Transcribed by Carolyn Feroben, from Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County,California,
 published by Historic Record Co. , 1922. 1347

BIO Pen-pictures
SURNAMES:  MARKHAM,  SMITH, PAUL

MARK CALKINS is the owner of an orchard farm in the Berryessa School District, located on the Milpitas and Berryessa road, about four and a half miles south of Milpitas. His property contains thirty-four acres, and is devoted to fruit culture. The orchard contains 1,700 French prune, 1,200 apricot, 500 peach, and 75 cherry trees. There are also a few vines, which produce table grapes of the Muscat, Tokay, and Sweetwater varieties. Mr. Calkins has made the cultivation of raspberries of the Cuthbert variety a profitable branch of the industry, as his bushes yield largely and five months of the year. Although the orchard is young, that it promises to be among the best the following estimate will show: In 1887, form the two-year-old apricot trees, the crop of green fruit sold for $45 per acre, while in the same season, the fruit from the peach trees of the same age realized $85 per acre. Water is found in abundance on this farm at a depth of 60 feet, and from a ten-inch well 10,000 gallons a day can be procured. A comfortable cottage home and substantial out-buildings complete the aspect of prospeity which this property wears. Adjoining this farm is a splendid orchard of 74 acres, containing over 8,000 French prune trees. This property belongs to Mr. Calkins' brother-in-law, F. M. Smith, but is in the charge of Mr. Calkins. His success in the management of these large interests clearly proves his thorough knowledge of his business.

The subject of our sketch was born in Lincolnshire County, England, near Brigg, on the twenty-first of March, 1843. He is the son of George and Mary (Markham) Calkins, who emigrated to the United States in 1845, and located at Brockport, New York. There they made their home for a few years, when they went as far west as Wisconsin, and settled in Walworth County. There they engaged in farming, and to that work the subject of our sketch was reared, at the same time receiving a good common-school education. At the age of twenty years he started out in life for himself by renting and working land in Wisconsin. Engaged in agriculture in that State, he spent almost twenty years, leaving it in 1882, to come to this State. He located in Santa Clara County, and soon after bought twenty acres of land on the Hostetter road, in the improvement and cultivation of which he spent eighteen months. At the end of that time he sold the place to J. G. F. Berghauser, and purchased his present homestead, upon which he has since resided. He has entered thoroughly into  his horticultural work, and is destined to rank among the leading fruit-growers of the county. Politically, he is a Republican, and  has held several offices of trust in the gift of the people. In Wisconsin, he held the reponsible position of Town Treasurer of Richmond, and also served two terms in the same town as Supervisor. Industrious, liberal, and public-spirited, he is a desirable acuqisition to his community. 

Mrs. Calkins was formerly a resident of Wisconsin, in which State, in 1878, Mr. Calkins married her. She was Miss Ida L. Smith, the daughter of Henry G. and Charlotte (Paul) Smith, natives of New York and pioneers of Wisconsin. Two children have been born in the family of Mr. and Mrs. Calkins, one of whom, Lena M., is living.