WILL GREEN HARTON
HARTON-PIERCE MOTOR CAR COMPANY
Bio-Sawyers
SURNAMES: GREEN, WARNER
Among the native sons of California, Will Green Harton is achieving
prominence in a business way in San Jose, and well deserves the success
that is the reward of strict integrity and a firm determination to
progress. He was born in Fresno County, Cal., December 12, 1889, an
only son of Charles Harton and Lulu (Green) Harton, the latter a
daughter of Gen. Will S. Green, an early settler of Colusa County. He
landed in Colusa on July 6, 1850, piloting the new steamer Colusa up
the Sacramento River, and for five years more than a half century he
was a citizen of that town, of which he first saw the site from the
pilot house of the pioneer steamer.
Early in his experience in the Sacramento Valley, General Green saw
that to reach their highest productivity there must be a drainage of
the rich bottom lands, for protection against floods, and irrigation of
the rich plains for protection against the normal drought of the dry
season. He was one of California's first apostles of agriculture, and
land was the text of all his epistles. As an engineer, he surveyed the
land. As a legislator, he drew the land code of the state. As surveyor
general of the United States, he protected the public domain for the
settlers who would till it. As treasurer of the state, he conserved and
economized the taxes paid by the owners of the land. As the foremost
editorial writer of the state, he considered the land as first material
object of human interest. He developed the first plans for irrigation
and drainage of the Sacramento Valley; and though high-salaried
engineers have wrought upon the same problem, his plans stand
unimpeached'. On account of the vastness of the great work which he
conceived, he came to be the final authority upon more things of vital
concern to the state than any other man in California. This is but a
brief resume of the important things for which he gave the best years
of his life.
Mrs. Harton passed away when her infant son was only one year old, and
he was given into the care of his illustrious grandfather. When he had
reached the age of fourteen, he was sent to Bingham Military Academy at
Asheville, N. C., a preparatory school for Webb's Training School,
located at Bellbuckle, Tenn., from which institution he graduated when
twenty years of age. General Green passed away in 1905, and Mr. Harton
was thrown upon his own resources. He spent several years in various
parts of the Middle West, working at whatever he could find to do to
earn an honest living. At the outbreak of the World War in 1917, he was
a resident of Southern California and he enlisted in the navy at San
Pedro in the submarine service. He was immediately put into an
officers' training school, receiving actual experience on submarine
chasers, and thus twelve months were spent up and down the coast. At
the close of the war he was released from active service, but is
subject to call at any time. He removed to San Jose during the year of
1919 and was employed as sales manager of a local automobile firm;
later he established his own business, selling used cars.
With a small capital he began business and in 1921 Dr. F. B. Pierce was
taken into the partnership and the Harton-Pierce Motor Company was
formed, Mr. Harton taking full charge of the business management. The
company has the exclusive sale and service for the Oakland car,
specializing on the "Oakland Sensible Six." The company realizes that
their patrons' interests are a part and parcel of their success and
that their business depends upon thoroughly satisfying their customers.
The marriage of Mr. Harton in January, 1920. united him with Miss
Muriel Warner, a daughter of John Warner, a pioneer merchant of Santa
Clara Valley. Fraternally he is a member of the Masons. Elks and
American Legion, as well as of the N. S. G. W. Upright and honorable in
every relation of life, Mr. Harton has won the esteem and respect of
business associates and counts his friends and acquaintances by the
score.
Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County,California, published by Historic Record Co. , 1922. page 1058