B. A. WARDELL
(see History of the Press- 1850-1888)
Bio-Pen Pictures
SURNAMES: FLIESS
The Valley Record, of Gilroy, was established May 7, 1881, by E. S. Harrison. In 1884 it was purchased by B. A.Wardell. He negotiated its sale to other parties, who changed the name to the Gilroy Gazette, but the conditions not being complied with, the paper reverted to Mr. Wardell, who is its present publisher and editor.
Mr. Wardell has had
quite an eventful life. He was born in New York City, January 15, 1830. He
traces his ancestry on his father’s side back to the early settlement of New
Jersey in colonial times, the family coming from Wales and locating at the beach
at Long Branch, which took the name of Wardell’s Beach. His father was a
wholesale merchant in New York City. His mother’s family is one of the oldest
in New York. Her father was a sea captain engaged in the East India trade. The
subject of this sketch was reared in New York City, and began his business
career in a China shipping house. The firm sent him to China in 1845 for the
benefit of his health. On reaching Shanghai he accepted the position of
book-keeper in the house of Wetmore & Co. In about a year this firm failed and
Mr. Wardell went into business with a fellow-clerk at Foochow; at the end of two
years he sold out and established a general shipping house at Shanghai, under
the firm name of Howe & Co. This firm bought the first steamer from California,
the Santa Cruz, to run on the Yuan-tse-Kiang. Afterwards they purchased
the John T. Wright in San Francisco, and these, with the steamer
Hellespont, purchased in China, constituted the line running from Shanghai
to Hongkong. He closed out his business in China in 1863, returning to the
United States via Europe. The money he had made in China was dropped in
unsuccessful speculations in Wall Street, and in 1872 he started for California,
intending to locate in Los Angeles. This was before the boom, and, not being
satisfied with the appearance of the Southern country, he went to San Francisco
and accepted the position of cashier in the office of the San Francisco
Chronicle. He remained there until 1884, when he purchased the Valley
Record, as before stated. Mr. Wardell is a member of the F. and A. M. in
Gilroy, the I. O. O. F. and the A. O. U. W. in San Francisco, and the O. E. S.
in Gilroy. He was married in California, in 1876, to Miss Pauline Fliess, a
native of Vienna, Austria. Mr. Wardell’s business experience and literary
ability have enabled him to make the Gazette a flattering success.
Pen Pictures From The
Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California, Illustrated.
- Edited by H. S. Foote.- Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1888.
Pg. 107
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
GEORGE WHITNEY
Bio-Pen Pictures
SURNAMES: McMULLEN, FOOTE
George Whitney, the popular liveryman of San Jose, is a native of Ontario, Canada, born at Kemptville, April 4, 1860, his parents being John and Mary (McMullen) Whitney. The subject of this sketch was reared to the age of seventeen at his native place, then came to California and located at San Jose. Two years later he went to Napa County, and after a year and a half there went to Colusa County. Eight months later he returned to San Jose, and farmed in this vicinity until 1883. He then engaged in the livery business, as a member of the firm of Whitney & Donnelly. The firm does a large business, having fifteen horses and twelve vehicles, of best description, constantly in use.
Mr. Whitney was
married, in San Jose, October 15, 1885, to Miss Lucia, daughter of Major H. S.
Foote*. He is a member of Santa Clara Lodge, I. O. O. F., Santa Clara
Encampment, and Santa Clara Canton. Politically, he is a Republican.
Pen Pictures From The Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California, Illustrated. - Edited by H. S. Foote*.- Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1888.
Pg. 343-344
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
Proofread by Betty Vickroy
SANTA CLARA COUNTY The Valley of Heart's Delight