EMILY JOSEPHINE COLOMBET
Bio-Sawyers
SURNAMES: ROGERS, BORGROVE, STRUVEM. BRANDON, WIDGER, CONNELL, ODLIN, LESTER,
Prominent among the influential and highly-esteemed women of San
Jose whose family associations are of especial interest may well be
mentioned Mrs. Emily Josephine Colombet, who is living retired at her
comfortable residence at 225 Vine Street. She is the eldest daughter of
the late Wayne Butler Rogers, who had married Miss Sarah Borgrove, and
she was born at the Rogers home, on the Rancho de Santa Teresa, south
of San Jose. She, attended the local Oak Grove School, and during the
session of 1867-68 was a student at the College of the Pacific; and now
she is an honored member of the Emendia Society, the oldest college
society on the Pacific Coast. On March 2, 1876, she was married to
Charles Thomas Colombet, now deceased, son of the late pioneer, Clemente Colombet.
Charles Thomas Colombet, was born at the Mission San Jose on November
23, 1852, and was reared in Santa Clara County, where he attended the
University of Santa Clara. He became a prominent stock dealer, and used
to operate very extensively in California, Nevada and Arizona. Three
children were born to the worthy couple. Clementina J., now the wife of
F. C. Struven, a merchant a member of the Fraternal Aid. Mrs. Colombet,
also has been fortunate in enjoying the same complimentary esteem from
all who have known the Rogers and Colombets. She is among the
interesting members of the Pioneer Sons and Daughters; she has done
good work in the Trinity Guild of San Jose, of which she is an active
member; and she belongs to the Flower Lovers' Club.
One of the most interesting events in the annals of the family occurred
on June 11, 1917, when Mrs. Wayne B. Rogers, Mrs. Colombet's mother,
celebrated her ninetieth birthday anniversary at the home of her
daughter, Mrs. F. J. Brandon, at 1037 South First Street, San Jose.
There was no attempt at a formal affair, says the San Jose Mercury
Herald of June 17, but scores of friends remembering the significant
date, called upon the beloved little gentlewoman, bearing good wishes
and tokens of their affection. During the course of the afternoon, she
was presented with twenty beautiful bouquets. Two large birthday cakes,
also, one lighted with ninety pink candles, the other ornamented in
lavender and bearing ninety lighted candles, were the center of
attraction at the buffet luncheon throughout the day. Mrs. Rogers is a
native of Baden, Germany, and came to this country when a baby with her
parents and grandparents. The families settled in Ohio, and it was in
Bucyrus on April 23, 1849, that Miss Sarah Borgrove plighted her troth
to Wayne B. Rogers, a prominent pioneer of Santa Clara County, born in
Bucyrus, Ohio, January 31, 1827. His father, Ichabod Rogers, was born
in New York and later removed to Bucyrus, Ohio, where he was a miller
and farmer In 1849, he came across the plains to California but
remained only a short time, returning to his home in Ohio, where he
spent the remainder of his days. His wife, Lucy (Widger) Rogers was
also born in New York and passed away in Ohio at the age of
ninety-seven years. When she was seventy-five years old she visited
California, making the journey alone.
In 1852 Mr. and Mrs. Wayne B. Rogers started to California. They were
five months en route across the continent in their "prairie schooners,"
enduring many hardships, and arrived at the Santa Teresa rancho on
Christmas Day, 1852. For fifty-eight years Mr. and Mrs. Rogers lived in
the same house on the Santa Teresa, and there all but two of their
eleven children were born, six of whom are living: Mrs. Emily J.
Colombet; Mrs. Amanda C. Brandon; Mrs. Ida R. Connell; Mrs. Lillie M.
Odlin; Mrs. Adella S. Lester, and George L. Rogers, all of San Jose.
Mr. Rogers was active in aiding the settlers to get deed to their land
on the Santa Teresa rancho. and made several trips on horseback to
Stockton for that purpose. In 1856 he returned East and bought a drove
of horses, intending to bring them across the plains, but on account of
the Indian uprising he sold them and came to California by the way of
Panama. Mr. Rogers passed away December 6, 1909, other pioneers of the
famous old rancho passed on, and on June 11, 1917, at the age of
ninety. Mrs. Sarah Rogers was the sole survivor of the early settlers
on the grant. She was also the oldest member in point of years and
membership in the First Methodist Church of San Jose. Until a few
months before this ninetieth birthday celebration, Mrs. Rogers enjoyed
excellent health and was able to be up and about the house and
garden at Mrs. Brandon's home, where she resided; she passed away
December 3, 1919. This loveable woman, remarkably young in appearance,
considering her age, approached the sunset of life with a grace and
gentle dignity that marked her as a philosopher and true disciple of
the Great Teacher, who dealt most kindly with her during the passing of
the years.
Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County,California, published by Historic Record Co. , 1922. page 1109