A man who gave his best effort for the preservation
of the Union and has also done much to improve and buildup the
horticultural industry in Santa Clara County is Volney Averill, a
native of Vermont, born near Highgate Springs, Franklin County, August
12, 1847, a son of Mark Richard and Adah (Durrin) Averill, both natives
of Vermont who lived on their New England homestead until 1852, when
they removed to Whiteside County, Ill, and were farmers near
Prophetstown until they retired and their demise occurred there.
Of their eight children, Volney is sixth and the only one now
living. Like the farmer boys of that day, he assisted his parents
of the farm while attending the public school near by. Thus
his education was not neglected. However, his patriotism was
stirred to such an extent that, having obtained his fathers consent, he
left his books and enlisted in October, 1864, in Company B,
Thirty-fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry and was sent south. In
a detachment of the Fourteenth and Twentieth Army Corps he took part in
the battle of Nashville under General thomas, after which he guarded
the block house near Chattanooga until March, 1865, when he was sent
with others via Washington to Wilmington, N. C., joining his regiment
in Sherman's Army of Goldboro, N. C. After the military
operations were over he marched to Washington, and had the pleasure of
taking part in the Grand Review. After this he was stationed at
Louisville, Ky., until he received his honorable discharge, July 12,
1865, being mustered out at Chicago, Ill., July 17, of that year, still
under 18 years of age. He attended school that winter in
Sterling, Ill., then spent a year working on a farm, when he went to
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as traveling salesman for an agricultural implement
house for two years and then spent a year as a clerk in their store.
In the fall of 1869 he came to California, living in the Santa Cruz
Mountains where he was employed on a ranch for a year and then returned
to Iowa and engaged in farming for two years, but the call of
California and its splendid climate was too strong, so in the spring of
1873 he returned to Santa Clara County and immediately took up ranch
work in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
On June 2, 1873, Mr. Averill was married to Miss Alice Schultheis, who
was born n the old Schulteis ranch on the summit in this county, a
daughter of Martin Schultheis, a pioneer, who with his wife Susan
(Byerly) Schultheis, crossed the plains in an ox-team train in the
early fifties and located in the mountains above Lexington and there
reared their family. becoming successful farmers and valued
citizens. In 1874 Mr. Averill bought fifteen acres which he
cleared and set out to orchard and as he prospered he bought land
adjoining until he owned 75 acres, 35 acres being devoted mostly to
French prunes. His orchard lies well to the summit, on the Santa
Cruz and Santa Clara County line, his residence being in the latter
county. Mr. Averill was one among the first to engage in
raising prunes for commercial purposes in his section, an he has been a
close student of conditions of soil and climate, and has cared for this
orchard in the most scientific way.
Mr. and Mrs. Averill's union was blessed with seven children:
Anna, Mrs. Flynn, passed away leaving three children; Fred resides in
Seattle; Mrs. Mamie Piper died leaving one child, as did Mrs. Florance
Banich at her death; Bessie, Mrs. Romes, lives near Palo Alto.
Alice assists her mother to preside over the house;
Arthur E.
owns the home ranch is married and has two children. Mr. Averill
is a popular member of the E. O. C. Ord. Post 82 G. A. R. at Los
Gatos, and is a stanch Republican.