THE VALLEY OF HEART's DELIGHT

John H. Ballard. Born in Sterling, Cayuga county, New York, November 16, 1829, where he was educated and resided until he came of age when he removed to the State of Wisconsin. Here he went into the lumber trade, afterwards piloted on the river until 1851, and eventually returned to New York. On January 1, 1852, he sailed for California via the Isthmus, and arrived in San Francisco in the following month. He almost immediately started for the mines at Pine Grove, Sierra county; at the end of two years he embarked in farming on the Pala grant near San Jose; in 1864 he came to Burnett township, and now resides about one mile from the "Eighteen-mile House;" where he owns three hundred and eighty-five acres of land. Married, at Martinez, Contra Costa county, California, May 27, 1864, Rachel Blanchard, by whom he has four children, viz.: Sherman E., born March 19, 1865; John H., born, April 4, 1868; Maude, born October 20, 1872; Mabel, horn May 27, 1876.


Charles Blanch. Born in Gloucestershire, England, February 20, 1831, where he was educated and reared a farmer. In the year 1851, he emigrated to the United States, settled in Iowa, and farmed there for three years when he moved to Minnesota and resided there for five years, being still engaged in a like pursuit, but was about cleaned out two years in succession by grasshoppers. He then crossed the plains with ox-teams to California, came direct to Santa Clara county, and arrived in San Jose in the Fall of the year 1859. After a residence of two years in that city he embarked in farming about ten miles from town, where he lived until 1868; then proceeded to San Luis Obispo county, and commenced a dairying business, but was' attended with disastrous luck, all his cattle having sickened and died. Mr. Blanch now returned to this valley and farmed for twelve months, when he made a journey to Oregon and remained there one Winter, returning in the following Spring to Santa Clara county. He now settled on the place known as White Oak Flat, Burnett township, and at the expiration of four years settled on the place where he now resides in Hoover valley, where he owns one hundred and sixty acres. Married, in St. Paul, Minnesota, April 27, 1859, Maria Watkins, a native of England, by whom he has seven children living: William T., born October 9, 1863; John W., born December 19, 1865; Mary E., born January 5, 1868; Charles E., born December 7, 1869; Sarah M., born March 8, 1873; Robert, born March 27, 1875; Charlotte, born February 17, 1879; Edmund H., born February 8, 1860, died May 22, 1860; Jessie A., born June 2, 1861, died September 21, 1866; Richard, born October 14, 1877, died October 17, 1877.


Daniel G. Brewer. Whose portrait appears in this work, was born at Middletown, Delaware county, New York, April 25, 1825. When five years old he accompanied his parents to Stockbridge, Madison county, and at the age of thirteen launched into the world on his own account. Having worked on a farm until October 8, 1850, he left New York for Charlestown, South Carolina, for the benefit of his health, and afterwards visited the celebrated Coco Springs, Aiken, South Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; Jacksonville, Florida; Enterprise, Indian river; at which place he remained two years, employing his time principally in hunting, and for six months carried the United States mail from Dunlawton to Fort Capron, one hundred and fifty-two miles, a difficult trip and made in a sail-boat. In 1855 he returned to New York, and on October 5th sailed from that city, and arrived - in San Francisco on the 29th of October of that year. Soon after his arrival he passed a month in Angel's Camp and vicinity; thence returning to San Francisco by way of Sacramento. Here he worked at the carpenter's trade until January 23, 1856, when he engaged with H. C. Hudson in his Mustard and. Spice Mills. While in this employ he came to Santa Clara county, but his health continuing weak he visited several places along the coast and finally returned to San Francisco. Having formed a company to proceed to the Frazer river, July 4, 1858, he sailed in the clipper ship E. F. Willets, Captain Holmes, commander, and on arriving was elected Captain of the expedition. After enduring many hardships the company was disbanded at Yale, where the subject of our sketch remained, and afterwards commenced mining with a rocker. In October he returned to San Francisco; thence came to Alviso and Milpitas, where, with V. W. VanVie, he rented land, put in a crop, but this proving a failure, he leased .one hundred acres of land on the Alviso tract, which he farmed until 1866, when he purchased the farm "on  which he now resides in Burnett township from Cyprino Fisher; here he has lately built a fine residence. Mr. Brewer was a member of the Vigilante Committee in San Francisco, being one of Captain McDonald's company. Mr. Brewer is very much pleased with the climate of Florida, as he sought that country in quest of health, being greatly reduced in strength and emaciated from the effects of weak lungs, having suffered a great deal from hemorrhage. He so thoroughly recovered. that since his return he has enjoyed perfect health, and has no feeling of the oppression that is so common with sufferers of the dread disease—consumption. " Health is happiness." When he visited Florida his weight was one hundred and twenty-five pounds and his former weight one hundred and seventy-five pounds, average.


