Pen pictures from the garden of the world, or Santa Clara county, California, Part 122

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 122

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651

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

which position he held until June, 1886. He then engaged in the real-estate business he has continued up to this time.

In 1863 Mr. Bailey was married to Miss M. J. Fos- ter, a native of New Hampshire, of English descent. They have seven children: Charles F. and Rufus G., now in Washington Territory ; Mattie, Florence, Bes- sie, Daniel and Philip, all the latter still members of the home circle. Mr Bailey is a member of Lodge No. 10, San Jose, F. and A. M .; member of Enter- prise Lodge, No. 17, A. O. U. W. Always an ardent adherent of the republican party and its principles, he believes fully in tariff protection to our industries.

AMES M. PITTMAN, of the firm of Edwards & Pittman, searchers of records and conveyancers, room 38 Knox Block, is a native of California, born near Marysville, Yuba County, in 1851. He is a good speciman of California growth. His parents were Andrew J. and Armenia A. (Lewis) Pittman, both natives of Missouri. His father was among the early pioneers who crossed the plains in 1849. After a short experience in the mines during that year, he de- cided that California was a good country for per- manent occupation, and returned by way of the Isth- mus and New York to his home in Missouri, and in the following year came to this State across the plains, with his wife. Again he went to mining on the Yuba River bars, with the historical "rocker," at which he continued until 1852. In that year he removed to the Santa Clara Valley, settling temporarily near what is now Mountain View, later purchasing a ranch, which he owned until 1861, and which later became part of the Palo Alto Ranch, now owned by Senator Leland Stanford. He there devoted himself to farming and dairying, which business he continued on the ranch he purchased in 1861, and which he still owns and con- ducts. For the last six years he has made his home in San Jose.

There were born to Andrew J. and Armenia A. Pittman eight children, one of whom died in infancy. Those living are: James M., the subject of this sketch; Marion L., now in the picture-frame business in San Jose; Cornelius Y., employed in Edwards & Pitt- man's office; William A., now in the well-boring business; Belle M., a graduate of the San Jose High School; Ernest, now learning the painting business. Another son, Berry M., died in 1887.

James M. passed through the various grammar school grades in San Jose, and then graduated at the Pacific Business College, of San Francisco. He en- gaged in farming near Mayfield, in 1869, continuing in this business up to 1874. Was elected Secretary of the State Grange, in 1874; resigned in January, 1875, went East, and remained in Quincy, Illinois, until April, 1876, doing business for an uncle then living at that place. Returning to California, he became Dep- uty County Recorder under W. B. Hardy, retaining that position for four and a half years. He was then elected County Recorder, and served in that position from January 1, 1883, to January 1, 1887, having been re-elected in 1885. On the termination of his official duties as Recorder, he became interested in his present business, for which his experience in the County Recorder's office had thoroughly trained him, and for the duties of which he possesses a peculiar natural adaptation.

Mr. Pittman was married, in 1876, to Miss Carrie J. Fletcher, of Menlo Park. she being a native of Mas- sachusetts, who came to California with her parents at an early age. They have two children: Homer F., born in 1877, and Blanche B., born in 1880.

Mr. Pittman is a member of Garden City Lodge, I. O. O. F., also of Mount Hamilton Lodge, A. O. U. W. He is also a Native Son of the Golden West, be- ing a member of San Jose Parlor. He is a supporter of the Democratic party on national issues, and in favor of tariff reform.

MICOSIAH EVANS (deceased) was born in Fayette County, Ohio, on the twenty-eighth day of May, 1809. His parents, Lemuel and Jerusha V. (Mel- son) Evans, were of Welsh decent, and were among the earliest settlers of Ohio. The subject of this sketch spent his youth upon a farm, and was carly inured to the toils and hardships of a frontier life, receiving only such education as was afforded by the meager schools of that date. He started out in life for him- self while quite young, and became a farmer, stock- raiser, and drover in the earliest settlements of Illi- nois, Iowa, and Missouri.

He married, April 13, 1837, Miss Cavy Smith, the daughter of Samuel and Cavy Smith, of Morgan County, Ohio.

The gold excitement of 1849 influenced Mr. Ev- ans to make the long and dangerous trip to this State, and accordingly in that year he started overland with

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PEN PICTURES FROM THE "GARDEN OF THE WORLD."

his family. Reaching Placer County during the next year, Mr. Evans engaged in mining, until, in the spring of 1851, he went to Yuba County, where he estab- lished a general merchandise store and hotel. He had successfully conducted these enterprises for a year or more, when his restless disposition prompted a change. He went back upon the plains, and again took up his former business of cattle drover and trader among the emigrants. He bought from them their worn, tired, and often half-starved stock, which he drove to the "sink" of the Humboldt, where he recruited them, and then drove them into California.

