Pen pictures from the garden of the world, or Santa Clara county, California, Part 37

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 37

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Mills of Whitehurst & Hodges .- This firm was or- ganized in 1869, under the name of Ricketts, White- hurst & Hodges. Mr. Ricketts retired after about two years, and since that time the firm has remained as at present. For ten years they carried on the business of manufacturing and wholesaling lumber alone, and they then bought the planing-mill of William Hanna,

which they have ever since conducted. Here they manufacture for the local market. They employ from thirty to forty men. They employ some six or seven men in their planing-mill; and in the timber, and at hauling, at least thirty men are employed.

This firm is composed of L. A. Whitehurst and P. C. Hodges.

Catholic Church .- The predecessor of the present Redemptorist Mission Catholic Church was located about five miles from Gilroy, on the ranch of Dan- iel Murphy, and was erected in 1852, through the liberality of Martin Murphy. The building came into disuse as a church, and was finally burned down. Father Devos was the pastor at the time of building. He came from San Jose every third Sunday, and after his death Father Bixlo became pastor. Dedi- cated by Archbishop Joseph Alemany. The church building of the St. Mary's congregation, at Gilroy, succeeded it. It was erected in 1866. December 17, 1866, it was first used as a church. The dedicatory ceremonies were performed by Father Hudson, the power having been delegated to him by Bishop Thad- deus Smat. The church building is seventy-two by thirty-three feet. Original contract price, $3,400, but the contractor, Mr. Stout, died during the progress of the building, and Father Hudson completed it at a cost of $500 additional. The interior height is twenty- four feet, and it is sixty-four feet to the top of the cross. The value of the church building is about $5,000. The school-house was built in 1871. The main building is seventy-twoby twenty-eight feet, two stories. There are two school-rooms and two music-rooms. There is a boys' school building, erected in 1877, through the beneficence of Mrs. James Dunn, who do- nated $5,000 for that purpose, and $1,000 of that sum was invested in the building and furnishing, while the remaining $4,000 was intended as a fund for the sup- port of the institution, which should allow the boys to attend free.

This is also taught by the Sisters of the Sacred Heart. The size is forty by twenty feet.

There is a chapel for the use of the Sisters and the girls of the school, which is forty by twenty feet, and was erected in 1874.

The Gilroy Opera House .- This opera hall was erected in 1874, by a company. The dimensions are 124x50 feet. The seating capacity of the hall is seven hundred, but the hall has a capacity for one thousand one hundred, as has been demonstrated. The leading stockholder is John G. Otto, who has

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two hundred and seventy-two shares. The manager is Vic Bassignano, who is also secretary.

Railroad Office .- The railroad was built into town in 1869, under the name of Santa Clara and Pajaro Valley Railroad. The agents from the first have been C. F. Cevelling; C. Robinson, now an attorney at San Francisco; J. Skidmore, deceased; - Newhall, now in San Francisco; W. H. Haydock, now as- sistant superintendent, with headquarters at San Francisco; C. Hornbeck, now superintendent's clerk at Los Angeles; C. S. Green, now clerk at Mojave; and H. T. Emlay, present incumbent. M. J. Han- rahan has been baggage-master since April 1, 1881. Roger O'Conner has been warehouseman since the road was built. W. B. Lawson is freight clerk. Gilroy station ranks next to San Jose in business on the road. The freight office is 40x 300 feet; passenger depot, 40x100 feet. The grain warehouse has a ca- pacity for some three thousand tons; engine liouse, with capacity for two engines; pumping works, wood bins, and coal bins with capacity for one thousand tons of coal.

Mills of the Central Milling Company .- The original buildings of the mill are still standing, but additions have been made, so that the buildings are now 120x100 feet. The mill was originally built by Major McCoy, of San Jose, and it passed out of his hands into those of a man named Fitz. The next owners were J. M. Brown, C. Burrell, and Smith Bros. The Central Milling Company purchased the prop- erty in 1887. The officers of the company are: President, C. L. Dingley; Secretary, P. P. Moody ; General Superintendent, J. Cross; Superintendents- Salmos Mill, V. D. Black; Victor Mills, Wm. Stine- beck; San Luis Obispo Mill, Mr. Armstrong; Gil- roy Mill, H. D. Van Schaick; King City Mill, Mr. Stinebeck. The roller process is used in the mills, and they have six sets of rolls, including three "Little Giants," and two sets of rolls have two pairs each. The capacity of the mill is from forty-five to fifty barrels per day of twelve hours. The wheat of the mill is shipped from the country surrounding Gilroy, which produces a splendid article of wheat, both for staple grades of flour and for use in the manufacture of macaroni. The mill has been running as a cus- tom mill since the Central Milling Company has owned it.

