Santa Clara County
Biographies
HENRY KREHE
Although a native of Germany, Mr. Krehe has been a citizen of the United States for over forty-five years, having taken out naturalization papers at Marysville, Cal., in 1859. It was years afterward when he located in Santa Clara county, which has been his home, however, for the past twenty years, and during the period of his residence here he has proved to be a farmer of no little ability, as the fine crops of hay and grain raised upon his productive farm will testify. This farm was purchased by Mr. Krehe September 11, 1884, and contains ninety-four acres of very choice land, located on the Aborn road, six and a half miles south of San Jose.
Born August 7, 1828, in Oldenburg, Germany, also the birthplace of his parents, Mr. Krehe is the eldest but one in a family of three children, two sons and one daughter, born to Henry and Elizabeth (Realing) Krehe, and he is the only survivor of the family. After the mother’s death the father came to American, in 1855, to join his son, and his death took place some time later in Sutter Creek, Cal. The education of Mr. Krehe was gleaned from the schools of his native land and in 1849, when twenty-one, he came to American, the first three years being spent in New York. About that time he decided to go to California, sailing around Cape Horn, and arriving at San Francisco July 12, 1852. Walking out to the mines in the vicinity of Forbestown, on Feather river, he followed mining pursuits there for a couple of years with fair success. He then purchased land in Sutter county, about seven miles from Yuba City and there for twenty years he successfully carried on general farming and stock-raising in connection with dairy farming, owning at one time thirteen hundred acres of land in that vicinity. Disposing of his interest in this locality he went south in 1884 and purchased the fine farm in Santa Clara county which has been his home ever since. Here also success crowned his efforts and he was soon in the front rank among the substantial ranchers of this locality.
Mr. Krehe has been twice married. His first union, in 1859, at Marysville, Cal., united him with Miss Elizabeth Widmeyer, formerly of Germany. Three children blessed this union, two of these are still living, Joseph and Annie, the wife of James Hampton. Mrs. Elizabeth Gelhaus is deceased. The mother of these children passed to her final rest in Marysville, and in 1868, in New York City, Mr. Krehe married Miss Mary Annie Hear, born in Germany, coming from the same locality as her husband. She came to America in 1866. Three children were born of this union: Mary, the eldest, is the wife of A. W. Bihlman and resides in Sutter county; Bernard S. is a resident of Chicago, Ill.; and Henry F. assists on the home place. The family worship at the Catholic Church, of which they are devout members and in his political preferences Mr. Krehe is known as an independent Democrat. He has proved to be a valuable acquisition to Santa Clara county.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages 689-690. The Chapman
Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2015 Joyce Rugeroni.