JOSEPH C. MERITHEW Cupertino . Santa Clara County is rich in her toilers of the sea who have exchanged their stormy life before the mast for places of trust and responsibility inland, dignifying their respective occupations with that confidence and personal courage characteristic of the seasoned and successful mariner. To this class belongs Capt. Joseph C. Merithew, who in 1850 came around the Horn on the Arno, a schooner of less than one hundred tons, and for three years ran her as a packet from San Francisco to Sacramento, profiting largely by this opportunity to transport provisions and general necessities to the gold seekers. Later he spent a year in cruising in the open off San Francisco, and gradually became interested in such promising enterprises as lumbering and grain buying in Maine Prairie, Solano County. Twenty years of his life was spent in this thriving commercial center. In the meantime he had purchased a home of elegance and comfort in Oakland, and resided there, but desiring to spend the remainder of his life in the country he ex-changed the same for a farm of fifty acres near the town of Cupertino. Here he was surrounded by every advantage known to the progressive and intelligent rural dweller, and made many fine improvements, there being no buildings on the place when lie took possession. Here lie died April 22, 1904. Born in Searsport, Waldo County, Me., December 6, 1822. Captain Merithew came of seafaring stock, and from his youth was accustomed to note the arrival and departure amid building of ships. His father, Jeremiah, also a native of Searsport mounted each round of nautical success until he became commander of a ship, a position maintained with success amid few accidents until his forty-fifth year. He then turned his attention to the building of watercraft for other captains to command, and at the same time became owner amid manager of a large gamier merchandise store at Searsport. His business grew apace, and wealth and influence came his way, so that at the time of his death at the age of seventy, he might well view with satisfaction his life of earnest and practical endeavor. He was faithful to the memory of a beloved wife who died at the early age of thirty, and who was formerly Jane Olney, a native daughter of his own hometown. His family consisted of two sons and two daughters, all deceased. His enthusiasm for the sea was naturally communicated to his sons, and his eldest born naturally followed in his footsteps when it came to choosing a life vocation. The son underwent the same preliminary training before the mast, the same dangerous and disagreeable tasks whose successful assumption means sure and steady promotion. At the end of four years he was made a mate, and still later captain of the Traveler, after relinquishing which hue purchased and manned the schooner with which he made his first western money. Captain Merithew married Sarah A. Black, born in Sandy Point, Me., and who died in California in 1901. Charles, the eldest son of this union, is a resident of San Francisco. Sarah, who married Capt. Norman Dunbar lives on her fathers ranch, and Joseph and Fred are deceased. The captain voted the Republican ticket ever since the organization of the party, but never departed from his determination not to accept office. He was an honored member of the Pioneer Club of Santa Clara County, and counted the friends lie has made during his fifty-four years residence in the west by the score. MERITHEW in History of CA Coast Counties by Sandra Harris [email protected]> Re: MERITHEW in History of CA Coast Counties by Perrin Larton RootsWeb is funded and supported by Ancestry and our loyal RootsWeb communi
Posted on: Tue, 27 Jan 2015 01:54:26 +0000
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