History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 79

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

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In 1872 the family removed to San Mateo Coun- ty and there William Henry Chrisman was edn- cated in the public schools of San Mateo. Dur- ing the year of 1888, when he had reached his ma- jority, he established himself in business in San Jose, as a partner with an uncle, J. H. Chris- man, dealing in hay, in which business he has continued successfully through the years of his resi- dence here. The firm of Chrisman Bros. was es- tablished in July, 1893, when W. L. bought into the firm, and they are members of the Chamber of Commerce and the Merchants' Association of San Jose. Fraternally W. H. is a Mason, and belongs to Islam Temple of San Francisco and is a Knight of Pythias and an Odd Fellow. Politically he is a Republican.

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

Mr. Chrisman's marriage September 9, 1896, unit- ed him with Miss Alice Hobson, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas M. Hobson, the Hobson family being among the oldest pioneers of the valley. Mr. and Mrs. Chrisman have two sons, Herman, a senior in Stanford University; Norman Ellsworth, attending the San Jose high school. In religious belief, Mr. Chris- man is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, while his wife belongs to the Episcopal Church. Mr. Chrisman is a true lover of the great outdoors and is extremely fond of fishing. He has always been interested in the advancement of his community, is progressive and enjoys the esteem of many friends and business associates.

HOMER KNOWLES .- Prominent among the new-comers in Santa Clara whose natural ability. record for professional and social accomplishments. and promise of future value to the community, have contributed to assure them the warmest welcome, are Mr. and Mrs. Homer Knowles, the former an expert in the pottery trade, and the latter distin- guished as a direct descendant of John Marshall, ex-Chief Justice of the United States. Mr. Knowles was born on July 6, 1884, and grew up at East Liverpool, Ohio, and he was educated at Trinity School, in New York City, at the Peekskill Mili- tary Academy, and at St. Paul's College, in New York. He finished his edueation by traveling in Europe, seeing the Old World extensively; for he was fortunate in an affectionate, cultured and in- dulgent mother. She was Ida Stockdale before her marriage; and she was born at Georgetown, Pa., the daughter of the president of the Dollar Savings Bank, at Pittsburgh, and president of the Pitts- burgh & Cincinnati Packet Company. In 1900, Mr. Knowles came to California for six months to look around; and today finds him settled in one of the most progressive eities, the leading pottery manu- facturer of California.

On August 27, 1902. Mr. Knowles was married to Miss Alma Marshall, a daughter of Attorney E. D. Marshall, of Chester, W. Va., who has recently settled in Santa Clara; and this fortunate union has been blessed with three children; Gail, Alma and Homer. Each of the children are endowed in some exceptional and promising manner.

The Homer Knowles Pottery Company, of which Mr. Knowles is both president and general manager, manufacture dinner-sets and hotel dishes. It was conceived of at East Liverpool, Ohio, Mr. Knowles' place of birth and his former home, and it was in- corporated under the laws of Delaware on June 17. 1920, with a capitalization of $750,000. The pot- tery plant is located on a plot of six and a half acres on the Alviso Road, just north of the Santa Clara city limits, and ground was broken for the factory on April 14. 1921. The cornerstone of the main building. 159x355 feet in size, was laid on June 9. Mr. Knowles drew all the plans for the factory, as well as for the five upright kilns, and he will prob- ahly install one tunnel kiln, 321 feet long, with the capacity of ten uprights. An entire shipload of Eng- lish potter's clay, the largest single shipment ever received by an American potter, was consigned to and has recently been received by him at the Santa Clara pottery; it contained 3,684,000 lbs. of the de- sired-for material, and was shipped by way of the

Isthmus, through the Panama Canal. This English clay can be laid down at Santa Clara very much cheaper than at East Liverpool, Ohio, and from this fact alone it will be seen that the new dinner-ware pottery, which is expected to be in operation in 1922 and to employ some 225 men and women, will be most favorably located.

It has been estimated that several thousand peo- ple attended the official ceremonies marking the lay- ing of the cornerstone, when there were notable speakers. The president, Homer Knowles, delivered a short address of welcome and introduced Judge Charles A. Thompson of Santa Clara as chairman; and then the Rev. Noel Porter, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church of San Jose, made the presentation speech. This was responded to, on behalf of Santa Clara, by Father Timothy L. Murphy, president of the University of Santa Clara. A. K. Frye, of San Francisco, industrial agent of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company, spoke of the advantages to a community of her industries. The ceremonies were opened with a parade, led by a band and a squad of motoreyele police.

