SURNAMES: KLENICLAUS, BEESON,
CORKERY,
One of Santa Clara County's
prominent residents well known through his
educational activities, is Victor Dornberger, a native son of Santa
Clara County, born September 4, 1865. His father, Lambert
Dornberger,
was a native of France, born in Alsace, France, April 3, 1828, and was
for a few years employed in the dairying business in his native
land. On June 9th, 1850, he left his native country and journeyed
to the United states and by way of the Isthmus of Panama arrived in SAn
Francisco in the year 1854; in 1856 he moved into Santa Clara County
settled on a ranch at the head of Stevens Creek, back of Los
Altos; in 1869 he moved the family to Mayfield,
Santa Clara County.
His marriage in 1861, had united
him with Miss Anna Kleniclaus, also a
native of Alsace, and seven children were born to them, six sons, all
living, and one daughter, Mrs. Julia Ross, now deceased. The
father passed away in 1910 and the mother in 1900.
Victor Dornberger received his
preliminary education in the public
schools of Mayfield, later supplementing it with a full course at the
State Normal at San Jose, graduating with the class of 1885.
His first teaching experience was for seven years at Mayfield, the
family home town; then in December, 1894, he went to Wadsworth, Nev.,
where he remained as principal for four years, then to Lovelock, Nev.,
for five years; then returned to Mayfield, Cal., where he taught for
seven years. In the year of 1911 he took charge of the Lincoln
School, San Jose, where he is still instructor, and to his efforts are
due much of the great progress and development which have characterized
the public schools of this city.
His first marriage united him
with Miss Susie M. Beeson, who passed
away in 1917; one child, Victrine Suzette, was born to them. His
second marriage was to Mary F. Corkery, daughter of an old pioneer
family. While prinicpal of the school at Mayfield, Mr.
Dornberger served on the town board and for one year was chairman of
the board. During the recent war, gave active assistance in all
the drives; assisted the physicians with the physical and mental
examinations of the soldiers and sailors. He has rendered
valuable assistance in maintaining the standard of excellence in
educational affairs in his vicinity, and he may be relied upon at all
times to support measures which have for their object the betterment
and progress of mankind. He is a consistent member of the
Catholic Church and is a member of the California Teachers' Association
and the National Educational Association, and he has taken lecture
courses at the Teachers' College as well as in Nevada, while a resident
there. Of the original ranch purchased by Lambert
Dornberger,
consisting of 1,300 acres, 800 of it is now owned by Victor and twin
brother, Albert L. Dornberger, and known as the Dornberger Ranch.
Transcribed by Carolyn Feroben, from Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County,California, published by Historic Record Co. , 1922. page 670
Palo Alto History and Genealogy
SANTA CLARA COUNTY-The Valley of Heart's Delight
1/4/05