Santa
Clara County
Biographies
CAPT. JOSEPH ARAM
Among the
early and honored pioneers of the Santa Clara valley was the late Capt. Joseph
Aram of San Jose, whose life history was closely interwoven with that of the
state of California. Coming to the state
in 1846, he met General Fremont at Fort Sutter, and under the instructions of
the general he organized, and was made captain, of a company to protect the
Americans from the Spaniards at Santa Clara, and subsequently did his part in
delivering the state from Mexican rule.
Fitting up an old adobe building in Santa Clara, he made it as
comfortable as possible, but the hardships endured by him and his comrades were
severe. In the building up and
organization of this new state thus reclaimed from a foreign power, he was an
active and influential participant, becoming a member of the first constitutional
convention, and of the first territorial legislature. He assisted in forming the constitution of
California, and had the distinction of being the first to sign the same.
A stanch
Republican in his political affiliations, Captain Aram was one of the leading
men in affairs of town, county or state, his influence being felt in every
election. In advancing the growth and
prosperity of San Jose, and of Santa Clara county, he
was one of the foremost, liberally encouraging the establishment of all
enterprises calculated to enhance the public welfare. For many years he served in the city council
of San Jose, his practical judgment, rare intelligence and keen foresight
especially adapting him for public office.
In the establishment of educational and religious institutions he was
very prominent and during many years was a member of the local school
board. He was a trustee, and one of the
founders, of the University of the Pacific, in which his children were educated,
and in which many other young people were enabled to pursue their studies
through his generous aid. He was also
one of the organizers, and a charter member of the Methodist Episcopal Church
in San Jose now known as the First Methodist Church, and assisted in
establishing the Sunday-school, of which he was for a long time the efficient
superintendent.
Captain
Aram established the first nursery in the state, setting out thirty acres of
trees just north of the present site of the Vendome Hotel. In 1865 he removed his nursery to a tract of
land lying three miles north of San Jose, and there planted a pioneer orchard,
setting out trees and plants of rare and useful varieties. During his earlier
life in this region he was engaged in mining to some extent, but was
subsequently identified with its agricultural and financial growth and
development.
A native
of Oneida county, N.Y., Joseph Aram was born March 24,
1810, being the son of Mathias Aram, a farmer, who emigrated from England to
the United States, and bought a farm in Oneida county, N.Y. After completing his common school studies,
he attended Lima College, acquiring a good classical education. Soon after his first marriage, in 1835, he
started westward with his bride, and for a year and a half resided in
Ohio. In 1840 he removed to Jo Daviess county, where he engaged in farming and lead mining for a
few years. In the spring of 1846, his
health being impaired by the severe winters of Illinois, Mr. Aram, with his
family, and
eleven other families, among whom were Rev. Adna Hecox and
family, Charles Innus and family, and Edwin Shaw and family, came across the
plains to California, in search, as they said, of the land of “perpetual
sunshine.” As above mentioned, he met
General Fremont at Fort Sutter, and from that time his every interest was bound
up in the state of his adoption, California having no more loyal or devoted
citizen from that bright October day in 1836, until his death, March 30, 1898,
than Capt. Joseph Aram, whose ability, fidelity and integrity were
unquestioned.
Captain
Aram was married three times. He married
first, in New York state, Mahala Birdsel, who died in
early womanhood, in Ohio, leaving one child, namely: Sarah M., who was educated
in the University of the Pacific, and is now the widow of Rev. P.Y. Cool, of
Los Angeles, Cal. The captain married
second, in Ohio, Sarah A. Wright, who moved with him to Illinois, accompanied
him across the plains to California, and with him shared uncomplainingly the
privations of pioneer life in the early days of the settlement of San
Jose. She died in 1873. Four children were born of this union,
namely: George, who died soon after the family came to California; Jennie, wife
of A.E, Pomeroy died in 1868; Eugene, an attorney in Sacramento; and Mattie
died in 1858. In September, 1876,
Captain Aram married for his third wife Mrs. Grace (Congdon) (Devendorf) Gray.
Mrs. Aram
was born in Ontario, Canada, a daughter of John Edward and Hannah Newell
(Hosier) Congdon. Her father was born I
England, and was a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, where he was
educated for the Episcopal ministry His
health failing, Mr. Congdon took up the teacher’s profession. Immigrating to New England, he was for a
time professor of languages at Harvard College, Boston, Mass. Removing from there to Toronto, Ontario, he
resided there until his death, at the age of forty-four years. His wife, who was born and reared in
Newfoundland, survived him many years.
She died in San Jose, in 1888, while living with her daughter, Mrs.
Aram, being a venerable woman of nearly ninety years. Mrs. Aram has also been married three
times. She married first, Jefferson
Devendorf, of Michigan, who died at the age of twenty-nine years, leaving two
children, namely: J. Frank and Ida J. Frank Devendorf is a prominent real estate dealer
of Berkeley, and is noted as one of the founders of Carmel by the Sea. He married Lille Potter, and they are the
parents of four children, namely: Edwina, Myrtle, Lillian and Marion
Ida Devendorf, Mrs. Aram’s daughter, is one of the leading milliners of San
Jose. Mrs. Aram married for her second
husband Rev. Wilson Gray, a member of the Michigan conference of the Methodist
Church. He died when but thirty-nine years
old, leaving one child, namely: William W. Gray, of the well known [sic.] real
estate firm of Christman & Gray, in San Jose.
Transcribed by
Louise E. Shoemaker March 13, 2016.
Source:
History of the State of California &
Biographical Record of Coast Counties, California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A.
M., Pages 980-981. The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2016 Louise E. Shoemaker.