History of Santa Clara County
HISTORY BY
EUGENE T. SAWYER
ILLUSTRATED
COMPLETE IN ONE-VOLUME
HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
1922
CONTENTS
CHAPTER II
Santa Clara County During the Mexican Rule--The
Adventures of Captain Fremont--Don Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo--Raising the
Bear Flag--Proclamation of General Jose Castro--War with Mexico Declared--Proclamation
of Commodore Sloat--Capt. Charles M. Weber--Juzgado Transformed into Barracks--Battle
of Santa Clara--Captain Thomas Fallon Raises First American Flag--Gold
is Discovered--Reminiscences of the Days of '49--Killing of Young Pyle--Local
Government--Early Merchants and Buildings of San Jose--
Grandma Bascom's Story.
CHAPTER III
Military Rule Constitutional Convention--San
Jose as Capital of the State--First Legislature Convenes--Removal of Capital--First
July 4th Celebration--Boundaries of Santa Clara County--County Government
Court of Sessions--Land Grants and Suertes--San Jose Land Company--Settlers'
Leagues Defend Titles--A Trumped-Up Robbery of Public Treasury--List of
Spanish and Mexican Land Grants.
CHAPTER IV
Courts of First Instance--The Early Bar of San
Jose--Alcalde Burton's Common Sense--Mule Appears as Witness--District,
County and Justice Courts Supersede Courts of Alcalde and First Instance--Judge
Watson's Informal Handling of Cases--Eccentricities of Judge Redman--The
Lord of Hardscrabble--The First Court House--Judge Almond's Demijohn--Strange
Career of Rufus A. Lockwood--Freeman McKinney--The Irrepressible J. Alexander
Yoell--Judge Buckner's Quaint Ways of Dispensing Justice--High Standing
of Judge Hester--W. Frank Stewart--Change in Court System--Tribute to Judge
Belden.
CHAPTER V
Topography and Geology--The New Almaden Mines--Crime
in the Early Days--Outlaws Terrorize the County--Exciting Career of Francisco
Soto--Augustin C. Hall Murdered--Santiago Berryessa Kills Pedro Aravena--Francisco
Berryessa Stabbed--Murder of Joseph Pellegrini--Juan Jose Rodriguez Killed--Mary
Hallock Foote's Mining Camp Stories--Guadalupe Quicksilver Mine--Enrequita
Mine--Mineral Springs of the County--The Oil Development.
CHAPTER VI
Society Events in the Fifties, Sixties and Seventies--Reminiscences
of Pioneer Women--Mrs. Mary A. Carroll's Interesting Record--Mrs. Frances
A. Sunol-Angus Writes of Early Society--Joseph H. Scull Tells of Festivities--Entertaining
Account of San Jose Society by Mrs. S. O. Houghton--Recollections of Dr.
Chamblin--Charles G. Ames Bests Judge William T. Wallace in Oratorical
Combat--Opening of Hotel Vendome--Distinguished Visitors.
CHAPTER VII
Passing of Old Landmarks of San Jose--Fair Grounds--Live
Oak Park and Prevost's Gardens--Old Court House--Duel Between Thomas Shore
and S. J. Crosby--Killing of Jailer Martin Roohan--John Marr Escapes From
Jail After Killing Peter Veuve--Jailer Hendricks Killed When Indians Break
Jail--Killing of William Cooper--Harry Love Slain--Old Residential Landmarks--Naglee,
Hensley and Josiah Belden Homes.
CHAPTER VIII
Newspapers in the Early Days--San Jose Weekly
Visitor--Daily Mercury--J. J. Owen a Striking Figure--His Encounter With
Montgomery Maze--Charles M. Shortridge--The Daily Times--The Tribune--The
Herald--E. A. and J. O. Hayes--W. Frank Stewart and the Daily Reporter--Mark
Twain--The Courier--W. A. January and the Santa Clara Argus--History of
Henry C. Hansbrough--Chester H. Hull--Daily Garden City Times Started by
Edwin Markham, S. H. Herring, Perryman Page and E. T. Sawyer--A. P. Murgotten
and The Pioneer--Daily Morning Times--H. A. De Lacy Establishes City Item,
Now the Evening Times--Charles W. Williams--The Santa Clara Valley Started
by Major Foote--His Exciting Experience with a Delegation of Cornishmen--John
T. Wallace and E. T. Sawyer Start the Scooper--W. W. Elliott, Editor of
the Santa Clara Index--His Experience as a Court Reporter--Allen P. Kelly,
Editor of the San Jose Herald; Captures Grizzly Bear--Other Newspapers.
