USA > California > Alameda County > History of Alameda County, California. Volume II > Part 40
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CHARLES CLINTON YOUNG
The city of Oakland is fortunate in having on its board of commissioners a man of the character and caliber of Charles C. Young, who has a high reputation as an able and efficient civil engineer, and whose wide and varied experience has well qualified him for the position which he is so satisfactorily filling. Mr. Young was born in Davenport, Iowa, October 21, 1885, and is a son of Clarence Teal and Alida Virginia (Mack) Young. In the paternal line Mr. Young is of Eng- lish descent, the progenitor of the family in this country having been Ninian Young, who came from Yarmouth, Norfolk county, England, not later than 1745 and settled at Fallowfield, East Fallowfield township, Chester county, Pennsyl-
CHARLES C. YOUNG
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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
vania, where his death occurred in 1765. He was the father of Robert Young, born in 1748, who served as wagonmaster with the Pennsylvania forces during the Revolutionary war, and as assessor of Newlin township, from 1777 to 1786, and died in 1814. Among his children was Thomas Young, a farmer, who was born in 1787 and died in 1845. He was the father of David Theodore Young, who was born in 1829 and became a carriage and wagon builder in Davenport, Iowa, where he died in 1905. He served as a private in the Union Army during the closing months of the Civil war. He married Miss Sarah Humphreys, who was of English birth and the sword used by one of her ancestors in the battle of Waterloo is now in possession of Charles C. Young. David T. and Sarah Young became the parents of Clarence Teal Young, who was born in Orville, Wayne county, Ohio, March 12, 1854, and died in 1906. He too was a carriage and wagon builder in Davenport, Iowa, and the estimate of his life and character is summed up in the words, "Just a good man and a father to the proud of." He was married to Miss Alida Virginia Mack, who was born in Terra Coupee, St. Joseph county, Indiana, August 12, 1856, a daughter of William and Jane (Turn- bull) Mack, the former born in New York, of Holland Dutch descent, while the latter was the daughter of Richard Turnbull, a native of England and of Scotch extraction, and whose wife also was of English birth.
Charles Clinton Young remained in Davenport until thirteen years of age and in the public schools of that city received his elementary education, which he con- tinued in the schools of Boulder, Colorado, to which city the family moved in 1898. A year later they went to Denver and during the ensuing twelve months were successively at Leadville, Glenwood Springs and Grand Junction, Colorado, Salt Lake City, Utah, and in Oakland, California, where Mr. Young has made his home since 1901. In these places he worked at various occupations and after coming to Oakland he completed his high school education. In 1902-3 he was variously employed and during this period took up the study of civil engineering, which he continued through following years, acquiring a comprehensive knowl- edge of the subject, as well as valuable practical experience. From 1903 to 1905 Mr. Young was employed as a block signal operator on the Southern Pacific rail- road, and for a few months he served as assistant agent for that company at Berke- ley, California. From 1905 to 1907 he was with an engineering party for the Southern Pacific, serving successively as stakeman, chainman, rodman, estimator and profileman. In 1907 he went to Mexico as draftsman for the San Diego & Arizona Railroad, and on his return to Oakland, entered the office of the city engineer as a draftsman. He was promoted to the position of chief draftsman and later to office engineer, which position he held until 1917, when he accepted a position as assistant manager of the Orange Blossom Candy Company, of San Francisco. Later he served as valuation engineer for the United Railways of San Francisco, with which he remained until February, 1918, when he became con- struction engineer for the Hercules Powder Company, being employed in the erection of a sulphuric acid concentrator. He remained with that concern until October, 1918, when he was commissioned a first lieutenant of engineers in the United States Army and was stationed at Camp Humphreys, Virginia, being as- signed to headquarter duty under Major Cochrane. He was honorably discharged in March, 1919, after which he returned to Oakland and has been engaged in busi-
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ness as a private civil and consulting engineer on land subdivisions, surveys and road and sewer construction. On May 10, 1927, Mr. Young was elected a com- missioner of the city of Oakland, assuming the office July 1st, and was assigned first to the department of revenue and finance, but a week later was transferred to the department of public health and safety. He has proven well fitted for this important position and is giving to his city loyal and satisfactory service.
