Pen pictures from the garden of the world, or Santa Clara county, California, Part 43

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 43

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Dr. Potts has been a member of the Santa Clara County Medical Society since its organization, and has served a regular term as its President. He is a member of Friendship Lodge, No. 210, F. & A. M., also of San Jose Commandery, No. 10, K. T. He is interested in fruit culture, being one of a syndicate which owns the celebrated Knob Hill Orchard.

Dr. Potts was married in 1864 to Miss Mattie Hen- derson, eldest daughter of John S. Henderson, of Calloway County, Missouri. She died in 1865, leav- ing one daughter, Mattie, now the wife of Jcter Wal- thall, of San Jose. In 1866 he was married to Miss Sallie Quisenberry, whose father was a prominent merchant of Columbia, Missouri. Mrs. Potts is a graduate of Christian College, located at Columbia.

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PEN PICTURES FROM THE "GARDEN OF THE WORLD."

Her parents were William B. and Joanna Quisen- berry. The parents of the subject of this sketch were John and Margaret (Spence) Potts, natives of Kentucky and Virginia, and the former for many years a prominent farmer and stock-raiser of Audrain County, Missouri. His mother still lives in Mexico, Missouri.

AMES HENRY STONIER dates his birth from November 16, 1835, in Yates County, New York. His parents, Joseph and Mary Ann (Hardwick) Stonier, were natives of England, who emigrated to the United States in 1835. Until he was fifteen years of age his life was spent on a farm. He then learned the trade of painter, which occupation he fol- lowed for the next three or four years. A portion of this time he was located in Peoria, Illinois, at which place he was also engaged in acquiring an education. In 1854, desirous of bettering his condition, he started by the Panama route for California, and arrived in San Francisco in January, 1855. The next five years he devoted to mining in El Dorado County. He then quit this occupation and located in San Jose, where he devoted eighteen months' time to perfecting his education at the University of the Pacific. The next five years he spent in farming near Berryessa, upon rented land. He then took up his residence in San Jose, where he lived for seven years, at the same time conducting his farm operations in the country, as well as cultivating land in the city.

In 1874 he removed to land which he purchased on the Hostetter road. This place was formerly owned by Mr. Jackson, and is now in the possession of Will_ iam Ainsworth. Mr. Stonier cultivated and improved this place until he sold, and took up his present resi- dence, which is located on the Hostetter road, in the Eagle District, about three and one-half miles north- east of San Jose. His original purchase was eighty acres; but a few years ago he sold forty acres, retain- ing the same amount, upon which his house is located. This land is very productive, and shows the care ex- ercised in its cultivation. Ten acres are devoted to the production of fruit, containing one thousand and two hundred apricots and prunes, with also a few trees of other fruits such as are raised in that section of the country. One and a half acres are in corn, which grows luxuriantly without irrigation ; the bal-

ance of his land is devoted to hay, grain, and stock.

In 1862 Mr. Stonier married Miss Matilda Tomlin- son, of Santa Clara County, daughter of Mrs. Meadow- craft, who lived in San Jose. Of their twelve children, eleven are living, viz .: Emma, who married Augustus Fisher, now living in Los Angeles; Alfred, who mar- ried Miss Rella K. Haynes, now living near San Miguel, Monterey County ; Clara, James, Joseph, Sydney H., Tillie, Edith, Bert, Milton, and Stanley are living on the old homestead with their parents.

Mr. Stonier is a self-made man, who started in life almost without the rudiments of an education. Years of time and his wages were spent in educating him- self, until he was a well-informed man. He takes a great interest in the school of his district. He was Superintendent of the Berryessa Methodist Episcopal Sunday-school from 1875 until 1884. He is a consist- ent member of the Methodist Church, and a decided Prohibitionist. He is now a candidate on the Prohibi- tion ticket for the office of Supervisor. His daily life is such as to gain the respect and esteem of the com- munity in which he resides.

2 ENRY SCOTT, of the Jefferson District, owns and resides upon a tract of sixteen acres on Scott's Lane, north of the Southern Pacific Railroad, and about one mile northwest of Santa Clara's business center. This land is devoted to the cultivation of hay and the raising of stock. Among the stock, mention must be made of two high-bred stallions, from trotting stock. One of these is called "Designer," sired by the well-known horse "Director;" the other, Sultan S., sired by the famous horse Sultan, that a few years ago was sold for $15,000. These horses are now (1888) but three years old. The in- terest displayed by Mr. Scott in the improvement of stock will eventually be of great value to the industry of stock-raising in the county.

