History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 65

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

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He entered the political field as an Independent, with by no means weaklings offering the opposition, but his victory was assured from the very begin- ning; and his many times since happy returns to of- fice, and at times over apparently invulnerable op- ponents, bespeak in glowing tones the admiration, confidence and trust with which the citizens of this county view him, his political career and his suc- cess as a public official. This repeated approval of his constituents has made him the longest incum- bent in the chair of county clerk in the State of Cali- fornia, and one of the most respected in the state. This latter fact being shown by his being for the past twelve years, by unanimous voice, president of the County Clerks' Association of California. Fra- ternally, Mr. Pfister, is a Knights Templar Mason, and belongs to the Native Sons of the Golden West.

On June 28, 1880, Mr. Pfister married Miss Maria N. La Molle, a member of an old, well-known and respected family of this community; a charming and accomplished lady whose untimely death on October 3, 1920, left a wide circle of friends to mourn the passing of one, who, but to be known was to be loved. A daughter, Emily, who has since become Mrs. Thomas M. Landrum, the wife of a member of the C. C. Morse Co .; and another daughter, Marie, now the wife of Clarence M. Lynn of San Jose, and four grandchildren give hope of the perpetuation of this interesting family tree.

Henry A. Pfister is the possessor of an attractive personality that renders his individuality magnetic, pleasing and compelling. He is blessed with an acute mind; is quick of mental grasp and perspica- cious, which give to him an analytic insight into things that would ordinarily baffle other men; and by reason of his long experience in public life he is able to apply broad and liberal principles which always find a happy solution to problems however perplexing and exacting. He is endowed with a native force of character, strong but kind; and is fully cog- nizant that nobility obliges and that unselfish zeal and sacrifice have their own rewards. While pro- foundly clinging to the ideals and traditions of the past, he is not, however, blind to the innovations of today, all of which leave him clean and kind of heart. His lifetime of labor in public office gives his dis- tinguished usefulness an eminence that compels the admiration of all classes of society; and no one is more sensitive to, or better able to discern, the pub- lic pulse and heartbeats, or more apt in the apprecia- tion of public needs or better fit to meet emergencies.

There has been no phase of governmental develop- ment in which Mr. Pfister has not shared, keenly sensing, as he does, the responsibility of one in of- fice; and is therefore, found always working for higher civic standards and a healthier, stronger patriotism. This is shown, if in no other way, in his many and consecutive conscientious and efficient administrations where in his public and official capacity he ever retains the trust and confidence of his fellow-citi- zens, who repeatedly acclaim their approval of his honesty, integrity and faithfulness to duty by his many re-elections. His years of service have rich- ly mellowed him into the kind protector of the young; the willing helper of the aged; and the wise counselor of all. Easy to approach, easy of ac- cess, he is always found willing to lend a hand; always ever ready to perform a goodly deed. The name of Henry A. Pfister will long be cherished and long will his accomplishments and achievements be retold, chiseled as they are on the annals of time, but mere words are vain and futile, for his praise stands out in the bold relief of service and deeds- truly is he the eminent son of a noble father-a scion worthy to perpetuate the heritage of the past.

GEORGE HAMILTON, SR .- One of Santa Clara County's worthy pioneers, who is a native son in all but birth, having resided here for nearly seventy years, is George Hamilton, Sr., who is now living in comfortable retirement on his ranch on Dunne Road, near Morgan Hill. Mr. Hamilton was born at Well- ington, Missouri, on June 4, 1848, and was the young- est child of George and Jane (Stovall) Hamilton, both deceased. The father, a native of Tennessee, had crossed the plains in 1848 and returned to Missouri in 1852, while the mother was of Scotch ancestry. In 1854, when the subject of this sketch was only six years old, his parents with other neighbors made up a party and crossed the plains with ox teams and settled in Santa Clara County, California, where they were engaged in ranching, and here George Hamilton attended school and helped his father with the hard work on the ranch, so that at the age of twenty he was well fitted to start out for himself in this field.

