Santa
Clara County
Biographies
JAMES
T. S. GREWELL
JAMES T. S. GREWELL. Closely identified with the
stock-growing interests of Santa Clara county is James T. S.
Grewell, a well-known horseman of San Jose.
He is a worthy representative of the pioneer element of this part of the
state, his father and his paternal grandfather having been among its early settlers. He is a man of intelligence and thrift, and
his practical experience and shrewd common sense have been important factors in
winning him success in the industrial and business world. A son of Hon. Jacob Grewell, he was born
November 10, 1843, in Van Buren, Iowa.
His grandfather, William Grewell, was born, of French ancestry, in one
of the far Eastern states. Migrating to
Illinois in early manhood, he transformed a portion of the fertile prairie land
into a productive farm, on which he lived many years. In 1852 he came to California, and here spent
his declining days, dying near San Jose, at an advanced age.
Born in Quincy, Ill., Jacob Grewell was
reared to agricultural pursuits, which he followed more or less during his
entire life. At the age of nineteen
years he entered the ministry, being at first connected with the Methodist
Episcopal Church, and later with the Methodist Episcopal Church South. Before his removal to Iowa, he and his
brother Robert were appointed deputies, and assisted in driving the Mormons
from Nauvoo., Ill. In
1840 Mr. Grewell, two of his brothers, Robert and Asa, and his father,
outfitted for the Pacific coast.
Joining a train consisting of fifty wagons, they came by way of the
Platte valley and Salt Lake City. At
Mount Meadows the entire party camped for six weeks, resting and gathering
provisions for the remainder of the hard journey. While there the Mormons learned that the two Grewells, Jacob and Robert, were in the train, and
determined to lynch them for the active part they had taken in expelling the
Mormons from Nauvoo. Hearing
of the fate awaiting them if captured Rev. Jacob Grewell and his brother
saddled two mules and struck trail for the hills, but were followed for about
two weeks by their would-be murderers.
These Mormons, in some inexplicable way, got ahead of the men they were
searching for, so that one morning Messrs. Grewell came across them asleep,
lying along the trail, with their guns beside them. Rev. Jacob Grewell called out, “Robert, here
they are!” and at the same instant fired his rifle. The five Mormons thus hastily aroused, sprang
up and ran into the brush, leaving their arms and ammunition behind them. It was nearly eight weeks before the two
brothers rejoined their train, and their families, who were following the
mountain trail to San Bernardino, Cal., and were having an unusually severe
time, suffering for the necessities of life.
Provisions giving out, cattle were killed, and eaten without salt or
bread. John Grewell, son of Robert, and
three others, were sent on ahead to find provisions, and bring back a supply to
the party, and returned with twelve head of cattle and a quantity of shorts and
bran. When he left Illinois,
Rev. Jacob Grewell had fifteen head of cattle, and when he and his family,
pursuing the latter part of their journey on foot, walked into Los Angeles, he
had just one ox and one cow.
Arriving in Los Angeles, Jacob Grewell
rented an adobe house on the plaza, and started in the hotel business. Removing to Stockton in 1850, he managed the
Jacobs House for two years, at the same time preaching in that vicinity. Locating two and one-half miles west of San
Jose in 1852, he took up on hundred and sixty acres of new land, and embarked
in business as a grain and stock-raiser.
In 1868 he and Father Fisher were appointed missionaries to Oregon,
being the first sent to that state from the California Methodist Episcopal
Church South. Settling in Eugene,
Mr. Grewell preached throughout Southern Oregon and the Willamette valley
for a year, and then went first to Roseburg, and later to Jacksonville. Returning to his ranch in 1860, he carried on
general farming for many years, at the same time preaching in different places
until he was superannuated. He was
elected a member of the first State Senate of California on the Whig ticket,
making his campaign on horseback, and also served in the second session. He was a member of the legislature when it
was decided to remove the capital from Vallejo to Sacramento, and voted for the
removal. At a later date he was again a
member of the legislature. While living
on his home farm, which is now known as the Bailey place, he set out an apple
orchard, paying $5 each for slips, and four of the trees, which he planted in
1852, are now in a bearing condition. He
spent his last days in East San Jose, dying in 1900, at the venerable age of
ninety-two years. He was a stanch[sic] Democrat in politics, and a Master Mason. He married Margaret Lightfoot, who was born
in Kentucky, a daughter of John Lightfoot, who removed to Illinois and then to
Iowa, where he followed agricultural pursuits.
