Pen pictures from the garden of the world, or Santa Clara county, California, Part 81

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 81

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being a member of both. He is also Master of Tem- cscal Grange of Oakland, and Chaplain of the State Grange. He is known as an enterprising business man, as well as a faithful minister of the gospel, and has well earned his reputation for faithfulness in every duty, whether religious or secular. He is valued as a neighbor, and esteemed and respected by all.

ARTIN D. KELL, residing on the Almaden road, two and one-half miles from the Court- house at San Jose, was born near Toronto, Canada, April 5, 1840. He is the son of Thomas and Margaret (Murphy) Kell. His father was born in Durhamshire, England, in 1804, leaving there with his parents, in 1816, they becoming pioneer settlers of Canada East, at Franton, thirty-six miles from Quebec. There the father, Thomas Kell, Sr., died about 1820. At the same place Thomas Kell, Jr., father of the subject of this sketch, married, in 1828, Miss Margaret Murphy. She was born in County Wexford, Ireland, in 1811, being the daughter of Martin Murphy, Sr., whose history appears elsewhere in this volume. She left Ireland, with her parents, when nine years of age, remaining in Canada East until 1839. Thomas Kell, Jr., and his wife settled near Toronto, living there until the autumn of 1841, when they became pioneers of Atchison County, Missouri, where Mrs. Kell's parents had preceded them about two years. In 1844 Martin Murphy, Sr., with his family and a few friends, made the haz- ardous journey across the plains, with wagons, and became the advance guards of the hosts which brought civilization to this sunny land, with its boun- tiful soil. Mr. Kell, who had made a good start on the new, productive soil of Atchison County, was reluctant to leave. But the glowing reports from his father-in-law, as to the healthfulness and productive- ness of California, foreshadowing its future acquisi- tion by the United States, with prophetic vision of its coming grandeur, decided him to undertake the trip. Accordingly, with his household, he commenced the long, weary journey May 11, 1846. This journey, attended by all the dangers incident to travel, across the western wilds and pathless mountains, inhabited only by Indians and the wild beasts of the forest, was very different from travel of this day. Perhaps some idea of the hardships of such a journey can be gained, when one reflects that Mr. Kell slept for the first time under a California roof, October 11, just five months

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from the day he left Missouri. Now that journey can be made by rail, in as many days. Their train was the largest one that had ever crossed the mountains, at one time consisting of fifty-three wag- ons, most of which were bound for Oregon, all under the command of one Major Cooper. The first night (spoken of above) was spent with Martin Murphy, Jr., brother of Mrs. Kell, near where Sacramento now stands, below Sutter's Fort. Martin Murphy had learned, by an advance of the party, that the Kells were suffering from sickness, and making slow prog- ress. Mounting his horse, he followed the trail cast- ward, about thirty-six hours, without rest. Meeting the family, he piloted them to his home, a journey which, with their worn-out animals, it required eight days to perform. Here the family rested for three weeks. The Bear Flag had been raised, and the con- quest of California practically accomplished. Upon leaving Mr. Murphy, Mr. Kell was furnished with that which was then more desirable than gold-that is, wheat for seed. In January, 1847, he planted about fifteen acres on the ranch belonging to Martin Mur- phy, Sr., situated eighteen miles south of San Jose. In the autumn of that year, they established their home near San Jose, on property still owned by the family. On Christmas-day of the same year they occupied a frame house, built of redwood, hewed and sawed by hand, out of the forest near Gilroy. Years afterward a more pretentious residence was built, and occupied by the father and mother until their death.

Mr. Kell died on March 8, 1878. His wife did not survive him long, her death occurring December 30, 1881. She was the mother of a large family. The three eldest were born in Canada. The eldest, Thomas J., was born in 1829. He, with his uncle, Bernard Murphy, perished with the ill-starred steamer, Jenny Lind, which was wrecked by the explosion of one of its boilers, in the bay of San Francisco, April 11, 1853. The next child, Ann, was born in 1834. She is now the widow of Clementa Columbet, and resides in San Jose. The third, Martin D., is the subject of this sketch. John, the fourth child, was born in Missouri, and died en route to this State, aged four years. The fifth child, William D., was born in Missouri, in 1844. He now lives at Mountain View. The three youngest were born in this county. John J., born in 1847, is a resident of San Jose. Mary Ellen, born in 1852, is now the wife of T. A. Carroll, a resident of San Jose. Thomas B., born in April, 1855, is now the owner of part of the old homestead, but now (1888) is residing upon the Weber Ranch. Thomas Kell, Sr., was an

invalid from 1840, suffering from chronic rheumatism. He also incurred a severe injury, while en route to California, from the effects of which he never fully recovered. He was a man of kindly impulses, and helped many a poor man to get a start in California.

