INTERURBAN SANITARIUM
San Jose , California
Founded by
Clara A Geer
SURNAMES: Davison, Sobey, Geer
The County of Santa Clara is liberally endowed with institutions
calculated to relive suffering humanity, and one which is filling a
long-felt want is the Interurban Sanitarium, owed an conducted by Mr.
and Mr. E. J. Sobey. This institution was founded by the mother
of Mrs. Sobey, Mrs. Clara A. Geer, who is a graduate nurse, and she
conducted it until August, 1920, when she turned it over to her
daughter and son-in-law. It is exclusively for the care of old people
and convalescents, and no contagious or infections diseases are
accepted. The institution can now accommodate fifteen people and
since Mr. and Mrs. Sobey assumed charge they are planning on enlarging
it so as to take care of more people. This sanitarium is located
on the Meridian Road; and as Mrs. Sobey is a graduate nurse, the old
people that are so fortunate as to be at the home are will cared
for. It is beautifully located at Fairfield Station on the
Peninsular Railroad, and scenery and country air, with the excellent
care that Mrs. Sobey and a corps of helpers give the patients, they are
nursed back to health and vigor. An situation of this nature is
a great factor in the progress and prosperity of the county, for the
general good health of its inhabitants is the best advertisement that a
locality can have, and thousands have experienced the beneficent
effects of the climate of the famous Santa Clara Valley.
CLARA A. GEER A very interesting and estimable woman is Mrs.
Clara A. Geer, who was in maidenhood Clara A. Davison, a native of Fort
Atkinson, Iowa, but was reared and educated at new Hampton, Iowa, and
there she married C. F. Geer and came to Santa Clara County, Cal. , in
1897. Her father , L. B. Davison, was a New Yorker, who removed to
Iowa, where he engaged in farming, and there he married Miss Ester
Annabel, also a native of New york, and though he had one child, their
daughter Clara, when the Civil War came, he responded to his country's
call and enlisted in the Thirty-eighth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, serving
three years, and was honorably discharged with the rank of
sergeant. He migrated to Santa Clara County about thirty years
ago and purchased the farm on Meridian Road that Mrs. Geer and Mrs.
Sobey now own. He passed away in August, 1918. His widow
survives him and resides in San Jose. Mrs. Geer was a graduate
nurse, as is her daughter, Mrs. Ester Sobey. They saw the possibilities
of establishing an old people's home and purchased the home ranch of
Grandfather Davison, with its commodious residence, which they
remodeled and opened as the Interurban Sanitarium. This
they conducted together until Mrs. Geer, wishing to retire,
turned the entire management over to her daughter, Mrs. Sobey. Mrs.
Ester Geer Sobey was born in New Hampton, Iowa, and coming to
California with her parents, she completed her education at Pacific
Union College at Healdsburg, where she was graduated in 1908f with the
degree of A. B. After teaching for two years, as she was
also a graduate nurse, she took up the profession of nursing.
Thus years of experience qualify her well for the important position as
head of the Interurban Sanitarium . She was married in San Jose in 114
to Edward J. Sobey, who was born in London, England. Coming to
Califonria, he engaged in ranching until his marriage , and now give
his attention to looking after the management of the orchards and farm on
Meridian Road, as well as their ranch at Morgan Hill.
Transcribed by Carolyn Feroben from Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County, California, published by Historic Record Co. , 1922. page 1563
SANTA CLARA COUNTY BIOGRAPHIES
SANTA CLARA COUNTY HISTORY AND GENEALOGY