On December 3, 1910, in the First Congregational church in Oakland, Rev. Charles R. Brown performed the marriage ceremony of Mr. Young and Miss Christina A. Christie, who was born September 12, 1888, and comes of Scotch ancestry. Her parents, Joseph L. and Jeanette Christie, who are natives of Nova Scotia, now reside in Oakland. Mr. and Mrs. Young are the parents of a son, Charles Clinton, Jr., born March 12, 1915, now a pupil in the Alexander Hamilton junior high school, and the patrol leader of Troop Forty-eight, Boy Scouts of America.
Politically Mr. Young is a republican, while his religious connection is with the First Congregational church of Oakland. He is a member of Sequoia Lodge, No. 349, A. F. & A. M., of which he was master in 1917; Oakland Chapter, No. 8, O. E. S., of which he was worthy patron in 1926; the Patrons Association of the Order of the Eastern Star, of which he was president in 1926; Oakland Home- stead, B. A. Y .; the Loyal Order of Moose, the Sciots, the American Legion, the Athens Club and the California Grays, being captain of the Oakland company. He is president of the East Bay Sector of the Association of the Army of the United States. From 1919 to 1923 he held a commission as first lieutenant in the United States Engineer Reserves, and now holds a commission as captain in command of Headquarters and Service Company of the 316th Engineers. A man of earnest purpose, sterling character and splendid personal qualities, he commands not only the confidence and respect of the people of Oakland, but also the friend- ship of all with whom he has been associated, and is regarded as one of the rep- resentative men of his community.
FRANK SPENGER
Frank Spenger, wholesale and retail dealer in fish, crabs and shrimps, at 1917 Fourth street, Berkeley, has won a wide reputation in this line of business, parti- cularly in the method of catching, preparing and handling shrimps, for which he possesses what is regarded as the best and most complete equipment in the world. A native of Berkeley, Mr. Spenger was born February 5, 1890, and is a son of John E. and Charlotte (Harder) Spenger. The father, who established the busi- ness about fifty-five years ago and conducted it with great success, is now living retired in Berkeley.
Frank Spenger received his education in the public schools and early became interested in the shrimp industry with his father, taking over the business on the latter's retirement. He is the owner of the barge "James M. Donohue," which was rebuilt and equipped especially for the shrimp business. It lies off San Quentin point, in San Francisco bay, and serves as the base for the company's
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fishing operations. Sixteen motor fishing boats, which are operated on the shares by twenty men, are used in gathering clams and shrimp, as well as various kinds of bay and river food fish, working the bay and river as far up as Vallejo. Large quantities of shrimps and crabs are caught in the vicinity of San Quentin point and brought to the Spenger plant, where is found an up-to-date equipment for grading, cooking, dehydrating and distributing these sea delicacies. The work is done scientifically by experienced men, special care being taken to handle them expeditiously and under the most sanitary conditions, thus insuring their high food value. The men employed by him, working on the shares, have a keen personal interest in the success of the business and are loyal in their efforts to cooperate with Mr. Spenger. The products of the Frank Spenger Company rank high in the markets of San Francisco, Oakland and other California cities, and also find a large sale in the Orient.
Mr. Spenger was united in marriage to Miss Marcella Dockrell, who was born in San Francisco, and they are the parents of three children : Frances Marcella and Marcella Francis, twins, now fifteen years of age, both of whom possess marked talent as artists and are extremely popular in West Berkeley; and Frank, who is attending the junior high school in Berkeley. Mr. Spenger is a republican in his political alignment and has shown a proper interest in the welfare and prosperity of his community. He is a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the Fraternal Order of Eagles and the Native Sons of the Golden West. A man of marked business ability, great energy and determination, he has achieved a noteworthy success, and is numbered among the prosperous and substantial citizens of his community.