The subject of this sketch was born on the Isle of Feio, Denmark, March 4, 1845. His parents, Ras- mus and Karen (Hansen) Peterson, were natives of Denmark, where his mother died, the father becoming a resident of San Francisco in 1874. After her death Mr. Scott lived upon a farm until, when fourteen years old, he entered upon a seafaring life. He spent eleven years on the sea, holding various positions on the different vessels in which he sailed, and serving

L. Goodich

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cured a fair share of this world's goods. He is the owner of a comfortable home on the corner of Thir- teenth and St. John Streets, in San Jose, and a fine farm of two hundred and sixty-eight acres near Mountain View, in this county. In 1885 he purchased a section of land (six hundred and forty acres) in Fresno County, which he still owns. Politically, he is a consistent Republican.

ENJAMIN T. BUBB (deceased) was born in Washington County, Mo., February 15, 1838, son of William and Mary Ann Bubb. Benjamin was reared on a farm and when twelve years of age came with his parents to California. March 12, 1850, the family started across the plains from Missouri with an ox team, also bringing with them a number of cattle, some of which were brought safely through and some were lost on the way. The family consisted of William Bubb, his wife, and eight children. They went into the mining district at Fremont on the Sac- ramento River, arriving there on the twenty-fifth of August, 1850, where they kept a boarding-house.

In March, 1851, they moved to Downieville, Sierra County, where they carried on the same business. In October of that year they came to Santa Clara County, and after stopping a few days in Santa Clara, proceeded to Fremont Township, where William Budd bought a farm of eighty acres, and resided there until his death, June II, 1864. He was born May 14, 1788. His wife died October 21, 1879. There are six chil- dren living: John Budd, residing in the Lincoln School District, this county; Mrs. Sarah Brimhall, of Los Angeles, California; Mrs. Rebecca Bailey, resid- ing near Santa Clara; Mrs. McCubbin, living near Alviso; Mrs. Olive Shore, of this township; and Mrs. Mary A. McDonald, of San Jose. Benjamin T. Bubb attended the public schools of this district, in his boy- hood days, besides doing farm work. He was a man well posted upon different subjects, was a great reader, and had a faculty of retaining what he had read.

After the death of his father he remained on the home place for a short time with his mother, who afterward made her home with him until her death. In 1864 Mr. Bubb located on his ranch of one hun- dred and sixty-eight acres, where he lived until his death, February 25, 1888. He was united in marriage June 28, 1871, with Sarah J. Smith, by whom he had seven children, viz .: Charles R., born June 3, 1872;

William F., February 8, 1874; Alice G., January 21, 1876; George R., October 30, 1877; Benjamin C., March 30, 1881; Ernest M., January 7, 1883; John, January 6, 1887. Mrs. Bubb was born in Washington County, Missouri, and came to California about the eighth of October, 1870. Mr. Bubb was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, of Mountain View, having connected himself with that organization seventeen years ago, and was an Elder in the church at the time of his death. His parents were Baptists and reared their children in that faith, but there being no church of that denomination here at that time he joined the Presbyterians.

About four years before his death he became a member of the A. O. U. W. of Mountain View. Mr. Bubb was a Democrat and took quite an active part in the political matters of the township, many times acting as judge of the polls during the elections. He was a man of enterprise and public spirit, and took an active interest in the advancement of his county. His death caused universal regret throughout the community in which he had lived. In his family he was kind and affectionate; as a member of the church he was faithful, active, and liberal. He had none of that littleness which sets up individual opinion as the standard for all the world, but walked himself with God, content that other men should enjoy the same liberty he himself possessed.

