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Bio-Sawyers
SURNAMES: MYERS,  WELCH, HOWARD,

A worthy native son whose memory will long be cherished by a wide circle of friends who were indebted to him for something that made life more attractive and inspiring, was the late Albert H. Curtner, who was born on the Henry Curtner estate, at Warm Springs, in Alameda County, on October 7, 1878, next to the youngest son of Henry and Mary (Myers) Curtner, now also deceased—honored pioneers and citizens of California. The mother died when Albert was about five years old; he was of a studious disposition, and the preparatory work of his schooling was completed at Washington College, near Irvington, in his sixteenth year. At seventeen he entered Leland Stanford University. In time, he majored in higher mathematics and electrical engineer, and he became a student fellow. Then he took up the intensive study of economics and sociology; becoming deeply absorbed in his work.

On October 24, 1900, Mr. Curtner was married to Miss Amy E. Welch, the daughter of the late Lorenzo Welch, the farmer and honored pioneer of Contra Costa County. As a child of twelve years, he came out to California with his parents by way of the Isthmus of Panama, and when twenty-six years of age he was married to Miss Sarah Frances Howard, whose father had crossed the plains in 1850. She was born in California. Her father tried his luck in finding gold, and eventually he settled in the San Joaquin Valley, in Contra Costa County. Miss Amy was next to the youngest of her family, and she was attending the University at Palo Alto, and should have graduated with the class of '03 if she had not married. Five children blessed this happy union. Dorothy and Alberta are students at Mills College; Virginia, Evelyn and Albert H., Jr., are at home carrying on their school work. Mrs. Curtner and her family attend the Christian Church.

Mr. Curtner acquired by gift from his father a ranch and orchard near Sunnyvale, which was the family residence up to the time of his premature death; although he was temporarily living in Southern California when he died on March 17, 1915, failing health having led him to seek the higher altitude at Monrovia. He was always a Republican, but he never aspired to public office. Just before his death he sold the ranch, and now Mrs. Curtner lives at 75 South Thirteenth Street, San Jose, where she dispenses a generous hospitality.

Transcribed by  from Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County,California, published by Historic Record Co. , 1922.
page 1058
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