USA > California > Alameda County > History of Alameda County, California. Volume II > Part 48
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In 1909 Mr. and Mrs. Hoyt came to Berkeley for the purpose of according their children the education opportunities offered by the university. The daughter Isabelle was graduated therefrom in 1913 and is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa, an honor society. She engaged in teaching prior to her marriage to Orvil Frost, and with their three children-Bernice I., Hoyt O. and Urla C .- they reside in Potter Valley, Mendocino county, California. William K., who was graduated from the University of California in 1915, served during the World war in the medical department and after the war was with the United States shipping board as an accountant. He taught school before the war and is now a public accountant. Ralph E., who completed a course in the University of California in 1915, served in France during the World war with the rank of sergeant after the armistice was
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signed took postgraduate work in the Inns Court Law School in London, England. He is now first assistant district attorney of Alameda county, and is master of Durant Lodge, No. 268, F. & A. M., at Berkeley. He married Mabel Button and they have two children, Ralph B. and Dorothy Carrie. Effa Lois, after graduating from high school, took up kindergarten work for a while and also was teacher of music for a time. During the World war she entered the Wells Fargo Nevada Bank in San Francisco, making a fine record there. In July, 1920, she became the wife of Taylor Jordan, of Berkeley, and they have a son, William Taylor.
Mrs. Hoyt has long been actively and helpfully interested in public affairs. For years she took a prominent part in the work of the Woman's Relief Corps and is a past national senior vice president of the order, having been unanimously elected to the office in Boston, Massachusetts, at the national convention in August, 1917. She was also the World war president of the Woman's Relief Corps, hav- ing been unanimously elected department president at the convention held in Long Beach in May, 1917. During the war Mrs. Hoyt was a member of the State Council of Defense, and a four-minute speaker. She has also held many other department and national offices in the Woman's Relief Corps and is very widely known in that organization. She is the treasurer of the Woman's Relief Corps Home of California, a state institution, situated in Santa Clara county, which admits only wives, widows, sisters and daughters of Civil war veterans. She has occupied this position continuously since 1918. She is likewise affiliated with the Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil war, in which she is an officer, and she also holds official position in the Berkeley Chapter of the American War Mothers. She has membership in the Berkeley Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star and in Bethany Shrine and she is a member of the Congregational church. As the years have passed she has become identified with many organized activities looking to the betterment, development and progress of community, state and nation. She belongs to the Mobilized Women of Berkeley, of which she is serving as a director and second vice president ; the League of Women Voters, in which she has been a member of the executive board and chairman of municipal affairs; the Veterans Council of Berkeley, of which she is vice president; the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce; the Berkeley Public Library board, to which she was appointed by the city council; the democratic county central committee, of which she is vice chairman; the democratic state central committee; the Woman's Democratic Club of Alameda County, of which she is past president; the Political Science Club ; and the University Mothers Club, of which she is past president. Mrs. Hoyt has always regarded it as the duty as well as the privilege of every individual to exer- cise his right of franchise for the support of activities for the betterment of the government and of humanity in general. In May, 1923, she was elected a member of the city council of Berkeley and endorsement of her first term's service came to her in reelection in May, 1927. She was sponsored during the campaign by the Berkeley Municipal League ticket. She is also a believer in world cooperation and feels that America will yet take her place in the family of nations and thereby bring about the peace of the world. With all her various membership connections, there is no one who believes more firmly that the home is the foundation stone of our government and that the mother should early teach her boys and girls love and reverence for the home and family, patriotism, the value of earnest, honest
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endeavor and love of country and flag. She is a firm and consistent advocate of temperance, benevolence, humanitarianism and service to one's fellowmen and in her life has exemplified the most sterling qualities of womanhood. Her influence has been far-reaching and resultant and her labors have been a factor in the uplift of the communities in which she has lived. Those who know her-and she has a very wide acquaintance-esteem her most highly and she is accorded rank with the foremost women of California.
RUGG & LISBON
Among the home building concerns of Oakland, the firm of Rugg & Lisbon has attracted much attention because of the high quality of the houses which it builds, its development work and its progressive business methods. Its most recent undertaking, the development of English Village, is along such original and un- usual lines for this country that the work is being watched with marked interest by all who are identified with the development of Oakland, as well as by pros- pective home buyers. J. E. Lisbon, a member of the firm, is a native son of Oak- land, born on the 21st of January, 1891, and in the public schools of this city received his elementary education. He then entered the engineering school of the University of California, from which he was graduated as a civil engineer in 1914. For several years he was in government employ, in the valuation department, his work being along the Pacific coast. He also spent some years with the New York Central Railroad, as assistant engineer, and then, when the United States became involved in the World war, he enlisted in the navy, from which he was honorably discharged at the close of the war. He next engaged in the building contracting business in Oakland, remaining alone until 1924, when he formed his persent part- nership with R. R. Rugg, under the firm name of Rugg & Lisbon.
