Santa
Clara County
Biographies
FRED
W. TANTAU
FRED W. TANTAU. That horticulture has come to be regarded as
an exact science, embodying not only the charm of possible discovery and
progress, but the benefits of a surpassingly interesting country life is owing
to the efforts of such enlightened and enterprising men as Fred W. Tantau, one of the painstaking and thoroughly successful
horticulturists near Cupertino. Not only
does the ranch upon which he lives represent the effort of his entire active
life, but it is eloquent of the untiring industry of his father, Matthew Tantau, whose dream of conquest over western opportunities
was more than realized. This honored
pioneer, who brought the stability and resource of his Teutonic forefathers to
bear upon the crudeness existing on the coast in 1852, was born on the bleak
isle of Famen, off the coast of Germany, in the
Baltic sea, and lived there until the limitations by
which he was surrounded began to depress his ambitious nature. As a young man he married Catherine Theuerkauf, a native of Germany, and born in Maintz, on the Rhine, one of the strongest fortresses, and
historically one of the most interesting cities in the empire. Embarking with his family in a sailing
vessel, Mr. Tantau sailed for New York, and soon
after located in Cincinnati, Ohio, from there removing to New Orleans. In the latter city his second son, Fred W. Tantau, was born April 23, 1849, besides whom there
were two other sons and three daughters.
The eldest child and daughter, Mary C., is the wife of Judge
Charles Silent; George F. lives in San Francisco; Emma is the wife of John
Blauer of San Jose; and Flora A. is living with
her married sisters. The family came to
California in 1853 by way of Panama, and Mr. Tantau,
having been successful so far in life, was able to buy a large farm of three
hundred acres, the same being now occupied by his son. As good fortune came his way he added to his
possessions, and finally owned four hundred and seventy acres, the majority of
which he placed under cultivation. He
was destined to spend twenty-eight years of his life in the far west, and his
death occurred in 1880, at the age of sixty-five, his wife surviving him ten
years, and dying at the age of seventy.
Barely four years old when he came to
California, Fred W. Tantau was
educated primarily in the public schools, and at the University of the Pacific,
which he entered in 1864, remaining two years.
Under his father he learned to be a model agriculturist, and after the
death of the latter assume entire control of the farm. His farsightedness saw other outlets for
ambition, and for twenty years or more he operated a threshing machine in the
county. Fruit culture upon the ranch has
been carried on exclusively under this own management, and it is to his untiring
zeal in this direction that one of the finest and best equipped ranches in the
county is due. He still owns one hundred
and twenty-four acres of the original property, and of this, one hundred is
under prunes, and the balance under hay and pasture. Mr. Tantau has
expended an enormous amount of money on the improvements of his property,
inspired by his appreciation of the comforts and luxuries of modern country
life, and of the uplifting influence of artistic and beautiful surroundings. His home has been fashioned with due regard
for the happiness of those comprising his interesting household, and it may be
questioned whether many in the country regions of the sate more nearly fulfill
the popular idea of an ideal home.
In San Francisco, in 1877, Mr. Tantau was united in marriage with Josephine A.
Miller, a native of Milwaukee, Wis., and of which union two children are now
living, Evelyn M. and Mabel E.
Mr. Tantau is a Republican in politics, and
was a school director of his district for many years. For two years he was a trustee of the
University of the Pacific. The Methodist
Episcopal Church has profited by his membership and active assistance for many
years, and he is at present a trustee of the church at San Jose. Genial and tactful and well informed,
Mr. Tantau represents that type of
horticulturist whom easterners are beginning to recognize as Californian, and
therefore leaders in the world realm of fruit growers. He is popular from both a
social and business standpoint, a director and power in the West Side Packing
Association, and wields an influence which extends to education and those
fundamental conditions which make for an ideal rural community.
[Inserted by D.
Toole.]
Fred W. Tantau
1876
Apr 16, San Francisco Chronicle, P8,m San Francisco,
California
Births
Tantau
– In this city, April 14, the wife of Geo. F. Tantau,
of a son.
1880
May 23, San Francisco Chronicle, P7, San Francisco,
California
Births
Tantau
– In this city, May 18, the wife of George Tantau, of
a daughter.
1881
Mar 15, San Francisco Bulletin, P3, San Francisco, California
Deaths
Tantau – In San Jose, March 11, Maybell E., daughter of George F. and Otilie
Tantau, aged 9 months and 21 days.
