OBITUARY: In this city, on December 9th, of paralysis, Mr. H. C. Kinyon, an old and esteemed citizen, familiarly known as 'Tote' Kinyon. (San Jose Weekly Mercury, Dec. 13, 1866).
Harlow Clayton Kenyon, listed as H. C. Kenyon in most records, was an early pioneer of California.
He was a son of Samuel Kenyon and Susan Cross, born circa 1825, in Ellisburg, Jefferson County, New York, where his parents lived at the time of his birth.
He married Catherine, also referred to as "Kate." Her maiden name is unknown, but the 1880 census record indicates both her parents were natives of New York State.
H.C. Kenyon, age 23, merchant, born in the United States was listed as a passenger on the ship Mann, arriving from San Juan to New York City in 1851. This was likely Harlow, as he would later help his brother, Marquis L. Kenyon in California, at a time when travel from New York to California was often by ship. H. C. was also listed as a passenger on the Sierra Nevada, arriving from San Juan in 1855. He was named in the book, Butterfield's Overland Mail Stage Stations in California, by Gerald T Ahnert, page 4.
In 1855, his wife, Catherine, and their son Marquis L. Kenyon were boarders living in the home of Marquis and Amanda Barrett, in Rome, Oneida, New York. Mr. Barrett was a stablekeeper and stage driver. It is unknown whether Catherine was related to them. Kenyon and Barrett operated a daily stage line in Oswego County, New York.
From, "Landmarks of Oswego County, New York," by John Charles (1821—1905) comes this: "Early in the present century, a stage and mail route was established between Mexico and Oswego (Towns located in Oswego County, New York). It soon had daily stages which were continued until superseded by the railroad. In July 1861, Kenyon & Barrett, proprietors of the line, put on a Concord coach costing of $600, "which created no little enthusiasm."
In 1856, son Willie was born in Calaveras County, California. At the time, Calaveras County was inhabited by miners during the Gold Rush. It is unknown what his interest was in Calaveras County. His son, Willie Kenyon, age 2, died from scarlet fever and was buried in San Francisco, which indicated H. C. Kenyon relocated to San Francisco California by 1858.
H. C. was involved in working on the Overland Mail Route, empowered to stock roads and make stations from San Bernardino to San Francisco. (LA Star 12 June 1858)
H. C. lived in San Jose, California by 1860, where the federal census record showed he was a stage agent, owning land. He was about 35 years old, born in New York State. The record also showed his wife, Kate E., was 33 years old, and also born in New York State.
Living with them were sons, M.L. Kenyon, born in 1852, in New York, and Charles Kenyon, born in 1858, in San Francisco, California.
On 4 Feb 1860, H.C. bought land in Visalia, California, per a probate notice (Visalia Weekly Delta, Volume 1, Number 33, 4 February 1860 — Page 2). This purchase was likely part of his effort to establish a stage station.
H.C. was listed on 2 Aug 1866, San Jose, Santa Clara, California on the California Great Registers 1866-1910 as Harlow Clayton Kenyon, born 1825. It listed his occupation as staging.
He was last seen on the voter registration in 1866. His wife, Kate, was listed as a widow in 1870, in a San Jose City directory.
The 1880 census shows his widow, Kate, living in San Jose, with her son, Charles, and daughter, Nellie.
Harlow was buried in Oakhill Cemetery, per the report of Sexton for Oak Hill Cemetery, for the Quarter Ending December 31st, 1866. He was listed as, "H. C. Kinyon, 39 yrs, New York, paralysis" (San Jose Weekly Mercury, Volume XIV, Number 44, 7 March 1867).
His son, Marquis (Mark) Leroy Kenyon, born in 1852, in Rome, New York was the nephew and namesake of Marquis L. Kenyon, who was a pivotal figure in the development of the Butterfield Stage line running from Rome, New York to California. He was also buried in the family plot with his parents.
His son, Charles Samuel Kenyon was born about 1858, in California. Charles later married Rosa Geneve Ford. Charles was the Superintendent of Santa Clara Valley Mill and Lumber Company, San Jose, a well-known and respected public figure. Charles appeared to have a fall from grace followed by a claim by his wife of his desertion. The family troubles were published in local newspapers. His failure to provide for his wife resulted in a warrant of commitment issued against him (Sunday, April 15, 1906, San Jose Mercury News, San Jose, California Volume: LXX Issue: 105 Page). This must have been an embarrassment for the family. Charles Kenyon was buried in a municipally-owned cemetery, not in the family plot, his wife, Rosa was buried with her parents.
