Jones, Herbert C. (Herbert Chilion), 1836-1923

Biographical Note

Herbert C. Jones was born in Oskaloosa, Iowa. He moved to San Jose as a child and spent his grammar school and high school education in San Jose. He spent his university education at Stanford University. He was a lawyer, State Senator, civic leader, church treasurer and conservationist. Herbert C. Jones was a lawyer and State Senator from 1913 to 1934. Senator Jones was a pioneer in Santa Clara County devoted to the well being of a rapidly growing population and industry in the Santa Clara Valley. He graduated in 1902 with a Bachelors degree and in 1904 he graduated from the Stanford school of Law. After graduating from law school Senator Jones spent a short period of time working in the County Clerks Office for Santa Clara County. He later established his law firm in downtown San Jose.

Senator Jones, during his 22 years as State Senator, worked very hard to secure water for Santa Clara County; to save the local redwoods and establish state parks; and to improve the education system of California. He was an active conservationist and served as president of the Sempervirens Club of California. Jones secured the appropriations for two new roads into Big Basin State Park. These are the roads we use today. One travels into Big Basin from Saratoga Summit and the other is the coast road into Santa Cruz. Senator Jones also was able to add 1200 acres of additional park land to Big Basin State Park He actively worked with conservation groups for the acquisition of the Butano Forest as a state park. Senator Jones worked on a legislative special committee that studied the state school system. Three important recommendations came out of this study; the need to convert the old normal schools into state colleges, set up a state junior college system, and the need to consolidate all California elementary school districts.

Senator Jones pioneered two sanitary districts; College Park Sanitary District and the Agnew Sanitary District. The College Park Sanitary District provided the sewage disposal for the region from Hanchett Park to the Santa Clara City limits prior to this region’s incorporation into San Jose. Senator Jones’ law firm was the legal advisers for the Agnew Sanitary District. He also introduced and secured the passage of legislation for the Sanitary Commission to have jurisdiction of the fresh water streams of the state. After his first congressional term in 1913 he participated in the delegation which viewed and later purchased the land which became Coyote Reservoir. The land was purchased from the Spring Valley Water Company. Senator Jones knew that Coyote Creek was a very large producer of water for the valley. During the 1921 and 1923 legislative sessions Senator Jones introduced two bills for proposed water districts in Santa Clara County. In the 1929 legislative session the water Act was ratified by the voters and the Santa Clara Valley Water Conservation District was organized. For more than a quarter of a century Senator Jones was the lawyer for the water district. Senator Jones knew the second largest producer of water in the valley was Los Gatos Creek. He advocated that the creek be dammed for water storage. In 1933 he laid the ground work for the Lexington Reservoir project. After 14 years of campaigning within the legislature an appropriation of $2,475,000 was passed for the project. Senator Jones did not stop here. He saw that in order to build the new Lexington dam the highway would need to be rerouted. He handled the correspondence by the Santa Clara Valley Water District with Public Works Department of California, the State Highway Commission, and the Engineer of Division IV. Senator Jones pointed out that the railroad would loose its freight and passenger business to the personal automobile once the new highway was rerouted through Los Gatos Canyon. He was able to convince the Legislature in 1947 that the highway authorities did not head this warning. This in turn decided the State to bear the entire expense of the new highway.

Senator Jones also worked with other water districts. He was the lawyer for the Pacheco Pass Water District which had a dam on the north fork of Pacheco Creek in Hollister. With the help of two colleagues, Bruce P. Griswold and Albert T. Henley, Senator Jones organized the Milpitas Water District which uses the Hetch Hetchy pipe line. As a member of the Citizens Committee he helped to establish the "Tri-County Water Authority", which includes Santa Clara, Alameda, and San Benito counties. On November 6, 1928 the new "riparian law" was enacted. Senator Jones participated in the development of this new constitutional law changing the water law of California. This new amendment restricts the right to water to reasonable use and by reasonable methods.

Between 1921 and 1931 Senator Jones participated in the Central Valley Project. In time, a constitutional amendment to the Central Valley Act was passed, introduced by Senator Jones and others, requiring the construction of a transmission line for the increase of power from Shasta Reservoir to Antioch. Senator Jones campaigned very hard for this line throughout the entire State. Then in 1927, as a member of a special committee of the legislature, Senator Jones with the other committee members saved the Folsom site from sale to a private utility company based on the invalidity of the 1925 legislation supporting this sale. In 1948 Senator Jones, representing Santa Clara County, appeared before a congressional committee on the development of the American River. The American River Development was passed and Senator Jones became one of the directors on the American River Development League. To increase local water sources Senator Jones, ever alert to the need of obtaining outside water, solved the needs in Milpitas by purchasing the Milpitas County Water District of Hetch Hetchy water.

Senator Jones was vigilant in securing outside water for Santa Clara County. He laid the foundation for all the local water districts. But, he felt that with the rapid growth of Santa Clara Valley that search for outside water sources must be maintained. In 1957 Jones advocated that the north coast water sources of the Smith, Klamath, Trinity, Eel, Mad River, Van Dusen and Russian Rivers be looked into as possible sources of water. Not all of his attempts to secure water for Santa Clara County were successes. He advocated the purchase of Calaveras Reservoir by Santa Clara Water Conservation District from San Francisco Water Authority. This sale was refused. He strongly advocated that the North District and South District work together on the construction of Uvas Dam. His plan was for North District to pay sixty percent of the cost and receive sixty percent of the water. This also failed when South District withdrew its offer.

Senator Jones was very active in his community. He was on the Board of Trustees for Hester Grammar School on The Alameda. He successfully led the movement for the assessment district which provided the underpass in front of the school for the protection of school children and pedestrians. In 1912 Jones was the chairman of the Executive Committee of the YMCA and campaigned for the then new building. In the 1950’s he was on the Board of Trustees and the Board of Directors for the YMCA and campaigned for the present building on The Alameda between Naglee and Emory Streets. Jones also served as the president of the Santa Clara Bar Association and on the Board of Governors of the State Bar. He also served as president of the Board of Trustees of the Agnew State Hospital.

Senator Jones was very interested in historical events. He had varied interests in history ranging from General Custer to the First State Legislature of California. He worked with the San Jose Landmarks Association. He was an active member of the Pioneers Club of Santa Clara County and the California Historical Society. Senator Jones was also very active in his church, the First Congregational Church of San Jose and later the Church of the Valley. He served as church treasurer and legal advisor.

From the guide to the Herbert C. Jones Collection, 1902-1969, (Sourisseau Academy for State and Local History)