Geography- Geographically speaking Burnett township is situated
in the eastern portion of Santa Clara county, and occupies a considerable
portion of the vast Santa Clara Valley.
Topography- There is considerable of sameness in the topography of this
township, comprising the large level plain- the bottom of the valley-
and the range of mountains to the east and west. The
highest point in the township is the "Loma de Tora," now known as
Murphy's Peak, situated due west of Burnett Station.
Soil - the soil of this township is equal in productiveness to any other
portion of the county. Towards the center of the valley it is of a
sandy nature, while near the foothills it becomes a rich adobe.
Products- Like nearly every portion of the Santa Clara
Valley, Burnett
township will produce anything and everything. Grain, fruit and
vegetables are cultivated to a large extent while the line of
railroad
running through its center offers great facilities for transport.
Timber- Not much timber is to be found in Burnett township, though there is sufficient to supply the wants of its inhabitants.
Climate- Line in other parts of the county, Burnett township has
an equable climate, and though ranging hot in the months of July
and August, are not too oppressive, but rather conduce to the
harvesting which is then prosecuted with much vigor.
Early Settlement- This township which received its name after the first
Governor of California, Peter H. Burnett, is occupied chiefly by a
number of thrifty farmers, there being no towns within its
boundaries. The first settlers to locate within its confines,
other than the early Spanish rancheros, were the Murphy family- Martin
Murphy, Sr, his wife and children. This was in the year
1844. Here they established themselves, entered into the pursuit,
then common, of stock-raising, and built a residence not far from the
Eighteen-mile House, at the mouth of the Coyote creek.
The next family to arrive was that of Captain William Fisher, a
gentleman, who, coming from Lower California, in 1845, where he had
resided for some years, purchased the Rancho Laguna Seca, and occupied it
until his death, which was the first in the township, when his family
succeeded to his estate, a portion of which is now occupied by them.
These two families would appear to have been the only residents of
Burnett township until 1852, in which year William Tennant settled
where the twenty-one mile house now stands. This gentleman
informs us that when he arrived, there were nor farms enclosed, and
sale a little grain put in by Bernard Murphy, no cultivation of any
kind was carried on . Soon, however, the richness of the soil
became apparent, and today the land is one of teeming plenty.
The first frame building erected in the township, was the "Twelve-mile
House;" but prior to this there were a few adobe buildings. The
first orchard was planted by Dan Murphy, at the back of his location,
while the first vineyard was the effort of Captain Fisher's enterprise.
The population, at the present time, is five hundred and forty-all
engaged in agricultural pursuits, while it posses the election precincts
of Burnett and Highland, and the school Districts of Burnett and
Coyote. (photo and history of Coyote Post Office)
(Documentation of the land exchange between Dan Murphy and Capt. Fisher, 1852 was recently for sale on ebay)
transcribed by cdf
History of Santa Clara County, California
San Francisco: Alley, Bowen & Co., 1881, 878 pgs.
-page 253-254
ALMADEN TOWNSHIP
ALVISO TOWNSHIP
'
FREMONT TOWNSHIP
GILROY TOWNSHIP
MILIPITAS TOWNSHIP
SANTA CLARA VALLEY- THE VALLEY OF HEART;s DELIGHT