History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 62

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

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From 1868, for seven or eight years, Mr. Pierce's family lived in San Francisco, and during that time he established general offices there, although his main interests continued to be the exploitation of hydraulic mining properties in Yuba County, which he still operated for many years after finishing the sea wall. In 1866 he purchased from Mr. Lent a very beautiful country home, occupying eighty-eight acres on the west side of Santa Clara, naming the place "New Park," after the country home of his grandfather in England. The price paid Mr. Lent was $48.500, a very large sum for those days. It abutted on Frank- lın Street and included the present site of the Car- melite Monastery and a part of what is now the coun- try home of R. T. Pierce. He continued to own and operate the Blue Gravel Mine, which was enlarged to include a water proposition and a large lot of land, and renamed it The Excelsior Water & Mining Com-

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

pany, under which title it was conducted until sold in 1881 to a syndicate composed of Haggin & Tevis, and others. His interest in this deal amounted to $600,000.

In 1877 Mr. Pierce bought a small planing mill in Santa Clara and changed its name of Enterprise Mill to the Pacific Manufacturing Company, and in- corporated it in 1879. He purchased some timber lands in the Santa Cruz Mountains and built a saw- mill at Ben Lomond and put in the first band saw to be operated in California. Mr. Pierce at one time owned the Empire Gold Mine in Grass Valley, which he sold in 1872 to the father of W. B. Bourn for $150,000. This mine was developed by the Bourns to one of the largest and most profitable in the state. Soon after organizing the Pacific Manufacturing Com- pany, Mr. Pierce became quite active as a lumberman and in addition to the Ben Lomond Mill he pur- chased timber lands and built a sawmill at Ash Creek at the foot of Mt. Shasta. At this time he was a pioneer in the sugar and white pine industry. He also owned timber lands at La Moine near Dunsmuir. He founded the Bank of Santa Clara County and erected the building which it occupied on the corner of Main and Franklin streets. He served as trustee of Mills Seminary, afterwards Mills College, for many years, devoting a great deal of time to its interests, and making it many gifts.

Seven children survived Mr. and Mrs. Pierce. The eldest son, James H. Pierce, president of the Pacific Manufacturing Company, resides on the Alameda in San Jose; he married Marion P. Thurston, and they had two daughters, Edith, now the wife of J. G. Ken- nedy of Palo Alto, and Mildred, now deceased, who was the wife of George Corner Fenhagen, a promi- nent architect of Baltimore, Md. Richard T. is the treasurer of the Pacific Manufacturing Company and resides on one of the finest fruit ranches in the Santa Clara Valley and has a beautiful home. Caroline L. became Mrs. W. J. Casey, and is deceased. Annie A. married F. D. Goodhue and resides in Pasadena. Grace I. became Mrs. F. D. Madison, and is deceased. Florence is Mrs. F. H. Beaver, and resides in San Francisco, where her sister, Frances, now Mrs. L. L. Morse, is also living. Mr. Pierce passed away on February 26, 1897, and was buried beside his wife in Laurel Hill Cemetery, San Francisco.

MRS. MARY A. WHITE .- A distinguished pio- neer who has seen the marvelous development and growth of Santa Clara Valley, and is today honored by all who know her for her own enviable part in that development and expansion, is Mrs. Mary A. White, who lives retired on Day Road, some two and a half miles northwest of Gilroy. She was born in County Roscommon, Ireland, on May 21, 1840, the daughter of Thomas and Winnifred (Spellman) Ford, well known in their land and generation. Thomas Ford died in 1842, and in 1844 Mary Ford accompa- nied her mother across the Atlantic to Boston, Mass. Meanwhile Edward and James Ford came to Califor- nia, and in 1855 Mrs. Ford and her family came out to California by way of the Isthmus of Panama, taking passage on the old steamer Sierra Nevada, from New York to Aspinwall. They crossed the Isthmus in a wagon and then traveled from Panama to San Francisco aboard the side-wheeler Golden Gate. Arriving in California, Mrs. Ford, Mary and two sons came on to San Jose, to which city two older brothers, Edward and James, had migrated.

Mrs. Ford died at Edenvale, December 17, 1886, aged eighty years.