The site for this property at Santa Clara was se- lected after approximately twenty cities in Califor- nia had been visited, and as the plant will be situ- ated within the yard limits of Santa Clara on the main traeks of the Southern Pacific at the intersection of the main Coast line to San Francisco, and the main western division to Oakland, there will be a spur track with an outlet at both ends, and a spur with a capacity of ten cars at the works. The plant is also on the main State Highway between San Fran- cisco and Los Angeles, forty-three miles from San Francisco and 427 miles from the Southland metrop- olis. As an investment for California money this company should prove a great attraction. Billions of dishes are in daily use, millions of them are broken and replaced each day, and the Eastern pot- teries are unable to supply the demand.

Mr. Knowles, the president and manager, belongs to a family of potters. His grandfather started the business in 1853, and his father, the late Homer S. Knowles, one of the greatest potters of his time, commeneed business when he was fifteen years old. Together, they made the Knowles, Talor & Knowles Company, famous in every town and city in the United States. The name Knowles, whenever found on domestic ware, has long signified as much as the name Haviland on French china. The members of the board of directors are: Homer Knowles, Irwin E. Pomeroy and W. H. Cook of Santa Clara; C. E. Marcum of I.os Altos; W. J. Dougall and Frank L. Hoyt of San Jose.

The advent of the Knowles family to California adds as materially to the social and religious life as it does to its industrial and financial life. Mr. and Mrs. Knowles adhere to the Episcopalian faith and Mr. Knowles is the treasurer of the Episcopal Church at Santa Clara. He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce of Santa Clara, and . the Commercial Club of San Jose. He is also a member of the California State Automobile Association, and the Transportation Club of San Francisco, and is an associate member of the American Ceramic So- ciety. In politics he is a stanch Republican, and a personal friend of President Harding.

I.V. Leastte

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

MRS. CALIFORNIA CASTLE,-As a well-known pioneer and a native daughter, Mrs. California Cas- tle occupies a position of prominence in her section, which has been her home for many years. Born in Georgetown, Eldorado County, Cal., July 9, 1851, she has the honor of being the first white child born in this hustling mining town; this fact caused a great deal of excitement among the miners, and from many miles they came to pay homage to the babe. It was the custom of the miners to flock to Georgetown on Sundays and learning that the first baby had ar- rived, about 400 came in and finally insisted on seeing the baby. Many of them having left their little ones in the East, were so reminded of their own children that they wept; finally the baby was brought out on a pillow and the miners circled around and laid fifty dollar gold slugs on the pillow and said to the folks, "If you let us name her Eureka, we will make her so rich she will never want"; but her father rejected their offer and clung to the name he had given her, California. Her father, Daniel Reel, was a native of Pennsylvania, and her mother, Elizabeth Boone, before her marriage, and a cousin of Daniel Boone, was born in Ohio. In 1849 they came over- land to California, crossing the plains in the customary way, behind ox teams, in company with the Boone family, direct descendants of Daniel Boone. The trip across the plains occupied nine months and was fraught with many dangers and hardships. The fam- ily first settled in Placerville; remaining there but one year, they removed to Georgetown, a mining section, where Mr. Reel erected the first hotel. He contributed much to the advancement of this section of the country and was a highly respected citizen. Later his hotel was burned down, but he rebuilt it and continued in business in Georgetown, and by his persistency and close attention to business, he amassed a considerable fortune. During the year of 1868, the family removed to Drytown, Amador County, where Mr. Reel engaged in the hotel busi- ness. It was here, in the year 1870 that he died, the mother passing away in San Jose about 1900. Of their seven children, California was next to the youngest.