Edward Carling. Born in England, July 29, 1829, and was educated there. In 1852 he emigrated to Australia, where he engaged in mining for twenty years, one-half of the time being passed in New Zealand. He was successful, but like most miners, he lost the greater portion of his earnings in speculation. He then came to California arriving at San Francisco, March, 1872, and immediately proceeded to Santa Clara county. After nine months passed in San Jose he purchased land in the Las Animas grant, on San Felipe creek, where he is now engaged in farming and stock-raising. Married, February, 1863, Ellen Springelt, a native of England.


Captain William Fisher (Deceased). This old pioneer was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in the yea' 1813. At the age of twelve years he left home and shipped on board a vessel for three years, hoping to benefit his health which had been delicate. At the end of three years he returned to his native State, but soon after sailed for Upper California. Not long after he proceeded to Lower California where he built a small vessel, and in company with Captain Hanks, made the trip to Mazatlan, on which voyage she was wrecked. He lived for many years in Lower California, and about 1845 came to this country and bought the Rancho  Laguna Seca, comprising four square leagues. He then brought his family. up to this valley, where they arrived in the month of April, 1846. He now stocked his property with horses and cattle, at the same time conducting a mercantile business in Sap. Jose, the latter of which he disposed of, on account of ill health, in 1849, to Josiah Belden, who was his clerk at the time, and retired to his ranch to manage its affairs. He was not one of those who went to the mines at the time of that great excitement. Captain Fisher in all his intercourse with the emigrant proved himself an invaluable friend, while his name is indelibly connected with the early history of San Jose in which chapter his name will be found linked with many a good and noteworthy action. He died April 5, 1850. Married, in 18:34, Señorita Liberata Cesafia, a native of -Lower California by whom he had a family consisting of Mary C., now Mrs. D. Murphy; Thomas M. ; Cyprino William (deceased); Uloga Frico.

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Thomas Fisher. Born in Mexico October 29, 1842. His father, William Fisher, a native of Massachusetts, when quite young went to Mexico, and coming to California in 1846 with his family settled in Burnett township, Santa Clara county, in the Spring of that year. Here the subject of our sketch received his education, and has since resided, owning about seven hundred and eighty acres of land. Married, November, 1861, Anna, daughter of Captain Hanks, a fellow-voyager from Mexico, by whom he has living: Isabel, born February 13, 1864; Fanny, born April 3, 1868; Thomas, born May 4, 1870; Daniel, born February 18, 1872; Charles, born May 29, 1874; Everett, born October 11, 1878. 

F. Fisher. The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears. in this work, is the youngest son of William and Liberata Cesafia Fisher (who were among the very earliest settlers in California) and was born in Burnett township, Santa Clara county, August 30, 1850, where he has continuously resided save during the years he attended school. In 1861 he entered the Santa Clara College, and was otherwise educated in the public schools of San Jose. In 1868 he returned to Burnett and commenced working on the farm of Dan. Murphy; in 1872 he moved on to the ranch which he now occupies, and which he has owned since 1859. It comprises three thousand seven hundred acres adapted to agriculture and stock-raising. Married, in San Jose April 8, 1872, Gertrude Hanks, a native of California, by whom he has: Robert D., born December 20, 1872; Laura and Chester.

 C. Fowler. Born in Hendricks county, Indiana, November 22, 1835. When five years of age he was taken by his parents to Atchison county, Missouri. In 1852 he crossed the plains to California with. his father, William Fowler, and located in Yolo county, where the subject of this sketch engaged in stock-raising until he came to Santa Clara county in November 1879, and located on his present ranch comprising one hundred and sixty acres situated on the Los Huecos Grant. Married, January 15, 1877, and has an only child, Nelson C., born December 1, 1879.


'Erwin Frost, Jr. Born in Briggsville, Wisconsin, June 19, 1851. In the year 1855, he came with his parents, by way of the plains, to California, arriving in the month of September. The subject of our sketch received his education in the common schools of Santa Clara county, and in the year 1871, commenced farming on his own account, in San Jose township. After remaining there five years, he moved to Burnett township, and took up one hundred acres of what he supposed to be Government land, but which afterwards proved to be the property of General Naglee, therefore, in 1878, he moved to the Coyote station, where he acquired seventeen acres of ground, and erected a house thereon, which he still owns. In the last-mentioned year he was appointed, by General Naglee, agent for the large property of Naglee & McDermott, comprising about thirty-five thousand acres. In 1879, he moved his family on to the grant in Packwood valley, where he at present resides. Was elected Constable of the township, November 5, 1878, and now holds the office. Married, in San Jose township, August 21, 1871, Minnie Stoll, and has: Erwin E., born in Oak Grove; George 0., born in Oak Grove; Arthur C., born in Burnett; Burt Lee, born in Burnett.


