Santa Clara County
Biographies
JAMES ANDREW BAILEY
JAMES ANDREW BAILEY.
In strange contrast to the pioneer whose dream of western conquest was
an easily made fortune in the mines, in stock, or other material and tempting resources,
was the Christian missionary whose zeal spent itself in saving the souls and
lightening the burdens of his fellow men. The reward of an approving conscience
must necessarily be his highest gain, and rarely did he receive the substantial
compensation for deprivation and suffering vouchsafed the workers in other
fields. Some few were fortunate in combining their life work with more or less
financial success, and among these it is pleasant to recall
Rev. Andrew M. Bailey, a misionary [sic]
of the Methodist Episcopal Church who arrived in Stockton in the fall of 1853.
He was born in Tennessee, reared in Kentucky, and in early life consecrated his
life to others. He came to the west by way of the Horn, bringing with him his
wife, formerly Mary Carter Thackston, and
three of his children, and eventually preached all over this part of the state
until the death of his wife, February 22, 1894. In 1863 he bought the
eighty acres of land on Bascom avenue,
near the Stevens Creek road, now owned and occupied by his son,
James Andrew, and continued to make that his home until his death,
November 30, 1903, at the age of eighty-three. He accomplished great
good during his long and well directed life, and is recalled as one of the
earnest and sincere apostles of the church who helped to establish its foothold
on the western coast.
This early missionary not only devoted his life to the
motley crowd of fortune seekers which had preceded him to the west, but he
reared a family of five daughters and three sons, the fourth of whom is
James Andrew, born on a farm near Gilroy, July 21, 1855. He was
seven years old when his father settled on the farm he now occupies, and has
continued to live here ever since, proving himself an able and conscientious
tiller of the soil, and an all-around progressive man. He was educated in the
public schools, and at the University of the Pacific, and is well informed on
current events, and popular with the people among whom his life has been
passed. At the present time he is devoting his land principally to
horticulture, having ten acres under prunes, and also raising apricots,
peaches, plums, almonds, apples, cherries, figs, and walnuts. He has a pleasant
home and a paying business, made doubly successful because of his special
aptitude for fruit raising, and his perfect
contentment in the field to which destiny has assigned him.
In political affiliation Mr. Bailey is a Democrat, and at
times has been extremely active for his friends, although he himself cares
nothing for office. He is a promoter of education, good roads, and all
practical utilities, and as road overseer has had opportunity to demonstrate
his good faith and wise judgment. The first marriage of Mr. Bailey
occurred in San Jose, and was with Millie M. Wheeler, who was born in
Ohio, and who died in San Jose, leaving three children. The present
Mrs. Bailey was formerly Annie Nelson, born in New Hampshire, and of
this union there have also been born three children.
Transcribed by Marie Hassard 18 February 2015.
ญญญญSource: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages
368-371. The Chapman Publishing Co.,
Chicago, 1904.
ฉ 2015 Marie
Hassard.