Pen pictures from the garden of the world, or Santa Clara county, California, Part 118

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 118

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

ILLIAM MOCKER. This gentleman, who is one of the best representatives of our citizens of foreign birth, and who has long been inti- mately associated with prominent business in- terests in this part of the State, was born in Saxony, September 20, 1827. He is the son of William and Emelia (Gross) Mocker, who came to this country with their family in 1856. William had preceded them, however, landing at New Orleans in 1846. On account of the slackness of labor he enlisted in the United States army in July of that year, and went to Mexico under General Scott, acting as teamster in the Commissary and Quartermaster's Department, serving there for fourteen months. He received his discharge at New Orleans, and then worked at his trade as a butcher, and carried on that business there until 1851, in which year he came to California, set- tling in San Francisco. Here he established himself in the butchers' business, carrying on shops at the fol- lowing points: In 1852 he had a shop at the corner of Waverly Place and Clay Street, where Chinatown now is; in 1853 he had a shop on California Street, and in 1854 worked for Henry Miller and A. Wester as foreman in charge of a shop on Jackson Street, near Drumm. He afterward bought this shop and run it himself until 1856, when he bought the Occi- dental Market, on East Street, and at the same time was the owner of the Ocean Market. In 1861 Mr. Mocker went to Europe on a visit, spending an en- joyable time in the old country. In 1862 he engaged in the wholesale business for two years, being in the California Market, and later in partnership with Abe Neumann, in the Clay Street Market. In 1875 he

came to San Jose, and purchased property with a view to establishing a brick yard. This he did, locat- ing on the Berryessa road, and successfully conduct- ing the business until April, 1887, when he sold out to the San Jose Brick Company.

No one is more generally or more favorably known in San Jose than William Mocker. He is a member, in accredited standing, of the Free Masons and Odd Fellows, and a man held in high esteem in all circles. In politics he is strongly Republican. He was born in the village of Plauen, Germany, where his father had a butcher shop, and was brought up to his father's business. His father died at the age of eighty-five, in 1884. His mother is still alive and hearty, at the ripe old age of eighty-four, living at his home in San Francisco. He was married, in 1849, to Miss Marie Kaiser, a native of Darmstadt, Germany. They have five children, as follows: Mary, married to Aretus J. Tweed, and living in Arizona; William, who mar- ried Miss Mamie Brown; Andrew, who married Miss Annie Schroeder, and is living in San Francisco; and Louise, Lillie, and Eddie, still at home in San Fran- cisco. Mr. Mocker has now retired from business, and is devoting his time to looking after his property interests and private affairs. In addition to three fine fifty-vara lots on San Carlos Street, San Jose, he is the owner of a beautiful twelve-acre orchard tract on the McKee road, where he has a fine cottage home. His family lives in San Francisco, on account of the greater schooling and other advantages, but his many interests in Santa Clara County have kept him en- gaged in San Jose for years past, and he is closely identified with its best progress. He is a retired capitalist of leisure and culture, and comfortably en- joying a fortune won by characteristic energy, enter- prise, and the exercise of sound business qualities.

FHARLES FRANCOIS was born in Alsace, Germany, March 16, 1818, his parents being Charles and Catharine Francois, who had a competence and lived on the interest of their money. The grandfather of Charles Francois was a soldier under Napoleon I. The subject of this sketch was reared in his native country and lived there until 1858, when he took passage at Havre, France, on the steamship Alma, bound for New York. He remained in New York city six years, when he went to San Francisco, where he remained four years. He then came to San Jose and shortly afterward to Gilroy

631

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

where, in 1868, he located on the place where he now resides, and has made all the improvements thereon. He has 180 acres in the Uvas Valley, on which is an orchard containing 475 cherry, apple, plum, pear, prune, and other trees. He has a dozen varieties of grapes, and a winery containing ten tanks, with a capacity of 25,000 gallons. He also has a brandy distillery, in which he manufactures as many as fifty barrels per year. At present (1888) he has 20,000 gallons in store. The Uvas Creek runs through his place, affording fine trout fishing. He has sixty-five acres in grapes all in full bearing. His place presents a beautiful view, and is certainly handsome and at- tractive. He has a water tank of 10,000 gallons' capacity on the hill-side, supplied from a spring that never fails. From this he has piped water to his still- house, and from another spring to his house and barn. He values his place at $25,000.

He was married, in San Jose, to Miss Adele De Vaux, a native of France. They have five children, namely: Ernest, Pauline, Harry, Lydia, and Bela.

