Pen pictures from the garden of the world, or Santa Clara county, California, Part 44

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 44

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To: Ho: Warburton

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

mill. The subject of this sketch was educated in the common schools, and reared as a farmer. When nineteen years of age he rented a farm and entered into business on his own account as a farmer and stock-raiser. In 1849 Mr. Seely was united in mar- riage with Miss Salena Southern, the daughter of John and Elizabeth Southern, natives of Virginia, but residents of Tipton, Cedar County, Iowa. In . 1853 he came by the Isthmus route to California. Upon his arrival in San Francisco he proceeded im- mediately to El Dorado County, and in connection with his father purchased a hay farm. After one year he sold out his interest in this farm, and en- gaged in the occupation of freighting supplies from Sacramento to the mines. In May, 1855, he returned to his home in Iowa, where he remained until 1857.

In this latter year he came overland to California, bringing his family with him, and located in Solano County, where he purchased two hundred and forty acres of land. For the next ten years he resided there, devoting his land to the production of grain and to raising stock. In 1867 he returned to the old homestead in Iowa, upon which he made extensive improvements, with the design of spending the re- mainder of his days there, but the delights of Cali- fornia climate and the varied productions of its soil induced him to change his mind. In 1869 he again crossed the plains with his family, located in Solano County, and purchased six hundred and forty acres of land. His title to this land proved worthless, and after two years' residence there he removed to Stan- islaus County, and purchased one thousand four hun- dred and sixty-one acres of land, most of which he devoted to grain. He resided upon this land until 1881. Desiring a change of climate and an easier mode of life, in the latter year he removed to Santa Clara County, and located in San Jose. In 1886 he purchased a fine orchard property and home on Bascom Avenue, about one mile south of Santa Clara. There are forty-eight and one-half acres in this tract, all of which is in orchard except that por- tion occupied by his beautiful residence, extensive grounds, and out-buildings. Among the latter is a fruit-dryer, with a capacity of three tons per day. His orchard is one of the finest in that section of the county, and Mr. Secly is an enthusiast in his new occupation. He has sixteen acres each of apricots and French prunes. His orchard is also producing peaches, pears, plums, cherries, walnuts, almonds, and figs.

Mr. Seely has made a success in his farming oper-

ations, and has secured a competency. The same intelligent and energetic principles applied to his calling as an orchardist, coupled with his sound busi- ness views, are bound to produce like results. He is a consistent member of the Methodist Church. Politically a strong Republican, he is still liberal and conservative in all political actions.

Of the thirteen children from the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Seely, but eight are living, viz .: Martin B., Mary Belle, Hattie, George B., Gertrude, Charles R., Alice, and Lillie. Martin B. married Miss Emma Mahoney. Mary Belle married Augustus Stewart. Hattie married Frank Coats. George B. married Miss Margaret Turner. All the above are residing in Stanislaus County. Gertrude married Charles Blaisdell, now deceased. Mrs. Blaisdell and the other children reside with their parents.

ENRY HULME WARBURTON, M. D., one of the early pioneers of Santa Clara, was born in Staffordshire, England, May 23, 1819. He is a son of John Warburton, M. D., under whose tui- tion he prepared himself for the practice of medicine. He received his literary education at an endowed school at Giggleswick, Yorkshire, England. At the age of twenty-two he entered the London Hospital Medi- cal Institute, where he took a full course of lectures, after which he practiced with his father until June, 1844, when he came to America, arriving at New York city July 9 following. He remained in New York practicing medicine until the autumn of 1845, when he went to New London, Connecticut, and there embarked as surgeon in the whaling vessel Corea, under Capt. Benjamin Hemstead. He cruised on the northwest coast of North America, the coast of New Zealand, and also visited the Sandwich Isl- ands a number of times. At San Francisco, in 1847, he resigned his commission as surgeon of the vessel, and after visiting various gold diggings he located, in 1848, at Santa Clara, at that time a small Catholic mission. The Doctor is widely known as a skillful physician, and, with the exception of several months spent in visiting friends and relatives in England in 1870, he has never left his field of practice, which ex- tends over a large portion of California and parts of Oregon and Washington Territory.

In 1855 he was married to Mrs. Catherine Pennel, nee Long, a daughter of Peter and Hilah Long.

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PEN PICTURES FROM THE "GARDEN OF THE WORLD."

There were born to them seven children, two of which died in infancy. Those living are: Caroline Astoria, Ellen Ann, John Garrett, Charles Pennington, and Henry Luke. They also raised one adopted daugh- ter, Sarah Isabella, wife of R. C. Blackman, of San Francisco.