In 1870 Mr. Hamilton was married to Miss Hattie Dominey, who was born in Eldorado County, Califor- nia, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dominey, and they became the parents of seven children: George, Jr., a well borer, resides at Morgan Hill with his wife and three children; Clara resides at the home place; Charles is a contractor of San Jose, where he resides with his wife and one child; Grace passed away, survived by her husband, Thos. W. Cater, and two children and they live at Berkeley; Chester is married and the father of four children and makes his home at San Jose; Mrs. Eva Anderson of Fresno is the mother of one child, and Hattie is Mrs. Kenworthy of Morgan Hill, and mother of one child. Mrs. Hamilton died January 8, 1917.

In 1893 Mr. Hamilton acquired a tract of fifteen and a half acres in the C. Dunne subdivision east of Mor- gan Hill, and here he has developed a beautiful ranch home. The place is devoted to the raising of French prunes, and he has made a splendid success with his orchard. While always devoted to his home and its interests, Mr. Hamilton is public spirited and loyal to the interests of his community, serving, for four years as deputy tax collector of the Morgan Hill district. He has always been a stanch Democrat.

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THADDEUS WARSAW SPRING .- A promi- nent pioneer and business man whose generous public spirit had much to do with the upbuilding of San Jose, Thaddeus Warsaw Spring, was born in Buffalo, N. Y., on June 17, 1829, and died in San Jose on August 13, 1890. He was a thorough gentleman, a successful business man, and lived a life worthy of emulation. He was the son of Andrew Jackson Spring, a native of New England, and a descendant of English ancestors. The father moved to New Orleans, La., when his son Thaddeus W. was three months old and there died when the latter was still a small child. His home continued to be the Creole City until he was seventeen years old, becoming an auctioneer at the youthful age of fifteen years. Not satisfied, however, with his prospects in Louisiana, he ran away, and in Baltimore entered the U. S. service, enlisting in General Magruder's Battery and came to California with him in 1852, making the trip around the Horn on the ship Monterey, a voyage which occupied five months. Landing in San Diego, Cal., he continued in the service under General Magruder for some time until he received his honor- able discharge. Accompanied by his mother, who had followed him across the Isthmus, he came north to San Francisco. He went to the mines for a brief time, when meeting with only slight success, he soon quit mining and returned to San Francisco, where he engaged as assistant to his stepfather, Jasper Smith, who was then engaged in the auction business. After making a cruise to the Sandwich Islands and returning to California, he located in San Jose in 1862, and engaged in the auction business with Nicholas Hayes, who aside from being an auc- tioneer, was also the owner and proprietor of a large general merchandise store located on the corner of First Street and Fountain Alley in San Jose and during Mr. Hayes' absence abroad, Mr. Spring was placed in charge as general manager. Having care- fully saved his earnings, in 1865 he started in the mercantile business for himself and put in a fine stock of dry goods and clothing on Santa Clara Street at the location now known as the Smout Building. In 1869 the building at the corner of Market and Santa Clara streets, which is now occu- pied by Spring's, Inc., was built for him and there he built up a remunerative trade, and continued in business until the time of his death, being then sixty- one years of age.

Mr. Spring was assuredly one of the foremost citizens of San Jose. Fraternally he was a Knights Templar Mason, serving as treasurer, and was one of the two senior members of San Jose Commandery No. 10. Personally he was self-made and self-reliant. and his generosity to those less fortunately situated was well known to many whose lives he had bright- ned by his benefactions. All enterprises that tended to the upbuilding of his home city and county had his hearty support. He was an active member of the Pioneer Society of Santa Clara County. His portrait herewith published will serve to recall his sturdy figure, which was a very familiar one on the streets of San Jose, for which he did so much to upbuild, and whose good name and fame he was ever ready to champion and uphold. He had ad- mitted his son to the business some time before his death, the firm name then being T. W. Spring &

Son. Later his son-in-law, Fred W. Moore, became associated in the management of the enterprise. Since his death the business has been incorporated under the name of Spring's, Inc., and this firm con- tinues in the lead and holds thousands of loyal cus- tomers throughout the valley, a fine testimonial to the worth of this pioneer business house.

