Santa Clara County
Biographies
GERMAIN F. PILLOT
After years of activity as an expert harness maker, and useful and honored membership in the Society of Pioneers of Santa Clara county, Germain F. Pillot finds himself among many friends and beneficent influences in San Jose, of which he has been a retired resident for several years. As his name indicates, he is of French extraction and his life began in Santiago, Chili, South America, June 14, 1844. His father, Julian Pillot, emigrated from the quaint town of Nantes, France, which he left at an early age and settled in Santiago, having sailed to New York, and thence around the Horn. In Santiago he learned the carpenter and builder’s trade, and while following the same capitulated to the charms of a dark-eyed Chilian named Senorita Petra Sylva, a native daughter of Santiago. When the cry of gold sent expectancy and discontent into the hearts of thousands scattered over the western hemisphere, Julian followed and bent of his desire and came to San Francisco, from where he drifted to Stockton with the crowd, and from there to the mines. Meeting with small success as a miner he began to entertain increasing respect for his trade, and as wages were high he returned to Stockton and worked for a few months at building. He then removed to San Jose, which town pleased him because of the predominance of French and Spanish residents. He was not destined for long life in his adopted state, for his death occurred in 1859, at the age of forty-seven years. He was survived by his wife, who lived until 1895, being then seventy-five years old.
Gaining his principal education in San Jose, Germain F. followed in his father’s business footsteps, apprenticing to a carpenter, and also a harness maker, learning the latter business thoroughly and with reference to high class workmanship. His reliable and stable characteristics are best indicated by the fact that he was associated with one man in business for twenty-one years, after which he opened a shop of his own in San Jose, at 141 East Santa Clara street. In time his eyesight succumbed to the strain of a highly nervous organization, and in order to improve it by an outdoor existence, he purchased a small ranch and conducted a chicken business for some years. This netted him a comfortable competence, and enabled him to surround his family with the advantages and luxuries craved by healthy normal beings. Mr. Pillot married Mary A. Peckham, a young woman of culture and fine family, and for many years an educator in the high school at San Jose. Germain F., Jr., the only son of the family, is an electrician, and is married to Alma Kempe. Mr. Pillot represents the most stable of the Gallicians who have contributed to the trade and general upbuilding of Santa Clara county, and he is accordingly respected and esteemed by a large circle of friend and acquaintances.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages 659-660. The Chapman
Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2015 Joyce Rugeroni.