SIMEON HOLLAND
Bio-Pen Pictures
SURNAMES: WARDELL, BROADBENT, McNEILL, KAMMERER,
one of the long resident citizens of Santa Clara County, is a native of England, born at Manchester, Lancashire, October 22, 1830, his parents being Joseph and Mary (Wardell) Holland. His father was in early life a silk weaver.
Simeon was reared to the age of twenty years in Manchester, acquiring a thorough knowledge of the tailor's trade. In 1850 he went to Liverpool, and sailed thence in August for New York, where he arrived in the following month. He located at New Brunswick, New Jersey, and was engaged there for four years at his trade. In 1854 he went to New York city, and was employed in the wholesale clothing trade and at merchant tailoring until April, 1859, when he sailed for California, by way of Panama. He arrived at San Francisco on May 1, and soon came to Santa Clara County, locating at Berryessa, where he engaged in farming. He rented land until 1865, when he bought where he now resides. His 204 acres of land was a wild place, overrun with brush, but he at once set about making improvements. He still retains 125 acres, which he cultivates thoroughly. His principal crop is hay, made from wheat and wild oats, securing an average of two and one-half tons per acre. He sells his product mostly in the local market, though considerable is shipped to San Francisco. All his hay is baled, and he has two barns for storage, one with a capacity for 250 tons, the other from 60 to 75 tons. The barn, erected in 1886, is a modern structure, well built. Another recent improvement is the tank and tank-house, built in 1887, the water being drawn from a bored well, 67 feet deep.. This supplies water for all purposes; and 600 feet of piping is used.
Mr. Holland has
a family orchard and vegetable garden, with which he has been successful, and
contemplates setting out a vineyard. He was married, at New Brunswick, New
Jersey, in September, 1854, to Miss Anna Broadbent, a native of England, whose
parents emigrated to the United States about 1840, when she was in her seventh
year. They have five children, viz.: John William, in butcher business at
Evergreen; Sarah Elizabeth, wife of A. B. McNeill, of McNeill Brothers,
printers, San Jose; Joseph Henry, at home; Mary Catherine, wife of Alexander
Kammerer, of San Jose Township ; and Florence, at home. Mr. Holland is a member
of the Unitarian Church, at San Jose, and has been connected with the
congregation since its organization, under the name of Unity Society. He is a
Trustee of the present congregation. He is also a Trustee of Evergreen School
District, having been elected in 1886. He had previously been a member of the
Board of Trustees for fourteen consecutive years. He is a Republican
politically, is an active worker, and has been several times on the County
Committee. He has also been a delegate to many conventions.
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.
Pg. 644-645
SANTA CLARA COUNTY BIOGRAPHY PROJECT