Pen pictures from the garden of the world, or Santa Clara county, California, Part 113

Author: Foote, Horace S., ed
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Chicago : The Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 844

USA > California > Santa Clara County > Pen pictures from the garden of the world, or Santa Clara county, California > Part 113

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PEN PICTURES FROM THE "GARDEN OF THE WORLD."

owned by his brother, N. M. Perkins. Was with him between two and three years, when he sold out again and rented and ran a mill for about a year. After settling up his business he came to California, in 1878, and located in Los Gatos July 5 of that year. De- cember 15, 1881, he opened a general store, which he afterward sold, and in the fall of 1885 opened his pres- ent stock of hardware, etc. Was elected President of the Board of Town Trustees of Los Gatos when the town was incorporated, and served as a member for one year. Was married October 6, 1847, in Adrian, Michigan, to Alida C. Quackenbush, a native of New York. They have two children, viz .: Emma L., wife of H. A. Swaney, and Fred. W., who is also married and in business with his father, under the firm name of Perkins & Son.

During the Revolutionary War the grandfather of the subject of the above sketch, Christopher Perkins, moved from Rhode Island to Saratoga County, New York, placing his wife, child, and all his household goods upon the back of one horse. He settled on the west bank of the Hudson, where he soon heard the guns of some of the most important battles. His own cabin was made a hospital. He died in 1813, leaving a wife and seven dependent children. She moved into Cayuga County, New York, and saw hard times, At one period they had to subsist upon leeks and milk! The mother rode two days to obtain some flour, and all she obtained was used at one baking!

EDWARD G. PYLE. The history of California is best written from the lives of her pioneers. An eventful, adventurous, and intensely inter_ esting account it makes, giving many a tale of hardship and danger, yet almost always ending with the triumph of man over nature, and of civilization over barbarism. One who has seen the course of events in California with his own eyes, and has him- self held a leading part in the stirring events about him, is Mr. Edward G. Pyle, who was born in Peoria, Illinois, May 26, 1838. The life of his father (Mr. Thomas Pyle) has already been sketched in this book, on page 231. His mother is still alive, her maiden name having been Elizabeth Goodwin. The family came across the plains to California in 1846, being among the earliest American settlers, and Mr. Pyle was thus in his early youth inured to hardships and rigors of a pioneer life, and given the hardy, rugged frame which he still possesses, although it at the same

time deprived him of nearly all opportunities to ob- tain a schooling. Soon after the arrival of the family in the State his father was called to take up arms for his country during the Mexican War, the family being left entirely alone, and Edward being the eldest son. On him was devolved the care of his mother and his little brothers and sisters. Although such a little fel- low he bravely did his best, and eventually all came out well. In 1850 the family removed to Santa Clara County, where his father engaged extensively in the stock business, and to this business the subject of this sketch was reared. After his father's death, in 1853, although young, Mr. Pyle was compelled to take charge of the estate until, in 1858, his mother married Daniel Tanner. In 1859 he located on 200 acres of hill land about ten miles east of San Jose, and took up his resi- dence there until 1875, when he sold out and then re- sided on railroad lands in the same locality until 1876. While on this hill land he was extensively engaged in stock-raising. Upon leaving the hill farm he re- turned to the old homestead, and has since then, with an exception of about two years, during which he was in the stock business on his own account, conducted the home ranch for his father-in-law. Mr. Pyle is a member in good standing of the A. O. U. W., and is also a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Berryessa. In politics he is a consistent, yet liberal Democrat, of conservative views.

On December 28, 1870, he married Miss Margaret Hannay, daughter of Alexander and Margaret (More- land) Hannay. She is a native of Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland, born in 1838. She came to this country in 1858, and after a residence of nine years in Rhode Island came to Santa Clara County. Of their four children three are still living, viz .: Mary Jessie Hen- rietta, born October 28, 1871; Ferdinand William, August 16, 1878; and Louis Atkinson, April 16, 1882. Edward Alexander, who was born July 4, 1874, died July 16, 1877.

UCKER BROTHERS (James T. and Samuel N.). Both of these gentlemen, who are twins, are natives of this State and county, having been born here April 16, 1862. They are sons of J. E. Rucker, a real-estate dealer of San Jose. They were educated in the public schools of San Jose, and do credit to their alma mater.

After leaving school, James T. went to San Fran- cisco and accepted a position in the house of W. & J.

