The Cupertino General Store

In 1890, the village of West Side, now

Cupertino, consisted of a blacksmith’s shop, a

community hall, a cooper’s shop, a doctor’s

office, the Union Church and a general-

merchandise store. The Cupertino General Store

was more than just a place to buy merchandise.

To the people of Cupertino it was the first Santa

Clara County library, post office, and social

center where one learned the latest about crops

and neighbors. Built by local architect Enoch

Parrish, the store was originally owned by Alex

Montgomery and later passed to James Dixon

and Arch Wilson. The store reflected the needs

of the small community, carrying everything

from candy to dynamite.

Visitors to the exhibit can enjoy seeing health

and beauty items, hair and grooming aids,

children’s toys, stationary supplies, and tools that

date from 1890 through the 1940s. Also on view

are pages from the old Sears catalogs, old letters,

postcards and war ration books. Kids can weigh

themselves on the old grocery scale and purchase

penny candies at the store counter.

Here’s what I found, with confidence levels separated.

1. Exact dates of the 1946 Cupertino Store remodeling

I found multiple sources confirming the remodeling happened in 1946, but I did not find a month/day or permit-level exact date in accessible online sources. The clearest account says the library collection had been housed in Arch Wilson’s Cupertino Union/Cupertino Store, and “when the store was remodeled in 1946, there was no longer any room for the library”; the community then lacked library service until the county bookmobile began in 1951. (Cupertino)

A Cupertino Historical Society newsletter gives the same sequence: Fanny Jollyman served as librarian until 1945, then there was a roughly five-year interruption “because of the remodeling of the Cupertino Store in 1946,” with bookmobile service beginning in 1951.

Best conclusion: confirmed year is 1946; exact remodeling dates still need a local newspaper, building permit, deed/sale record, or business-license record search.

2. Arch Wilson and United Prune Growers / prune pool

Arch Wilson’s involvement is confirmed at the founding/director level. A Vasona Branch local-history page says United Prune Growers was launched in San Francisco in August 1932, was active 1932–1934, and lists Arch Wilson of Cupertino among the founding directors, along with Douglas Chisholm, C. K. Schnabel, W. W. Lester, and Harry Pyle. (Vasona Branch)

A 1932 newspaper index result for “Prune Leaders Organize in San Francisco” likewise says the executive committee of the California prune pool included Arch Wilson, Cupertino. (CDNC)

Best conclusion: Wilson was definitely involved starting August 1932. The organization appears active through 1934, but I did not find a personal resignation date or evidence that Wilson remained involved after the cooperative’s active period.

3. Arch Wilson and James Dixon

Wilson and James Knox Polk Dixon were business-connected through the Cupertino/Union Store. A Cupertino city history article says Mrs. James Knox Polk Dixon began a private book club around 1900, and the books were later moved to the Union Store, co-owned by Mr. Dixon and Mr. Wilson. (Cupertino)

The store itself was an important Cupertino crossroads institution. A Cupertino Historical Society newsletter describes the first general store as the West Side Branch of the San Jose Home Union Store, later renamed the Cupertino Store, opened in 1892, and became the largest general store in Santa Clara Valley outside San Jose.

Best conclusion: Arch Wilson and James Dixon were co-owners/partners, or at least successive/overlapping proprietors, of the Cupertino/Union Store at the Crossroads.

4. James Dixon’s birth and death years

This is the part I would not treat as settled yet. Local-history snippets point to James Dixon dying suddenly in 1904, after which Arch Wilson reportedly became the major store owner. That fits the Cupertino Store narrative, but I only found it in a secondary/reposted local-history context rather than an original death record or obituary.

I also found conflicting same-name genealogy/probate leads for “James Knox Polk Dixon,” including possible dates like 1844–1933 and 1846–1910, plus a Santa Clara County probate/proceeding reference in 1933. Because those conflict with the Cupertino business-history lead, and because “James Knox Polk Dixon” may refer to more than one person, I would not publish a birth/death pair without confirming it against original records.

Best working lead: the Cupertino store-associated James Dixon may have died in 1904, but his birth year and definitive death year still need verification through an obituary, cemetery record, death certificate, or probate file.

5. Years Arch Wilson was involved with prune growers’ associations

The firmest date range I found is:

United Prune Growers / California prune pool: August 1932–1934, with Wilson listed as a founding director from Cupertino. (Vasona Branch)

I did not find evidence that Wilson was involved with later prune organizations such as the post-1952 California prune marketing order or the later California Prune Board. So the safe wording is: Arch Wilson is documented in prune-grower organizing in 1932, connected to United Prune Growers during its 1932–1934 active period.