California Reel obtained her education in the public schools of Amador County. After the death of her tather, the family removed to Sale Station, Nev., and she went to school in Carson City. In 1869 she came with her mother to San Jose, where she was married to Isaac Newton Castle. Mr. Castle was a native of New York, migrating to California in 1852, coming by way of the Isthmus of Panama. Being ambitious to attain individual success, he soon became an influential citizen of his community, investing extensively in land and cattle. His real estate hold- ings were located in the counties of Merced, Stanis- laus and Santa Clara, and a large ranch in eastern Oregon where ranged 5000 head of cattle. their brand being a circle on the left hip, while the horse brand was two small c's on the shoulder. He ran about 250 head of horses, and bought cattle in Ne- vada and Mexico by the trainloads and brought them to California. He trailed 1500 head of beef steers, three to five years old, from eastern Oregon to Marysville, where he sold them. He was the first man to do this, was laughed at by people who said it couldn't be done, that they would get poor enroute, but in a little over six weeks, he brought them over- land fat and ready for market. The cattle were stretched out for five miles along the road. Mrs. Castle accompanied her husband on nearly all the 26

large drives. He sold out in Oregon and leased a ranch of 30,000 acres in San Benito County and ran cattle for fifteen years; then bought near Grid- ley, Butte County, but material for feeding cattle was short, so this place was sold and he bought a big ranch in Calaveras County; later this was sold to the Spring Valley Water Company and he located at San Felipe, Pacheco Pass, in Santa Clara and Merced counties. Here he was taken ill and he was advised to quit, so he sold to Louis Cauhapé and came to San Jose and built a residence on San Car- los Street, but he failed in health and in 1911 passed away. For a number of years the family resided near San Felipe, but their preference for San Jose was so marked, that it was always spoken of as their place of residence. He had reserved 9000 acres of the lease for his wife and two sons to continue the cattle business, which they did for five years until the lease expired; then they bought several thou- sand acres, one of the finest ranches in Napa Coun- ty, near Napa Junction and engaged in the cattle business; also raised grain, alfalfa, and many hogs, operating the ranch with tractors. They ran it for about two years and then sold it at a big profit and returned to San Jose, where Mrs. Castle resides in the Castle Apartments on West San Carlos Street. Mrs. Castle again engaged in the cattle business with her sons and bought two ranches adjoining each other, the Ross & Carl ranch and the Lester ranch, consisting of about 4000 acres of land de- voted to the raising of Hereford cattle. From the start, Mrs. Castle was interested in the business and readily learned to judge cattle, their condition, weight and value. This she learned from her husband, as Mr. Castle was an expert judge of cattle; could tell the weight of any animal in a big herd, rarely missing it more than five pounds. He was considered one of the best stockmen in California, and their eldest son is today a close second to his father and very accurate in his judgment of cattle. Mr. and Mrs. Castle were the parents of two sons; Arthur F. whose life history will be found elsewhere in this volume, and Roy N. a graduate of Heald's Busi- ness College, who, since his graduation has been actively engaged in stockraising, and is well known throughout the central and northern parts of Califor- nia. In 1916 he was married to Miss Lavern Mc- Clelland, a native of Santa Ana, Orange County, Cal.

Mr. Castle was an active Mason and a member of the California Pioneer Society. During the year of 19]0, his health very visibly failed, his physician final- ly resorting to the transfusion operation. Deputy Sheriff Howard Noble gave a quart of blood, but all to no avail, and Mr. Castle passed away at the old home place in San Jose January 21, 1911. Mrs. Castle is an active member of the Eastern Star of San Jose; she has always conducted her business with rare ability and she is held in high esteem in her community.

HENRY MEADE BLAND, A.M., Ph.D .- Emi- nent in the California educational world as probably the best acknowledged authority on English, Dr. Henry Meade Bland of San Jose is fortunate in exerting the most enviable influence in the guiding of tendencies in popular education along the entire Pacific Coast, and in the maintaining of high stand- ards even in secondary school work such as would do credit to any great center throughout the world. As Dean of Literature at the State College, he bears his years and his honors as lightly and as becon-

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ingly as a tree bears leaves and fruit. The honors range all the way from recognition for personal at- tainment in realns of prose and poetry, to discourses on varied themes and on the good and great of earth; for on the doctor's list of personal friends are the names of poets, philosophers and scientists, glo- rious in the anthology of human life.

