HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY 553
HERBERT EMILE SCHILLING
FIREARMS AND SPORTING GOODS BUSINESS
MAYOR OF SAN JOSE
SURNAMES: FOSTER
A distinguished public official of Santa Clara County who has for some
years past enjoyed the comforts of a retired private life, is Herbert
Emile Schilling, the eldest son of Margaret and the late Frank
Schilling, a native of San Francisco, where he was born on August 4,
1861. When one year of age, he was brought to San Jose; and he has been
a continuous resident of this city ever since. Frank Schilling died
here in 1916, aged eighty-two years, while his widow is still living at
the old home, aged ninety-two years. Herbert Emile was oldest of their
five children. He attended the local public schools, and in 1875 was
graduated from what is now known as the Horace Mann School, then one of
the best-known high schools in the state. He then joined his father in
the firearms and sporting goods business, and in time became his
partner; and together they established the well-known firm of F.
Schilling & Son at 27 Post Street, and for forty years he retained
his connection there until his retirement in 1913. He succeeded so well
as a business man that he now owns real estate in various places in the
Santa Clara Valley, and he also has a ranch in Calaveras County. As
early as 1890 he had become a public man, as he was always a
public-spirited citizen, and when thirty-one years of age he was
elected mayor of San Jose by popular vote. He was a member of the
common council of San Jose for the years 1890-92, and from 1892 to 1894
he was head of the city government.
A notable event of the period of his incumbency as mayor which may be
worthy of special mention was the passage by the legislature of the
State of California of a joint resolution removing the capital of the
state from its present site at Sacramento to its former and original
location at San Jose, upon condition that the citizens of the latter
city and vicinity should donate ten acres of land for the new capitol
site and $2,000,000 to cover the expenses of the removal. The
proposition was immediately acted upon and had progressed to the point
where a tract of land now included in the Naglee Park addition was
tentatively offered by the Naglee estate, when proceedings were halted
by a writ of mandate secured by Sacramento County and submitted to the
State Supreme Court. That body ruled against the legality of the
Legislature's act, and so ended the last effort to have the capital of
the state returned to the location where it rightfully belongs, and
from which it was improperly removed. In this great contest, Mayor
Schilling did his full duty; and as a lifelong member of the Democratic
party, he has always contended that if a political organization works
for the best interests of the people, it assures both the ultimate
acceptance of its principles and its own continued existence.
In Monterey County, on June 18, 1894, Mr. Schilling was married to M.
Alice Foster, the daughter of James P. and Arvilla Foster, of
Independence, Mo. Mr. Foster joined the Union Army at the outbreak of
the Civil War, and died in the performance of his duty in September,
1863. The mother brought her children to California in 1874, and Mrs.
Schilling finished her schooling in Watsonville. Mr. Schilling is a
lover of outdoor life, especially as one may enjoy it in California;
and he spends a part of each year in the High sierras, hunting and
fishing.
Transcribed by Marie Clayton, from Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County,California, published by Historic Record Co. , 1922. page 553
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