BIO Pen Pictures
SURNAMES: GREEN, BOWERS, WILLIAMS, STILMAN, ROBINSON, GREENE

GEORGE ROBERTS, residing on Stockton Avenue, corner of Julian Street, San Jose, was born at New York Mills, near Utica, New York, May 22,1832. He attended school near Utica until nineteen years of age, when he engaged in farming and various other occupations until 1850, and then removed to California, coming by way of Panama. In 1844 his parents removed to Osceola, Lewis County, New York. Here he worked for a time on his father's farm, and in 1848 went to work on the Erie Canal, driving horses, where he remained two years. In New York city he drove stage on the East Broadway line for two years, when he returned to Oscola, where he remained until 1860. Upon his arrival in California he engaged in mining in Omega, Nevada County, which he followed for three years, when he established a mercantile house and did a large business, mostly in mining supplies. His business extended over a large area, taking in the surrounding camps for twenty miles. He packed his goods on mules and horses to the cabins and mines of his customers. After actively conducting this business for six years, he sold out and came to San Jose, where he invested largely in real estate, engaging also in a wholesale and retail store, and for a short time kept the Lick House in San Jose.

In 1874 he sold out these interests. Then, with Fred Adams, he organized the Lompoc Valley Land Company and removed to Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, becoming Secretary of the company. He also engaged in business, keeping a general merchadise store, including drugs, dry and fancy goods, boots and shoes, etc. All the company's lands were sold at large prices, and at present (1888) are worth three or four times the price for which they were sold. Mr. Roberts owns a number of farms in that valley, and much of the town property. The farms are rented to farmers who raise English mustard, beans, corn, potatoes, and summer crops. Most of the yellow mustard used in the United States comes from that valley, there being shipped from San Francisco to New York, England, and other countries over 100,000 tons annually. They also raise immense quantities of beans of all kinds. Mr. Roberts, having large real estate interests in San Jose, returned here and purchased his present  home. He married Miss Nancy Green in Osceola, Lewis County, New York, in 1851. She was a native of Otsego County, New York.

Mr. Roberts has always been an interested and active Republican, voting for Fremont in 1856. His parents, John and Sarah (Bowers) Roberts, were born in England, where they married and came to the United States in 1827. Mr. Roberts has two sisters-- Eleanor, the wife of H. S. Williams, a farmer in Shasta County, and Sarah, the widow of Christopher Stilman, residing at Clark's Mills, New York State. Mrs. Roberts' parents were Seymour and Phebe (Robinson) Green, natives of New York State,. where they passed their lives and are now buried in Osceola, New York. Mr. Roberts' father still lives at Clark's Mills, New York, and is now (1888) eighty-one years of age. His mother died and was buried there, in 1852. Mr Roberts has an orchard of thirteen acres on Taylor Street, near King Street, San Jose. This is set out to apricots and prunes in about equal quantities, with a few plums and peaches. It is all in full bearing.

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. page 272  transcribed by Carol Lackey-



SANTA CLARA COUNTY HISTORICAL BIOGRAPHIES


SANTA CLARA COUNTY -The Valley of Heart's Delight