She died, in 1887, at Oakdale, Cal.
Of the fifteen children born of their union, eleven grew to years of
maturity, and six are now living, James T. S., the subject of this sketch,
being the youngest child of the parental household.
Brought up in San Jose,
James T. S. Grewell obtained his rudimentary education in a
subscription school held in his father’s house, and later in neighboring
houses. He was fitted for college in the
schools of Santa Clara, studying under Mr. Robinson, and was afterward a
student in the University of the Pacific.
Assuming the care of the home ranch in 1865, Mr. Grewell was
successfully employed in general farming for a number of years, there and in
Lake county.
Returning from the latter place to San Jose, he began his career as a
stock dealer, buying and selling horses and cattle, and has since had in his
possession some very fine horses and cattle, and has since had in his
possession some very fine horses. For
four years he was a resident of Santa Clara, from there coming to San Jose,
where he now lives. Establishing a feed
and sale stable on San Pedro street in 1901, Mr. Grewell is carrying on an
extensive and lucrative business, being well known and much respected
throughout the community.
In 1864, in Cashville,
Yolo county, Mr. Grewell married Mollie Bynum, a
daughter of Dr. Joseph Bynum, a physician, who came to California in 1853,
and was engaged in the practice of his profession first in Cashville
and then in Lake county, where he spent his closing years. Five children have been born of the union of
Mr. and Mrs. Grewell, namely: William, of East San Jose; Bessie, wife of
Charles Wise, of Berkeley; Mrs. Minnie West, twin sister of Bessie, died in San
Francisco; Arthur died at the age of three years; and Ruby, living in Los
Angeles. Politically Mr. Grewell is
a steadfast Democrat, and socially he is a member of the Santa Clara Pioneer Association. Mrs. Grewell is a member of the Methodist
Episcopal Church.
[Inserted by D.
Toole.]
JAMES
T. S. GREWELL
1889
Oct 21, San Francisco Chronicle, P3, San Francisco, California
Saved
From Drowning
A
Young Lady’s Fall Into a Fountain at San Jose
San
Jose, October 20. – This afternoon about 2 o’clock, as Orrin Sanford was
passing through the Normal School grounds, he heard a
faint cry of “Help!” and soon determined that the sound came from the circular
fountain in front of the main building.
Going to the spot he could see nothing in the waters, which were roiled
with rain, but on getting in and groping with his hands he found the body of
Miss Bessie Grewell.
She was unconscious, but soon recovered.
The young lady, who is of delicate frame and subject to heart disease,
says she sat on the rim of the fountain to rest and suddenly became faint and
knew nothing more till she was taken from the water. The fountain is about thirty feet in diameter
and two and a half feet deep.
1889
Oct 24, San Francisco Chronicle, P3, San Francisco, California
Bessie
Grewell’s Ducking
Was
She Married and Did She Attempt Suicide?
San
Jose Times, October 21
Loud
and appealing cries for help emanated from the Normal square yesterday
afternoon at about 2:30 o’clock when the rain was fiercely pelting the earth
and the wind was blowing a gale from the south.
The cries were repeated again and again, and the voice waxed weaker with
each succeeding call. Ordinarily the
cries would have brought a speedy crowd of rescuers, but the force of the storm
had driven everybody under shelter. The
cries, however, reached the ears of the only pedestrian who was abroad in that
neighborhood. This lonely pedestrian was
Orin[sic] Sanford, a painted, who resides at 118 South
River street. The rescue and subsequent
events can best be told in his own words.
“I was going,” said he, “along San Antonia street,
and when I reached the railroad crossing at Fourth street I heard a cry for
help emanating from the Normal square.
The voice sounded like a boy’s voice, and I thought that perhaps some
child had fallen into the fountain basin, so I hurried across and entered the
square. The rain at the time was driven
into my face by the strong wind, which blew like a hurricane. When I got to the hedge I saw a hand
protruding from the water and the finger working in mortal convulsions. I hurried around to the entrance of the inclosure[sic]
and jumped into the water. I still
thought that it was a boy and placed my hand under the body to raise it. Imagine, if you can, how surprised I was to
see that it was a woman’s body. After I
had drawn the body from the water I carried her to the north side of the
building, where we were sheltered from the storm, and where, after rolling her
over several times and pressing the abdomen and lungs, I succeeded in causing
her to omit about three gallons of water.
