Santa
Clara County
Biographies
DAVID
WIGHT
David Wight, a Scotchman by birth
and breeding has inherited from a long line of ancestors, habits of industry,
thrift and enterprise, that command success in the industrial world, and the
upright character and sterling virtues that place him among the most highly
respected and esteemed citizens of San Jose, which has been his home for over
thirty-four years. He was born May 4, 1830, in Edinburgh, Scotland, coming from
a family that was prominent in the days of Queen Anne. He is a descendant in
the sixth generation of one Alexander Wight, at that time farming on a farm
called West Byers, in the parish of Ormiston, East
Lothian, Scotland, and it is reported that he was a Guasey
man and a great proficient in arboriculture.
David Wight, son of Alexander and
successor to the West Byers farm, was born about 1680, and died about 1750. He
made himself famous to his neighbors as the man who built fences around his
farm, picked the stones off the land, burned up the whins
and brooms, plowed deep and actually planted both potatoes and turnips in his
fields, something unheard of before his time, but he persisted and in time it
became general.
Robert Wight, grandson of the first
Alexander, was born at West Byers farm about 1710, and before 1745 had leased a
farm for himself in the suburbs of Edinburgh from the famous Provost Drummond
of Edinburgh, while Prince Charles Stuart was living in Edinburgh after the
battle of Preston Pans. Robert Wight was a looker-on at the battle, but made
himself scarce when he saw the Highland men win the battle. He died on his farm
of King’s Knowes about 1800.
David Wight, the great-grandson of
the first Alexander, was born at King’s Knowes farm
about 1755, and when old enough became a first-class scientific farmer. His
father rented a worthless farm at twenty-five cents per acre rent and a very
long lease and presented it to his son to work out his own destiny, and in ten
years he had the farm in such a condition that he was offered and accepted
$50,000 to surrender his lease. That money spoiled him. He went back to Edinburgh
and finally he joined a crack regiment of volunteer cavalry, where the privates
had to supply themselves with horses and everything else necessary for a high
toned regiment. Sir Walter Scott was then adjutant and no one could belong that
was short of “siller.”
Robert Wight, the special subject of
this sketch, was the third child in succession of birth and the only one in
America. He was born in Edinburgh in
1830, educated at Ormiston, the country home of the
family, and when older continued his education in the city of Edinburgh. He is
the only known mechanic of the Wight race. After serving a long apprenticeship,
he came to the United States, landing in New York in 1850. After working at the
Morgan Iron works for six months he entered the service of the Pacific Mail
Company and started for California as an engineer in one of their steamships
February 3, 1851, touching at Rio Janeiro, (sic) Straits of Magellan,
Valparaiso and Panama, and arriving at San Francisco on the 29th of
July, 1851. After two years’ service in the mail company ships Mr. Wight went
into the service of the government at Mare Island as dock engineer and was
there some eight years. Returning then to San Francisco he engaged in business
for himself. Two years afterwards he was in the state of Nevada, where he was
interested in the silver mines, and subsequently was with the California Iron
works until 1870, in San Francisco.
Locating in San Jose in that year,
Mr. Wight became superintendent of the San Jose Foundry, and had power of
attorney and conducted said iron works while the proprietor was in Europe.
During the next eleven years he was connected with Joseph Enright
in the manufacture of straw burning boilers and engines in San Jose, and since
that time has been conducting the same kind of business for himself.
In 1853, Mr. Wight married Miss
Nicholas Douglas, who was born in Scotland but was brought up and educated at
St. Johns, New Brunswick. Six children have been born of their union, namely:
Mrs. A. L. York; Miss Annie Wight, living at home; Mrs. Charles Miller; David
Wight; Mrs. J. M. Heron, and R. J. Wight, all married except one. Mr. Wight is
now seventy-four years of age. Politically he votes just as he thinks best,
sometimes one way and sometimes another. Fraternally he belongs to the Masonic
Order and the Odd Fellows. He is also an ex-president of the Society of San
Jose Pioneers, and a member of the Second Presbyterian church of San Jose.
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 624-625. The Chapman
Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2015 Cecelia M. Setty.