Santa Clara County
Biographies
of the Willow District, owns a
home on Plummer Avenue, between Curtner Avenue and Foxworthy road. He has been
a resident of this neighborhood since 1880, in which year he bought forty acres,
between Lincoln Avenue and the Almaden road. This tract he changed from its
natural state into one of the finest fruit farms in the district, planting about
4,000 trees, principally prunes. The purchase price was $200 per acre. In 1884
he sold fifteen acres, at $450 per acre, to Thomas Osborn, and in 1885
twenty-five acres, at $500 per acre, to Hugh L. Cameron. While the trees
were developing, Mr. Badger planted about twenty acres to rhubarb, realizing
from the product $1,000 per year, on the average. After selling to Cameron, he
bought his present home, where he and his father together own eighteen acres,
all devoted to fruit. They paid $500 per acre, the trees being five and six
years of age. In 1887 $2,200 were realized from the product of thirteen acres,
four acres being covered by re-grafted trees.
Mr. Badger is a native of Meredith, Belknap County, Hew Hampshire, dating his
birth August 16, 1847. He is the son of George G. and Frances G. (Whidden)
Badger, both of whom are natives of New Hampshire, the father of Meredith, and
the mother of Portsmouth. John W. is the eldest of four children, two sons and
two daughters. He was reared to farm life, although his first labor in youth
was in his father's tannery. Although but seventeen years of age, he enlisted,
in 1864, in the First New Hampshire Heavy Artillery, and served in the
Twenty-second Army Corps in the defenses of Washington, being discharged at the
close of the war. His father inlisted, in 1862, in the Twelfth Volunteer
Infantry of New Hampshire. He served with great honor, being severely sounded
at the battle of Chancellorsville, when a musket ball passed through both hips.
This wound necessitated his discharge from the army. In compensation for his
services to his country, he receives a pension of $12 per month.
In 1872 John came to California, having borrowed the money with which to make
the journey, and engaged himself as a laborer on a ranch owned by his maternal
uncle, William Whidden, of Alameda County. Here he earned $40 per month during
the summer and $30 per month during the winter. At the end of four years he
bought four horses and a gang-plow, and, renting land, commenced work for
himself. He worked this place for three years, paying one-fourth of the crop
for rent, and clearing one year about $800. He came, in 1880, to the Willows,
where, by industry and good management, he succeeded far beyond his
expectations. In 1880 Mr. Badger was joined by his parents, who, until that
time, had lived at the old home in New Hampshire.
Mr. Badger is a Republican in politics, and a member of John A. Dix Post, G. A.
R., No. 42, San Jose.
SOURCE: Pen Pictures From The Garden of the World or
Santa Clara County, California, Illustrated. - Edited by H. S. Foote.-
page 453-454, transcribed by Roena Wilson
Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1888.
D. C. BAILEY
real estate agent, West Santa
Clara Street, San Jose, has been a resident of California since 1851, and of the
Santa Clara Valley since 1853. A native of Augusta, Maine, where he was born in
1830, he remained there until the age of seventeen years, when he graduated at
the Bloomfield Academy. In 1851, at the age of 21 years, he came to California
by way of Panama.
At first he went to the mines, as did most immigrants at the time, working in
the American and Yuba River placer mines. In 1853 he took charge of the ranch of
a friend in the Santa Clara Valley. Later he steam-boated for about six years,
going as high on the Sacramento River as Red Bluff, and for the California Steam
Navigation Company between San Francisco and Alviso. He opened the railroad
office at Santa Clara, and later at San Jose, for the San Jose and San Francisco
railroad, on January 19, 1864; continued with that road for three and one half
years; was then engaged with John S. Carter in the grain business in San Jose
for three years; in 1871 was elected County Recorder, holding the office for two
years, then elected County Treasurer for two years. In 1879 he engaged in the
real-estate business with Mr. Boring, the present Mayor of San Jose, and in that
year was appointed postmaster, which position he held until June, 1886. He then
engaged in the real-estate business he has continued up to this time.
In 1863 Mr. Bailey was married to Miss M. J. Foster, a native of New Hampshire,
of English descent. They have seven children: Charles F. and Rulfus G., now in
Washington Territory; Mattie, Florence, Bessie, Daniel and Philip, all the
latter still members of the home circle. Mr. Bailey is a member of Lodge No. 10,
San Jose, F. and A. M.; member of Enterprise Lodge, No. 17, A. O. U. W. Always
an ardent adherent of the republican party and its principles, he believes fully
in tariff protection to our industries.
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 650-651
transcribed by Roena Wilson