THE VALLEY OF HEART's DELIGHT

Bio-Sawyers
SURNAMES: FOX, COOLIDGE

-As a successful horticulturist and upbuilder of Santa Clara County, James E. Bean as thoroughly merits as he also thoroughly en-joys the esteem and good will of his fellow-citizens, and his excellent judgment in business matters had given him a place of well-deserved prominence, since his advice can ever be given the utmost reliance. Mr. Bean was born at Minneapolis,' Minn., on February 28, 1862, the son of James and Roanna (Fox) Bean, substantial American citizens, esteemed and influential wherever they have resided. The father, who was born in New Hampshire in 1822, removed to Minnesota and for years was the United States paymaster to the Chippewa Indians. During his residence there he became interested in banking and various commer-cial enterprises. In 1880 he removed to West Branch, Iowa, where he remained for two years, and then came out to San Jose, Cal. He and his wife took up their residence on the Alameda, and there at the splendid old age of ninety-three, Mr. Bean died, his wife having passed away ten years before.

 
James E. Bean attended the public schools of Minneapolis and was then sent to Providence, R. 1., to continue his studies at the Friends Boarding School, where his parents had also been educated; during this time he also attended lectures at Brown Univer-sity, Providence. On his return to the Middle West he located at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and having chosen to study pharmacy, he entered the wholesale and retail house of G. C. Haman as clerk. Finishing his pharmaceutical studies in 1887, he then entered into partnership with his employer, the firm name being Haman & Bean. Later he purchased another drug store in Cedar Rapids and was also secretary and manager of the Cedar Rapids Linseed Oil & Paint Company. In December, 1890, he disposed of his in-terests, and coming to California, located at San Jose. He soon became manager of the Madera Flume and Trading Company, with Madera as his headquarters. The majority of the stock of the company was owned by stockholders of the Safe Deposit Bank of San Jose; over 300 men were employed and more than 33,500,000 feet of lumber were cut in a season. The company maintained twelve branch yards and offices, so that Mr. Bean was naturally a very busy man. After eleven years he disposed of the interests of the company and returned to San Jose, where he became secretary of the San Jose Safe Deposit Bank, combining the duties of this office with other active service in the bank unti11908, when he bought the controlling interest of H. B. Martin & Company, wholesale grain and produce dealers of San Jose. Soon after this he took in partners from Salinas, Cal., and changed the name of the corporation to the Salinas Valley Grain and Produce Company, having warehouses and mills throughout the Salinas and Santa Clara valleys. In 1918 Mr. Bean closed out the business of . this corporation, taking two years to dispose of their interests, so that the fmal disposition was in 1920. In addition to these activities, Mr. Bean is interested in real estate, owning ranches in different parts of California and timber lands in Oregon and business property in San Jose.

On Apri119, 1893, Mr. Bean was married in San Jose to Miss Edith Coolidge, born in Honolulu, a sister of C. C. Coolidge, district attorney of Santa Clara County. Mr. and Mrs. Bean have been blessed with fIve children: Mary Isabel, James Edwin, Jr., Jerome Coolidge, Donald and Paul Dows Bean. Mr. Bean is a member of the San Jose Chamber of Com-merce, the San Francisco Commercial Club, and politically is a strong Republican. A truly self-made man, his initiative, perseverance and application have been the potent factors in his success. His record is an enviable one and his advice on business matters is :trequently sought by others, who repose the great-est confIdence in his judgment. Of a pleasing per-sonality and kindly, generous impulses, he is ready to help others who have been less fortunate than himself, and can ever be counted upon to lead in any movement for the county's upbuilding.