Santa Clara County
Biographies
MRS. O. ARNOLD
"Hidden Villa"
Among the many attractive residence spots
throughout the length and breadth of Santa Clara County, there is perhaps none
that presents more points of advantage in the eyes of the lover of the beautiful
in nature than the "Hidden Villa," situated amid the mountains northwest from
Mountain View. The place, which consists of 600 acres, is the property of O.
Arnold, of San Francisco. From the county road a rustic gateway opens into the
place, and a winding roadway must then be traveled for quite a distance before
the cottage comes into view. When it is reached, a glance around seems to show
it almost completely shut in by precipitous mountains. A rustic fountain,
rockery, and fish-pond stocked with trout, are pleasing features. There are
about twenty acres set in choice varieties of wine and table grapes, and an
orchard with a good variety of fruit for family use. Some Italian olive trees,
planted near the entrance to the place, are showing a healthy growth.
Mr. Otto Arnold, who purchased this delightful retreat in 1887, is a native of
Saxony. When a young man he accompanied Governor Latham to America, and in 1864
became a resident of San Francisco. He has been connected with the London and
San Francisco Bank since 1869. Mr. and Mrs. Arnold now make the Hidden Villa
their home during the greater portion of the year.
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. Transcribed by: Roena Wilson, page 351
JAMES G. ARTHUR was born in Alexandria,
Virginia, July 17, 1843, His parents, Marcus and Jane (Jones) Arthur, were
natives of Virginia. James lived with his parents till he was eight years old,
when he went to New York, where he was chiefly brought up. In 1861, at the age
of eighteen, he enlisted as a private in Company D, First New York Cavalry, and
was in the campaigns of his regiment until June, 1863, when he was transferred
from this to Company C. Sixty-third New York Infantry, as First Lieutenant; he
soon afterward was promoted to the Captaincy of the company in which capacity he
served until the close of the war, or until September, 1865, when he was
mustered out. He was in nineteen battles and innumerable skirmishes. He had two
brothers in the Confederate army. At the second battle of Bull Run, one of his
brothers was taken prisoner by his and other Union regiments. After the
prisoners had been gathered in, Mr. Arthur met and had a conversation with his
brother. This brother, Marcus Arthur, was afterward killed at Selma, Alabama.
Mr. Arthur was taken prisoner at the battle of the Wilderness, and taken to and
confined in Libby prison for seven months.
After being mustered out, Mr. Arthur came to California, in 1865, and located in
San Francisco, where he remained four years working at the carpenter's trade. In
1869 he came to San Jose, where he followed his trade for thirteen years. In
1880 he purchased his present place of ten acres near Los Gatos. He was married,
in 1877, to Angeline Castle, a native of Detroit, Michigan; she died in
December, 1884. Was married again, in 1886, to Nancy Desmarais, a native of
Troy, New York. Mr. Arthur is a member of E. O. C. Ord Post, No. 82, G. A. R.,
of Los Gatos, and a member of the Odd Fellows and Masonic Lodges of San Jose.
Has 1,200 trees on his place, 900 in French prunes from one to seven years old,
200 apricots four years old, and the remainder in family orchard.
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 595 Transcribed by Roena Wilson