H. D. Van Schaick, manager of the Gilroy mills of the Central Milling Company, is a native of Onon- daga County, New York, born ten miles east of Syracuse, on the twenty-sixth of July, 1828, his par-

ents being Josiah and Mary (Bellenger) Van Schaick. The Van Schaick family is an old New York family, having been in that State since thirty years previous to the War of the Revolution. Colonel Van Schaick, a member of the family, was in the Revolutionary War, and served at Yorktown. The father of the subject was in the war of 1812, towards its close; was a carpenter, joiner, and wagon-maker by trade, but spent most of his life as a farmer and a contractor. The subject was reared at his birthplace to farming, assisting his father in his contracts, and of making salt barrels for the salt works at Syracuse, etc. He remained in New York until 1852, when he started to California, making the trip across the plains during the cholera season; and he himself took the cholera, but recovered after he had been given up. He started from home April 14, 1852, and arrived near Yankee Jim's, in El Dorado County, California, August 23, 1852, and engaged in mining. After a few months, finding mining unsatisfactory, he walked to Sacra- mento, took a steamer to San Francisco, and thence walked to San Jose, where he arrived, with finances very low, on the fourteenth of September, 1852, and the next day his capital consisted of his clothing and personal effects, his money being gone; and he started out to look around for a place to start in. He ob- tained work on a farm near San Jose, for a couple of months, and for another farmer the remainder of the season.

In the fall of 1853 he came to Gilroy, and started with a team of four yoke of oxen, which he brought down for a man. He went into the Redwoods and engaged in chopping and splitting lumber, and as a saw-mill was soon built, he took a contract to furnish six hundred thousand feet of lumber, at $2.00 a thou- sand at the stump, scale measure. Finishing the con- tract, with a partner he engaged in building the saw- mill, working at felling the trees. After the mill got to running he engaged with Bodfish & Thomas, the proprietors. Was engaged in the Redwoods till the spring of 1856, when he engaged in farming on a farm he bought in the valley; also engaged in teaching six months in the year. He taught school, altogether, in Gilroy Township nearly fourteen terms.

He afterwards bought a farm at San Ysidro, and subsequently sold it and bought a farm of one hun- dred acres. Next he engaged again in teaching, liv- ing at San Ysidro till 1868, and then he came to Gil- roy, and afterward bought a half interest in a grocery store, where he was engaged in merchandising with his father-in-law about a year, and with Mr. Steuben

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for a couple of years; then Mr. Van Schaick ran the business alone for about six months. He then sold a half-interest to a man named Dryden. They were together three years, and he was alone then till 1879. He engaged in the mill by the month, and became superintendent March 30, 1887.

His first wife was Susan Angel, a native of Mis- souri. Her parents came here in 1846. She died in 1868. By that marriage they had five children, four of whom are living. The names of their children are: Jackson E., Nellie Jane, Frank Charles, Angie Annette, deceased, and Lena Arnett. His present wife was Mary Wright, a native of California. Her parents reside near Hollister. They have one child, named Guy. Mrs. Van Schaick is principal of Gilroy High School. She is politically a Republican. Mr Van Schaick was elected to the Legislature in 1863, and served the regular term of 1863-64, being in the war Legislature. He was a member of I. O. O. F., and has passed through all the chairs. He is now R. S. to N. G.

SANTA CLARA.

The early history of San Jose and Santa Clara run in parallel lines. The connection between the two places has been so intimate, and they are so closely joined by location, that they will before many years become one city. Tradition has it that William Clark was the first American to locate in Santa Clara.

This is the man who first reduced the ore from the New Almaden mines. In 1846 there came the Har- lands, Van Gorden, Samuel Young, Tabor, Allen, Jones, Dickinson, and Bennett. In 1848 we find J. Alex. Forbes, Jonathan and Charles Parr, William Booth, Fielding Lard, Riley Moutry, Cobeb Rand, George W. Bellamy, Dr. H. H. Warburton, - Bazard, William McCutchen, William Haun, Washington Moody, John Whisman, William Campbell, Thomas Hudson, James Linns, Anson Angel and others.

There were two stores, one kept by Robert Scott, where the cracker factory is now located, and one by a Frenchman at the corner of Franklin and Alviso Streets. The only hotel was the Bellamy House.

