History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 78

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

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Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Nattinger had nine children, seven of whom grew to maturity: Almira became Mrs. Mason and died in Ottawa, Ill .; John was a member of Company E, One Hundred and Fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, served till the close of the Civil War and died in Oakland, Cal .; Julia died in Ottawa, Ill .; Eliza, Mrs. McCormack, also died in Ottawa; Lyman L. is our subject: William resides in Chicago and Albert died in Earl Park, Ind.

Lyman L. received his education in the public schools of Ottawa, Ill., and went to work on a farm. remaining until he was sixteen years old; then he learned the carriage and wagon maker's trade. In August, 1862, when nineteen years old, he volunteered and enlisted in the U. S. Army in Company E. One Hundred and Fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and during his two years and ten months of serv- ice was in thirty-two battles, serving as sergeant. Among some of the battles were Hartsville, Elk River, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, then began the Atlanta Campaign of 108 days, including Resaca, Dallas, Dalton, Kencsaw Mt., Peach Tree Creek, Snake Creek Gap and the siege of Atlanta, after which he was on the chase of Hood's army to the Chickamauga battlefield when Thomas sent word that he could take care of Hood's Army, saying he could whip them with his own men. Then Mr. Nattinger took part in Sherman's March to the Sea, taking part in the taking of Savannah and the battles of Goldsborough and Bentonville. His regi- ment went into Raleigh on the skirmish line and marched from Raleigh, N. C., to Richmond, Va., in record time, making the 210 miles in ninety-four hours. To make this time they marched as the crow flies, through fields, and over fences. He took part in the Grand Review at Washington as one of Sherman's greasers, after which his regi- ment was the first out of the brigade to go home; he was mustered out in Chicago June, 1865, as ser- geant, the regiment being reduced to 183 men. At Hartsville, Tenn., he was wounded and taken pris- oner and he remained a prisoner at different places until he was taken to Libby Prison, where he re- mained until he was paroled; then was in the parole camp at Annapolis, Md., until he was exchanged, when he rejoined his regiment.

After his discharge from service Mr. Nattinger worked at his trade in Altoona, Ill., until he de- cided to remove to California, arriving in San Jose in 1875. He spent five years as foreman of the San Jose Agricultural Works, then he ran a car- riage and wagon shop on South First Street. Dur- ing this time, in 1886, he purchased ten acres on Leigh Road, near Campbell, which he set out to prunes and as success attended his efforts he bought land adjoining until he now owns twenty-four acres in a full-bearing prunc orchard. Some years ago he quit business in San Jose, after having worked

at his trade for twenty-seven years. Since then he has devoted all of his time to his orchard and drying plant he had erected on Leigh Avenue, where he takes care of his fruit as well as for a number of his neighbors.

Mr. Nattinger's first marriage united him with Miss Mary Bergit, a native of Illinois, who passed away in August, 1875; the second time he was married to Miss Addie G. Ketcham, a native daughter, born in Placer County, and they had one child, Frank, a stalwart man, who is assisting his father in their horticultural enterprise. Mrs. Nattinger passed away in 1909. He is a strong Republican in poli- tics and fraternally is an Odd Fellow; a believer in cooperation as the best method of marketing the fruit, he is a member of the California Prune & Apricot Association.

Mr. Nattinger is a very active and energetic man and despite his nearly four score years is found about his ranch every day, driving a team or doing a man's work, for he cannot tolerate idleness and believes it is more interesting and conducive to lon- gevity to wear out than to rust out. He has a remarkable personality and is a man of strong con- victions, always standing for what he considers right. He is well informed and well read and his reten- tive memory and ability as a narrator of events, particularly of the stirring times during the Civil War, make him an interesting conversationalist.

GUSTAVE NELSON .- A business man long es- tahlished in San Jose, whose methods of dealing with others have always been such that his word is as good as his bond, is Gustave Nelson, of 333 Vine Street, once the proprietor of the San Jose Tannery, famed for the quality as well as the quantity of its products. He was born in Hamburg, Germany, on April 14, 1848, the only child of Gustavus Nelson, a native of Sweden, who had married Miss Christine Reshoeft, also of Hamburg, Germany. The father, a tanner by trade, was lured to join the rush for Cal- ifornia, where he arrived in 1849, making the long trip by way of Cape Horn ..