At San Jose, in 1858, Miss Ford married Thomas White, who was born in Canada on November 24, 1836, and had come to California with his parents in 1853, via the Isthmus, traveling in much the same manner as had the Fords. He was a fine young man, and a very hard, honest worker; but his prom- ising life was cut off all too early, and he passed away in January, 1889, at his home near Gilroy. In 1879, the Whites had removed to a small ranch near Gilroy, after Mr. White had engaged in ranching for a while at Pine Ridge; and later Mr. White acquired 100 acres of the James Murphy ranch on Day Road, which he farmed to grain and stock. After the death of her husband, Mrs. White added eighty-eight acres to the ranch, at the same time that she was rearing and educating her twelve children, and later oversee- ing the rearing of two grandsons under her roof. Although past eighty years, she is singularly alert and her mental faculties are keen and still ready for the varied demands of a modern day.

The children referred to have been: Thomas, who died in infancy; Edward, who passed away when he was nineteen; William, who resides with his wife and three children at Gilroy; Annie remains at home with her mother; Thomas, married, lives with his wife and three children at Oakland, although they have a ranch on the Watsonville Road; James, de- ceased, is survived by his widow and two children, and they reside at Colusa; John is also deceased, but his widow and a son are living at Gilroy; a daughter is Sister Viviana, a nun at the convent at Gilroy; Charles White, who married and has a wife and one child, is an orchardist on Day Road, Gilroy; Frank is deceased; Louis, unmarried, lives at home and is manager of the ranch; and Nellie also adds her charm to the home circle. Mrs. White has done much in her time to support St. Mary's parish; and as a Democrat she has also exerted her best influence for higher and better political conditions.

DAVID M. BURNETT .- A distinguished repre- sentative of the California Bar of more than ordinary interest because of his relation, as a descendant, to one of the illustrious forefathers of the Golden State, is David M. Burnett, son of John M. and Ellen (Casey) Burnett, and grandson of Peter H. Burnett, California's first governor. He was born in San Francisco the day after Christmas, 1870, and at the age of twelve matriculated at St. Ignatius College, from which he was graduated on June 3, 1891, with the Bachelor of Science degree. In the fall of the latter year he entered the Hastings College of Law in San Francisco; and while reading law, he was for a year an instructor in Mathematics and English in St. Ignatius College, and also for a year in Santa Clara College. In August, 1894, he was admitted to practice at the California Bar; and on the first of September he began the practice of law in the office of the late Charles F. Wilcox. Three years later, in March, Mr. Burnett and H. E. Wilcox formed a partnership which continued until February, 1917. While in the law school, Mr. Burnett joined the fra- ternity Phi Delta Phi, made up of law students; and since then he has become a member of the Young Men's Institute, Knights of Columbus, the Native Sons, the National Union, the Sainte Claire Club and the California Pioneers.

alex. P. Murgotten

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

The story of the Burnett family tree is particularly interesting. Peter Hardeman Burnett was born in Nashville, Tenn., in 1807, and grew up to be a trader and a lawyer. In 1843 he made the overland journey to Oregon, and soon after took a prominent part in the organization of the territorial government. He was sent to the legislature in both 1844 and 1848, and then became a judge of the Oregon Supreme Court. The great excitement about the discovery of gold in California led him to abandon everything in Oregon and to hurry south, and for a short time he himself worked in the mines; but when the affairs of the Sutter family and estate at New Helvetia be- came so complicated, he accepted the responsibility of their agent. In 1849 he rose to prominence in actively urging the formation of a state government in advance of Congressional authority; he energetic- ally opposed the military direction of the territory by the U. S. Government; but he yielded to the calling of a constitutional convention, and under the new constitution was at once elected governor, and as- sumed office ahead of all Congressional action in September, 1850. He resigned the governship in 1851, practiced law, and then became one of the supreme judges of California in 1857-58. For seven- teen years, from 1863, Judge Burnett was very prom- inent in San Francisco as the president of the cor- poration known as the Pacific Bank; and in 1878 he published a volume entitled, "Recollections of an Old Pioneer," which is regarded as a very valuable contribution toward an understanding of the early political and constitutional history of the Pacific Coast. In 1880, Judge Burnett retired and spent the balance of his life in the family circle of his son, John M. Burnett, where he passed away on May 16, 1895, aged eighty-seven years.

John M. Burnett, the father of our subject, was born in Missouri in 1838, and for awhile was sent to private schools. Later, he entered Santa Clara Col- lege, from which he was graduated in 1858 with the A. B. degree. A year later, that honored institution gave him the Master of Arts degree. He studied law, was admitted to practice in 1865, and then opened a law office in San Francisco.