OSIAH S. FOWLER was born in Ashippon Township, Dodge County, Wisconsin, June 21, 1846, son of Joseph and Mahala (Ellis) Fowler. His father is a native of Kentucky, and his mother of New Jersey. Mrs. Fowler's parents came from Vir- ginia, and when she was four or five years old her family removed to Indiana and were among the pio- neers of that State. In 1842 he removed to Wiscon- sin, where Mrs. Fowler died, in 1862, at the age of forty-three years. She was the mother of thirteen children, of whom eight lived to be grown. In 1872 Mr. Fowler, with his three children (the only ones then living), came to California, where he again mar- ried, and died in 1875. His second wife is also dead.

Josiah, the subject of this sketch, was educated in the district schools of Wisconsin, and the graded school at Oconomowoc, in the same State. Upon com- ing to California, he made his home with his father till his death, in 1875. He lived in San Jose a year and a half, when his father bought 240 acres in the Santa Cruz Mountains, on the Santa Cruz turnpike road. Just before his father's death, Josiah bought the ranch where he has lived since August, 1873. When he came upon the place, but five acres were cleared. He now has about forty acres cleared. He sold thirty acres, and now has but 210 acres. Has about fourteen acres in French prunes from two to

four years old, two acres in apples eight years old and over, and nearly two acres in egg plums four years old, one acre in Hungarian prunes in bearing, and about fifty peach trees. He has four acres in table grapes, from eight to eleven years old, and about fifty pear trees eight years old. In 1884 he built his present dwelling-house, with all the modern conven- iences. He gets his water from a spring about 1,300 feet from the house.

Mr. Fowler was married, December 13, 1882, to Abbie A. Proseus, a native of Oconomowoc, Wiscon- sin. He has been Roadmaster for Lexington and Wrights precincts since January 1, 1884. In politics he is a Republican.

HARLES A. HAGAN, engaged in plumbing, gas, and steam fitting, No. 82 East Santa Clara Street, San Jose, is the successor of James Hagan, who has been so well and favorably known and identified with the interests and enterprises of San Jose since 1860. The latter was born in County Ca- van, Ireland, in 1830. About the age of twenty years he came to America, settling first in New York, and later removing to Boston. Coming to California, in 1854, he worked for some years for the gas company in San Francisco, where he became an adept in the art of gas manufacture, as well as an expert in the busi- ness of gas fitting, plumbing, and incidentally of steam fitting. He later started for himself in San Francisco a factory called the Metropolitan Gas Works, which he afterward sold to the present San Francisco Gas Company. In 1860 he came to San Jose, where he established the San Jose Gas Works, with two part- ners, which enterprise was afterward transformed into the San Jose Gas Company. In this he was one of the principal stockholders and managers up to the time of his death, in 1883, his widow, Mrs. Hagan, still retaining the same interest in the company. The gas works at Los Angeles and Salinas likewise owe their existence to his foresight and enterprise. He later sold out his interest in the Los Angeles Company, but retained that in Salinas. He also opened in San Jose a gas-fitting, plumbing, and steam-fitting establish- ment, carrying a full stock of pipe, fittings, and fixt- ures, the same now conducted by the subject of this sketch. Naturally a man of large views and enter- prise, he was energetic in pushing to completion and making a success of any project he became interested in.

Mr. Hagan's father, a short time before his death,

632

PEN PICTURES FROM THE "GARDEN OF THE WORLD."

purchased a tract of 100 acres of land about five miles from San Jose, on the Storey road. This he had par- tially planted in fruit at the time of his death. Mr. Hagan was married, in Boston, in 1857, during a trip East. The only daughter, Mary, is now the wife of Charles W. Quilty, an attorney-at-law in San Jose. Charles A. Hagan was educated in the public school of San Jose, and in Santa Clara College. He is at present an officer in the National Guard of California, and a prominent member of the Young Men's Insti- tute of San Jose. His mother, Mrs. Hagan, resides in the home built by Mr. Hagan, at 156 South Third Street, San Jose.

OL. SAMUEL O. GREGORY was born at La Porte, Indiana, January 20, 1843. His father,

e Elnathan, was a native of Tompkins County, New York, and his mother a native of New Hampshire. Their ancestors came from England in the seventeenth century. Elnathan removed from New York to La Porte, Indiana, in 1830, and was married in 1842. He made this his home till his death, in 1865, at the age of fifty-six. His wife died at the home of her son Samuel, in 1887, aged seventy- six. There were six children, of whom five lived to be grown.

