Pen pictures from the garden of the world, or Santa Clara county, California, Part 67

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 67

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The Osborne family has been identified with the history of America since the Colonial times, the Doctor's branch of the family having settled at Dan- vers, Massachusetts, in the early days of that town, and trace their record back to Norman days in En- gland and upon the continent. He is also one of the editors of the interesting "Osborne Genealogical His- tory," the other two editors being resident in New York city.

SAAC M. DAVIS. This gentleman is enjoying the quiet evening of a well-spent, active life in his handsome mansion situated at the corner of Third and William Streets, San Jose. He was born at Smithfield, Jefferson County, Ohio, in 1823. His parents were James and Elizabeth (Staman) Davis,

both natives of Pennsylvania, where they were mar- ried in 1802. They removed to Ohio, settling on a farm of 640 acres, which Mr. Davis purchased, where the family resided until 1846, when they sold out and removed to Mount Pleasant, Ohio. Here his mother died in 1852, and in 1856 his father died, at New Philadelphia, Ohio. They had nine children, of whom Mr. I. M. Davis was the youngest. Until sixteen years of age he lived at home, attending school and working on the farm. He then left home, and taught school most of the time until 1846. He then began mercantile life as a partner in a general merchandise business at Middletown, Guernsey County, Ohio. In two years he sold out and returned to Smithfield, where he remained until 1856, carrying on a store. In that year he transferred his business to Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio, where he was engaged in busi- ness until 1870, at which date he sold out and removed to the Pacific Coast. He remained for two years at Virginia City, Nevada, doing business for the Virginia and Truckce Railroad, and also dealing in mining stocks. In 1872 he removed to San Jose, and has since quietly settled down, his sons engaging in the stock and farming business.

Mr. Davis was married in 1847 to Miss Susanna K. Sharon, of Smithfield, Ohio, sister of the late Hon. William Sharon, ex-Senator of California. She is a daughter of old residents of that place, her grand- parents going there from Philadelphia in 1796. Her grandmother died in 1852, at the very advanced age of 115 years! Mr. and Mrs. Davis have six children living, two having died in infancy: Clara J., wife of Charles L. McCoy, of Oakland; Ida M., wife of Judge J. M. Allen, of San Francisco; Lilly, wife of J. C. Kirkpatrick, of Fresno County; William S., who owns a cattle ranch in Monterey County; Rosa B., wife of George W. Hildreth, of Fresno County; and Charles H., ranching in Fresno County.

Mr. Davis is a Republican, having constantly sup- ported that party since 1860, and believes in the fullest protection of American industries.

Living, as Mr. Davis did, upon the border-land between the North and South during the Rebellion, he saw much active service. He joined the National Guard in 1863, belonging to Company A of the 140th Regiment, and for four months, in 1864, was almost constantly under fire in the Kanawha Valley, West Virginia. In September of that year he was mus- tered out of active service, receiving a document, which he still possesses, conveying the thanks of Pres- ident Lincoln for honorable service in the cause of

363

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

his country. His service, however, was really ended only with the close of the war, as they were constantly menaced with an attack from the rebel leaders, and went constantly under arms.

ACOB LENZEN, Principal of the firm of Jacob Lenzen & Son, Architects, No. 75 East Santa Clara Street, San Jose, has long been prominent in his profession in San Jose, many of the largest buildings in Santa Clara County, as well as in other contiguous counties, being monuments of his skill and judgment as an architect and of his reliability as a contractor and builder. He was born near Cologne, Germany, on his father's farm, and there lived until the age of eighteen years, attending the local schools and taking part in the labors of the farm. In 1856 the family removed to America, settling first in Chi- cago. There they remained six years, during which time Jacob learned the trade of carpenter and builder. In 1862 the family removed to California, settling at once in San Jose. Mr. Lenzen's first work of im- portance here was building the Auzerais House, of which he had charge. Having become thoroughly proficient in the practical knowledge of his profession, and being a close student of its theory, he in time added the profession of architect to that of contractor and builder, his natural skill and correct judgment refining and guiding the knowledge gained from ex- perience and study. So great was the confidence in the results of his work that he was given the building of the court-house at Salinas, the Flood mansion at Menlo Park, the court-house at Redwood City, the Masonic Halls at Watsonville and Hollister, the Odd Fellows' Hall, Hester School-house, Horticultural Hall, and many other public and private buildings in Santa Clara County. In 1884 he formed a partner- ship with his son, Theodore W., who had graduated as an architect, having studied under J. P. Gaynor, who built the Palace Hotel, the Phelan Building, and other prominent buildings in San Francisco. In 1886 this son visited Europe in the interest of his profes- sion, spending one year studying architecture from the higher methods of those countries, especially Italy, from which trip he returned in 1887. Since