On July 2, 1902, David M. Burnett was married to Miss Mabel Arques, the daughter of Luis Arques, a prominent attorney; and their son, John M. Burnett, born on May 1, 1903, has lived to represent the fourth generation of the Burnetts and their enviable association with California history. They also have a daughter, Martha Arques Burnett, a student in the San Jose high school.

ALEXANDER P. MURGOTTEN .- Well known throughout the state as the editor and publisher of The California Pioneer and later of The California Elk, Alexander P. Murgotten has done much in this capacity to promote the good of the organizations which his papers represented, and has also rendered efficient assistance in advancing the interests of San Jose, the city in which he has resided for fifty-six years. A member of one of the early pioneer fam- ilies of California, he has spent nearly all of his life in this state, and by his intelligence, ability and in- tegrity has been influential in promoting its indus- trial, social, fraternal and political welfare. A son of the late Henry Clay Murgotten, he was born Feb- ruary 10, 1846, in Lagro, Wabash County, Ind., and he comes of distinguished French ancestry, his great-grandfather Murgotten having been a wealthy 22

Parisian. Grandfather Murgotten was an officer in the French navy in 1808, served under Napoleon, and after the second banishment of Napoleon was in a ship that was lost off the coast of America. Being rescued by an American vessel, he settled perma- nently in Baltimore, Md., living there until his death, of cholera, in 1831. He was a practical business man, and quite well-to-do, for in addition to his earnings he received regular remittances from his father in France. The correct French spelling of his surname Mr. Murgotten has never definitely ascertained.

In Muncie, Ind., December 24, 1837, Henry Clay Murgotten married Susan Shaffer, who was born in Lycoming County, Pa., a daughter of Adam and Elizabeth (Gordener) Shaffer. Elizabeth Gordener was of French ancestry, and was a daughter of George Gordener, who was a life-long resident of Lycoming County, Pa., and served as a soldier in the Revolutionary War. On December 24, 1887, in Pla- cerville, Cal., Mr. and Mrs. Henry C. Murgotten cel- ebrated their golden wedding anniversary, the occa- sion being one of joyful memory. Mrs. Murgotten lived but a few months longer, passing away in San Jose, June 21, 1888. Of the children born of their union two survive, namely: Mary H., widow of Hon. William A. January, of San Jose, and Alexander P., the subject of this sketch. Henry Clay Murgotten was a staunch Republican in politics, a past grand of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and one of the founders and leading members of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church of Placerville.

Coming with his mother to California when a boy of six years, the father having preceded them, Alex- ander P. Murgotten was carried across the Isthmus on the back of a native. He was reared and educated in Placerville, Eldorado County, attending the public schools until sixteen years old. He was one of the first newsboys in the mines, beginning to sell papers as soon as he arrived there. The New York, Boston and St. Louis papers, although six months and even a year old, sold readily for fifty cents, and illustrated papers brought fifty cents and a dollar each. He later entered the employ of William A. January, pub- lisher of the Mountain Democrat, and in his office learned the printer's trade. Coming with Mr. Jan- uary to San Jose, in 1866, on January 1, he worked for two years on the Santa Clara Argus, as foreman of the office. Embarking then in business for him- self, he has since been extensively engaged in job printing and publishing. In 1877 he started the Pio- neer, a paper that had a good circulation and was devoted to the interests of the California pioneers. From 1885 until 1889 Mr. Murgotten was in the em- ploy of the Government, being superintendent of deposit melting in the United States Mint in San Francisco, and likewise being the representative of the superintendent between the melting, refining and coining departments, in this capacity handling all the gold twice, millions of dollars' worth of it passing through his hands every day. On change of admin- istration Mr. Murgotten returned to San Jose, and as junior member of the firm of Cottle and Mur- gotten resumed the publication of the Pioneer, con- tinuing with his partner for five or more years. In February, 1901, he established The California Elk, a large, twelve-page quarto, issued monthly in the interests of the Benevolent and Protective Order of

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Elks of the United States, also actively and profita- bly engaging in a general printing business.

In San Jose, June 28, 1868, Mr. Murgotten married Martha Kelley Munroe, a native of Medina, Ohio. Her father, Charles Munroe, started for California by way of Cape Horn in 1851. He resided for a while in San Jose, but during the excitement caused by a rich discovery of gold in Central America, he went to the mines of that country, and died there.