HARLES PARR, born in England, May 5, 1827, crossed the Atlantic in 1842, together with father, mother, three brothers, and four sisters; also in company with Jonathan Parr, an uncle, and family; also William Booth, who was his mother's brother, and family. All landed safely in New Or- leans. When moving up the Mississippi River, the youngest brother died suddenly, and was buried on an island. Soon after arriving at the city of St. Louis, Missouri, death deprived him of his mother. The following spring the three families moved to Lee County, Iowa, and there engaged in farming until 1846, in which year he and the three families started to cross the plains to the Pacific Coast. All went on reasonably well till they reached North Platte River, where, after camping, their cattle stampeded .. They got them back, after a little trouble, but they contin- ued stampeding as long as they had strength to do

so. One night, on South Platte, they stampeded

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three times, and the company lost as many as one hundred and twenty-five. Their caravan at that time consisted of forty-one wagons. In the course of two days they got back twenty-five cattle, but in getting them back they lost one man, Trimble, leaving a wife and seven children. This man Trimble was killed by the Pawnce Indians. A partner of his, named Har- ris, was captured and stripped of his clothing, ready to receive his death-blow, when he was rescued by some of the party ! The loss of the cattle weakened, the caravan, so much so that one family, named Scott, went back to Missouri; but the widow Trimble went through to Oregon. Their cattle stampedcd again at Chinmey Rock, in the middle of the day, when they were hitched up to the wagons. It was a scene never to be forgotten.

When the party reached Fort Bridger, the Graves family, with three wagons, concluded to go to Califor- nia; and as there was no party in the rear going that way, they undertook to overtake Reed's party, after- ward the Donner party. The latter were eighteen days ahead, and were going through by Easton's cut- off and Salt Lake, being the third party to take that route. On reaching Fort Laramie, the party moving westward were notified by the Sioux Indians that they could not be permitted to travel through their territory unless some substantial compensation was forthcoming, which they received, and the party were then allowed to proceed. When Sweetwater was reached, the company suddenly found themselves sur- rounded by a force of some seven hundred redskins, who were on the war-path against the Snake Indians. They therefore hastily collected their wagons and pre- pared for action. For a time the prospect was gloomy. The Indians were bold and rough, in many instances pushing their way through to the wagons, thus fright- ening the women and children. The chief of the tribe, Smoky, was notified of this, and he rode in among them, commanding them to disperse, which they did, and the emigrants were permitted to proceed. Mr. Parr thinks that had it not been for the timely interference of the chief, a bloody tragedy would have followed.

The l'arrs continued their way toward Oregon by the old route, by the way of Fort Hall. When they got to that point they lay by a day or two, to rest their cattle. There news came that there was a new cut-off to Oregon known as Applegate's. The caravan con- cluded to take it, thus leaving the old California trail about forty miles west of Fort Hall. When they got to Goose Creck, where they were to take the cut-off,

they were surprised to see coming into their camp two companies which had taken Easton's cut-off, and which were over twenty-one days ahead. Mr. Easton came in, and told them not to take Applegate's cut- off, or they would be overtaken by winter, and they would never reach Oregon. He advised them to go to California, and they accepted the suggestion. The party had eagerly looked forward to their arrival at Johnson's, on Bear River, where they supposed they would find a store and get supplies, but this was not the case. They had been an entire week without anything to eat except a few acorns and a little poor meat. They applied for flour (which was there made by grinding wheat in a little hand-mill), but he had none. The next thing to flour was what he called bran, and of this they purchased some. They ex- changed two head of cattle for a fat steer, which they slaughtered and made a pudding of suet and bran. When it came to eating, the suet part was all right, but the bran could not be swallowed, and the pudding was voted a failure. The mcat had to be eaten Cali- fornia fashion, which made all hands sick. Two or three days later they went down to Captain Sutter's Fort, and there got flour, faring very well for a few days.

In this journey, with all its hardships, perhaps the saddest day was that on which the news came, early in the morning, that Trimble was killed, and the cattle not recovered !

Leaving the American River, they made their way to Livermore, Contra Costa County, where our subject left his family and came to the town of Santa Clara, where he was joined in the spring of 1847 by his rela- tives, all save his father, who died at Livermore from the effect of a broken leg, which had been unskillfully treated. While he was cutting down a tree, it fell upon him, breaking one of his legs in two places. He was buried at Livermore, in December, 1846.

Job Parr was married in England to Miss Elizabeth Booth, a native of Staffordshire, and their seven chil- dren were: Charles, the subject of this sketch; John, who went to Australia, married there, and returned to California, where he died, leaving one living child, Fannie, who is married and lives near Sonora ; Eliza- beth, widow of John Dixon, who lives in Santa Clara ; Edna, wife of John Bohlman, living at New Almaden; Simpson, deceased ; Diana, married and lives in the Sandwich Islands; Prudence, who removed from Cal- ifornia to the Sandwich Islands ; and Job, deceased.