Martin Hobin. Born in Rock Island county, Illinois, June 6, 1855, where he resided until he came to California, in 1862. Making the journeyc to the Pacific coast by way of Panama, he came direct to Santa Clara county, and settled on a farm near San Jose. In 1869 he left that district and came to the place on which he now resides, in Burnett township, near the Eighteen-mile House, where he owns one hundred and twelve acres of land. Married Mary Foye, and has one child, William H.


John C. Kirby. Is a native of County Waterford, Ireland. In the year 1850 he sailed in the bark Rosanna, for Panama, and there resided one year, when he sailed for California, in the steamship Washington. During the voyage, a gentleman, noticing the modesty of our subject, offered to educate him. On their arrival in San Francisco, July 12, 1851, he attached himself to his benefactor, and with him remained four years. On the expiration of that term Mr. Kirby started on his own account. After mining in El Dorado and Nevada counties, he came to Santa Clara valley, in September, 1855, and engaged with Dan. Murphy, for whom he worked about four years. After this, was variously employed until he had accumulated sufficient money with which to purchase a home. This he found on the two hundred and eleven acres where he now resides, consisting of fine, well improved land. Married, October 3, 1865, Catherine Keenan, by whom he has seven children: Mollie, born August 6, 1866; Susan, born February 25, 1868; Patrick H., born November 10, 1870; Nellie, born February 2, 1872; Timothy, born April 12, 1874; Maggie, born June 5, 1876 ; John, born March 7. 1879.


Clinton Munson, M. D. Was born in Cape Girardeau county, Missouri, August 10, 1846, and there resided until he attained the age of sixteen years, when he moved to St. Louis, and entered the Missouri Medical College (Allopathic school), whence he graduated in 1867. Doctor Munson now commenced the practice of his profession, which, continuing for but a short time, he entered the Homeopathic Medical School at Chicago, and graduated therefrom in 1869. In June of that year he came to California, and after practising for eighteen months in Oakland, Alameda county, he settled in Gilroy, Santa Clara county, where he followed his profession, until failing health compelled him to relinquish the discharge of these duties. In the year 1876 he embarked in sheep-raising, but not finding this to his mind he returned to Oakland in September, 1878, resumed his practice, and there remained until June, 1879, when health again failing him he became interested in the Madrone Mineral Springs, where he now resides. An account of this resort will be found on page 40 of this work. Dr. Munson married, January 20, 1873, Abbie M. Dyer, a native of Maine, by whom he has Gertrude Marion, born January 15, 1874, and Herrick Clinton, born December 12, 1880.

Jehial M. Owen. Born in Hinesburgh, Chittenden county, Vermont, January 30, 1830, and there dwelt until he grew to man's estate, being reared a farmer. On December 1, 1851, he started for California, via the Isthmus of Panama, and arrived in San Francisco January 10, 1852. Soon after he proceeded to Sacramento; thence to the mines on the Yuba, near Goodyear Bar; he afterwards engaged as Clerk in Whitcomb's store, and then returned to Sacramento, where he worked on a farm. In May, 1853, he came to Santa Clara county and township, and was employed in hauling lumber from the redwoods—the first business undertaken on his own account since his arrival in the State. A year later he located in Gilroy township, and was there engaged in the like occupation for the Bodfish Mills. In 1856 he embarked in dairying in Gilroy, which he continued until 1864, when he came to his present ranch in Burnett township, where he resides., near Coyote station. The farm consists of three hundred acres. Married, May 6, 1866, E nma Cift, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, and has: George N., Allen B., William H.


Jacob Scheller. Born in Homburg, Bavaria, October 22, 1836, and was there educated to the blacksmith's trade. He then served one year in the army, and afterwards worked at his calling until 1863, when he came to the United States, arriving in San Francisco March 9th of that year. In less than a week he located on. the place where he now resides in Packwood valley, on the Weber Rancho, for which he is agent. In 1875 Mr. S. revisited his friends in Germany. On his return he twice narrowly escaped death. He, at first, planned to return on the Deutchland, which was wrecked off the Coast of England. He then made arrangements to come on the Mosel, which was to sail December 11, 1875. Mr. S. arrived at the Bremen wharf just as the last truck-load of baggage was going aboard. Seeing his trunk, he asked permission to take a box of cigars from it, and then hurried to his stateroom, to put them away. He had hardly gone below when the workingmen, in removing a heavy case from the truck, dropped it on the stone pier. At once there was a fearful explosion. Some two hundred were instantly killed, not one of those on the wharf escaping. The case contained an infernal machine, set to go off in eight days, which had been shipped to realize the insurance on a large lot of worthless cases, shipped as merchandise. Mr. S., however, was uninjured, and arrived safely by the next steamer. He attended the Centennial Exposition before returning to Santa Clara county. Married, June 1, 1872, Dora Munro, a native of Canada.