Martin D. Kell, whose name heads this sketch, is prominent in public affairs in Santa Clara County, and a Democrat in politics. He has held several offi- cial trusts in his district and county. From Novem- ber, 1875, until March, 1878, he served as Deputy Road- master. At the election of 1877 he was chosen Supervisor of District No. I, entering upon the duties of the office in March, 1878, and being re-elected the following year to the same office. He also served as Under-Sheriff for four years, with Mr. B. F. Branham as Sheriff. On September II, 1865, he married Miss Mary A. Ward, daughter of Patrick and Margaret Ward, of Lewis County, New York, where Mrs. Kell was born April 24, 1842. Her mother died in this county, in 1874, at the home of her son, Bernard Ward, now deceased. Mrs. Kell's father died in Lewis County, New York, in 1876.

Mr. and Mrs. Kell have seven children, five sons and two daughters, all yet making their home under the parental roof. Thomas P. was born July 19, 1866; Martin B., January 27, 1868; Mary A., September 5, 1869; William W., October 12, 1871; Maggie, Janu- ary 1, 1874; Bernard, May 3, 1876; Peter C., August 1, 1878. Mr. Kell is the owner of a fine property of eighty-nine acres, which, excepting five acres devoted to orchard for family use, is devoted to general farm- ing.

AVID GREENAWALT, deceased. The fine farm, of over 200 acres, which this worthy citizen improved and occupied for twenty one years, is on the Almaden road, seven miles from the business center of San Jose, and is as well located, and as well adapted to general farming, as any ranch in the valley. This property Mr. Greenawalt bought and took possession of in November, 1867, it being at that time all inclosed with fences and having building improvements enough for shelter. The present com- modious family residence was built in 1877, the large barn in the year preceding. All the buildings are noticeably good, and all were constructed with regard to convenience rather than to cost.

Mr. Greenawalt was born in Lehigh County, Penn- sylvania, April 2, 1824, of one of the old Pennsyl-

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

vania families. His great-grandfather, Jacob Green- awalt, came from Holland about the beginning of the eighteenth century, being obliged to work for three years afterward to pay for his passage. The farm in Lehigh County, which this founder of the family im- proved, was the birthplace of the subject of our sketch, and is still in the possession of the family, having been the birthplace of six generations. The names of the grandfather and father of our subject were the same,-Abraham Greenawalt. David Green- awalt was reared to manhood on the old homestead, but afterward he left it to go to Wisconsin, where he spent four years in the lead mines of Iowa County. The discovery of gold brought him to California in 1850. He came on the overland route, and upon his arrival engaged in mining at Placerville, then called Hangtown. Two months later he visited this valley, where he married, on the ninth of October, 1851, Miss Eliza Booth, who was born in England, in May, 1831.

Immediately after their marriage they embarked for Australia. Three months' experience in the min- ing districts of that country taught Mr. Greenawalt that he had left much better opportunities for acquir- ing wealth behind him, and was only one of thousands who were following a delusion. The return voyage of the same vessel, the Jessie Burns, that took them out, brought them back to San Francisco, where they landed in August, 1852. Mr. Greenawalt then en- gaged in the stock business with his father-in-law, in this county, which was ever afterward his home. He recalled the fact that he had seen all of Santa Clara without a fence. He came to Santa Clara a poor man, and grew in prosperity with the county. Keep- ing fully apace with, or ahead of, the general advance of his surroundings in individual enterprise, he be- came blessed with a competence more than sufficient for all the needs of his declining years. In politics he had been identified with the Republican party since the candidacy of John C. Fremont.

The great bereavement of his life, the death of his wife, occurred October 29, 1887. She was the mother of seven children, all of whom are living: George lives in the immediate neighborhood of the old home, on a part of the original homestead; Mary is the wife of Frank Blake; Edna is the wife of John Mc- Abee, of San Benito County; Amelia is the wife of Alonzo Withers; and the others, William D., John K., and Thomas, are residing at the homestead.

