Pen pictures from the garden of the world, or Santa Clara county, California, Part 116

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 116

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Mr. McGuire was married, in 1874, to Ella Hows- mon, a native of Lexington, Illinois, by whom he has twins, Lou and Hattie, born June 2, 1876, and Ida, born November 14, 1884.

ILLIAM S. McMURTRY, M. D., son of Will- iam and Priscilla (Sharp) McMurtry, was born in Mercer County, Kentucky, August 24, 1818. The parents of both were among the first set- tlers in Kentucky. In 1825 the subject of this sketch removed with his parents to Parke County, Indiana, where he was reared and educated. He was raised in the woods until fifteen years of age, with a very limited education; what little he had acquired was obtained in a little log cabin, Pike's arithmetic and Webster's spelling book being the only text-books in use there. Such a book as a geography, grammar, penmanship book, or a dictionary was unknown. When fifteen years old he went to Wabash College, which had just opened, at Crawfordsville, Indiana. After this he attended the State University at Bloom- ington for eighteen months. In 1838 he began the study of medicine in Rockville, Indiana, with Drs. Tulley and Allen. In the winter of 1839-40 he at- tended the first course of lectures at the Miami Uni- versity Medical College at Cincinnati, and in the winter of 1840-41 attended the Louisville Institute, and took a full course of lectures. Up to this time he had made such progress that Dr. Tulley, one of his preceptors, took him into full partnership.

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The next season, on account of the severity of the climate in Indiana, he concluded to go to Mississippi. Arriving in that State he located in Benton, in Jan- uary, 1843. The next winter he attended another full course of lectures at the Louisville Institute, at which institution he was graduated, in the spring of 1844, at the head of a class of forty-five. He then returned to Mississippi and practiced medicine very successfully until the commencement of the Mexican War, when he concluded to have a little adventure in the way of variety in life, and helped to organize a company that went out in the regiment of Mississippi Rifles, commanded by Jeff. Davis as Colonel. The company having been organized before the call for troops from Washington had reached Mississippi, and there being delay, he finally became impatient, upon learning that they were to go as infantry, and con- cluded to take his chances in striking something in a different direction, and mounted his horse and rode away, and finally found and joined a body of mounted men known as " Texas Rangers," commanded by Col. Jack Hays, the noted Indian fighter. He con- tinued under his command till the battle of Monterey occurred, in which battle he participated, under Gen- eral Worth, who commanded the right wing. He accompanied a party in storming the " Bishop's Pal- ace," when the assault was made up the steep slope right under the works of the enemy, carrying every- thing before them, and driving the Mexicans into the city, and there, coming in contact with the army of General Taylor, the Mexicans were surrounded. His three months' service of enlistment having expired, he went home, and afterward joined another company of Texas Rangers, and remained in the service until 1848.

After being mustered out he located at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for the purpose of practicing medi- cine, and had hardly got settled down to practice when the California gold fever broke out. A party of thirty was organized, he being one of the number, and came to California by way of Mexico. At Mazatlan they engaged passage on a sailing vessel, and reached San Francisco in thirty days, arriving there May 24, 1849. He at once went to the mines near Sacra- mento, locating at Horse Shoe Bar. He worked in the mines with the usual luck-sometimes making money and at other times without success, and finally, in 1857, he went to Grass Valley and engaged in quartz mining. In 1858 he went to Santa Clara County and located at Lexington, and engaged in the lumber business until 1868, when he settled at Los

Gatos, where he still resides. In 1863 he was elected a State Senator for Santa Clara County and served one term. In the spring of 1864 he was elected a delegate to the Republican National Convention at Baltimore, which re-nominated Abraham Lincoln for the presidency. While in the East he visited the Army of the Potomac. The base of supplies was es- tablished at the White House during the battle of Cold Harbor, as it was at this time when he was there. He went around with the Sanitary Committee, attend- ing to the disabled, and was with them at City Point at the commencement of the investment of Peters- burg. He soon after returned to California, and has since resided at his beautiful home in Los Gatos. He is now the oldest resident of that place. He was married, November 17, 1858, to Ellen Headen, of the town of Santa Clara.

