USA > California > Alameda County > History of Alameda County, California. Volume II > Part 37
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After a year of practical idleness Mr. Doty decided it was time to go back to the white man's country. Proceeding to Honolulu, he soon took a ship bound for the western coast of America and obtained a job on a well rig at Point Rich- mond, drilling water wells for the Standard Oil Company. When that work was finished he went to San Francisco and joined the Cement Workers Union, be- ing employed on most of the large buildings that were constructed in that city before the earthquake and fire of 1906, including the St. Francis, Flood, Grant, Monadnock and Fairmont Hotels, the American Theater, the Hale Brothers build- ing and many others. There were only two firms that did that class of work in San Francisco at that time and Mr. Doty was in good standing with both, so that he always had employment. Just prior to the earthquake he was working for the
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Robeling Construction company on the new wing of the St. Francis Hotel and while lying flat on the floor trying to drive a spike in the concrete in an opening in the floor he slipped into the hole and fell twenty-two feet. He was taken to the Emergency Hospital where it was found that he had a broken arm, a frac- tured skull and internal injuries. The attending physician said that it was no use to try to do anything for him, for he would not live until morning, but in the morning with a little help he got dressed and proceeded to the office of Dr. Wilson, who was a real man and took him in charge, saying: "You have had a bad crack on the head and may drop dead at any moment, but I am going to take you home and you must be kept quiet." Mr. Doty's arm was swollen so badly that it could not be set but the Doctor bandaged it, made him as comfortable as possible and then left him to return to his office. Then occurred the great earthquake. Dr. Wilson visited Mr. Doty, saying: "Ed, don't get burned up. Stay in bed as long as you can and I will come and see you when I can. I have got to look out for my family, as the fire is coming my way." The family with whom Mr. Doty was staying went to the beach and wanted him to go also, but he said: "There is no hurry until the fire gets near." He had them put the sanitary couch that had cas- tors on it in the street and while lying on it he watched the sights. In the after- noon some of his friends who had been burned out came along and prevailed upon him to go to the Presidio. It was a blistering hot day but they dragged that couch with all of the things which they had saved from their burning homes on it out to the camp. During the night the fire was put under control, stopping about a block from where Mr. Doty lived. During all that time he was almost crazed with his broken arm, and the heat and excitement. Only those who were in San Francisco then know what the people had to endure. All of the cooking had to be done in the streets. They were congratulating themselves that the rains were over when occurred the worst rain that they had had all winter. It was three days before things were straightened out so that they could get regular food. The Doctor finally located Mr. Doty, got him back to bed, set and bandaged the arm, and in the course of time it was apparently as good as ever. The first work he did was on the "Little St. Francis" which was built in the park to house the guests while the main hotel was being rebuilt.
About this time Mr. Doty became engaged to a Miss Watlington, who was liv- ing with her brother at No. 72 Madison street in Oakland. The brother, A. L. Watlington, was sent to the Philippines as postmaster and established the post office and mail routes there following the Spanish-American war. During the summer months, as reconstruction work was carried on in San Francisco, Mr. Doty had charge of the cement work for the John Ourish Company and erected a large number of brick buildings. On September of that year he wedded Miss Lizzie Watlington, who was the youngest of a family of four sons and two daughters, the family coming from Madison, Indiana. Since his marriage Mr. Doty has lived in Oakland. In April, 1919, he moved into the cottage which he had built at No. 2487 Twenty-sixth avenue and in which he still resides. Their first child, a daughter, died at birth. The second, Abraham Richard, was born June 11, 1908, completed the work of the Manzaneta school and the Hamilton ju- nior high school and was graduated from the Roosevelt high school. For a year lie was associated with his father in the cement business and then took an engin-
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eering course in the University of California. He is now president of the Roose- velt High School Alumni Association of six hundred members and he is also a member of the DeMolays and the Native Sons of the Golden West. When twelve years of age he became a Boy Scout, won rank as an Eagle Scout and is still a junior scout master. The Eagle badge was conferred upon him by the Court of Honor, this being the highest class reached in that most wonderful organization- the Boy Scouts of America.
