Santa
Clara County
Biographies
SAMUEL
MEGINNESS
Prior to locating on his present
ranch near San Jose, in 1855, Mr. Meginness
experienced many ups and down (sic) and had seen much of the world in his
migrations from Lancaster county, Pa., where he was born July 3, 1832. Until
seventeen years old he followed the family in its various removals from
Pennsylvania to Illinois, thence to Iowa, but in 1849, the year which was
universally one of unrest, especially with courageous youths, he left his Iowa
home an for one year worked as a farm hand in the
vicinity of St. Joseph, Mo. An opening which enabled him to work his way
farther west came in the following year, when, in the employ of Middleton &
Riley, he went to Salt Lake ity with store supplies
for outfitting teams from that point, remaining in the company’s employ for two
years. In 1852 he accomplished his purpose of reaching the Pacific coast,
coming to the west in time to find employment in the hay harvest near
Sacramento for two months. For a short time thereafter he was engaged in the
mines about one-half mile from Hangtown, but in the spring of 1853 went to
Carson valley, Nev., in the interest of a trading
company, following a line of employment which he had discontinued only a short
time before. The search for gold again became paramount, and for one year he
was interested in the mines near Johnstown, Eldorado (sic) county. The spring
of 1854, however, again found him in the Sacramento valley, where as a farm
hand he worked for wages until the fall of 1855, when he came to Santa Clara county and purchased the property upon which he resides
to-day. Although the tract is only ten acres in extent, it has a very productive
soil and produces heavy crops of grass, to which the land is mainly devoted.
The ranch is admirably located, being three miles south of San Jose, on the
Monterey road, and in addition to its cultivation Mr. Meginness
also rents adjoining land. As the care of his ranch leaves ample time for
outside work, he is filling the position of janitor in the Franklin school, one
of the public schools of San Jose.
The parents of Samuel Meginness were Benjamin and Sarah (Johnson) Meginness, both natives of Pennsylvania, which state had
been the home of the family for many years. In 1843, when their son was a lad
of eleven years, removal was made to Illinois, and Hancock county was the scene
of the family life for the following three years, or until they went to Pottawattamie
county, Iowa, in 1846. After residing in Iowa six years the father came across
the plains to California in 1853, oxen furnishing the motive power, and spent
the balance of his life on the ranch which he purchased in San Bernardino
county. His wife had died while the family were
residing in Iowa. Of the eleven children born to this worthy couple, seven grew
to years of maturity, six sons and one daughter, and Samuel was the fourth
child in order of birth.
In San Jose, Cal., Samuel Meginness married Mrs. Martha A. Rockwell, who was born in
New Jersey, a daughter of Amos Condit. Mr. Condit, who was also a native of New
Jersey, removed to Iowa, which was his home until his death. By trade he was a
shoemaker, and in addition to following his trade also carried on a thriving
business as a shoe merchant. Mr. and Mrs. Meginness
became the parents of seven children, four sons and three daughters, but one
son is deceased. Mr. Meginness gives his vote and
influence in favor of Republic (sic) candidates, stanchly supporting party
principles whenever the opportunity arises.
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 1412. The Chapman
Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2017 Cecelia M. Setty.