Santa Clara County Biographies


This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


 
HON. JOSEPH R. WELLER
 
is one of the pioneers of Santa Clara County, a sketch of whom is of great 
interest.  He was born near Washington, in Warren County, New Jersey, October 
10, 1819.  His parents, Peter R. and Elizabeth (Smock) Weller, were natives of 
that State.  When he was about the age of five years, his father emigrated to 
Livingston County, New York, where he was engaged in farming, in which 
occupation the Judge was reared until the age of nineteen years.  His education 
at this age was limited to the common schools of the district. From this time he 
commenced to educate himself, and for two and a half years was a student at the 
Temple Hill Academy, in Genesee, New York, under the tuition of Prof. Horatio N. 
Robinson, the celebrated author of mathematical text-books.  He afterwards 
taught in the public schools and attended the Ithaca Academy, and while there 
was selected by the Board of Supervisors of Livingston County as their 
representative teacher to attend the State Normal School at Albany.  He 
graduated at this school in 1846. He was then engaged by Colonel W. W. Wadsworth 
as an associate with Henry Willey, to take charge of an agricultural college in 
the Genesee Valley, a position which he occupied until the failing health of Mr. 
Wadsworth compelled a discontinuance of the enterprise.  He also at this period 
devoted considerable attention to the study of law.  In the spring of 1849 he 
was employed as a teacher in Prof. H. M. Boehm�s private seminary on Staten 
Island, New York, in which occupation he continued until May, 1850, when, under 
the influence of the gold fever, he left New York on the brig John French for 
California, reaching the mouth of the Chagres River after a stormy passage of 
thirty-six days.  He and his companions crossed the Isthmus, and, after 
suffering a delay of six weeks at Panama, embarked on the ship Columbus for San 
Francisco, at which place he arrived August 7, 1850.  After a short delay in 
that city he located in the mines of Coloma, El Dorado County, but ill health 
compelled an abandonment of his mining prospects, and in the spring of 1851 he 
came to Santa Clara County.  Upon his arrival he located on the Charles Weber 
Ranch, and there remained until his health was restored.  After engaging in 
various occupations, among which was a trip to the mines in Mariposa County