Mr. Greenawalt, the subject of the foregoing brief outline, died July 6, 1888, a highly respected citizen, whose departure from this life leaves many painful reminiscences upon the minds of those left behind.

AMES M. KENYON resides in Santa Clara, but is the owner of a fine farm of 242 acres, situated on the Saratoga and Alviso road, at its junction with the Homestead road, about two miles west of Santa Clara. This land, with the exception of about eight acres, which is planted with prune-trees, is de- voted to the production of hay and grain and stock- raising.

Mr. Kenyon was born in Adams County, Ohio, May 29, 1817. There his father, Jonathan Kenyon, and his mother, Sarah (Stratton) Kenyon, made their home for many years. His early youth was spent upon his father's farm, until the age of sixteen years, when he left home to learn the carpenter's trade. He was successful in his undertaking, and became an intelli- gent and skilled workman, and a thorough master of his trade, at which he worked for over twenty-five years. Mr. Kenyon is a California pioneer of 1849, as well as an early settler of this county, being one of the hardy men who, with their families, at that early day made their slow and laborious way across the immense plains of our country with ox teams. On his arrival he followed the example of thousands and sought for wealth in the mines, but soon tiring of this life, in 1850 he took up his residence in San Jose, where he built for himself a house and prepared to follow his trade as a carpenter and builder. Finding but little building in progress, and small prospect of much being done in the immediate future, he turned his attention to other business ventures. Having been reared to a farm life, and seeing the rich and unculti- vated lands lying unoccupied around him, he was soon induced to purchase the property above men- tioned. The same business tact and foresight that he had displayed in the pursuit of his trade soon assured him of success in his new business and placed him in the ranks of the leading farmers of the county.

In 1837 Mr. Kenyon went from Ohio into Mis- souri, where he married Miss Martha Roberts, daughter of Woodford Roberts, of Andrew County, Missouri. Of the children born of this marriage there are now living the following: John Fletcher, of Saratoga, Santa Clara County; Benjamin Franklin, who is married and lives upon the farm above mentioned; James Monroe; Sarah, the wife of Daniel Gardiner, of Sara- toga, Santa Clara County; and Emma, the wife of H. H. Slavans, of Woodland, Yolo County, this State.

Although hale and hearty, and in full possession of all his faculties, the subject of our sketch has retired from the active pursuits and operations of the farm, turning the same over to his son, whom he has trained

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PEN PICTURES FROM THE "GARDEN OF THE WORLD."

to succeed him in its successful management, and, with his wife, is living in comfort in Santa Clara, enjoying the rest which an active and successful busi- ness life of nearly sixty years has made a necessity.

SOHN S. SELBY resides upon the Mission road, in the Orchard School District, about five miles north of San Jose, where is situated his tract of fourteen acres. . Eight acres of this productive land is devoted to orchard culture, and comprises the follow- ing trees: 300 peach, 200 " Bureau Hardy " pear, 170 Bartlett pear, 80 Winter Nelis pear, 60 cherry, and 50 apricot, besides a few plum, apple, fig, persimmon, and English and black walnut trees. This orchard is in full bearing, and very productive, as the few facts which we mention about the crop of fruit prove. From sixty cherry trees, the fruit has realized an aver- age of $150 per year for the last four years, while 100 Bartlett pear-trees, occupying but little more than one-half an acre, have yielded $3.00 worth of fruit per tree each year for the same length of time. Six acres of the land is used for pasturage.

Mr. Selby was born in Callaway County, Missouri, November 24, 1834. He is the son of William and Julia (Turley) Selby, natives of Kentucky, who emi- grated to Missouri at an early date, and were among the pioneers of that State. His father was a carpen- ter as well as a farmer, and in both industries the sub- ject of our sketch was trained. He was eighteen years of age when, in the spring of 1853, he left home to make the overland trip to California. He reached Santa Clara County in the fall of the same year, and soon located in the redwoods, where he worked for about a year. During the following year he hauled redwood, and fenced in 150 acres of land in the Ber- ryessa District, which he rented and in the working of which he spent about a year.

In 1856 he rented 150 acres of land from Colonel Jacques, about one and a half miles northeast of Ber- ryessa. Later he rented and afterwards purchased I 50 acres just north of Berryessa, upon which he lived for four years. In 1860 he sold this farm, and took up his residence upon the property upon which he now resides. In addition to the cultivation of his place, Mr. Selby engages in contracting and carpenter work.

