Pen pictures from the garden of the world, or Santa Clara county, California, Part 65

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 65

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The subject of this sketch was reared and educated in his native country, and at the age of twenty-two years emigrated to America, landing in New York. He went to Hamilton, Ontario, where he engaged in contracting. One year later he removed to Chicago, and from there to Quincy, Illinois, and thence again to Mississippi, where he engaged in contracting on the Mobile & Ohio Railroad. From there he returned to England on a visit of six months' duration, and on coming back again to this country, resumed his con- nection with the Mobile & Ohio Railroad as con- tractor for bridges. At the outbreak of the Civil War he again went to England, and engaged in the leather business as a master tanner and currier. Five years later he was again in the United States, and engaged in a planing-mill at Quincy. Four or five years later he went to Hannibal, Missouri, and engaged in the planing-mill business and contracting. In 1875 he came to California, and for a year and a half was en- gaged in stair building in Oakland. He then went back to Hannibal, and from there to Texas, where he established planing-mills at Austin and San Antonio, and a brick-yard at Laredo. He built the government post-office building at Austin, and a number of large store structures and residences in San Antonio, Gold-

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frank, Frank & Company, and the Withers and Ben- nett Blocks. He also built the Washington County Court House at Brenham, and additions to the Deaf and Dumb and Blind Asylums at Austin, and the Milmo Bank and other buildings at Laredo. His last contract was the opera house at Saltillo, Mexico. Having closed out his business interests in that region, he came to California, bought his beautiful residence place, and moved there in May, 1887.

His home place is one of the most attractive on the Monterey road. It is bordered in front with an evergreen wall, beautifully cut and trimmed, and a similar wall incloses the walk, which widens out be- fore reaching the house, enclosing a fountain and flower beds. There are ten acres here, planted in fruit in 1879. The trees, which are healthy and pro- ductive, are principally apricots, though there are many choice prunes, plums, pears, a few peaches, etc. A steam engine of six-horse-power does the pumping necessary for irrigation. The residence is a handsome one, built in 1875. Mr. Waite has another place of twenty acres, three miles from Santa Clara, on the San Francisco road. Here there are six acres in apricots, prunes, egg plums, etc., six acres in fine wine grapes, and four in choice table varieties. No irrigation is required at this place. It has a good four-room house, and is altogether an attractive and valuable place.

Mr. Waite was married in Hannibal, Missouri, to Miss Mary Ann Wilkes, a native of Detroit, Michigan. They have one son, William.

In politics Mr. Waite is a Republican.

ONARD HART, one of the old settlers of Santa Clara County, is a native of Pennsylvania, born in Berks County, February 22, 1825, his parents being John and Anna (Coppas) Hart, both of whom were native Pennsylvanians. When Conard was in his fifth year his parents removed to Pickaway County, Ohio, and there he was reared and learned the tailor's trade, seven miles east of Circleville. In 1843 the family removed to Jay County, Indiana, and there the parents lived until their death. One year after their removal there, however, Conard went back to Ohio, where he worked at his trade three years, then removed to Logansport, Indiana, where he ac- quired property and pursued his trade. In 1853 he started by team for California, crossed the Wabash at Attica, then through Bloomington, Illinois, crossing

the Mississippi at Fort Madison, Iowa, and the Mis- souri at St. Joseph. Accompanying him were two other wagons with their occupants, also from Logans- port. They took the route by Sublette's cut-off, and arrived at Grizzly Flat, California, July II, after a trip of seventy-two days. After about a month, he started on his travels, going in succession to Sacra- mento, Nichols, Foster's Bar on Yuba River, Napa Valley, thence to Portland, Oregon (that place being then a mere hamlet), from there up the Willamette River as far as Eugene City, and on the first of Sep- tember, 1853, he started for San Jose.

On his arrival, he went to work on the very tract of land where he now resides, and seven years later had accumulated enough money to buy and pay for it. This tract consists of forty-seven and one-half acres, hardly three-fourths of a mile from the city limits of San Jose. When he came here it was wild land without even a fence, but it is now one of the most productive places in the county. From thirty acres he cut about 100 tons of hay. He has nearly twelve acres in fruit, planted in 1885, and all showing splendid progress. There are about 900 French prunes, 200 apricots, and 300 yellow egg plums. These trees are said by competent judges to be as fine as any in the State. Mr. Hart raises about fifty tons of beets on five acres, and ten tons of carrots. From some of his old apple-trees he has picked twenty-two boxes per tree, and from a single Winter Nelis pear-tree, twelve to fifteen boxes. The present residence was built in 1860. Mr. Hart was married in that year to Mrs. Margaret A. Funk, a native of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Hart died in De- cember, 1879, and left one child.

