in- stitution and the rapid increase of member- ship, necessitated an addition, and in order that the same might be made as soon as pos- sible the ladies of San Jose rallied in countless numbers and made arrangements for two pub- lic entertainments in Music Hall in aid of the library. The first was a tea party and the second a character and fancy dress party. They were successful and quite a large sum was netted and turned over to the Library Asso- ciation.

The library continued as a private institu- tion until February, 1878, when it was turned over to the city and became a free institution. The rooms were then changed to the new city hall building on Market Plaza, and were used until 1903, when the Carnegie Library build- ing of brick and sandstone at the southeast corner of Washington Square was completed. In 1892 Andrew Carnegie, the multi-million- aire, offered to donate $50,000 for the erection of a library building in San Jose, if the city would agree to maintain the library in the new quarters. The offer was accepted and the agreement made.

The names of the librarians from the organ- ization to the present time are: Geo. WV. Fon-

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tress, William Redding, Miss A. Barry, Miss Nellie Egan, Miss Mary Barmby, Miss Nell McGinley, Chas. F. Woods. After the instal- lation of the library in the new building, the name was changed to The Carnegie Library. There are four rooms upstairs and five in the basement. There are 30,000 books in the library and the average monthly circulation is 8000. Since Mr. Woods' administraton, regis- tration and circulation have both increased.

Mr. Woods became librarian July 1, 1917. His library experience was gained in the library of the State University and the Mechanics Li- brary, or Institute, San Francisco. During his incumbency he has done much to popularize the institution by readings, talks and news- paper articles. In 1908 a Carnegie Library, was erected at an expediture of $6,893.71 in East San Jose.

CHAPTER XXIX.

The Santa Clara County Historical Society and Its Objects-Spanish Names for Natural Objects-The Interesting Career of Judge Augustus L. Rhodes, a Nonagenarian.

The Santa Clara County Historical Society has been in existence over twenty years. Its objects are to gather and preserve data relat- ing to the early days of the city and county. The data has usually come in the shape of papers read by members at meetings of the so- ciety. In this way valuable material, much of which has been used in this history, has been gathered and will be preserved for the benefit of future generations. The president of the society is Alex. P. Murgotten, and the secre- tary is Miss Agnes Howe, county superinten- dent of schools. Dr. H. J. B. Wright, who held the office for many years, died December 27, 1921.

Spanish names have been given to nearly all natural objects in Santa Clara County. This is particularly true of the land grants. About half the county towns, many of the highways and a few homes have Spanish names, and even at this late date the people continue to manifest a love for the names of old Spain, as is shown by the recent naming of Monte Vista and Los Altos. At one of the meetings of the Historical Society Dr. H. J. B. Wright read a paper on "Spanish Names in Santa Clara County," from which the fol- lowing compilation is made: Los Altos is do- ing service as the name of an eight-year-old town on the Peninsular Railway. Los Altos means "The Heights," and the town site being considerably above the common level of that region, the name is quite appropriate.

About sixty years ago the village standing at the head of the navigable slough which ex- tends southward from the Bay of San Fran- cisco, was given the name Alviso This is a proper name, given in honor of Don Ignacio Alviso, who was born in Sonora, Mexico in

1772. He came to California with his mother, sisters and brothers under the leadership of Anza. Alviso was a major domo, or foreman at the Santa Clara Mission for several years and in that capacity was actively engaged in construction work for the Mission at the time the buildings were moved to their last site. He helped to construct and for several years lived at the California Hotel. His wife's maiden name was Maria Margaret Bernal. He died in 1845, leaving a large estate.

Milpitas is the interesting name of a thriv- ing town on the road from San Jose to Warm Springs. The word, 'Milpitas' is a compound of mill, a thousand, and pitas, which means agaves, American aloes or century plants ; and the fibrous threads of a plant. Milpitas got its name from the Rancho Milpitas, one cor- ner of which encloses the town. Inasmuch as there were no agaves growing in that part of the valley and that there may have been many small flowering vines along the Penetencia Creek which runs through Milpitas, it is safe to assume that the word, Milpitas, was used as meaning a thousand thread-like vines.

