Written By Elizabeth Barrett

Photo Courtesy of Gilroy Museum

His 1853 arrival was not Thomas Rea ’ s first trip to California . Along with multitudes of other Forty Niners , he had headed West in 1850 , first arriving in San Francisco . For the following two years , he worked in the Sierra gold fields before returning via the Isthmus of Panama to Illinois , where he married Mary Ann Jones

At first , the Reas settled west of town on the Solis Rancho , where Thomas soon took up farming . In 1857 , he began to purchase portions of the Las Animas Rancho , starting with a 160-acre parcel . Over time , he expanded his acquisitions of the historic rancho to nearly 1000 acres .

During this period , the railroad line was being completed south from San Jose . Rea served on the celebration committee that welcomed the first passenger cars to Gilroy . Many dignitaries gathered for the event at the newly- constructed depot , including Santa Clara County officials , the City Councils of San Jose and San Francisco , and regional newspaper reporters assigned to cover the historic event .

Besides farming , Thomas became a successful dairyman , as referenced in a December , 1868 Gilroy Advocate article , which noted that his ranch “ produced excellent butter .” By this time , Gilroy had become known as the dairy and cheese making capital of California . Eventually , Thomas ’ s son James took over the family dairy , and the Reas moved into town , occupying an impressive home that sat on the corner of Sixth and Alexander Streets .

After deciding to go into politics , Thomas threw his hat into the local ring , beginning with terms on the Gilroy City Council from 1872-1876 . He went on to serve in the California State Assembly from 1873-1874 . He was then elected Gilroy Mayor , serving from 1886-88 .

Samuel Rea , Thomas ’ s younger brother , had come to California in 1852 . He worked at the mines in Downieville until 1859 , when he moved to Santa Clara County . Besides operating the dairy and cheese making business with brother Thomas , Samuel raised stock and bred horses . Like Thomas , Samuel also ran for public office , becoming County Supervisor , First District , from 1876-79 . An 1881 biographical sketch noted “ Mr . Samuel Rea owes his success in life entirely to his own unaided efforts and is now one of the thrifty farmers of the Gilroy Township , that locality of truly excellent agriculturalists .” Samuel lived on his ranch south of town until 1899 , when he moved to San Jose .

Pioneer Thomas Rea ’ s family extended across the Gilroy generations . Thomas and Mary Anne had two sons and five daughters plus an adopted daughter . They were : James ( 1854 ), Addie ( 1855 ), Emma ( 1857 ), twins Clara and Carrie ( 1858 ), and George ( 1862 ). Their adopted daughter , Mary , was born in 1850 . Daughter Clara married William Jacob Hanna and their children were Samuel , Thomas Rea and Walter Jacob Hanna . Clara ’ s twin sister Carrie never married but was prominent in Gilroy society . Other Rea children married into the pioneer Pyle ( Mary ), Strange ( Addie ), and Loupe ( Emma ) families .

Thomas and Mary Anne ’ s youngest child , George , followed the family tradition and went into dairying . He married Mary Lee Tully , the daughter of Congressman P . B . Tully . Always the entrepreneur , he founded a mercantile business in Gilroy and later partnered with George Dunlap in running the 20,000-acre Coyote Cattle Company . He also operated a meat market in Gilroy and in 1902 was an incorporating member of the South Santa Clara Fruit Drying Co . George served on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors from 1895-1907 . Following his father ’ s death , he became president of the Thomas Rea Real Estate Company .

The Rea Building , once a prominent

GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2017 gmhtoday . com

Bronze Statue on Monterey Street in downtown Gilroy depicts “ The Handshake ” between Banker Thomas Rea and Landowner , Electa R . Ousley in 1872 , a symbol of “ A Community Partnership .”

feature at the corner of Monterey and Fifth Streets , was one of the family ’ s real estate developments . The structure had been built with 300,000 bricks and the best quality redwood from the Hanna Mill at Mt . Madonna . The upstairs portion of the building became the first Gilroy Private Hospital , founded in 1898 by Dr . Jonas Clark .

Besides housing the former Gilroy Private Hospital on its upper floor , the downstairs held a onetime popular department store , the Henry Hecker Company , later known as the Roth-Winans store . The landmark building was demolished in 1936 . When the Rea building was torn down , wreckers found an old brass and cast iron gas light fixture in the walls , and a roll of 24 inch wide Irish linen , left from the store ’ s early mercantile days .

Thomas and Mary Anne Rea are buried in the family plot at Gavilan Hills Cemetery in Gilroy . The City of Gilroy memorialized Thomas Rea and his contributions to the community with both a street named in his honor and a statue of him , shaking hands with pioneer Electa Ousley , located on Monterey Street .

49