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Bio-Sawyers
SURNAMES: BALLA,


A leading business man of Los Altos is found in Thomas J. Woodworth, who carries a full line of wood, coal, hay, grain, roofing cement, lime, etc. He is a native of Kansas and was born near Walnut on March 24, 1874, the son of E. R. Woodworth, a native of Hancock County, Ill. The father walked across the plains in 1855 and entered the mines at Placerville; later he bought a ranch near Marysville, then returned via Panama to New York City, then to Illinois where he was married to Miss Helen Glasgow. The young people moved to Kansas and were among the early settlers. Mr. and Mrs. Woodworth were the parents of five children, Thomas J. being the oldest and only one in California. The father passed away in Kansas in 1920, at the age of eighty-four years, while the mother still lives there.

Thomas J. grew up on his father's 200-acre stock farm and was educated in the public schools of Walnut, Kans., and was graduated from the high school of Walnut in 1896; then went to the State Normal school at Emporia, Kans., for one year; and the next year entered the Agricultural College at Manhattan, Kans. Upon finishing school he entered into partnership with his father and they farmed, raised stock, bought and shipped cattle and hogs to the Kansas City markets. In the spring of 1906 the stock was sold and his father retired to live in Walnut, Kans., and Thomas J. came west and settled at Stratford, Kings County. He was a timekeeper for the California Door Company for one season and in 1907 bought fifty-five acres of the Empire ranch and within a few years made a first class dairy farm out of it. He now leases it as a dairy farm. In May, 1920, he removed to Los Altos and. finding the business he now owns for sale, he purchased it from S. McCormick, and also purchased Mr. McCormick's residence on First Street.

In 1908 Mr. Woodworth returned to Kansas and at Walnut was married to Miss Edna Balla, born at that place, a daughter of John Balla, a pioneer of Kansas and a Civil War veteran. While residing in Kings County, Mr. Woodworth served as director of the Chamber of Commerce; and was also the clerk of the school board; Mrs. Woodworth also served a term as clerk of the school board. They are the parents of two children, Jane, and Edwin B. Mr. Woodworth and his family are attendants of the Union Church of Los Altos.

Transcribed by Carolyn Feroben, from Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County,California,  published by Historic Record Co. , 1922. page 1192

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