AUGUST G. FLEISCHER
August G. Fleischer, mill superintendent for the Tilden Lumber Company, of Berkeley, has had extensive experience in mill work and is well qualified in every respect for the responsible position which he is so ably filling. He has spent the greater part of his life in California but was born in New York city on the 22nd of August, 1877, a son of August G. and Bertha (Irish) Fleischer, both of whom were natives of Germany, the father born in Saxony and the mother in Berlin. They were married in that country, where the father followed the trade of cigarmaking. On their emigration to the United States they located in New York city, but about 1886, they came to the Pacific coast, settling in San Francisco. There the father established a cigar factory, which he operated to the time of his death, which oc- curred about ten years ago, at which time he was eighty-six years old. His wife preceded him in death about three years, dying at the age of seventy. They were the parents of eight children, of whom three are deceased, the survivors being, Charles M., who is a carpenter and builder in Berkeley; August G., Harmon, who is engaged in the draying business in San Francisco; Lizzie, the wife of Charles Andrews, an engineer in Los Angeles, California; and Tillie, the wife of Armond Chatlin, who is in the employ of the American Can Company in San Francisco.
August G. Fleischer was about nine years of age when the family moved from New York to San Francisco, and in the public schools of that city he received his
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educational training. He then went to work in his father's cigar factory and learned the trade, but not liking it, he went to work in the W. T. Fuller sash and door factory in Sacramento, where he remained three years. He next went to Black Diamond (now Pittsburg), Contra Costa county, where he became supply clerk, and later foreman, in the door factory of the Redwood Manufacturing Company. About eighteen years ago he resigned that position and went to Oakland, where he spent a year with the Kendall Lumber Company, whose plant was located on the water front. Coming then to Berkeley, Mr. Fleischer became connected with the Hay- wood Lumber Company, which then owned and operated the present mill of the Tilden Lumber Company, at the foot of University avenue. His first position with the latter company was that of shipping clerk, while later he was advanced to that of foreman. During the World war the government made him superintendent in the Tibbetts & Barnes shipyards in Alameda, where he oversaw the work of get- ting out of knees, bows, ribs and other material for the building of ships, and at the close of the war, when there was no further necessity for his service there, he returned to the Tilden Lumber Company, at which time he was made superin- tendent of the mill, and is still filling that position. During his employment at the Tibbetts & Barnes mill Mr. Fleischer met with a serious accident, his right arm being cut off about four inches above the wrist in a planing machine. Being in good health, his recovery was rapid and fifteen days after the accident he was again at work.
In 1908, in Pittsburg, California, Mr. Fleischer was united in marriage to Miss Agnes Butcher, a native of Santa Cruz, California, and they are the parents of three children: Walter, who is employed as receiving clerk by the Lockman Furniture Company, in San Francisco; and Catherine and Genevieve, who are attending the Oakland high school. Mr. Fleischer owns a comfortable and attrac- tive home at 731 East Eleventh street, Oakland, and also has another residence property, which he rents, at Fulton and Russell streets, Berkeley. Cordial and friendly in manner, loyal and true in every relation of life and efficient in the dis- charge of every duty, he has won and to a marked degree retains the confidence of his employers and the respect and good will of his fellowmen.
L. J. SCARAMELLI
L. J. Scaramelli of Alameda is numbered among those who have been the architects of their own fortunes, his present prosperity resulting from determined and persistent efforts along definite and well directed lines of action. He has proven an able business man, governed by right principles, and is now one of the leading cement contractors of Alameda county.
Mr. Scaramelli was born in Lucca, Italy, March 26, 1902, and at the age of four years was brought by his parents to California, where he has resided contin- uously since. He received his educational training in the public schools of San Francisco, Oakland and Alameda, and then learned the trade of cement worker under his stepfather, A. Falcier. He became an expert workman and continued in that line as an employee until about three years ago, when he bought out Mr.
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Falcier and has since been engaged in the business on his own account. He is doing a large volume of business, constructing concrete floors, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, steps and foundations, and every job of work done by him will pass the most rigid inspection, for he takes a justifiable pride in his work and does thoroughly everything that he undertakes. At present he is doing a lot of work on a new subdivision at Broadway and Bog Island for W. F. Justice. He does contract work in all the bay cities and is enjoying a large patronage.
Mr. Scaramelli was united in marriage to Miss Alma Ballwany, who was born and reared in Berkeley, Alameda county, and they are the parents of a daughter, Irene, who is now four years of age. He is building an attractive new home on Broadway. Mr. Scaramelli is a man of strict integrity in all of his affairs, com- mands the confidence of all who have had dealings with him, while throughout the community where he lives he is held in high regard by all.