CHAPTER IX
Early Days of Drama in San Jose--James Stark
Establishes First Theater--Samuel W. Piercy Makes His First Appearance
There--Name Changed to San Jose Theater-Gustav Brohaska Converts Armory
Hall Into San Jose Opera House--Eleanor Calhoun, Now Princess Lazarovich,
Makes First Appearance on Stage in E. T. Sawyer's Loyal Hearts with John
T. Malone and H. A. De Lacy--California Theater Had Many Notable Stars--Auditorium,
Later the Garden City Theater--Victory Theater--The Hippodrome--T. &
D. Theater--Lyric Theater--Jose Theater--Liberty Theater--First Amateur
Dramatic Company--John W. Dunne--Frank Bacon--John T. Malone--Charles W.
Williams--John T. Raymond, California's Star Comedian--Some of the Old-Time
Minstrels--Charley Rhoades.
CHAPTER X
Distinguished Visitors to San Jose and the Santa
Clara Valley--Political Orators--George Francis Train--Henry George Unmasks
a Mysterious Spook--Bret Hart--Mark Twain--President Harrison's Visit--General
Grant Receives Ovation--Lecturers from the East and from Over the Sea--General
Fremont Is Guest of Santa Clara County Pioneers--Ned Buntline's Adventurous
Career.
CHAPTER XI
Santa Clara County During the Civil War--San
Jose Volunteers--Many Companies Formed--Band of Confederate Sympathizers
Rob Stages to Obtain Money for Cause--Ingraham Gang--Methodist Church Burned--Dick
Baker Gang--Excitement Over Death of Lincoln.
CHAPTER XII
The Fruit Industry of County--Largest Prune Producing
Section in State--History of the Development--Introduction of French Prune--Early
Orchardists--The First Cannery--Lyman Burrell Has First Mountain Orchard--Dr.
J. M. Dawson Pioneer Fruit Canner and Packer--Other Packing Companies--Strawberry
Section--Annual Orchard Production--Vineyards and Olive Orchards--Seed
Growing Carried on Extensively--Citrus Fruits--Farm Loan Association--Vegetable,
Poultry Raising and Dairying, Important Industries--Artesian Wells Supply
Water for Irrigation--Growers' Organizations--Santa Clara County Statistics.
CHAPTER XIII
County Government and Good Roads--Transportation
of Passengers in Early Days--Water Transportation--History of Various Important
Road and Railway Enterprises--First Railroad Completed--Western Pacific--Narrow
Gauge Railroad.
CHAPTER XIV
Public Buildings of the County--Many Locations
of the County Court House--Changes Made by the Legislature--Present Court
House a Splendid Building--Futile Attempt to Regain State Capital--New
County Jail--Hall of Records--Hall of Justice--County Hospital--County
Poor Farm.
CHAPTER XV
The Resources and Attractions of San Jose, the
Garden City of California--Soil, Climate, Production and Opportunity--What
a Man from the East Learned from an Old Resident.
CHAPTER XVI
San Jose Incorporated as City--Organization of
Political Parties--First Gas Lights--Water Pipes Laid--Horse Railway on
Alameda--Severe Earthquake in 1868--Disastrous Floods--Story of Tiburcio
Vasquez, Noted Bandit--Street Railroad--John C. Arnold Figures in Remarkable
Case of Mistaken Identity--Dick Fellows, Lone Highwayman, Escapes from
Constable--Brutal Murder at Los Gatos--W. P. Renowden Tortured and Killed--Lloyd
L. Majors Hung for His Murder--Bond Issue of 1886--New City Charter Defeated--The
Dixon-Allen Trial--Electric Tower Erected--Chinatown Destroyed by Fire--Mexican
Hanged by Mob--Charles Goslaw Meets Death on Scaffold--Disastrous Fire
of 1892--Henry Planz Murdered--Sextuple Murder--New Charter Adopted--Earthquake
of 1906--Commission Form of Government Adopted--Mayors of San Jose.
CHAPTER XVII
San Jose and Santa Clara Activities During the
World War--Liberty Loan, Red Cross, Y. M. C. A., Belgian Relief and Other
Drives--The Men and Women Who Did the Work.
CHAPTER XVIII
History of the Lick Observatory on the Summit
of Mount Hamilton--The Eccentricities of James Lick, the Philanthropist--Erection
of the Lick Mill--The Lick Hotel at San Francisco--What He Did for San
Jose.
CHAPTER XIX
The Story of Alum Rock Park, San Jose's Beautiful
Reservation of One Thousand Acres--Judge Richards' Description of Its Beauties
and Attractions--The Claim of J. O. Stratton.
CHAPTER XX
The Attractions of the Big Basin, or California
Redwood Park--How It Was Preserved by the Efforts of a San Josean--The
Sempervirens Club--The Annual Forest Play in a Natural Setting.
CHAPTER XXI
The Public and Private Schools of San Jose--The
Growth of the High School Constructed on University Plan--The State Teachers'
College--College of Notre Dame--College of the Pacific--Other Institutions.