Just what holds the fullest measure of soul-satis- faction for this poet, philosopher and teacher, who has a way of reading only what is best in individuals, it is difficult to determine. But when you know this quiet savant, fond of reading and writing poetry, a nature-loving soul who never misses anything from a drop of dew gleaming on the grass-blade, to a star glowing in the heavenly blue, you learn something altogether delightful. Dr. Bland's interest in his fellowman is also considerable; and he is fonder than anything else of discovering in somebody else a streak of literary talent well worth the developing. He knew Edwin Markham, and believed in him, long before "The Man With the Hoe" became the en- during monument of the poet's fame. A close and personal friend of Jack London, Dr. Bland had the greatest admiration for the fearless author, and said of him: "It is impossible for the world of letters to measure the loss suffered when Jack London died, for his tremendous creative ability evidenced by forty-two books was only the beginning of his lit- erary development." Dr. Bland has also been a close friend of Charles Warren Stoddard, George Sterling, Herbert Bashford, John Muir, William Henry Car- ruth, Joaquin Miller, David Starr Jordan, and all able literary men who have had great influence in shaping the letters of the West.

A native son of California, Henry Meade Bland was born in Fairfield, Solano County, 1863, the son of Henry James and Annot L. (Steele) Bland. His father was a Methodist minister, while on his mother's side the family leads back to the days of the American Revolution. Grandfather David Steele fought in the War for Independence, and being wounded in one of the battles by a fracture of the skull, it was found necessary, in order to save his life, to remove a part of the bone and place over the opening a silver plate; and with this clever device of the surgeons of the day, he lived to be an old man,- truly a remarkable result of science in that period. Great-Great-Uncle Richard Steele was a man of con- siderable literary genius, and conjointly with Ad- dison he edited in England his own periodical, the "Tatler" and the "Spectator." Mrs. Bland's father had a fancy for odd names for his children, as will be noted from her own name, Annot. He named his five daughters each after the heroine of a novel. Dr. Bland's father was also celebrated for his great memory, having memorized the Methodist Hymnal and also the Psalms and the Book of Proverbs, and much of the New Testament.

As a boy, Henry Meade attended the grammar school of his locality, and then he took a course in the then University of the Pacific, from which he was graduated in the class of '87, with the doctor's degree in Shakespearean research in 1890. He was also a member of the pioneer class that graduated from Stanford University in 1895; he majored in English, received the degree of Master of Arts in English Philology, and was a fellow-student with

Herbert Hoover, also a member of the same class. Later in the nineties he took graduate work for a year in the University of California. His first ex- perience as an educator was in the public schools of Contra Costa County. Then he came to Santa Clara County and established the Los Gatos high school, and later he accepted the principalship of the Grant school in San Jose, where he remained for six years. He then became principal of the Santa Clara high school, which office he continued to fill for two years. He began to come into his own, to find the field for which he is undoubtedly especially equipped, when he became instructor in education at the College of the Pacific.

In 1899, Dr. Bland became a member of the fac- ulty of the State Normal School at San Jose, as- suming at once the direction of the English depart- ment. In 1905, a committee of seventy men were chosen to revise the school laws of the State of California, and Dr. Bland has the honor of being a member of that committee. For twelve years, also, he has actively served on the Santa Clara County Board of Education where he made a record for both ability and unselfish devotion to the public weal. Twice he has been summer session lecturer on the Literature of the Pacific Coast in the University of California.

The marriage of Dr. Bland occurred in Alameda on July 25, 1888. and united him with Miss Mabel Haskell, who was born in Bangor, Maine, a daugh- ter of Henry H. and Lorinda (Miller) Haskell, and this has proven a very happy union. Mrs. Bland is a woman of very pleasing personality, having been reared in an atmosphere of culture and refinement, and as a charming woman, she presides gracefully over their home. Two children have been born to Professor and Mrs. Bland. Henry Morton, married Miss Pearl Andrews, is engaged in transportation at Stockton, and they have a daughter, Mildred Annot, the wife of Aloysius MacCormack, who re- side on their ranch near Cressey, in Merced County, and who are the parents of two sons, Melvin and Loudon MacCormack.