1882
Apr 28, San Francisco Chronicle, P4, San Francisco, California
Births
Tantau
– In this city, April 23, the wife of George F. Tantau,
of a daughter.
1886
Jul 26, San Francisco Chronicle, P4, San Francisco, California
Deaths
Tantau – In San Jose, July 25, Catherine Tantau, aged 68 years and 7 months. Friends and acquaintances are invited to
attend the funeral to-morrow (Tuesday), at San Jose.
1887
Aug 16, Evening News, P4, San Jose, California
The
Tantau farm of 76 acres on the Stevens’ Creek road
was sold for $13,000.
1888
Apr 24, Evening News, P3, San Jose, California
The
Tantau Estate
A
Petition from Various Heirs – They Want the Property Sold
Red
W. Tantau, George F. Tantau,
Flora A. Tantau, Mary C. Silent and Emma D. Blauer has[sic] filed a complaint against August Tantau and Rudolph Koeher as
guardians of the person and estate of August Tantau,
an incompetent person. The complaint is
against a division of the estate, containing 256.0 acres, being the residue of
the lands of the estate of Katherine Tantau,
deceased. It is claimed that none of the
lands are so situated that partition can be made without great prejudice to the
owners, and that it would be to the best interest of all that the land be sold
at public sale. A counsel fee of $250 is
asked for as already expended by the plaintiffs. Judgment is prayed to sell the property at
public sale to the highest bidder by commission appointed by the court, and
that the proceeds be divided equally among the parties
in interest, one sixth to each.
1888
May 11, Evening News, P3, San Jose, California
The
Tantau Estate
A
Decision by Judge Spencer – To be Sold at Auction
The
case of Fred W. Tantau et al. against August Tantau, by Rudolph Hocher, his
guardian, came up before Judge Spencer.
The suit was an amicable one brought by the six heirs to get an order
for the sale of the property, as a whole, valued at some $90,000, which could
not be divided to the satisfaction of the heirs. Judge Spencer as a conclusion of law ordered
that judgment should be entered as prayed for in the complaint; namely, that
the several tracts, lots and parcels of land be separately sold by Charles M. Lorigan, appointed as the referee of the court for that
purpose, who shall make his returns to the court for confirmation. The sales are to be for cash to the highest
bidder at public auction after due legal notice, and the returns made to the
court on the first Friday after the filing thereof. The property is divided into three parcels;
the first on the Alameda road; the second in San Jose at First and San Antonio
streets, and the third being 246.08 acres of land in the Quito rancho in this
county.
1902
Mar 14, Evening News, P8, San Jose, California
Buried
at Oak Hill
August
Tantau, who died on Wednesday at Eldridge, Cal., was
brought to this city and interred at Oak Hill cemetery. The funeral was private and was attended only
by the immediate relatives of the deceased.
Mr. Tantau was 50 years of age and was a
native of Ohio.
1902
Apr 30, Evening News, P3, San Jose, California
Fred
W. Tantau was tendered a surprise party last
Wednesday at his home on the Stevens Creek road.
1905
Apr 9, San Jose Mercury News, P13, San Jose, California
A
Garden Party
A
delightful garden party was given Friday by Mrs. Fred Tantau
at her charming country home, “Ferndale,” the affair being in honor of her
niece, Miss Freular, of Berkeley, and the guests
being the members of the King’s Daughters and the Chautauqua Circle of the West
Side. The artistic grounds were in part
arranged as a Japanese tea garden, with fountains, rustic bridges and
pagodas. Here tea and punch were
served. During the afternoon the guests
all repaired to the house to listen to a delightful program. Mrs. Waton,
president of “The Daughters of the King,” as she likes to say, called each
number from the hand-painted program, using each time for a few of her graceful
words. Miss Freular
first sang Dudley Buck’s pathetic song, “Crossing the Bar” and then that
charming song, “A Woodland Madrigal.”
Mrs. Craft gave a delightful recitation, “A Love Scene in Main Woods,”
Mrs. Herbert Pash a soulful violin solo; Mrs. George,
president of the Chautauqua Circle, gave a talk on Chautauqua; Mrs. Arthur Washburne read a paper on the study of poetry; Miss Freular then sang three songs, “The Sands of Dee,” “The
Slumber Boar” and “Robin Adair.” Miss Freular has a beautiful mezzo-soprano voice, clear and
flexible, which she uses pleasingly.