CHAPTER XXII
The Public Utilities of San Jose--The Early Service
of the Gas and Electric Companies--The San Jose Water Company and Its Sure
and Steady Progress--The Street Railways in and out of the City--The Post
Office and Postmasters.
CHAPTER XXIII
San Jose Woman's Club--County Alliance--Newman
Hall and Club--Sainte Claire Club--Columbia Circle, C. L. S. C.--Lecticonian
Society--The Country Club--The Pioneers' Society--American Legion--Law
Library and Bar Association--Housewives' League--Daughters of the American
Revolution--Musical Clubs and Record--Y. W. C. A.--Club La France--Boy
Scouts--Loyal Italo-American Club.
CHAPTER XXIV
San Jose Board of Trade--San Jose Chamber of
Commerce--Merchants Association--Rotary and Lions Clubs--Civic Welfare
Club--The 100 Per Cent Club--Labor Organizations--Commercial Club--Pen
Women Branch--The Plotwrights--The Western Aero Club.
CHAPTER XXV
Associated Charities--Good Cheer Club--Home of
Benevolence--The Odd Fellows Home--The Pratt Home--Notre Dame Institute--The
Salvation Army and Volunteers of America--The Story of Old Bob Bennett--Juvenile
Court and Probation Office--The Coffee Club--The Woman's Exchange--Humane
Societies--Y. M. C. A.--Boys' Outing Farm--Red Cross Society--W. C. T.
U.--Community Shop--Fraternal Orders.
CHAPTER XXVI
The Sanitariums and Hospitals of San Jose--The
Splendid Appointments of the O'Connor Buildings--Columbia Hospital--Santa
Clara Medical Society--Dr. Ben Cory.
CHAPTER XXVII
The History of San Jose Fire Department--Primitive
Appurtenances of the Early Days--Volunteer Department for Twenty-Six Years--The
Police Department's Growth and Work.
CHAPTER XXVIII
The Early Churches of San Jose and Their Vicissitudes--History
of the San Jose Library--Its Growth from Small Beginnings--The County Free
Library--The Carnegie Library.
CHAPTER XXIX
The Santa Clara Historical Society and Its Objects--Spanish
Names for Natural Objects--The Interesting Career of Judge Augustus O.
Rhodes, a Nonogenarian.
CHAPTER XXX
The Banks and Industries of San Jose--Bank of
Italy--A Daring Robbery--Garden City Bank and Trust Company--Security State
and Savings Bank--First National Bank--Growers Bank--San Jose Foundry--Bean
Spray Company--Anderson-Barngrover Company--Smith Manufacturing Company--Sperry
Flour Company--Globe Mills--American Can Company--Security Warehouse and
Cold Storage Company--Garden City Manufactory--Tile Company--Spray Manufacturing
Company--Artificial Leather Company--Wholesale Grocers--The Oliver Company--National
Axle Corporation--Plow Factories--Farmers Union--Granite and Marble Works.
CHAPTER XXXI
The Romantic History of the Town of Santa Clara--Home
of One of the Early Missions--The Story of Santa Clara University--Planting
of the Mission Cross--Marcello, the Last of the Mission Indians.
CHAPTER XXXII
Palo Alto and Leland Stanford, Jr., University--The
Rapid Growth of One of the Progressive Towns of Santa Clara County--The
Location and Uses of a Great Educational Institution.
CHAPTER XXXIII
Los Gatos, the Gem City of the Foothills and
Its Environs--The Gateway of the Valley--Gilroy, the Thriving Little City
at the Southern End of the County.
CHAPTER XXXIV
Other Growing Towns of Santa Clara County--Sunnyvale--Change
from Grain Field to Thriving Community --Campbell --Cupertino --Alviso
--Milpitas --Agnew --Saratoga --Los Altos --Evergreen --Mountain View --Mayfield
--Morgan Hill --Tragic Encounter with a California Lion --Berryessa --Alma
--Wrights Station --Ambrose Bierce's Life --Patchen --Mountain Charley's
Adventures --Small Towns and Villages.
CHAPTER XXXV
Miscellaneous Items of Interest--Observations
of a Weather Expert--Judge Belden and Mayor Pfister--An Auto Camp--Result
of Presidential Elections in the County.
CHAPTER XXXVI
Federation of American Farmers--Last Relic of
Santa Clara Mission--Census Figures--Decorations Received by Santa Clara
Boys in World War.
[Picture of Eugene T. Sawyer.]
BIOGRAPHICAL [Sketches]
[Sketches not included herein. They are being
transcribed by another project, Pioneer
Families of Santa Clara, and are included in the search
engine at sfgenealogy. -ed.]
INDEX [Biographical]
