Santa
Clara County
Biographies
JOSEPH BOHNETT
When Mr. Bohnett
purchased his present homestead ranch in Santa Clara county in 1890 it was a
hayfield, with no suggestion of higher cultivation, but he foresaw greater
remuneration in store for him by having the tract in fruit, and forthwith
planted the entire ranch to fruit-bearing trees, thirty-five acres being set
apart for prunes, and the balance planted to apricots and cherries. To
facilitate the preparation of the fruit for the market Mr. Bohnett
has a dryer upon his ranch, this being but one of the many appointments that go
toward making his ranch one of the foremost in Santa Clara county.
The same year that he purchased the ranch he also built the fine residence now
occupied by the family.
Joseph Bohnett
was born in Ann Arbor, Mich., March 26,1848, a son of Christian and Mary
(Rouse) Bohnett, both natives of Germany, the former
born in Wurtemberg. When a young man the father
emigrated from Germany and settled in Ann Arbor, Mich., where as a shoemaker he
spent the rest of his life, dying in Michigan, as did also his wife. Of the
seven children born to them, three sons and four daughters, Joseph was the
fourth child. The first twenty-three years of his life were spent in Michigan,
but to him the chances for larger opportunity seemed to be restricted there,
and he determined to settle where there was more hope of rapid advancement. The
far west seemed to hold forth more inducements than any other part of the
country, and in 1871 he came to California, and for three years worked for
wages in the employ of others. In 1876 he purchased the old Barker ranch of one
hundred and fifty acres on the Los Gatos road, six miles southwest of San Jose,
and in addition to following general farming also raised considerable grain.
Upon disposing of his interests there in 1890 he purchased a part of the old
Casey ranch of forty-eight and one-half acres, and has transformed what was
once a vast field of grass into one of the most productive orchards in Santa
Clara county, and in appearance and conveniences will compare favorably with
any ranch in the state.
In Santa Clara county,
Cal., Mr. Bohnett was united in marriage with Miss Tamer
Barker, who is a native of this county. Eleven children have been born into the
home of Mr. and Mrs. Bohnett, six sons and five
daughters. In order to keep in touch with all matters that bear upon his
ranching interests Mr. Bohnett holds membership in
the Grange. Politically he votes in favor of Republican candidates.
Transcribed By: Cecelia M. Setty.
Source: History of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast
Counties, California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages 1171-1172. The
Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2016 Cecelia M. Setty.