Mr. Hart is, politically, a stanch Republican.

ARTIAL COTTLE, of San Jose Township, comes of one of the old Santa Clara County families. He was born in Lincoln County, Mis- souri, July 24, 1833. His father, Edward Cottle, was a native of Vermont, who emigrated to Mis- souri in 1811, locating in Lincoln County, among the early settlers. There he was married to Miss Celia Jamison, who was a native of Kentucky. The family left Missouri, April, 1854, and, joining a wagon train, crossed the plains to California, driving some 600 head of cattle and a number of horses. They came directly to Santa Clara County, arriving in San Jose on the eleventh of October. They located along the

Jahre Suyder.

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banks of the Coyote, and the parents resided in this county until their deaths. The father died in July, 1868, and the mother in the fall of 1855. They are buried in Oak Hill Cemetery. Mr. Cottle was an old-line Whig in the days of that party, and afterward a Republican.

Martial Cottle, the subject of this sketch, remained with his parents some time after their arrival. He commenced farming on a portion of the Santa Teresa Ranch, in which his father was the first to purchase an individual interest, and subsequently had his share allotted. His present home farm is a portion of this grant, and he has made all the improvements on it, including fencing. His handsome residence was erected in 1883, at a cost of $3,000. His ranch con- tains 350 acres, and is only about three miles from San Jose. He usually cuts about 150 acres for grain, and the wheat yield averages between fifteen and twenty centals per acre. The remainder of the place is devoted to pasture, which yields from one and one-half to two tons to the acre. He was formerly interested in dairying, but since 1885 has been almost entirely out of this line. He has 185 acres in another tract, adjoining the Monterey road, which is devoted to grain and pasture. He usually runs about seventy-five head of cattle and twenty of horses.

Mr. Cottle was married, in this county, to Miss Edith Littlefield, a native of Santa Clara County, and daughter of John Littlefield, an old settler. Both her parents died in this county. Mr. and Mrs. Cottle have four children, viz .: Leora, Mabel, Martial, and Mortimer.

In politics Mr. Cottle is a stanch Republican.

OHN SNYDER was born in Harrison County, Indiana, February 11, 1828. His father, Joseph K. Snyder, was a native of Philadelphia, where he was reared and married to Sarah Fleming, a na- tive of France, who came to Philadelphia with her parents when she was a mere child. They afterward emigrated to Indiana and were pioneers of that State. It was about 1820-21 when they settled in Laconia, Harrison County, and they lived in that county until the fall of 1839. They then moved to what was af- terward Tipton, Cedar County, Iowa, where they lived the remainder of their life-time. They reared a family of eight children, five daughters and three sons, of whom three sons and one daughter are now living. John Snyder remained with his parents until he was

twenty-one years old. In the spring of 1849 he made the trip to California, coming overland, there being two wagons in the party when they started. At the Missouri River they were joined by others, but while traveling over the country some of the party were slow in their movements, while the two wagons belonging to Mr. Snyder's party, together with another one making faster time, soon outstripped the others, and stayed together during the remainder of the journey. With the party was Mr. Snyder's father and his brother-in-law, Mr. Moses Bunker, but they, however, soon after returned to Iowa. The party came into the State where Chico is now located, and from there, in the fall of 1849, went to Shasta, or where that city now is, which at that time was called Redding Springs. Mr. Snyder worked in the mines there until the following April, when he went on to Trinity, and mined there a part of the spring. At this place a party was organized to go down to Humboldt Bay after provisions for the camp. Also a prospecting tour was made from Trinity, where a trail was laid to the Salmon River; there they mined a short time and then returned to Trinity, where Weaverville is now located. There they organized another expedition, commanded by a man named John Ross. The result of this expedition was the discovery of Scott River. History records the event as the river being discovered by a man named Scott; but the truth of the matter is, it was first seen by Mr. Snyder's 'party, and they, having trouble with the Pawnees, who had stolen a part of their horses, were in pursuit of the Indians, trying to recover their lost horses, when they came across Scott and his party, whom they told of the river, whereupon Scott turned his course in that direction and made it known that he discovered it.

