History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 87

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

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This worthy couple had nine children, of whom Marshall was the next to the youngest. He was born at Somers, Conn., February 10, 1835, and re- ceived his education in the public schools, also at- tending the advanced or select school at Somers, where he was reared until the days of his young manhood in the environment of a typical New Eng- land home. After his school days were over he clerked for a time in Springfield, Mass., and then in New Britain, Conn, but the confinement did not agree with him and he decided to come to California and see the country whose possibilities his father never tired of lauding.

Leaving New York in March, 1858, on the steamer St. Louis for Aspinwall, he crossed the Isthmus to Panama City and took the steamer John L. Stevens for San Francisco, and in the month of April ar- rived in Santa Clara County. He went to work on his father's farm, but he found everything new and wild and quite different from the East, so much so that he was taken with a severe feeling of homesick- ness and resolved that when he had saved up enough money to pay his way back East, he would return home. Before he could do this, however, he received word that his mother was coming out, bringing the rest of the family. On their arrival, his old longing for the East left him and he soon imbibed that lik- ing for the West that has held so many thousands. Thus he came to feel the same as his father had expressed it-that New England was a good place to

emigrate from and that California was a good place to go to. During the first few years he made trips up and down the Coast, but after investigation he concluded that he could not find any place superior to Santa Clara County, and he has never regretted casting his lot here. During the Civil War he was a member of the Alviso Rifles, but was never called out. After farming with his father for some years he purchased 180 acres at Milpitas, where he raised grain and stock.

In May, 1867. Mr. Pomeroy was united in mar- riage with Miss Ella French, who was born in Michi- gan in 1850 and came with her parents across the plains in an ox-team train in 1852. Her father, Al- fred French, for a time followed mining and then settled in Sacramento County, where he served as a member of the State Legislature. After this he resided for a time in San Francisco, and then located at Milpitas and it was here that the young people met. Mr. and Mrs. Pomeroy continued farming at Milpitas until 1875, when they removed to San Jose. Mr. Pomeroy having been appointed a deputy sheriff under Nick Harris, serving the term of four years. He then concluded it was best to return to ranch life, where his children could have the benefit of the great outdoors, so he bought 208 acres two miles west of Santa Clara on the San Francisco road and went in for raising hay, grain and stock. When his boys grew up they induced him to set out an orchard. and with their help he set out 120 acres to trees, 100 acres being in prunes and the balance in apricots. He also installed a pumping plant for irrigating the ranch, and built drying and packing houses, until he had one of the best improved places in the valley. His sons having grown up, and some of them mar- ried, he turned the entire management of the place over to them and in 1900 purchased the residence at 429 North Third Street, San Jose, where he has since made his home. The holdings are incorporated as the Pomeroy Orchard Company, of which he is presi- dent and Irwin E. Pomeroy, manager.

Mr. Pomeroy was bereaved of his faithful life com- panion September 3, 1917. She was a woman of much culture, making the home attractive and carefully looking after the rearing and education of her chil- dren, as well as assisting and encouraging her hus- band in his ambitions. Her passing away was deep- ly mourned by her family and a large circle of friends. She left five children: Irwin E. is manager of the Pomeroy Orchard Company and chairman of the board of trustees of the California Prune & Apri- cot Growers, Inc .; Clarence is assisting in the man- agement of the Pomeroy ranch; Mrs. Delia Surface presides gracefully over her father's home, giving him her loving care and looking after his welfare; Warren and Clovis are proprietors of Pomeroy Bros., large clothing merchants in San Jose. Mr. Pomeroy also has five grandchildren to gladden his life and of whom he is very fond.

Prominent in the ranks of the Odd Fellows, Mr. Pomeroy has been a member of Garden City Lodge for more than forty years. He cast his first vote with the Whig party and since the formation of the Republican party he has been a stanch adherent and exponent of its platforms. Mr. Pomeroy is now one of the few remaining of the very old settlers of Santa Clara County. He recalls the times, some fifty years ago, when he knew almost every man in the county

Marshall Pomeroy

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

and the great times they had at the conventions, where every one called each other by their first names. He marvels at the wonderful growth of the county, which has greatly exceeded his expectations. The population has become so large that when he walks down San Jose's main streets there appears to be all new faces, for he rarely meets any of his old friends of those early and interesting days, when they began making those improvements that have made the county one of the most prosperous in the state. He can well exclaim, "All of which I saw and part of which I was." (Since this was written Marshall Pomeroy passed away on November 30, 1921, mourned by his family and many friends.)