All this time no one came to my rescue, though a full quarter hour was
spent before she finally opened her eyes.
As soon as she did so I recognized her as Bessie, one of the daughters
of James Grewell, residing at Seventh and San Carlos
streets. I took her home, carrying her
all the way through that terrible storm.
When I arrived there and had succeeded in bringing her mother to the
door I carried her into her room.
“The
first words her mother said were: ‘Why,
I just received a dispatch that she had been married.’ This was said in the absence of Mr. Grewell. When he
came in he stated that she had gone on Saturday afternoon to see a friend with
whom she had stayed over night. The mother did not state the name of the
person to whom Bessie had been married, nor did the father state with whom she
had stayed over night. I hurriedly called Dr. Dow, who
administered restoratives. Dr. Dow
stated to me that the girl would be all right, in case she did not contract
pneumonia or a bad cold from her exposure.”
Bessie Grewell was well known about town,
where she was raised. She is a rather
prepossessing blonde of about 21 years of age, and was one of a pair of twins
who were always seen together upon the streets.
James Grewell is a professional horse trader,
and is well known about town and throughout the county.
1899
Jul 17, San Francisco Chronicle, P3, San Francisco, California
San
Jose, July 16 – The Rev. Jacob Gruwell of the
Methodist Church South, a resident of this city and a pioneer of the Coast,
celebrated the ninety-second anniversary of his birth to-day. He is in splendid physical health and in full
possession of his faculties, notwithstanding his advanced age. He was born in Preble county,
O., July 16, 1807. When he was 5 years
of age his parents removed to what is now the State of Indiana, but was then
known as “Jackson’s Purchase.” Mr. Gruwell was ordained in the ministry in 1847, his early
life having been devoted to farming. In
May, 1849, he started from Keokuk, Ia., across the plains with an ox team, and
arrived at Los Angeles about Christmas of the same year with his wife, nine
children and an ox, but without a dollar in money. The family came to Santa Clara county, and in 1852 Mr. Gruwell
was elected State Senator of the Whig ticket and served for two years, the
capital then being at Vallejo. In 1856
he united with the conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and
subsequently had charges in California and Oregon. At the age of 77, of fifteen years ago, he
retired from active service in the ministry.
His first wife, who was the mother of twelve children, died twenty years
ago. Seven of their children are still
living, and there are numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Mr. Gruwell was
married to his present wife, who was then Mrs. Martha J. Hines, at Stockton in
1880. Special services were held at the
Methodist Episcopal Church South to-day in honor of Mr. Gruwell’s
birthday. He was present and spoke
earnestly and firmly. It would seem that
he may yet live many years.
1900
May 3, The San Francisco Call, P8, San Francisco,
California
Pioneer
Preacher Dead
San
Jose, May 2 – Rev. Jacob Gruwell, a well known and
highly respected pioneer preacher, died to-day, aged 92 years. He came to California in 1849, and in 1840
settled in Santa Clara County. In 1852
he was elected State Senator on the Whig ticket and served one term. Later he entered actively into ministerial
work in the Methodist Episcopal church and was
stationed for many years in Oregon. At
the age of 77 he retired as a superannuate. He leaves a widow and a large number of
children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
1924
Feb 14, Oakland Tribune, P6, Oakland, California
Three
Inquests Will be Held at Martinez
Martinez,
Feb. 14 – Inquests into the deaths of three persons will be conducted tonight
by Coroner C. F. Donnelly of Richmond at the Brunscher
funeral parlors. A jury has been
impaneled to determine legally the causes of the deaths of Mrs. Mary Thomas of
Nortonville, John Cardinalli of Pittsburg and Arthur Gruwell of Martinez.
Mrs. Thomas and Cardinalli died of burns, the
former being injured when her home was destroyed by fire and the latter when
fire destroyed his launch in Suisun bay.
Gruwell committed suicide here last week after
attempting to shoot his wife, from whom he had been separated.
