Santa Clara County CA Archives Obituaries.....Acton, John Edward December 27, 1986
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Carolyn Golowka http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00012.html#0002972 July 21, 2010, 10:03 pm


The Dispatch Monday December 29, 1986

Ex-Councilman Ed Acton Dies

Morgan Hill – Former City Councilman and Mayor J. Edward Acton died in Morgan Hill 
Saturday at the age of 91.
   A farmer all his life, Acton served on the Morgan Hill City Council for 11 years 
and served as mayor in 1952.  He was elected member of the Central Santa Clara County 
Water Conservation District and was a member of the board of directors of Morgan Hill 
Local Sunsweet Growers, Inc.
   Acton was a native of Lynd, Morgan Hill, and a resident of Morgan Hill since 1910.  
His family built the home which was moving a few years ago to a site on Peak Avenue 
adjacent to the civic center complex.  The Acton House was at one time planed as a 
city museum, and is now planed to be used for additional city hall offices.
   Acton was a member of Morgan Hill United Methodist Church, San Jose Scottish Rite, 
Morgan Hill Masonic Lodge, the Manzanita Chapter of Morgan Hill Eastern Star, the 
Diamond Walnut Growers Association, Associated Farmers, the California Farm Bureau, 
American Legion Post 444 and California State Grange.  He was also a veteran of 
World War 1.
   Acton is survived by his wife, Margaret Acton, of Morgan Hill; sons Edward M. Acton 
of Houston and Alan Acton of Morgan Hill; and a sister, Halcyon C. Glidewell of Oakland.
   Funeral services are set at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Morgan Hill United Methodist 
Church, with burial following at Mount Hope Cemetery in Morgan Hill under direction 
of Johnson Funeral Home.
   Donations can be mad to the Morgan Hill United Methodist Church.


Morgan Hill Times, December 30, 1986, Front Page
Ed Acton, Prominent Civic Leader, Dead at 91

   J. Edward Acton, 91 a member of a pioneer Morgan Hill family and civic
leader, died at home Saturday.
   Funeral services will be held today at the Morgan Hill United Methodist Church.
   Acton, an orchardist in the Morgan Hill area most of his life, played an
important part in the history of the city.
   A native of Lynd, Minn., he came to Morgan Hill at the age of 15 when his
parents Mr. and Mrs. John Acton settled here.  They joined John Acton’s
grandparents George and Mary Kimble who had come here in 1902.
   John Acton built the farm home at 170 Warren Avenue on Nob Hill in 1911 at a
cost of $2700.  The family home was donated in 1980 to the Morgan Hill
Historical Society and was moved to West Main Avenue where it is presently open
as a museum.
   During World War 1, Edward Acton Served with the American Expeditionary Force
and was stationed with the 158TH Field Hospital.
   He was appointed to the Morgan Hill City Council on October 19, 1949, to fill
a vacancy created by the resignation of Alden Barrett.
   Acton was named mayor in 1952, and resigned from council on August 24, 1955,
to be replaced by Forrest Alward.
   As an orchardist, he was elected to the Board of Directors, Morgan Hill Local
Sunsweet Growers Association, and was a member of Diamond Walnut Growers
Association.
   As a landowner in the Morgan Hill area, he sold eleven acres to the city for
the present Civic Center.  His arrangement with the city was over a number of
years and he would release an acre as 1/11 of the agreed price was paid.  
   After a few years, the city paid the balance on the note and built the
present City Hall, police station and the library.
   He was a member of the San Jose Scottish Rite, Morgan Hill Masonic Lodge, and
Manzanita Chapter Order of Eastern Star.
   He also was a member of the board member of the Central Santa Clara Water
Conservation District, which later became part of the Santa Clara Valley Water
district; Associated Farmers, Farm Bureau, California State Grange, and a life
member of the American Legion Post 444.
   He is survived by his wife, Margaret Acton of Morgan Hill; two sons Edward M.
Acton of Houston, TX and Alan Acton of Morgan Hill; and a sister Halcyon C.
Gladwell of Oakland.
   Funeral services will be held at the Morgan Hill United Church, 17175
Monterey Street, Tuesday at 11 a.m., under direction of Johnson Funeral Home. 
Interment will be in Mount Hope Cemetery.
   To honor his memory, contributions to the Morgan Hill United Methodist Church
will be appreciated.

Additional Comments:
John Edward Acton's grandparents were George and Mary Hatch Kimble.  They were
NOT John Acton's grandparents.  George and Mary Kimble did come to Morgan Hill
in about 1902 from Minnesota and are buried next to John Acton and his wife,
Charlotte Louise Kimble Acton.  John and Charlotte Acton followed her parents to
Morgan Hill by 1910 as they, along with John Edward and their daughter, Halcyon,
can be found in the Census at that time.  

The family home was relocated again to 17860 Monterey Street on the same
property as Villa Mira Monte, the home of H. Morgan & Diana Murphy Hill, and is
still the Historical Society's museum.  This information is accurate as of July
2010.

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