Samuel O., the subject of this sketch, and the only one now living, graduated at the High School of La Porte, Indiana, when he was seventeen years old, and then entered a Commercial and Collegiate preparatory school, intending to enter Harvard College in 1861; but, the Civil War breaking out, he enlisted on the day Fort Sumter was fired upon, in Company F, Ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, for three months. He reached home after his three months' service, July 31, 1861, and the next day re-enlisted as a pri- vate in Company C, Twenty-ninth Indiana Infantry, August 27, 1861; was commissioned Second Lieuten- ant of his company, the regiment being commanded by Col. John F. Miller, late United States Senator for California. December 1, 1863, he was mustered in as Captain of Company F, same regiment, and Jater was transferred back to Company C as their Captain. Upon its reorganization as a veteran regi- ment, Colonel Miller having been promoted, Captain Gregory was promoted to be Lieutenant Colonel of the regiment, upon the unanimous recommendation of the officers, and upon the regiment being filled, was mustered in as Colonel, February 25, 1865, at the age of twenty-two, being the youngest colonel command-

ing a regiment in the Union army. The regiment was attached to the army of the Cumberland. He was mustered out at Indianapolis, Indiana, December IO, 1865, with his command, returning home as Col- onel of the regiment in which he first enlisted as a private.

In 1866, with his brother, he went to Louisiana and engaged in raising cotton for one year. He then returned to Indiana and engaged for two years in purchasing lumber in the northern portion of that State and Ohio, and shipping it East. He then re- turned to La Porte, Indiana, and organized the La Porte Wheel Company and began the manufacture of wagon and agricultural wheels. The works constitute the largest institution of that city at the present time. During the two or three years he was connected with it, he was Secretary, Treasurer, and Financial Manager. His health having become seriously impaired, he spent about three years in teaching, and in 1874 came to California and traveled for a time along the coast. In 1883 he bought his present ranch near Alma, and is the proprietor of the Forest House. He has IIO acres, of which about seventy-five are under cultiva- tion. He has a bearing orchard of fifteen acres, of which 1,200 are French prunes, the rest being divided between plums, pears, and apple trees eight years old, a few being thirty years old.

Colonel Gregory was married, in 1864, to Eleanor M. Matson, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio. On her father's side she is a great granddaughter of General St. Clair, of Revolutionary fame. They have had two children, of whom only one, Charles E. Gregory, is living. Colonel Gregory is a member of George H. Thomas Post, No. 2, G. A. R., of San Francisco, California. Mrs. Gregory's mother, Eliza A. Matson, was a daughter of Captain McCurdy, of Baltimore, whose wife was a sister of Hon. Reverdy Johnson, de- ceased, of Baltimore, Maryland, once a member of the Supreme Court of the United States.

PATRONE ranks among the men who came to this State in 1849. He was born in Lower Cali- fornia, on the fifteenth day of September, 1835. His father, Lucas Patrone, was a native of Spain, and his mother of Mexico. Her name previous to marriage was Giriaca Garnica. The subject was reared in Lower California to the age of fourteen years, and at that early age left the place of his birth to come to the mines of this State. He first went to Sonoma County, and about three months later to a

Joseph S. Spaulding

633

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

camp on McCullom's River. There he remained from July to October. He left the diggings at that time, but in 1850 returned to the mines. He followed gold- hunting but three months more, though he has ever since resided in California. After 1861 he turned his attention to teaming, and this has been his employ- ment most of the time since, until 1884. He became foreman of Morgan Hill's extensive ranch in 1884, and is at present conducting its business management, as well as overseeing the practical workings of it. He is also largely interested in hay-raising on his own account.

Mr. Patrone was married, August 15, 1859, to Miss Rosadio Ceseña, who was also born in Lower Califor- nia. They have six children, viz .: Lucas, Benena, Perfidio, Jesus, Giriaca, and Juan. Mr. Patrone is a Republican, and the family are members of the Cath- olic Church.

JOSEPH S. SPAULDING. In no portion of the world can there be found a body of men and women, the history of whose lives contains so much of stirring adventure and heroic bravery as those who came to this State during the few years immediately following the discovery of gold in Cali- fornia. The best material from all of the States east of the Missouri River came here during those eventful years of California's history, and it was these pioneers of 1849 to 1852 which formed the nucleus of popula- tion that has developed into a State of vast resources and almost limitless possibilities.