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Sloane, carpet dealers and importers, on Market Street. He remained there five years, and then returned to San Jose, and with his twin brother bought out the business of H. F. Gullixon, a carpet dealer. Samuel N. had been employed in T. W. Spring's store four years, and in Mr. Gullixon's one year; so that both brothers were well qualified to engage in their present business, which they did on January 4, 1886, conduct- ing it under the firm name of Rucker Brothers. Their goods, consisting of carpets, mattings, oil-cloths, curtains, etc., are almost entirely of American man- ufacture. They do a deservedly good business, amounting last year to about $100,000, and have every reason to be satisfied with their venture. Mr. Samuel N. Rucker is now a member of the State Legislature, having been elected to that position from this county in 1886. They are members of San Jose Lodge, No. 10, F. &. A. M., also of Palo Alto Parlor, No. 82, N. S. G. W., and support the Democratic party.

OSEPH E. RUCKER. Among Santa Clara County's early pioneers and most prominent men may be mentioned this gentleman, who settled in San Jose in 1852. Mr. Rucker was born in Howard County, Missouri, in 1831, his parents, William T. and Veiranda S. (Taylor) Rucker, having removed from Virginia to Missouri in 1830, soon after their marriage. As William T. was born in 1810 and his wife in 1811, they were very young to take upon themselves the cares and toils of pioneer life, as it was in Missouri at that early date. In 1832 they removed from Howard County to Saline County, took up land and com- menced farming, and remained there until the spring of 1852, when the whole family crossed the plains to California, coming at once to San Jose. Mr. Rucker, Sr., was more fortunate than many others. Coming by Sublette's cut-off, north of Salt Lake City, he suc- ceeded in bringing through a fine herd of 200 cows, with very little loss. As he had purchased these at $10 per head in Missouri, and sold them at from $150 to $200 per head upon his arrival in California, his trip was a very successful business venture. He im- mediately bought 160 acres of land about two miles southwest of the town of Santa Clara and commenced farming. In the winter of 1852-53 seed wheat was eight cents per pound, and seed potatoes five cents per pound. However, Mr. Rucker's first crop yielded fifty bushels to the acre; so it is to be presumed his

farming was something of a repetition of his cattle speculation. Only one son was tempted to try his fortune in the gold mines, remaining there five years, and then returning to the home in Santa Clara, pre- ferring to dig his fortune from the richness of the Santa Clara Valley soil rather than the precarious gold mines.

Eleven children had been born to Mr. and Mrs. Rucker, Sr .: Joseph E., the subject of this sketch; Mary L., now the wife of Benjamin Campbell, of Campbell's Station; John S., living on his ranch near Gilroy; W. D. and R. T., farmers near Santa Clara; Dr. H. N., a prominent physician of Merced City, and Grand Master of the Masonic Lodge of California; Z. T., a farmer at Lompoc, Santa Barbara County; Nancy C., wife of J. P. Finley, present manager of the Pacific Manufacturing Company's branch office in Oregon; George F., farmer in Lompoc, Santa Barbara County; Margaret E., wife of J. W. Clark, cattle rancher in Mariposa County, and B. W., now in the real-estate business with J. E. Rucker & Son, in San Jose. It will be seen that the sons remained loyal to Mother Earth, as nearly all are farmers or dealers in lands. William T. Rucker died in Santa Clara in 1880; his wife is still living.

Joseph E. Rucker, the subject of this sketch, took up a claim of eighty acres of land in 1853, farming it until 1855, when he sold it, bought a dairy farm on the Pajaro River, near Gilroy, and commenced keeping a dairy. In 1858 he sold his dairy and bought 232 acres, part of the Solis Ranch, where he remained until the fall of 1864, when he sold his farm to his brother, returned to San Jose, bought a ranch of eighty acres, and rented about 400 acres, all of which he farmed until 1874. At this time he sold his last ranch, bought ten acres in the Willows adjoining the city of San Jose, and went into the real-estate busi- ness, in which he has remained since. During all this time Mr. Rucker has owned, cultivated, and sold va- rious large ranches in different parts of the State. He now owns a 250-acre ranch, near Hollister, which he has cultivated on shares, in grain, vegetables, etc.

Mr. Rucker was married, in the fall of 1855, to Miss Susan Brown, a native of Holt County, Missouri, who had come to California in 1850 with her parents, Samuel, and Susan (Woods) Brown. Mrs. Rucker's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Brown, were early pioneers of Missouri, having removed thither from Kentucky in 1825. Seven children were born to Joseph E. Rucker and wife: W. B., born in 1857, now Deputy County Clerk and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors of this

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county; Mary E., born in 1859, wife of M. A. Boul- ware, of San Jose; James T. and Samuel N. (twins), born in 1862, who own a carpet store in San Jose; Samuel was elected a member of the State Legisla- ture in 1887; Joseph H., born in 1865, now junior member of the firm of Rucker & Son; Susie, born in 1867, a teacher in San Jose; and Lucy M., born in 1869, an able assistant in the real-estate office of Rucker & Son.