Hacienda means landed estate, fortune, domestic work. It is also used to indicate headquarters. This name was given to the reduction works of the New Almaden quick- silver mines. This place is about twelve miles from San Jose in a shallow canyon at the foot of the mountain out of which cinnabar has been taken since 1847. A village has grown up at this point and it bears the name Haci- enda. One of the principal tributaries of the Guadalupe River runs through this village. It is called the Arroyo de los Alamitos, the rivu- let of the little poplar trees, poplar trees hav- ing grown along this stream for many years.

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The Century Dictionary defines the word Alameda as follows: "A shaded public walk, especially one planted with poplar trees." The word Alameda, however, is used in the United States, Cuba and Mexico as the name of a shaded way or walk without reference to the kind of trees planted on it. It may be proper to add that the Alameda, between San Jose and Santa Clara, has long had a high aesthetic value. In 1833 Governor Figueroa took cog- nizance of it as one of the assets of Alta Cali- fornia, and learning that some of the trees which had been planted on it were being cut down for firewood, ordered the vandalism to cease immediately.

San Tomas Aquina, a public highway which runs southward from the Payne road, has been named officially San Tomas Aquina. The English equivalent of this Spanish name is Saint Thomas Aquinas. This Saint must not be confounded with the Saint Thomas who was one of the twelve apostles. The father of the Aquinas was called Count Aquinas, because of his political connection with a province of Italy named Aquina. His son re- seived the name of Thomas Aquinas and was canonized under that name. The road re- ceived its name from its relation to the San Tomas Aquinas Creek, which rises in the Santa Cruz Mountains and flows into Camp- bell Creek.

The Saint John the Baptist Hills (San Juan Bautista) rise up from the south side of Oak Hill Cemetery. Sometime in the '60s Thomas Kell conveyed twelve acres of land on these hills to Bishop Riordan for a burial place. For many years a large Roman cross out- stretched its arms over these hills. Near this cross was a small, neglected graveyard. From the top of these hills one may see, in Oak Hill Cemetery, the graves of many thousands of San Jose's pioneer citizens.

Calabaza is the name of a winter stream of water which rises in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains and flows into the Guada- lupe River near the Bay of San Francisco. The orchardists living near the stream pronounce the name as though it were spelled Calabasis. The name means small, young, tender pump- kins, and is more fanciful than significant.

El Arroyo Tulares de los Canoas is the rec- ognized name of a stream which runs along the west side of the Monterey road to the cor- ner of Almaden Avenue and South First Street and then turns to the west and angles across the Fourth Ward of San Jose to discharge into the Guadalupe River. The literal English equivalent of the name is the rivulet of the tules for canoes. In use the name is reduced to Canoas Creek, which means a creek for canoes.

Sierra Azule appears on the map in Hall's History as a portion of the mountains now called Santa Cruz. The word Sierra means rough mountains and Azule means blue. The dark, bluish color of the mountains as seen from any point in the valley justifies the use of the name Sierra Azule. In the foothills of these mountains, on land formerly owned by the late L. A. Spitzer, on the Mount Eden road, are some springs of water bearing the name Azule, and the blueness of the water as it runs away from the springs, being like the unclouded sky, makes the name very appro- priate.

Loma Prieta is the Spanish equivalent of blackish hill or blackish point. This is the name of a mountain peak situated south of San Jose, near the line separating the counties of Santa Clara and Santa Cruz. It has an al- titude of 3790 feet. This peak stands out prominently and is easily seen from any view- point in the valley. Even Mt. Hamilton does not offer as large a range of vision as does Loma Prieta. Standing on the top of this peak one can see nearly every object which can be seen from Mt. Hamilton and in addi- tion he can see much of Santa Cruz County and the ocean beyond. At night from Loma Prieta can be seen the lights in San Jose and Santa Cruz.