Mr. Joseph S. Spaulding, who came to California in 1851, is a native of Maine, born at Calais, Wash- ington County, September 9, 1833. His father, Jo- seph S. Spaulding, Sr., was a New Hampshire farmer, a native of that State, and his mother, whose maiden name was Clara Ann Chase, was born in New Bruns- wick. The subject of this sketch was reared to farm life at the place of his birth. Coming to California, in a sail-vessel, by the Nicaragua route, he landed at San Francisco on the fourteenth of July. Some two months after his arrival there he cast his fortunes with the seekers after the precious metal and entered the mines at Murphy's Camp, in Calaveras County. Eleven months later he returned to San Mateo County and built a saw-mill at a point some five miles distant from the Santa Clara County line. For thirteen years he operated this mill, mostly on redwood lumber. He then sold out and embarked in the mercantile business at Searsville. After conducting the store at

that point one year, he disposed of his business and went East. Five months afterward, however, he re- turned. In 1862 he was seized with a desire to visit the Territory of Idaho, and for nine months was engaged in mining gold at the Granite Creek diggings. He then returned to Searsville. Four years later he came to Mayfield and purchased the property known as Chandler Hotel, on the corner of Main and Lin- coln Streets, which he has since owned except for a period when he was conducting a hotel at Searsville. Although Mr. Spaulding has not operated this hotel all the time himself, it has ever been conducted in a manner worthy of the highest praise, and the house . therefore has a better reputation than any other be- tween San Jose and San Francisco. Mr. Spaulding also carries on the livery business and farming. In the latter interest he has 215 acres of land in Fremont Township, in two tracts; one piece, of fifty acres, ad- joins the great Stanford Ranch, and the remainder lies west of the San Jose and San Francisco road, be- tween Mayfield and Mountain View, and occupies a commanding position on the rising ground. From this place a splendid view is obtained of a large por- tion of the Santa Clara Valley, of the bay, and of the country and mountains beyond, while Lick Observ- atory is also plainly visible. His land is peculiarly adapted to fruit and vines, though it also produces abundant yields of grain and hay.

Mr. Spaulding was married, May 24, 1866, to Miss Eliza Evans, who was born in Kingston, Canada, and brought up in Worcester, Massachusetts, and came to San Francisco in 1858. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Spaulding are: Georgiana, born March 7, 1867; Bertie, December 18. 1870; Hattie, September 29, 1873; and Josie, March 20, 1875.

APT. JOSEPH C. MERITHEW was born in Searsport, Waldo County, Maine, December 6, 1822. His father, Jeremiah, and his mother, Jane (Clueley) Merithew, were natives of Maine. Jere- miah was an old sea captain, and followed the sea about twenty-five years. Joseph C., the subject, lived in his native town until twelve years old, when he went to sea with his father; was with him about a year, and then went with another captain, an old neighbor of the family. About six or seven years after he first shipped with his father he joined the same vessel again as mate (the vessel at that time being commanded by another captain), making coast voyages

634

PEN PICTURES FROM THE "GARDEN OF THE WORLD."

between Bangor and New York and Philadelphia. He also made several voyages to the West Indies. When twenty years of age he became master of this vessel, the Rambler, and had command of her about two years. When twenty-three years old he became com- mander of a bark called S. Piper, and commanded her about four years in the New Orleans and West India trade, and with her made several voyages to Europe. He then sold the bark and purchased the schooner Arno, a ninety-five-ton vessel, and sailed in her from Searsport, Maine, to San Francisco, by way of Cape Horn. It was a small vessel for such a jour- ney. He made the trip in 1849, and arrived in San Francisco in May, 1850. He ran her from San Fran- cisco to Sacramento for one year, and then made one voyage to the Sandwich Islands, going there for a cargo of potatoes for the San Francisco market. He then run her between San Francisco and Humboldt Bay for a while. In 1852 he bought the brig Sarah McFarland, and took command of her, still owning an interest in the Arno. He run the Sarah McFarland about a year, and came ashore, still retaining his in- terests in the vessels, which he disposed of in 1855. He then went to Trinidad, Klamath County, Califor- nia, a seaport on the northern California coast. There he went into the general merchandise business, and was also interested in a mine at Gold Bluff; was there about three years, when he sold out and returned to San Francisco and bought a small schooner, and went on a trading voyage to Oregon, making two voyages. He then went into the mercantile business in Solano County, also dealing in grain and lumber. Here he remained about eight years (at Maine Prairie), when he leased his business and went on a voyage to John- son's Island, about 1,500 miles southwest of the Sand- wich Islands, his main object in going being to ex- plore the island for guano, a fertilizer, he being con- nected at the time with the San Francisco Pacific Guano Company. The captain explored the island and made his report, and the guano was shipped to England. Afterward he made another trading voyage in the schooner John Bright, an American-built ves- sel sailing under the Sandwich Islands flag. This voyage was made to the Society and the Ellis group of islands, and occupied ten months. He brought his return cargo to San Francisco, which was his last trip at sea. Before taking this last voyage he purchased, in 1887, his present property in Santa Clara County. Soon after he left his family came on the place. When he lived in Solano County he built three sailing ves- sels and a steamer, and some of them are now run-