The subject of our sketch was united in marriage, in 1856, with Miss Sarah Brelsford, whose parents are residents of Indiana. To them have been born seven children, of whom five are now living. Their names

are: Mary, the wife of William E. Trimble, of Berry- essa; Emma, Edwin Abel, residing in Milpitas; Will- iam H., Lizzie L., the wife of W. E. Coombs, of San Jose, and G. Wray.

Mr. Selby is a man whose life of industry and in- tegrity has won the respect of a large circle of ac- quaintances. He is deeply interested in the welfare of the Southern Methodist Church, and was one of the organizers and founders of the church of that de- nomination in Berryessa in 1857, being also one of its first Trustees. He now creditably fills the position of School Trustee in his district. In politics he is a Democrat, but liberal and conservative, especially in local politics.

EDWARD TOPHAM was born in Toronto, Can- ada, on the twenty-fifth of October, 1840. His parents, William and Eliza (Sylvester) Topham, were natives of Ireland, who emigrated while young to Canada, and there engaged in agriculture. Until eighteen years of age he lived on his father's farm, meanwhile receiving such schooling as was afforded by the common schools. At that age he was apprenticed to the trade of blacksmith; however, he remained there but a short time after serving his apprenticeship, before coming to the United States. He traveled quite extensively in the Middle States, in Kentucky, Mis- souri, Illinois, and Ohio, and was also engaged as an assistant engineer on the Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers. In 1861 he returned to Canada, but after a short so- journ there he returned to the United States, and dur- ing a portion of the years 1862-63 was employed in the government shops at Washington, District of Colum- bia. In the last-named year he again returned to Canada, and entered into partnership with his old employer for three years in Burgessville, and shortly after purchased a foundry and machine shop, which he, with his brothers, conducted until 1868. He then sold out his business and came to this State, locating, in June of that year, in Santa Clara, where he spent about six months in working at his trade. Early in the following year he settled at Milpitas, and there entered into partnership with David S. Boyce, in blacksmithing and carriage works, and in this business he has since continued, having conducted it through all these years most successfully.

The subject of our sketch married, in 1874, Miss Hattie Castle, the daughter of W. D. and Frank (Ferry) Castle, residents, at that time, of Milpitas.

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Mr. and Mrs. Topham have seven children: Clarence Frank, Edward, Chester A., Blanche, Clifton, and Alida.

Mr. Topham has been very successful in all his business enterprises, and is the owner of considerable real estate, among which are seven houses and lots in Milpitas, also a forty-acre tract adjoining the town on the north. In Tulare County he owns eighty acres, which will be devoted to orchard culture, and is also half owner of a large stock ranch in San Benito County, upon which are roaming a large herd of cattle. He is much interested in the finer breeds of horses, and is raising some trotting stock from "Nutwood," " American Boy," " Grosvenor," and other great fami- lies of horses. His horses are well known, and, when entered in the agricultural fairs, take their full share of premiums. He is also a share-holder in the Mex- ican Pacific Railroad.

Mr. Topham is well known in social as well as busi_ ness circles, and is connected with several industrial organizations. He has been a Director, and is now the President, of the Santa Clara Valley Agricultural Society, and is also the presiding officer of the District Agricultural Society, No. 5, of the State, comprising Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. For the past fifteen years he has served with credit as School Trus- tee of his district. He is also a Trustee of the Pres- byterian Church, of which his wife is a member. He is associated with San Jose Lodge, No Io, of the Ma- sonic fraternity.

Politically, Mr. Topham is connected with the Re- publican party, and is deeply interested in the admin- istration of affairs in his county. As a public-spirited man, and one who is ever ready to devote time and means to the advancement of his section, he is a most useful citizen.

G. F. BERGHAUSER resides on the Hostetter road in the Eagle School District, about four miles northeast of San Jose. There he owns twenty acres of fine orchard land, all under a high state of cultivation, and all set with fruit trees, the larger part of them being apricots and prunes, although peaches, pears, plums, cherries, figs, nectarines, and quinces are among the products of this model orchard. Mr. Berghauser also has table grapes and berries of all descriptions. Such water as is needed for domestic use, and for the irrigation of small fruits, is furnished from pumping wells.