Charles Parr was a young man when the party started across the plains on this memorable trip.

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While at Livermore his father sold two yoke of oxen and a wagon to Mr. Forbes, who was remodeling some old adobe houses which were included in the property of the Jesuit College at Santa Clara, and as that gentleman had no white men to manage the oxen, he asked Mr. Parr to send one of his boys along, and so Charles was chosen. About three months after coming to Santa Clara, he went home on a visit to the family, and while there his father's death occurred, Charles holding him in his arms when he passed away. He afterward returned to Santa Clara, and was first employed by James Alex- ander Forbes, for Dennis Marten. While working in the redwoods, in the spring of 1847, he went to Bear River and witnessed the remains of the Donner party. Here he joined the party that went up the American River to procure lumber to construct the famous Sutter's Mill. At the end of three months he pro- ceeded to San Francisco, and afterward back to Santa Clara. In 1848 he was employed in the New Almaden quicksilver mines. In the latter part of that year he made a journey to the Mokelumne River, and Calaveras and Tuolumne Counties, where he en- gaged in mining, an occupation he continued at inter- vals for the two succeeding years, and finally returned to this county. Here, in Santa Clara, he opened a public house, in partnership with Dr. Warburton, for one year. He then built a similar establishment, which he conducted for six months, when he engaged in blacksmithing. In 1854 he engaged in stock- raising on the Coast Range, which he abandoned the next year on account of ill health. He then resided in Santa Clara till the fall of 1862, when he moved to his present farm of one thousand two hundred acres. In April, 1854, he married T. Gracia. They have ten children : Joseph E., Prudence, Teresa, Simpson N., Charles, Belle, Stephen A., Agnes, Eugene, and Mary.

HARLES A. PHELPS resides on the corner of the Santa Clara and Kifer roads, in the Jef- ferson School District, one mile north of the northern limit of Santa Clara, at which point he is the owner of fifty acres of productive land. With the exception of a small orchard, this land is devoted to the production of hay and grain, and to the dairy business. Fifteen acres are producing alfalfa, yield- ing four or five crops each year, giving an aggregate of from five to seven tons per acre. Among his stock

is a dairy of fifteen cows, a portion of which are of full-blood Jersey stock. He has also some full-blood English shire horses, among which is his stallion "Sampson." Mr. Phelps takes a great interest in improving the breed of cattle and horses in the county, and in his twenty years of farming has done his share toward that end. Two flowing artesian wells furnish all the water needed for irrigation, stock, and domes- tic use.

The subject of this sketch was born in Jefferson County, New York, October 17, 1858. He is the son of Charles A. and Cynthia (Hamilton) Phelps. His father was a native of England and was formerly in the English army, serving in Canada. In 1840 his father went to Michigan, and after a two years' stay removed to Steuben County, Indiana, where he en- gaged in farming until his death, which occurred in 1851. Mr. Phelps was reared as a farmer, receiving such education as the common schools afforded. The death of his father occurring when he was but thirteen years of age, placed the greater part of the care and attention of the farm upon him, and he was early taught by experience many of those practical ideas which have been so useful to him in after life.

In 1859 he came by steamer route to California, arriving in San Francisco in November of that year. For the next two years he was engaged at farm labor in different counties of the State. In 1862 he visited Washington Territory and Oregon, seeking a desira- ble location. He finally settled about three miles from Hillsborough, Oregon, where he was engaged until 1865 in raising grain. In the latter year he came to Santa Clara County, taking up his residence in Santa Clara upon a block of land which he purchased. For the next four years Mr. Phelps was engaged in vari- ous enterprises, the chief of which was pressing and baling hay. For one year he rented the farm of Mr. Coffin, on the Coffin road north of Santa Clara, and afterward rented 300 acres of land from Moses Davis, near Santa Clara, which he cultivated until 1883. He then purchased fifty acres of this tract, upon which he resided until 1887. In that year he sold the fifty- acre tract and took up his residence before described.

Mr. Phelps is a member of Santa Clara Lodge, No. 52, I. O. O. F., and is also a member of the Odd Fel- lows Beneficiary Association. Politically, he is a strong Republican, and takes an interest in the polit- ical questions of the country. He is liberal and pub- lic-spirited; ready to aid in all that tends to the ad- vancement of his section and county. In 1869 he married Miss Mary Wilcox, whose parents died in

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her infancy, from cholera, at Sacramento. From this marriage there are five children living, named Leonora I., Hattie W., Frank D., Ollie A., and Ruby.

