Santa
Clara County
Biographies
MRS. MARY E.
(ROCHE) SELZER
MRS.
MARY E. (ROCHE) SELZER. A native of
Siskiyou county, Cal., Mrs. Mary E. (Roche) Selzer was a daughter of Edmond and Mary (Phelan) Roche,
natives of New York and Massachusetts respectively. Edmond Roche came to California in 1849 and
became successful as a miner, in San Francisco meeting and marrying Mary
Phelan. She was a native of
Massachusetts, and a daughter of one of California’s pioneers. Mr. Roche took his young wife to the mines on
the south fork of the Scott river, in Siskiyou county,
where the subject of this sketch was born in a log cabin and where the family
lived comfortably for many years. Here
the young girlhood of Mary E. Roche was spent and in this home she was married
to Dr. E. J. Selzer, who was a practicing physician
of San Francisco, Cal. Edmond Roche
continued mining pursuits until he was elected road overseer, which position he
filled creditably for eight years. He
then bought a ranch of one hundred and sixty acres in Scott valley, where he
resided until he retired from active business, selling his ranch and removing
to Callahan, Cal., where he and his wife now reside. They were the parents of five children, of
whom three survive.
Mrs. Mary E. Selzer
learned the pharmacist’s trade in her husband’s drug store in San Francisco and
Oakland, and is a registered pharmacist in California. She became the mother of three sons: Elliott
Edmond, Roland W., who died at the age of eight years, and Max M. Selzer. The latter
is a clerk in the postoffice (sic) and secretary of
the postoffice (sic) examining board. Elliott E. is a druggist by occupation and
assists in his mother’s Palo Alto store.
In 1892 Mrs. Selzer bought a drug store in
Menlo Park and conducted it for nine years, in the meantime thoroughly establishing
herself in this town, winning trade and many friends. On April 1, 1901, Mrs. Selzer
removed her store to Palo Alto, where she has conducted a first-class drug
store on University avenue on the circle, a
first-class establishment, up to date, and thorough in all its
appointments. In January, 1904, she
obeyed a call of her old friends and patrons in Menlo Park and again
established a branch drug store there, which she also conducts with her
well-known ability and thoroughness of detail.
Her home is in Palo Alto, but twice daily she drives to Menlo Park to
look after her interests there.
Mrs. Selzer
is an active member of Boneto Parlor, Native
Daughters of the Golden West, and the Faternal (sic)
Aid Association. Socially she is highly
respected and honored by all for her many good qualities of head and heart, and
as a business woman she takes a deep interest in everything that may promote
the welfare of Palo Alto.
Transcribed by
Doralisa Palomares.
Source: History of the State of California &
Biographical Record of Coast Counties, California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A.
M., Pages 1398-1399. The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2017 Doralisa Palomares.