Santa Clara County
Biographies
FREDERICK D. BALLARD
residing on McCoy Avenue in the San Tomas District, bought
his property, consisting of thirty acres, in 1882, and upon a stubble-field
commenced the work of creating a splendid orchard home. The building
improvements are noticeably good, tasteful, and well ordered, while the orchard
is hard to excel. During the season following his purchase, Mr. Ballard set out
600 pear-trees, the following season 600 apricot and 400 egg plum trees, the
third season, 400 French prune and 400 apricot trees, and later, 200 peach
trees. Every tree in this young orchard shows the care and skill with which it
was handled. The household orchard contains fig, orange, plum, cherry, apple,
and peach trees, besides a few specialties.
Mr. Ballard dates his birth in Pike County, Illinois, in 1844. The family
removed to Boston, and in that city of culture the subject of our sketch was
educated and attained his majority. Having mastered the printer's art, he plied
his trade in many different cities in various States, living in Chicago, St.
Louis, and other cities in Missouri and Kansas. From St. Joseph, Missouri, he
came to San Jose in 1875, and in that city married, in 1882, Miss Maria Palen,
the daughter of James and Cecila Palen. Mrs. Ballard has been a resident of San
Jose since 1876, when she came with her aunt, Miss Maria Palen, from Michigan.
Mr. Ballard has become an enthusiastic horticulturist, and with his enthusiasm
has united painstaking care and practical knowledge, which are most necessary
for the product of the best results. Like all of his craft, he is deeply
interested and well posted in all public affairs. He is an ardent Republican
and a firm believer in the importance of the protection of American industries.
He is connected with the ancient order of United Workman.
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 442
transcribed by CDF
EDWARD BARRON
One of the beautiful places
of Santa Clara County is the farm residence of Edward Barron, in Fremont
Township. The entire tract consists of 352 acres, and of this fifty acres is
laid out as a park, and embraces the residence grounds. The buildings are
beautiful in design and costly in construction. There is an orchard of ten
acres, planted in pears, apricots, peaches, French prunes, and apples.
The subject of this sketch is a native of the south of Ireland was born June 24,
1831. Coming to the United States in 1847, he made New York his home until
November 1851, when he started for California via Panama, and arrived in January
1, 1852. Not long after landing in San Francisco he commenced dealing in live
stock, and so continued until 1860, when he retired with an ample fortune.
After paying a short visit to the Eastern States, in 1861 Mr. Barron returned to
California to find that the Comstock Lode, Virginia City, Nevada, had been
discovered; he thereupon formed a connection with some others interested in the
principal mines, and commenced their development, an association he maintained
until the year 1876, he being in these years the owner of a quartz-mill and
lodge himself, and President of such well-known mines as the Gould & Curry,
Consolidated Virginia, and California, and this too, at a time when they were
paying dividends of over $2,000,000 per month. In 1876 Mr. Barron resigned
these offices and retired from an active participation in business affairs. He
then set out on a one year's tour in Europe; returned in 1877 for a few months;
again crossed the Atlantic, and finally came back to California in April, 1878,
when he established his residence at Mayfield. Here Mr. Barron has constructed
one of the most attractive homes in Santa Clara County. Its grounds are highly
embellished with large groves of ornamental trees; the approach is along a
well-protected avenue; the building is encircled by parterres of
richly-hued flowers, while the tout ensemble conveys the idea of rare
opulence and patrician retirement. He married, November, 1851, Maria Cleary, by
whom he has two children, George E. and William R.
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 490-491
transcribed by CDF