Historical California Cemetery Stone & Monument Carvers & Dealers
Blanchard
BLANCHARD & O’NEIL, San Jose, Santa Clara County, California (Marble Works)
(Also see: William W. Blanchard; Timothy O’Neil; Combs, Blanchard & O’Neil (C.B.&O.); and Combs, Blanchard, O’Neil & McLannen.)
BLANCHARD & O’NEIL. San Jose. Santa Clara County. California (Marble Works) (Also see: William W. Blanchard; Timothy O’Neil; Combs, Blanchard & O’Neil (C. B. &O.); and Combs, Blanchard, O’Neil & McLannen.
1880-1881 - Blanchard & O’Neil (Granite Works) The following excerpt from Pacific Coast Directory, for 1880-81...of California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Montana, Idaho, Arizona, and British Columbia, L. M. McKenney & Co., Publishers, San Francisco, Cal., presented on the Golden Nugget Library web site, by Nancy Pratt Melton.
(pp. 775) “Blanchard & O’Neil, granite works - Santa Clara and River.”
The following excerpt is from History of Santa Clara County; With Biographical Sketches of the Leading Men and Women, by Eugene T. Sawyer, 1922, pp. 277.
“The marble business was established in San Jose in 1870 by J. W. Combs, and in 1878 W. W. Blanchard and Timothy O’Neill opened the first granite works. In 1883 a partnership between the three men was formed and the two interests were combined under the firm name of Combs, Blanchard & O’Neill. The name was afterwards changed to the Western Marble and Granite Company, and for many years business was done on First Street near the Southern Pacific railway tracks. At last, being cramped for space, the establishment was removed to Stockton Avenue.”
1881-1882 - Blanchard & O’Neil (Wm. W. Blanchard & Timothy O’Neil), stone cutter, nw cor River & Santa Clara, San Jose, Santa Clara County, California (Directory of the City of San Jose and Santa Clara County 1881-1882 (L. M. McKenney & Co., Publishers, San Francisco, pp. 83)
1882-1883 - Blanchard & O’Neil, cor Santa Clara & River, San Jose, Santa Clara County, California (San Jose City Directory, 1882-1883, pp. 419)
Business Card and Door Plaque of T. O’Neil Company (Successors to Western Granite and Marble Co.), contributed by Bob Douat, a descendant of Timothy O’Neil. |
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T. O’Neil Company, Successors to Western Granite and Marble Co.
Stockton Avenue, near Polhemus Street, San Jose, Cal.
Branch, near entrance Oak Hill Cemetery
Phone: John 3466
Estimates Furnished on Application - Mausoleums, Vaults, Monuments, Headstones, Copings, Curbings. All kinds of building work in Granite, Sandstone, or Marble
William W. BLANCHARD, San Jose, Santa Clara County, California.
(Marble & Granite Dealer)
(Also see: Blanchard & O’Neil; Combs, Blanchard & O’Neil (C. B. & O.);
Combs, Blanchard, O’Neil & McLannen)
(Also see the summary of the history of William W. Blanchard and the Western Granite and Marble Company as of 1888 at the end of this chronological list.)
1853 - William Blanchard born in Maine.
Pre-1876 - William Blanchard carried on a granite quarry in Maine and shipped dimension stone to Boston, Massachusetts.
1876 - William Blanchard sold his business and moved to California. He worked at his trade for a time in San Francisco and Oakland and went to San Jose and opened the granite, monument, and building-stone business in partnership with Timothy O’Neil in 1878.
1878 - William Blanchard and Timothy O’Neil opened a granite, monument and building stone business in San Jose, Santa Clara County, California.
1881-1882 - Blanchard & O’Neil (Wm. W. Blanchard and Timothy O’Neil), stone cutters, n w cor River & Santa Clara, San Jose, Santa Clara County, California (Directory of the City of San Jose and Santa Clara County 1881-1882 (L. M. McKenney & Co., Publishers, San Francisco, pp. 83)
1883 - Partnership formed among John W. Combs, William W. Blanchard, and Timothy O’Neil under the firm name of Combs, Blanchard, and O’Neil (CB & O).
1883 - W. W. Blanchard (The following information is from the History of Santa Clara County, by Eugene Blanchard, California, published 1922, pp. 99.)
“A brilliant party by the young men of San Jose was given Friday evening, January 26, 1883, when....”
“The gentlemen who got up the ball were:...W. W. Blanchard...A. W. Coombs (sic)....”