Mr. Rucker has gone through all the grades of the Masonic order, being now a Knight Templar. He is a member of San Jose Lodge, No. 10, F. & A. M .; Howard Royal Arch Chapter, No. 14, and San Jose Chapter, No. 31, Order of the Eastern Star.

In national politics Mr. Rucker has always sup- ported the Democratic party, but in local matters be- lieves in supporting the best men, regardless of polit- ical bias, and is a stanch advocate of the protection of American industries. He has been an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church since he was eiglit- een years of age, and was the first unmarried man to unite with this church in the Santa Clara Valley.

ACOB SNYDER is a native of Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, born March 17, 1843, his parents being Philip and Elizabeth (Gussman) Snyder. When Jacob was but six years of age his parents emigrated to America, sailing from Antwerp to New York. They soon located in Essex County, New Jersey, where the subject of this sketch was reared. In 1864 he left New Jersey, for California, coming by water and the Isthmus of Panama. He arrived in San Francisco August 27, and about two days later came to San Jose. About two weeks afterward he entered the employ of James Lick, with whom he remained for three years and two months. He then rented a place for one year, at the end of which time he went to Salinas. He rented land there for six years, and then bought seventy acres where he now resides, on the San Felipe road. He formerly devoted his land to farming, but in 1883 commenced fruit planting, in which year he set out ten acres, six acres of which were in apricots and peaches, the remainder in choice table grapes-Muscats, Rose of Peru, etc. All these trees and vines have done well. In 1887 he picked a ton of apricots to the acre. He has since planted about 18,000 wine grapes on thirty-three acres. These are all leading foreign varieties, such as the Zinfandel

and Matero. In 1885 he set out 200 prune trees, and in 1886 300 more. All these are in splendid condi- tion. He intends to plant five acres more in peaches and prunes. He is entitled to much credit for the impetus he has given to fruit-growing and viticulture in that vicinity.

Mr. Snyder was married, May 15, 1875, to Miss Laura Baxter, a native of San Francisco. They have two children: Mamie A. and Gertie. Mr. Snyder is a member of Salinas Lodge, No. 204, A. F. & A. M.

NTONIO I. BITANCOURT. This gentle- man owns seventeen acres on Lincoln Avenue between Willow Street and Los Gatos Creek, about seven acres of which are planted in rhu- barb, and a like area in asparagus. The average gross receipts from these productions are about $250 per acre. On the place are a steam boiler and engine of the capacity of eighteen-horse power, with four six- inch pumps, part suction and part force. By means of these pumps Mr. Bitancourt could irrigate 100 acres if necessary, selling water for such purposes when the season requires it. He bought this place about nine- teen years ago, for $300 per acre; during the late "boom" he refused $36,000 for it !

Mr. Bitancourt was born in 1823 in the little village of St. Matthews, on the island of Pico, one of the Azores Islands, which group belongs to the Portuguese Government. His parents, Sergio Proda and Agatha (Marthus) Bitancourt, were born, lived, and died at St. Matthews, his father dying when the subject of this sketch was but seven years of age; his mother, in 1869. He had five brothers and sisters, he being the fourth child.

Mr. Bitancourt had sold his fruit business in San Jose, and made all preparations to visit his mother in his native land, when the news of her death reached him. Instead of visiting his old home-which he had left at the age of fourteen years-he bought this place in the Willows. Before leaving his native home he had served an apprenticeship in fruit-raising and the care of stock, on his mother's farm. At the age of fourteen years, following the example of most of the boys of his native place, he went on a whaling voyage, following the sea until he came to California in 1850. In 1846 the bark Carmelita, of the crew of which vessel he was a member, while on a voyage from Bangor, Maine, to Trieste, Austria, was captured by a ship pretending to be a Mexican privateer. They

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were carried into the harbor of Barcelona, in Spain, with the Mexican flag hoisted above the stars and stripes, where they were kept for three months, but finally were released, as the papers of the privateer were informal. After voyaging in various ships for the next four years, he finally came to San Francisco in the bark Baltic, from Philadelphia. After going to the gold mines, as was the custom of all new-comers, he came, in 1851, to San Jose, and went to work farming, going into the fruit business in 1859.

He is liberal in his views of politics and religion, but has always identified himself with the Republican party. He has always been an enterprising and public-spirited citizen.