The Doctor and his family are all members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he is an Odd Fel- low, being one of the original members of Santa Clara Lodge, No. 52, of Santa Clara.

ICHAEL SULLIVAN. One of the stanch, sturdy, honorable old settlers of California and this valley is the gentleman whose name heads this article. Born in Limerick, Ireland, in 1831, his father emigrated to Canada ten years later. They removed shortly afterward to Missouri, tilling a farm which the elder Mr. Sullivan had taken up, to which occupation young Michael was trained. When he was thirteen years of age (1844) he set out with the family of Martin Murphy, Sr., for California, con- tinuing with his family until he reached the age of twenty-three, and settling with them in the Santa Clara Valley. In 1854 he purchased one hundred and ninety-seven acres of land on the north side of the Alum Rock road, about a mile and a half east of San Jose, and took up his residence. On No- vember 13, 1855, he was married to Miss Margaret Welsh, daughter of Robert and Johanna (Welsh) Welsh, who were natives of Kilkenny County, Ire- land, where she was born. It will thus be seen that Mr. Sullivan was in this county while it was still under Mexican domination, and though at the time but a youth of sixteen years he gallantly took up arms and helped to wrest this fair land from Mexican supremacy and place it under the stars and stripes. He was a member of the San Jose contingent that joined the little force commanded by Capt. Ward Marston, numbering in all about one hundred men. They met, and after a series of some pretty severe engagements with the Mexican forces under Colonel Sanchez, the latter surrendered unconditionally. It will thus be seen that he has led an active and adven- turous life, meeting the hardships and discourage- ments incident to a pioneer's life, and rcaping the re- ward of his arduous labors. At present Mr. Sullivan owns about one hundred and fifteen acres of his orig- inal tract, and upon it is raising hay and grain with considerable profit.

When first taken up this land was wild and unculti- vated, and its state of high cultivation shows the care and attention bestowed upon it by Mr. Sullivan. He is a man of great force of character and natural abil- ity; for, although in his early life deprived of nearly all the advantages of schooling, by his unaided efforts he has acquired a goodly share of the education one gets from an active life, and has achieved a success in life due to sound common sense, native wit, and good judgment. He is a Democrat in politics and a con- sistent member of the Catholic Church, being sincere in all his principles.

He is the father of the following-named children: Nellie, married to John Shehan, and now residing on a portion of the old homestead; Robert P., who mar- ried Miss Susie Barber, and lives in San Jose; Mary Kate, married James Shehan, and is living on the homestead; Edward J., at home with his parents, as are also Richard, John, and Vincent.

AMUEL R. JOHNSON. Among the beautiful and productive orchards in the Hamilton District, San Jose Township, that owned by Mr. Johnson is worthy of special mention. This orchard is located on Moorpark Avenue, or Gruwell road, about three miles southwest of the business center of San Jose. It is fifty-one acres in extent, all under a high state of cultivation, and devoted to orchard purposes, which is classed as follows: Nineteen acres of apricots, twelve acres of French prunes, eight acres of apples, four acres of egg plums, five acres of cherries, one and one-half acres of pears, and three-fourths of an acre in almonds. There are also a few vines of choice table grapes, and a select family orchard containing nearly all varieties of fruit grown in the county. Mr. Johnson is also the owner of a magnificent tract of 360 acres in extent in the Meridian School District, on the Doyle road, three and one-half miles southwest of his orchard property. Sixty acres of this land are planted with vines, producing wine grapes of the Zinfandel, Grenache, and Charbano varieties; also three acres of table grapes of the Black Hamburg and Muscat varie- ties. There is an extensive orchard upon this place, comprising seventy-five acres of French prunes and twenty acres of cherries. The rest of the land is de- voted to hay and grain.

The subject of this sketch was born in Parke . County, Indiana, November 1, 1830. His father,

