Amedee Delpech
| Amedee Delpech (also spelled Depach) | |
| Born | 1852 |
|---|---|
| Occupation | wine maker |
Amedee Delpech was a Los Gatos wine and spirit maker. Delpech was born in France in 1850; he immigrated to the United States in 1876. Delpech lived in the Patchen area along Summit Road, just west of the current Highway 17 crossing of Summit[1] where he operated a winery and distillery. By 1894, Delpech was listed as living in the Alma area[2][3].
In 1900, Delpech built a winery at the corner of Santa Cruz Ave. and Saratoga Ave.[4]; the building was later extended by Hunt Brothers Packing Company as a cannery to replace the former Los Gatos Canneries plant in downtown Los Gatos. He incorporated the business in 1903; the Delpech Los Gatos Winery, with $100,000 in stock, had directors A. Delpech, A. Berryman, P. J. Arnerich, J. J. Stanfield, and J. Bazus.[5]
Delpech died later in 1903[6][7].
Amedee's wife, Germaine, listed the winery for sale soon after, describing it as:
WINERY FOR SALE on account of death, situated at Los Gatos with both broad and narrow gauge switches complete with modern machinery and 300,000 gallons of cooperage. Mrs. G. Delpech, 148 N. Third St., San Jose Cal."[8]
The Delpech winery was to be used for dried fruit packing during the 1906 season[9]. Instead, the winery was bought by the Hunt Brothers Packing Company as a new location for the Los Gatos Canneries[10]
Delpech owned land in the Santa Cruz Mountains where he operated a winery and brandy distillery[11][12]. Delpach produced Sauvignon Vert, White Pilot, mission brandy, and peach brandy as early as 1887[13]. Delpach's ranch, adjoining G. Heuter's "Mountain Spring Ranch"[14], apparently was along the Santa Cruz road[15]
Amedee Delpech was married to Germaine Maury Delpech in 1890. Germaine was also born in Gordon, but was ten years younger than Amedee. Census records show Germaine had four children; only one, Marguerite, survived to adulthood.
. Germaine sold off some of the property in the Santa Cruz Mountains after his death. Property included multiple acres near Patchen[16] The family also owned a small lot near Alma[17]. There was also property in San Jose proper along Third Street[18][19].
References
- ↑ A. Delpech. Patchen. Fruit Brandy Distillers of California, First District. Directory of Grape Growers: Wine Makers and Distillers of California. Registered prior to September 1, 1890, for the season of 1890-91. Compiled by Winfield Scott, Secretary of the Board of State Viticultural Commissioners.
- ↑ Copy of Great Register of Santa Clara County, 1894. Amedee Delpach is listed as a wine-maker, living in Alma, and naturalized on June 25, 1892.
- ↑ Amador Delpech. 1900 U.S. census, Alma Precinct.
- ↑ Builder's Contract. May 7, 1900 San Jose Mercury News. "A builders contract has been filed by which Z. O. Field agrees to contract a frame winery, with brick foundation, for A. Delpach in the town of Los Gatos for $4075 in accordance with plans furnished by Jacob Lenzen & Son.
- ↑ Los Gatos Winery. February 25, 1903 San Jose Evening News. ""Los Gatos Winery: Articles of incorporation of the Delpech Los Gatos Winery have been filed in the office of the County Clerk. The principal place of business of the new concern is Los Gatos, and the capital stock is $100,000. The directors are A. Delpech, A. Berryman, P. J. Arnerich, J .J. Stanfield, and J. Bazus, all of whom reside at Los Gatos. R. F. Robertson is the attorney for the incorporators."
- ↑ Winemaker Dies. August 20, 1903 San Jose Mercury News. "Amedee Delpech the well known winemaker of Los Gatos died at his home in that city on Wednesday from an attack of pneumonia. The remains were forwarded to San Francisco today and the funeral will take place in that city on Friday at 2 o'clock under the auspices of the I. O. O. F. of which he was a member. He was a native of France and was 52 years of age."
- ↑ Died. August 20, 1903 San Jose Mercury News. "Delpech: In Los Gatos, August 19, 1903, Amedee Delpech, beloved husband of Germaine Delpech and father of Marguerite Delpech, a native of France, aged 52 years."
- ↑ WINERY FOR SALE. Want ad, <a href="https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/27591651/">October 31, 1903 San Francisco Chronicle.
- ↑ Los Gatos: Delpech Winery to be Converted into Model Packing House. August 28, 1906 San Jose Mercury News. "A lease of the Delpech Winery has been secured with an option of purchase. The building is 100 x 150 feet, half of which will be floored immediately and a model packing house will be arranged. Whether the union will pack its own fruit or not will depend on the prices offered in the bins by packers."
