Santa
Clara County
Biographies
LEWIS
P. SAGE
Among the early pioneers of California no
one took a more active and prominent part in the building up of its industrial
interest than the late Lew P. Sage, who was associated with the business
prosperity of San Francisco for four decades, although his last years were
spent in San Jose. His health being in a
precarious condition he came to the Pacific coast when young, hoping to find
relief from his ills, and in its mild climate and
invigorating air was restored to his natural physical vigor, becoming strong
and robust, and outliving the appointed three score and ten years of man’s
life. Coming from honored Revolutionary
stock, he was born in Simsbury, Conn., in 1822, a son of Alvin Sage.
After completing his
early education Lewis P. Sage left his home in the Connecticut valley, going to
New York City, where he built up an excellent business as manufacturer of
wooden ware. His health becoming
impaired he came to California in 1852, and for a short time was employed in
mining and prospecting. Locating in San
Francisco in 1853, he opened a warehouse on the corner of Union and Battery
streets, and as a grain dealer soon built up an extensive and profitable
business. So successful was Mr. Sage as
a grain merchant that he established ware-houses at other points, and in the
course of time, by sagacity, tact and wise management accumulated a fortune. Disposing of his grain interests in 1892, he purchased
the Congress Springs property, in San Jose, and immediately began it
improvement. Remodeling the hotel,
laying out the grounds in an artistic manner, and adding numerous attractions,
he with his son, Lewis A. Sage, made it one of the most popular and best-paying
resorts in Santa Clara county, the son continuing g
its management until a short time prior to his father’s death, when he leased
lit to other parties.
Mr. Sage married, in Brooklyn, N.Y., S.
Edith Ball, who was born in London, England, a daughter of Thomas Gorten and Mary (Faulkner) Ball. Her father, a cabinet-maker by trade, died in
England when a young man and her widowed mother subsequently came with her
family to the United States, settling in Brooklyn. Of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Sage three
children were born, namely: Lewis Alvin,
Charles T. and Frederick H. Lewis Alvin,
the
He married Cloelia
M. Lewis, of Oakland, and they are the parents of two children, Frederick L.
and Philip F. Charles T. Sage, a physician died at the
age of twenty-nine years. He married
Bell Hall, by whom he had two children, Lewis Hall and Charles F. Frederick H. Sage died at the age of
twenty-nine years. He married Belle
Hall, by whom he had two children, Lewis Hall and Charles F. Frederick H. Sage died at the age of
twenty-eight years, leaving a widow, whose maiden name was Hattie Seagreaves.
Politically Mr. Sage was always identified with the Republican party, and although never an aspirant for official honors
served in San Francisco for a number of years as public administrator. He belonged while there to the Union League, and in early times was a member of the vigilance
committee. He was a prominent and active
member of the Masonic fraternity, and for years was auditor of the Masonic Cemetery
Association. Mr. Sage passed away in
March, 1896, at the age of seventy-four years, mourned by a large circle of
friends and acquaintances.
Transcribed by Louise E. Shoemaker February
16,. 2015.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Page 377. The Chapman Publishing
Co., Chicago, 1904.
©
2015 Louise E.
Shoemaker.