A veteran of the Civil War, who has been a resident of California since 1900, is John E. Teed, born in Cleveland, Ohio, March 3, 1847. His father, E. D. Teed, was born in New York, removing to Ohio. He there married Susan Gee, a native of Pennsylvania, and they were farmers in the Buckeye State until they removed to \Vaupaca, Wis., and thence on to Owatonna, Minn.. where the father spent the rest of his days. The mother died in Cottonwood County, Minn. Of the six children born to this worthy couple, John E. is the second and grew up on the Minnesota farm from ten years of age, receiving his education in the public schools. At the time of the Civil War, his youthful soul was stirred with patriotism and he left his books to enlist in the Union Army, February 11, 1863, in Company A, Tenth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, being mustered in at Fort Snelling and sent to the front and under General Price he served in the battles of Tupelo, Miss., Oxford, Miss., then in the campaign after General Forrest and the battle of Nashville; thence via New Orleans to Spanish Fort, Miss., and was in the engagement of the taking of Spanish Fort; thence to Montgomery, Ala., Meridian and Vicksburg, Miss., and was then transferred to Fort Snelling, where he was mustered out in August, 1865, having just passed his eighteenth year. He resumed his studies, caught up with his classmates, and in due time he obtained a teacher's certificate. He taught school at Big Bend, Minn., and was there at the time of the big blizzard, January 14, 1872. He kept the children in the school house all afternoon and night and until four the next afternoon, using all the scantlings. benches and desks for fuel and that, too, in a newly built schoolhouse. About four o'clock the second afternoon the nearest neighbor, a physician, braved the storm and brought some food. Mr. Teed went back with him, obtained his team and sled and with it brought the children to the doctor's house. After teaching for five years, he engaged at carpentering and was a successful contractor and builder, having built many fine residences.

In 1900 he came to Sonoma County, Cal., thence he moved to Oakland and in 1901 to Los Gatos. coming here because he was suffering severely from inflammatory rheumatism. In a short time he was relieved of his trouble and again engaged in contracting and building, a business he has continued with success ever since: he has become a property owner in Los Gatos and has great faith in the future of this beautiful foothill city.

Mr. Teed was married in Owatonna, Minn., to Miss Charlotte Jones, who was born in New York State, coming to Medford, Minn., with her parents where she was educated for and followed the profession of teaching. They have two children, Mrs. Jessie Johnson, of Johnson Avenue, where her father makes his home and Mrs. Della Stoneking of Taft. Mr. Teed served as town trustee of Los Gatos for one term and is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and served as a member of the official board for many years both in Minnesota as well as here. He is a member of the E. 0. C. Ord Post, No. 82, G. A. R.


From Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County,California, published by Historic Record Co. , 1922. page 1137