The English equivalent of Santa Clara is Saint Clear or Saint Bright. Clara is the fem- inine form of the Spanish word, Claro, clear. Santa Clara was the first Franciscan nun and the founder of the Order of Santa Clara. She is called Santa Clara de Assisi, Virgin, Abbess and Matriarch of her famous religion. Re- membering that Santa Clara was converted under the teaching of Saint Francis and that Franciscan Missionaries founded .he Mission, is it any wonder they gave to it the name Santa Clara?

The Spanish land grants are a prolific source of Spanish names. El Rancho Rincon de los Estera is Spanish for the Salt Marsh ranch. This name is appropriate because the north- erly line of this grant runs from the Guada- lupe River across the salt marsh lands of the Bay of San Francisco to the Penetencia Creek. The northwest corner is near but does not in- clude Alviso.

Rancho Potrero de Santa Clara means the pasture ranch of Santa Clara. This land made an acceptable pasture for the people living about the Mission because it lies between Santa Clara and the Guadalupe River. Gar- den seeds are now grown on much of this land. J. Alexander Forbes was the first Brit- ish consul stationed on the ranch. He mar- ried Senorita Anita Galindo, who brought to him as a marriage dower much of this fine

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tract of land. Forbes sold it to Commodore Stockton, after whom Stockton Avenue was named.

Rancho Agua Caliente, hot water ranch. The land lies partly in Alameda County and partly in Santa Clara County. It includes what is now known as Warm Springs.

Rancho Pastoria de los Borregas, when translated into English, means sheep pasture ranch. It lies about the quite modern town of Sunnyvale.

The name Embarcadero de Santa Clara was given to a small body of land bordering on what is now called Alviso Slough. It means the embarking place or port of Santa Clara. The person who named this piece of land must have had a rank imagination.

San Francisco de las Llagas is the name of a grant of land that lies south of San Jose along both sides of Llagas Creek. The word Llagas means sores or wounds. Some knowl- edge of the history of Saint Francis is neces- sary to understand the name. John Gilmary Shea. L.L.D., has edited a book entitled "The Lives of the Saints." The book had the ap- proval of Pope Leo XIII. In it is set forth among other things that Saint Francis, after visiting the East in vain quest of martyrdom, spent his life, like his Divine Master, in preaching to the multitudes and in fasting and contemplation amid desert solitudes. During one of these retreats he received on his hands, feet and side the print of the five bleeding wounds of Jesus. Whether this statement is true and worthy of credit or whether it only transmits a tradition is of little importance in this connection. Certainly whoever named the ranch was familiar with the biography of Saint Francis. In giving the name to the tract of land in Santa Clara County he tried to perpet- uate the name of St. Francis and also to indi- cate a significant event in the Saint's religious life. Wounds of Saint Francis is probably a literal translation of San Francisco de los Llagas. Near the south line of Santa Clara County is a postoffice named Llagas. It is neither euphonious nor significant.

El Rancho Rinconada de los Gatos means the ranch of the inclosed angle of the cats. The southern angle of this tract of land rests in the great canyon south of the city of Los Gatos, and the diverging boundary lines, as they extend northward, inclose this beautiful place. Assuming that there were many wild cats in the canyon at the time the first sur- vey was made, the name El Rancho Rinconada de los Gatos is rational and appropriate.

Rancho Tularcitos is equivalent to the ranch of the little tules. This ranch extends from the town of Milpitas into the mountains. Lit- tle tules may yet be seen growing there.

Yerba Buena means good herb. This plant is delightfully aromatic and makes a very pleasant tea. It grows in neglected places. especially in the moderately well-shaded foot- hills. It can be found growing in the eastern side of the county, where the ranch, called Yerba Buena, is situated.