His daughter, Nellie Kenyon married John Theodore Balbach, Jr., then second husband, Michael Broedel.
Many thanks to Rebecca (FindaGrave 47168202) for passing along the obituary and burial information from the San Jose Weekly Mercury.
1866 Voter Registration:
Harlow Clayton Kenyon, 38, was born in New York
City of San Jose, Santa Clara, CA
1855 Rome, Oneida, New York
Marquis Barett M 32 Herkimer, NY Stable keeper
Amanda Barett F 30 Oneida NY wife (her maiden name was Stanton)
Anna O Barett F 8 Oneida NY child
Catherine Kenyon F 28 Oneida NY boarder
Marquis L. Kenyon M 3 Oneida NY boarder
1860 San Jose Township, Santa Clara, CA
H C Kenyon M 35 New York, Stage Agent with Real Estate
Kate E Kenyon F 33 New York
M L Kenyon M 8 New York
Chas Kenyon M 2 California
Jane E Christy F 33 New York
1870 San Jose, ward 1, Santa Clara, CA
Kate Kenyon F 44 New York
Marcus L Kenyon M 18 New York
Charles S Kenyon M 12 California
Nellie Kenyon F 9 California
Nellie Jacobs F 25 New York
Charles Buton M 40 New York
Albert Gurnett M 25 New York
1880 San Jose, Santa Clara, CA
Kate Kenyon 59 widow keeping house NY NY NY
Charles Kenyon 22 son works in a planning mill CA NY NY
Nellie Kenyon 18 dau at home CA NY NY
Annie Phillips 40 boarder at home IN NY NY
Julius Pole 30 boarder jeweler Hanover Han Han
Harry Phillips 18 son works in a woolen mill IN IN IN
The burial record for his son, Mark L. Kenyon was listed in the Trinity Church, San Jose, CA. Advent 1860 to Easter 1903, Rev John B. Wakefield, D.D. Presumably, the family may have been members of this church. Also listed among the burials in this church were Frank Clayton Kenyon, 30 Mar 1865, presided by Rev. Dinsmore D. Chapin, and Robert Kenyon 19 Dec 1866, presided by Rev. Edward S. Peake.
It is unknown at this time whether Frank or Robert were family members. They may have been sons of H.C., who died as infants before the 1870 census.
OBITUARY: In this city, on December 9th, of paralysis, Mr. H. C. Kinyon, an old and esteemed citizen, familiarly known as 'Tote' Kinyon. (San Jose Weekly Mercury, Dec. 13, 1866).
Harlow Clayton Kenyon, listed as H. C. Kenyon in most records, was an early pioneer of California.
He was a son of Samuel Kenyon and Susan Cross, born circa 1825, in Ellisburg, Jefferson County, New York, where his parents lived at the time of his birth.
He married Catherine, also referred to as "Kate." Her maiden name is unknown, but the 1880 census record indicates both her parents were natives of New York State.
H.C. Kenyon, age 23, merchant, born in the United States was listed as a passenger on the ship Mann, arriving from San Juan to New York City in 1851. This was likely Harlow, as he would later help his brother, Marquis L. Kenyon in California, at a time when travel from New York to California was often by ship. H. C. was also listed as a passenger on the Sierra Nevada, arriving from San Juan in 1855. He was named in the book, Butterfield's Overland Mail Stage Stations in California, by Gerald T Ahnert, page 4.
In 1855, his wife, Catherine, and their son Marquis L. Kenyon were boarders living in the home of Marquis and Amanda Barrett, in Rome, Oneida, New York. Mr. Barrett was a stablekeeper and stage driver. It is unknown whether Catherine was related to them. Kenyon and Barrett operated a daily stage line in Oswego County, New York.
From, "Landmarks of Oswego County, New York," by John Charles (1821—1905) comes this: "Early in the present century, a stage and mail route was established between Mexico and Oswego (Towns located in Oswego County, New York). It soon had daily stages which were continued until superseded by the railroad. In July 1861, Kenyon & Barrett, proprietors of the line, put on a Concord coach costing of $600, "which created no little enthusiasm."
In 1856, son Willie was born in Calaveras County, California. At the time, Calaveras County was inhabited by miners during the Gold Rush. It is unknown what his interest was in Calaveras County. His son, Willie Kenyon, age 2, died from scarlet fever and was buried in San Francisco, which indicated H. C. Kenyon relocated to San Francisco California by 1858.
H. C. was involved in working on the Overland Mail Route, empowered to stock roads and make stations from San Bernardino to San Francisco. (LA Star 12 June 1858)
H. C. lived in San Jose, California by 1860, where the federal census record showed he was a stage agent, owning land. He was about 35 years old, born in New York State. The record also showed his wife, Kate E., was 33 years old, and also born in New York State.
