A business establishment that has grown to be a leader of its kind
in the county is that of F. L. Rathbun & Son, well drillers and
dealers in pumps and well supplies, plumbing and plumbing supplies, in
Los Altos, Cal. Mr. Rathbun was born on January 12, 1851, in Allegany
County, N. Y., the son of Valentine and Myra (Geary) Rathbun. His
father passed away when he was only six years old, and one year later
his mother died. After the death of his parents, he went to live with
an unde, and then at the age of nine he went to Pennsylvania and began
to earn his own way in life. His father's people originally came from
Scotland to the United States and settled in Connecticut, the Scotch
spelling of the name being "Rathbone." The patemal grandfather was a
captain in the War of 1812. The only one living of a family of nine
children, F. L. Rathbun worked on farms at Erie, Pa., and grew to
manhood there.
His marriage occurred in Erie City, Pa., and united him with Miss Sarah
Stoll, born in that city, the daughter of George Stoll, among the first
settlers of Erie City, where he engaged in the brickmason's trade. In
1875 Mr. and Mrs. Rathbun left Pennsylvania for Califomia and settled
in San Francisco, spending two and a half years there; then removed to
Placer County where Mr. Rathbun worked in a saw-mill as foreman, and
continued in that capacity for ten years; in 1888 the family removed to
Truckee, thence to San Bemardino, remaining there for two
and a half years. They then removed to Oakland, and Mr. Rathbun worked
in a planing mill there and in San Francisco. In 1902 the family
removed to Los Altos and bought a farm, and Mr. Rathbun was occupied
with farming for nineteen years. In connection with his farming, he did
contracting and building, and in 1911 established the well drilling
business.
Mr. and Mrs. Rathbun are the parents of two children: George Clayton,
an engineer in San Francisco for the New Process Laundry; for nineteen
years he was an acrobat, traveling with circuses: he resides in San
Francisco; Frank William was born in San Francisco, learned the
plumbing trade and worked for ten years for George Dollarmore; he was
first married to Miss Minie Fistini of San Francisco. and they had two
children, Lottie now the wife of Ben E. Elkins. a radio operator
residing in San Francisco. who was in the government service during the
recent war; Juanita, married Walter Colbath, an employee of the Southem
Pacific at Burlingame. and they have one child. Ethel B. Mrs.
Rathbun passed away and he was married to Miss Francis Nicholas. His
third marriage united him with Mrs. Agnes Meeker. F. L. Rathbun and his
sons are members of the Masonic order and all belong to the Sciots.
Transcribed by
cferoben from Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara
County,California, published by Historic Record Co. , 1922.
page 1611