ENJAMIN EASTBURN BURNS was born in Tippecanoe County, Indiana, November 16, 1840. His father, John, was a native of Green-

* briar County, Virginia, and emigrated to Indiana prior to 1840. His mother, nee Nellie Jordan, was also a native of Virginia. They raised a family of thirteen children, of whom six sons and one daughter are living. Benjamin was raised in Tippecanoe County, a mile and a half from the Wabash River, and lived with his parents until seventeen years of age. He then went to Lebanon Academy, in Laclede County, Missouri, and in 1860 came to California, where he remained a year and a half, when he returned to Indiana. Shortly thereafter he went to Philadel- phia, and for a while attended private school. He then went to New York and enlisted in Company L, Thirteenth New York Cavalry, serving as Orderly Sergeant, Sergeant Major, and Quartermaster and Commissary Sergeant, and on the night of President Lincoln's assassination the first squadron of cavalry in Washington City, commanded by Major Lord, was summoned by his bugle-call and were immediately on duty at several places. The next day they started out after Ford. Upon being mustered out, in 1865, he was appointed to a clerkship in the War Depart- ment, where he remained a year, when he was ap- pointed by President Johnson as Assistant Superin- tendent of Indian Affairs, which included Kansas, New Mexico, and the adjacent country. In 1869 he came again to California, where he has resided ever since. He first lived in Nevada County for five years, and then at other places until October, 1880, when he came to Mountain View and located. Within a year he built a drug-store, and in 1882 was elected a

Justice of the Peace for Fremont Township. In 1884 he was nominated for the Assembly on the Demo- cratic ticket, but was defeated. In 1886 was again elected a Justice of the Peace, which position he still holds. During the past three or four years he has been engaged in the real-estate business, and is now one of the leading real-estate dealers of Mountain View.

Mr. Burns was married, March 17, 1866, to Miss Kate Henley, a niece of the late Thomas J. Henley, of California.

CHARLES A. BRONAUGH was born in New London, Ralls County, Missouri, April 4, 1848. His father, Robert B., was a native of Virginia, and Captain in the regular army during the Mexi- can War; and in a skirmish with the Mexicans, in September, 1848, was killed, he being in charge of the United States forces in Pueblo at the time. He was also a surgeon during that war. The mother of the subject, Mary (Kendle) Bronaugh, was a native of Maryland, and died in Sumner County, Kansas, in 1884. Charles A. was raised in Quincy, Adams County, Illinois, whither his mother moved in 1858, and was educated at the Military Academy there, and at Foughkeepsie, New York. In 1864 he entered a dry-goods store in Quincy, and remained there two years, after which he attended school again for a while at Poughkeepsie, and upon his return to Quincy again became clerk in a store for one year. In 1870 he went South, to New Orleans and Greenville, making his headquarters at Providence, Louisiana. He en- gaged in the business of buying and selling cotton, and at the same time carrying on a general mer- chandise store in Providence. After two or three years he returned to Quincy, and again became clerk in a store, where he remained eight years, when he went into business for himself, and opened a general fancy and dry-goods store, under the firm name of Walker, Bronaugh & Co. In June, 1883, he sold out to his partners and came to California, and located in Oakland, where he became clerk in a store, and a month later took the management of the same store, one of the largest dry-goods establishments in Oak- land. There he remained two and a half years, when, his health failing, he took a position as traveling sales- man for the Eureka Silk Company, of Boston, Massa- chusetts, and remained with them about one year. He came to Los Gatos in April, 1887, and the follow-

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ing month went into the dry and fancy goods busi- ness, and has been very successful. He makes special inducements to the public, and has special sale days for certain lines of goods.

Mr. Bronaugh was married, December 3, 1874, to Ella G. Merriam, daughter of D. D. Merriam, of Quincy, Illinois, an extensive lumberman there. They have two children: Daisy M., born December 13, 1875, and Daniel D., born December 22, 1878.

