History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 75

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

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Mr. and Mrs. Foss were blessed by the birth of a daughter, Wilma, who is now the wife of Martin Rogers, the son of W. J. Rogers, the wealthy lumber- man of San Francisco. They make their home at the Foss residence at 444 Lakehouse Avenue, which Wil- liam F. Foss erected in 1893, and which has been the family home since January 1, 1894. Blessed with an abundance of this world's goods, Mrs. Foss presides over her home with grace and dignity, dispensing the old time Californian hospitality. Cultured and refined, with her kind and generous spirit she radiates an atmosphere of peace and harmony far beyond its bounds. She was reared in the Episcopal faith, but for some years has been a student and adherent of Christian Science.

COLONEL D. H. BRYANT .- Well known, par- ticularly in Santa Clara County, where he has ap- peared on the rostrum of every city, village and ham- let in his various campaigns as a public-spirited citizen, and enjoying an enviable popularity through- out the state as the honored and ever-welcome head of one of the most efficient army and navy political organizations in the world, Col. D. H. Bryant lives in well-earned retirement at his home at 286 West San Carlos Street, San Jose. He was born in Rich- mond, Chittenden County, Vt., on December 29. 1842, the son of Calvin Bryant, who came across the great plains in 1849 with his brother, Rolla Bryant. and for awhile mined at Downieville. Later, he re- moved to Humboldt County and there acquired a large acreage of land upon which he farmed. He lived to be eighty-eight years old, and died in Hum- boldt County. He married Miss Carolina Gardner, a native of Bennington, Vt., of Scotch parentage.

The youngest of a family of four children, our subject had only common school advantages; but being naturally observing and inclined to reflection,

Sarah a. Joost

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

he has since then acquired both information and ex- perience, and he has steadily risen to positions where he has not only succeeded himself, but he has been able to be of the greatest service to others. 'At the outbreak of the Civil War he volunteered in defense of the Union, and so came to get his real schooling in the Army. He enlisted early as a member of Company K, Fifth Vermont Volunteer Infantry, but when the war continued, he asked to be transferred to the regular army. He was therefore made a mem- ber of Company C, Fifth U. S. Cavalry, commanded by Captain Gleason, who in turn was under General Merritt, and he under General George Stoneman. Later he was in William Woods Averell's brigade in Stoneman's famous raids in Virginia, around Rich- mond, and on September 15, 1861, he crossed the famous old chain bridge over the Potomac River, and thus reached Virginia, where he weathered many terrific engagements. On July 21, 1863, while fol- lowing Lee's rear, he received a severe wound in the right forearm, torn almost the entire length by the ball, the occasion being one month to the day after he had carried to the rear an injured comrade; and strange to say, when he was stricken down, he was sent to Lincoln Hospital on Capitol Hill, and with- out knowing it, was placed in a bed next to that same comrade. He suffered eleven days of agony from his wound, with only dirty underclothes to cover his body, and most of the time he was uncon- scious. One day he heard a voice at his side calling, "My God! oh, my God!" and looking up, he saw for the first time, his comrade. He was visited seven times by President Lincoln, and was cared for by the nurses and Sisters of Mercy as best they could in such trying emergencies. Such an experience as this of the two comrades, Colonel Bryant says, still cements the old Grand Army of the Republic in such a solid body. After his wounds had healed, the in- trepid soldier was discharged with honor.

On July 8. 1864, he sailed for California from New York via Panama, and on Angust 8 he landed in San Francisco. On arriving at the Bay City he worked for his uncle, Solomon Pierce, at Point Reyes in Marin County; the latter owned a part of the old Shafter Ranch, and there maintained two dairies, and he was one of the wealthiest earlier California ranchers. He then went to Sonoma County and clerked in a store at Stewart's Point, on Fisherman's Bay, owned by Andrew Fisk; and the job was suffi- ciently satisfactory to hold him there for fifteen months. Then, with a Matt Engley, he took a con- tract to cut, haul and deliver logs to Platt's Mill; and for a season they worked about forty men and forty head of horses.

On July 18. 1868. Mr. Bryant was married at Ferndale, in Humboldt County, to Miss Dora Wool- ridge, after which he bought land which he farmed for awhile. He then accepted a position as general manager and superintendent of a large ranch owned by the Hon. Joseph Russ, his brother-in-law, a wealthy and influential Humboldt citizen, who was at one time a candidate for the governship of Cali- fornia. He owned from 18,000 to 20.000 head of cattle, and about 60,000 head of sheep, and he had an enormous acreage of timber land on the Eel River, and some land in Trinity County. He had his local office in Eureka, Cal., while his main office was at 10 California Street, San Francisco. He was a large 95

meat exporter, and had five large schooners and two saw mills. When his health gave out under the strain of such a responsibility, Mr. Bryant succeeded him in the management of the estates. Mr. Russ finally passed away, at the age of eighty-nine, and the estate was then divided.