ecto R. H. A. SPENCER is the younger of the two sons of Doctor Alexander J. Spencer, one of the pioneer physicians of San Jose, having crossed the plains and settled here in 1852. He has spent his life from early boyhood in Santa Clara County. After completing a course in the city schools, his fa- ther had marked out for him a career in the legal pro- fession, and desired him to study law with his brother, Judge F. E. Spencer. The son's taste did not incline in that direction, but rather toward medicine, with which he was somewhat familiar through access of his father's library. At twenty years of age he married, and, wishing to be self-supporting, he learned the printer's trade, and started a small job office in part- nership with a Mr. Yates, under the firm name of Yates & Spencer. The establishment was conducted with indifferent success two years, when they sold it. Mr. Spencer then turned his attention to stock-raising, and carried on a horse and cattle ranch in the foot- hills southeast of the city. Some difficulty arising over the title of the lands, he removed his stock to Tulare County, and a few months later sold his stock and retired from the business. Upon returning to San Jose, in 1873, his father presented him with twenty acres of land, just outside of the northern city limits on the Berryessa road, on which he erected his present home. Having studied veterinary sur- gery during his ranching experience, Dr. Spencer di- vided his attention for about nine years between farming and veterinary practice. In 1881 he formed a partnership with J. N. Ewing, and built the Occi-

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dental Stables, on Second Street, and combined the livery business with veterinary surgery.

In the course of three years his professional prac- tice had so increased that he found it necessary to devote his entire time to it. Then, in company with P. P. Parnet, Dr. Spencer established the first veteri- nary infirmary opened in this county, leasing for that purpose a large barn on the corner of Sixth and Santa Clara Streets. A year later he sold his interest in the livery business. At the expiration of the partnership of three years with Mr. Parnet, Dr. Spencer formed a second copartnership with Dr. J. D. Fitzgerald, M. R. C. V. S., from London, England, which continued until 1887, when Dr. Spencer purchased the lot at the intersection of Sixth and St. John Streets, and erected the veterinary hospital he now owns, and where he has an extensive practice. In the early part of May, 1888, the County Board of Supervisors elected Dr. Spencer to the office of County Veterinarian. Dr. Spencer is a member of the State Veterinary Associa- tion of California. In October, 1867, he married Millie Mckean, a native of Oregon. They have a family of two daughters and a son.

HEODORE LENZEN, architect, at No. IIO North Second Street, San Jose, was born in Prussia, in 1833. He attended the usual schools up to the age of fifteen years, when he com- menced to learn the builder's trade, together with drawing and architecture, until twenty-one years old, when he came to the United States and located at Chicago, where he passed seven years perfecting him- self in all the details of his profession, both practical and theoretical. He then came to California, arriving in San Francisco January 24, 1861, where he remained a little over a year, devoting himself to the builder's trade. During this time he was called upon to help draw the plans for St. Ignatius College, on Market, between Fourth and Fifth Streets. This work was done so satisfactorily that he was employed to come to Santa Clara and build the since famous Santa Clara College. This occupied his time exclusively for more than a year. Upon the completion of this work he was called upon by the Auzerais Brothers to build the Auzerais House, at that time and for years the principal hotel in San Jose. In all the years since that time he has been actively engaged in the erection of buildings, both public and private, being at the

present time engaged on the new City Hall at the intersection of Market and San Fernando Streets, and also of the San Jose Sanitarium, now being built by Hon. M. P. O'Connor for the Sisters of Charity. Mr. Lenzen was the architect of the first Normal School building erected in San Jose, which was afterward burned. Since his residence here Mr. Lenzen has built in this and other counties between 500 and 600 buildings, having put up buildings in Salinas City, Hollister, Santa Cruz, Gilroy, Sacramento, and even in Los Angeles, and El Paso, Texas. He has now under way, in this county, buildings whose aggregate cost will exceed $350,000.

He was married in San Francisco, April 12, 1865, to Miss Caroline Christina Wallauer, a native of Bavaria. They have had four children: Gertrude Wilhelmina, now an assistant in her father's office; Katrina, who died November 5, 1887; Emilia, a gradu- ate of the San Jose High School; and Louis Theo- dore, now attending the public schools. His parents were Nicholas and Gertrude (Morsch) Lenzen, also natives of Prussia, who came to California in 1862 and first visited the subject of this sketch while build- ing the Santa Clara College. His father died March 29, 1886, and his mother November 9, 1876. He is a member of Friendship Lodge, No. 210, F. & A. M., San Jose, and of the Royal Arch Masons, No. 14, of San Jose; also of the Independent Order of Red Men, No. 77; a member of the San Jose Turn-Verein, and also of the Germania Club. In politics he is a Republican, and believes in the protection of Ameri- can industries.

