Santa
Clara County
Biographies
WILLIAM WALLACE BEAUCHAMP
An early pioneer of Gilroy, and a prominent member of its agricultural community, William Wallace Beauchamp is widely and favorably known throughout this section of Santa Clara county, as an upright man, of honest integrity and sterling worth. During the half century that he has resided in this locality he has witnessed wonderful changes, and in the grand transformation scene has taken an active and important part, spending many of the best years of his useful life in redeeming from its original wildness a portion of our beautiful country. A son of the late Felix G. Beauchamp, he was born July 30, 1836, in Platte county, Mo. His paternal grandfather, Stephen Beauchamp, born in Kentucky, of English ancestry, removed to Platte county, Mo., at an early period of its settlement, and from an unbroken forest cleared a farm. Crossing the plains to Oregon in 1845, he resided in Yamhill county, Ore., for a number of years, and then came to San Luis Obispo county, Cal., where he spent the remainder of his life, dying at a ripe old age.
A native of Kentucky, Felix G. Beauchamp was born in Warren county, near Bowling Green. In boyhood he removed with his parents to Platte county, Mo., where he was reared to agricultural pursuits. He subsequently engaged in farming and stock-raising in Holt county, Mo., living there until 1850, when, with his wife and five children, he started with an ox team train across the plains. Taking the old trail, which passed Fort Hall, he came by the Carson route to Contra Costa, Cal., being five months making the trip. Near his first location, he entered land, but it proved to be a grant, and he removed to Lafayette, where he took up another tract, but with no better luck, that, also, proving to be a grant. Going then to Tulare county, he resided in Visalia three years, and then settled as a farmer and stock-raiser near Cambria. Removing thence to Santa Ana, he there followed his chosen occupation until his death, in 1894. He married Elizabeth Brown, who was born in Clay county, Mo., and died in Santa Ana, Cal. Her father, Samuel Brown, a native of Kentucky, removed to Missouri in early manhood, and from there came to California in 1850, in the same train that his daughter and her husband came, settling in Santa Clara county. Making a trip to Texas in 1860, he remained there until the close of the Civil war, when he returned to Gilroy, and here spent his remaining years. Nine children were born of the union of Felix G. and Elizabeth Beauchamp, five of whom are living, William Wallace, the subject of this sketch, being the oldest child of the family.
Until thirteen years old, William W. Beauchamp lived in Missouri, being reared and educated in Holt county. Starting with his parents for California in 1850, he spent the fourteenth anniversary of his birth at Pacific Springs, on the divide. He subsequently assisted his father in improving a farm, and then worked on ranches in Santa Clara county, being first located near Campbell, then at Lafayette, and afterward near Santa Clara. In October, 1863, Mr. Beauchamp purchased his present farm of one hundred and twenty-seven acres, situated five and one-half miles west of Gilroy, on the Burchell road. The land was then in its pristine wildness, but by sturdy industry, willing toil and good management he has improved a valuable farm, on which he raises large crops of grain and in addition has a fine orchard of fifteen acres.
In 1858, in Saratoga, Santa Clara county, Mr. Beauchamp married Mary E. Lovell, who was born in Kentucky, and came with her parents to the Pacific coast in 1852. Eight children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Beauchamp, namely: Delia A., living at home; Theodore Edwin, engaged in mining in Nevada; Robert Lee, employed in a grocery in San Jose; Mrs. Laura Ann Gimble, of Alameda; William Ira, a miner in Nevada; Nina, at home; and Eda and Ella, twins. A man of sound judgment and excellent financial ability, much interested in local affairs, Mr. Beauchamp served for many years as school trustee. In 1854, in Gilroy, he united with the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and has since been one of its most active members, having served for many years as superintendent of its Sunday-school, and being now one of its trustees.
Transcribed
10-16-15 Marilyn
R. Pankey.
ญญญญSource:
History of the State of California &
Biographical Record of Coast Counties, California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A.
M., Pages 838-841. The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
ฉ 2015 Marilyn R.
Pankey.