Mr. Bryant then removed to Santa Clara County. in 1895, and engaged in the raising of fruit; and within a period of five years he owned seven or- chards and fruit-driers, and was rated high among fruit men. In 1895, he bought a home at 286 West San Carlos Avenne, San Jose, and there he has made his home ever since.

In addition to attending to his extensive and in- creasing orchard business, Mr. Bryant has kept in constant touch with men of affairs. He was political advisor to, and investigator for, Governor Gage, and later for Governor Pardce and also the Hon. Geo. C. Perkins; and he still has in his files some two hun- dred letters from Governor Pardee. Through the earnest solicitations of men of the state. Colonel Bryant was appointed agent by Governor Gillette, for the Southern District, to see that the provisions for guarding against the bubonic plague were car- ried out, and so he came to be interested, for years in public health work. His chief work was to compel the boards of supervisors to do their duty in using the money appropriated for that purpose, and he operated so fearlessly that the most salutary results were obtained. In this campaigning, as well as in the discharge of other public services, Colonel Bryant visited every section of California, from San Fran- cisco south, and so became one of the best-known Californians of this section. The Normal School at San Jose and its great work he interested himself in, and on several occasions has appeared there as the chief speaker.

To Colonel Bryant is to be given, also, the chief credit for the organization of the Army & Navy League, a Republican club of California, of which he was the president and commander for several years. This association is comprised of forty-four clubs, was organized in 1878, and has an active membership of 32,000 men. It was as the popular head of this Army and Navy League that our subject was chris- tened "Colonel," a title he bears with becoming dignity. He belongs to the Pioneers of Santa Clara County and the Grand Army of the Republic. Colonel Bryant has been a valued contributor for a number of years to the local press on important topics of interest to the general public.

Eight children have been born to Colonel and Mrs. Bryant, and all have been fortunate in their lives never to have needed a physician. Frederick Carlos is an orchardist in Washington. Anna is the wife of Robt. P. Clapp. the secretary of the A. L. Jones Motor Company of Denver. Etta is the wife of J. L. Rose, the well-known attorney of Oakland. Lylia is the wife of Irving Linn, an electrician of San Jose. Arthur is in the lumber business in Portland, Ore. Frank, of San Jose, is a successful concrete bridge builder and also road builder, and among other con- tracts built the Alum Rock Highway. Arleigh is in the Philippines; and Ralph is consulting and con- struction engineer in the employ of the Southern Pacific. Colonel Bryant has owned various ranches. and their several locations are not without interest. They have been on Williams Road, Kemble Road,

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Mountain View Road, and Pierce Road; and the last ranch he had-sold about five years ago-was on Fleming Avenue.

ROBERT BLANCH .- A thoroughly progressive, up-to-date and successful rancher, Robert Blanch, of Maybury Road, to the northeast of San Jose, is doubly interesting as the son of the late Charles Blanch, who was born in Gloucestershire, England, on Feb- ruary 20, 1831, and there he grew up as a farmer. He came to the United States in 1851, and for three years farmed in Iowa; and then he went to Minne- sota and kept bravely at farming there for five years. although for two seasons in succession all the crops he raised were eaten away by grasshoppers. As early as 1858 he and his brother, William, (who was one of the first white men to be killed by an Indian in 1859, in San Jose) came across the plains to Cali- fornia, bringing a band of Durham cattle, which were all run off by Indians near Salt Lake, so that when they arrived they had only three oxen. They pitched their tent at San Jose; but in 1861 Robert moved to a ranch about ten miles south of town. In 1868, he established himself as a dairyman in San Luis Obispo County, and soon had reason to repent his venture, for his cattle died from Texas fever. Coming back to Santa Clara County, he farmed for a year, then went to Oregon for a winter, and after that came south again to White Oak Flat, in Burnett township, Santa Clara County, removing at the end of four ycars to Hoover Valley, where he lived for many years, operating a ranch of 150 acres, where he raised horses and carried on a dairy. He died in 1896 on a leased ranch in the Calaveras Valley. On April 27. 1859, he was married at St. Paul, Minn., to Miss Maria Watkins, also a native of England, and their union was blessed with ten children. The eldest was Edmund H; then came Jessie A; William T; next came John W .; after that came Mary E., and the others were Charles E., Sarah M., and finally Robert, the subject of our sketch. Charlotte and Richard, with Edmund and Jessie, all died in childhood.

