Santa
Clara County
Biographies
WILLIAM
TOPHAM
Having followed diversified occupations during
his eventful life covering a period of sixty-two years, Mr. Topham
has been successively a carpenter, foundryman,
merchant, wholesale manufacturer, bookkeeper, operator of a planning mill,
fruit grower and horse breeder. His has been a busy and a remarkably successful
career and during his quarter century of residence in the Pacific coast
country, he has been the friend and promoter of many enterprises of worth,
responding freely to the demands made upon him both as to time and in a
financial way. It is impossible in the confines of this short article to
portray and recount all his business, but from the perusal of a brief outline
of his career many points of interest may be gleaned. In this biography it is
fitting that due mention be made of Mr. Topham’s
ancestors, his parents, William and Eliza (Sylvester) Topham,
having both been natives of Ireland, the former of county Kerry and the latter
of Armagh county. Emigrating
to America at an early day, they settled in Ontario, Dominion of Canada, when
Mr. Topham was but twenty-one years old, and there he
worked at his trade as a shoe manufacturer. Removing some time later to Oxford county he followed farming until his death at the age of
forty-six, in September, 1852. He was survived many years by his widow, who
followed him to the life beyond the grave, August 18, 1880, passing away at
Norwich, Canada, at the age of sixty-seven years.
The youngest in a family of five
children, four being sons and one a daughter, William Topham
was educated in the common schools of Canada, and after leaving school became
apprenticed to learn the carpenter’s trade in Norwich. He subsequently entered
the foundry business in the same vicinity and for five years this claimed his
attention. As a diversion he then followed general merchandising in Norwich a
couple of years and for an additional two years he was a wholesale manufacturer
of biscuits and confectionery in the same city. It was not until 1879 that he
located permanently in California and during the first year of his residence
there he officiated as bookkeeper for T. J. Galispe
in San Jose. He then became a contractor and builder in the same city and
followed that business for six years. About the year 1885 he became interested
in the planing mills and purchasing the interests of
F. L. Vorhees on the Alameda, he gave his undivided
attention to this business for five years. In 1890 he engaged in the orchard
business in Berryessa, where he owns twenty acres of
good land. He also acquired an extensive ranch in Tulare county
containing five hundred and sixty acres. He buys and handles a great many
valuable horses, making shipments to Honolulu, in the Sandwich Islands and
local markets.
By his marriage, Mr. Topham joined his fortunes with those of Miss Mary Shaw,
formerly of Illinois, and their union has been blessed with three children,
named as follows: Gertrude, Maud and Roy. Mrs. Topham
was born near Chicago and came with her mother to California where her father
had previously located. She is one of seven children born to Isaiah and Jane (McDuffy) Shaw. Her father was born November 15, 1812, in
New Jersey, and later in life located for years in Chicago, Ill., where he
followed carpenter work for a time and afterward entered the grocery business.
In 1849 he came to California by way of the Isthumus,
and here followed mining. In 1851 he moved to Berryessa,
near San Jose, following farming and ranching pursuits, also planting out a
great many orchards. A pioneer of that section and an enthusiast in almost
anything he undertook, he exerted a great influence upon his neighbors and this
influence was invariably used to advance practical and thrifty ideas. He was an
active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and served on the board of
trustees and as deacon. Active in politics, and a Republican, he was also a
strong Abolitionist. His useful life terminated at the age of seventy-five and
he died on Christmas day in 1887.
By his marriage Mr. Shaw was united
with Miss Jane McDuffy, who was born in Vermont,
September 4, 1827, their marriage being solemnized in Chicago, Ill. Mrs. Shaw
was also active in religious work and like her husband was a devout member of
the Methodist Episcopal Church; she was also a great worker in the temperance
cause, and upon her death, December 14, 1902, she donated a large tract of land
to the University of the Pacific. Fraternally Mr. Topham
is a valued member of the A. F. & A. M. and I. O. O. F. orders, and in his
political views he is a Republican, but has never sought office. From the
foregoing article it will be seen that he has been a strong factor in the
development of the best interests of his section and is generally regarded as
one of the most capable and useful citizens in Santa Clara county.
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., Pages 414-415. The Chapman
Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2015 Cecelia M. Setty.