Mr. and Mrs. Murgotten celebrated their golden wedding anniversary June 28, 1918. Of their union five children were born, two living, Henry C. Mur- gotten and Rev. Dr. F. C. Murgotten.

Politically, Mr. Murgotten is a Republican and fraternally, he belongs to San Jose Lodge No. 10, F. & A. M. He is a Shriner, a Seiot, belongs to the Scottish Rite and a member of the Sons of the Rev- olution, is a past noble grand of Garden City Lodge No. 142, I. O. O. F, and is a charter member of San Jose Lodge No. 522, B. P. O. E. He was one of the prime movers in the forming of the Santa Clara County Pioneers' Society, which was organized June 22, 1875, and of which he was secretary for a quarter of a century, resigning the position in 1900, but is again occupying that office. Religiously, Mr. Mur- gotten is a member of the Episcopal Church, and is liberal in his religious views, according to everyone the right to worship God as conscience dictates.

During the Exposition in San Francisco in 1915, Mr. Murgotten was president of the California Pio- neers of Santa Clara County and was instrumental in engineering one of the largest and most interesting days-Pioneer Day-when more than seventy thou- sand attended from all parts of the state.

JULIUS MARTIN .- Numbered among the first settlers in California who were instrumental in the progress and growth of the Santa Clara Valley, and more especially the section about Gilroy, mention is made of Julius Martin, the first American to settle here, taking up his residence in January, 1844, and ever after maintaining his home here. He was born in Stokes County, N. C., on January 2, 1804, the son of wealthy parents, who gave him the very best of educational advantages by sending him to Chapel Hill College with the intention of his entering West Point. As a student he excelled in many sports and won a host of friends. One of his schoolmates was Governor Stanley of North Carolina. Circumstances were such that he did not enter West Point and he moved to Alabama, then to Mississippi, and in 1833 to a little town called Sibley, near Independence, Mo. There he lived, farmed and traded until 1843, when he started on the overland journey to California with his wife and three daughters.

One of his neighbors, Joseph Childs, with some others, went to California in 1841 to "look over the country" and so enthused were they with the soil and elimatie conditions, that when they went back to Missouri in 1842, their stories created the desire on the part of many friends to make this their home and among these were Julius Martin and his family. Their party consisted of thirty men, besides six women and the children. They gathered at Shawnee Mission and on May 31, 1843, began the long trek across the continent, happy in the thought that at the end of their journey they would find their heart's desire. Among the party was David F. McClellan, a

nephew of the scout and trader, Capt. Joseph R. Walker, who had come to California in 1833. Me- Clellan was informed by his father that the party would meet Walker somewhere on the plains and to try to induce him to turn back and guide the train in safety through to the coast. The first 100 miles were made slowly and as they got farther along they encountered several trains en route for Oregon and all traveled together in harmony and comfort. In the trains encountered were Peter H. Burnett, who became the first governor of California; S. J. Hens- ley, Major Redding, J. W. Nesmith and others who became prominent in various circles in pioneer days.

The little party reached the Kaw River, journeyed westward to the south fork of the Platte, which took them four days to eross, then on to Fort Lar- amie, where the emigrants gave a grand ball, there being some 1,500 in the party at that time. Leaving the fort they soon encounted Captain Walker and he agreed to act as their guide after he had de- livered his furs at the fort. He caught up with them at Independence Rock and saw them safely here.

Some miles west of Fort Hall the Oregon wagons bade goodbye to the California contingent and the latter wended their way slowly towards their goal. They found plenty of game and kept their larders well supplied. As they neared the California line they began to run short of provisions and some of the party made up a light pack train and traveled rapidly to reach Sutter's Fort and get back to their party before the snows set in. They reached the fort, but were too late to make the return trip and after several days of waiting, Walker turned south and guided the little band by way of Walker's Lake (now Owen's) through Walker's Pass and thenee to Four Creeks (Visalia). Provisions were getting shorter and at the lake they burned their wagons, buried all castings and saws, etc., for they had material for a saw and flour mill with them. With women and children and light packs they started out, but had to kill a mule for provender on the way. They were forty-eight hours without water, then found a spring and by scooping out a place large enough, had plenty for the people and animals. They arrived at what is now Visalia, then to Mis- sion Soledad on the Salinas, in December, 1843, worn out with the long and hard journey, but happy to have reached the end of their travels.

