Santa
Clara County
Biographies
THOMAS SAVEKER
One of the finest little fruit ranches in the Santa Clara valley is that owned and operated by Thomas Saveker, a California pioneer of 1869, and an English-American who combined the conservatism and thoroughness of his mother country with the enterprise and resource of his adopted land. He was born in Herefordshire, England, May 31, 1848, and comes of one of the best known families of that agricultural midland country. As long ago as the advent on English soil of William the Conqueror, one bearing the name of Saveker settled in Hereford, where he tilled its soil and became an integral part of its prosperity. Joseph Saveker, the grandfather of Thomas, seems to have inherited both lands and thrift, for he was the owner of nearly all the land in the parish of Brilley, his possessions including Bridge Court, and others equally noted for their extent and high cultivation. His son, William, the father of Thomas, was born in Brilley Parish, inherited many of his estates, and passed his life as a country gentleman. He married Mary Rees, born in Herefordshire, and the daughter of Rev. Thomas Rees, a Presbyterian clergyman who preached at Huntington for two years more than half a century, and died there at the age of ninety-two years.
It will be seen that on both sides of his family Mr. Saveker comes of substantial and reliable stock. He had the advantage also of being brought up in a large family, and of having to sacrifice his will and possessions to his brothers and sisters. He is the eldest of eleven children, nine of whom attained maturity, and of whom four sons and three daughters are living. Thomas and his brother, James are the only members of the family in America, and both live in the same house, and share the same home advantages. Thomas was reared on a farm and educated in the public schools and a private boarding academy. In 1868 he came to America and located in Wayne county, Mich., and the following year took advantage of the completed railroad to the coast, arriving in San Francisco in November, 1869. His object in making the change was to make money and return to his native land, and this thought being contrary to the spirit of the west, he found some difficulty in realizing his money expectations at first. His first occupation was menial in the extreme, and consisted of grubbing out a field for an enterprising farmer. After the completion of the Jacob & Rich horse car line to San Jose he took a ride on it one day, and after looking around decided that he liked San Jose, and so found employment with the W. P. Dougherty Company, lumber merchants, at $35 a month and board. Later on he received $50 a month, and by saving his money and living frugally he remained long enough to accumulate $1,500. This was not enough to justify him in returning to the east, and besides, he had come to like the west, and to believe in its giant resources and opportunities. Investing his money in sheep in Kern county, he was fairly successful, and the second year could have doubled his investment, had not the drought of 1876 killed off his sheep. Disposing of the few remaining at great loss, he continued in Kern county as a sheep shearer until the close of the season, and then returned to his old employers in San Jose. In their interest he went to Santa Cruz in charge of their lumber shipping for six months, and in all continued with them on and off for about twenty years. About 1884 he bought ten acres of his present tract, sold it a little later, but continued to live on it as manager and lessee. He then became the owner of twenty-six acres near Mountainview(sic), which he set out in orchard, but later traded for his original ranch of ten acres. About this time he withdrew entirely from the lumber business, and has since devoted his entire time to the improvement of his ranch. Setting it all out in prunes, he built a comfortable residence, added improvements to a modern nature, and finally bought fifteen adjoining acres, having in all twenty-five acres. In 1892 he laid out the Saveker tract of six acres between Lincoln avenue and Sunol streets, more than half of which has been sold and built up, and which will undoubtedly prove one of the most desirable additions to the city.
During his residence in the west Mr. Saveker has added to the good impression of his countrymen who have immigrated to America, and has in turn become one of Santa Clara's most enthusiastic promoters. The people have evidently found in him a friend and admirer, for he married a western girl, Imogene Taylor by name, a native of San Bernardino county. A large and interesting family has resulted from this union, of whom Richard Douglas, the youngest, died at the age of one month. The other children are: Salina, Bessie, Lora, Catherine, Mary, Imogene, William Thomas and Marjorie.
Transcribed
10-5-15 Marilyn
R. Pankey.
ญญญญSource:
History of the State of California &
Biographical Record of Coast Counties, California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A.
M., Pages 806-807. The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
ฉ 2015 Marilyn R.
Pankey.