SURNAMES:  HAYES,

JOHN A. WETMORE, one of those who is making noteworthy improvements in Santa Clara County, is a native of Brownville, Jefferson County, New York, born September 19, 1834. He was reared there, and at the age of twenty started out in life for himself. In 1855 he located at Portland, Dodge County, Wisconsin, and engaged in farming. In 1884 he went into Ashland County for the purpose of prospecting in the Gogebic mining region. He was for some time interested in the Ashland mine, and still has interests in the celebrated "Germania", and also property in Dane County, Wisconsin. In 1887 he came out to Santa Clara County. His wife was formerly Sarah M. Hayes, a native of Waterloo, Jefferson County, Wisconsin.

Mr. Wetmore has a ranch of 110 acres, near Eden Vale Station, on the Southern Pacific Railroad. Of this, sixty-three acres are valley, and the remainder foot-hills and table land. That in the foot-hills is used for pasture, while, of the remainder, twenty-five acres will be devoted to fruit. Already he has planted 1,500 trees, as follows: Six varieties of apricots, nine of cherries, six of prunes, eight of pears, ten of peaches, nineteen of apples, seven of plums, two of figs, four of almonds, three of quinces, two of nectarines, three of pecans, five of table grapes, four of currants, besides English walnuts, English mulberries, and pomegranates. There are also 700 strawberry plants, 150 blackberries, and a small number of gooseberries.

Mr. Wetmore has completed, in 1888, the erection of some of the most beautiful building improvements on the Monterey road. The residence is in Queen Anne style, and is forty-two by sixty-two feet in ground area, exclusive of verndas. There is a basement of six feet in height, and from this the studding rises twenty-six feet, while it is forty-eight feet to the highest point. The materials used in the construction are Oregon pine, California redwood, and Spanish cedar. A conspicuous feature is the large and handsome vestibule, which rises the elegantly finished main stairway of Spanish cedar. The grates and mantels are elegantly designed and carved. The architect was J. K. Ericson, and he and B. Osen were the builders. The barn and tank-house, in one building, is also a handsome structure. The cost of these improvements was about $11,000. Mr. Wetmore, the proprietor, is a veteran of the War of the Rebellion, and is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic.

SOURCE:  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 246-247 transcribed by Carol Lackey

RETURN TO SANTA CLARA COUNTY FAMILY CHRONICLES

SANTA CLARA COUNTY The Valley of Heart's Delight