Sheriff George Y. Bollinger

George Y. Bollinger became our thirteenth Sheriff on January 2,1893, serving a single two year term. George's father Christian, whom Bollinger Road is named after, came to California in 1852. The Bollinger's purchased large tracks of land in San Mateo County. Eventually the family ranch was sold to the Spring Valley Water Company, who built the Crystal Spring lakes.

Sheriff Bollinger became the first Sheriff of Santa Clara County born in the State of California. He was born in San Mateo County on October 13, 1856, and graduated from Redwood City High School. When George was 18 years old, he was arrested in San Jose for disorderly conduct. According to the San Jose Weekly Mercury, dated May 14, 1874, George was arrested for driving a carriage down Santa Clara Street while intoxicated, and spent the night in the city jail. On the 22nd of April, 1877, George married Hattie Parks of San Jose; they were married for 44 years.

From 1884 to 1887, he ran a livery stable in Hollister, later returning to his ranch on Bollinger Road in San Jose where he raised high grade cattle and racing horses. In the November 1892 election, Bollinger ran for sheriff on the Democratic ticket, beating 3 other candidates. In June 1894, near the end of his term as Sheriff, Santa Clara County was hit hard by a general railroad strike. The railroad workers, acting in sympathy with the eastern railroad men, paralyzed the state. The fruit growers in the valley were hit particularly hard because their crops were ready for shipment. They were unable to get their harvest to the markets. Sheriff Bollinger took the matter into his own hands and used 70 Deputized Officers to enter the train yards to break up the strike. He even drove the first engine, carrying fruit from the San Jose yard.

After leaving office in January 1895, he retired and returned back to his ranch where he died on June 11, 1921 at the age of 64 years.

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Sources:
Newspapers;
The San Jose Weekly Mercury, May 14,1874
The San Jose Weekly Mercury, April 26,1877
The San Jose Daily Mercury, November 10,1892
The San Jose Daily Mercury, July 2,1894
The San Jose Mercury Herald, June 12,1921