Living with them were sons, M.L. Kenyon, born in 1852, in New York, and Charles Kenyon, born in 1858, in San Francisco, California.
On 4 Feb 1860, H.C. bought land in Visalia, California, per a probate notice (Visalia Weekly Delta, Volume 1, Number 33, 4 February 1860 — Page 2). This purchase was likely part of his effort to establish a stage station.
H.C. was listed on 2 Aug 1866, San Jose, Santa Clara, California on the California Great Registers 1866-1910 as Harlow Clayton Kenyon, born 1825. It listed his occupation as staging.
He was last seen on the voter registration in 1866. His wife, Kate, was listed as a widow in 1870, in a San Jose City directory.
The 1880 census shows his widow, Kate, living in San Jose, with her son, Charles, and daughter, Nellie.
Harlow was buried in Oakhill Cemetery, per the report of Sexton for Oak Hill Cemetery, for the Quarter Ending December 31st, 1866. He was listed as, "H. C. Kinyon, 39 yrs, New York, paralysis" (San Jose Weekly Mercury, Volume XIV, Number 44, 7 March 1867).
His son, Marquis (Mark) Leroy Kenyon, born in 1852, in Rome, New York was the nephew and namesake of Marquis L. Kenyon, who was a pivotal figure in the development of the Butterfield Stage line running from Rome, New York to California. He was also buried in the family plot with his parents.
His son, Charles Samuel Kenyon was born about 1858, in California. Charles later married Rosa Geneve Ford. Charles was the Superintendent of Santa Clara Valley Mill and Lumber Company, San Jose, a well-known and respected public figure. Charles appeared to have a fall from grace followed by a claim by his wife of his desertion. The family troubles were published in local newspapers. His failure to provide for his wife resulted in a warrant of commitment issued against him (Sunday, April 15, 1906, San Jose Mercury News, San Jose, California Volume: LXX Issue: 105 Page). This must have been an embarrassment for the family. Charles Kenyon was buried in a municipally-owned cemetery, not in the family plot, his wife, Rosa was buried with her parents.
His daughter, Nellie Kenyon married John Theodore Balbach, Jr., then second husband, Michael Broedel.
Many thanks to Rebecca (FindaGrave 47168202) for passing along the obituary and burial information from the San Jose Weekly Mercury.
1866 Voter Registration:
Harlow Clayton Kenyon, 38, was born in New York
City of San Jose, Santa Clara, CA
1855 Rome, Oneida, New York
Marquis Barett M 32 Herkimer, NY Stable keeper
Amanda Barett F 30 Oneida NY wife (her maiden name was Stanton)
Anna O Barett F 8 Oneida NY child
Catherine Kenyon F 28 Oneida NY boarder
Marquis L. Kenyon M 3 Oneida NY boarder
1860 San Jose Township, Santa Clara, CA
H C Kenyon M 35 New York, Stage Agent with Real Estate
Kate E Kenyon F 33 New York
M L Kenyon M 8 New York
Chas Kenyon M 2 California
Jane E Christy F 33 New York
1870 San Jose, ward 1, Santa Clara, CA
Kate Kenyon F 44 New York
Marcus L Kenyon M 18 New York
Charles S Kenyon M 12 California
Nellie Kenyon F 9 California
Nellie Jacobs F 25 New York
Charles Buton M 40 New York
Albert Gurnett M 25 New York
1880 San Jose, Santa Clara, CA
Kate Kenyon 59 widow keeping house NY NY NY
Charles Kenyon 22 son works in a planning mill CA NY NY
Nellie Kenyon 18 dau at home CA NY NY
Annie Phillips 40 boarder at home IN NY NY
Julius Pole 30 boarder jeweler Hanover Han Han
Harry Phillips 18 son works in a woolen mill IN IN IN
The burial record for his son, Mark L. Kenyon was listed in the Trinity Church, San Jose, CA. Advent 1860 to Easter 1903, Rev John B. Wakefield, D.D. Presumably, the family may have been members of this church. Also listed among the burials in this church were Frank Clayton Kenyon, 30 Mar 1865, presided by Rev. Dinsmore D. Chapin, and Robert Kenyon 19 Dec 1866, presided by Rev. Edward S. Peake.
It is unknown at this time whether Frank or Robert were family members. They may have been sons of H.C., who died as infants before the 1870 census.
Inscription
There is no headstone on lot. Flowers mark the plot.