that time a number of fine buildings have been placed in their charge, among them the Hospital for the Chronic Insane at Agnew's Station, which will cost over a million dollars. The design for the Hotel Vendome was made by this firm and met with the

unanimous approval of the company, but they thought the building from this design would cost more money than they were able to expend. Here Mr. Lenzen's practical knowledge of building manifested itself, and the contracts for the hotel, under his management, were let for five hundred dollars less than his original estimates. The difference of only $500 between the estimates and actual cost on a hundred-thousand-dollar building is a margin closer than had ever before been known in the history of architecture. The firm now have on hand twenty-five buildings for private parties, in addition to the public buildings being constructed by them.

Mr. Lenzen was married in 1863, in San Francisco, to Miss Kathrina Heckenroth, a native of Germany, and at the time of her marriage a resident of San Francisco. He attributes much of his success in life to the intelligent and inspiring influence of his wife. To them have been born two children, Theodore W. and Nettie. In 1874 he was elected a member of the City Council of San Jose for two years. In national politics he supports the Republican party. He is a member of Garden City Lodge, No. 142, I. O. O. F., and of Encampment No. 35, of San Jose.

ON. RUSH MCCOMAS. Among the public officers of Santa Clara County there is no one who is held in more general esteem than Hon. Rush McComas. He was born in Cabell County, Virginia, in 1830. His parents, Hiram and Rebecca (Hatfield) McComas, were natives of that State, and in 184I removed with their family to Platte County, Missouri, where the youth and early man- hood of the subject of this sketch were passed follow- ing the pursuits of a farmer's son, and picking up the rudiments of an education in the country schools. In 1853 he was elected Assessor of Platte County, but subsequently resigned to engage in mercantile business at Parkville, Missouri, ten miles from where Kansas City now stands. At that time the site was known as Westport Landing, and consisted of a couple of dozen of houses and several warehouses on the flat under the hill; nothing more. During the sea- son of 1857-58 he acted as clerk on a Missouri River steamboat, the firm of which he was a member being part owner, but continued in the general merchandise and produce business until the spring of 1861, when shadows of war darkened the land, and by the the

364

PEN PICTURES FROM THE "GARDEN OF THE WORLD."

following fall financial ruin had overtaken nearly every man in business in that part of Missouri, him- self among the number.

In October he removed with his family to Califor- nia, reaching Santa Clara, via Panama, early in No- vember, 1861. For several years he worked as a day laborer during the harvest season. In 1864 he bought his present home of eighty acres, purchasing the claim from different individuals, but afterward discovering that it was Government land. This place he has gradually improved until now he has four acres of pears, four of quinces, ten of strawberries, and the rest in general farming. It lies on the Coffin Road, about four miles north of Santa Clara, and is watered by three artesian wells, which furnish an ample sup- ply for all purposes. In 1877 Mr. McComas was elected to the State Legislature, serving with credit to himself and giving satisfaction to his constituents.

In 1878, under the existing laws, the entire support of the government fell upon the laboring and produc- ing classes, money at loan upon mortgage not being taxed. To correct this and other evils, a constitu- tional convention was called. Mr. McComas was elected a member of it, having shown much interest in the endeavor to remedy them. They met in Octo- ber, 1878, in Sacramento, and, after a session of five months, succeeded in framing the present Constitu- tion of the State, which was adopted by vote of the people soon after. The equalization of taxation ef- fected by this has given a great impetus to all the material interests of the State. In 1879 he was again elected a member of the Assembly, served on the Committee on Education and Claims, and was Chair- man of the Committee on Public Lands, and took a leading part in the successful effort to obtain the ap- propriation to build the present State Normal School in the city of San Jose. In 1884 Mr. McComas was elected County Treasurer, and again in 1886, being now the incumbent of that office.

