Santa
Clara County
Biographies
JOHN HASSLER
John Hassler,
of San Jose, has been the architect of his own fortune, having without the aid
of capital risen to a place of prominence solely by
his own efforts. It may be truly said that all has not been plain sailing in
the life of Mr. Hassler, who has suffered his share
of discouragements and failures, but who has found a way to surmount all
obstacles and rise to success. During the early part of his life he followed
diversified occupations, but about 1859 he settled down to farm life upon the
place which is still his home, and here the intervening years have been spent
by him in toil and industry. Although now well advanced in years he is still
able to oversee work on his farm, seven miles from San Jose, on the Silver
Creek road. The quit claim deed to his place was purchased by Mr. Hassler from a settler in 1856 for one thousand eight
hundred dollars, and the following year he took possession of the ranch, which
then contained one hundred and sixty acres. Here he raised cattle and horses,
besides having considerable land devoted to hay and grain; and everything about
the place proclaimed the prosperity of the owner. In 1862 he again paid for the
first quarter section at the rate of one dollar and seventy-five cents per
acre, and a third time he was taxed one thousand thirty-seven dollars. At one
time he owned six hundred and sixty-two acres of land, but he now has only five
hundred and ninety-four acres.
Mr. Hassler
descended from a noted German family and was born in Wurtemberg,
Germany, at Goppingen, September 12, 1820. His father, John Michael, who was a
native of the same place, was a soldier in the battle of Waterloo. He also
served as gentleman servant to Lord or General Fred William Graffen-Graffen,
and was by occupation a sash and door maker. He married Margarite
Nagle, born in the same locality as was her husband, and they both died in
their native land. Eleven children were born to them, all now deceased but two,
Mrs. Henry Rampdorff, of Mountainview,
(sic) Cal., and John, who was the third child in order of birth. He received
his early education in the schools of Germany, and when his school days were
over he became apprenticed to learn the sash and door business under his
father. In 1847, when twenty-seven years of age, he came to
the United States. At Cleveland, Ohio, he became apprenticed at the
cabinet-maker’s trade and for five years applied himself diligently to this,
completely mastering all the details of the business.
It was in 1852 that he started for
California, coming by way of the Nicaragua route, but the steamer was wrecked
and he was five months en route. Reaching California at last, he spent one week
in the Dry Creek mines and an equal length of time in the Coteses
mines. Discouraged with the results of his work, he went to Sacramento and for
a while worked for a farmer. Being offered fabulous wages, he hired out to
another party July 4 as wood-chopper, but found later that he was obliged to
sleep out under the trees with no covering but a blanket, so he quit and
started back to Sacramento. Stopping at a farmer’s house to inquire for
employment, he secured work and here he fell in with a Mr. Cable, a friend who
accompanied him to California. A week later found Mr. Hassler
at Sutter’s Fort, and after viewing the sights there he secured work as
wood-chopper at sixty dollars per month. He subsequently went to San Francisco
with the intention of going to Mexico, but October 20, 1852, he secured work in
a mill at San Jose, and for three years following he was employed in the Basham
mills, but after having earned eight hundred fifty dollars he found it
impossible to collect his money.
Being now thoroughly discouraged,
Mr. Hassler returned east to Cleveland, Ohio, but
twelve days after his arrival in that city he again started for California,
which in spite of his recent failures still held out strong inducements for
him. Upon his return to San Jose he secured work in the Lick Flouring mills and
for four years labored diligently to obtain a start. During this time he
accumulated sufficient capital to purchase land, which he did in 1856, and one
year later retired from mill work to reside upon his farm, where he still
lives. By his marriage in Santa Clara county he was united with Miss Ona Henderson and their family consists of six children,
named as follows: John, Christine, Frederick, Henry, Helena, and Anna E. In
politics Mr. Hassler has ever been a Republican.
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., Page 1171. The Chapman
Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2016 Cecelia M. Setty.