M ICHAEL LENZEN, painter and contractor for painting, residence No. 279 Park Avenue, has been in San Jose and actively connected with its interests since 1863. He was born in Prussia in 1840, and raised on his father's farm, at- tending school until seventeen years of age, when he came to the United States with his parents, Nicholas and Gertrude (Morsch) Lenzen, also natives of Prus- sia, and located in Chicago in 1857, where he remained until 1862. While in Chicago he learned the print- ing business, and worked at it while there. In 1862 his father removed with his family to California, and settled in Santa Clara, where he remained a year and then came to San Jose, where the family have since lived. The subject of this sketch has followed his

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trade in San Jose since that time, and has had con- tracts for the largest buildings in San Jose and Santa Clara County, and is the most prominent pioneer painting contractor in the city. He has sold out his interests except his real estate in the vicinity of his home.

He was married, in 1864, to Miss Maria Ferena Humbel, a native of Switzerland. They have five children: Caroline, now the wife of Charles Pfau, of San Jose; Margaret, now the wife of Henry Jeau- trout, of San Jose; Henrietta, a graduate of the High School of San Jose; William, now in the graduating class of the High School; and George Ernst, now attending the San Jose public schools. Mr. Lenzen's father died in 1886 and his mother in 1876, and are both buried in Oak Hill Cemetery.

Mr. Lenzen is a member of the Independent Order of Red Men, the Ancient Order of Druids, the A. O. U. W., the Turn-Verein, and of the Germania Club of San Jose. Is a Republican in national politics, but supports the best men for local offices.

HARLES LEBRUN has a beautiful ranch of twenty acres, on the San Jose and San Francisco road, between Mayfield and Mountain View. When he purchased this land, in 1880, it was devoted to grain and hay farming, but he immediately set about transforming it into a beautiful vineyard, and it is now one of the most attractive places on this road. In 1881 he set out the first grape-vines, and in the following year the work of planting was com- pleted. His efforts have met with great success, and he now has a fine vineyard in full bearing, and of choice varieties. In 1885 he erected a winery, and in 1887 he manufactured 9,000 gallons of wine, which found a ready sale, at good prices, in San Francisco.

Mr. Lebrun, the gentleman who has made this not- able improvement, is a native of France, born in Loraine, October 28, 1841, his parents being Louis and Marie Lebrun. His father was in the service of the French Government. Charles Lebrun was reared at his native place, and acquired the art of decorative painting, which he followed there. He afterward traveled through France, following his art in the prin- cipal cities of the country, and in 1880 emigrated to America, sailing from Havre to New York. From the latter city he came to California, and afterward bought where he now resides.

He was married, in 1881, to Miss Sarah Levy, a

native of France, born in the city of Paris. They have a home of which they may justly be proud.

ILLIAM C. GEIGER, a representative fruit- grower of Santa Clara County, owns fourteen acres in San Jose on Willow Street, between Cherry Avenue and Los Gatos Creek. On this tract is an orchard consisting of 1,500 cherry trees, 450 prune trees, and fifty trees of other varieties for family use. In the year 1887 there were produced about ninety tons of cherries, and thirteen tons of French prunes. It is estimated that, under favorable conditions, the increase each year in amount of fruit, for fifteen or twenty years, should be about twenty- five per cent; also that, with a cherry orchard, the re- sults in fruit depend almost entirely upon the adapta- tion of the soil for this especial fruit. Mr. Geiger has sold his cherry crop for three years for $6,000, the purchaser taking all the chances of loss, and paying all expenses. He bought this home place in 1868, having lived in San Jose from 1858 to this time, work- ing at his trade of carriage-making.

Mr. Geiger was born in Madison County, Illinois, about twenty-five miles east of St. Louis, on what was then called the Terre Haute and St. Louis National road. His father, Jacob Geiger, was a native of Hamburg, Germany, coming to the United States with his parents when about thirteen years of age, and living with them in Tennessee previous to finally set- tling in Madison County, Illinois. Jacob Geiger died at his farm in Madison County in 1848, his wife, Mary (Cleveland) Geiger, dying when the subject of this sketch was about ten years of age. William Geiger remained a year on the home farm after his father's death, and then commenced learning the carriage- making trade in Bond County, Illinois. In 1852 he came to California, driving five yoke of oxen, and bringing 4,500 pounds of merchandise for the MOI- mons. He arrived at Knight's Landing, on the Up- per Sacramento, and left the train on the twenty- second day of November, 1852, taking employment in a flour-mill at $5.00 per day and board. A month later he went to the gold mines in Shasta County, and worked intermittently with the usual success of miners, finally coming to San Jose and working at his trade of carriage-making. He established a carriage factory in partnership with another man, in which business he remained until 1864, when he leased the

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shop and took charge of a copper mine during 1864, 1865, and a part of 1866.

