Santa
Clara County
Biographies
MRS. MARY FISCHANT SOUC
Among the native daughters of France who claim
the allegiance and kindly thought of their fellow dwellers in Santa Clara county is Mrs. Mary Fischant Souc, owner of a fruit ranch of twenty-three acres in the neighborhood
of San Jose, and one of the members and builders up of the prosperous church of
St. Joseph. Between her church and ranch Mrs. Souc
has found that combination of interests gratifying alike to her heart and
abilities, and in both capacities has shown a devotion which must needs develop
good and lasting results. For thirty years, or since 1874, Mrs. Souc has owned and managed her own ranch. In the meantime
she has added to its original size, has erected the substantial country home in
which she lives with her eldest daughter, and has instituted improvements which
indicate her progressiveness and enterprise. Her place is neat and thrifty, her
harvests of various fruits abundant and dependable, and her life has every
indication of a peaceful and satisfying condition. She has reared a family, and
accumulated a competence, and has had her share of the blessings as well as
misfortunes of life.
Mrs. Souc
was born in Savoy, France, in which province both her father, Peter Fischant, and her grandfather were farmers and land owners.
Her mother, Martha (Glandine) Fischant,
was also born in Savoy. Her advent in the family was the fifth to command the
care and patience of a loving mother, and two other children were added in
later years. Her education was that of the average provincial daughter of
modest means, and her emigration to America in the summer of 1853 was an event
of distinct importance in her hitherto monotonous life. From New York she
sailed for Aspinwall crossed the Isthmus on mule
back, and sailed from the city of Panama for San Francisco. In the latter city
she was untied in marriage with Peter Souc, a native
of Bordeaux, France, and who in earlier years was a sailor, in the course of his
seafaring life touching at most of the important ports of the world. Mr. Souc arrived in San Francisco in 1850, and after a brief
experience in the mines came to San Francisco, where he married, and embarked
in the laundry business with his wife as partner. They had the neatness and
thrift of the people of France, and succeeded well in their business for six
years, at the end of which time they were able to gratify their desire to own a
plat of ground and live in the country. The result was the purchase of the
ranch now owned by Mrs. Souc, and to the improvement
of which her husband devoted the rest of his life. There were but fifteen acres
at that time, but it was set out to fruits, and at the time of his death, in
1874, the family were (sic) in a fair way to realize
their horticultural expectations. Four children came to share the success of
their parents, two of whom are living, the eldest daughter, Mrs. Gellenger making her home with her mother. Jennie, the
deceased wife of Mr. Bottener, died in San Jose;
Louis lives in San Francisco; and Mrs. Louise Davolera
died in San Jose. Mrs. Souc is a devoted attendant at
St. Joseph’s Church, has contributed generously toward its maintenance for many
years, and was one of the chief donors when the present church was erected. She
is of a genial and kindly nature, a stanch friend, obliging neighbor, and a
woman upon whose dignity and integrity the community has ever been able to
rely.
Transcribed By: Cecelia M. Setty.
Source: History of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast
Counties, California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Page 1308. The Chapman
Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2016 Cecelia M. Setty.