Robert Blanch was born at San Jose on March 27, 1875, and he attended the grammar schools of Santa Clara County. As a youth he began to help his father on the home ranch, and he remained with him until the latter died, when the estate was divided up. Then he took up ranching alone, and for many years he has had an interest in a strip of range land of some 2,000 acres lying in the hills between Livermore and Mt. Hamilton. This ranch, which is leased, is devoted to grain, hay and stock, and Mr. Blanch still maintains his equity in the stockraising on this land. It was really railroad land, but it is better known as the MeLaughlin Land Companies holding.

In 1906, Mr. Blanch bought a ranch of fifteen acres on the Maybury Road which is devoted to apricots, prunes and peaches-one of the oldest orchards in Santa Clara County, having been planted in 1880 by one of the Hobsons. The land is abundantly irri- gated by water from a neighboring private pumping plant which produces about 900 gallons a minute. Mr. Blanch has lived on this ranch since 1906, and during that time as a Republican in matters of na- tional political import, but as a nonpartisan "booster" in respect to local affairs, he has done what he could to improve civic and agricultural conditions.

At San Jose, on November 29, 1905, Mr. Blanch was married to Miss Ruth M. Beck, a native of San

Jose and the daughter of Thomas and Laura (Vance) Beck. Mr. Beck, who was an expert blacksmith, died in 1912, and his good wife in February, 1918. Of their six children, one is Rollo H. Beck, the world-renowned naturalist. who has traveled very widely to collect scientific specimens; the others are Mrs. Addie May Burke; Dr. Edna Beck, a medical missionary in India; Mrs. Helen Parsons; Ruth M .. and Mrs. Blanche Markham. Mrs. Blanch was given the best of educational advantages at the College of the Pacific, and she and her husband are the parents of one daughter who is attending the Berryessa grammar school.

MRS. CATHERINE E. BARRY .- The memory of a public-spirited man who was widely known for his keen interest in the general welfare of the com- munity, state and nation, is revived in the life-story of Mrs. Catherine E. Barry, of 490 North Fourth Street. San Jose, the highly-esteemed widow of John T. Barry, a New Englander who came here as a ver- itable pioneer. She was born in far-off New Zea- land, the daughter of Patrick Fenton, of County Cork, Ireland, who had married Miss Ellen Calla- han, also of that county, while they were still on the green soil of Erin. They then sailed for New Zea- land, and for three years followed farming in that country; and after that they migrated to Chile, South America, and for six years continued agricultural pursuits there.

In 1849, stirred up by the world-wide excitement over the discovery of gold in California, Mr. and Mrs. Fenton came to San Francisco and engaged in busi- ness until 1856; then they settled on a ranch about six miles north of Santa Clara, in the vicinity of the present site of Agnew. There they had about 200 acres, and they devoted the land to the raising of grain. They did so well that Mr. Fenton continued there until he died, at the age of sixty years; and Miss Catherine was living on this ranch at the time she was married.

She had attended the Dominican Convent at Be- nicia and was a cultured, accomplished young lady when, on August 15. 1868, at Santa Clara, she was married to John T. Barry, a native of Boston, Mass., who had come out to California in 1856. He had not only attended the excellent grammar schools of the "City of Culture," but he had enjoyed a college education as well in the New England metropolis, and hence was just the kind of timber wanted for commonwealth building. After their marriage, they took up their residence in San Francisco, and there for twenty years Mr. Barry was connected with the San Francisco Monitor. In 1901 Mrs. Barry re- moved to San Jose, and here she has lived ever since. Mr. Barry, who died in Sacramento, in 1894, was always alive to everything that would contri- bute to community uplift, and as a stanch Democrat, he worked hard for civic reform. Mrs. Barry, also as a stand-pat Democrat, has endeavored to continue this good work, and from her hospitable home where she has lived since returning to San Jose, she has sent out much influence for the benefit of others.

Two children blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Barry. Marcella J. is an instructor, well trained and very popular with the pupils of the Horace Mann School in San Jose: while the son, Charles J. Barry, has been connected for twenty years with the Hi- bernian Bank in San Francisco.