On the home place, for which he paid $100 per acre, he has planted every tree, and made all improvements, as at the time of purchase the land was covered with brush and timber.

In June, 1861, Mr. Geiger was married, in San Jose, to Miss Phillis Aird, a native of Berwick-on- Tweed, in the north of England, at which place her parents, Thomas and Margaret (Hall) Aird, lived and died, she being the only daughter in a family of six children. Mr. and Mrs. Geiger have one son, William R., born July, 1862, who is now living at home, assist- ing his father on the ranch, having previously learned practical engineering and having had charge of the engine at Albert Lake's box factory in San Jose four years.

Mr. Geiger is a Republican in politics, and believes in full protection of American industries, especially the fruit industry of California.

L. KUNS was born near Logansport, Cass County, Indiana, November 19, 1847, his parents being David and Margaret (Lamb) Kuns, both of whom are natives of Ohio and reared near Delphi. The grandparents of the subject settled in the Wabash country shortly after the battle of Tippecanoe. In 1853, when six years old, his parents removed to Monticello, Piatt County, Illinois, where he was edu- cated. He engaged in the grain business and farm- ing for about five years, when, in 1878, he came to California and located on the San Ysidro Rancho in Gilroy Township, where he has since resided, having previously come to California in 1874 and selected it. He has a farm of 215 acres, three miles from Gilroy. He raises fruit and vegetables, having five or six acres of vegetables, which have been profitable, as he finds a good market for them in Gilroy. In 1882 he be- gan to set out an orchard, setting out an acre of as- sorted fruits; in 1883 he planted nine acres into peach, apricot, Bartlett pears, and apples of the stand- ard varieties, and about fifty cherries, besides a few prunes, plums, and nectarines. He regards Gilroy Township as the finest pear country he ever saw. His apples are fine. He has set out a few English wal- nuts, which also do well. The land is rich and very moist. The place is supplied with water from a two- inch well 100 feet deep. He never irrigates his veg- etables. He has a ranch of about 4,500 acres in the

San Joaquin Valley, which is principally devoted to stock and grain, his stock consisting of cattle. The rest of his home place is devoted to different purposes. On fourteen acres in 1887 he raised about fifty tons of barley hay. He has raised as high as seven tons to the acre. He had nine tons of apricots in 1887 from 170 trees.

He was married in Scioto County, Ohio, near Portsmouth, March 28, 1870, to Miss Ella Pearce, a native of Ohio, and by her has five children, namely, Arthur, Maggie, Lena, David, and Ora. Mr. Kuns is a member of the North Methodist Episcopal Church of Gilroy. In politics he is a Republican. Has been a School Trustee. He is an enthusiastic horticultur- ist, and has done much toward developing the fruit interests of his neighborhood.

OBERT J. LANGFORD, who carries on a meat market at No. 726 South Second Street, San Jose, is a son of Pleasant S. and Sarah (Henderson) Langford, and was born in Wash- ington County, Iowa, in 1851, and his parents with their five children crossed the plains with ox teams in 1852 and located at once in Santa Clara County. He attended the public school of Los Gatos until eighteen years of age, and later attended the University of the Pacific. When twenty-four years of age, on account of his health not being strong enough to continue his studies, he engaged in farming, and two years after- ward commenced in the meat-market business, in which he has continued with fair success. In 1886 he purchased a place of ten acres on the Senter road four miles north of San Jose. This he has planted equally to cherries and apricots.

Mr. Langford was married, in 1876, to Miss Frances Freeman, a native of Illinois, who came to California with her parents when a child. They have had three children, one of whom died in 1883. Those living are: Arthur and Leo. Mr. and Mrs. Langford are members of the Christian Church. In politics he is a Republican.