COOLSEY J. SHAW was born in Montgomery County, New York, October 17, 1809. His father, John Shaw, was a native of New Jersey, and his mother, Joan (Woolsey) Shaw, of New York. His father was a blacksmith, to which calling Mr. Shaw was reared, and he also, in his young man- hood, had considerable experience in farm labor. His education was limited to the common schools of that date. At the age of twenty-two years he went to Lake County, Ohio, and worked for his uncle in the manufacture of axes and farming implements. He continued this occupation until 1832, when he re- turned home and accompanied his father and family to Perry, Lake County, Ohio, at which place, in con- nection with his father, he established a blacksmith shop. In 1835 he married Miss Phebe Ann Bartrom, the daughter of Levi Bartrom, of Lake County, Ohio.

In 1844 he retired from his blacksmithing, pur- chased a farm, and commenced his career as a farmer. After two years of farm life he engaged in boating on the Ohio Canal, and freighting on Lake Erie. In 1846 he removed to a farm on the Fox River, near Chicago. He erected a blacksmith shop upon his farm, and for the next four years was engaged as a farmer and blacksmith. In May, 1850, he started overland for California. His trip across the plains was devoid of particular incidents until he reached the "sink of the Humboldt," where he lost his horses, and was compelled to walk for over three hun- dred miles to his destination. Arriving in Placer- ville, El Dorado County, July 4, 1850, he entered into mining, an occupation which he followed at this point and on the north fork of the Feather River until the next year. He then returned East by the Panama route and remained with his family until 1852. In the spring of that year he started across the plains accompanied by his family, arriving in Cal- ifornia that fall. In the spring of 1853 he came to Santa Clara County and located in the Berryessa District, on the Penetencia Creek, taking up one hun- dred and sixty acres of government land. He com- menced its cultivation and improvement, and also followed the occupation of blacksmith at this place. Other claimants sprang up and contested his claims,

but after a long course of litigation he secured his title.

In 1858 he purchased the Alum Rock Ranch, containing 736 acres. The famous Alum Rock Springs were upon this ranch. In 1865 Mr. Shaw built a hotel at the Springs, which is still standing. While owning this land Mr. Shaw was largely en- gaged in stock-raising and the dairy business. He also owned three hundred acres of land on Kings River, Tulare County, which he stocked with cattle. In 1874 he closed up most of his business in Santa Clara County, and moved to Fresno County, where he was extensively engaged as a stock-raiser until 1881, when he returned to Santa Clara County and took up his residence upon forty acres of his old homestead, in the Berryessa School District, where he has since lived. This land is in orchard, and is in a high state of cultivation, showing great care on the part of Mr. Shaw. Among the trees of this orchard are one thousand five hundred Silver and French prunes, nine hundred peaches, five hundred apricots, one hundred and fifty plums, and a variety of nearly all the fruits grown in this county. The land is so situated that it can be irrigated from the Penetencia Creek during the rainy season. Mr. Shaw is now (1888) in his eightieth year, and, despite his long and laborious life, is hale and hearty. His mental facul- ties are unimpaired, and his memory is stored with a rich fund of reminiscences of early life in California. He has been a member of the Methodist Church for nearly sixty years, and has all his life been a strong advocate of schools and churches. In politics he has been a strong Republican, but at present is a Prohibi- tionist. Of the seven children born to them, six are living, namely: Adelia, wife of George Frizier, of Los Angeles; Henry H., who married Miss Lizzie Valpey and lives in Alameda County; Matilda, wife of Henry H. Wing, of Oakland; Henrietta, wife of J. Mauls- bary, of Fresno County ; Levi, who married Miss Nathan and lives in San Benito County ; and Laverne, wife of Henry White, of Napa County.

HARLES R. SEELY was born in Cattaraugus County, New York, in 1830. His parents, Nor- man B. and Lydia (Crook) Seely, were natives of New York. In 1835 his father moved to Whiteside County, Illinois, and in 1840 removed to Jones County, Iowa, where he pursued the occupation of a farmer. He was also the owner of a lumber

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Pen pictures from the garden of the world, or Santa Clara county, California, Part 43

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