Julius Martin and his little party came to San Ysidro (Old Gilroy) a few days later and he located there until in 1850, when he moved to a fine ranelı he had secured near New Gilroy, and this location was ever afterwards his home. He served with Fre- mont as a captain of American Scouts and both he and his wife were present at Sonoma at the raising of the Bear Flag. He left his family at Gilroy while he tried his luck at mining, but finding that was not his forte, turned his attention to trading with miners. When he returned again to ranch life he began im- proving his property and in time owned one of the best ranches in this section of the county. It is pleasant to relate that the original ranch is still in possession of the heirs of Julius Martin and with the passing of time has become very valuable prop- erty. He took a very active part in the settlement of this section, always lending a helping hand to those seeking a home and kept open house for all way-

Julius charter

Eligatutti martin

Georgia No Beane

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

farers. For about thirty years he was blind, but he was so familiar with locations and so sensitive to touch that he would walk to Gilroy and about the town without assistance.

Mr. Martin had married, on February 14, 1838, Elizabeth Hedrick McPherson and she first saw the light on November 23, 1819, in Roane County, Tenn. She was a woman of many resources, and after her husband lost his sight, she took charge of their large ranch of some 1,300 acres and carried it on successfully until her death. They had six children, all girls, the first three born in Missouri and the others in Santa Clara County: Mary married P. B. Tully and died leaving two daughters-Mrs. Elmer Ray of Gilroy and Mrs. Elizabeth Riggins of San Francisco; Arzelia became the wife of Abraham Lewis, she died leaving three children-George of Los Angeles, Mildred, Mrs. James Sargeant, of Gil- roy, and Abraham, an attorney in Honolulu; Martha married Franklin Oldham and died, the mother of four children, but now all are deceased. She was only a babe of three months when the family began their journey to California; Susan came next, and she was the first white child, born by a few hours, in the Santa Clara Valley. She is now Mrs. A. Philbrook and lives in Susanville, Cal .; Georgia was next to the youngest and was born at Old Gilroy. She married first, Dr. James F. Johnson, a physician of San Jose, and they had one son, Edward F. He was graduated from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy in 1892, returned to Gilroy and embarked in the drug business, married Elsie Garret of Sacra- mento and they had two sons, Edward Martin and Garret Abeel. He died on August 10, 1917, and the husiness was continned by his widow until 1922, when the oldest son, Martin Johnson, was graduated from the University of California in Pharmacy, class of '22, and now manages the establishment. His grandmother sent him to college that he might take his father's place in the business world. In 1922 Garret Johnson graduated from the Gilroy high school. Mrs. James F. Johnson, in 1906, became the wife of J. W. Beane, who learned merchandising with Marshall Field of Chicago and was a pioneer merchant of Gilroy and later a trusted employe of Ford & Sanborn Company of Salinas and King City, but now retired in Gilroy. Julia F. was the youngest girl and she married Charles Hornbeck and died in 1921 in Gilroy, leaving one child, Edith, who with her father is living on the old Martin homestead, one- half mile from Gilroy. The daughters were edu- cated at Notre Dame and Gates Institute.

The Martins entertained with the true Southern hospitality and all travelers north and south always found a welcome at their home. Many men of prominence were their guests, among them U. S. Grant, later president of the United States. Mrs. Martin was glad to relate the early stories of Cali- fornia and tell that she had lived under four flags- Spanish, Alcalde, Bear and the American, and had them on display at her home. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and aided the needy at all times. She died on December 2, 1900, having survived her husband from December 26, 1891, when he passed away, having reached the good old age of eighty-seven years, eleven months and twenty-six days. Mr. Martin was always of a

jolly disposition and although blind and almost eighty-five, he could dance the fisher's hornpipe with the grace of one half his age. He liked best of all to talk of pioneer history and was an authority sought by all delving into the history of the early days. One of the responsible positions he filled before courts were established was that of judge advocate of his district and his word was law on all matters. Mrs. Martin had a large collection of clippings and papers relating to California history which she pre- served with great care and now are a valuable acqui- sition to the annals of the county. The old Martin home is still standing and was built of logs hewed by hand from the redwood and oaks found growing near Gilroy in 1845.

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 62

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