1884-1885 - Blanchard, Wm. W. with C. B. & O., San Jose, Santa Clara County, California (San Jose City Directory Including Santa Clara, San Mateo, and Santa Cruz Counties, 1884-1885, L. M. McKenney & Co., Publishers, Oakland and San Francisco, California)
1887-1888 - Blanchard, William W. (Western Granite & Marble Co.), res. The Alameda cor Polhemus, San Jose, Santa Clara County, California (San Jose City Directory Including Santa Clara, San Mateo, and Santa Cruz Counties, 1887-1888, Ulhorn & McKenney, Publishers, San Francisco, California, pp. 42)
May 1888 - Western Granite & Marble Company organized. John S. Combs, vice president; Office North First Street at the crossing of the Southern Pacific Railroad. Employed 40 to 50 workmen including a special artist in designing. Granite quarries at Yuba Pass, California, Crystal Lake Quarries. Branch office in Oakland for exhibition and sale. Trade extends over California and the contiguous states and territories and “will reach $100,000 during 1888.”
1889 - Blanchard, W. W., The Western Granite & Marble Works, res The Alameda, San Jose, Santa Clara County, California (Santa Clara County Directory Including the City of San Jose, 1889, L. L. Bettys, Publisher, San Jose, CA, pp. 87)
1889 - Blanchard, W. W., mgr. Western Granite & Marble Co., res. The Alameda & Polhemus, San Jose, Santa Clara County, California (San Jose City Directory Including Santa Clara, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, San Benito, and Monterey Counties, 1889, McKenney Directory Co., Publishers, San Francisco, CA, in the “Marble Works” section)
1892 - Blanchard, Wm. W., partner Oak Hill Granite & Marble, res. The Alameda & Polhemus, San Jose, Santa Clara County, California (San Jose City Directory Including Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and Monterey Counties, 1892, F. M. Husted, Publisher, San Francisco, CA, pp. 78)
1893 - Blanchard, Wm. W. (Oak Hill Granite & Marble Co.), res NE cor The Alameda & Polhemus, San Jose, Santa Clara County, California (San Jose City Directory Including Santa Clara Directory, 1893, F. M. Husted, Publisher, San Francisco, CA, pp. 96)
1894 - Blanchard, Wm. W., prop. Oak Hill Granite & Marble Co., res. The Alameda nr Polhemus, San Jose, Santa Clara County, California (San Jose and Santa Clara Directory, 1894, F. M. Husted, Publisher, San Francisco, CA, pp. 96)
1895-1896 - Blanchard, W. W. (Marble & Granite), Monterey rd 1 m s city limits, San Jose, Santa Clara County, California (San Jose City Directory Including Santa Clara County: A Classified Business Directory of the County, 1896-1897, F. M. Husted, Publisher, San Francisco, CA, pp. 669)
1895-1896 - Blanchard, Wm. W., granite and marble works, Monterey rd 1 mile s city limits r The Alameda cor Polhemus, San Jose, Santa Clara County, California (San Jose City Directory Including Santa Clara County: A Classified Business Directory of the County, 1896-1897, F. M. Husted, Publisher, San Francisco, CA, pp. 90)
1896 Directory - William and Lulu Blanchard (The following information was provided by Charlene Duval of the Sourisseau Academy, San Jose State University in September 1999.)
“I checked the 1896 directory. William Blanchard lived at the corner of Polhemous (Taylor) and the Alameda. The house was previously owned by George Baker, his wife or daughter was Lulu Blanchard who I believe gave a photograph album to the historical museum - photos taken in the early 1900s. She took pictures of all the old ‘Stockton Houses’ that came around the horn in 1850 and they lived in one. Also, she later moved in order to build a new house. In 1896, he (William Blanchard) was listed as having his own marble works on Monterey Road opposite the cemetery. Lulu was still alive in 1926....William was born in Maine and appears to have died before 1907....”
1896-1897 - Blanchard, Wm. W., marble works, Monterey rd opp Cemetery, r The Alameda cor Polhemus, San Jose, Santa Clara County, California (San Jose City Directory Including Santa Clara County: A Classified Business Directory of the County, 1896-1897, pp. 101; similar entry on pp. 719 in the “Marble and Granite” section.)
1897 - Blanchard, Wm. W., marble works, Monterey rd opp Cemetery, r The Alameda cor Polhemus, San Jose, Santa Clara County, California (San Jose City Directory Including Santa Clara County, 1897, pp. 91; similar entry on pp. 671 under “Marble and Granite.”)