In 1862 at San Jose, Mr. Spring was united in marriage to Miss Emelie Houghton, who was born at Farmington, Iowa, a daughter of Amory J, a native of Massachusetts, and Jemima (Gruell) Houghton, who was born in Indiana. She crossed the plains with her parents in 1859, starting from Farmington, Iowa, and settling in Santa Clara County. She continued to live in San Jose until she passed away, the mother of two children: Mar- cella is the widow of the late Frederick W. Moore, who came from one of the earliest of California pioneer families. His parents left their home in Tennessee in 1846, crossed the plains the same year and arrived in California in 1847, settling in what is now Santa Cruz County. Mrs. Moore has four children: Mrs. Douglas H. Sim of San Jose, Mrs. Martin Luther, Jr., of Hollister, Mrs. William N. Donaldson of Los Angeles, and Frederick H. Moore of San Jose, who enlisted and served in the U. S. Marines during the late war. Mrs. Moore stands very highly in San Jose's social and business circles. The second child of Thaddeus W. Spring is Henry Spring, hereinbefore referred to. He married Miss Olive Haptonstall, who comes from a pioneer family ir. Oregon, and they have one child, Jackson. The Springs continue to represent, as they always have, the substantial business element of San Jose. While first and last attending to business, yet their love for San Jose grows with years and they seek and find great delight in the advancement of their community.

EUGENE T. SAWYER .- California has been especially fortunate in her men and women of literary talent, some of whom are native sons and daughters, and many of whom have come from other parts of the great Union, bringing with them talent which was to be developed in the Golden State; among whom will always be remembered, in both widespread es- teem and affection, Eugene T. Sawyer, whose "Nick Carter" stories gave a pleasureable thrill to thousands of fiction readers, and whose latest work is the His- tory of Santa Clara County in this volume. Pages of exceptional interest might be written about this successful author; but it is doubtful if, after all, any- one can tell the story of his many-sided life half so well as himself.

"I was born in Bangor, Maine," he says, "Novem- ber 11, 1846. On the 11th of November, 1918, the great European War came to an end, so it will be seen that when the world celebrates the event, it also celebrates my birthday. Thus quite a load is taken from my shoulders, for instead of financing the event, I hold my horses, and permit Europe and America to do the honors and pay the bills. As a youngster, I evinced a strong liking for hunting, fishing and theater-going. The liking stays with me, though I seldom indulge it, for game is scarce, the auto-fiends have skinned the streams, and the good actors are all dead. I am also greatly interested in politics and national affairs. Acquired the taste in the late '50s and early '60s, when I was so fortunate as to be a listener to the oratory of Stephen A. Douglas, Wil-

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

liam H. Seward, James G. Blaine, Hannibal Hamlin, Bob Ingersoll, Henry Edgerton, Henry Winter Davis, Wendell Phillips, Tom Fitch, Henry Ward Beecher, Marshall of Kentucky, and Rhett of Arkansas.

"At the age of twelve, I embarked in the show bus- iness by acting as promoter and manager of barn en- tertainments to which the price of admission was one copper cent or its equivalent in pins, nails, old iron and old newspapers. The proceeds of an entertain- ment went, as a rule, to buy a cocoanut, a lobster, a bag of candy or a seat in the pit of a theater. As I grew older my mind turned to newspaper work and at fourteen I became a morning newspaper carrier. Once I had the extreme honor (so I thought at the time) of selling a paper to Charles F. Browne (Arte- mus Ward) who had lectured in Bangor the night before. In 1864 I came to California, via the Isthmus of Panama. Stayed in San Francisco a short time, then traveled to San Jose. For a year I attended the San Jose Institute, as a supplement to a high school education, my classical work being done under the supervision of D. M. Delmas, now a resident of Los Angeles.

"Since that time I have been a miner (in Nevada), druggist and book-keeper in San Francisco, rancher and newspaper publisher in San Benito County and newspaper man in San Jose. This work in San Jose was sometimes varied by incursions into the field of sensational story writing. In the Nick Carter and Log Cabin series my heroes were always fearless and manly, my heroines brave and beautiful, and vir- tue always triumphed. As an exploiter of the alleged adventures of Buffalo Bill, my imaginative hands be- came steeped in gore and I might be writing of the dead scout yet were it not for the sorrowful fact that my material gave out, as I had made Bill kill or cause to be killed every Indian in the far West.

"For thirty-five years I did newspaper work in San Jose, starting as reporter and winding up as man- aging editor. I have written plays, acted in them and in other fellows' plays, and might have adopted the stage as a profession if my hard, common sense had not told me that 1 would never mount to the height where stars shine. But I have had a sort of compensation in the knowledge that I have helped to shape the careers of those ornaments to the Ameri- can stage-Eleanor Calhoun (Princess Lazarovich), John T. Malone, Samuel W. Piercey, John W. Dunne and Frank Bacon; and that I have guided my friends, Hugh A. De Lacy, A. P. Murgotten and Louis Lieber, into experiences that have furnished stories, mostly amusing, they will never be weary of telling.