1917
Oct 16, Santa Ana Register, P8, Santa Ana, California
Horse,
Rider Roll 200 Feet Down Mt.
Los
Angeles, Oct. 16 – Though horse and rider rolled 200 feet down a precipice in
the Arroyo Seco country, the rider, James Gruwell, escaped death.
The horse had to be shot. For
more than two hours Gruwell stood on a narrow shelf
of rock, high over a yawning chasm, with the horse down and kicking between him
and another sheer drop of several hundred feet.
Passersby raced for help and effected a rescue.
1912
Sep 28, Covina Argus, P2, Covina, California
Mr.
James Grewell, who has been connected with the Newberry
store in Los Angeles for several years, is assisting in the Ax Billy store
here.
1920
Sep 18, Evening News, P10, San Jose, California
Died
Gruwell – In San Jose, Cal., Sept. 17, 1920,
James T. S. Gruwell, loving father of Thomas and
William J. Gruwell of San Jose, Mrs. R. B. Lakey of San Francisco, and Mrs. C. W. Wise of Oakland, and
grandfather of Viola and Leo West, Mrs. W. Mitchell and James A. Wise; a native
of Iowa, aged 77 years, 10 months, 11 days.
1919
Dec 11, San Jose Mercury News, P16, San Jose, California
Woman
Meets Death in Shocking Manner
Mrs.
Mattie Gruwell, San Jose Pioneer, Has Clothes Burned
From Body
Mrs.
Mattie Gruwell, an aged and well known pioneer woman
of this county, met death in a shocking manner yesterday afternoon at her
residence, 126 South Nineteenth street. Mrs. Gruwell was in
the daily habit of sitting by the kitchen stove in a large chair which was kept
there for her comfort as she had been a confirmed invalid for a number of
years. Her husband, James Gruwell, who was her constant attendant, left the room to
perform some work in the yard, and upon his return, 15 minutes later, was
horrified to find the blackened and charred body of his wife lying upon the
floor about ten feet from the chair and at the foot of a table. The clothes had been completely burned from
her body as also her hair, while the only other article burned was portion of
an oil cloth on the table.
Coroner
Notified
Mr.
Gruwell gave the alarm and immediately notified
Coroner Amos O. Williams, who with Deputy Bert Hocking, repaired to the scene
and took possession of the body. After a
cursory examination of the room in which the body of Mrs. Gruwell
was found, Coroner Williams expressed the belief that the aged woman attempted
to take some live coals from the fire, which fell upon her clothes, as several
pieces of coal were found upon the floor near the stove. The body was taken to the undertaking parlors
of Hocking & Williams where an inquest will be held today to determine, if
possible, the exact cause of Mrs. Gruwell’s
death. Mr. Hocking stated that it was a
miracle that the house did not catch fire, as the clothes of Mrs. Gruwell were completely burned from her body. The deceased had been a resident of this
county for many years and was well known by a host of pioneer families. She was a native of Missouri, aged 75
years. Besides her husband, James Gruwell, she leaves the following children: William and Thomas Gruwell,
Mrs. C. W. Wise and Mrs. R. B. Lakay[sic]. Funeral
services will be held from the undertaking parlors of Hocking & Williams,
279 North First street, at 2 o’clock Friday afternoon.
1919
Dec 13, San Jose Mercury News, P6, San Jose, California
Funeral
Service for Victim of Flames
Mrs.
Mattie E. Gruwell Laid at Rest Yesterday
The
Rev. H. H. Buckner of the East San Jose church yesterday conducted funeral
services for Mrs. Mattie Estelle Gruwell, the aged
woman who was so badly burned on Wednesday evening that death ensued. Numerous friends of the family were present
to pay their last respects to the memory of the aged lady and interment was
made at the Santa Clara Protestant cemetery.
The deceased had been a resident of this city for the past ten years,
coming here from Missouri. She had been
an invalid for a long time and the sad accident happened while her husband was
at work in the yard of the home at 126 South Nineteenth street,
her clothing being practically all burned from her body. She leaves her husband, James Gruwell, two sons, William and Thomas Gruwell
and two daughters, Mrs. C. H. Wise and Mrs. R. B. Lakey.
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 1231-1232. The Chapman
Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2016 Donna Toole.