NIELS NICHOLAS NIELSEN .- An enterpris- ing Danish-American whose wide experience as a machinist and master mechanic prior to his coming to California, in important engagements in Denmark, South Africa, New York, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Minne- apolis and Alaska, has enabled him, after an equally successful activity in San Francisco, to provide Sun- nyvale with the best possible garage service, is Niels Nicholas Nielsen, of Messrs. Cockrell & Nielsen, proprietors of the Sunnyvale Garage. He was born at Odense, Denmark, on February 2, 1882, the son of Hans Nielsen, a machinist; and it was because of his father's trade that he resolved to become a ma- chinist also. He finished courses of study in the primary and secondary schools of his native land, and then took up mechanical engineering under the preceptorship of M. P. Allrup, and served an appren- ticeship at Forborg, and at the iron works in the city of Odense.

He then went to London for a year, and after that to South Africa, serving on the English transport line; but having set his heart on coming to America, he landed at New York in the spring of 1901, and there for four years he was in the Sullivan Auto- matic Machine Works. Later he was employed at Pittsburgh for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. and thence went to Minnesota and worked as engi- neer for the Minneapolis Flouring Mills. After awhile, he moved still farther westward to San Fran- cisco; and there he was busy as a machinist until the earthquake, when he went to Alaska. He was in the Far North for twelve years as master mechanic for the Alaska Packers Association, and served also as United States Commissioner and notary public for a period of three years. He took a course at Van Der Nailen School of Engineering at Berkeley, and then, in the fall of 1918, returned to Alaska.

Coming again to California, Mr. Nielsen bought a ranch at Watsonville: and having made the acquaint- ance of William Cockrell in Alaska, they became partners and bought the old blacksmith shop at Sun- nyvale, where they have since erected a modern garage and machine shop. They also operate the Associated Oil Company's oil station, built upon the premises adjacent to the garage, on the State High- way, at this point called the San Francisco Road. Messrs. Cockrell and Nielsen bought the M. Lyon property in May, 1919, consisting of eight acres; an old blacksmith shop was located upon it, which they tore down, and then built the new garage. Mr. Niel- sen also bought the Scofield place of thirteen acres, devoted to prunes, apricots and peaches; and he sold it again to good advantage, and he also dis- posed of his ranch at Watsonville at a very desirable profit. The Sunnyvale Garage is equipped with a

complete machine shop, and the firm is prepared to do strictly first-class work.

Mr. Nielsen was naturalized at San Francisco in 1908; and in that bay city in 1909 he was married to Miss Louisa Lund, a native of Denmark. He is a prominent Mason, and belongs to the Blue Lodge at San Francisco, Islam Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., in the same city, and the Consistory in San Jose. A sis- ter, Caroline, is the wife of Waldemar Brown of Co- penhagen, and a brother, Hans Christian, now touring America, is a noted designer on the staff of the Nord Magazine of Copenhagen.

PLIN MAGGINI .- A worthy rancher couple who are enjoying the enviable prosperity now rewarding their investments and labors, are Mr. and Mrs. Plin Maggini, the owners of seventy-six very at- tractive acres making up a productive ranch at the junction of the Sierra and Calaveras roads, six miles east of Milpitas. They came to their present ranch in October, 1920; and as leading Republicans and firm believers in Christian Science, they exert a help- ful influence in the direction of progress in the community such as might be wished for in any fast- developing section.