"I have published one book, 'The Life of Tiburcio Vasquez.' It saw the light in 1875, shortly after the execution, in San Jose, of the notorious bandit and murderer. I was the correspondent of the San Fran- cisco Chronicle immediately after the raid on Tres Pinos which resulted in the killing of three men; and I had gathered material from interviews with old ac- quaintances of the bandit in Monterey and San Be- nito counties and from frequent talks with Vasquez himself.

"I have held but one public office-member of the board of education, 1877-79. It is only fair to say, in this connection, that I have often aspired to the Pres- idency of this mighty and badly governed nation. I am aspiring yet, for I would like to be in a position to lower the high cost of living and give a poor man opportunity to eat bacon without having to place a plaster on his home to obtain the wherewithal for the purchase."

Mr. Sawyer was married on September 27, 1871, to Belle Moody, daughter of Charles Moody, whose father, R. G. Moody, was the pioneer mill man of San Jose. The mill was first erected in 1854 on the bank of Coyote Creek at about the spot where Em- pire Street strikes the stream. The business was transferred to Third Street, northeast corner of Santa Clara Street, in 1858, and R. G. Moody's sons, Charles, Volney and David, conducted the mill until it was sold to the Sperry Milling Company. After a few years Volney Moody retired to become an Oak- land banker. Mrs. Sawyer, who died on January 28, 1921, spent her childhood days in the old family home on the northeast corner of Second and Santa Clara Streets, the site of the present five-story Porter building. She received her early education in the public schools of San Jose, following which she en- tered the San Jose Institute, conducted by Freeman Gates. After her marriage she found both pleasure and profit in the art of painting, in which she was unusually gifted. She was also of great assistance to her husband in his literary work. She was the mother of two children, Elva B., now a teacher in the Grant School, San Jose, and Louis E., a fruit grower in San Benito County. Lovable, sympathetic and un- selfish, the memory of her life and character will al- ways be cherished with pride and affection by her surviving husband and by her relatives and friends.

MRS. MARGARET WHITE .- A member of one of California's pioneer families, Mrs. Margaret White can look back over an interesting period in the devel- opment of the Santa Clara Valley, for it has been her privilege to take part in as well as witness the wonderful growth that has taken place here in the past decades. She was born in Quebec, Canada, the daughter of the late Thomas and Johanna (O'Toole) Cullen, both natives of County Wexford, Ireland, who were early settlers of that part of Canada.

Twelve children were born to these worthy par- ents: Edward, deceased, is survived by one child, Mrs. Daley, who resides in Sacramento; John, de- ceased, is survived by his widow and six children, living near Gilroy; Michael and Patrick are deceased; Mary A., Mrs. Thomas Fitzgerald, has five children; Thomas is single; James, deceased; Kate C., de- ceased, is survived by her husband, Edward Doyle; Frank P. has three children and resides in San Jose; Mrs. Margaret White is the subject of this sketch; Lawrence lives at Gilroy; William has five children and resides at Gilroy. The three eldest brothers of the family preceded the rest of the family here, who arrived in California in 1868 and settled in the vicin- ity of Gilroy. Both parents lived to be nearly ninety, the father passing away on November 22, 1895; Mrs. Cullen surviving him until October 11, 1904.

Margaret Cullen spent her girlhood days at the family home near Gilroy and on April 21, 1879, she was married to William Fitzgerald, who was born in Frampton Township, Canada, April 14, 1845, and in 1853 came with his parents to Gilroy Township, Santa Clara County, Cal., where he was reared on a farm, later engaging in the livery business at Gil- roy with his brother, Patrick Fitzgerald. Mr. Fitz- gerald passed away in February, 1882, survived by his widow and two children, Mary and Winifred Fitzgerald, now living with their mother. Mrs. Fitz- gerald's second marriage united her with John J. White, the son of Thomas and Mary A. White, and

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one son was born to them, Edward A., who was a member of the Students' Army Training Corps during the World War and is attending Santa Clara University, but now employed in San Francisco. Mr. White died in Gilroy, August 26, 1910. Mrs. White is an active member of the Civic Club and the Cath- olic Ladies' Aid of Gilroy. A woman of many inter- ests, she is the owner of a fine ranch at Hollister in addition to the home place on Second Street, where she still makes her home.