Mr. Doty has been a member of the Oakland Builders Exchange for twelve years. He is up-to-date in his technical methods, permits nothing but the best of work to be done under his contracts, and has gained a well earned reputation for his honorable dealing and his sound business principles, for which reason he com- mands the respect of all who deal with him.
JOHN ROSE COELHO
John R. Coelho, living in the vicinity of San Lorenzo, is numbered among the successful and well-to-do farmers of Alameda county, and owes his prosperity to his persistent industry, wise economy and sound business judgment, so that his record has earned for him the unqaulified respect of his fellowmen. Mr. Coelho was born on the island of Pico, in the Azores, and is a son of Matthias Rose and Mary Joaquin (Peters) Coelho, both of whom are deceased, the father dying when sixty-eight years old and the mother at the advanced age of ninety-nine years. The Coelho family had lived in the Azores for several generations and the father was the owner of a small farm. Three of his sons, Manuel, Joe and Alexander, came to the United States and, having found conditions here to their liking, were followed in 1873 by their parents and the rest of the children, three sons and two daughters, including John R. They settled first on a farm at San Lorenzo, where they re- mained about one year, and then moved to Milpitas, Santa Clara county, where they lived six years, after which they returned and bought the farm on which John R. now lives, located two miles southeast of San Leandro. This was grain land, besides which they rented two hundred and seventy-five acres of land one mile north of Milpitas.
John R. Coelho worked on his father's farm and there learned to drive teams of two, four and six horses, becoming thoroughly familiar with the details of modern farming, his principal products being grain, hay and peas. He never had an opportunity to attend school, but he was a keen observer and has acquired a large fund of accurate information on a wide range of subjects. During the years he applied his efforts closely to his farming operations, in which success crowned his efforts, and in 1926 he sold fifty-two acres of his land south of San Lorenzo for one hundred and four thousand dollars, it being bought by Pelton & Faustina for subdivision purposes and is now known as Junction City. Since then Mr. Coelho has bought two ranches, one of one hundred eighty-seven and a half acres, a mile and three-quarters north of Milpitas, Santa Clara county, and one of thirty-one and a half acres at Warm Springs, the latter being largely planted to prunes. He is still the owner of twenty-eight acres of good land on East Fourteenth street, at
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Junction City. In 1926 Mr. Coelho remodeled his residence, in which he installed all modern conveniences, and now has a comfortable and attractive home, in which the spirit of hospitality and good cheer is always in evidence.
On September 22, 1902, at San Pablo, Contra Costa county, Mr. Coelho was united in marriage to Miss Annie Pementel, who was born on Pico island, Azores, and is a daughter of Joaquin and Mary Pementel, and sister of Rev. Pementel. ordained in the United States, now a missionary in Brazil. The mother died in her native homeland and the father's death occurred in 1912, at the age of ninety-seven years. Mr. and Mrs. Coelho have six children, John R., Jr., Ralph R., Cosmos R., Matthew R., Annie and Mamie. Denied the opportunity of an education himself, Mr. Coelho has been anxious for his children to get a proper start in life and they all have received high school and college training. All the members of the family belong to the Roman Catholic church, and they stand consistently for all that is best in the life of their community. Mr. Coelho has set a worthy example in the way of right living and is held in high esteem in this locality, while among his associates he is extremely popular.
CHARLES A. BRUCE
Charles A. Bruce, who for nearly forty years has been engaged in general contracting in and around Pleasanton, has done much work that has directly con- tributed to the development of the eastern end of Alameda county, and all of his business affairs have been conducted in a manner that has gained for him an en- viable place in public confidence. Mr. Bruce was born in San Francisco, California, on the 30th of December, 1868, and is a son of one of this state's early pioneer miners, who came here from Salem, Massachusetts. He received the advantage of a good public school education and at the age of seventeen years began to learn the carpenter trade, working in Sunol, Vallejo and Oakland. In 1891 he came to Pleasanton and engaged in building and contracting on his own account, in which he has been distinctively successful. Among the many important contracts which he has handled may be mentioned the First National Bank building, the Bank of Pleasanton building, Pleasanton City Hall, the Fuse Works at Livermore and many fine residences in Pleasanton, and the California Rock plant and the school at Sunol. In early days hops were extensively raised in this valley and Mr. Bruce built a number of hop houses, some of which were the largest in the world. He has also done some heavy construction work, including the Spring Valley Water Com- pany's reservoir at Niles, a concrete flume through the valley, and tunnels and a dam in Calaveras county. He is well equipped for any kind of construction work and all of his contracts have been completed to the entire satisfaction of all concerned.