Mr. Maggini was born in the Canton Ticino. Switzerland, at the town of Basca, on the day after Christmas, 1884, the son of Alexander and Joseph- ine Maggini, the former a native of Switzerland, who came out to the United States alone in 1852, and mined for gold at Iowa Hill, Gold Run and Forest Hill. After becoming a naturalized citizen, he re- turned to Switzerland and continued his industry of raising goats. A second time he came to Califor- nia, and mined for a while; and a second time he re- turned to the Italian region in the Swiss Republic. A third time he came to California, when our sub- ject was three years old; and in this state he passed away, in 1918. esteemed by all who knew him as a hard-working, highly-intelligent and honest man who had done something definite toward advancing agricultural interests in California. Mrs. Maggini is still living, the center of a devoted group of friends and she enjoys life in San Jose at the age of sixty- six. Owing to these movings back and forth, from country to country, Milton Maggini, the eldest in the family of four children, was born in Switzer- land; Livio in the United States; Plin in Switzer- land; and Ida under the Stars and Stripes.

When only sixteen years of age, Plin started out for himself, and learning the blacksmith trade, he worked for wages for several years. He then went to the mines in Placer County for a year and a half, and mined in the same place where his father had been many years before. Next he went into San Jose and clerked for five years in the City Store: and after that he took a position with the Alloggi wholesale tobacco dealers, but at the end of three years, he established a bicycle and motorcycle shop at 266 South First Street. San Jose, where he handled the Reading, Standard, Snell. Cleveland and the Hud- son bicycles.

Mr. Maggini sold out his cycling business at the end of three years and bought with his increased capital a ranch of thirty-five acres on the Almaden Road, twelve miles out of San Jose; and this farm he set out to prunes and apricots and so well de- veloped, for three and one-half years, that he sold it again at a good margin. Then he purchased a ranch of 575 acres on the U'vas Road devoted to

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

cattle and grain and there he had a dairy and en- gaged in the wholesale milk business. This ranch he kept for a year, disposing of it on June 2, 1919. Mr. Maggini then purchased a ranch of seventy- six acres at the junction of the Sierra and Calaveras roads, forty-five acres of which are devoted to apri- cots. while the remainder of the land is given to the growing of grain; and there Mr. Maggini and his family now reside. He was married at San Jose on October 13, 1915, to Miss Lucielle Corpstein, a native daughter born at Saratoga, whose parents were John and Mary Corpstein. They came to California from lowa and settled at Saratoga; and there Lucielle went to school. Later, she attended the high school at San Jose, and she also pursued the courses of an excellent business college; prior to her marriage she was a bookkeeper for five years,-first for the Ben- son & Weaver Automobile Company, and then for Messrs. Bloomdahl & Keller. Two children have blessed this union, Evelyn Mae and Mildred Eileen.

CLAUDE REDWINE .- Perhaps no family in re- cent years has added so much to the business, social and political life of Mountain View as has the Red- wine family, and Claude Redwine is a worthy repre- sentative of this useful and prominent family. Born at Marshall, Searcy County, Ark., January 27. 1886, he is the son of Simon L. and Susan ( Hatchett) Red- wine. the former born at Marshall, Ark., in 1860, and the latter a native of Leslie, Ark. The family re- moved to Texas and there Claude grew up, receiving his education in the grammar schools and later at- tending the high school of Fort Worth; after gradu- ation he entered the Polytechnic Business College and received his technical training that later became so valuable. Both parents reside in Mountain View, as do also the four children: Claude, L. Clyde, and the two daughters, Leslie and Lesta.

Before settling in Mountain View Claude Red- wine was employed at the Watsonville Garage in Watsonville, Cal., for five years, and thoroughly learned the automobile trade and became a first- class garage man and machinist, able to handle all kinds or repair work. He removed to Mountain View in 1913 and purchased the Mountain View Garage from C. N. Higdon, and through hard work and giving first-class service his business grew and expanded so that the next year, needing more capital and a greater capacity for handling his business, the firm was enlarged by taking in his father, S. L. Red- wine, and his brother, L. Clyde Redwine, the old name being retained. The office and sales force consist of nine persons and the firm has a large, well-equipped and up-to-date machine shop, with good machinists, ready and able to do all kinds of auto, truck and tractor work on short notice. They deal in the Ford line of autos, trucks and tractors, John Deere and Oliver plows, harrows and cultivators; also tires and tubes. batteries, acetylene welding, oils, gas, greases and a full line of Ford and Ford- son accessories and extras. The business of the Mountain View Garage has increased to such an ex- tent that a larger building was erected in 1918. The new, well-equipped garage and machine shop, 75x150 feet. is a very busy place, and enjoys a large patron- age. The senior Redwine has full charge of the office, while Claude and L. Clyde Redwine attend to the sales department and have charge of the shop.