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Isaac Johnson, was a native of Pennsylvania, and his mother, Mary (McKinley) Johnson, was born in In- diana. His early life was spent on a farm, and his education confined to the common schools. He con- tinued his farm labor until 1853, when he came over- land to California, and located in Solano County. He rented land in that county, and for two years en- gaged in raising grain. In 1855 he returned East and located in Sydney, Fremont County, Iowa, where he was engaged in a general merchandise business until 1857. He then moved to Cass County, Nebraska, where he continued his mercantile pursuits until 1866. In that year he located at Council Bluffs, Iowa, and was engaged in the wholesale grocery business for eight years. In 1874 he moved to Omaha, Nebraska, and there conducted an extensive wholesale grocery business until 1885, when he sold out and retired from mercantile pursuits. For thirty years Mr. Johnson was actively engaged in mercantile life, during which time, by his energy and sound business principles, he accumulated a competency. He was identified and associated with many public enterprises, investing his capital therein, among which was the cable road system in Omaha. He is now (1888) the President of the Omaha Cable Tramway Company. Mr. Johnson has visited California many times during his business life, and fully appreciates its advantages in climate, soil, etc. In 1886 he purchased his orchard property on Moorpark Avenne, and in 1887 purchased 360 acres on the Doyle road. His business interests are such in Omaha that as yet he has been unable to reside permanently in this county, though his family and himself spend a large portion of each year at his resi- dence on Moorpark Avenue. It is his intention in the near future to take up his permanent residence in Santa Clara County.

In 1856 Mr. Johnson married Miss Martha Spratlen, the daughter of James and Sarah H. (Lynch) Spratlen, natives of Virginia, but now residents of Fremont County, Iowa. Mrs. Johnson died in 1870, leaving four children, viz .: Franklin B., who married Miss Marian Reed; Hattie L., who married Ed. B. Will- iams; William, and Nettie; all the above reside in Omaha. In 1873 he married Miss Fannie M. Berger, daughter of Enos and Elizabeth Berger, natives of Virginia, now residents of Santa Clara County. From this marriage there are two sons, Samuel Edgar and Ralph Raymond, who are residing with their parents.

AMES F. HULL. California has made a wonder- ful progress, and people are fond of attributing it all to its genial climate and its fertile soil. They are wrong in giving these all the credit. California, with all her unparalleled natural resources, lay a desert until settled up with men of bone and sinew and brains, who comprise the vast majority of its American settlers. This was notable in the early days, and is not less so now. The energy, the money, and the business capacity of the men still coming in are help- ing mightily in the upbuilding of the State. It is for this reason that we are glad to read the life history of the men of California, as they are full of interest and instruction. Mr. James F. Hull is the owner of ten acres of land as choice as any in the valley, situated on the White road in the Pala School District, about three and a half miles east of the business center of San Jose. He has set it all out in orchard, planting 500 apricots, 500 French prunes and about 50 other trees of the different sorts that prosper in this valley, to afford a variety. There is a plentiful supply of water, which is reached in wells at the depth of ninety- eight feet, but irrigation is not necessary, vegetables and small fruits coming to the choicest perfection without.

Mr. Hull was born in Mineral, West Virginia, De- cember 29, 1844, being the son of William and Jemima (Tucker) Hull, both natives of Virginia. His father was a farmer, and to the same calling the son was brought up, but at the same time learning the carpen- tering and blacksmithing trades. In 1868 he married Miss Elmira V. Parsons, the daughter of Job and Sarah (Larch) Parsons, who were residents of his section of the State. He then started on his own account and for two years or more worked his father- in-law's farm. In 1871 he removed to Newton County, Indiana, where he sented a farm and car- ried it on four years, until, December 15, 1874, he started for California. Fresno was the point chosen for a location, and here he became a farmer and stock- raiser, at the same time engaging as a builder of houses and bridges, and also starting a shop for black- smithing and carriage work. Mr. Hull followed these employments, meeting with a very satisfactory and deserved success, until, in March, 1888, he sold out at a fair profit and came to Santa Clara County. Here he purchased the beautiful spot where he now resides, and immediately began its improvement. He has built himself. an elegant and commodious cottage of two stories, and is in a position to make life comforta- ble. He has five children living: Albertie, Emma,

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Josephine, Laura, Helen, and James Truman, all of whom live at home, and such of them as are old enough attend school. Mr. Hull is a gentlemen of broad edu- cation and of good attainment; a Democrat in politics, but at the same time both liberal and conservative in sentiment, taking a living interest in all questions of the day. In Fresno County he was a School Trustee, and was closely identified with the best interests of that section. He has transferred his allegiance to this valley, and is enthusiastic over its prospects, being emphatically what is considered the best kind of an immigrant.