Mr. Bruce was united in marriage to Miss Laura H. MacDougall and to them have been born three children, C. Allan and R. A., who are associated with their father in business, and Charles A., Jr. Though his business makes heavy demands on his time, Mr. Bruce has never neglected his obligations of citizenship and has consistently supported every cause which has been advanced for the betterment of
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the community in any way. His ability and public spirit received deserved recog- ยท nition in his appointment to fill an unexpired term and he was then elected to the office of mayor of Pleasanton, retiring recently at the end of his term. During his administration many important improvements were completed, including three- quarters of a mile of street paving through the center of the city. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Native Sons of the Golden West and his religious connection is with the Presbyterian church, of which he is a trustee. He is widely acquainted throughout the valley, and has proven worthy of the confidence and respect which are accorded him by his fellowmen.
ERNEST E. HUNT
Ernest E. (Bud) Hunt, of Oakland, has set a worthy example for young men who are hesitating in taking up life's battles, for from the age of sixteen years his course has been marked by hard work and persistent industry, directed by right principles, and today he is numbered among the most successful men in his line of business in northern California. He was born near the "Borax" Smith tract, in the vicinity of Oakland, on the 25th of May, 1887, and is a son of Ernest E. and Ethel C. (Tripp) Hunt. His father was born in England and at the age of five years was brought to this country by his parents, who located in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1876 he came to California, secured his education in the public schools of Oakland and became a pioneer settler in the Fruitvale district, where he took an active part in public affairs, having served for a number of years as a member of the board of school trustees, during which period he erected a school- house. He later served for a number of years as a collector for the water com- pany. After coming to Alameda county he met his future wife, who was born in New York state and came to California in her girlhood with her father. She is still living in Fruitvale but Mr. Hunt died in 1904.
Ernest E. Hunt secured his education in the public schools of Fruitvale and when sixteen years of age, because of the death of his father, was compelled to take upon himself the support of the family, consisting of his mother and seven children. For six years he worked for the water company, after which he engaged in the real estate business for two years. He then entered the office of the county assessor, where he was employed for ten years, after which he was appointed district manager for the Woodmen of the World, in which capacity he served for five years. For the past five years he has been district manager for the Mutual Benefit Health and Accident Association, having supervision over Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito counties. In this work he has been more than ordinarily successful and has built up the largest business in health and accident insurance in the northern part of the state, due to his ener- getic, persistant and progressive methods.
Mr. Hunt was united in marriage to Miss Virginia H. Wilson, who was born and reared in Alameda county, and is a member of San Leandro Parlor, N. D. G. W. By a former marriage, Mr. Hunt is the father of two children, Ernest E., Jr., and Maxine M. He is a stanch republican in his political alignment, and is a
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member of all branches of masonry, also the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the Woodmen of the World, and Fruitvale Parlor, N. S. G. W., of which he was one of the organizers and was its first secretary. He gives close attention to his business affairs, but always finds time to work for Oakland and Alameda county, in the progress and development of which he takes a justifiable pride. By a life consistent in motive and action he has earned the confidence and respect of his fellowmen and is regarded as one of Oakland's worthy and dependable citizens.
FREDRICK CHARLES STEINER
Fredrick Charles Steiner, one of the most successful poultrymen in the Castro valley, has a well improved ranch on Woods street, Hayward, where he has devel- oped a very prosperous and profitable business. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on the 24th of April, 1886, he is a son of Joseph Adam and Frances (Brecht) Steiner, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania. The father was long engaged in the sodawater and soft drink business, which he conducted to the time of his death, which occurred in June, 1910, at the age of forty-eight years. The mother died there in February, 1910, at the age of forty-four years.