The subject of this sketch was born in San Fran- cisco, December 2, 1855, and is the son of John and Margaret (Briel) Berghauser. His father was born in Germany, and came to the United States in 1827. He resided in Charleston, South Carolina, and Rich- mond, Virginia, in both of which places he conducted hotels. The excitement of 1849 brought him to Cal- ifornia in that year, and he established himself in the hotel business in San Francisco. In that enterprise he accumulated a fortune, with which he retired from business in 1853. The mother of our subject is also a native of Germany, who met and married her hus- band in Richmond, Virginia. She is now a resident of San Francisco.

J. G. F., whose name heads this biographical out- line, attended the public schools of his native city until eleven years of age, when he was sent to Ger- many to complete his education. He returned to his home in this State when eighteen years of age, and entered into mercantile pursuits, which occupied his attention for three years. The two years following his relinquishment of the mercantile business, he spent in Yolo, Colusa, and Solano Counties, engaged in farm labor. In 1878 he purchased a farm in the San Joaquin Valley, near Galt, upon which he engaged in grain and stock-raising. This farm he operated until, in 1884, he came to Santa Clara County, and com- menced the cultivation of fruit on his present property. Since that time he devoted his attention to the suc- cessful management of his land, and has met with favorable results. He is a respected and esteemed citizen of his community, and much interested in the welfare of the public schools, being at this time a School Trustee. As a native of the State and a resi- dent of one of its most favored sections, he is a strong believer in its future greatness and prosperity. Polit- ically, he is identified with the Democratic party.

In 1878 Mr. Berghauser was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Wertz, the daughter of John B. and Elizabeth (Foreman) Wertz, residents of Hum- boldt County, this State, but natives of Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Berghauser have three children: Frida- ricka, Frederick, and Julius.

ENRY CARREL, of the San Tomas District, is the owner of a highly cultivated fruit ranch of twenty acres on the McCoy Avenue. The or- chard was planted in 1882, principally with French prunes, apricots, and peaches, and Mr. Carrel

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purchased the property in the autumn of 1885. No orchard in the vicinity shows more intelligent, careful, and skillful handling than does this one. The build- ing improvements are excellent, and, all in all, the property gives evidence of the thrift and taste of the owner.

The subject of our sketch was born in Ohio in 1843. When he was nine years of age, his father, Abraham Carrel, moved to Pike County, Illinois. There he lived on a farm until eighteen years of age, when, in obedience to the first call by President Lincoln for volunteers to put down the slave-holders' rebellion, he enlisted in the Eighth Illinois Volunteer Infantry. The State having had seven regiments of volunteers in the Mexican War, the Eighth Regiment was the first Illinois regiment raised for the War for the Union. He was not long afterward transferred to the Tenth Regiment, as the company in which he enlisted had too many men. When the term of his enlistment (three months) had expired, Mr. Carrel was honorably discharged, but at once re-enlisted in the Thirty-third Illinois Infantry for three years, or during the war. In Missouri and Arkansas he served during the first campaign under General Curtiss, and under General Grant in the heroic campaign culminating in the capt- ure of Vicksburg. Later he took part in the cam- paigns in Texas and the Southwest. At Indianola, Texas, he veteranized and visited his home on a fur- lough. His last campaign was in the Gulf Department, in which he did a gallant soldier's duty in the opera- tions which led to the capture of Blakely and Spanish Fort, the defenses of Mobile. His faithful services ended at Springfield, Illinois, where he received an honorable discharge in November, 1865. Among the engagements in which he participated we will men- tion Baker's Creek, Champion Hills, and the Battle of Jackson in the Vicksburg campaign, and the assault upon Spanish Fort. He was never absent from duty, and was in line during every engagement in which his regiment took part. He may well look with pride on his record as a soldier.

After the close of the war, Mr. Carrel mastered the mason's and bricklayer's trade, in Pike County, Illi- nois, and this trade he followed until he settled in his present home. In 1869 he removed to Denver, Col- orado, and after living in that city for about four years, he went to Nevada, but came to this State dur- ing the following year. In the spring of 1875 he settled at Victoria, Vancouver's Island, British Co- lumbia. There, in June, 1877, Mr. Carrel married Miss Susannah R. Miller, who was born in England,

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Pen pictures from the garden of the world, or Santa Clara county, California, Part 81

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