Shortly after his arrival in San Francisco he went to the placer mines, where he remained several years, but met with poor success, and later engaged in hy- draulic operations until he broke down in health and suffered a paralytic stroke. When he had recovered sufficiently, he concluded to go back to his old trade of tanning, and obtained employment in a Santa Cruz tannery, where he worked several years and became acquainted with Mr. Simon Grozelier, en- gaged in the same business. Mr. Grozelier went to San Jose about 1862, where he established a tannery on a small scale on Park Avenue, where the Roman Catholic school is now located, and in 1864 was joined by Gustavus Nelson in partnership under the firm name of Grozclier & Nelson. Gustavus Nelson had left his wife and child in Germany, for it was his purpose to establish himself firmly in business before bringing them out. This had been accom- plished, and in 1868 he returned to Germany for his wife and brought her to San Jose the same year. His son, Gustave Nelson, had left two years before the father's arrival for Manila, P. I., where he was employed from 1866 to 1870, when he left and came to San Jose to join his parents, and soon after be- came an employe of Grozelier & Nelson. in the tan- nery; and when in 1876 his father retired from busi-

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ness, he conveyed his interest to Gustave. In Janu- ary, 1887, the latter bought out Simon Grozelier's share, and conducted the business alone successfully until 1904 under the name of the San Jose Tannery, when he also retired.

In 1877, Mr. Nelson erected his home at 333 Vine Street, and the following year, on March 10, was married to Miss Ida Krieg, a daughter of Julius Krieg, who had settled in San Jose in 1870, coming from New York City. Mrs. Nelson is a noble- hearted woman who has proved the best of help- mates; and two children blessed their union, Adolph and Laura. Adolph is a salesman, is married, and re- sides at Sacramento; and Laura has become the wife. of A. H. Lawry, a mining engineer at Goldfield. Nev. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson are both members of the Santa Clara County Pioneer Society; and Mr. Nel- son is a well-known member of the Independent Or- der of Odd Fellows.

THOMAS AND HENRIETTE PELLIER CAS- ALEGNO .- A most interesting family is that of Thomas and Henriette Pellier Casalegno, residing at 155 South Twelfth Street, San Jose, and boasting a large circle of admiring friends. Henriette Pellier was born at the Mission San Jose on June 17, 1860, the daughter of Pierre Pellier and his good wife, who was Henriette Renaud before her marriage. Pierre Pellier, a brother of the late Lonis Pellier, the famous Santa Clara Valley horticulturalist, was born at the Pellier home on the western coast of France, not far from Bordeaux, and was reared and schooled in France; and as he grew up on the home estate and worked hard, and after he had served seven years in the army of France, he was not satisfied to remain in France, and he migrated to America to join his brother, Louis, who had come to California in 1847. He set out soon after the close of the revo- lution in French territories in 1848, and made the trip carly in 1849 by way of the Horn, arriving at San Francisco six months later. He located in the Santa Clara Valley at San Jose, and becoming as- sociated with his brother, Louis, who built one of the first frame houses in the Santa Clara Valley, finish- ing the same in true French style.

Early in 1854, Pierre returned to his native coun- try, as he wished to seek a wife, and according to the story, he was married there that same year. Be- fore returning to California, however, he tried to in- duce his brother, John, to make the trip with himself and wife, but he did not visit California until Louis died. Pierre set out again for America, and this time, in a box carefully packed, he brought with him cuttings and seeds of many varieties of fruits from his native country which had been gathered by him before his departure, on orders from Louis Pellier at San Jose. Among others were the French prune trees, which proved to be the first ever set out in the Santa Clara Valley. There were also grapes and other fruits; and from 1856 the brothers engaged in the nursery business at San Jose, and they also went in for ranching on rather an extensive scale and were successful. When Pierre came back to California he brought Delphine and Joseph Delmas, then only eleven and nine years old, by request of their father, who was in California. In 1860, Pierre removed to the Mission San Jose, and there engaged in ranching and vineyarding. After three years, he returned to San Jose, and thence went to Evergreen, where he

planted 150 acres to vines and farmed some 300 acres, which property still forms a part of the Pellier estate. In 1880, Mr. Pellier, accompanied by his two daughters, Helene and Elise, returned to France for a short tour, and in 1894 he died at Evergreen, at which place his wife had passed away fifteen years before. The first time Pierre Pellier came to Cali- fornia it was around the Horn, when the vessel got caught in the ice. He had made the trip four times and once when crossing the Isthmus he had to pay twenty-five cents per bottle for water. The time consumed in a journey was about six months. When Mr. and Mrs. Casalegno and their two youngest daughters made the trip in 1914 they made the ocean voyage in five days. They made stops at many interesting points in Europe. Their visit was one year duration, caused by the breaking out of the war and money hard to get on account of rate of exchange. They were glad to get back to Califor- nia, well pleased with the Golden State.

