California Biographies, Santa Cruz County JAMES WATERS. Transcribed by Peggy Hooper Source: History of Santa Cruz County, California Pacific Press Publishing Company San Francisco, Cal. 1892 By E. S. Harrison This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm JAMES WATERS. It is a tradition among the present representatives of the Waters family that they are descended directly from an Eng- lishman who accompanied the colony of John Smith to America during 1607 and settled in the southern part of Mary- land, where a grant of land was tendered by Lord Baltimore. From that time to the present the land has remained in possession of tlie family and is still cultivated by descendants of the original immigrant. On that old homestead Joseph Waters was born and reared, and thither he brought his bride, Elizabeth Jane Ayres, a member of an honored Scotch- American family. Not many years afterward death entered the home and removed the young wife. The only daughter died at the age of seven years. This left the father alone with his boy, James, who was born in Somerset county, Md., October 18, 1828, but accompanied his only surviving parent to Baltimore at the age of six years. There he gained a common-school education and at the age of sixteen years began to learn the trade of carpenter under his father's over- sight. In the four years following he acquired a thorough knowledge of the occupation. The discovery of gold in California proved the direct means of transferring the citizenship of Mr. Waters from Maryland to the western coast. During June of 1849 he embarked on the brig Osprey and rounded the Horn and cast anchor at San Francisco after a long and tedious voyage. It had been his intention to immediately embark in mining, but an offer of $1 and hour as a carpenter proved too tempting to decline and for a time he was busily and profitably engaged in building enterprises in the western metropolis. From there he went to the mines on the Feather river and on the banks of the American, where he remained for two years, but the fortune so ardently desired did not come to him. Returning to San Francisco he resumed work at his trade. The failure of the banking house of Page, Bacon & Co., in 1855, brought him a heavy misfortune in the loss of the savings he had accumulated since coming west. His claim against the bank he sold for $500 and then he removed to Santa Cruz, where he took charge of the saw mill owned by Major Hensley. With Thomas Beck as a partner in 1857 he began to take building contracts. Two years later he came to the Pajaro valley for the purpose of rebuilding the Catholic church and St. Francis college. Immediately he determined to remove hither as soon as his business affairs would permit him to do so, and in 1860 he bought his first holdings at Watsonville. From boyhood Mr. Waters had evinced a love for the study of plant life. Horticulture fascinated him with its possibilities. Naturally he decided to improve his new property with fruit and he chose apples and strawberries as be- ing especially adapted to the soil and climate. Trees were planted in sufficient numbers to render possible the establish- ment of a nursery business in a few years and meanwhile he supported himself by carpentering. Eventually, however, the nursery demanded his entire attention. During 1860 he bought forty acres and planted more than two thousand apple trees, but this immense orchard was entirely ruined in 1862 by an overflow of the river and he then sold the land to the Catholic church. With J. A. Blackburn as a partner in 1867 he planted five acres of nursery stock, and in 1873 he bought his partner's interest, becoming the sole proprietor. Upon purchasing twenty-seven acres from Captain Sudden he moved the nursery to the corner of what was then known as Sudden and Fourth streets, Watsonville. His next purchase consisted of fifty acres adjacent to the Sudden tract and the new property he set out in strawberries, but eight years later he planted the fifty acres to apples, from which large crops Have since been harvested. Meanwhile the nursery business had outgrown its quarters and he thereupon moved his plant to his new acquisition of fifty-two acres near the Pajaro depot in Monterey county. Later he purchased adjacent land, so that eighty acres were devoted to nursery stock. The demand for the products of the nursery increased so that orders were not limited to California, but came from Oregon and even from Australia. By years of experience and experiment the proprietor reduced the business to a science. The stock was mainly raised from seed or from cuttings, but large importations were made from France and other foreign countries and in this way rare varieties of fruit were started. Every variety of seed and stone fruit was raised as well as trees for shade and ornamental purposes, and although no traveling men were ever employed, orders were <3onstantly booked ahead of the supply ready for delivery. At the 1889 exhibition of the Pajaro Valley Fair Association, of which Mr. Waters was then president, he displayed a tree of the French prune variety, only six months from the bud and raised without irrigation, but already more than twelve feet tall. For the past few years he has experimented with seedlings and some of these experiments have met with gratifying success. Of the small fruits strawberries have es- pecially interested him. As early as 1875 he sent east for Cinderella strawberries and planted five acres to that variety. He shipped the first strawberries from Watsonville to the San Francisco market. The variety, Linda, once very popu- lar, was originated by him and named in honor of his wife. Many of the large strawberry beds in the valley were started from stock bought at his nursery and, as he made it his aim to keep only the best varieties, the berries of the valley have acquired a widespread reputation for size and sweetness of flavor. Civic duties have not been neglected by Mr. Waters, notwithstanding his heavy business responsibilities. In politics he always has favored the principles of the Democratic party. From 1877 to 1879 he served as county supervisor, having been elected on the Democratic ticket. As one of the first trustees of Watsonville he aided in early movements for the benefit of the little town. Realizing the need of adequate banking facilities, he assisted in the incorporation of the Bank of Watsonville and the Pajaro Valley Bank, purchased stock in both, became a member of their boards of directors, and at this writing acts as vice-president of the Pajaro Valley National Bank. In earlier years he was prominent and active in Masonry, and is past master of the blue lodge, past high priest of the chapter and past eminent commander of the commandery of Knights Templar. It was his privilege to attend the 1887 convention of the Knights at St. Louis and at its adjournment he proceeded to Maryland, where he visited scenes familiar to his youth. For years he was one of the most influential and active members of the Santa Cruz branch of the Society of California Pioneers. The marriage of Mr. Waters was solemnized September 9, 1860, and united him with Malinda J., daughter of Stephen Short. Three children blessed the union, but death removed the only son, Willie, at the age of twelve years, and the elder daughter, Lola, Mrs. James Walker, at the age of twenty-five years. The younger daughter, Adele, alone survives. Mrs. Waters came across the plains in 1852, with her parents, from Henderson county. Ill., where she was born July 28, 1841. They came direct to Santa Cruz and from there to Watsonville, which has since been Mrs. Waters' home. In September, 1910, Mr. and Mrs. Waters celebrated their golden wedding at their home and the occasion called together many old-time friends and pioneers. The family hold membership in the Episcopal church, of which Mr. Waters is a vestrjTnan. Mrs. Waters is a sister of Mrs. J. A. Blackburn and is a member of a family of eight brothers and sisters, all of whom were spared until the eldest had attained a very advanced age. Their mother also lived to a ripe old age and there was no break in the family circle until about 1887, when Mr. Short met with an accident that resulted in his death.