After spending some time in the recovery of their horses, Mr. Snyder and his party returned to Trinity after supplies, when they made another trip to Scott River and spent some time in mining at Scott's Bar, where they took out considerable gold. Bad weather set in, and the party left and followed the course of the river up nearly to its head, where they left it and went off in the direction where Fort Jones is now lo- cated, then went toward Shasta Butte and came to the Oregon trail. Here the party broke camp; some going to Oregon and others, including Mr. Snyder, came down to Sacramento. From there he came to San Jose, and stayed in that vicinity about two months, when he went down to the lower Redwoods, back of where Searsville is now located, and worked

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there until the winter of 1850-51. Returning to Santa Clara County the following spring, he remained here until February, 1852, during which time he had a severe sickness. He then returned to the Red- woods lower down than where he was at first, and worked there until the fall of 1854. In 1855 he re- turned to Santa Clara County, and commenced farm- ing and running a threshing-machine, and has fol- lowed farming since. In the fall of 1855 he was mar- ried to Martha Kifer. He continued farming in the neighborhood of Santa Clara until the fall of 1859, when he sold and bought a farm near Mountain View, and lived there until 1865.

His present place he bought in 1861, which is sit- uated four miles from Mountain View Station, and now contains 800 acres. The original purchase was 1, 160 acres. In 1862 he put in the first crop, which yielded sufficient returns to pay for one-half of the land. This was about the first grain-raising in this section, as the old settlers thought grain could not be raised here without irrigation; however, after the successful experiment of Mr. Snyder, it was not long before it was followed by others: He has from 450 to 500 acres under cultivation. Twenty-five acres are in orchard, mostly in French prunes; and he also has sixteen acres in vineyard, all in good bearing condi- tion. Mr. Snyder has eighty acres in the Collins School District, which is all in vineyard. The farm where he lived near Mountain View, which he yet owns, contains 160 acres, which is devoted to hay production. In the fall of 1866 Mr. Snyder and his brother-in-law, Mr. Kifer, went to the Salinas Valley, in Monterey County, and bought 400 acres of land together, after which they made other purchases until they owned over 1,200 acres. The first purchase was put into wheat, and the first two years it yielded twenty-two sacks to the acre. They then divided the property, Mr. Kifer taking the original 400 acres, and Mr. Snyder the other purchases, which amounted to 850 acres. Since that time Mr. Snyder has sold part of it, having at the present time 300 acres in that valley. In the winter of 1880 Mr. Snyder, together with two others, bought a half interest in what is called the Mountaineer, a quartz mine near Nevada City. The mine was located, but had not been de- veloped until the present parties came into its pos- session. The other members of the company not being financially able, Mr. Snyder, at his own ex- pense, built a mill on the property in 1882. He still owns a one-sixth interest in the mine, which has been a paying investment.

RUCE A. BASSETT, deceased, came with his family to Santa Clara County, in 1882. He was a native of Ohio, born at Milan, Erie County, August 3, 1834, his parents being Cornelius and Clarissa (Mckinney) Bassett, both natives of New York State. He was reared to farm life and followed that vocation. He was married, in Ohio, to Miss Weltha L. Taylor, a native of Erie County, and daughter of Julius H. and Aurilla (Allen) Taylor. Her father was born in Ohio, and her mother in New York State, but she was reared in Ohio from her thirteenth year. In 1882 the family came to Califor- nia, and in August of that year Mr. Bassett purchased a ranch of 134 acres in the hill country east of San Jose, where the family now reside. Here he followed farming until his death, which occurred on the sixth of March, 1887. Mr. Bassett was an intelligent and active man; was a brother of the Superintendent of the Southern Pacific Railroad, Northern Division. He was a Republican in his political views. Mrs. Bassett has three children: Arthur T., Linn A., and Clara A.

OHN FRANCIS LEWIS, Superintendent of the winery and vineyard at Palo Alto Ranch, is a man of no ordinary attainments. He is a native of South Carolina, born in Charleston, his parents be- ing John and Cloelia J. (Costa Magna) Lewis, both of whom were also born in Charleston. J. F. Lewis was reared in his native city until ten years of age, when he was sent to Europe to be educated, and there re- ceived the advantages of those celebrated institutions of learning, the Royal Polytechnic School at Dresden and the Royal Academy of Mines at Freiberg. From Germany he came to California, in 1862. He remained in San Francisco a short time, then went to Virginia City, Nevada, and there entered upon the duties of mining engineering. He became connected with the Western Union Telegraph expedition, having charge of surveying parties until the expedition disbanded in 1867. He became assistant to General B. S. Alexan- der, President of the Board of Engineers for the Pa- cific Coast, and was associated with him until the latter part of 1878. In 1879 he bought a vineyard and winery at Vine Hill, Santa Cruz County, and en- gaged in the business of raising grapes and making wine. In 1882 the firm of Lewis & Hindes was formed, and they carried on the wine-making busi- .

ness at Saratoga until 1886. Mr. Lewis then assumed

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the superintendency of the Los Gatos Co-operative Winery, which engaged his attention until he took his present position in the following year.