ning on this coast. He has fifty acres, of which forty acres, containing 36,000 vines, are fourteen years old. The remainder is in orchard, mostly walnuts, almonds, and prunes. Captain Merithew makes about 6,000 gallons of wine annually.

He was married, in 1845, to Sarah A. Black, a na- tive of Prospect, Maine. She has made many sea voyages with her husband, but did not make the last trip with him around Cape Horn. She came to Cali- fornia in 1851, by way of Panama. They have three children, viz .: Charles H., who is bookkeeper in the Union Iron Works, San Francisco ; Sarah J., wife of Norman Dunbar, master of the ship William McGil- vrey, engaged in the foreign trade, and Frederick W., who resides with his parents.

HOMAS BODLEY, the present City Clerk and Assessor of San Jose, is a native of Santa Clara County, having been born in San Jose, in 1860. Mr. Bodley's father, Thomas Bodley, Sr., was, at the time of his death, in 1878, one of the best known and most highly respected citizens of Santa Clara County. He was born in Kentucky, March 19, 1821; studied law in the office of Sargeant S. Prentice, in Louisville, and after being admitted to the bar there removed to New Orleans, where he attached himself to the Commissary Department of the United States army. He then went to Mexico with the army, un- der General Taylor, and remained until the conclu- sion of peace, taking part in one of the battles fought previous to the taking of the City of Mexico, in which engagement. he was wounded. After the close of the war he returned to New Orleans, and from thence came to San Jose, in 1849. Upon his arrival here he was appointed Under Sheriff by William McCutchen, the first Sheriff of Santa Clara County, and later filled the same position with P. T. McCabe, during the latter's term of service as Sheriff of the county. After this he entered upon the practice of law, in which he continued to the time of his death. In 1854 he was elected to the State Legislature, representing his district during the term following that election. In 1875 he was elected District Attorney, serving one term; he was also a member of the city government at an early day.

He was married, in 1856, to Miss Julia McCabe, daughter of ex-Sheriff P. T. McCabe, who came to California from Missouri, her native State, with her parents in 1849. Mr. McCabe is still living (1888),

635

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

aged about eighty-five years. Mr. Bodley, Sr., was a member of San Jose Lodge, No. 10, F. & A. M., also of Howard Chapter, No. 14, Knights Templar. He was well known throughout the county as a public- spirited man, a prominent member of his profession, and a representative of the best American institutions.

Thomas Bodley, Jr., the subject of this sketch, was educated in San Jose, attending the High School until his father's death, when he became Clerk of the police court, under Judge Buckner, and later appointed Deputy County Treasurer under W. A. January. In 1883 he was appointed Deputy County Clerk under County Clerk W. H. Owens, and continued in that po- sition for two years. In April, 1885, he was elected City Assessor and Clerk, and re-elected in 1887, being nominated on the three tickets then in the field.

In 1884 he was married to Miss Grace Downey, of Nevada County, California, a native of this State, whose parents had emigrated to California from Ohio in 1849. Mr. and Mrs. Bodley have one daughter, Grace.

Mr. Bodley is a member of Friendship Lodge, No. 210, F. & A. M .; of Enterprise Lodge, No. 17, A. O. U. W., in which he is Past Master; he is also the first President of Palo Alto Parlor, No. 82, Native Sons of the Golden West. In politics he is a member of the Democratic party. Mr. Bodley has two sisters and one brother: Julia, now Deputy County Clerk and Assessor ; Effie and William, now in the real-estate office of J. E. Rucker & Son, of San Jose.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Pen pictures from the garden of the world, or Santa Clara county, California, Part 118

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