Santa
Clara County
Biographies
OTIS L. DEXTER
The ranch of one hundred and eighty-seven acres
upon which Otis L. Dexter makes his home is a part of the ranch originally
purchased by his father, Albert Dexter, a well known pioneer of the state of
California. Upon securing possession of this property the son exerted every
effort to make of it a first-class ranch, bringing it to rank in
improvements---buildings, fences and general equipment---with the best in Santa
Clara county. He has set out an orchard of sixteen acres, consisting
principally of prunes, and also devotes twenty acres to the production of
alfalfa. He is largely interested in the dairy business, milking a number of
cows. He owns his own separator and ships his cream to San Jose. He is in every
particular an enterprising and ambitious farmer, a man of practical ideas and
modern methods, and is justly numbered among the successful men of the county.
Born in Redwood City, San Mateo county, Cal., January 28, 1861, Mr. Dexter was the youngest
son of Albert Dexter, whose biography will be found upon another page. His
parents removing to Santa Clara county, he was reared to young manhood upon the
farm where he now makes his home, attending the district school and afterward
the University of the Pacific. He remained on the home farm in manhood, engaged
in general farming and stock-raising, and upon the death of his father assumed
possession of that part which he now makes his home. Among the more important
improvements on the place are two wells, seventy-four and thirty-four feet,
respectively, with the capacity of five hundred gallon per minute, and a modern
gasoline engine pumping plant. His home is presided over by his wife, formerly
Nellie Van Gundy, a native of San Felipe and daughter of Hiram Van Gundy, a
pioneer of Gilroy. They were married in that city. Of their union were born
three children, namely: Roy, Carrie and Wilfred. Fraternally Mr. Dexter is
associated with the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and politically is a
Republican. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
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 1307-1308. The
Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2016 Cecelia M. Setty.