El Monte Del Diablo has the following his- tory. During the session of the first Legisla- ture of California the Senate appointed a com- mittee to report on the derivation and defini- tion of various names. Vallejo was chairman of this committee and he brought in a report which had reference to the name Monte Diablo, in which he stated that in 1806 a mili- tary expedition marched against a tribe of In- dians called Bolognes, who were encamped on the western base of the mountain, and that in the course of a fight which took place there. an unknown personage, decorated with extra- ordinary plumage, appeared among the In- dians ; and that when the battle which resulted in favor of the Indians, was finished, the un- known departed up the mountain. The de- feated soldiers, Vallejo's report went on, sup- posed him to be an evil spirit, called by In- dians "Ruy" and by the soldiers, a devil, so they named the mountain El Monte del Diablo. or the Devil's Mountain. During the session of the Legislature in 1866 an effort was made to change the name of the mountain, but noth- ing came of it. The Government has run a line due south from the top of this mountain and named it the Mount Diablo Meridian. This line runs down the center of the Merid- ian Road just west of the O'Connor San- itarium.

El Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe is the original name of San Jose. The name was given in 1877 by Lieutenant Moraga. A few years later he could have designated his new town as being in the Santa Clara Valley, but that would have been indefinite because the Santa Clara Valley included a vast but uncer- tain territory. It is thus seen that he had good reason for using the name El Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe, or the town of San Jose on the Wolf River. This name has never been changed into another, but is has been abridged to two words-San Jose.

Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe, Our Lady of the Guadalupe, is the name of the river which passes through San Jose and empties into San Francisco Bay. This word, Guadalupe, is made by combining the Arabic word, guada, a river, and the Latin word, lupus, a wolf. Guadalupe, therefore, means Wolf River. In- asmuch as nothing was noted by the explor- ers about wolves being found along this river, it is fair to assume that wolves did not sug- gest the word. Now, the history of Nuestra

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Senora de Guadalupe begins in the land of Palestine and passes over to Spain; from Spain it comes to Mexico and then attaches to the principal stream in Santa Clara County. In 1597, Gabriel de Talvera wrote the history of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe. From that history it is learned that the town of Guada- lupe in Spain certainly had its carved image of Jesus before the conquest of Mexico by Cortes. It is therefore a fact that the namc Guadalupe with its sacred associations was familiar to all the Catholics who emigrated from Spain to Mexico after the conquest of that country.

There is a town near the City of Mexico which is named Guadalupe-Hidalgo, that which is usually called Guadalupe. It is the most sacred and the most popular shrine in the republic of Mexico. It is the focus of the most fervent and powerful religious cult in that country. The shrine of the Virgin, which can be seen any day in the Cathedral located there, has been to the Mexicans for centuries what the Ganges is to the Hindus and Mecca to the Mohammedans. Saturday, December 9, 1531, ten years after Cortes' conquest of Mexico, an Indian of low birth, who had re- ceived baptism and been christened Juan Diego (John James) is said to have been met by the Virgin Mary on the barren hillside, some three miles from the City of Mexico. She directed the Indian to gather flowers on what he knew was barren ground. He followed the direction of the Virgin and soon returned to her with a large quantity of fragrant roses. The Virgin then directed him to carry the Howers to Bishop Gummarago in the City of Mexico. When the confiding Indian opened his crude tilma or blanket to pour out the roses, the Bishop saw the image of the Blessed Virgin painted on the inside of the blanket. That crude cloth with the image of the Virgin on it has long been enshrined and may now be seen in a cathedral in the little city of Guada- lupe, which was built on the hillside where the Indian met the Virgin. This enshrined pic- ture is the Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe. Is it any wonder that the pious Father Font com- ing from Mexico to the Santa Clara Valley gave the name of Nuestra Senora de Guada- lupe to San Jose's principal river ?

Judge A. L. Rhodes was one of the promi- nent members of the Historical Society. He died on October 23, 1918, at the age of ninety- seven. After the funeral the following com- mittee was appointed by the judges of the Superior Court to prepare and submit a me- morial on the life and character of the de- ceased jurist : S. F. Leib, J. C. Black, C. L. Witten, Nicholas Bowden and C. C. Coolidge. The committee presented the report on No-

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 49

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