The first frame building was built as a residence for Father Real, the priest in charge of the mission at the southwest corner of Santa Clara and Alviso Streets. The lumber was sawed with a whipsaw by Fielding Lard, in the Pulgas Redwoods. Immedi- ately aferwards, buildings were erected by Lard, Scott & Haun. In 1850 a building was erected on Lib-

erty Street, to be used as a school-house. It was built by subscription and was long known as the "lit- tle brick school-house." It was used as a place of worship by all denominations. In 1853 the first church was built by the Methodists. In the same year the female seminary was erected to the west of Main Street between Liberty and Lexington. In 1850 Peleg Rush imported twenty-three houses from Boston and set them up in the town. The Union Hotel was built in 1850, and conducted by Appleton & Ainslee. In 1851 the Santa Clara College was established, and this institution is now the prominent feature of the town.

In 1850 the town site was surveyed by William Campbell into lots a hundred yards square, and one lot given to each citizen, with the understanding that he was to build a house on it within three months: failing to do so, the lot could be taken by another. There was no town government until 1852, when the follow- ing officers were chosen trustees: F. Lard, S. S. John- son, A. D. Hight, F. Cooper, Riley Moutry; Clerk, C. W. Adams; Assessor, A. Madan; Marshal, William Fosgate. In 1862 a regular charter was obtained in accordance with the State laws, and the following gen- tlemen chosen as trustees: J. R. Johnson, A. B. Caldwell, R. K. Ham, J. L. Guernsey, Henry Uhr- broock. This charter was amended in 1866, and again in 1872. The town, as at present laid out, is two miles long and a mile and a half wide: it is handsomely laid out and beautifully ornamented with shrubbery, flow- ers, and rare plants. It is a quiet place as becomes a seat of learning, and is much sought after as a place of residence. Its easy communication with San Jose and San Francisco, and the social nature of its intelligent people, render it especially desirable for this purpose. It is well equipped with all the necessities and con- veniences of a modern town, having a gas and water company, many churches, excellent schools, besides the colleges, a bank, and, in fact, everything to be desired in the neighborhood of a home. The newspaper of the town, the Santa Clara Journal, is a dignified journal, ably edited and conducted. It is entirely de- voted to the interests of the community, and deserves the warm support that it receives from the people.

Nearly all the secret societies and beneficial organi- zations have full lodges, while musical and literary societies find here a natural home. The town is sur- rounded by fruitful orchards and vineyards, and it is one of the first places to which the San Josean con- ducts the Eastern tourist who desires to see the coun -- try west. It is the historic spot of this county.

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FRATERNAL AND BENEFICIAL ASSOCIATIONS.

California is renowned for the rapid and substantial growth of the many social, fraternal, and beneficial organizations which have sprung up within its bor- ders during the past thirty-five years. In numerical strength, wealth, and influence the Order of Ameri- can Odd Fellowship, with its three hundred and fif- teen lodges, embracing a membership of over twenty- five thousand, scattered throughout the length and breadth of the State, is entitled, perhaps, to rank first among the associations of this character on the Pacific Coast. The Order of Free and Accepted Masons, with its two hundred and thirty lodges, and a mem- bership of over fifteen thousand, the Ancient Order of United Workmen, with a membership of nearly twenty thousand, the Chosen Friends, the Knights of Honor, the Knights of Pythias and the Red Men, are only a very few of the many fraternal societies which have gained a firm and lasting foothold in the Golden State. It is not our purpose, however, to attempt a history of these institutions, nor of any particular one of them, but merely to make a brief review of the Order of Odd Fellowship in Santa Clara County, and more particularly of the two subor- dinate lodges of that order located in our own beauti- ful little city.

There are, at the present time, in our county, ten lodges of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, with a membership of about one thousand-or, one Odd Fellow to every seven and a half voters. In point of lodges there are seven counties in the State having a greater number than Santa Clara County, while in point of membership our county ranks fifth.