Orvis Stevens. Born in Chittenden County, Vermont, on the 11th of November, 1830. At the age of twenty-one  years he came to California via Panama. Soon after his arrival, in the year 1852, he proceeded to the mines at St. Joe's Bar, Yuba river, near Downieville, and there remained one year; he then went to Camptonville, from there to Sacramento, thence to the mines at Minnesota. Sierra county; two years thereafter he removed to Eureka South, Nevada county, and conducted a dairy for one year; we next find Mr. Stevens stock-raising in Solano county, near Rio Vista; at the end of a twelvemonth he proceeded to Forrest City, Sierra county; eighteen months after, he paid a visit to the Eastern States; in three months he returned and proceeded to Chips' Flat, Sierra county; where he for several years carried on the butcher business, and finally came to Burnett township, Santa Clara county, in 1868. Here Mr. Stevens engaged in farming until 1875, when he rented the " Twelve-mile House," where he has a store, a blacksmith's shop, a hotel, and a post-office. Is a School Trustee. Married, in Sierra county, December 7, 1866, Louisa Leonard, by whom he has five children, viz.: Charles, born, March 3, 1868; Frank, born, May 27, 1869; Burt, born, August 12, 1873; James, born, March 31, 1874; Warren, born, November 4, 1877.

William Tennant—The-subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears in our work, was born in London, England, June 15, 1830, and is descended from good old Scotch stock. He is the eldest son of William and Dorinda Tennant, the former of whom came to California in 1849—his family coming out with our subject. Having received his early education in the world's metropolis, he afterward learned the trade of a piano-forte maker, which he followed until 1851, when he sailed in the ship Prince Charlie, by way of Cape Horn, for California, arriving in San Francisco in the latter part of that year. He almost immediately commenced tuning pianos in that city, being the only one of that occupation in the State. Early in 1852, he was called to Alviso to tune the piano of Governor Burnett, and afterwards performed the like duty at the Santa Clara and San Jose colleges, and returned to the city, but being enchanted with the valley, he returned in a short time, rented the ground on which the Twenty-one-mile House stands, and commenced keeping that station, in the Spring of 1852, where he has since resided. He now farms twelve hundred acres of the finest land in the county. Mr. Tennant is reckoned among the most successful agriculturalists in Santa Clara county, while it is said of him that he has never been known to fail in any undertaking. He was for some years one of the Directors of the Bank of Gilroy, and is now a stockholder in the Bank of San Jose, and also in the Home Mutual Insurance Company, as he is also a Director of the Santa Clara and San Mateo Agricultural Society, while it is a matter of fact that he has ever been willing to put forth a helping hand to his less fortunate fellows. During a trip to Europe, in 1873, his house was sacked by the noted desperado, Tiburcio Vasquez and his band, who carried off booty, in the shape of jewelry and articles of vertu, to the value of eight hundred dollars. Mr. Tennant was appointed Postmaster at Tennants, April 5, 1871, and still holds the position. He married at San Jose, April 22, 1866, Margaret McAllister, and has four living children, viz.: Mary Ann R, Isabella M., Emily C., and Sarah E.

L. L. Tourtillott (Deceased). Born in Penobscot county, Maine, June 30, 1836. When a mere child he was taken to Lee county, Illinois, where he was educated and engaged in farming. In 18.59 he crossed the plains to California, arrived at Placerville in 1860, where he was engaged as a clerk in a general merchandise store until the middle of December, when he came to Santa Clara county,-and engaged in lumbering in the redwoods at Lexington until 1864. . Thence he proceeded to San Jose where he resided until June, 1865, at which date he purchased the place where his widow now resides. The property is situated in San Felipe valley- and comprises three hundred and twenty acres. He died October 27, 1876, having lived on the ranch continuously since its purchase, save two years which was passed in San Jose. He married, February. 21, 1864, Mrs. Jane A.Gould, a native of Ohio, who has by her first husband: George A., born May 17, 1853; Frank H., born August 29, 1855; and by her second: Howard H., born March 8, 1866; Milton A., born June 18, 1867; Ernest E., born December 7, 1869; True T., born September 18, 1871; Walter W., born May 16, 1872.

G. W. Wilson. Born in San Jose, Santa Clara county, California, June 30, 1853, and was educated at Santa Clara College. Mr. Wilson has been a farmer nearly all his life; he now owns about seven hundred acres of land in Burnett township, where he raises a large quantity of grain, and rears some very excellent stock. He has the reputation of being a first-class, practical farmer. Married, February 1, 1876, Constantia Smith, a native of this county, by whom he has two children, viz: U. C., born November 2, 1876; Eliza A. born September 22, 1878.

SANTA CLARA COUNTY BIOGRAPHY PROJECT
SANTA CLARA COUNTY- THE VALLEY OF HEART"s DELIGHT