This enterprise, with various others, occupied his attention until the spring of 1853, when he came to Santa Clara County, where he rented land and put in a crop for the coming harvest. This venture proved to be a successful one, and in the fall of the same year he purchased a tract of land-five hundred acres in extent-about one and one-half miles east of Mil- pitas. Here began a useful, active life of thirty years in this county, although during the time he was also largely interested in stock-raising, in Ne- vada, where he established two large stock ranches, upon one of which his son, Francis, lived for seven years. His sons are now extensively interested in stock-raising in that State, an industry which, under their capable management, has grown to large propor- tions. The extensive Santa Clara homestead is prin- cipally devoted to the production of grain and hay, and the raising of stock, among which may be found some thoroughbred trotting stock of the "Almont" breed.

Of the nine children born to Mr. and Mrs. Evans, seven are living: viz., Francis M., who married Miss Lydia Truman, daughter of Marcus and Rebecca Tru- man, of Santa Clara County; America E., the wife of Samuel F. Ayer (a sketch of whose life appears in this volume); Sarah C., who married R. S. Barber, a res- ident of this county; John A., residing on the old homestead; William L., Aaron S., and Reese T. (who married Miss Annie Bardoe, of Santa Clara County), all living in Nevada. The oldest son, Francis Evans, with his family resides on the old homestead. His family comprises the following-named children: Lillie May, Nellie, George L., Annie T., Lizzie R., and Jo- siah.

The subject of our sketch was a man who was well known throughout this county, and was universally esteemed and respected by his neighbors and associ- ates. His energy and ambition won for him the pros- perity and position which is not always accorded to

men who start in life with much more favorable cir- cumstances on their side than did Mr. Evans. In his death, which occurred April 11, 1883, his family lost a kind protector and friend, while the community lost one of its solid men and most respected citizens.

GEORGE CROSS. No history of Santa Clara County could well be written without more than a passing mention of this well-known pioneer. He was one of those hardy and adventurous men who made up the exploring party under Captain Fremont, and who, after braving the dangers and hardships of plains, deserts, and mountains, reached the then Mexican Province of California in 1846. The war with Mexico having commenced while Cap- tain Fremont and his command were yet in the mountains, the Captain was ready, upon his arrival, to lead the Americans already here to the conquest of this sunny land. His own gallant band became the nucleus of the force that soon drove the last armed Mexican from the soil, and thus paved the way for the hosts that followed and peopled this State. In these historical events, Mr. Cross was an active par- ticipator.

A brief review of the history of his life gives the following facts: He was born near Ogdensburg, St. Lawrence County, New York, July 29, 1825. His parents were John and Ann Frances (McFarland) Cross, natives of Scotland. His father removed to Dane County, Wisconsin, in 1842, where he lived un- til his death, which occurred in 1882, at the advanced age of ninety-six years. George was reared as a farmer, receiving such an education as the county schools afforded. At the age of seventeen years, he was apprenticed to Milton Colwell, a blacksmith of Rochester, Wisconsin. In the spring of 1845 he left Wisconsin for the West, going overland to Santa Fe, New Mexico, in the employ of Kit Carson, and re- turning to Fort Independence in the same year. There he remained until, in the spring of 1846, he enlisted in the United States service, and was attached to Captain Fremont's exploring expedition, which was bound for Oregon. He came overland in this command, which was afterward ordered into Califor- nia, and reached Sonoma County before Commodore Sloat's occupation of Monterey. Mr. Cross was en- gaged in the memorable "Bear Flag" raising in So- noma County. He went with his command to Mon-

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

terey and Los Angeles, where he received an honorable discharge from the service in 1847.

After his discharge he located in what is now Ala- meda County, near Livermore, and there engaged extensively in stock-raising on shares for Horn Pablo Barnell, with quite successful results. In 1848 Mr. Cross was engaged with Mr. Marshall and one other man in building Sutter's Mill, and digging the his- torical mill-race in which gold was afterwards discov- ered. After completing the mill, he went to Sutter's Fort, and was there when Mr. Marshall brought the samples of gold taken from the mill-race to General Sutter. This gold was discovered by a young lad, who he thinks was a step-son of Mr. Marshall. No one at the fort was able to test the gold properly, and the sample was sent to Dr. Benjamin Cory at San Jose, who in turn submitted the same to Thomas O. Larkin, formerly American Consul at Monterey. Mr. Larkin pronounced the find to be gold, and the excitement which followed was intense, causing Mr. Cross, with many others, to abandon his stock-raising and seek the gold-fields.

