Santa
Clara County
Biographies
WILLIAM WALLACE ATKINSON
In the beautiful and fertile Santa Clara valley, about four miles southeast of the city of San Jose, on the corner of the King and Tulley roads, stands the neat and attractive residence of Mr. Atkinson. It was in 1852 that he crossed the plains from his Illinois home to avail himself of the advantages to be derived in California. After reaching the Pacific slope he engaged for a number of years in farm pursuits and stock raising in Amador county, and in the fall of 1887 purchased the farm in Santa Clara county upon which he still resides. The original purchase, sixty-five acres, was added to by a subsequent purchase of forty-five acres one-half miles east of his home place. Here the intervening years of his life have been spent, his farm being devoted mostly to raising hay and grain. It is one of the best improved ranches in this vicinity and is very productive.
Born December 19, 1829, near Springfield, Clark county, Ohio, Mr. Atkinson is next to the eldest in a family of six children born to John and Elizabeth (Critz) Atkinson, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Virginia. When a young man his father left home and went west to Ohio, where in addition to farming he also engaged in buying, trading and selling stock. Driving his stock across the mountains and selling it in Pennsylvania proved a profitable undertaking and resulted in the accumulation of considerable money. His useful life was terminated early in his career and occurred when only about thirty-five years of age.
After the death of her husband Mrs. Atkinson took the family, which consisted of two sons and four daughters, still further west, to Illinois, locating near Bloomington, in McLean county, and it was there that she died many years later, after having reared her family. There it was that William Wallace was educated and fitted for the battle of life, and he remained at home, assisting his mother on the farm, until he attained the age of twenty-one, afterward locating permanently in California.
The marriage of Mr. Atkinson in Contra Costa county, united him with Miss Allie Parkison, formerly of Wisconsin, and two sons were born to them. The younger, Willard Wallace, is deceased, while the elder son, Robert Orville, is attending the Pacific University at San Jose. The family also have a beautiful town residence located at No. 146 Crittenden street, in San Jose, where they reside a part of the time, and they attend divine worship at the First Methodist Episcopal Church of that city. Politically Mr. Atkinson is a Republican, and he has served both his party and his section as road supervisor. While a resident of Amador county he also served as school director. In fraternal circles he affiliated with the Blue lodge, F.&.A.M., and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, both of Ione, Cal. As a citizen he is public spirited and charitable, and he merits the esteem of the entire community.
Transcribed
10-17-15 Marilyn
R. Pankey.
ญญญญSource:
History of the State of California &
Biographical Record of Coast Counties, California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A.
M., Pages 841-842. The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
ฉ 2015 Marilyn R.
Pankey.