Santa
Clara County
Biographies
Prominent
among the pioneer settlers of Santa Clara county was the late John S. Rucker,
who located on the Day Road, about four miles northwest of Gilroy, when a young
man, and from that time until his death was actively identified with the agricultural
prosperity of this section of the state.
During the twenty-five or more years of his residence in this locality
he witnessed wonderful transformations in the fact of the country, the wild
land being converted into flourishing orchards, productive vineyards or broad
fields of waving grain, while the hamlets of the early times developed into
thriving villages and populous towns. A
son of William T. Rucker, he was born March 3, 1837, in Saline county, Mo., and
died in Santa Clara county, Cal., on the home farm, December 12, 1891. In all the walks of life he was a worthy
representative of all that constituted an exemplary citizen in his domestic
relations being a devoted husband and a kind father, in social life a pleasant
and congenial companion, and in business circles an honored and trusted man.
A native
of Virginia, William T. Rucker was born in that state in 1810. In 1830 he married Veirranda S. Taylor, who
was his junior by one year, and very soon afterward he and his bride removed to
Missouri, beginning life together in Howard county,
where he followed farming for two years.
Removing to Saline county, Mo., in 1832, he
took up land that was in its original wildness, and having improved a homestead
resided there for twenty years. Starting
with his family for California in 1852, he crossed the plains with ox teams,
coming by Sublette’s cut-off, and with the aid of his sons drove through a herd
of cattle, among which were two hundred cows, which he had purchased in
Missouri for $10 each, and which he readily sold at prices ranging from $150 to
$200 a head. With the money which he
thus made he bought one hundred and sixty acres of land lying two miles from
the town of Santa Clara, and immediately commenced faming. In his congenial occupation he met with
deserved success, and continued thus employed until his death in 1880. Eleven children were born of his union with
Miss Taylor, namely: Joseph E., Mary L., John S., W.D., R.T., H.N., Z.T., Nancy
C., George F., Margaret E., and B.W.
Coming
with his parents to Santa Clara in his youthful days John S. Rucker became well
versed in the various branches of agriculture while assisting his father in the
pioneer labor of establishing a homestead.
Subsequently embarking in business for himself as a general farmer, he
located south of Gilroy, and in company with his older brother, Joseph E.,
bought two hundred and thirty-two acres of the Sales ranch and began its
improvement. In 1861 he bought forty
acres of land, to which he added until he had two hundred acres. Fifty acres of this tract he gave to his
oldest son, George E. Rucker. In
politics Mr. Rucker was a Democrat, and for fourteen years served as school
trustee. He was a member of the
Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and for many years belonged to the Methodist
Church.
September
22, 1861, in Gilroy, Cal., Mr. Rucker married Alta Myra Harvey, who was born
near Spartanburg, S.C., a daughter of John Harvey. A native of Virginia, John Harvey removed
when a young man to South Carolina, where he married Elizabeth Bryant, sister
of Dr. Bryant, late of San Francisco, and began life as a farmer. He subsequently removed with his family to
Carroll, Tenn., and there he and his wife spent their remaining years. After the death of her parents, Mrs. Rucker,
then a young maiden, came with her uncle, Dr. Berryman Bryant, to California,
making the journey by way of the Isthmus.
Dr. Bryant was one of the forty-niners, and for some time was a
practicing physician in Gilroy, but afterwards removed to San Francisco, where
his death occurred. Mrs. Rucker has
resided on the home farm ever since her marriage, and in the excellent
improvements that have been made has taken great pleasure. She has a fine ranch
of one hundred and fifty acres, owning land on both sides of the road, the
estate being managed by her sons, George and John F., who make a specialty of
raising grain and stock. In her
political views Mrs. Rucker is a stanch democrat, and in her religious beliefs
she is a Presbyterian. Of the union of
Mr. and Mrs. Rucker five children were born, namely: George Edgar, on the home
farm; Mrs. Luelle Swift, living near Watsonville; Mrs. Mary Gates of San
Francisco: Minnie L., at home; and John Frederick, on the home farm.
Transcribed by
Louise E. Shoemaker October 07, 2015.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages 800-801. The Chapman
Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2015 Louise E. Shoemaker.