Santa Clara County
Biographies
WOODS MABURY
Born in Allegheny county, Pa., in 1807, Woods Mabury was left fatherless when young. Being the eldest son he assisted his widowed mother in caring for the family for many years, working earnestly and industriously. Subsequently settling in Cincinnati, Ohio, he embarked in business as a grocer, forming a partnership with a man who, it afterward proved, was deeply in debt. This debt swallowed up the original capital which young Mabury invested and all the profits, leaving him richer only in experience. Nothing daunted, however, he removed to New Albany, Ind., where he engaged in painting steamboats without previous experience. Later he again started in the grocery business on a modest scale in Jeffersonville, Ind., where he met with a success far exceeding his expectations. He was a man of marked ability and enterprise, ready to help any beneficial enterprise, and when the Jeffersonville, Madison & Indianapolis Railway was first thought of he became the organizer and promoter of the company establishing it, and was its first auditor. He subsequently realized a handsome sum from the sale of his stock in the road. While he was still living in Jeffersonville the first telegraph line in the state was completed, but the people there, as in all parts of the Union, were very skeptical as to its success. In order to test it Mr. Mabury wired to Cincinnati for a cargo of flour, which he received by the next boat, greatly to the surprise of the residents of the town. He himself had never for a moment doubted the ultimate success of the telegraph. As years went by fortune favored him, and he acquired money, and organized the First National Bank of Jeffersonville, becoming a stockholder, and one of its directors.
In 1866, wishing to take advantage of the great future possibilities predicted for the Pacific coast states, Woods Mabury came to California by way of the Isthmus of Panama, arriving in San Francisco in October of that year. He subsequently became associated in the banking business in San Jose, Cal. Taking up his residence in San Jose, he and his brother, the late Hiram Mabury, assisted in organizing the San Jose Savings Bank, which was first located in the Hensley, now known as the Rea building, and was later located in the building now occupied by the Mercury offices. He was also one of the promoters of the San Jose Woolen Mills, of a flour mill, and of other business projects, being public-spirited and progressive. He first erected a house on the corner of Second and Empire streets, but subsequently bought a fine residence on First street, where he resided until his death in 1884. He married Mary A. Lawton, who was born in Ohio, and who is now living in San Jose. The following children were born of their union: Mrs. Laura Carlton, of Los Angeles; Mary Woods, of San Jose; Frank H., of San Jose, a contractor; Park C.; Mrs. Lillian Ginty, of San Francisco; and Florence, Amy, and Mrs. Neva Cahill, the three last mentioned being deceased.
Transcribed
3-1-16 Marilyn
R. Pankey.
ญญญญSource:
History of the State of California &
Biographical Record of Coast Counties, California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A.
M., Pages 1029-1030. The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
ฉ 2016 Marilyn R.
Pankey.