OEL S. WHITEHURST was born in Lexing- ton, Missouri, August 4, 1844, being a son of William M. Whitehurst and Sarah (Shipp) White- hurst, who were both natives of Princess Ann County, Virginia, where they were married in 1829. Their union was blessed with six children, who are: Thomas WV., a teacher by profession for the past twenty-five years, and a resident of Saratoga, this county; Albert L., a lumber dealer, residing in Gilroy; William H., living in Hickman County, Kentucky; Edwin B., the proprietor of a hotel at Pierce's Mills, Santa Cruz County; Henrietta, the only daughter, died at the age of four ycars, in St. Louis, Missouri. Joel S. White- hurst was married in 1869 to Miss Fannie Logan, daughter of Alexander Logan and Sarah (nee Easly) Logan. They are the parents of six children, whose names are: Edith, George, Susie, Estelle, Sadie, and Joel A. Mr. Whitehurst's father was an early pioneer of St. Louis, Missouri, where he manufactured car- riages and plows, as he did both in Virginia and Lexington, being the first manufacturer of plows in the latter place.

In 1849 he and two of his sons came to California, where he worked in the mines on the Feather River near Oroville, with varied success. In 1852 he re- turned to Lexington, where he remained until 1863, when he again came to this State and made his home with his sons Joel S. and A. L. until his death, which occurred on March 10, 1887, in the eighty-second year of his age. Mr. Whitehurst's mother died when he was an infant. He came to California in 1867, go- ing first to Lexington and then to Gilroy, where he had charge of a mill. In 1878 he came to the Wil- lows and bought eight and one-fourth acres of land, paying $350 an acre not including the improvements.

His place is planted mostly to French and silver prunes, the latter known as a seedling of the Califor- nia's Golden Drop variety. He has about 1,400 of these trees, they being an experiment with him, Mr. Plummer, of Oregon, having introduced them here. The firm of King, Moose & Co., of San Fran- cisco, paid two and one-half cents a pound for the fruit in 1887, while the French prunes brought only from one and a half to two cents a pound. A whole- sale grocer from Chicago was greatly interested in these prunes and anxious to handle them extensively. Those sold here in 1887 were dried and bleached and then sold at the drier for fifteen cents a pound to a Chicago fruit dealer. Mr. Whitehurst has about six hundred French prunes. All his trees are twelve feet apart, making nearly three hundred trees to the acre. This thick growth of trees would not succeed on any land less fertile than that at the Willows. He has not as yet fertilized his land in any way.

THOMAS H. DONNELY. Among the well- known and popular liverymen of San Jose is the subject of this sketch, a brief resume of whose life is herewith given. Mr. Donnely was born in Oxford Township, Canada West, July 27, 1859. His father, James Donnely, was a native of Ireland, and his mother, Ann (Patterson) Donnely, was born in Canada. He was reared upon his father's farm until the age of thirteen years. At this early age he com- menced life upon his own account, working at farm labor in the summer seasons and attending school in the winter months. He continued this occupation until 1879, in which year he came to California and made his home in Santa Clara County. His first work in this county was at farm labor for W. A. Z. Edwards, near San Jose. He remained with Mr. Ed- wards nearly two years, and then worked for Isaac Dixon in the Mount Hamilton District, until 1883. In the latter year he returned to San Jose, and, in partnership with George Whitney, established himself in the livery business at No. 174 West Santa Clara Street. This business, under the able management of Mr. Donnely and his partner, has been successful and profitable, and their establishment ranks as one of the best appointed and patronized stables in San Jose.

By his first marriage Mr. Donnely had a son, Howard A. by name. In 1885 he married Miss Har-

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

riet Farnsworth, for his second wife. She is the daughter of Oliver and Harriet (Hostetter) Farns- worth, who are residents and pioneers of Santa Clara County. One child, Louise, has been born by this marriage; she died, and was buried December 24, 1887. Mr. Donnely is one of the energetic and en- terprising business men and respected citizens of San Jose, taking an interest in all that concerns the pros- perity and growth of the city. In politics he is a conservative Republican.

LFRED DENNING resides near the corner of the Almaden road and Orchard Street, at the southern limits of San Jose, at which point he has a blacksmith and carriage-repairing shop. He is located in a section of the county that makes his work a desirable acquisition, and being a thorough mechanic and master of his calling, he is well sup- ported by the community in which he resides. In addition to his repairing of wagons and agricultural implements, he also manufactures such wagons as are required by orchardists, and others engaged in like callings. The subject of this sketch was born in Stockton, California, January 29, 1857. His parents, John H. and Rachel J. (Crumes) Denning, were na- tives of Indiana, who came to California in 1856. His father located in Stockton, where he was engaged in farming and stock-raising until his death, which oc- curred in 1866. After the death of his father his mother married Matthew Sweetland (since deceased) of Stockton. Mrs. Sweetland is now (1888) living in Loudan City, Fayette County, Illinois. Mr. Denning was engaged at school until twelve years of age, when he became an apprentice to Joseph Reeley, a black- smith in Jenny Lind Township, Calaveras County. He worked at this calling about four years, then for several years was engaged in various occupations, among which was farming, sheep-shearing, and black- smithing. During this time he lived in different counties until 1885, when he located in Monterey County. In this latter year Mr. Denning was united in marriage with Miss Agnes E. Antoine, daughter of Joseph and Jennie (Wyllie) Antoine, residents of Castroville, Monterey County. Her father was a na- tive of Portugal, her mother a native of Scotland, of Scotch descent. He resided in Monterey County un- til March, 1888, when he came to Santa Clara County, and established the shop before mentioned. Mr.