GEORGE B. FERGUSON
George B. Ferguson, president and general manager of the Phineas F. Ferguson Corporation, is at the head of one of the largest and most important laundry con- cerns in Oakland and by his judicious management and sound business judgment has gained a high reputation in the business circles of this city. Mr. Ferguson was born in San Francisco, California, November 28, 1876, and is a son of Phineas F. and Annie M. Ferguson, the latter born in the District of Columbia. Phineas F. Ferguson was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1852 and in young manhood was brought by his father to San Francisco, in the public schools of which city he was educated. For a time he was engaged in the laundry business at Contra Costa. later had charge of the laundry in the Russ House, and afterward was part owner of the Standard laundry. In 1883, in partnership with Edward Hall, he established the United States laundry in San Francisco, which he managed until 1905, when that and other laundries were merged into what became known as the Metropolitan Laundry Company, of which he became general manager. In 1900 he had become interested in the White Star laundry in Oakland and upon retiring from the Metro- politan Company devoted the major portion of his time and attention to this busi- ness, which steadily increased in importance. In 1909 he bought the controlling interests in the Antiseptic laundry, located at 3960 Manila avenue. Later he en- larged the buildings at the present location, 3921 Broadway, to which he moved all of his holdings in January, 1924, having here one of the best equipped establishments in this section of the state. He devoted his attention closely to the business until his death, which occurred in 1924, at the age of seventy-two years. He is survived by his widow, who is seventy years old. Mr. Ferguson was a stanch republican in his political views, and was a member of Excelsior Lodge, No. 156, F. & A. M., San Francisco, of which he was a past master; San Francisco Chapter, R. A. M .; California Commandery, No. 1, K. T., of which he was a past eminent commander and had served as prelate; San Francisco Consistory, A. A. S. R .; Islam Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S .; and the Order of the Eastern Star, of which he was a past worthy patron. He was a man of outstanding business ability and sterling character
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and commanded the unqaulified confidence of all who were associated with him.
George B. Ferguson spent his boyhood days in San Francisco, and received his educational training in the public schools. He entered the laundry business under his father, with whom he remained in the various enterprises with which he was connected and obtained an intimate knowledge of every phase of the business. He became assistant superintendent of the United States laundry of San Francisco, giving his attention to the financial end of the business, and in 1903 came to Oak- land to assume the general management of the White Star Laundry Company. After the earthquake of 1906 the business of the company trebled and the laundry was operated day and night in order to meet the increased demands. In 1909 Mr. Fer- guson became general manager of both corporations and on the death of his father, soon after which the Phineas F. Ferguson Corporation was formed, he was made president and general manager, all of the stock in the corporation being owned in the Ferguson family.
In 1898 Mr. Ferguson was united in marriage to Miss Clara Ring, who was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, and is a daughter of Byron and Mamie (Wheedon) Ring, who went to San Francisco, when their daughter was but six months old. To Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson have been born three children, Lloyd B., George B. and Ruth V. Mr. Ferguson gives his political support to the republican party and, though his business interests make heavy demand on his time, he has not neglected his obligations of citizenship, but gives his active support to all measures tending to advance the best interests of the community. He is a member of Excelsior Lodge, No. 166, A. F. & A. M .; Fruitvale Chapter, R. A. M., of Oakland; Oakland Com- mandery, No. 11, K. T .; Aahmes Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., at Oakland ; Oakland Lodge, No. 171, B. P. O. E .; the Kiwanis Club, the Athens Club and the Athenian Nile Club. His career has been characterized by strict fidelity to the highest business ethics and a candid and straightforward relation with his fellowmen, whereby he has gained and retains the public confidence and respect, and throughout the locality where he lives he enjoys well merited popularity.
