Santa
Clara County
Biographies
DAVID
C. CRUMMEY
DAVID C. CRUMMEY. Various enterprises in Santa Clara county
have felt the benefit of David C. Crummey’s
support, both in a financial and moral way, for, since a comparatively early
day in the history of this section, he has been a potent factor in its
upbuilding and the promotion of all movements calculated to advance the general
welfare of the public. He is prominently
identified at the present time with the Bean Spray Pump Company, of which he is
acting as president, while the manufacture of the article is entirely under his
control. He was also at one time
superintendent of the Mountain Spring Water Company of Los Gatos, which he
helped to organize, and with which he remained connected until its interests
were purchased by the San Jose Company.
Born in Albany, N.Y., January 12, 1844, he was the third of the
sons of a family of ten children, of whom five are now
living. His father, John Crummey, was a native of Ireland, who as a young man
immigrated to America and settled in the vicinity of Albany, N.Y. He was an expert accountant and engaged in
that line of work after his removal to the Empire state. He eventually removed to Hudson, Mich., where
his death occurred. His wife, formerly
Margaret Christian, also a native of Ireland, passed away in Michigan.
At the time of his father’s removal to
Hudson, Mich., David C. Crummey was but six
years old, thus his education was received entirely in the public schools of
that place. July 15, 1862, inspired
by patriotism, he enlisted in the Ninth Michigan Battery, which was afterward
known as Battery I of the First Michigan Artillery. He participated in many severe engagements,
among them the battle of Gettysburg, where he was in the horse artillery and
went with the cavalry. In December,
1863, he was located with the western army and participated in the battles of
Resaca, Dallas, Dalton, Snake Creek, Peach Tree, Burnt Hickory, Buzzard’s
Roost, Kenesaw Mountain, and the siege and capture of
Atlanta. In Atlanta all the horses of
the army were afflicted with the glanders, which gave
the soldiers no little trouble and annoyance.
After the departure of Sherman and his troops through Georgia the
regiment of which Mr. Crummey was a member
returned to Chattanooga, where they remained on duty until the close of the
war. He was mustered out of service at
Detroit July 26, 1865. Returning to
Hudson, Mr. Crummey worked on a farm for two
years, when he secured the position of traveling salesman, first for the firm
of Chapman, Green & Co., a manufacturing concern of Chicago, and later
for the Mast, Foos & Co., manufacturers of
agricultural implements, pumps, etc., of Springfield, Ohio. He remained in this occupation for
twenty-three years, traveling all over the middle west. Deciding to remove to California, in August,
1888, he located his family in Los Gatos, where he bought out the interests of
John Bean in the manufacture of the Bean spray pump. He continued the manufacturing in that
locality until 1902, when he removed his plant to San Jose, since making this
his headquarters for business and his home in Los Gatos. Since his purchase of this plant he has
invented several new improvements, and in various ways has added to the value
of his manufacture. He manufactures
fifteen different pumps, and these are sent to all parts of the world,
including South Africa and Australia. In
1904 the business was incorporated as the Bean Spray Pump Company, with
Mr. Crummey as president and in its location at
No. 171 Santa Clara street they are conducting a
constantly increasing trade. Mr. Crummey is also interested in the Bishop Shaft Coupler Coupler Company, of which he is serving as a director.
In Hudson Mr. Crummey
married Addie Bean, a native of that town and the daughter of John Bean, the
inventor of the Bean Spray Pump. He now
makes his home in Los Gatos. Four
children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Crummey,
namely: Elizabeth, John D., Fred
and Paul, all of the sons being identified with their father in his present
business. Politically Mr. Crummey is a stanch[sic]
Republican, and at one time served as a member of the council of Los
Gatos. He belongs to the Methodist
Episcopal Church, of which he is a member and chairman of the board of
trustees. Fraternally he affiliates with
the E.O.C. Ord Post, G.A.R., of Los Gatos.
Transcribed by Donna Toole.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages 397-398. The Chapman
Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2015 Donna Toole.