Mr. Lewis was twice married. His first wife was Fannie Eleanor Hindes. She died in 1884. By this marriage there were two children: Alvin Francis and Joseph Hindes. His present wife was formerly Miss N. B. Moutrey, a native of Santa Clara County. Her father was Riley Moutrey, the man who saved the Donner party. By this marriage there is one child Nancy Belle.

RANCIS L. CORCORAN, Superintendent of the farming operations at Palo Alto Ranch, is a native of Wisconsin, born in Washington County, February 2, 1852, his parents being Michael and Ann Corcoran .. His father settled in that county in 1845, with the pioneers. In 1865 the parents moved to Fond du Lac County, that State, locating near the city of Fond du Lac, where Francis L. remained un- til 1878, when he came to California, locating at Stockton. In February, 1883, he came to Menlo Park Ranch, and was soon appointed to his present position. He was married in this county to Miss Mary F. Smith, a native of Santa Clara, and daughter of Joseph Smith, deceased, an old settler. They have one child, Lorenc Frances. Mr. Corcoran is a pleas- ant and agreeable gentleman, of superior intelligence, and well qualified for the management of the impor- tant interests placed in his care.

HARLES MARVIN, the noted expert who has charge of the trotting ranch at Palo Alto farm, is a native of New York, born in Genesee County, in 1839. In 1844 his parents moved westward, locating at Lowell, Michigan. At the age of twelve he commenced a residence in Central Illinois, and in 1856 went to Clinton, Iowa. From there he went to Pike's Peak, in 1860. In the second year of the war he offered his services to the Union cause, and was assigned to the Second Colorado regiment, as a mem- ber of which he served until the close of hostilities, though most of the time on special duty, and in the capacity of a scout. In this line of duty his personal courage and quickness of decision stood him in good stead. In 1865 he removed to Kansas City, where he picked up a couple of runners and commenced train- ing race horses. His success attracted the attention

of P. B. Gardner, a liveryman of Kansas City, and the latter engaged his services, about the close of the year 1865. He remained in Mr. Gardner's employ about two years, and was especially successful in converting pacers to a trotting gait. In 1867 he went to Mexico, where he remained two years. Returning to Kansas City, a partnership was formed between Mr. Marvin and E. L. Mitchell, Mr. Marvin again developing some trotters and pacers. In 1872 they removed to Olathe, Kansas, constructed a track, and commenced training on a larger scale. During that year a Mr. Morgan brought to Olathe a big brown pacer to be trained, having concluded to make a trotter of him. This horse was Smuggler. On the ninth of August Mr. Marvin commenced to teach him the trotting gait, and soon found that all his patience would be re- quired in the task. On the twenty-eighth the horse struck the trotting step, and twenty-one days there- after he trotted two consecutive mile heats in 2:321/4 and 2:3012 respectively. The next spring $10,000 was offered for the horse, but refused, and he was sold the same year for $30,000, and five years later, by Colonel Russell, of Boston, for $40,000. The career of Smuggler was always a matter of special interest to Mr. Marvin, who it is safe to say never knew a prouder day than that on which he drove Smuggler in that great race in which he beat Goldsmith Maid, the acknowledged Queen of the Turf. In the winter of 1877-78 Mr. Marvin took Smuggler to California, but the great horse went wrong, and was shipped to his Eastern home, while Mr. Marvin remained in Cali- fornia. He offered his services to Governor Stanford on trial, and that they have been appreciated by the latter is evinced by the great confidence he has in the manager of his trotting interests. His reputation in his profession is evidenced by the following testi- monial from Col. H. S. Russell, owner of Smuggler, with whom he was so long associated, in a published letter to the editor of the Breeders' Gazette :-

"In addition to your very just praise of Charles Marvin as a driver, I beg leave to give my testimony of him as a man. Not only the horse, but the owner as well, may have every confidence in him. If the trotting interests of the country had been piloted by such men as he, there would have been more honest owners in the field to-day, and the better part of our citizens would be ready to encourage, rather than sus- pect, the motives which prompt capital to invest in a pastime which unfortunately has been shamefully abused."