Denning is a thorough mechanic and master of his profession, straightforward in his dealings, and reli- able. He takes an intelligent interest in the affairs of the day; is a Democrat, but conservative and liberal in his views.

YLVANUS S. PAUL resides at Berryessa, where until recently he owned a fine thirty-acre orchard. This land he kept in a state of high cultivation, and among the trees, which are six years old, are twelve hundred apricots, nine hundred French prunes, four hundred peaches, three hundred cherries, fifty pears, also a few trees each of nearly all the varieties of fruit raised in that section. It is worthy of men- tion, as showing the productions of the land in this dis- trict, that in 1887 the yield from the apricots in this orchard was over $150 per acre.

The subject of this sketch was born in Monroe County, New York, March 4, 1828. His parents were Zebulon and Melinda (Sperry) Paul. His father was a native of Massachusetts and his mother of Connec- ticut. In early life he was reared as a farmer, his education being limited to the common schools of that date. In 1847, when but nineteen years of age, he started in life for himself, and located in Walworth County, Wisconsin, upon the land which his father had purchased and given to him. There for years he followed the general occupation of a farmer, meeting with the success that his well-directed industry en- titled him to. In 1853, while on a visit to Ohio, he married Miss Sophia Gibson, the daughter of Prof. John Gibson and Sarah (Cushman) Gibson, natives of Massachusetts. Professor Gibson was a promi- nent musician and composer. The result of this mar- riage was two children. Mrs. Paul died April 14, 1860. In 1862 Mr. Paul married Miss Elizabeth Green, daughter of John Green, a native of New York, in which Stateshe was born. In 1881 Mr. Paul rented his farm and visited California. He was so well pleased with climate, soil, etc., that upon his return to Wis- consin he sold out most of his interests there, and in 1883 returned to Santa Clara County and located at his present place of residence. Although he has been but a few years in the county, he has identified him- self with the community in which he resides. He is a consistent member of the Baptist Church, also a mem- ber of the Masonic fraternity. Politically, he is a strong Republican. From Mr. Paul's first marriage

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there is living Dephonzo G., who married Miss Eva Tenny, of Wisconsin. They are now residing at Livermore, California. No children were born from his second marriage.

ENRY L. SCHEMMEL, emporium of music, pianos, and musical merchandise, wholesale and retail, Nos. 72 to 78 East Santa Clara Street, San Jose, is the agent for Santa Clara County and adjoining counties south, for the Steinway, Steck, Gabler and Vose pianos. He also deals in sheet- music, and all the special makes of brass and stringed instruments.

Born in Hamburg, Germany, in 1848, he went through the various preparatory schools; he attended the gymnasium and the university. During all these years he had devoted considerable time to the study and practice of music. His tastes, indeed, led him to adopt music as a profession, but in this he was op- posed by his father, who wished him to pursue a business career. About this time, complication arose relative to his entering upon his term of usually re- quired military service. Not satisfied with the out- look, and being favorably disposed to the political ideas dominating our American government, he de- cided to come to the United States. Arriving in New York in 1870, he proceeded at once across the continent to San Francisco, where he devoted himself to a musical career, meeting with a satisfactory degree of success. The climate not agreeing with him at the bay, he removed to San Jose, where he taught music for fourteen years. In 1885 Mr. Schemmel opened the musical establishment now owned and conducted by him, investing carefully at first and to but a limited extent, but after fecling the pulse of the trade he extended his operations, enlarging the store he then occupied, adding the store adjoining for his pianos, extending in the rear for what is now his manufacturing, repair, and polishing rooms. In busi- ness he has been very successful, having been united with valuable piano agencies since opening, the con- fidence developed by so many years of teaching music and contact with people of musical taste contributing largely to this result. Mr. Schemmel was married in 1875 to Miss Mathilde Pfister, daughter of A. Pfister, one of our earliest pioneer merchants and most re- spected citizens. They have three children, Louisa, Adolph, and Frank.

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Pen pictures from the garden of the world, or Santa Clara county, California, Part 44

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