6. Any house Wilson might have owned

I found a strong lead for a Wilson residence: a Cupertino Historical Society photo caption for “Crossroads, c. 1900” identifies, left to right, the Baer Blacksmith Shop, the Cupertino Store, and the Wilson home, with the interurban tracks running parallel to Stevens Creek Boulevard.

Best conclusion: there was a Wilson home at the Cupertino Crossroads near the Cupertino Store, visible in a c. 1900 historical photo. I would phrase this as “the Wilson home” or “a likely Arch Wilson residence,” but not as deed-confirmed ownership unless property records are found.

7. Did Arch Wilson have a family?

Yes, at least in the general sense. A 1909 reminiscence in a Cupertino Historical Society newsletter says Arch Wilson of the Cupertino Store would buy fireworks for his family for Fourth of July celebrations.

I did not find the names of his wife or children in the online sources I checked. The next place to verify that would be federal censuses, county directories, obituaries, cemetery records, and deeds tied to the Crossroads property.

Bottom line

The most defensible current summary is:

Arch Wilson was a Cupertino Crossroads storekeeper and co-owner/partner associated with James Knox Polk Dixon in the Union/Cupertino Store. The store housed the early library until a 1946 remodeling displaced it. Wilson later appears as a founding director of United Prune Growers / the California prune pool in August 1932, during an organization active from 1932 to 1934. A c. 1900 photo identifies a Wilson home beside the Cupertino Store, and a 1909 reminiscence confirms he had a family, though I did not find family members’ names. James Dixon’s exact birth/death years remain unresolved; the best local-history lead suggests a sudden death in 1904, but conflicting same-name records need primary-source verification.

Dear Alecia Thomas or current Collection Manager.

I am looking for information about Arch Wilson.

According to an article on USPS (https://about.usps.com/news/state-releases/ca/2013/ca_2013_0826.htm) dated August 26, 2013 

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CUPERTINO, CA — On Thursday, August 29, 2013, Phyllis Goff will follow a proud tradition dating back to 1882 when Arch Wilson served as the first Cupertino Postmaster.

Arch Wilson appears to be appointed Postmaster in 1882, which suggests his birth was around maybe 1860?

Then there's  WEST SIDE STORY By Ralph Rambo Louis Stocklmelr

  The story of early West Side would be incomplete without detailed mention of one of WestSide's early citizens, Alexander Montgomery (1865). Mrs. Pauline Grove Wilson, wife of Arch Wilson, nephew of Alex Montgo mery, tells of some of the early details of her husband's uncle.

  He smoked Dills Best in his pipe and Warner Wilson, Alex's nephew's son, in later years, used them for his school lunch pails.

Mr. Montgomery -was a most generous man, both to individuals deser-ving help or to community needs. He gave about one acre each of ground for the H. V. A. Hall and for the Protestant Church and the Catholic Church. He died in 1922 at the age of 86. Alex Montgomery could well be called "Mr. West Side, " as his able nephew successor, the late Arch Wil son, -was called "Mr. Cupertino. " The O. W. Groves arrived in Cupertino in 1901, and their orchard home was on Stelling Road—Pepper Lane is a part of their subdivided property. 

Cupertino in 1898 boasted only the West Side Store and Post Office on the S. W. corner of Stevens Creek Road and Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road. Alex Montgomery's first home was in the rear of same, as -was also the 1878 Blacksmith shop of Dan Sutherland. William Baer's blacksmith shop and home were directly across Stevens Creek Road on the N. W. corner of Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road. With the adjacent Union Church Parish and H. V. A. Hall, this -was West Side, and these were the only buildings at "The Corners." Alex Montgomery was materially helpful to all of them except for the Baer blacksmith shop. 

Arch Wilson became postmaster in 1904 and was manager of the Cupertino Store in its two locations for 42 years. As one of his post office duties in early days prior to 1905, Arch drove to Santa Clara for the mail was delivered via high-speed interurban electric cars to the Cupertino Post Office from San Jose. One of the most important aids in development of this later and larger Cupertino District was advent of the Peninsular Interurban Railroad. In fact, during the life of this transportation company (about 24 years), the entire Valley enjoyed efficient high-speed public transportation, far superior to our present-day facilities.     

Anyway, if you know of a biography for Arch Wilson which includes his approximate birth and death dates, and the houses where he lived, please let me know. Or, if you know who might have this information.

Thanks in advance,

Stephen Pasos

Graduate of Arch Wilson Elementary School, 1969

 

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Email the Cupertino Historical Society & Museum directly (cupertino_manager@sccl.org or via cupertinomuseum.org) — Alecia Thomas, their Collection Manager, has clearly researched and written detailed pieces (like the library and R. Cali & Bro histories) and could likely pull Wilson's dates and the Jollyman naming record from their files.