Five children were born to Pierre and Mrs. Pel- lier. Louis died at the age of sixteen. Henriette is the subject of this story and was educated at Notre Dame College. Helene, now deceased, became the wife of P. Prudhomme and the mother of four children. Elise is the widow of Leon Renaud and mother of eight children, and resides at Evergreen. Josephine, who is Mrs. Mitchell Casalegno, is the mother of six children, and the happy family re- side at Morgan Hill.

Henriette Pellier was reared at the old rancho home, and in 1880 married her first husband, Pe- ter H. Mirassou, a native of France, who migrated to America in 1878-a man of strong moral char- acter who was very resourceful. They had five children. Denise is now Mrs. Enos Bechis, and she resides with her two children at Oakdale, on their 200 acres of orchard. Peter Mirassou has a vineyard of 100 acres at Evergreen and lives there with his wife and two children. Theresa, now Mrs. John Bidou, has two children and lives at Prune- dale. Herman Mirassou and wife live on Cypress Avenue, with their four children; he is an orchard- ist. John Mirassou is a rancher on the McLough- lin Road. Mr. Mirassou passed away early in 1889 at Evergreen.

Her second marriage was to Thomas Casalegno, in July, 1890, and they remained on the old place till 1909, and where Mrs. Casalegno had lived for fifty years. The family then removed to Oakdale, where Mr. Casalegno, who had emigrated from Italy to America in 1885, proved successful as a rancher and business man. They resided at Oakdale for ten years and recently they removed to San Jose, in which hospitable city, at 155 South Twelfth street. they dispense a cordial welcome to their friends. The family belongs to St. Patrick's Parish Cath- olic Church. Mr. Casalegno has been successfully engaged in orcharding since he first pitched his tent in the Santa Clara Valley in 1905; and in his arduous work, prosecuted according to the last word of science and with most modern methods and up- to-date apparatus, he has been ably assisted by his family. Their eldest child, Annette, is the wife of S. Mondo of Oakdale; Celestine is at home, and Thomasine is the wife of M. Mondo, and resides at Ripon, in San Joaquin County.

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

JEREMIAH D. CASEY-An early settler of Santa Clara County where he lives retired from active business, Jeremiah D. Casey, more familiarly known as "Jerry." was born in County Roscommon, Ireland, December 28, 1834. Mr. Casey's ancestors belonged to an early English family, who were people of ster- ling integrity and on account of which, they were en- trusted and put in charge of the extensive estates belonging to the Crown of England.

At the age of nineteen, Mr. Casey left the paternal roof, and embarking for America, landed in New York in 1853. His first work was that of farm laborer. Not being content with this line of work, he removed to Brooklyn, New York, where he was employed by a dairy company for a number of years. With the characteristic industry and thrift of his forbears, he had accumulated sufficient money to take him to California and in 1863 he arrived in San Francisco, where he stopped for a short time and worked in a dairy near the city. In 1865 he came down to Santa Clara County and this has been his home ever since. Purchasing sixteen cows for $1600, he delivered milk to the residents of Almaden Hill. The first piece of property he bought was seven acres for $500 from John McDonald. To this he added in 1871, a tract of 169 acres from Mrs. Dunn, for which he paid $6,000, making 176 acres in all. With his younger brother, John Casey, as a working partner, about 1874, he bought 770 acres near the Almaden mines and this was devoted to the raising of stock and a dairy by the brothers until their partnership was dis- solved, when John took over the stock and the hill ranch as his portion, Jerry keeping the 176 acres. John sold out later to Steve Cannon and in 1885 he died, unmarried. It was about 1876 that our subject negotiated for the Elwood ranch of 120 acres and this gave him 296 acres of good land and it has been known as the Casey Ranch ever since and was operated by Mr. Casey with good success until he retired in 1910, when he leased the property and came to reside in San Jose. He made a specialty of raising horses and cattle, and through his close attention to business he was able to retire with a competency.

