Santa Clara County
Biographies
THADDEUS WARSAW SPRING
THADDEUS WARSAW SPRING. The life
of T. W. Spring was that of a representative citizen and thorough business man,
a career worthy of emulation by the younger generation. He was born in Buffalo,
N. Y., June 17, 1829, a son of Andrew Jackson Spring, a native
of New England and the descendant of English ancestry. The father removed to
New Orleans, La., shortly after the birth of his son T. W., and there died
when the latter was still a child in years. His home remained in the Creole
city until he was seventeen years old, becoming an auctioneer at the youthful
age of fifteen years, and earning $150 per month. Not satisfied, however, with
his prospects he ran away and in Baltimore enlisted in the United States army
under General Magruder, with whom he came to
California in 1852, making the trip around the Horn in the ship Monterey, a
voyage which occupied five months. Landing in San Diego, Cal., he continued to
serve under General Magruder for some time,
after which he received his discharge, and, accompanied by his mother, who had
followed him across the Isthmus, came north to San Francisco. Following the
course of the many who came to the west at this time he went to the mines, remaining,
however, but a brief time, as he met with but little success. His stepfather,
Jasper Smith, being then in the auction business in San Francisco he
returned to that city and engaged with him in that work, after which he made a
trip to the Sandwich Islands. Returning to California he located in San Jose,
where he engaged in the auction business with N. Hayes, with whom he
remained four years. With sufficient capital to justify him in the venture he
then established the business which has since grown to such remunerative
proportions, locating on West Santa Clara street, a few doors east of the
present location, and fitting out his store with a fine line of dry goods and
clothing. In 1865 he removed to the corner of Santa Clara and Market streets,
and in that location carried on business until his death in 1890, at the age of
sixty-one years. He had admitted his son to the business some time before his
death, the firm name being T. W. Spring & Son. Later his
son-in-law, Fred W. Moore, became associated in the management of the
enterprise.
In 1862 Mr. Spring married Emily Houghton, a native of
Farmington, Iowa, and a daughter of A. J. and Jemima (Gruell)
Houghton. Both parents were natives of Indiana, who crossed the plains to
California in 1859, locating in Santa Clara county.
Mrs. Spring survives her husband and still makes her home in San Jose. She
has two children, Marcella, widow of F. W. Moore, and
Henry Spring.
Mr. Spring was assuredly one of the foremost citizens of
San Jose. Fraternally he was a Knight Templar Mason and was treasurer of his commandery. He was one of the two senior members of the San
Jose Commandery No. 10 that he had joined in San Francisco. Personally
Mr. Spring was self-made and self-reliant, and his generosity to those
less fortunately situated was known to many whose lives he had brightened by
his benefactions. All enterprises that tended toward the upbuilding of his home
city and county had his hearty support, and it is doubtful if a native son
could have felt a deeper interest in and love for Santa Clara county than did he. He was a member of the Pioneer Society
and an earnest worker in the collection of data for the preservation of history
and biography. His figure was a familiar one in the streets of San Jose, whose
good name and local fame he helped to upbuild and
uphold.
Transcribed by Marie Hassard 09 May 2015.
ญญญญSource: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Page
596. The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
ฉ 2015 Marie
Hassard.