1898-1899 - Blanchard, Wm. W., (Oak Hill Granite & Marble Co.), r Polhemus cor The Alameda, San Jose, Santa Clara County, California (San Jose City Directory Including Santa Clara County, 1898-1899, pp. 106)
1899-1900 - Blanchard, Wm. W., (Oak Hill Granite & Marble Co.), r The Alameda cor Polhemus, San Jose, Santa Clara County, California (San Jose City Directory Including Santa Clara County, 1899-1900, pp. 106)
1900 - Blanchard, Wm. W., granite and marble dealer, 21 N 3d, r Polhemus cor The Alameda, San Jose, Santa Clara County, California (San Jose City Directory, 1900, pp. 87)
1900 - Blanchard, W. W., 21 N 3d, San Jose, Santa Clara County, California (San Jose City Directory, 1900, pp. 750)
1901-1902 - Blanchard, Wm. W., marble, r. The Alameda cor. Polhemus, San Jose, Santa Clara County, California (San Jose City Directory, 1901-1902, pp. 98)
1903-1904 - Blanchard, Wm. W., granite & marble, r. The Alameda cor Polhemus, San Jose, Santa Clara County, California (San Jose City Directory Including Santa Clara County, 1903-1904, 83)
1905-1906 - Blanchard, Wm. W., granite & marble, r The Alameda cor Polhemus, San Jose, Santa Clara County, California (San Jose City Directory Including Santa Clara County, 1905-1906, pp. 100)
1906-1907 - Blanchard, Wm. W., r The Alameda cor Polhemus; Blanchard, Gertrude M., Miss, student r. The Alameda cor Polhemus, San Jose, Santa Clara County, California (San Jose City Directory Including Santa Clara County, 1906-1907, F. M. Husted, Publisher, San Jose, California, 1906-1907, pp. 86)
1907-1908 - Blanchard, Wm. W., r The Alameda cor Polhemus; Blanchard, Baker W., b. (boards at) The Alameda cor Polhemus; Blanchard, Gertrude M., b The Alameda cor Polhemus (California Polk-Husted Directory Company’s San Jose City Directory Including Santa Clara County, Polk-Husted Directory Co., Publishers, San Jose, California, pp. 128)
1908-1909 - Blanchard, Mrs. Lulu, mgr. Baker bldg., r. The Alameda cor Polhemus; Blanchard, Gertrude M.., b. The Alameda cor Polhemus (California Polk-Husted Directory Company’s San Jose City Directory Including Santa Clara County, 1908-1909, Polk-Husted Directory Co., Publishers, San Jose, California, pp. 132)
1909-1910 - Blanchard, Mrs. Lulu, r The Alameda cor Polhemus; Blanchard, Gertrude M., b. The Alameda cor Polhemus (California Polk-Husted Directory Company’s San Jose City Directory Including Santa Clara County, 1909-1910, Polk-Husted Directory Co., Publishers, San Jose, California, pp. 109)
1910 - 1911 - Blanchard, Mrs. Lulu, r the Alameda cor Polhemus (California Polk-Husted Directory Company’s San Jose City Directory Including Santa Clara County, 1910-1911, Polk-Husted Directory Co., Publishers, San Jose, California, pp. 99)
The following excerpt is from History of Santa Clara County; With Biographical Sketches of the Leading Men and Women, by Eugene T. Sawyer, 1922, pp. 277.
“The marble business was established in San Jose in 1870 by J. W. Combs, and in 1878 W. W. Blanchard and Timothy O’Neill opened the first granite works. In 1883 a partnership between the three men was formed and the two interests were combined under the firm name of Combs, Blanchard & O’Neill. The name was afterwards changed to the Western Marble and Granite Company, and for many years business was done on First Street near the Southern Pacific railway tracks. At last, being cramped for space, the establishment was removed to Stockton Avenue.”
A Summary of The History of William W. Blanchard
and the Western Granite & Marble Company as of 1888
(Excerpts from Pen Pictures from the Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California, edited by H. S. Foote, The Lewis Publishing Co., 1888, pp. 199.)
“The Western Granite & Marble Company - J. W. Combs - was organized in May 1888. C. T. Ryland, President, John W. Combs, Vice President, D. B. Murphy, Treasurer, T. P. Ryland, Secretary, W. W. Blanchard, Manager, and T. O’Neil, superintendent.
“Their office, yard and works were on North First Street at the crossing of the Southern Pacific Railroad and are supplied with steam polishers…The company owns its own granite quarries at Yuba Pass, California, known as the Crystal Lake Quarries. The marble used is chiefly from Vermont. The company employs 40 to 50 skilled workmen, including a special artist in designing. Besides the finest and most elaborate monumental tombstone work, the company makes a specialty of building material in any style or finish. They have a branch office in Oakland for the exhibition and sale of manufactured goods. Their trade extends over California, and the contiguous states and territories and will reach $100,000 during the year 1888.
“Although this company was but recently incorporated, the history of its origin and business dates back over a period of years. J. W. Combs established the marble business in San Jose in 1870, and in 1878 W. W. Blanchard and T. O’Neil opened the first permanent granite manufactory in the city. In 1883 a partnership was formed between the three men, and the two interests combined under the firm title of Combs, Blanchard, and O’Neil. The business…(grew) to such proportions that in order to own and operation their own quarries.…”
“W. W. Blanchard is a native of Maine, born in 1853. He attended school, learning his trade, and carried on a granite quarry in his native state, shipping dimension stone to Boston. In 1876 he sold out his business and came to California, working at his trade for a time in San Francisco and Oakland and came to San Jose and opened the granite, monument, and building-stone business in partnership with T. O’Neil, in 1878.
“In 1884 Mr. Blanchard married Miss Lulu K. Baker, daughter of Reverend G. R. Baker, a prominent Methodist clergyman, who was prominent in establishing the University of the Pacific.”
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