On August 15, 1877, Mr. Casey married Miss Susan Gallagher, of Massachusetts, who was also an early settler of California, having removed from there in the year of 1866. Mr. and Mrs. Casey reside at 376 Park Avenue, San Jose, where they are satisfied to spend their remaining days. In religious views the accepted faith of the family is that of the Catholic Church and they are ardent supporters of its teach- ings. Mr. Casey is respected and honored throughout the community in which he resides and has been counted among the public spirited citizens of the county where he is now one of its oldest residents.

JOHN W. SULLIVAN .- A native son of Califor- nia who has chosen the professional life of an at- torney for his career and who has held a number of positions of responsibility in the city of San Jose, is John W. Sullivan, who was born on August 15. 1864, San Jose being his birthplace. He was the son of Patrick and Elizabeth (O'Sullivan) Sulli- van, who came to California during the early days of 1860. It was pioneers, such as these, who helped in the building of this great commonwealth and through their indomitable courage and work made possible all the comforts and luxuries that the pres-

ent generation now enjoys. Both parents passed to their reward some time ago.

John W. Sullivan received his education in the public schools of San Jose, graduating from the grammar school and then entering the State Nor- mal; he also graduated from that institution May 22, 1884, and taught school for a number of years, studying law in the meantime. He was admitted to the bar on May 4, 1886, and practiced law in San Jose for awhile and then went to Los Angeles, and San Fernando, where he taught school for a year. Going on to San Diego he entered the law firm of Hunsaker and Britt, remaining with them a year. The next three years were spent in Mexico and on his return he went to Plumas County and taught school for two years. He then ran for the of- fice of district attorney during the election of 1894, but was defeated and returning to San Jose in the fall of 1894 again began practicing law and has since given his time to the legal profession. He served as city attorney of San Jose during the years of 1912-14 under the administration of Mayor Monahan.

Mr. Sullivan's marriage, which occurred on May 7, 1904, united him with Miss Jane Ruger, and they are the parents of four children: John, Jane, Henry and Sophia.

Nearly all of Mr. Sullivan's life has been spent in Santa Clara County and all of his energy and enthusiasm has been given to its development, com- mercially, socially and morally. He is well and fa- vorably known and has a large clientele, maintain- ing offices in the Ryland Building. He has been president of the Santa Clara County Bar Associa- tion for the past two years and is a member of the State Bar Association and also of San Jose Parlor No. 22, Native Sons of the Golden West, of which he is a past president.

FREDERICK C. BURRELL .- A far-seeing, ex- ceptionally enterprising and progressive rancher is Frederick C. Burrell, whose enviable success is un- doubtedly due to much self-denial practiced in the beginning, in order to well establish himself, and to untiring diligence and sensible administration of his affairs in order to keep things running smoothly and expanding ever since. He is a native son, born in historic Gilroy on September 26, 1857, the son of Edward Burrell, a native of Clyde, Wayne County, N. Y., who came to California, by way of the Isth- mus, in 1849, mined for a time, and then, having con- cluded that the Golden State offered excellent oppor- tunities for young men, went back to Illinois, where he had originally prepared for his California expedi- tion, and there, at Plainfield, married Miss Louisa Hannibal. She was a native of England, and was brought out to the States and Illinois by her parents when she was two years old. As a wedding journey, Edward Burrell and his bride set out for California in an ox-team train; and during their trip of six months, they met many exciting, as well as interest- ing, experiences. The same train included the parents of Mrs. Burrell, so that they had as merry a party as could then be formed.

The Burrells settled, first at Gilroy and then at Pacheco Pass, where they were extensively engaged in raising sheep; and finally the family moved to a ranch of 103 acres south of Alviso, and there Edward Burrell set out thirty acres of orchard, and in course of time endured the usual hard and trying exper- iences confronting the pioneer rancher and fruit

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

raiser. And, having merited the esteem of everyone who knew them on account of their intelligent methods of procedure, their hard and honest work, their fair and square and kindly dealings with others, Mr. Burrell died on the ranch north of San Jose, and Mrs. Burrell died in Santa Clara. Of their family of nine children, three are living, Frederick C., Mrs. Eltha Parmer and Mrs. Edith Parmer, both residents of Santa Clara.