W. ATKINSON, San Jose Township, is a native of Clark County, Ohio, born near Spring- field, December 19, 1834, his parents being John and Elizabeth (Kreitz) Atkinson. His father was born in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and his mother in Virginia. The father learned the saddler's trade in Pennsylvania, but followed farming in Ohio. He was murdered in 1837, while on his way to Illinois. In 1843 the family removed to McLean County, Illinois, and there the mother remained until her death. W. W. Atkinson remained in McLean County until 1852, and on the fourth of April of that year he left with a party of seven, in two wagons, for California. They crossed the Missouri River at St. Joseph, and joined a large party westward bound. On the second of September he arrived at Ione, Amador County, and obtained a situation baling hay. He worked at odd jobs, and on contracts, for four years, and the money thus earned he invested in lands. In 1864 he bought a threshing-machine, which was the first brought into that portion of the State. In 1865 he purchased an- other one, and for nine consecutive years he operated one each in Nevada and California. He closed that branch of business, but continued farming until 1862, when he bought the Florence Mills at Ione, changed the name to Bloomington Mills, and made extensive additions and improvements, at an expense of from $6,000 to $8,000. He operated the mills until he came to this county. He also put $10,500 cash in a mercantile firm, but his partner failed, and he canceled the indebtedness, coming out of the ordeal a loser by $45,000! He also owned two ranches, of 720 and 150 acres, respectively. In April, 1887, he purchased sixty-five acres of land in San Jose Town- ship, and moved upon it in September following. This tract is at the corner of King Avenue and Tully road. He also has fifty-five acres in the Fillmore tract, and twenty-five acres on First Street. He is making extensive and commendable improvements.

Mr. Atkinson was married, at Antioch, California, October 25, 1882, to Miss Alice Parkison, a native of Wisconsin. They have one child, Robert Orville. Politically Mr. Atkinson is a Prohibitionist. He was for many years School Trustee of Hudson School District, in his old county, and was the business man of the Board. He is a member of Ione Lodge, No. 80, A. F. & A. M .; Ione Lodge, No. 51, I. O. O. F .; and Marble Encampment, No. 19, Ione.

BRAHAM ROSE was born in New York city, January 15, 1835. His father, Abraham, was born on Long Island, New York, October 30, 1792, and was married, when about twenty-five years of age, to Ann Wilson, also a native of Long Island, who died in 1839. They raised a family of three sons and two daughters, of whom Abraham, the subject of this sketch, and the oldest daughter are now living. One of the sons, John W. Rose, enlisted in New York in Colonel J. D. Stephenson's regiment (Captain Frisbie's company), and came around Cape Horn with the regiment to California, which was here during the Mexican War. After the death of his first wife Abraham Rose (the father) was again married, to Mrs. Rebecca Webb, a sister of Judge Samuel Smith, of Brooklyn, New York, who was an early pioneer, and once a Mayor of that city. They always made their home in New York and Brooklyn, where they died. He died in 1876, and she in 1875.

Abraham Rose, the subject, lived with his father until he was fourteen years old, when he served a two years' apprenticeship in the jewelry business. He then learned the business of shipsmith, for doing the iron work on ships. He was married, November 13, 1855, to Lucretia G. McBrair, a native of New York city. Her father, John McBrair, was of a well-known family of that city. He was a native of Scotland. His father emigrated from Scotland to New York, where he became wealthy, and left his property to his sons and their descendants. After his marriage Mr. Rose went into business in Jersey City, in 1861, and carried on his trade in connection with the Jersey City ship-yards and dry docks until 1874. Just before starting in business his wife died (1860), leaving two children, of whom John Rose is now living, in Brooklyn, New York. After discontinuing business in Jersey City Mr. Rose came to California, arriving in San Francisco March 2, 1875. Here he lived three years, when he moved to Oakland, and lived there three

Louis A. Spitzer.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

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years also. In 1881 he came to Los Gatos and pur- chased his present fruit-ranch near the town, where he has since resided. He has a beautiful place of ten acres, all in fruits and vines now in full bearing, and is a contented and happy man. He is a jovial, large- hearted man, and every man that knows him is his friend. In politics he is a Republican. He was mar- ried a second time, June 20, 1862, to Sarah M. Duryea, a native of Flushing, Long Island.

SON. LEWIS A. SPITZER, County Assessor, comes from an old family and one that has made good citizenship a rule through all its branches. The paternal line is as follows: Henry Spitzer and Catherine (Wentz) Spitzer, his grandparents, had seven children, viz .: Moses, Charles, Samuel, Mary, Nancy, William, and Elizabeth. Henry and Cath- erine Spitzer were of German descent, and both were members of the Lutheran Church. Henry Spitzer was a German and came to America more than a century ago and while he was a young man. He located at Newmarket, Virginia, where he established a rifle factory. He lived to an old age, and on his death the factory was carried on by his sons Charles and William. Charles died November 4, 1862, and the business was conducted by William until August 25, 1884, when he too died. The rifles manufactured by this house were noted throughout the West and South, and whoever had a Spitzer gun had the best that was then known.

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Pen pictures from the garden of the world, or Santa Clara county, California, Part 113

Author: Foote, Horace S., ed Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Chicago : The Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 844

Author: Foote, Horace S., ed
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Chicago : The Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 844