ROBERT P. GOBER, M. D.
Los Gatos Physician
SURNAMES: BEASLEY, LEE, BEAN, COLEMAN
A physician and surgeon of
thirty-eight year's experience in Los Gatos and a native son of
California, is Robert P. Gober, M.D., who was born in Sacramento,
November 24, 1858. His father, Rev. W. R. Gober, was born in
DeKalb County, Ga., in 1824, and was a minister in the Methodist Church
South; he married Nancy Porter Beasley, a native of Lynchburg, Va., of
a prominent old Virginian family, and an own cousin of General Robert
E. Lee. In 1851 Rev. Gober, with his bride, came to California,
coming via Panama to San Francisco. After preaching there for
some time he took up his work in Sacramento,
and then from 1864 to 1868
was stationed in Santa Clara, and afterward his work was in various
parts of the state. As presiding elder of the San Francisco
District he rode horse back on his journey from San Francisco to Santa
Cruz. In 1872 Rev. Gober joined the Methodist Episcopal Church
North, and his first appointment was at Kingsley Chapel,
Sacramento. He was presiding elder of Sacramento District for
several years, then of the Napa District, and was a delegate of
the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Omaha,
Nebr. He was chaplain at Folsom Prison for some years before he
retired. Rev. Gober was one of the founders of Pacific Methodist
College, located at Vacaville, and was its president for some years. In
the early days he was a member of the
State Legislature, and still
later he was chaplain of the State Senate. This noble and grand
old pioneer died at his home in College Park in
March, 1908, being
survived by his widow until December of the same year, when she too,
passed away, at the age of seventy-eight.
This worthy pioneer couple had six children, three of whom are
living. Robert P. being the only son. Reared as an
itinerant Methodist minister's son, he attended the public schools in
various places until 1878, when he entered the University of the
Pacific, now the College of the Pacific, where he was graduated in 1882
with the degree of A. B., and then, having chosen the profession
of medicine, he entered the Medical College of the Pacific, afterward
Cooper Medical College, for a year, then entered Bellevue Hospital
Medical College in New York City, where he was graduated in 1884 with
the degree of M. D., and immediately returned to Santa Clara County,
locating at Los Gatos, where he took up the practice of his profession,
in which he has been so universally successful, and he is held in the
highest esteem by all who know him for his kindness of heart and
philanthropy. He has seen the country round about grow from
mustard fields to a garden spot of orchards, and the city of Los Gatos
from a hamlet to a city. He has built a beautiful residence on Santa
Cruz Avenue and Bean Street.
Dr. Gober was married in Los Gatos June
17, 1886, to Miss Annette Bean ,who was born at Hudson, Mich, a
daughter of John Bean, a native of Maine, who settled in Michigan and
was an inventor. While in Springfield, Ohio, he invented a force
pump and also a turbine windmill. He came to Los Gatos in 1883, and was
the inventor of the Bean spray pump, and organized the Bean Spray Pump
Company[transcriber note- Bean Sray Pump Co.
becomes FMC Corp],
beginning their manufacture in Los Gatos. The plant was
afterwards moved to San Jose, where he built up a large business.
After years of activity, wishing to retire, he resigned and spent his
last days in Los Gatos, which had always been his home in
California. Mrs. Gober was educated in Springfield, Ohio, and was
a cultured woman whose esthetic influence was felt in the community,
where she was much loved and appreciate. Dr. Gober was bereaved
of his faithful wife May 12, 1921, leaving two children; Helen Porter,
a graduate of Stanford, class of 1914, married David Coleman, also a
graduate of Stanford, and she passed away February 21, 1922, leaving a
daughter, Nanette Coleman. Nancy Cornelia is a graduate of St. Luke's
Hospital Training School for Nurses. She enlisted in the U. S. Navy as
a nurse, was sent overseas and served at Guam for one year, when she
returned and was mustered out of service. She now presides
gracefully over Dr. Gober's home.
Dr. Gober was prevailed up to serve as school trustee for four
years. His time is taken up with his profession and he will not
consider political preferment of any kind, but is a believer in the
principles of the Republican party. Fraternally Dr. Gober was made a
Mason in Los Gatos Lodge No. 292, F. & A. M., of which he is past
master. He is a member of Howard Chapter No. 14, R. A.M., San
Jose, and of San Jose Commandery No. 10, Knights Templar, of which he
is past commander. He is also a member of Islam Temple, A. A. O. N. M.
S., in San Francisco. Dr. Gober is influential in medical circles
and has served as vice-president of the Santa Clara County Medical
Society. He is a vestryman of St. Luke's Episcopal Church.
Sawyer, Eugene T -History of Santa Clara County, California :
Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic Record Co., 1922, 1776 pgs. Page 1460-1461
transcribed by cdf
PHOTO AND HISTORY OF THE BEAN ORCHARD PUMP SPRAYER---
LOS GATOS
SANTA CLARA COUNTY BIOGRAPHY PROJECT
SANTA CLARA COUNTY HISTORY - THE VALLEY OF HEART's DELIGHT