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

JOSEPH H. RUCKER .- A decidedly progressive man prominent in the California commercial world, whose substantial principles have been the best kind of a guarantee as to his advocacy of all that would make for the rapid and permanent development of the state, county and city in which he resides, is Joseph H. Rucker, the president of the well-known firm, Joseph H. Rucker & Company, who was born near San Jose, on March 23, 1865. His father, Joseph E. Rucker, was a farmer who came to California in 1852, and at Gilroy, in Santa Clara County, married Miss Susan Brown, a fine type of the American woman who had come to the Golden State a year ahead of him. In 1874, he established himself in business, and nine years later he took his son into parnership. He died in 1890, survived for seven years by his devoted wife. When she passed away in 1897, she was the mother of eight children, four boys and four girls, and among these Joseph H. Rucker was the youngest son. He finished the gram- mar school courses, then studied for a while at the high school, and after that put in two years at the College of the Pacific, and topped off his work as a student at the Garden City Business College. Thus pretty well equipped to try his own resources in the world at large, he entered the service of Hutchinson & Mann, the largest insurance concern on the Pacific Coast, and when he was only eighteen years of age. joined his father in forming the firm of J. E. Rucker & Sons, successors to Rucker & Page. In 1901, the firm was incorporated as Joseph H. Rucker & Com- pany. On January 1, 1907, a branch house, under the name of Joseph H. Rucker & Company was estab- lished in San Francisco.

On June 6, 1888, Mr. Rucker was married to Miss Mary P. Dunne, a representative of another old family and a charming lady of natural gifts and a developed talent; and their union has been further blessed by three children, Joseph E., DeWitt C., and Jerome W. Rucker, all three associated with their father in business. The family attend the Roman Catholic Church, and participate in the social func- tions of the Country and the Olympic clubs. In national politics a Republican, Mr. Rucker delights to give his non-partisan, undivided support to all well-endorsed local projects. A true descendant of the worthiest pioneers, Mr. Rucker rejoices in all that pertains to California life; and being especially fond of the great outdoors, he maintains a camp in Mon- terey County where he and his many friends often enjoy facilities for recreation and pleasure sought for by others in corners of the earth far from home.

LOUIS J. VAN DALSEM .- A native son of San Jose and a member of one of the old and prominent families of the city, Louis J. Van Dalsem is recog- nized as a progressive, wide-awake business man whose close application to the building business made him well known in San Jose. He was born Septem- ber 12, 1889, a son of H. C. and Louisa G. (Was- son) Van Dalsem, and is descended from French Huguenot and Knickerbocker stock. His grandpar- ents, H. C. and Henrietta (Galyen) Van Dalsem, made the journey from Indiana to California by way of the Isthmus, and the vessel on which they were passengers was twice shipwrecked, at one time off the coast of Florida and later off the Mexican coast. In 1857 they arrived in San Francisco, Cal., where they resided for a year, and on the 4th of July, 1857, they came to San Jose. Being much pleased with

the locality, they decided to establish their permanent residence in the city, and here the grandfather fol- lowed the trade of a carpenter. In 1869 he met with an accidental death, being killed by a falling beam while erecting a building. Five days after the ar- rival of Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Van Dalsem in San Jose, their son, H. C., Jr., was born, on the 9th of July. 1857, and on attaining adult years he also turned his attention to the carpenter's trade, receiv- ing his instruction therein from his uncle, E. A. Van Dalsem, a prominent building contractor of San Jose, who erected the Hall of Records, the Sainte Claire Clubhouse and many other fine edifices in the city. H. C., Jr., had little opportunity for acquiring an edu- cation, for upon his shoulders fell the burden of pro- viding for the support of his mother, brother and sister. He was employed as foreman for his uncle until 1895, when he entered the contracting business on his own account. continuing active along that line until 1914, when his right hand was accidentally crushed. In 1919 he was obliged to have his arm amputated and has since lived retired. He is still residing in the home on North Eighteenth Street which he built in 1885, his being the first house erected in this part of San Jose. On the 28th of September, 1887, he was married in this city to Miss Louisa G. Wasson, of English descent and a native of Indiana, who came to California with her parents. James and Nancy (Ford) Wasson. Mr. and Mrs. Van Dalsem became the parents of ten children: Henry, who died at the age of sixteen years; Lonis J., of this review; Volney F., who is engaged in the clothing business at Watsonville, Cal .; Theodoric, a salesman, living at San Jose; Samnel, a prominent contractor of Santa Clara; Jesse, also a salesman and solicitor at San Jose; Mrs. Ursula Mallpass, who is at present residing at home, her husband being a millman with the Pacific Manufacturing Company; Nancy, at home; Alice, a high school student; and Eugenia, who died July 15, 1910.