Monday she leaves for London and Paris, where, for the next two years,
she will study music. After the program
delicious refreshments were served out in the garden. It was a large and most successful affair,
about eighty guests being present.
1906
May 25, The San Francisco Call, P4, San Francisco,
California
Pioneer
Woman Dies
Berkeley,
May 24 – Mrs. Wilhelmina Miller, a pioneer resident of the college town, 82
years old, died yesterday at the King’s Daughters’ Home at Piedmont. She had been in this State for 45 years, most
of the time in San Francisco, where she amassed a fortune. She was a patient in the German Hospital in
San Francisco at the time of the earthquake.
The shock made her condition worse.
She was removed with others to Oakland, but could not survive the
experience. She leaves eight children,
these being Dr. Chas. Miller of Los Angeles, Elisha Miller of Santa Clara;
Albert, Henry and George Miller of Oakland and San Francisco, Mrs. Emilia Freuler of Berkeley, Mrs. Josephine Tantau
of San Jose, and Mrs. Alice Stratton of Baltimore. The funeral service will be held tomorrow
afternoon at the home of Mrs. Freuler on Ridge Road.
1906
Jul 18, San Jose Mercury News, P5, San Jose, California
Pacific
Grove
Mrs.
Fred Tantau, of Santa Clara, is Injured
in a Runaway Accident (State News)
Pacific
Grove, July 17 – Special to Mercury – Mrs. Fred Tantau,
of Santa Clara, met with a serious accident yesterday afternoon. She was on her way to hear the afternoon
lecture at Assembly Hall, when a runaway horse taking his course along
Lighthouse avenue swerved suddenly into Seventeenth
street. The animal had parted with the
wagon he was drawing and the lines and harness were dangling about him. Though Mrs. Tantau,
crossing the street, saw the horse in time to escape being knocked down by him,
her foot caught in the lines and she was thrown violently to the ground, breaking
her left collar bone. She was taken to
her cottage on Lobos avenue and Dr. Ritchie was summoned. She was resting easily last night.
1911
Oct 22, San Francisco Chronicle, P86, San Francisco, California
Buys
a Six-Cylinder Kline
Fred
W. Tantau, a wealthy land owner of Santa Clara county, has purchased a six-cylinder fifty-horse-power Kline
touring car from the Frank O. Renstrom Company. The machine is one of the six-passenger type, equipped with self-starter, electric lights and all
the improvements of an up-to-date automobile.
1914
Oct 30, San Jose Mercury News, P20, San Jose, California
Mr.
and Mrs. Fred Tantau, with Mr. and Mrs. Dwight Durkee, are passing a week in San Francisco.
1917
Jan 9, Evening News, P8, San Jose, California
Opposition
to Growers’ Association Talked at Vendome Hotel by Banker’s Friend
Here
are the “Big Six” who attended the secret meeting at the Hotel Vendome Saturday
at the request of W. S. Clayton, president of the First National bank, to
discuss the Prune and Apricot Growers’ association.
Frank
Abernathy,
Fred
Barnhisel
Frank
E. Mitchell
Louis
Booksin
Nick
Nelson
W.
S. Clayton
More
than a dozen others were invited, but were unable to attend for various
reasons. “There was a free and open
discussion of the men who had already signed with the Growers’ association,”
said Frank Abernathy of Sorosis to a representative
of The News today. “As far as I know
there has never been any concerted action by the larger growers against the
association, but the meeting called by Mr. Clayton was to bring the growers who
had not signed together to talk over problems.
Most of the men at the meeting sidestepped. They did not tell really what they felt about
the mater[sic].
But the general expression was that the Growers’ association would be a
good thing if it were rightly managed.
They agreed that there was no hurry to sign up their acreage.” <snipped>
Opposition
Shown to Growers’ Plans (Continued from Page 1)
<snipped> Fred W. Tantau, a
large grower on Bollinger road, was not at home when the News man telephoned
his house, but Mrs. Tantau came on the wire. She said she was aware of her husband
receiving an invitation from Mr. Clayton to talk over the prune situation, but,
she added, “he had another appointment and could not eat with Mr.
Clayton.” Mrs. Tantau
stated that her husband had not signed his acreage with the Growers’
association. <snipped>
1917
Jun 24, San Jose Mercury News, P27, San Jose, California
Chatauqua Picnic at The
Fred Tantaus
Last
Thursday a happy crow gathered at the home of Mrs. Fred Tantau
in Cupertino to enjoy one of her justly famous picnic days. The guests were the members of the Columbia
alumnae and Columbia circle, C. L. S. C., who are always pleased to accept the
invitation which Mrs. Tantau has extended
annually. The ladies motored over and
spent the day in social ways, with fancy work and music, and an elaborate lunch
was served at noon under the trees.