ENSSELAER W. HINMAN, son of Judson and Elizabeth (Stickney) Hinman, was born in Genesee County, New York, May 4, 1828. His father was a native of Connecticut, and re- moved to New York, when quite a young man, and

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married, lived, and died there. They raised a family of seven children, of whom Rensselaer W. was next to the youngest. His father died in 1836. A short time after this the homestead was sold and he made his home with his mother till her death, in 1841. He then began life for himself. In 1846 he left New York and went to Michigan and staid there six months, when he enlisted in Company K, Third Dragoons, commanded by Capt. A. T. McReynolds. Upon his return from Mexico he lived in Wisconsin and Michigan till 1851, when he went to Illinois and thence to Minnesota in 1853, where he remained till 1858. Returning to Illinois, he lived there till 1861, when he enlisted in the Second Illinois Light Artil- lery, Company A, and served till July, 1865. Was in the battles of Pea Ridge, and in the Vicksburg cam- paign, after which his corps was ordered to the Gulf, and he was in that department during the rest of the war.

Upon the close of the war he returned again to Michigan, where he married Aurora L. Griswold, a native of Vermont. He bought a farm and settled there, where he remained till 1883, when he sold his farm in Calhoun County and came to California, in October of that year. In the spring of 1884 he bought a ranch near Los Gatos, where he now resides. He has fourteen acres of land, of which ten acres are in fruit. The land was unimproved when he bought it. He has 500 French prunes, 100 Silver prunes, 100 apricots, 100 peaches, a family orchard of about 50 trees in choice varieties, 25 pears, 25 plums, and a few figs, Įoranges, and almonds, besides a few table grapes for his own use.

HARLES F. A. HELLIESEN, proprietor of the Auzerais Saloon, No. 53 West Santa Clara Street, San Jose, was born in Holstein, a prov- ince of Denmark, now in Germany, in the the year 1843. He attended the public schools of his native town until sixteen years of age, when he began to learn the trade of ship-building, and worked at this business for three years, when he left home and went to Mexico, where he remained a year, and came thence to San Francisco, in 1864. He remained in the latter city four years, working at his trade and various other occupations during that time. He came to San Jose in 1868, where he en- gaged in the grocery business until 1875, when he opened a saloon, in which he has continued to the

present time. Mr. Helliesen has an orchard of twenty- eight acres, four and a half miles from San Jose, on the Infirmary road, one-half planted to prunes, three- quarters of the remainder in apricots, and the rest in peaches and cherries. It is now all in bearing, except the replanted trees.

He was married, in 1872, to Miss Anna Marti, a native of Switzerland. He is a member of Friend- ship Lodge, No. 210, F. & A. M., of San Jose, and of Germania Lodge, No. 116, I. O. O. F., of San Fran- cisco. His parents were Karl N. and Frederika Augusta (Strouve) Helliesen, natives of Schleswig- Holstein. His father was a school-teacher during his entire adult life, as was his father, and two of his brothers, before him.

CHARLES H. HARTMAN, San Jose Town- ship, is a native of Holland, born June 2, 1842, his parents being Charles and Adelaide (Jo- hanns) Hartman. He was reared to the age of thirteen years at home, then went on the high seas as a sailor. He has been over the greater portion of the main routes of commerce on the seas, including Aus- tralia, East Indies, the Mediterranean, etc. After giving up a sailor's life he returned home and emi- grated with his parents to America, locating about fifty-five miles from St. Louis, where they still reside. He followed the pursuit of farming in Missouri, until 1868, when he went to New York, and from there started for California by the water route. He arrived in San Francisco February 14, and from there came to Santa Clara County, where he has since resided.

He was married, in St. Louis, in April, 1866, to Miss Margaret Utz, a native of Warren County, Missouri, and daughter of Daniel Utz, who came to Santa Clara County in 1852, and resided here until his death, in 1869. Mr. and Mrs. Hartman have nine children, namely: Kate, Julia, John, George, Theodore, Sophia, Hattie, Christina, and Emma. The eldest was born in St. Louis, the remainder in this county. Mr. Hart- man is a veteran of the Civil War, having served all through that struggle. He enlisted at St. Louis, August 14, 1861, in Company G, Twelfth Missouri Infantry, Colonel P. J. Osterhaus. He went with Fremont to Springfield, Missouri, when Curtis took command; first went under fire Marclı I, 1862, at Pea Ridge, and was engaged there March 6, 7, and 8. The first portion of his service was altogether in Mis- souri and Arkansas, and he participated in the chase

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Pen pictures from the garden of the world, or Santa Clara county, California, Part 116

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