The Valley of Heart's Delight
MRS. MARY E. HANSEN-
third generation California Pioneer
Surnames: Stephens, Tye, Tribby, Gifford, Papson, Freer, Vermillion
Representing the third generation of California pioneers, Mrs. Mary E.
Hansen can well be proud of her ancestry and the honored part they have
played in the progress and advancement of the Golden State.
Her maternal grandparents were Robert A. and Mary (Tye) Stephens, the
father's birthplace being on the English channel, while Mrs. Stephens
was a native of Connecticut. They were married in New York City and in
1852 came to California by the way of the Isthmus. Robert A.
Stephens was a soldier in the U.S. Army and while enroute to the
Pacific Coast his ship was wrecked but he was among those saved. After
arriving in California he was stationed at Fort Redding to guard the
immigrants from the depredations of the Indians, and here his wife, who
had received a good education in her native state, was engaged by the
government to teach the Indians the ways of civilization, but
notwithstanding all her efforts she met with the same discouragement
that many other benefactors of the race have experienced owing to the
Indian's untoward nature.
On February 16, 1863, while Mr. and Mrs. Stephens were still stationed
at Fort Redding, the first of their nine children was born, a daughter,
Julia, who became the mother Mrs. Mary E. Hansen, our
subject. When Julia Stephens was a babe of two years, her parents
removed to Santa Clara county, settling at Santa Clara in 1855, and
here she was reared and educated. In 1875 she was married to
Nathan Smith, at San Jose; he had come to California as a boy with his
parents, James Hartford and Elizabeth (Tribbby ) Smith, who were
pioneer settlers of Lake County, Cal., and shortly after his marriage,
Nathan Smith settled in Lake County with his bride and this remained
their home until Mr. Smith's death in 1909. Four children were
born to them. Frank Smith, a resident of Milpitas; one child died
in infancy; Mary, now Mrs. James Hansen of Milpitas; William, a farmer
in Lake County, died in 1919, and left three children. There are
nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild. At San Jose, in
1920, Mrs. Smith was married to Douglas Gifford of Lake County, where
he is a large ranch owner in Cobb Valley. Mrs. Gifford in also
the owner of valuable property in San Jose and San Francisco.
Mary E. Smith was born on the Smith homestead in Cobb Valley, Lake
County, and here her girlhood days were spent until her first marriage
which united her with George W. Papson, who was born near Berryessa,
Santa Clara County, his parents being William and Matilda A. (Freer)
Papson, very early settlers and ranchers of Santa Clara County.
Mr. and Mrs. Papson became the parents of five children, four now
living as follows: George Raymond, a rancher of Santa Clara
County; Verona K; Ina A. the wife of F. M. Vermillion, has one child
named Evellyn; Earl W. . Mr. Papson passed away on October 23, 1915,
and on October 23, 1919 Mrs. Papson was united in marriage with James
Hansen, a highly-esteemed resident of the Milpitas district, who sketch
also appears in this history Mr. Hansen has been a resident of
this section for more than forty years and has made a splendid success
both as a rancher and as an orchardist. Mr. and Mrs. Hansen now
make their home on a fruit ranch of thirty-three acres south of
Berryessa on Capitol Avenue, where they have a cozy county
residence. Liberal and kindhearted, and a woman of much
capability, Mrs. Hansen has entered heartily into the life of the
community and has in every way demonstrated her worthy heritage as the
descendant of her honored pioneer forebears.
Transcribed by Carolyn Feroben, from Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County,California, published by Historic Record Co. , 1922. page 1102
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