In the grammar schools of San Jose, Louis J. Van Dalsem pursued his education, and when sixteen years of age started out in life for himself, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. For a number of years he worked as a journeyman car- penter, first going to Oregon, then to Washington, and subsequently spending one year in Southern Cali- fornia, returning in 1910 to San Jose, where he fol- lowed his trade. In December, 1910, he entered Company B, Fifth California Infantry, as a private, winning promotion to the rank of corporal and later was made sergeant. In 1916 he went to the Mexican border as first sergeant of his company. After five months' service at Nogales, Ariz., he returned to San Jose, and on March 28, 1917, he was again called to the Presidio at San Francisco. On April 6 he was commissioned a second lieutenant. becom- ing first lieutenant in the One Hundred Fifty-Ninth Infantry, Fortieth Division, on October 13, 1917. From September 27, 1917, until July 26, 1918, he was stationed at Camp Kearney, and was then sent over- seas, landing at Liverpool, England, whence he was ordered to Winchester, Southampton, and later to Havre, France. At Neronda, France, he had charge of the, training of casuals and took many replace- ment troops up to the front. Later he was with the Second Army Corps, operating with the British forces, and was in the Somme salient from Novem- her lst until the armistice was signed. He traveled

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

over France while engaged in the work of taking casuals back to their original units and subsequently was stationed for awhile at Cadillac, later at Bor- deaux, sailing from that port for the United States and landing at Hoboken in March, 1919. He remained at Camp Mills, N. J., for thirty days before returning to the Presidio, where he was discharged as com- manding officer of Company B, his original assign- ment, May 27, 1919.

Returning to San Jose, Mr. Van Dalsem entered the building and contracting business, specializing in the construction of first-class bungalows. He was active along that line until May, 1921, when he be- came associated with Harley B. Miller in the plumb- ing business at Tenth and Santa Clara Streets in San Jose. Both are capable and energetie business men and their trade is rapidly developing.

In San Jose, on September 4, 1917, Mr. Van Dal- sem was united in marriage to Miss Helen M. Har- ney, a native of Oakland, Cal., and a daughter of J. T. Harney, a prominent fruit commission merchant. whose fruit and vegetable wagons traversed the country around San Jose, going as far south as Santa Cruz. He came to this section of the state when Mrs. Van Dalsem was quite young and she ac- quired her education at the Notre Dame Convent of this city. Mr. Van Dalsem is a member of the American Legion at San Jose, of which he has served as sergeant-at-arms, and is also connected with San Jose Parlor No. 22, N. S. G. W. In business affairs he has displayed keen discernment and his is a most creditable record, characterized by devotion to duty, by integrity and enterprise in business and by loyalty in citizenship.

HORATIO B. VALPEY .- A life of well directed energy and thrift now enables Horatio B. Valpey of San Jose to spend his declining years in freedom from business cares after many years of active con- nection with ranching interests. He was born at East- port. Maine, May 15, 1840, a son of Captain Calvin and Elizabeth (Gardner) Valpey, the former of French and the latter of English descent. Capt. Cal- vin Valpey was born March, 1806, in Yarmouth, N. S., and passed away at Warm Springs, Cal., September 12, 1880. From 1818 to 1832 he followed a seafaring life in various capacities, from cabin boy to sailor before the mast, then in 1833 he was made captain. When not sailing the seas, he followed the pursuit of farming. In 1847 he sailed from Eastport, Maine, to Liverpool, England, as captain. The same year he decided to quit the sea, but was persuaded to pilot a vessel. "The Eagle," from Yarmouth to San Fran- cisco via the Straits of Magellan. On November 9, 1850, he left Yarmouth and after five months and nine days arrived in San Francisco and spent some time in piloting boats up the Sacramento River and about the San Francisco Bay. Later he engaged in the merchandise business at Centerville, Cal., and then mined for a time near Marysville. He assisted in the building of a dam, but it did not stand and when it went out ruined the mining prospects in that local- ity, and Mr. Valpey turned his attention to the stock business. Going to Los Angeles, he purchased 300 head of Texas cows and drove them north to Ala- meda County, having as a partner George W. Bond. Later he purchased 400 acres of land at Warm Springs at sixteen dollars per acre and there he lived until

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 75

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