He was married, in 1853, to Miss Ann E. Swope, of Missouri, her parents having removed thither from Madison County, Kentucky, early in its history. Mr. and Mrs. McComas have seven children: William, now living on the home farm; Cora, wife of D. W. Burchard, of San Jose; Ella, Harriet, Anna, Katy, Allen, and Henry. Most of them are still living un- der the parental roof.

Mr. McComas is a member of the Masonic Order, as also of the Patrons of Husbandry, the A. O. U. W., the Chosen Friends, the American Legion of Honor and Order of the Eastern Star. He is a

stanch Republican, and believes fully in the protec- tion of American industries. A man of rigid integ- rity and crystal probity, he has the fullest confidence of the people, as is evinced by the fact that he expe- rienced not the least difficulty in furnishing bonds to the amount of $300,000, as County Treasurer and Tax Collector. Mr. McComas is a careful and con- scientious public officer, and a leading member of the Republican party, receiving the unanimous vote of the convention which nominated him. While hold- ing the highest esteem of his own party, he possesses likewise the fullest respect and confidence of every citizen.

DOLPH T. HERRMANN. The subject of this biographical sketch, Mr. Adolph T. Herr- mann, the well-known civil engineer and land surveyor, a Deputy United States Surveyor, and senior member of the firm of Herrmann Brothers, was born in Hanover, Germany, in 1839. He received his education in an agricultural college in Germany, studying land surveying and civil engineering incident- ally. Leaving Germany in 1859, he spent some time in the Sandwich Islands, having charge of an estate in the island of Kanai, the most westerly and beauti- ful of the islands. He came to San Francisco in 1860, but as he contracted a chest disease there he remained only two years, returning to the Sandwich Islands. In 1865 he came again to California, and settled in San Jose, engaging extensively in land surveying and civil engineering. In 1872 he was elected County Surveyor, a position he held for two terms. During that time he established the boundaries of the county, fixed the grade and boundaries of the Alameda, made the first full and complete map of the county from actual survey, locating the roads, boundaries, names of owners, etc. The first start for a complete map for the use of the assessor was made by him, as was also the laying out and superintending the construction of the magnificent road to Mt. Hamilton. In connection with his brother, he provided the fine system of sew- erage of Santa Clara, and now, in 1888, is engaged in performing the same service for Santa Cruz. One of the largest pieces of work done by him in the county was the partition of the Las Animas Rancho, settling the land titles to that immense property. This was the largest partition land-suit ever had in California. Mr. Herrmann has located many of the main roads in this county, and also those leading to Santa Cruz

365

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

and San Joaquin Counties. The firm has also done much of the Government surveying in San Benito, Monterey, Fresno, and Stanislaus Counties, as also surveying all the rough lands in this county. Mr. Herr- mann's parents are both still living in Germany, his father having been professor of philology and theology at Göttingen University and director of the Ritter Academy in Lüneburg, which was abolished in 1848. For generations the various members of the family have been military and literary men. A grandfather was a professor of the celebrated University of Leipsic. While the first Napoleon was in the pleni- tude of his power, this professor was so earnest in his speeches and efforts in urging the uprising of Ger- many against the French yoke, which culminated and ended in the dreadful battles of Leipsic and Waterloo, that Napoleon placed a price of 1,000 louis-d'or on his head. He was obliged to flee to Russia, taking with him Mr. Herrmann's father, then a child, remaining an exile until the overthrow of the tyrant.

Mr. Herrmann has been a member of Garden City Lodge, No. 142, I. O. O. F., for nearly twenty years, as also of Mt. Hamilton Lodge, of San Jose, A. O. U. W. He believes in a just protection to American industries, and in a proper restriction of the immigra- tion of undesirable elements.