Although the guest numbered 80 they found ample room to wander around
these lovely grounds, enjoying the ferns and flowers and many other
attractions.
1917
Dec 2, San Jose Mercury News, P12, San Jose, California [Unk
if related]
Tantau – In Oakland, Cal., Nov. 29, 1917,
Carol Evelyn Tantau, beloved daughter of Clarence A.
and Elsie J. Tantau and sister of Clarence A. Tantau, Jr., and Audrey E. Tantau,
a native of Berkeley, Cal., aged 11 years, 8 months, 5 days. Friends are invited to attend the funeral
services tomorrow (Monday), Dec. 3, 1917, at 10:30 o’clock a.m. from the home
of her parents, 5905 Shafter avenue, east of College
avenue. Interment
private.
1920
Feb 6, San Francisco Chronicle, P5, San Francisco, California
Personals
and Hotel Gossip
Hotel
Herald – Mr. and Mrs. N. E. Curtice, Portland; Mr.
and Mrs. Fred W. Tantau, Cupertino; J. W. Gill, El
Paso, Tex.; Newton Swain, Denver, Col., and Eddie Lingenfelder,
Los Angeles.
1921
Apr 28, San Jose Mercury News, P16, San Jose, California
Grower
Tells Why Contract Signed with Association
Fred
W. Tantau, president of the West Side Fruit Growers’
association, and one of the largest prune growers of the Cupertino district,
who signed his 85-acre orchard with the California Prune and Apricot Growers,
Inc. during the business men’s drive Tuesday, said yesterday: “I have never been a member of the California
Prune and Apricot Growers, Inc., and I have had what seemed to me very good
reasons for staying out of the association up to the present time. I still feel that my reasons for remaining
out of the association until now have been valid. But I do realize the value of the association
to the growers, and I know that it must be kept in business if the prune
industry is to remain prosperous. I
signed the association contract yesterday because I do not want to be among the
minority of growers who will be directly responsible Saturday night for the
ruination of the prune industry if the association goes out of existence
through failure of the growers to give it their proper support.”
1922
Jun 12, Evening News, P10, San Jose, California
Died
Tantau – In San Jose, Cal., June 11, 1922,
George F. Tantau, beloved husband of Tillie Tantau, loving father of George W. and Frank C. Tantau, Mrs. George M. White, Clarence A. and Chester E. Tantau; brother of Fred W. Tantau,
Mrs. J. W. Blauer, Miss Flora A. Tantau
and the late Mary C. Silent, a native of New Orleans, La., aged 75 years and 26
days.
1922
Aug 25, San Jose Mercury News, P20, San Jose, California
John
Roll Endorsed by Fred W. Tantau
Editor
Mercury Herald: No man without
experience can render the service to Santa Clara county
that john Roll, with 23 years of service can.
Although at times I have differed with some of his ideas, there has
never been any question as to his honesty of purpose in doing his work, nor as
to his desire to do the best for the taxpayers whom he served. It has been my privilege to know him for many
years, and I do not know of any other man in public life who has discharged his
duties in a more capable manner, or with more conscientiousness in his
work. I shall vote for Mr. Roll’s re-election
to office, for I feel that it would be a very definite loss to the community if
at this time he was not retained as supervisor.
FREDERICK W. TANTAU, Bollinger Road.
1935
Feb 6, Oakland Tribune, P25, Oakland, California
Died
Tantau – Near San Jose, Feb. 4, Frederick W. Tantau, husband of the late Josephine M. Tantau, father of Mabel Durkee, a
native of Louisiana, aged 85 years.
1938
Oct 6, Oakland Tribune, P35, Oakland, California
Santa
Clara County Pioneer Stricken
San
Jose, Oct 6 – Funeral services will be held tomorrow for Miss Flora Tantau, 77, member of a pioneer local family and native of
Santa Clara County, who died yesterday after a year’s illness. She was the daughter of the late Matthew and
Katherine Tantau, among the earliest settlers in the
Cupertino district west of San Jose.
Miss Tantau was an aunt of William E. Blauer, the banker.
Transcribed by Donna Toole.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages 1154-1155. The Chapman
Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2016 Donna Toole.