Mr. Redwine returned to Texas in 1918 and mar- ried Miss Jeannette Martin of Clarendon, Texas.

They reside at 483 Hope Street, Mountain View, and are the parents of one child, June. Mrs. Red- wine is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Redwine was first elected and served as a mem- ber of the board of trustees of Mountain View in 1918, and served for the two-year term, and in 1920 was reelected under the new law, which provides for a four-year term, and was chosen chairman of the board. Ever busy and efficient, he brings his best efforts to bear for the good of Mountain View, which has its own municipal water works, the water being pumped from three wells by means of steam and electric power; it also has its own library and city hall, and a volunteer fire department with two fire trucks. Next to Palo Alto, it has the lowest rate of city taxation of any city in northern Santa Clara County, one outstanding feature being that street paving is paid for out of the general fund, and the city's bonded indebtedness is very low, being only six per cent of the assessed valuation as against fifteen per cent allowed by law.

THOMAS COUCH .- The old, ever-interesting and stirring story of the toil, sacrifice and accomplish- ment of the builders of our Republic is recalled in the life of the sturdy and highly-esteemed pioneer, Thomas Couch, who came to California in 1868, a native of Cornwall, England. He was a miner and on coming to the United States followed mining for a short time in Michigan and then came to Cali- fornia, being employed first as a miner at the New Almaden mine and after that he mined in Grass Valley and different parts of Nevada and Utah until he became manager of the Boston Montana Com- pany, having charge of both their mines and smelter at Great Falls. He then came to Oroville, Cal., and was the first to start dredging on the Feather River. constructing the first boat for the purpose. While building the second dredger he was taken ill and died at Lane Hospital, San Francisco, in 1901. He had married in Goshen, Utah, December 28, 1874, being united with Miss Rachel Webber, who was born in Glamorganshire, Wales, a daughter of John and Margaret (Richards) Webber, who brought their family to Nevada when Rachel was five years old, and later they moved to Utah, where the parents spent their last days.

Mr. Couch had become interested in cattle raising in Montana, having purchased a ranch near Great Falls, where his family resided. They had eight children: Mary died at two years and nine months; Thomas and Edward and Fred M. are cattlemen on the Couch ranch; Rachel M. the wife of Lee M. Ford, a banker at Great Falls; Albert C. was a soldier in the World War, serving overseas and was wounded during the battle of Chateau Thierry; he now resides in Palo Alto; John D. served in the Engineering Corps overseas as a lieutenant; he also lives in Palo Alto; William. an exceptionally fine specimen of young manhood, who had trained as an aviator, was in the aviation section of the U. S. Army and was on his way to the conflict overseas but died aboard the ship just before the boat reached England. After her husband's death, Mrs. Couch having a residence at 657 Webster in Palo Alto, moved hither, and it has since been her home. Mr. Couch took a keen interest in civic affairs and as a Republican worked and voted with those of the party of Lincoln, Garfield and Mckinley.

a. s. South.

Raa. s.

541

HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

CHARLES D. SOUTH .- A member in high stand- ing of the fourth estate who has done much to mold public opinion, an efficient and popular public official, well known in the newspaper fraternity and the country at large through his literary work, Charles D. South, the postmaster of Santa Clara has done his full share in putting the now famous Mission town of Santa Clara on the map, and incidentally to advance the degree of culture in the new commonwealth. A New Yorker by birth and a Californian by adoption. Mr. South was born at Plattsburg, in the Empire State, March 24, 1864, and came to California with his family in 1876. His parents were Capt. Joseph and Catherine South, and the father gave his life for his country, falling in the battle of Cold Harbor, Va., March 24. 1864. Mrs. South was a woman of un- usual charm, possessing high poetic and linguistic ability, and from her Mr. South doubtless inherited much of his literary inclination and talent.