Frederick C. Burrell, who was destined so worthily to represent these intrepid, worthy pioneer-parents, was sent to the public schools at Alviso, and later, having matriculated at the College of the Pacific, was duly graduated with honors as a member of the class of '79. He then took up teaching as a profession, and for five years taught in various places, in the latter part of the period succeeding Judge P. F. Goshey as principal of the Alviso School. At the end of these first five years, Mr. Burrell was given a state educational certificate entitling him to teach for six years more in California without further ex- aminations or credentials; but by this time he had concluded that he could render society a greater ser- vice in other fields. While teaching, he had bought eleven acres of raw land south of Alviso, and he now began its development.

He did almost all the work himself, and practiced many self-denials in order to get his land paid for; and in the arduous work of setting out fruit trees and berry plants and bushes, he experienced many discouragements such as would have induced others with less vision and fortitude to throw up the sponge. Bnt, little by little, he succeeded and gradually as he progressed he added to his holdings, until he had forty-four acres, thirty of which he had set out to fruit trees. He made this place his home, too, and as he further prospered. he bought the William Erkson ranch of ninety-seven acres, and undertook to develop this tract from its raw state, also putting ont another thirty acres of orchard here. These tracts he still owns, as well as the old home ranch of 103 acres, which he purchased from his father's estate, so that with this additional thirty acres of or- chard, he has, all in all, some ninety acres of fine orchard, while the balance of his land he devotes to general ranching.

Mr. Burrell has certainly made a decided financial, as well as a scientific, success of his agricultural ef- forts, but to do this, he has had to work very hard and to deny himself many pleasures. Often, for ex- ample, when the markets were unstable, he has had to sell the choicest of pears for twenty-five cents per box, and in addition was compelled to haul them to market. Pears, apples and berries have been his principal fruits; and if, at times, he realized far less in market-price for his products than the labor and worry would justly entitle him to get, he has had the satisfaction of knowing that he not only produced some of the finest fruit in Santa Clara County, for the enjoyment of humanity somewhere, but by such conscientious and highly intelligent methods as he had always employed, after the most careful study of conditions and the latest results of science, he has contributed much to the advancement of California horticulture.

At Santa Clara, on July 14, 1896, Mr. Burrell was united in marriage with Miss Myrtle B. Willis, a native of Visalia and the daughter of J. T. and Mabel

(Bennett) Willis, both Kentuckians, who came to California-Mr. Willis arriving here as early as 1852. He became a prominent rancher and stockraiser, and did his share to develop California. The families of Bennett and Willis settled in Tulare County, and there Mrs. Willis died, whereupon Mr. Willis removed to a small ranch near Agnew, in 1893, living there, practically retired, until his death. Two of his chil- dren survive him-Mrs. Burrell and her brother, H. C. Willis, also of San Jose. Four children have been granted Mr. and Mrs. Burrell: Chester Alton was graduated from Stanford University in 1919, and dur- ing the World War he took the training in the R. O. T. C. there. Clyde Everett graduated from the Davis Agricultural School in 1920, and also trained with the R. O. T. C. at Stanford. The other two sons are Kenneth Ray and Howard Russell.

In 1910 Mr. Burrell removed to San Jose and built a fine modern honse at 196 Sonth Eighth Street, giving every attention to the details of the structure and attaining exceptional results, and there, amidst the comforts he has so justly earned, he is living happily with his family, although he still continues to give his personal supervision to his agricultural enterprises. In matters of national political concern, he marches with the Republican legions, but he is too broad-minded, when it comes to purely local is- sues, to be partisan, and is among the first to endorse and support what seem to be the best men and the best measures for the communities in which he lives and thrives. He is a member of the San Jose Cham- ber of Commerce, and with Mrs. Burrell is an active, devoted member of the Baptist Church of Santa Clara. Mrs. Burrell, in addition, is a member of the Women's Christian Temperance Union, and has for years found pleasure in advancing its work and making known its helpful ideals.

WILLIAM HENRY CHRISMAN .- As one of a large number of men who have found business opportunities in the county of Santa Clara, and in turn have endeavored to promote the commercial de- velopment of this portion of California, mention be- longs to William Henry Chrisman, who with his brother Walter L., under the firm name of Chris- man Bros., owns the oldest wood, coal and hay establishment in the valley. This county is also his birthplace, having been born here December 12, 1867, a son of Josiah and Mary (Britton) Chris- man; both early pioneers of California, coming here in 1864; the mother passed away in 1916, but Mr. Chrisman is still living at the age of 80 years.

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 78

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