Santa
Clara County
Biographies
JAMES
ENRIGHT
A typical representative of the pioneers of
California, James Enright, late of San Jose, was for
many years well known throughout this part of Santa Clara county as an
industrious and enterprising farmer, a valued and respected citizen, a kind
neighbor, and a most devoted husband and loving father, and his death, which
occurred while under the care of a physician, January 29, 1894, in San
Francisco, was deeply regretted by his large circle of friends and
acquaintances. A son of James Enright, Sr., he was
born in County Limerick, Ireland, in 1826, and there spent the first two years
of his life.
Coming with his family to America in
1829, James Enright, Sr., located first in Canada,
buying land near Quebec, where he followed farming for about ten years.
Removing then to Missouri, he took up land in Atchison county, and was there
employed in agricultural pursuits until his death, in 1845, while yet in
manhood’s prime. His wife, whose maiden name was Mary Mann, was born in Ireland,
and died in Missouri in the same year that he did, in
1845.
Obtaining a limited education in the
district schools of Canada and Missouri, James Enright
was well trained by his father in the various branches of agriculture, and was
of great assistance in the clearing and improving of the parental homestead.
Early in 1846, shortly after the death of his parents, Mr. Enright,
his brother, Thomas Enright, and his sister, Mary Enright, started across the plains for the Pacific coast. The
original party being very large, it was divided, one portion, that commanded by
Captain Donner, going by the new road, while the other section, which included
the Enrights, took the trail on which the Central
Pacific was later built, and arrived in San Jose in October, 1846. Spending the
following winter in San Jose Mission, Mr. Enright
made good use of his time. Obtaining permission to cultivate some of the lands
belonging to the mission, he sowed about sixty acres of wheat, which he
subsequently sold to Sam Brannon, (sic) the leader of the Mormon movement.
Going then to San Francisco he engaged in teaming for the government, using his
own oxen. He took large contracts for transporting, among others being that of
transferring the stores and baggage of the Stevenson Regiment from the shore to
the presidio of San Francisco. He subsequently took contracts for carrying
supplies to the mines, and was afterwards successfully engaged in mining on the
south fork of the American river.
While thus employed Mr. Enright heard of the death of his sister Mary, and
immediately returned to the San Jose Mission, where he remained two years
caring for his brother Thomas, who was also ill, until he died, in 1848. Settling
then on the land that he had purchased the previous year, at Lawrence station,
about three miles west of Santa Clara, Mr. Enright at
once began the improvement of his large ranch of eight hundred acres. He set
out fruit trees of different varieties, and planted a vineyard of fourteen
acres, but devoted the larger part of his magnificent farm to the raising of
grain and stock, becoming a prominent breeder of horses and mules, and making a
specialty of raising heavy draft horses for the San Francisco market, having
there his regular customers. Possessing an unlimited stock of energy,
enterprise and business judgment, Mr. Enright met
with eminent success in his mining and agricultural operations, and by keen
foresight and judicious management acquired a handsome competency. He was held
in high esteem by his fellowmen, being everywhere respected for his manliness
and integrity. He was an uncompromising Democrat in politics, and a faithful
member of the Catholic Church of Santa Clara. It is a notable fact that his
five sons became stanch Republicans.
January 24, 1851, in San Francisco,
Mr. Enright married Margaret Duncan, who was born in
Blair-Gowrie, Perthshire, Scotland, a daughter of Robert Duncan. Learning the trade of a
carpenter in Perthshire, Scotland, his native county,
Robert Duncan became a contractor and builder of note. In 1839, accompanied by
his family, he went by way of the Cape of Good Hope to New Zealand. A few years
later he went to South America, and for a time was employed as a contractor and
builder in Valparaiso, Chile, and later in Callao and Lima, Peru. Embarking on
the ship Gipesquanna, commanded by Captain John
Cooper, early in 1846, he came with his family to Monterey, Cal. Having been on
the water some time, none of the passengers on board knew of the Mexican war,
and when the captain, leveling his glass towards the city, saw a flag flying in
the air above the town, he said: “Duncan, what flag is that?” “Those are the
Stars and Stripes as sure as you live, captain,” said Duncan. Three days after
the raising of the flag the boat arrived in Monterey and most of the passengers
disembarked. Mr. Duncan and his family resided in Monterey for several months
and then removed by the same boat to San Francisco, where he soon afterward
built a residence on Broadway, near the new Montgomery hotel. He subsequently
engaged in mining for awhile, and then purchased land in Santa Clara valley,
where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death, in 1857, at the
age of fifty years. His wife, whose maiden name was Ann Robinson, was born in Perthshire, Scotland, and died in San Francisco, Cal., in
1847, age thirty-five years. She bore her husband four children, namely:
Margaret, now Mrs. Enright; Sampson, a farmer, living
near Redwood, (sic) Cal.; Mrs. Christine Milligan, who died in Santa Clara
county; and Mrs. Valdez, of Mayfield, Cal.
Receiving her preliminary education
in South America under private instructors, Margaret Duncan came with her
parents to California when but nine years old, and was a pupil in the first
school started in San Francisco and taught by Professor Pelton.
In common with the other early settlers of the state, she endured many
privations and hardships, which were the more firmly impressed upon her memory
by comparison with her life in South America, where provisions and fruits of
all kinds were plentiful and cheap. From the time of her marriage, in 1851,
until 1895 she resided on the home ranch, which she still owns, renting its
seven hundred acres of land for dairy and seed gardening purposes. Locating in
San Jose in the fall of 1895, Mrs. Enright purchased
her present home estate, which she has improved and beautified, setting out a
variety of trees in the park, which is one of the finest and most attractive in
the city. She also owns an orchard of fifteen acres on East Williams street,
where she raises cherries, apples, peaches, plums, prunes and nectarines. Of
the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Enright eleven children
were born, namely: Mary Ann became the wife of John G. Robinson, of Santa Clara
county; Frances became the wife of Dr. James Murphy, of San Francisco; Robert
died at the age of twenty-four years in Santa Clara county; James, who is a
graduate of St. Mary’s College and of Santa Clara College, attends to his
mother’s business affairs; Thomas died when young; Charles, a graduate of St. Mary’s
College and of the medical department of the University of California, died on
the homestead in 1895; Mrs. Margaret McCone resides in San Francisco; Joseph, a
ranchman, lives in Santa Cruz county; Ellen is a Dominican nun teaching in San
Francisco; Louisa lives at home; and John is a farmer of San Jose. Mrs. Enright belongs to the Santa Clara County Pioneer Society,
and is a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church. Mr. Enright
was a member of the California Pioneer Society of San Francisco.
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 483-484. The Chapman
Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2015 Cecelia M. Setty.