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LOUIS JOSEPH BONNET
Bio-Sawyers
SURNAMES:CORPSTEIN, THOMPSON
A native son of California, Louis Joseph Bonnet was born near Saratoga,
February 9, 1885, the son of Adrien Bonnet,(see Bio below) a pioneer of Santa Clara,
whose interesting life history is on another page in this work. Louis
J. was only five years of age when his mother died, and he then went to
live with his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Corpstein, so grew up on their
ranch while he attended the Lincoln School, which was supplemented with
a course at the Pacific Coast Business College, San Jose.
He then leased the Corpstein ranch for one year. In 1911 he
leased Mrs. Elizabeth A. Doidge's orchard on Pierce Road for two years,
and in 1913 he purchased his present orchard of seventeen and a tenth
acres on Mt. Eden Road, about four miles northwest of Saratoga, which
he has given much care and is now a full-bearing orchard of prunes and
apricots. He also leases the Campbell orchard of twenty acres and the
Kennedy orchard of like amount, where he also grows prunes and
apricots. All this keeps Mr. Bonnet very busy, for he gives them the
best cultivation and care.
Mr. Bonnet was married in San Jose, August 8, 1913, to Miss Carrie
Thompson of Saratoga, a daughter of William J. Thompson, an old settler
of the county. Mr. and Mrs. Bonnet have three children, Frank, Caroline
and Marie. Mr. Bonnet is liberal and enterprising, aiding and giving
his influence to all movements that have for their aim the building up
of the community. He is a firm believer in cooperative marketing, so he
is a member of the California Prune and Apricot Association. In
political preference he is a Democrat.
Transcribed by Carolyn Feroben, from Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County,California,
published by Historic Record Co. , 1922. page 1550
ADRIEN BONNET
Bio-Sawyers
SURNAMES: TEX, CORPSTEIN, NUSEBAUM, HUTTER,
A pioneer who has lived in Santa Clara County for fifty-five years,
Adrien Bonnet was born near Gap, Hautes-Alps, France, December 22,
1840, where his father, Pierre Bonnet, was a large farmer. His mother
was named Frances Tex, and both died in their native place. Adrien was
the third youngest of their twelve children and the only one now
living, being educated in private schools until eighteen years of age,
when he went to Algeria, Africa, and spent eighteen months, when he
returned. His father had died during his absence and he leased the home
place and operated it until 1867, when he decided to come to San
Francisco, Cal. After three months he located at Alviso, then a
flourishing town, being an important shipping point. He worked on farms
and in vineyards for three years, and then spent a year in San Jose,
after which he came to Saratoga and leased Wildwood Park from Mrs.
Springer, which he farmed for four years.
When he first came to Saratoga it was a lively town and then named McCartysville,
with a paper mill owned by King Bros. & Pfister, and a flour mill
run by Senator McClay, and with the mills in the mountains there was
much teaming and travel. The name was later changed to Saratoga. At the
termination of his lease on Wildwood Park, Mr. Bonnet purchased land in
the mountains above Saratoga, which he cleared and planted to orchard
and vineyard, and in time came to own 600 acres three miles above
Saratoga on the Summit or Turn- pike road. In clearing the land he cut
wood, which was sold in the valley, and he got out over 7000 cords of
wood. After selling this ranch he purchased a small place of
twenty-three acres on the Saratoga road, which he also cleared and set
to vineyard and orchard. This, too, he in time sold, and he now makes
his home in Saratoga.
Mr. Bonnet was twice married, first to Mary Corpstein,
a native daughter, who died many years ago, leaving four, children, two
of whom are living, Louis J., on an orchard at Azule Springs, and John,
of Coalinga. Mr. Bonnet's second marriage occurred in Saratoga August
1, 1901, when he was united with Caroline Nusebaum, who was born in
Neufchatel, Switzerland, a daughter of August and Emile (Hutter)
Nusebaum and the third oldest of their six children. Coming to
California twenty-three years ago on a visit, she met Mr. Bonnet and
the acquaintance resulted in their marriage. Mrs. Bonnet is interested
in Red Cross work and is a member of the Ladies' Aid of the Methodist
Church. Mr. Bonnet naturally takes great pride in the growth of the
Santa Clara Valley, having seen it improved from wild range land to a
garden spot of orchards and vineyards, in the transformation of which
he has well performed his part.
Transcribed by Carolyn Feroben, from Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County,California,
published by Historic Record Co. , 1922. page 1188
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SANTA CLARA COUNTY The Valley of Heart's Delight