The town of Santa Clara, and the country adjacent thereto, has indeed proved to be a prolific field for this popular organization. Here are at present estab- lished two subordinate lodges, with a combined mem- bership of nearly two hundred and fifty; an Encamp- ment of Patriarchs, numbering over one hundred members; a Rebekah Lodge, with a membership of one hundred and ten, and a Canton of Patriarchs Militant, well equipped, well drilled, and a most potent auxiliary to the older branches of the order. Santa Clara Lodge, No. 52, ranks among the pioneer lodges of the State in the work of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of California. It was insti- tuted on the eighteenth day of January, 1856, with cight charter members, whose names appear upon the charter in the following order: James H. Morgan, Z. L. Garwood, E. Smith, Hiram Hamilton, Jno. West, M. C. Baker, James Barr, and William Cameron. Of

this charter list, John West alone retains member- ship in the lodge he assisted in organizing; Messrs. Smith and Garwood reside in other parts of the State, and the remainder of the little band have " crossed the dark and silent river." During the first twelve years the membership had increased to about sixty, and by economy and good financial management sufficient funds had been accumulated to warrant the effort, on the part of the lodge, to secure a home of its own, where it might provide the requirements and accommodations not to be found in rented halls.

With this object in view an arrangement was en- tered into in October, 1867, with Mr. M. W. Whittle, a prominent member of the lodge, who agreed to furnish the site and erect the basement, or first story, of the building, while the lodge agreed to complete the structure. Under this agreement work was at once commenced and pushed to completion in May of the following year. On July 1, 1868, the hall was dedicated to the principles and uses of Odd Fellow- ship, with imposing ceremonies, the officers of the Grand Lodge of California officiating. Here, in a stately edifice, located on one of the most prominent corners in the business portion of town, with a large and commodious lodge-room, anterooms, reception rooms, etc., all fitted up in the most elegant manner, Santa Clara Lodge, No. 52, entered upon a new era. Truc, the handsome and substantial structure which reared its head high above its less pretentious neigh- bors, and the handsome furnishings and equipments, had incurred an indebtedness beyond the immediate available means of the lodge, but this was promptly provided for in a manner which caused no perceptible ripple in the affairs of the lodge, and no embarrass- ment to the members thereof. From the date the lodge took up its abode in its new and elegant quar- ters, its progress was steadily onward and upward; and so rapid had funds accumulated that, in 1875, when Mr. Whittle signified his intention of disposing of his interest in the building, the lodge promptly paid the amount demanded, and became the sole pos- sessors of the property, together with the valuable property adjoining it on the south. This purchase, as in the case of building, involved the lodge to some extent, but they who had successfully managed the former indebtedness were still at the helm and proved themselves to be equal to the emergency, as is shown by the fact that, in the month of July, 1879, the last evidence of indebtedness against the lodge was can- celed in accordance with conditions and agreements previously entered into. Conspicuous among those who

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laborcd faithfully and well for the lodge's interests during its early history we note the names of A. Madan, J. M. Billings, N. Cook, M. W. Whittle, D. W. Herrington, John H. Dibble, and A. J. Landrum. To the sagacity and good judgment of these devoted adherents the lodge owes much of its prosperity and standing. Of the brothers last named, A. Madan has "passed out through the valley of the shadow of death," leaving behind him a name honored and be- loved by all. Brothers Billings, Cook, Herrington, Dibble, and Landrum are still regular attendants at their lodge meetings, directing its movements and assisting with their counsels. The membership at the present time is one hundred and thirty; the average age of the members is forty-four years; number of past grands, forty-two, among whom are seven past district deputy grand masters, and one-Nathaniel Cook-has attained the rank of past grand master of the jurisdiction of California.

True Fellowship Lodge, No. 238, I. O. O. F., is a worthy scion of Santa Clara Lodge, No. 52, and for good work and good management ranks high among the lodges in the jurisdiction of California. This lodge was instituted by Grand Master D. D. Welty, on the tenth day of November, 1875, with fourteen charter members. The names, as they appear in the charter, are : E. V. Thorne, M. Beck, J. H. Howard, E. R. Dille, Jacob Eberhard, C. W. Vandegrift, G. A. Elliot, J. H. Dinegan, I. Hyman, B. F. Fish, A. V. Fatjo, J. W. Canfield, W. W. Smead, and J. Cherry.

Eight of the charter members held withdrawal cards from Santa Clara Lodge, five held cards from various Eastern lodges, and one signed the petition for a charter as an ancient Odd Fellow. Two of the charter members have died; three have been sus- pended for non-payment of dues; one has withdrawn from the order and eight still retain their membership in the lodge. The number of members at the present time is about one hundred, twenty-four of whom are past grands, and three of these are past district deputy grand masters. The average age of the membership is thirty-seven years.

Numerical strength is not the only evidence of prosperity, to which the young lodge may justly lay claim, for it has been equally successful in its financial affairs. During the thirteen years of its ex- istence, the lodge has provided amply for its own wants; it has taken excellent care of its sick and dis- abled brethren, and it has scattered its charities with a generous hand, besides accumulating funds and property more than sufficient to guarantee against

possible financial embarrassment, present or future.

