The Valley of Heart's Delight
WALLACE E. BLAND
Bio- History of Santa Clara
Success, in whatever line of work he undertakes, has been the
keynote of the life of Wallace E. Bland, born at Norwalk, in Los
Angeles County, Cal., April 15, 1889, a son of Samuel and Nancy
(Worthington) Bland. His mother was born in San Jose, her parents
having come to California from Lancaster, Pa., in 1849, across the
plains. Her father went into the mines in the early days, mining
for five years at Placerville, Carson City and Chinese Camp. He
then went to what is now Riverside County and there he lived until his
death. The father was born in Nova Scotia and came to California via
Panama in 1857, mined for some time and returned to Los Angeles County,
Cal., and bought 360 acres of land near Norwalk and has engaged in
farming, raising alfalfa and hogs and here he passed away.
Wallace is the youngest child of a family of nine children, William
Edward, deceased; George S., of Lompoc; Adeline L., Harriet Maude.;
Amelia Cornelia, deceased; Nellie; Agens G.; Ruby, deceased, and
Wallace E. The father passed away in 1905 aged sixty-nine, but
the mother is still living, and resides at Los Angeles, aged
sixty-eight years.
Wallace attended the grammar school at Norwalk, later supplementing
with a course at St. Vincent's College. After finishing school he
took up the well-drilling business and learned his trade under E. R.
Pitzer of Los Angeles County, who did drilling of irrigation wells in
the Orange belt of Southern California and at Whittier, San Dimas and
elsewhere. Mr. Bland worked at he drilling business until he
enlisted in the World War, except for a period of eighteen months, when
he was in the automobile business in Pasadena. He was one of the
original volunteers that made up the Red Cross Ambulance Corps No. 1 of
Pasadena, organized by Major Charles D. Lockwood of Pasadena. He
enlisted May 25, 1917, and trained for a short time in the south, then
was sent to Annetown, Pa., where he was promoted to first sergeant of
section 566 of the Red Cross Ambulance Corps. Here he trained for
eleven months and three weeks and then sailed from Hoboken, J. J., for
foreign service. His detachment was sent to Italy and was one of
the 1,000 American troops that was spread over a front area of 400
miles. These companies did ambulance work and transporting
of rations for the Otaoam trooops. They passed through Gibraltar
and landed at Genoa, Italy, serving in the Alps and spending one year
in Italy and Mr. Bland was in three major Italian offensives.
Upon his return to the United States May 1, 1919, he was discharged at
Camp Dix., N. J., June 3, 1919. He immediately returned to
Californai and settled in the Santa Clara Valley and became a
partner of Natan Charnock in the well-driggin
business. They own and oeprate four deep well power
drilling rigs, and they are usually kept busy, covering the territory
on the coast from San Francisco to San Luis Pbispo.
Mr. Bland's marriage occurred May 17, 1919, in Eaton, P., and united
him with Miss Harriet McHenry, of Scotch-Irish ancestry, a native of
Pennsylvania, born in Catasauqua, there she was reared and educated,
completing her education in the Normal School of her native city.
Her mother passed away there in January, 1918. Mr. Bland is an
honored member of the Amercian Legion of San Jose' fraternally he is a
memver of the Elks Lodge NO. 672 of Pasadena and was an active member
of the baseball and drill teqam of this lodge. Locallly he gives
his support to progressive, constructive legislation, regardless of
party lines, supporting the best man for public office. His home
is 1498 Park Avenue, San Jose.
Transcribed by Carolyn Feroben, from Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County,California, published by Historic Record Co. , 1922. page 1518
SANTA CLARA COUNTY HISTORICAL BIOGRAPHIES
SANTA CLARA COUNT HISTORY-The Valley of Heart's Delight