Dr. Bland has also written considerably, among his most noted work being magazine sketches of western literature, treating in particular of many of the greatest literary characters of the West. He also has published a series of entertaining articles entitled "The Literary Women of California," a really valuable acquisition to the literature of the state. In 1907 he brought out a volume of verse, "Song of Autumn," and two of his finest lyrics will be found in the State series of readers. A booklet of verse, "In Yosemite," dedicated to this wonderful valley, is on sale there as a souvenir, and according to Edwin Markham is the most elaborate and musi- cal poem that has ever been written on the beauties and wonders of the great valley. Politically Dr. Bland gives his support to the Republican party, and in all matters tending to advance the public wel- fare, he is generally found lending a helping hand. His activities have always been of great breadth, and his life has ever been actuated by high and noble principles, the ideals which he entertains prompting him to put for the most practical efforts to bring about their adoption.

Benjamin F. Hobson.

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

BENJAMIN F. HOBSON .- Another interesting representative of a pioneer family long recognized and honored for its part in building the great com- monwealth of California, is Benjamin F. Hohson, the rancher, who is operating a large prune orchard on the Berryessa Road, about two and one-half miles east of San Jose. He was born on the old Hobson ranch in the same locality, on September 15, 1885, the son of David Hobson, who left North Carolina, his native state, in the fall of 1849, crossing the plains with oxen and reached California in the spring of 1850. He mined for gold in the Sonora district for two or three years, and in 1853 came into Santa Clara County. He purchased a tract of eighty-five acres on the Berryessa Road, then devoted entirely to grain raising, and from time to time he acquired additional land until he had 175 acres all in one body. It was not yet under irrigation, and from this fact alone may be gathered a cue as to the difficulties confronting the pioneer farmer. He planted one of the first orchards designed for commercial use east of the Coyote Ranch, and did wonderfully well with it, never dreaming of the abundance of water now at the disposal of his son through a fine artesian well sunk on the ranch.

David Hobson married Miss Mary E Langensee, whose folks came from Germany, sailing for New York when she was a little child. From the metrop- olis they moved to Indiana, and then came on to California, where Miss Langensee and Mr. Hobson were married Eleven children were born to this fortunate union: Anna lives on the home ranch, and so do Phillip and David; Ella is Mrs. Van Horn of San Jose; Edna and Alfred are also at home; Benj. F. is the subject of this sketch; and Celesta is a popu- lar teacher at Markleyville; Charles, James and Ruth long ago joined the great silent majority.

Benjamin F. Hobson commenced his schooling in the Berryessa district, and then he continued his studies at the San Jose high school, where he was graduated in June, 1905. From a lad he had made himself useful on the home farm, assisting in planting and caring for the orchard, so after his graduation he continued to help his father, and he has been ac- tive on the home ranch ever since. In 1914 he took the special course in agriculture at the University of California, attending the lectures at the University Farm at Davis, and it is needless to say that all his methods are the most progressive. His father, es- teemed by all who knew him, passed away in 1916, but he left his ranch of 175 acres intact, and this has since been divided among the several heirs. Mrs. Hobson, beloved by so many, breathed her last in 1912. Mr. and Mrs. Hobson were devoted members of the Berryessa Methodist Church, and for many years Mr. Hobson conducted one of the Bible classes best organized and best maintained in the county. Inheriting his publie-spiritedness and high sense of civic duty, Benjamin Hobson is active in political affairs as a leading Republican The Hobson ranch is devoted almost entirely to the raising of prunes, and the products rank among the finest of Santa Clara County fruit.

MRS. JOHN S. SELBY .- An estimable pioneer who is doubly interesting as a successful woman of affairs is Mrs. John S. Selby, who was Miss Sarah Elizabeth Brelsford before her marriage. She was born on October 2, 1840, the daughter of Charles and Mary (Ball) Brelsford, and lost her father when she was a little girl, after which her mother married for a second time. Grandfather James Ball, both a farmer and a carpenter, came from Kentucky to Bloomfield, Green County, Ind., and reared there his family; and at the same place our subject first saw the light of day.

In 1854, Miss Brelsford came to California, ac- companying the family of the late Judge Rhodes of San Jose, and two years later she was married to John S. Selby, a native of Callaway County, Mo., where he was born on November 24, 1834. His parents were William and Julia (Turley) Selby, natives of Kentucky who were attracted to Missouri and became some of th. earliest settlers of the Iron State. William Selby was also a carpenter as well as a farmer; and so it happened that John learned the carpenter's trade and also followed agricultural industries.

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 79

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