Pheobe Hearst & Laurel Glen

Henry met Ruth while he was working for Phoebe Hearst at Hacienda del Pozo. Ruth was at home and Edith (Ruth's sister) was working at the Hearst estate, where Henry was the horticulturalist. Edie and Henry became aquainted and he was invited to the Chamberlain home on that account. There he met Ruth. Ruthalee, Ruth's daughter, remembers the story, "Since Papa and Aunt Edie were fairly opinionated, things eventually began to move in Mama's direction. Mama may have been home because she had become ill and had to leave nursing school."

Phoebe Hearst was famous for being William Randolph Hearst's mother, but had wealth and position in her own right: she was the first woman regent of UC Berekely and one of its most generous benefactors

Not long after they met, Henry and Ruth were married in December of 1916. Henry was 53 and Ruth was 27. Ruth was often sick and, as Ruthalee recalls, "Papa said he married her to make her well." They moved to Laurel Glen to take over management of the Fruit Farm. By this time Isaac (Henry's father) was old and well advanced in years. Henry took over to support his father as well as his new bride.

The old San Jose/Soquel Road that passed by Laurel Glen Fruit Farm

The east side of the main house of Laurel Glen, Henry in the wagon

The root cellar used to grow mushrooms and store perishable goods

The grape lattice next to the main house

Henry taking a nap on the veranda of the main house, surrounded by plants he had collected from Mexico and elsewhere

Ruthalee speculates that moving to the relatively isolated Laurel Glen Farm may have spared Ruth's life from the flu epidemic of 1919. Ironically, it was that epidemic that claimed the life of Phoebe Hearst.