HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY 472
Jeremiah D. Casey
Biography
Rancher, Santa Clara County
Jeremiah D. Casey--An early settler of Santa Clara County where he
lives retired from active business, Jeremiah D. Casey, more familiarly
known as "Jerry", was born in County Roscommon, Ireland, December 28,
1834. Mr. Casey's ancestors belonged to an early English family, who
were people of sterling integrity and on account of which, they were
entrusted and put in charge of the extensive estates belonging to the
Crown of England.
At the age of nineteen, Mr. Casey left the paternal roof, and embarking
for America, landed in New York in 1853. His first work was that of
farm laborer. Not being content with this line of work, he removed to
Brooklyn, New York, where he was employed by a dairy company for a
number of years. With the characteristic industry and thrift of his
forbears, he had accumulated sufficient money to take him to California
and in 1863 he arrived in San Francisco, where he stopped for a short
time and worked in a dairy near the city.
In 1865 he came down to Santa Clara County and this has been his home
ever since. Purchasing sixteen cows for $1600, he delivered milk to the
residents of Almaden Hill. The first piece of property he bought was
seven acres for $500 from John McDonald. To this he added in 1871, a
tract of 69 acres from Mrs. Dunn, for which he paid $6,000,
making 176 acres in all. With his younger brother, John Casey, as a
working partner, about 1874, he bought 770 acres near the Almaden mines
and this was devoted to the raising of stock and a dairy by the
brothers until their partnership was dissolved, when John took over the
stock and the hill ranch as his portion, Jerry keeping the 176 acres.
John sold out later to Steve Cannon and in 1885 he died, unmarried. It
was about 1876 that our subject negotiated for the Elwood ranch of 120
acres and this gave him 296 acres of good land and it has been known as
the Casey Ranch ever since and was operated by Mr. Casey with good
success until he retired in 1910, when he leased the property and came
to reside in San Jose. He made a specialty of raising horses and
cattle, and through his close attention to business he was able to
retire with a competency.
On August 15, 1877, Mr. Casey married Miss Susan Gallagher, of
Massachusetts, who was also an early settler of California, having
removed from there in the year of 1866. Mr. and Mrs. Casey reside at
376 Park Avenue, San Jose, where they are satisfied to spend their
remaining days. In religious views the accepted faith of the
family is that of the Catholic Church and they are ardent supporters of
its teachings. Mr. Casey is respected and honored throughout the
community in which he resides and has been counted among the public
spirited citizens of the county where he is now one of its oldest
residents.
Transcribed by Marie Clayton, from Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County,California,
published by Historic Record Co. , 1922. page 472
SANTA CLARA COUNTY BIOGRAPHIES
SANTA CLARA COUNTY HISTORY AND GENEALOGY