Fredrick C. Steiner spent his boyhood days in Pittsburgh, where he attended the public school, after which he was employed in his father's sodawater plant, of which he took charge after his father's death, and also cared for the family for about three years. In 1913 he sold the business and came to California, locat- ing in Richmond, where he was employed by the Standard Oil Company for two years. He then came to Hayward and bought his present place on Woods avenue, overlooking the town and valley, and here he has since been engaged in the poultry business. He has made many substantial improvements on the property, including all of the poultry houses, and now has one of the best equipped chicken farms in the Hayward district. He keeps Single Comb White Leghorn stock, in the handling of which he is more than ordinarily successful, and now has about two thousand laying hens. He hatches about forty thousand chicks a year, which he ships throughout the western country, as well as many to farther eastern points, and he also sells many hatching eggs. He utilizes both electricity and gas for his brooders and incubators, and owing to the purity of his stock, his chicks are strong and healthy, receiving the best care and attention to the time they are shipped. All of his hens are trap nested, and he runs the business on a scientific basis, keeping accurate records of all eggs laid and chickens hatched.
In 1910, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Mr. Steiner was united in marriage to Miss Mary Weyand, who was born and reared in Pennsylvania and is a daughter of John Joseph and Susie (Snyder) Weyand, both of whom were natives of Germany, whence they came to this country in young manhood and womanhood, and were married here. Her father was long employed as a roller in the steel mills, which line of work he followed until his death in 1910. He is survived by his widow, who now makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Steiner, in Hayward. Mr. and Mrs. Steiner have three children, Fredrick Charles and Mary and Harold George, who are attending the Hayward schools. Mr. Steiner is a member of the
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Woodmen of the World and the Hayward Rotary Club. He has applied his efforts closely to the development of his business, in which he has earned a high reputation, and he stands among Hayward's most progressive and enterprising citizens, com- manding the respect of his fellowmen.
JAMES DALZIEL
James Dalziel, president of the Dalziel-Moller Company, a wholesale plumbers' supply house at 1666 Mission street, San Francisco, is a son of Robert and Agnes Dalziel, both of whom were natives of Paisley, Scotland, where they were reared and married. In 1852 they came to California, locating in Sacramento, where the father was a pioneer merchant and later he became a pioneer business man of Oakland, where he conducted a successful plumbing business. The Dalziel building in Oakland is named for this family, having been erected by the sons.
James Dalziel was reared and educated in this state and for many years has been prominently identified with business affairs. For some time he was vice presi- dent of the Liberty Bank of San Leandro and is now vice chairman of the advisory board of the Bank of Italy at San Leandro. In 1910 he bought the site of his present home at 1490 Foothill boulevard, San Leandro, and in 1913 erected the commodious and attractive home in which he now lives. He goes to and from his San Francisco office daily and is a popular citizen of San Leandro, having served as a member of the city board of trustees. Mr. Dalziel is a member of Eden Lodge, A. F. & A. M., of which he is a past master, and Eden Chapter, R. A. M., of which he is the present high priest.
On the 1st of June, 1904, at the home of her parents at Twelfth and Castro streets, Oakland, Mr. Dalziel was united in marriage to Miss Susan A. Paul and to them have been born five children, namely: Margaret, who died in Oakland at the age of seven and a half years; James Robert, who is now a student in the University of California and is looking forward to a career in the legal profession ; Andrew, popularly as "Scotty", attending the San Leandro high school; William Given, also in high school; and Susana Cornelia, in the grammar school.