He remained for some months in the mines, and during that time procured no less than 200 pounds of gold! In the fall of 1848 he came to Santa Clara County, remaining until the next spring, when he located in the San Joaquin Valley and again engaged in stock-raising. After a residence of three years in that locality, he returned to Santa Clara County and located at Mccarthysville (now Saratoga), on Camp- bell's Creek. Here he built one of the first saw-mills in the county. He also owned a large traet of land, including the famous Congress Springs. Mr. Cross remained at this place, conducting his various enter- prises, until 1863, when he sold out to a San Fran- cisco company. He then rented a farm of 400 acres on what was known as the Palo Ranch, owned by Charles White, and engaged in raising grain for about four years. He then purchased, in 1867, the land which he now occupies.

This property is located on the Milpitas and Ber- ryessa road, in the Berryessa District, about five and a half miles northeast of San Jose. It contains twenty acres, fifteen acres of which is devoted to orchard culture, there being 700 prune trees, 480 apri- cot trees, 125 pear trees, 75 cherry trees, and a few trees each of apples, figs, and crab-apples. The re- maining five acres is devoted to vineyard, producing grapes of the White Muscat and Rose of Peru vari- · eties. Mr. Cross has, in the past three or four years, grafted French prunes on his apricot roots, and has

succeeded in getting these grafts into bearing in the second year of their growth. His apricot trees have for the past eight years yielded each year an average of $150 per acre.

On the seventeenth of August, 1852, the subject of this sketch was united in marriage with Miss Lavinia Freer, daughter of Jonathan and Hannah (Swords) Freer, residents of Missouri. They have had thirteen children, ten of whom are living. Their names are: John, residing in Nevada; Thomas, living on the old homestead; Charles, living in Oregon; James and George, who are at home; Elizabeth, the wife of Frank Simmons, residing at San Jose; Edith, Ida, Daisy, and Fannie, who are members of their father's household. Their daughter, Mary Ann (now de- ceased), married Royal Leavenworth, of San Jose. She left one child, Lorena Leavenworth, who lives with her grandparents.

Mr. Cross is a member of the San Jose Lodge, No. 23, of the United Druids. He is politically iden- tified with the Democratic party, and has held the position of Roadmaster of his district for fifteen years. Naturally, he is deeply interested in all the public affairs of the county and State in which he has so long made his home, and in which he has so many friends and acquaintances.

HOMAS J. SCHERREBECK was born in San Jose, Santa Clara County, November 21, 1851. His father, Peter Scherrebeck, was a native of Denmark, and came to California in 1835. He was a seafaring man and an officer in the Denmark mercantile marine service. In the year above men- tioned, he left his vessel in the harbor of San Fran- cisco, and for many years was engaged as a trader at that port, and in the surrounding country. He located in Santa Clara County during this time, which was long before the advent of the American pioneer. His mother, Mary (Sullivan) Scherrebeck, came to Santa Clara County in 1844, as a member of the fam- ily of Martin Murphy, Sr. Mr. Scherrebeck's father died in San Francisco in 1862. His mother is still living in that city. Until the age of fifteen he was attending school, receiving his education at St. Igna- tius College, in San Francisco. The death of his father compelled an abandonment of his educational designs, and in 1866 he became a clerk in a dry-goods store, which occupation he continued until eighteen years of age. He then apprenticed himself to a car-

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PEN PICTURES FROM THE "GARDEN OF THE WORLD."

penter and worked until 1872, after which he worked as a journeyman carpenter until 1878. He then spent a year at work in the lumber mills in Mendocino County, returning to San Francisco in 1879. He con- tinued his occupation as a carpenter in that city and the country surrounding until April, 1888, when he came to Santa Clara County and took up his resi- dence near the northwest corner of the Alum Rock Road and Mclaughlin Avenue, in East San Jose.

April 3, 1888, is the date of Mr. Scherrebeck's mar- riage to Miss Mary E. Sullivan, the daughter of Pat- rick G. and Bridget Sullivan, a sketch of whom appears in this volume. Mr. Sullivan is an enterpris- ing and energetic mechanic, and has been reared to hard work, which makes him a desirable acquisition in any community. He is a consistent member of the Catholic Church. Politically he is a Democrat, but is liberal and conservative in his views.