Mr. Marvin was married, in Kansas City, to Miss

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Fannie Martin, a lady of much intelligence and refine- ment. She is a native of Waukegan, Illinois, and daughter of Daniel and Didana Martin. Her parents, who were formerly from the village of Hartford, Washington County, New York, located in Chicago among its early settlers, when there were hardly a dozen little cabins to mark the site of that now won- derful city. After a residence of three years at Chicago, they removed to Waukegan, Lake County, Illinois, and there remained thirteen years. From there they removed to Bates County, Missouri, during the excitement of the Missouri-Kansas border troub- les, and the family, who were the only Free-Soilers in the community, fared none too well in their own home. After three years of residence there, they removed to Osawatomie, Kansas, the home of John Brown. Mrs. Marvin well remembers the old hero, who was a fre- quent visitor at the Martin homestead and a warm friend on account of their antislavery sympathies. When the Civil War came on, four of her brothers offered their services in behalf of their country's flag, and one of them, who was also a member of the Kan- sas Legislature, was killed in defense of the Union, at Bridgeport, Alabama, in 1865. The father of Mrs. Marvin died in 1858, and her mother in 1884. Mr. and Mrs. Marvin were the parents of four children, of whom one, Addie, died at the age of two years. Those living are: Howard, Jessie, and Charles, Jr.

F. TAAFFE. One of the most extensive farm- ers in Santa Clara County is the young gentle- man whose name heads this sketch, and who manages 3,000 acres of the Taaffe Ranch, three miles from Mountain View. To cultivate this amount is a large undertaking for one individual, but every- thing about the place indicates good management and commendable care and attention. In 1888 he cut about 1,000 acres for hay, averaging two tons to the acre. Five hundred acres of wheat averaged between twelve and fifteen sacks to the acre. The land is very productive, and in particularly favorable years this average is largely increased. The ranch, which occu- pies a beautiful location, is watered by the San Anto- nio or " Adobe " Creek, and by a number of large and never-failing springs. About sixty head of horses are usually kept on the place, mostly Norman stock.

Mr. William Taaffe, who has given his personal at- tention to this place since the spring of 1887, is a native of San Francisco, born July 16, 1864. He was

reared at the Bay View Farm, in Santa Clara County, and received his education at St. Mary's, and at Santa Clara College, at which he graduated in 1884. After completing his education he superintended the Bay View Farm until he came to his present home place. Mr. Taaffe is a son of William P. and Elizabeth Yuba (Murphy) Taaffe, mentioned elsewhere in this volume. He is a grandson of Martin Murphy, Sr., that grand pioneer who left as a heritage to his descendants a name which will always be revered in the history of the Golden State. In its proper place in this book his life history is given, with the account of the party he led to this coast, and to whom Santa Clara County owes so much of gratitude. Mr. Taaffe was married, in San Francisco, in April, 1887, to Miss M. J. Dunne, a native of that city, and daughter of Peter F. Dunne, of San Francisco. She also comes of one of the his- toric families of this county. In politics Mr. Taaffe is a Democrat.

APTAIN CHARLES GORDON WILSON, of Fremont Township, is a native of Sydney, Australia, born May 17, 1846. His father, W. C. Wilson, was a baker by trade. His mother died when he was a child of three years, and in 1849 the father and family sailed for California, landing at San Fran- cisco, where they located, and there the subject of this sketch was reared. A nautical life had been his dream from childhood, and when but twelve years of age he commenced his career on the bay as master and owner of the Advance, a five-ton vessel, which served his pur- pose for eight years, and was then succeeded by a larger vessel, the Annie Harley. In 1876 he built the schooner Charles G. Wilson, at Wilson's Landing. Here was also constructed the Marie Chevalier, which he operated in the bay trade for seven years. Captain Wilson has been owner of every vessel he has been connected with in the thirty years of his experience in the bay and coast trade, and in reality master, though of course he could not take out master's papers uutil he had reached the age of twenty-one years. The landing, which is known by his name, is by the junction of three counties,-Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara,-and here the captain has four acres of land. He has commodious warehouse buildings, with a capacity of 9,000 bales of hay. The ship- ments from the landing will average between 700 and 1,000 tons per annum. He has a beautiful residence place in Santa Clara County. It contains five acres,

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Pen pictures from the garden of the world, or Santa Clara county, California, Part 65

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