Backdrop of Transformation

In the 1850s, expanses of willow trees and yellow-laced wilderness of wild mustard blanketed much of the San Jose area, yet pioneering transformation had already begun across this hinterland. San Jose was incorporated at the same time California became a state — both in 1850, and significant building efforts were well underway with hotels, stores, factories, elementary schools and colleges. This included what was then Santa Clara College — signaling the promise of what was to come.

An agricultural bonanza began to emerge as farmers saw the area’s rich soil yield a cornucopia of crops, including apples, pears, potatoes, tomatoes, wheat and barley, with fruit orchards and vineyards lining the landscape. Along with the physical changes came social shifts. The rowdiness and transitory spirit of pre- incorporation years were giving way to order, stability and a sense of permanency: San Jose was becoming a true city, with its reputation as a mercantile center. Churches were flourishing amid the commerce, and farmers and their families were fanning out all across the Valley. Among the families establishing roots here were the Nicholsons.

Settling and investing in the region early

The family history in the Valley dates back to 1857 when the first members of the Nicholson paternal side arrived in California and finally acquired acreage in Alviso (north San Jose) in 1868. This land was known to the family as “the Ranch,” and over the years, it served a variety of functions from a cattle ranch to a pear orchard.

The second, Bay Area-born generation were Ruth Russell Nicholson and Wilmot (Bill) Joseph Nicholson, who were born in 1914 in Seabright (now Santa Cruz) and Alviso, respectively. They met in Capitola in 1931 and married in 1937. Both attended local Bay Area schools: Bill attended Bellarmine College Preparatory and later Santa Clara University while Ruth graduated from San Jose State University.

Ruth and Bill had six children. After a short stint prior to World War II living in Panama with the two eldest, the family settled in Santa Clara and later moved to Los Gatos. Sadly, two of their children have since passed away.

Through his construction business, the W.J. Nicholson Co. (later Nicholson-Brown Inc.), Bill created a legacy throughout the Valley with hundreds of civic and community buildings, which included churches, schools, industrial parks, Mission College, a San Jose police administration building, Milpitas City Hall and buildings for the Valley Transportation Authority and West Valley College.

Bill played an integral part in assisting the cities of Santa Clara and San Jose swap land to make room for a runway extension of the San Jose airport. And while he had always cherished working on the family Ranch, the land was eventually leased as a mobile home park, following a pear blight in the ‘70s.

Establishing a Tradition of Volunteering and Paying it forward

Ruth and Bill instilled in their family both a robust work ethic and an appreciation for the Bay Area and its diverse communities.

That has manifested itself in a commitment to service as all members of the Nicholson family have been prominent philanthropists in the region. Bill’s father volunteered at Alviso Grammar School as a clerk, and Ruth’s dad was an early board member of Sempervirens with a mission to save redwood trees through the formation of Big Basin Park.

Ruth was an active volunteer in the PTA, her church and the San Jose Auxiliary to Children’s Hospital at Stanford, and also served as a volunteer driver for the American Cancer Society.

Bill was involved with numerous nonprofits and educational institutions and as a public servant. Among the groups he served were:

• Santa Clara University, where he served on the Board of Regents, taught construction management in the school of engineering for 20 years and was the acting head of the Civil Engineering Department. The university honored him with the prestigious Ignatian Award for service to humanity.

• City of Santa Clara, where he served as a member of the Planning Commission and City Council and as Mayor.

• West Valley Joint Community College District, which he helped found and where he became the first president.

• Rotary Club of Santa Clara, where he actively contributed as a member and president.

• Boy Scout Council, Goodwill of Silicon Valley, California Institute for Medical Research and Lakeside School District in Los Gatos, where he held a wide variety of board leadership positions over the years.

Their example led to a legacy of volunteering and contributing, and the Nicholson children followed in their footsteps, collectively launching and serving as active volunteers in numerous Bay Area organizations, including:

• Santa Clara University (Board of Regents and Board of Fellows)

• George Mark Children’s House, the first free-standing pediatric hospice in the U.S. founded by a Nicholson daughter and dedicated to her deceased brothers

• United Way

• Rotary Club of Santa Clara

• Hope Rehabilitation Services

• Triton Museum of Art

• de Saisset Museum at Santa Clara University

The Nicholson Family Foundation

While serving in a multitude of capacities, the family is also widely recognized for The Nicholson Family Foundation, founded by a Nicholson son, which currently has three generations of Nicholsons on its board.

Since its inception in 1996, TNFF has supported a range of nonprofits throughout the entire Bay Area, championing organizations that create opportunities for underserved youth in arts, education and social services. Funding has been provided to more than 180 organizations in the San Francisco and Monterey Bay regions, many of which, even if not located in Santa Clara County, service Santa Clara County residents. The Santa Clara County-based nonprofits supported by TNFF include:

Contact Us:

info@thenicholsonranch.com