Mrs. Dalziel was born near Mills College in Alameda county and is a daughter of Joseph J. and Amelia S. (Fiddler) Paul, the latter a native of England, where her father, Dr. Fiddler, was a prominent physician. Mr. Paul was born in Mary- land and was a son of Rev. James Paul, who came from England to the United States in an early day, and in 1849 removed to California, serving as one of the pioneer ministers of the Protestant Episcopal church in San Francisco. One of Mrs. Dalziel's uncles was the late Percy Beamish, who for many years was a pioneer clothier on Market street, San Francisco, his sign bearing a great golden bear. Amelia S. Fiddler came to California fifty-seven years ago, at the age of nineteen years, and taught a private school prior to her marriage to Mr. Paul, which occurred at old Brooklyn, now a part of Oakland. Their daughter, Susan A., secured her educational training in the Melrose public school and St. Elizabeth convent in Oakland.
Mrs. Dalziel is numbered among the able, public-spirited and popular residents
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of San Leandro, and has long been an important factor in the life of this com- munity. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church in San Leandro and is the president of the Women's Aid Society. She is president of the Parent- Teacher Association of the Mckinley grammar school of San Leandro, is a past president of the Alta Mira Club and belongs to the Ebell Club of Oakland. She is chairman of the central republican committee for San Leandro. By a large popular vote, she was elected a member of the board of city trustees, in which capacity she gave thoughtful attention to the welfare and best interests of her community. She was the only woman ever elected to that office in San Leandro. She with Mrs. Flora Anderson and Mr. Harwell were instrumental in having a dentist appointed to take care of the teeth of all the children in the San Leandro schools. She was presented with a Red Cross badge with white stripe, showing fourteen hundred hours of work during the flu epidemic.
Mr. and Mrs. Dalziel have at all times given their earnest support to all measures having for their object the betterment and development of San Leandro and are numbered among its most highly regarded citizens, while their social qualities have earned for them a well merited popularity.
GRANT D. MILLER
Grant D. Miller, one of California's loyal sons, is a well known mortician of Oakland and for thirteen years he has ably filled the important office of county coroner. He was born November 24, 1863, in Amador county. His father, David R. Miller, was a native of Ohio and when a boy he came to the Golden state by way of the Isthmus of Panama. He was one of the early blacksmiths of Amador county but later devoted his attention to the cultivation and improvement of his ranch. His wife, Julia (Hinkson) Miller, was born in Missouri and came to California with her parents, whose family at that time consisted of four sons and two daughters. They started in 1848, making the long and hazardous overland journey in a covered wagon, and arrived at their destination in 1849. The family settled in Amador county and experienced all of the hardships and privations of pioneer life in California. Some of Mrs. Miller's relatives were Indian scouts and one of her sisters became the wife of a son of Daniel Boone.
Reared on the family homestead, Grant D. Miller attended a little red school- house situated on a neighboring hill and in 1881 was sent by his father to the Pacific Business College in San Francisco. He secured his first position with the Wells Fargo Express Company and he was next in the employ of John J. Valentine. In 1883 he went to the mining district of California, discharging the duties of clerk, and later was made assistant superintendent. He was thus en- gaged until the latter part of 1884 and afterward worked for a season on a thresh- ing machine owned by Thomas Young. In partnership with his father, Mr. Miller rented a wheat ranch of two thousand acres and successfully followed agri- cultural pursuits for a period of sixteen years, at one time cultivating sixteen thousand acres of land. The father and son were numbered among the foremost ranchers in this part of the state and in 1890 the former planted the first fruit
GRANT D. MILLER
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orchard in Merced county. In 1898 Grant D. Miller was a candidate for the office of county treasurer of Merced county but the election was won by his opponent. Coming to Oakland with no capital save energy, determination and keen powers of discernment, Mr. Miller made the most of his opportunities and is now a suc- cessful business man. For some time he was in the employ of the well known firm of S. T. Wood & Company, funeral directors, and in 1906 purchased the business, which he has since conducted. In 1912 he constructed the nucleus of his present establishment, which was enlarged until he now has the largest mortuary in the state, the building being one hundred by one hundred and seventy-five feet, taking in an entire block at 14th street and Miller avenue, and twenty-four people are em- ployed, and his funeral home is now regarded as the best equipped in the state. It is modern to the ultimate degree and the service is unexcelled.
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