WILLIAM H. MOEHLMANN
William H. Moehlmann, vice president and manager of the Contra Costa Build- ing Materials Company, of Berkeley, has won a splendid reputation in business circles for his energetic and progressive methods, his sound and dependable judg- ment and his honorable dealings, and has been a strong contributing element to the success of this well-known concern. The Contra Costa Building Materials Com- pany was started about twenty years ago by George M. Mott, Sr., George M. Mott, Jr., Guy Hyde Chick and Robert R. Smith. Only the latter's interests are still rep- resented in the company. The original location was at Shattuck and Oregon streets, where it remained until 1926, when the present plant was constructed at 808 Gilman street, between Fifth and Sixth streets, where they have a railroad spur, bunkers, cranes for loading and unloading material and other equipment which facilitates the ready handling of building supplies. The company deals in plastering, concrete and Monterey sand, top, roofing and concrete gravel, crushed rock, hardwall, finish-
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ing and casting plaster, plaster paris, Santa Cruz, Medusa white, Atlas white and Keenes cement, Diamond, common and hydrated lime, common, pressed, paving and fire brick; chimney and sewer pipe, flue lining, Ready roofing and building paper and Medusa water proofing. The sand and gravel are procured from Niles, Coyote, Livermore, Sacramento and Monterey county, this state, and all the material handled is of the highest grade. Among the important structures for which this company has furnished the material may be mentioned the First National Bank building, Roos Brothers building and Wilson's apartment houses in Berkeley, as well as many other buildings in Berkeley, Oakland, Piedmont, Albany and El Cerrito. The present officers of the Contra Costa Building Materials Company are as follows: Mrs. Robert R. Smith, president; William H. Moehlmann, vice president and manager ; and J. W. Chambers, secretary and treasurer.
William H. Moehlmann was born at Fort Yates, North Dakota, in 1893, and is a son of H. D. and Elizabeth (Walden) Moehlmann, of whom the former was a soldier in the United States regular army, with the rank of regimental quarter- master sergeant. He is now retired and lives in Berkeley. Mr. Moehlmann secured his education in the various places in which his father was stationed, going from Fort Yates to Fort Meade, South Dakota, and to St. Louis, Missouri, when about six years old. He completed the public and high school courses and in 1912 came to Berkeley, where he took a commercial course in the Berkeley Business College. In 1914 he entered the employ of the Contra Costa Building Materials Company, with which he has remained continuously to the present time, and during this period his faithful and efficient service won for him deserved promotions until he reached his present position as vice president and general manager, for the duties of which he is well qualified.
In 1923, in Oakland, Mr. Moehlmann was united in marriage to Miss Carmen Gaillard, who was born and reared in that city. For about two years prior to the entry of the United States into the World war Mr. Moehlmann served as a civilian employee of the government, at Fort Robinson, Nebraska, and in South Dakota and Wyoming. He is a republican in his political alignment, and is a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the Berkeley Rotary Club and the Athens Athletic Club. A man of earnest purpose, high ideals and consistent conduct, throughout the city in which he lives he commands the respect and esteem of his fellowmen.
E. H. CHRISTIAN
E. H. Christian, who has been engaged in the practice of law in Oakland since 1920, has attained enviable prominence in his profession, while in the legislative halls of this state he has given effective and appreciated service for his constitutency. Mr. Christian has been a resident of California since 1904, in which year he located at Hayward, where he lived until November 2, 1917, when he enlisted in Com- pany C, Twenty-third Regiment United States Engineers. After serving in train- ing camps, he was sent overseas, where he remained eighteen months, taking part in the engagements at Givet, Seichprey, St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne, and on
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his return to this country was honorably discharged. In 1920 Mr. Christian was admitted to the bar and has since devoted his attention to the practice of law, hav- ing his offices at 308 Great Western Power building, in this city, and has built up a large and important clientele.
Mr. Christian is a republican in his political views, has always taken an active interest in public affairs, and in 1920 was elected to represent Alameda county in the lower house of the state legislature. He was reelected to that body in 1922, and in 1924 was elected to the state senate, representing the thirteenth senatorial district. He received a number of important committee assignments, serving as chairman of the committee on county government and as a member of the commit- tees on constitutional amendments, education, elections, fish and game, governmental efficiency, judiciary, mines and mining, public health and quarantine, reapportion- ment and municipal corporations. A man of earnest purpose, marked ability and devotion to public duty, he has had a splendid record as a legislator and through- out Alameda county commands the confidence and respect of his fellow citizens.
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