CHARLES L. BLAKEMORE has recently pur- chased a beautiful home on the Almaden about

℮ three miles from San Jose, where he now resides. He was born at Keokuk, Iowa, in 1861, and attended school there until eleven years old, when he moved with the family to Texas, his father being a rail- road contractor. The family remained in Texas about three years, when they removed to Wyoming Terri- tory, where his father turned his attention to mining, first at Deadwood, Dakota, and thence to the Black Hills, after the removal of the Sioux Indians there- from. In the spring of 1878 his father engaged in building the Colorado Central Railroad from Chey- enne to Denver, and after the road was completed he removed first to Silver Cliff and then to Leadville, where he engaged in silver-mining. The subject of this sketch remained at Silver Cliff while his father was operating at Leadville, the rest of the family dur- ing these years remaining at Cheyenne. In 1882 the family left for California, where his father engaged in quartz-mining, in Trinity and Shasta Counties, in

which business he is still engaged. His father, James M., is a native of Pennsylvania, and his mother, Cath- erine, nee Gillespie, a native of Virginia. His father has been a very active and enterprising man, and was one of the California pioneers of 1849.

Charles L. Blakemore was married in October, 1882, to Miss Hessie Gillespie, of Keokuk, Iowa. They have two children, born in California, Katie Olif and Charles Cecil.

Mr. Blakemore is still interested in mining in North- ern California and Colorado, having mines in both States. His home on the Almaden contains twenty- nine acres, one-half in wine and table grapes, ten acres in French prunes, and a family orchard of differ- ent varieties. He has made fine improvements around his $4,000 cottage, and has invested $5,000 in the Index Saloon in San Jose. Until recently he owned considerable property in San Jose, but has dis- posed of it. The Blakemore Mine in Trinity County is considered to be one of the most profitable mines in Northern California.

APT. GEORGE WELCH was born in County Down, Ireland, in 1837, which country he left in the spring of 1853, coming to Malone, New York, with an older brother, where he com- pleted his education. In 1857, during the Fraser River excitement, he came to California, and went to the mines in that locality in the summer of 1858. He resided in British Columbia about nine years, where he was connected with the police department of Vic- toria, but resigned his position on the force to accept one in the Bank of British Columbia. He was sent with Edwin Russell to establish a branch of this bank at Caribou, and the managers of the bank showed their confidence in him by giving him charge of the gold escort of the company, the treasure consisting of gold-dust from Caribou, to New Westminster (then the capital of British Columbia), and coin and notes back to Caribou. Later he was appointed Inspector of Police at Victoria, which position he held for three years. At the expiration of that time the two gov- ernments of the colonies of Vancouver Island and British Columbia consolidated, and Captain Welch came to California. After coming to San Jose, he engaged first with Wells, Fargo & Co., where he remained a year, and then opened a produce business in partnership with Andrew Baraco, in which he con- tinued for more than a year, when he engaged in his

366

PEN PICTURES FROM THE "GARDEN OF THE WORLD."

present business of general life and fire insurance, real estate, and money loaning, with E. P. Reed. After continuing in business with this gentleman for fifteen years, Mr. Reed retired, and Captain Welch associated with himself E. M. Rosenthal, the firm now being Welch & Rosenthal, who are doing an ex- cellent business in the Linden Block, in the same room with the San Jose Mercury office.

Captain Welch was married, in 1862, to Miss Kate Rielly, a native of Cork, Ireland, who came to this county with her grandmother, her parents having died when she was an infant. There have been born to Captain and Mrs. Welch five children : Annie M., Mary E., George, Kate, and John M. The eldest is married and living in Hong Kong, China. The others still reside with their parents. Captain Welch was once a member of the Ninth Regiment of United States Infantry, and later he was Captain of the San Jose Guards, an independent militia organization. Captain Welch's parents are still living, his father being eighty-nine, and his mother ninety-six, years of age.

ROFESSOR GERHARD SCHOOF, teacher of industrial drawing in the public schools, has a beautiful home and well-cared-for orchard of five acres off of Willow Street between Lincoln and Myrtle Avenues. There are on the place about 325 French prunes, 225 apricots, 50 cherries, and an assort- ment of fruits for family use. All of these are in bearing. In 1887 only three acres were in bearing, the returns amounting to $600, this being the first crop from the orchard. Professor Schoof has also a ranch of 150 acres near Pleasanton, Alameda County, which he is gradually setting out in fruit.

