Santa Clara County
Biographies
WILLIAM AINSWORTH
SURNAMES: Wilkinson, Wild
WILLIAM AINSWORTH resides on the Hostetter road, in the Eagle School District,
about five and one-half miles northeast of San Jose, at which point he owns
twenty-five acres of land, which is devoted to orchard purposes, producing
apricots, peaches, prunes, plums apples, pears, and cherries. This orchard is
about ten years old, and is in full bearing. It is worthy of mention that in
1887 seventy-five tons of fruit were taken from one thousand trees. These trees
occupied about ten acres. The soil is a light loam, and is so moist that all
kinds of vegetables can be raised without any irrigation.
The subject of this sketch was born in Lancashire County, England, in 1862. His
parents were William H. and Caroline (Wilkinson) Ainsworth. He was reared to
mercantile pursuits, after sixteen years of age, and was engaged in the India
and China trade, in Manchester, England, until 1884. In that year he came to the
United States, landing in New York. After a short stay in that city he went to
Nebraska, with the intention of engaging in the cattle business; but not being
suited with that country he came to California, and after spending some time in
traveling over the State, came to Santa Clara County and purchased his present
residence. He then returned to England and married Miss A. C. Wild, of London,
returning to California the same year with his bride, since which he has engaged
in the cultivation of his orchard. Mr. Ainsworth has brought to his calling
well-trained business habits which have insured his success. Mr. and Mrs.
Ainsworth have two children: Trevlyn and Cyral.
SOURCE: 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.- page 530 transcribed by Roena Wilson
JOHN E. FISHER
Santa Clara Valley Land and Loan Association
SURNAMES: GLADSTONE, LAUTERMAN,
JOHN E. FISHER, Secretary of the Santa Clara Valley Land and Loan Association,
at No. 45 West Santa Clara Street, San Jose, was born near Woodland, Yolo
County, California, January 17, 1864. He received his primary education in the
public schools of Woodland, and later attended the University of the Pacific for
five years, graduating in 1884. He, with his mother and her family, removed to
San Jose in 1875. On November 1, 1884, he took charge of the books of Mr. R. L.
Higgins, in the real estate and insurance business, and May 25, 1885, he bought
an interest in the business. On February 9, 1886, the firm incorporated under
the name of the "Santa Clara Valley Land and Loan Association," of which Mr.
Fisher became the Secretary.
He is a member of Palo Alto Parlor, No. 82, N. S. G. W., of San Jose. Mr.
Fisher's parents were John H. and Arabella M. (Gladstone) Fisher, both natives
of Pennsylvania. His father came to California in 1854, where he engaged in
agriculture and stock-raising in Yolo County. He died in 1867. There were born
to them three daughters and one son: Clara, Hattie, John E., and Eva. Hattie,
the wife of Frank D. Lauterman, of Los Angeles, died March 6, 1888, leaving an
infant daughter. She was a graduate of the University of the Pacific. The
subject of this sketch and his two sisters still occupy the maternal home. Their
residence is on University Avenue, University Grounds, near the Alameda. The
family still retain their agricultural interests in Yolo County.
SOURCE: 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.- Page 260, transcribed by Carol Lackey
JOHN T. GRANT
SURNAMES: SMITH, FRICKETT, STEVENSON
One of the best orchards in the Berryessa District is the thirty-acre tract
owned by Mr. Grant. This orchard is located at Berryessa, on Capital Avenue,
about four miles north-east of the business center of San Jose. Twenty acres of
this land were planted in 1884, and the rest in 1887. This orchard contains the
following trees: 1,000 apricots, 800 peaches, 800 French prunes, 150 plums, and
a few trees each of nearly all varieties of fruit grown in that section of the
county. His land is admirably located, and irrigated by water from the
Penetencia Creek. The orchard is under a high state of cultivation, and is
destined to be very productive. It is worthy of mention that three-year-old
apricot trees in 1887 yielded over $120 per acre.
The subject of this sketch was born in Oneida County, New York, December 18,
1851. His parents, John T. and Clementine (Smith) Grant, were natives of that
State. In 1855 his father removed to Miami County, Kansas, where he purchased
land and engaged in farming until his death, in 1886. Mr. Grant was reared to
the calling of his father, receiving such an education as was afforded by the
common schools. He conducted his farming operations upon the old homestead until
the death of his mother, which occurred in 1878. In that year he came to
California, and after a visit to Santa Clara County went to San Joaquin County,
and there worked for his brother, George W. Grant, for about two years, or until
the fall of 1880. He then returned to Santa Clara County, and engaged in work on
the Berryessa road, for Smith & Flickinger, in orchard culture. (Dr. China
Smith, the partner of J. H. Flickinger, was his uncle.) In 1883 he purchased the
twenty acres of his orchard property, and commenced its improvement. In 1886 he
purchased the ten acres adjoining, and took up his residence upon the same. In
December of the same year he married Miss Hattie E. Fickett, daughter of Dr.
Stillman H. and Elizabeth (Stevenson) Fickett, of Stockton. Mrs. Grant's father
is a pioneer of California, a prominent and well-known dentist in Stockton. Mr.
Grant is an enterprising and energetic young man, well schooled and versed in
orchard cultivation, and bids fair to become one of the leading orchardists in
his section of the county. In politics he is a Republican, and takes a great
interest in the future welfare and prosperity of the county.
SOURCE: 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.- Page 260-261 transcribed by Carol Lackey