APT. CHARLES H. WAKELEE was born in Rochester, Monroe County, New York, October 20, 1819. His father, Abner Wakelee, was born in Greene County, between Albany and New York, and was ninety-four or ninety-five years old when he died. His mother was Amanda Cherrietree, also of Greene County. They were both old resi- dents of that locality, and died in Rochester. They had seven children in their family, four of whom are now living. After the death of his first wife, Abner Wakelee was again married, to Miss Dolly Pitts, of Livingston County, New York, by whom there were four children, two of them living. C. H. Wakelee is next to the eldest of the first children. He was raised principally in Rochester, where he lived until he was twenty years of age. He can remember many things that occurred there when he was a small child, as the building of the Erie Canal from Albany to Buffalo and from the Hudson River to Lake Erie, and the acqueduct across the Genesee River at Roch- ester, which at that time was considered a remarkable piece of engineering. He can remember distinctly the passing of General Lafayette through the city, and many things pertaining to that and other events.

His early education was received at the Collegiate Institute, which was built at Rochester, at that time, and when he was twelve years old, upon the death of his mother, he was sent to his grandfather in Green- ville, Green County, and attended the academy at

that place. When he was seventeen years old he purchased a stock of drugs for a man in Rochester, started the business for him and ran the establishment. Next he took a dry-goods store, of a merchant who had failed, and young Wakelee was employed to sell out the stock and straighten up the business for the benefit of the creditors, which he did in a very accept- able manner, having a peculiar business tact and abil- ity for a young man of his years, which placed him early in life to fill responsible positions of trust, and earn for him a high regard among business men.

When he was twenty-one he married and moved to Perry, Wyoming County, where he went into the drug business for himself, remaining there nearly a year. He then sold out and took a trip through some of the Western States. Returning to New York, he bought a stock of drugs at Newark, Wayne County, where he was in business about two years. He then went to New York city and entered the dry-goods house of Cutters, Phelps & Co., on Cedar Street, second door from the post-office, and for six months in the year was traveling for the firm making collections and straightening up bad accounts. He remained there between two and three years, and then went to New Orleans and entered the house of J. H. Beard, the largest real-estate broker in the city and one of the finest auctioneers in the world. While he was there Beard went East and Mr. Wakelee took the entire charge of the business. From there he went to Panama and had charge of the fitting up and fur- nishing of the Aspinwall House, an immense struct- ure built there before the railroad was constructed. He remained there about a year and then sailed for California, on board the California, Captain Dick Whiting, an extra ship bringing a load of fruit for the United States Government, and landed in San Fran- cisco the first week in February, 1852. He then, in connection with Charles Minturn, started a line of steamboats between San Francisco and Petaluma. Captain Wakelee had command of one of the steamers, which he ran for several years. This partnership was continued up to 1857, when the Captain sold out his interest in the business, which was brought up to a good paying industry. He then, with a good capital, started in the real-estate business in San Francisco, and operated in general stocks. When the stock board of that city was organized the first meeting for business was held in Captain Wakelee's office, he be- ing one of the original members. He made his home there, and extended his business all over the State, which resulted in a profitable enterprise.

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

In February, 1885, he came to Santa Clara County, where he bought his present ranch, known as the McCoon property, of eighty acres, lying about a mile south of the county road between Mayfield and Mountain View, which place was planted with the very best kinds of fruit and table grapes without re- gard to expense, and has been kept in the most per- fect manner to the present time. It is now one of the best places of its age in the State, which the writer of this article can verify by personal observations. The first which we examined is the vineyard of fifteen acres in table grapes grafted in the resistant stock now five years old, which are in good bearing condi- tion, and as fine as any seen in the valley. The varieties comprise 20 rows of Flaming Tokay, 31 rows of Rose of Peru, and 34 rows of Cornichon, 8 rows of Muscats, 22 rows of Black Hamburg, 4 rows of Isabella, 4 rows of Sweetwater, and 29 rows of other varieties. The orchard has apricots, consisting of three varieties: Moxpox, Hemskirts, and Royals. The peach varieties are the early Crawfords, being only two years old, numbering about sixty trees. They are well loaded with fruit and equal to anything in the State. The nut trees, with plums intervening, consist of 350 pecans and about 50 English walnuts. Of the plum varieties there are 100 Japan plums, 240 Yellow Egg plums, 30 Jeffries plums, and 40 Chest- nuts. The olives, about 80 in number, well loaded with fruit, are five years old, and have born for two years. There is also a family orchard, consisting of figs, cherries, peaches, raspberries, blackberries, etc. There is a strip of country lying between the San Francisco and San Jose road, toward the foot-hills, that has not been fully appreciated until recently, which is now proving from actual experience to be the cream of the county for vine and fruit-growing. Captain Wakelee's place fully demonstrates this fact. One marked peculiarity of that place is, the vines are set out ten feet apart and the trees thirty feet apart; and the place, generally speaking, proves the correctness of this theory.