He was born in Hanover, Germany, in 1849. His parents, Louis and Mary (Maetke) Schoof, were also natives of that locality. His father was Professor of Mathematics at the Mining Academy at Clausthal, Hanover, which position he resigned after fifty years' service, and now resides at Wiesbaden. The subject of this sketch was educated in the Gymnasium of Clausthal, graduating at that institution in 1869. He then attended the University of Göttingen, joining the army from there on the breaking out of the Franco- Prussian War, where he was promoted to a Second Licutenancy and received the Order of the Iron Cross for special service in the Battle of Beaune La Ro- lande. His colonel recommended him for the Iron

Cross for successfully carrying dispatches and bring- ing some flying batteries to bear on the French which were attacking a village defended by his regiment. After the close of the Franco-Prussian war he gradu- ated at the Military Academy at Hanover, and then served the army until he came to the United States in 1872. His first employment was surveying in New Jersey. In 1873 he came to California and was em- ployed in the office of his cousin, the City Surveyor of San Jose. In 1874 he went to San Francisco, and for nine months was on the staff of the California Demo- krat. He then commenced lithographing, which he followed until 1876. In that year he passed his ex- amination as teacher of industrial drawing, being em- ployed in the San Francisco schools until 1884, when he came to San Jose, since which time he has been employed in a similar position in the State Normal school.

In 1877 Professor Schoof was married to Miss Martha Naeve, of Kiel, Holstein. They have three children, Percy, born in 1878; Ella, in 1880; and Julia, in 1883. Professor Schoof takes great pride in the roses on his ranch, of which there are between fifty and sixty rare varieties, which he values highly. He also claims to have the largest cherry tree of the county on his place. In politics he is more or less in sympathy with the Democratic party.

CHARLES HERRMANN was born in Germany, upe in 1846, his parents being Adolph and E. (Pur- gold) Herrmann, both natives of that country.

He was educated at the Polytechnic School at Hanover and Carlsruhe, in Germany, graduating in 1865 as a mechanical engineer. He at once accepted a position in that capacity on a steamer plying between New York and a German port, and also made one trip to New Orleans as engineer on the Saxonia. In 1867 he gave up this employment and devoted his time to the study of civil engineering and land surveying in Germany. In the spring of 1869 he came to California from his native land, via New York and the Panama route, coming direct to San Jos .. Here he continued the study and practice of surveying, with his brother, A. T. Herrmann, two years, when he went to Sacra- mento City and there was employed by the Southern Pacific Railroad Company, in his former profession as mechanical engineer and locomotive builder. After remaining there about two years, he returned to San Jose and resumed the occupation of land surveying, to

367

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

which he has since devoted his time exclusively. He and his brother made the first complete map of Santa Clara County, which contains the subdivisions of land with the owner's name, also the school districts, roads, etc .; this work occupied nearly two years, and the map formed the base of the assessments of the year 1873-74. From this all later maps of the county have been constructed. He has been elected County Surveyor of Santa Clara County three terms. One term he was obliged to resign the office and return to Germany to settle some affairs that required his at- tention. In 1882, when General Stoneman was elected Governor of this State, the only Republicans elected to office in this county were Messrs. Herrmann, Chip- man, and Harris.

Mr. Herrmann was married, in 1872, to Miss Helen Hurst, a native of Germany, who came with her par- ents to this country when she was but four years of age. Mr. Herrmann owns sixty acres of land about nine miles from San Jose, on the Young road, near the Lieb orchard and the Hecney vineyard. This he in- tends to plant in prunes and apricots. Mr. Herrmann is, and ever has been, an ardent adherent of the Re- publican party, and believes in the protection of American industries.

M ADAME VEUVE LAMOLLE & CO., pro- prietors of the Lamolle House and Restaurant, corner of San Pedro and Santa Clara Streets, San Jose, have for the past eighteen years con- ducted a restaurant in this city, the management and cuisine of which have a reputation second to none in the State or the Pacific Coast. Madame Lamolle has had ample experience, having studied the art of cook- ing in France, and has conducted first-class establish- ments for the past thirty years in Virginia City, Reno, and Winnemucca, Nevada, previous to establishing business in San Jose in 1872. They have an average of seventy-five transient guests per day besides their regular table boarders. There are twenty-seven sleep- ing-rooms in the house. They specially cater to the few who want good accommodations and fine French cooking. The firm consists of Madame Lamolle, Emile J. Lamolle, the business manager, Mr. Alexis Gaston, the chef de cuisine, formerly one of the cooks at Delmonico's in New York. Thus every department of this well-conducted house is in experienced hands.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Pen pictures from the garden of the world, or Santa Clara county, California, Part 67

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