The advent of True Fellowship Lodge, No. 238, gave an impetus to Odd Fellowship in Santa Clara never before experienced. A good-natured rivalry between the two lodges was inaugurated, which re- sulted in the enrollment, under the banner of the " Triple Links," and in the furtherance of the princi- ples of Friendship, Love, and Truth, many of our most honored and respected citizens.

SKETCH OF METHODISM.

Methodism in California was first planted in Santa Clara, unless a class organized by Rev. W. Robertson in San Francisco is entitled to an earlier date.

In early November of 1846, William Campbell, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, from Sa- line County, Missouri, arrived at Santa Clara, then a military post under command of Captain Maddux, of the U. S. Marine. On the first Sabbath in November, Adney A. Heacox, a local preacher, just arrived from Galena, Illinois, preached in an adobe building fifty feet west of the present Catholic Church, used at the time by Mr. Campbell as a temporary residence, by permission of an Irish Catholic named Norris. Mr. Heacock continued to preach until February, 1847, when he removed to Santa Cruz. William Campbell held prayer-meetings, assisted every two weeks by an exhorter from Benicia named Jones, who continued services through the spring and summer of 1847.

Later, in 1849, William Taylor (now Bishop Taylor) visited the valley and preached in the house of Wallace Finley, on the land of William Campbell, south of Santa Clara. A little later Isaac Owen visited the valley, and he and Taylor greatly encour- aged the work.

In 1851 Charles Maclay came out from the Balti- more Conference, was appointed pastor of the charge, and in 1852 erected the first Methodist Episcopal Church in Santa Clara. It was built of adobe, and stood near the place now occupied by the large brick house of worship. Dr. William Morrow had previ- ously been pastor, but resigned on the arrival of Maclay. The first quarterly conference was held Sep- tember 8, 1851.

Rev. William Hulbert succeeded Maclay, and he in turn was succeeded by N. P. Heath, in 1854, Adam Bland being presiding elder. Rev. J. Daniels succeeded Heath in 1856, A. S. Gibbons, president of the Uni- versity of the Pacific, at that time located in Santa Clara, being superintendent of the Sabbath-school.

In 1857-58 R. B. Stratton was preacher in charge, and M. C. Briggs presiding elder. In 1858-59, W. S.

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Urmy was pastor. This was a prosperous pastoral term.

In 1859-60 C. V. Anthony was pastor, followed by J. B. Hill in 1860-61. In 1861-62, M. C. Briggs was pastor. The faithful labors of Mr. Hill had prepared the way, the large basement of the new church was ready for use, and a very gracious and important re- vival added a large number to the membership, among them two of the present members of the Cali- fornia Conference.

In 1863-64 J. T. Peck, afterwards bishop, was in charge. In 1864-65 T. H. Sinex was pastor, and I. Owen, P. E. During Dr. Sinex' term the present church was completed, and named the Centenary Methodist Episcopal Church. In October of 1868 a severe earthquake shook the pinnacles from the church and damaged the walls.

In 1867-68 J. A. Bruner was preacher in charge, and remained a full pastoral term of three years.

In 1870-72 J. H. Wythe was pastor. He was succeeded by Q. J. Collin, who remained until 1876, when E. R. Dille came into the pulpit for a three- years term. At the conference of 1878-79, Wesley Dennett was appointed to the charge, and remained three years, when George Clifford took the pastorate for a similar term.

In September, 1887, M. C. Briggs, the present in- cumbent, was appointed to the place. The length of his term must be "relegated " to the arbitrament of the future.

From this sketch it would appear that Santa Clara is the oldest university town in the State, and the Santa Clara Church is the pioneer, the mother, grand- mother, and great-grandmother of all the churches. Yet her eye is not dimmed nor her natural force abated.

LOS GATOS.

The first builing in this now thriving town was Forbes' Mill, and for many years the place was known by that name. This enterprise was begun by James Alex. Forbes, in 1850, but it was not completed until four years afterwards. It was an old-fashioned structure with overshot wheels twenty feet in diameter, which, owing to the lack of power, the water-head be- ing only twenty feet, was not successful in its opera- tions. It passed from Forbes to a French firm, V. Marzion & Co., who also made a failure. A. Pfister & Co., of San Jose, then leased the property, but found it unprofitable. It then passed into the hands of Samuels & Fanner, who raised the water, by means

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Pen pictures from the garden of the world, or Santa Clara county, California, Part 37

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