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Bio- Sawyers
SURNAMES:KINGSMILL, BREWER, McCLAIN, BURNETT, WAKEFIELD,
One of the best known and most successful veterinary surgeons in the Santa Clara Valley is William J. Thompson, a native of Massachusetts, born in Boston, August 19, 1859, the son of W. J. and Caroline (Kingsmill) Thompson, both parents having been born and reared in Massachusetts. The father was a manufacturer of cloth, but he passed away early in life, and the mother removed to California with her son, William J., in 1864, and settled in San Jose. Subsequently she was married again, to William S. Brewer, a merchant in Saratoga. She spent her last days there. Of her first marriage, William J. is the only child; while of the second marriage there were three children, two of whom are living. When four years old William came to California with his mother via the Isthmus of Panama. He attended school at the Normal Square in San Jose and then was among the first pupils to attend the Hester school.
In 1867 he removed with his folks to a ranch in the Santa Cruz Mountains, built the first frame house on the summit, and engaged in stock raising, and they also dealt in shakes and shingles and pickets. In 1873 they removed to Saratoga and bought a five-acre place and engaged in the mercantile business, also handling hay, grain and lumber. When twenty he returned to the summit and engaged in the stock business, having a ranch of 1,100 acres. His practical experience and common sense, coupled with necessity, has made him a capable veterinarian, and is called into consultation frequently and his expert knowledge of the diseases of animals results in complete recovery. In 1892 he again located at Saratoga and practiced veterinary medicine. He is the oldest practitioner in this line in this section of the valley. At different times, he has owned a valuable string of race horses and at present has a number of hunting hounds. Among the horses he has owned were Cloverland, Apache, Weeland and Mamie T.
The marriage of Mr. Thompson united him with Miss Emma C. McClain, born and reared in Canada. They are the parents of four children: Carrie, now Mrs. Louis Burnett of the Saratoga district; Roscoe is engaged in the butcher business at Sunnyvale; Eva is Mrs. L. H. Wakefield of this vicinity; and William J.Jr., of Saratoga. There are six grandchildren. Politically Mr. Thompson votes the Republican ticket. He uses his efforts in the upbuilding and development of the locality in which he has lived and labored for so many years and takes great pride in the prosperity of the county and state.
Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County,California, published by Historic Record Co. , 1922.page 1249
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