As a youth, precocious and gifted in expression, he was early headed for editorial work and a literary career. After completing the courses in the grammar and high schools, he pursued a literary course at the University of Santa Clara, and his Alma Mater has honored him with the degrees of A. M. and Lit. D. Mr. South was for some time on the staff of one of the Bay City's great dailies, the San Fran- cisco "Call," first as exchange editor and then literary editor and editorial writer, providing a broad scope for his talents. After the San Francisco fire he re- turned to Santa Clara and became editor of the San Jose "Morning Times." When the portfolio of the post office at Santa Clara was offered to him in 1914, he accepted the appointment as postmaster under President Wilson. continuing ever since as the effici- ent incumbent of this office. It was then a more modest proposition, but in keeping with the growth of the nation and its great federal organization, and under the able administration of Mr. South and his corps of able assistants the business of the office has doubled and the pareel post has been notably de- veloped. A fifty-mile rural route now encircles the rich fruit district to the north and northwest and a motorcycle delivery of parcel post has been installed. The Santa Clara post office sold $100,000 worth of War Saving Stamps during the 1918 drive, and thus went over the top magnificently, a fine testimonial to the patriotism and wealth of the fruit section. Mr. South served on the War Council and received governmental approbation for his services as a four- minute speaker.

Accepting the newly established chair of journalism in Santa Clara University, Mr. South took up his new duties on September 3, 1907. and the following comments from the press will be found interesting. A news article in the San Jose "Daily Mercury" reads as follows:

"Charles South Accepts New Chair at College- Well Known Special Writer to Give up Newspaper Work for Teaching. Charles D. South, who has been a valued special writer on the "Mercury," has accepted a position as a member of the faculty of Santa Clara College. He severs his connection with the "Mer- cury" this week. The faculty of the college has es- tablished in connection with its literary course a department or school of journalism, and Mr. South has been appointed professor in charge. The new department is designed to furnish a practical course 28

in both newspaper and magazine work, according to the best standards and models. An idea of the prep- aration which he brings to his new task may be gained from a statement of some of the positions which Mr. South has held. He was for a time assist- ant editor of the Seattle "Telegraph." Later he was Sunday editor of the San Francisco "Call." He also served as editor of the "Weekly Call." and as ex- change editor and editorial writer on the "Call." In the latter capacity he was under John McNaught. He has done considerable special work for the "Bulletin," having received some of the more im- portant assignments on that paper. Contributions, both poetry and prose have found their way into the San Francisco weeklies, notably the "News Letter." Mr. South has also done a great deal of Sunday special work, and has written many magazine articles His standing in San Francisco and San Jose and the years of preparation presage well for his success in his new field of endeavor.

"It is with regret that the "Mercury" chronicles his departure from this newspaper. He has been a very useful special writer. his fund of available in- formation being remarkably large, and his faculty for writing finished English in an interesting way being rather unusual in a newspaper writer. He is a courteous gentleman, and has won the undisguised friendship of his fellow-employees in the "Mercury" office. They regret his departure, but are glad that there came to him an opportunity which he has desired. He will be given time from his duties in the college to do some magazine work which he has in mind, and which the busy round of work in a newspaper office would not permit him to take up."

In the San Jose "Times" of the same date, its editor and manager, Charles M. Shortridge, pays the follow- ing tribute to Mr. South's work:

"Charles D. South has been appointed professor in charge of the department or school of journalism, newly established in Santa Clara College. The im- portance of the new specialty in collegiate education has been already recognized by the leading uni- versities of the East. The object is to furnish a practical course in both newspaper and magazine work, according to the best standards and models. The mere announcement that the University of Santa Clara has undertaken to teach the art of newspaper and magazine writing is sufficient guarantee that there is sufficient demand for this branch of educa- tion and likewise a guarantee that no college in the country will equip more thoroughly and under better influences, the student of journalism, than the Santa Clara College. The selection of Mr. Charles D. South is also in accord with this spirit of thorough- ness and carefulness, and we predict that the chair to which this close student and finished scholar has been assigned will soon rank among the very first of the chairs of the old college.

"We have known Mr. South for years. While we were editor of the San Francisco "Call." Mr. South had full charge of the magazine department of this paper and likewise a supervision of the weekly issue, which furnished him a fine opportunity to dis- play his wide and apt knowledge of journalism. Mr. South is also a young man of excellent character. therefore aside from his fine literary abilities he will instill into the student of the great art of rhetoric, as applied to newspaper work and magazine work.

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 87

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