FRANK BRIDGES
Music Teacher-San Francisco
Bio-Pen Pictures
SURNAMES: SERVIS, HODGSON,
resides on the San Francisco road, in the Millikin School District, about four miles west of Santa Clara, where he owns twenty acres of productive land. He devotes his entire tract, with the exception of three acres in fruit-trees, to the cultivation of grapes for wine and table use. Of the former, he has ten acres of the following kinds: Matero, Zinfandel, Grenache, and Charbano. Of the table grapes, he has seven acres of the Muscat, Malvasie, and Rose of Peru varieties. Mr. Bridges pays careful attention to the details of his business, and has his reward in the large yield and the excellent quality of his products.
The subject of this sketch dates his birth in Gloucester County, England, February 19, 1843. His father, Frank Bridges, and his mother, Martha (Servis) Bridges, were natives of Greenwich, Middlesex County, England. His schooling was limited to that received before he reached twelve years of age, for at that period he entered upon an apprenticeship of three years in the carving and gilding trade. At its expiration, although but fifteen years of age, he enlisted in the English army in the East India service, in 1858, and his experience was somewhat out of the common run, in that almost all of his military service was in that far-off country. There he spent seven years principally in garrison duties, but engaging in several skirmishes with scattered bands of mutineers.
In 1865 he returned to his native country, still remaining in the service as a musician. During the following year he received an honorable discharge, having spent eight years in the service of his country, in the faithful and conscientious discharge of every duty. In the same year (1866) he left England for the United States. Landing at New York, he soon extended his journeying as far west as Knoxville, Tennessee, making that city his home for several years. While there he was engaged in the teaching of music, and, on his departure, in April, 1875, came to California. He located in San Francisco, and followed the profession of music teaching. He made that city his home for about eight years, and then visited Santa Clara County, purchasing the property upon which he now resides. Since that time he has devoted his energies and time entirely to the cultivation of his vines and orchard. Although reared to a far different life, the qualities of careful attention to every duty and intelligent direction of business, which made him successful in other occupations, have made him a successful horticulturist.
Mr. Bridges
married, in 1872, Miss Edwina Hodgson, daughter of Edwin Hodgson, of Manchester,
England. They have had three children: Bertha, aged at present writing (1888)
fifteen years; Herbert, aged thirteen years; and Frank, aged nine years.
Pen Pictures From The Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California, Illustrated. - Edited by H. S. Foote.- Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1888.
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