ZEN MASSOL was born November 15, 1859, in Sacramento, California. His father, F. A. Massol, is a native of Baltimore, Maryland, and came to California in March, 1853. He settled in Sacramento, where he married Orpha Merwin, a native of Delaware County, New York. In July, 1883, they moved to Los Gatos and located at the edge of the

city adjoining the Almond Grove Addition. Mr. Mas- sol has an almond orchard of twenty-two acres in good bearing condition, which is the oldest orchard in Los Gatos, the most of the trees being about fifteen years old. Fen Massol is the only child in his father's fam- ily. He was educated at Napa, California, and grad- uated in June, 1879. During his residence in Sacra- mento he was employed in the County Clerk's office, and in the law office of Creed Haymond. In 1884 he started in the jewelry business with O. B. Austin, under the firm name of Austin & Massol, who are the leading jewelers of Los Gatos. They are also en- gaged in the real-estate business, in which they have been very successful. Mr. Massol is a charter mem- ber of the Los Gatos Parlor, No. 124, N. S. G. W., and since its organization has been Secretary of the order.

EORGE BLAINE, fruit-grower and foreman of the manufacturing department of the Santa Clara Valley Mill and Lumber Co., of San Jose, with which company he has been connected almost continuously for fifteen years, lives on Lincoln Ave- nue, between Minnesota and Pine Avenues, in the Willows, near San Jose. There he has built a beauti- ful home and planted an orchard containing four and one-half acres in prunes, cherries, apricots, and peaches. This place was originally planted in apples, but they proved unsatisfactory, and were replaced by the fruits above mentioned. He has also an orchard of thirty-eight acres on Hamilton Avenue, west of the Meridian road, about four miles west of San Jose. This contains about eight acres of peaches, eighteen acres of prunes, five acres of apricots, and five acres of cherries.

Mr. Blaine was born in Seneca County, New York State, in 1830. His parents were also natives of New York State, where they resided until 1834, removing to Michigan in that year. Before removing his fam- ily west, Mr. Blaine's father made a trip from New York State by steam to Detroit, thence across the State to what is now Grand Haven, Michigan, thence following the beach around the lake to Chicago. He made this trip on foot, improvising rafts on which to cross the various streams running into Lake Michigan. Chicago consisted, when he reached there, of a block house with a few United States troops, and a trading store kept by a Frenchman for the accommodation of the Indians and the few settlers, and fur traders then in the Northwest. Returning to New York State, he

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PEN PICTURES FROM THE "GARDEN OF THE WORLD."

emigrated with his family, settling where Mason, the county seat of Ingham County, Michigan, now stands. The country around was a wilderness, their house and that of a neighbor who accompained them being, as far as they could learn, eighteen miles the furthest west in Michigan. Mr. Blaine's father being a carpen- ter and builder, as well as farmer, took a very active part in building up that country.

His son, the subject of this sketch, grew up on the farm, and having been from his earliest youth familiar with the use of tools, became by the time he reached manhood proficient in the builder's trade, working with his father and brother at that business for some years. In 1852 Mr. Blaine's mother died, his father following her to the grave in three months. They are both buried in the cemetery at Mason, Michigan. In 1854 Mr. Blaine removed from Michigan, stopping a short time in Chicago and working at various places in Illinois at his trade. For about three years pre- vious to the war he was engaged in buying grain, etc., at Lincoln, Logan C unty, Illinois, where he met and married, in December, 1860, Miss Alazan Kenyon, daughter of R. A and - (Rhodes) Kenyon, natives of Jefferson County, New York, who removed to a point near Kalamazoo, Michigan, about 1840, and thence to Lincoln in 1858. Eighteen months after his marriage he removed from Lincoln, crossing the plains and passing through Montana, Idaho, reach- ing The Dalles, of Oregon, in September, 1862. His wife joined him the following year, reaching The Dalles by way of New York, the Panama route, and San Francisco. Remained there until 1864, em- ployed by the Oregon Steam Navigation Co., in steamboat building. Not wishing to make Oregon his permanent home he removed to San Francisco, where he worked about five years, at ship-joining. Having made a casual visit to Santa Clara Valley in 1869, and being impressed with its delightful climate and wonderful resources, they purchased the place where they now reside, and which they have since de- veloped into their present beautiful home.

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Pen pictures from the garden of the world, or Santa Clara county, California, Part 122

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