JOHN C. MENKER-After a long, active and useful career John C. Menker is now living retired in San Jose at the age of seventy-four years, his capable management of his business affairs having brought him a substantial competence which now enables him to spend his days in ease and com- fort. He was born in Mecklenburg, Germany, De- cember 30, 1847, and he was left an orphan at the tender age of five years; his father died on the ocean while en route to the United States and soon afterward the mother brought the family of four children to Buffalo, N. Y., but soon fell a vic- tim to that dread disease-cholera.

The second in a family of four children, two sons and two daughters, three of whom grew up, John C. Menker, in his youth lived on a farm working his own way and acquired his education in the dis- trict schools, which he attended for but three months in the year, as he was obliged to spend the re- maining months in providing for a livelihood. He had first been bound to a family in Buffalo, N. Y., but was treated so badly he ran away and ob- tained a place on a place in the country. Later he was able to pursue a course in Bryant & Stratton's business college of that city where he graduated in 1869, following which he went to. Chicago, Il1., se- curing a position as shipping clerk with a large wholesale confectionery house, whose products were sent to the largest cities in the south as well as throughout the west as far as San Francisco, Cal. He was in Chicago during the great fire of 1871 and immediately afterward returned to New York, work- ing on a farm in Cattaraugus County for a year. In the fall of 1872 he came to California and for five years was employed on a dairy near the old mis- sion at Carmel, Monterey County, returning to Buf- falo in 1878. There he entered the confectionery business as a member of the firm of Menker & Barnes, catering to the wholesale and retail trade, but at the end of five years disposed of his in- terest to his partner and in association with his brother, Henry A. Menker, established a similar en- terprise in the city of Buffalo, N. Y., as H. A. & J. C. Menker. Three years afterward failing health obliged him to seek a milder climate, and selling his interest to his brother, he returned to Califor- nia, bringing with him his wife and children. Lo- cating near Berryessa, Santa Clara County, he pur- chased a twenty-five acre ranch, on a portion of which was a prune, apricot and peach orchard, but at the end of a year sold that place and bought a ranch of twenty-five acres near Watsonville. This he operated for nine years, engaging in raising ber- ries. He also purchased ten acres in the city of Watsonville, which he finally subdivided into city lots, a street being named in his honor.

At this time, at the request of his brother Henry, who had become president of a bank at Buffalo,

Mr. Menker returned to the east to assist in con- ducting his brother's confectionery business, which he successfully managed for five years. He then made his way back to San Jose and bought a thirty-three acre ranch near Agnew which he oper- ated for some years until it was disposed of. With a partner he bought twenty-five acres on the Ste- vens Creek Road, which they subdivided into 150 city lots and placed them on the market. In the early part of 1921 the last of these lots was sold and the tract has now become a fine residential section, adorned with attractive homes, one of the avenues bearing the name of Menker. Some years ago Mr. Menker bought eighty acres of land near Cypress, Orange County, in the southern part of the state. and is still the owner of forty acres thereof. His land is well irrigated, being provided with a 600 foot, twelve-inch well and a Dixon pump, and is one of the valuable and highly improved ranches in that part of California. Mr. Menker is a stockholder and director in the Anderson-Barngrover Manufacturing Company of San Jose, manufacturers of machin- ery, making a specialty of building cannery machin- ery. This company also developed a 512-acre wal- nut ranch located near Stockton.

In Buffalo, N. Y., on April 21, 1881, Mr. Menker married Miss Jennie Mitchell, who was born in England and was left an orphan during her child- hood. She acquired her education in the schools of Buffalo and to their union three children have been born; Raymond C., who is a minister of the Methodist Church and is now residing in Plumas County, having charge of three pastorates; Earl L., who is private secretary to Mr. Edwards of the Southern Pacific Railroad; and Edith M., the wife of Charles P. Smith, the latter being a teacher in the San Jose high school. Mr. Menker was be- reaved of his faithful wife February, 1917, a devoted Christian woman and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 65

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