- ↑ Los Gatos: Hunt Brothers Making Extensive Improvements for New Canning Plant. April 16, 1907 San Jose Mercury News. "Very few people realize the vastness of the improvements that are underway at the Hunt Brothers big cannery at the corner of Santa Cruz Avenue and the Saratoga Road. The immense winery building that was erected by the late A. Delpech has been ceiled overhead, and a floor three feet above the ground, and ventilator and light shafts installed at convenient distances. At the north of the main building boilers are being installed, and when that is completed a suitable building will enclose it. The southwest corner of the lot has been covered with a high one story building that will be used as a receiving room, and as the fruit is processed it will finally be placed in the large warehouse alongside the track, the foundations of which are already laid. This building will be eighty feet wide by a length of two hundred and twenty five feet, and on the east side of it for the whole length is the spur track adjoining the main track of the Southern Pacific Company... Their superintendent C. C. Van Eaton has made his home here permanently. All the operations of moving from the old plant, which they purchased from the Los Gatos Canneries, has been made under his personal supervision. He brings with him skillful assistants in several departments who have been with him a number of years."
- ↑ Directory of the Fruit Brandy Distillers of California, registered prior to September 1, 1890. Board of State Virticultural Commissioners.
- ↑ Case on Appeal. (G. Heuter vs. A. Delpach). June 29, 1899 San Jose Mercury News. "Delpach had a still on about three acres of land in the Santa Cruz Mountains and the plaintiff alleged that Delpach, in clearing his land, rolled some stumps on his, Heuter's, property. A counter claim, in regard to the title of a certain piece of land was set up but denied."
- ↑ Catalogue of the Instructive Exhibit. Report of the Sixth Annual State Viticultural Convention, March 7-10, 188, San Francisco.
- ↑ View on Mountain Spring Ranch, near Alma, cal. G. Hueter, Proprietor. History San Jose, Lucy Walker Townsend collection.
- ↑ Jessie Parkinson, Adventuring in California. 1921. Travelogue of driving adventures. "A picturesque place is Mountain Spring Ranch. Near the road is a novel fountain..."
- ↑ Real Estate Transactions. May 12, 1904 San Jose Evening News. "Germaine Delpech to Jas V. McKiernan part SE 1-4 of SE 1-4 section 17, T9S R1W, Mount Diablo Meridian, $300.". The township location suggests this was in the southeast 40 acres of the southeast portion of section 17, T9S R1W inthe area just south of Hutchinson Road and Mountain Charlie Road, west of Highway 17 at the summit of the highway - alternately foggy and sunny, probably not terribly productive, but this plot seems large enough that it could have been the original family ranch, and original place to start growing grapes. James V. McKiernan was a son of the famous "Mountain Charlie" McKiernan, an early settler and builder of the first toll road over the mountain. A 1890 Santa Clara County map at the Library of Congress shows that McKiernan owned land just north of Summit Road, just west of Highway 17, at what is now 22225 Summit Road. This location matches both the section dimensions, a location in Santa Clara county, and a location in Patchen. The existing plots of land represent about a ten acre plot of land.
- ↑ Delinquent Tax Notices. June 17, 1905 San Jose Evening News. The list notes that Germaine owed taxes on "Lots in Alma, 75 x 125, bounded N by land of Levy, E. by land of Levy, S. by land of Levy, and W by land of S P R R, part of section 32, township 8S, range 1W."
- ↑ Real Estate News. August 17, 1899 San Jose Evening News. "Larona O Pomeroy to A. Delpech N 1-3 L6B 3R4 N, $10. " Germaine apparently sold it to E. J. Hazard in February 1906 for $10. (February 27, 1906 San Jose Evening News).
- ↑ Public Notice to Buy City Land. February 26, 1906 San Jose Evening News, filed by Germaine Delpech. "Commencing at the point of the intersection of the north line of lot in block 2, range 4, north of the line of said City of San Jose with the east line of Third Street, and running thence southerly along the east side of Third Street, 45 feet and 10 inches thence at right angles easterly parallel with the north line of lot 6, 137.5 feet; thence at right angles northerly and parallel with the east line of Third Street 45 feet 10 inches to north line of set lot and thence at right angles west and along the north line of said lot 137.5 feet to the said east lien of Third Street, the place of beginning, and being the north 1-3 of lot 6, block 3, range 4 north, as designated on the official map of the City of san Jose."