Mr. Rugg was born at Woodland, Yolo county, California, attended the public schools of Oakland and also had a business college education. For twenty years he was employed by Sherman Clay & Company, becoming manager of their store at San Jose, which position he held for six years, leaving them to work for the government during the later part of the World war, under the War and Navy Departments Commissions on training camp activities. After the armistice was signed he again worked for Sherman Clay & Company and left their employ in 1922 at Portland, Oregon, going to Seattle, Washington, to become district sales manager for the Kardex Company. In 1924 he became identified with Mr. Lisbon in the present business as developers of subdivisions and builders of fine homes. Theirs has become one of the best known building firms in this section of the district and their operations have been on a large scale. They subdivided a tract on Seventy-ninth avenue, on which they built thirty-five homes, after which on the Saroni tract, at Eighty-second, Eighty-third and Eight-fourth avenues and Foothill boulevard, they erected forty-nine homes, all of which were quickly sold and are now popular residence sections. They have also contracted for stores and homes in the East Bay Section. Their present subdivision, known as English Village, comprises six and a half acres, located at Seventy-seventh avenue and Holly street,
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and on it fifty-six homes will be built. For years we have heard about the beautiful cottages of old English villages. For years, too, architects have been building into the fine homes of America the substantial beauty of the large English house. But nowhere, at least in the west, has there been any attempt to reproduce the smaller English type of home. English Village now offers the charm, the beauty, the at- tractive hominess of the modest English dwelling, plus the convenience of the modern American home, a delightful and satisfying combination. Each of the fifty- six homes in English village will have its own walled garden. Each will be dis- tinctive from its neighbors, yet all of the houses will have many characteristics in common. The entire village will be one of the most unusual developments in the west and an ideal place in which to live. In looking through these houses it is found that every detail has been carefully studied out by their designer, W. W. Dixon, who is the architect of Normandy Gardens and many other notable devel- opments, and every house is well built. Rugg & Lisbon have erected hundreds of homes in the district east of Lake Merritt and English Village represents the result of all of their experience in building, being undoubtedly the best value that has ever been offered the home owner by an East Bay builder. Outside every house are such features as a well planned garden, fish pond, paint garden benches, shrubs and flowers. Every roof is shingled in thatch texture. Walls are harmon- iously colored. Every garage corresponds in design with the house and is fully equipped with work bench, pit and special hardware. Interior features of the houses are all distinctive. Carefully planned kitchens, with many built-in features, including refrigerators; colored tile in bathrooms and kitchens; hand decorated chairs and tables in the breakfast rooms and large closets with cedar shelves and other noteworthy features. For the community as a whole a playground is being equipped and its use loaned by Rugg & Lisbon. Race and building restrictions safeguard every investor and insure that English Village will be a beautiful and permanently attractive community. Street car and Southern Pacific lines are near by and schools and the business district are convenient. Homes in English Village range in price from six thousand five hundred dollars up and are sold on easy terms. Rugg & Lisbon are rendering a real service to Oakland in the development of so laudable an undertaking as this and are of the type of men who are of special value to society as its exists today. They have met with well merited success in all of their undertakings, having won a reputation for up-to-date busines methods and honorable dealing, and command the unqualified confidence and respect of all who have come in contact with them.
LOUIS J. KENNEDY
One of the most important county offices is that of assessor, a position which demands mature judgment and keen discrimination. That these essential qualifi- cations are possessed in large measure by Louis J. Kennedy, the present assessor of Alameda county, is evidenced by the high character of the service which he is rendering and the prestige which he commands throughout the county. A native of Oakland, Mr. Kennedy was born August 27, 1880, and is a son of James F.
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and Mary (Schofield) Kennedy, who were representatives of old Ohio families. The father came from Iowa to California in 1876 and for a number of years engaged in the contracting business. Later he became foreman of the smelting department of the United States mint in San Francisco, and also served as chief of the fire department of Oakland. He died November 24, 1926, at the age of seventy- seven years, and is survived by his widow.
Louis J. Kennedy was educated in the public schools of Oakland, graduating from high school in June, 1899, and then spent three years in the College of Mines of the University of California. For several years he followed the game of baseball as a professional, and then resumed the work of civil engineering. For awhile he was with the city of Oakland, and later with the Southern Pacific Railroad, with which he remained until April, 1907, when he was appointed chief deputy city assessor of Oakland. He held that position until June, 1919, when he became assistant county assessor, and on the death of the assessor was promoted to that position, in which he has served to the present time.
Mr. Kennedy was united in marriage to Miss Blanche Ely, a native of Wood- land, Yolo county, California, and they are the parents of a son, Louis J., Jr. In his political views, Mr. Kennedy is a republican and is actively interested in local public affairs. He is a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the Loyal Order of Moose, the Woodmen of the World, the Native Sons of the Golden West, the Lions Club, the Press Club and the Athens Athletic Club. He is ardently fond of outdoor life, hunting being one of his favorite forms of diversion, and is still greatly interested in baseball as a spectator. Of cordial and friendly manner, he enjoys a wide acquaintance throughout Alameda county, and has a host of warm and loyal friends, who esteem him for his genuine worth as a man and citizen.
JOHN F. STOER
John F. Stoer, who was numbered among the pioneer merchants of Emeryville, California, was born March 17, 1830, in Nuremberg, Germany. He came to America on a ship on which over one hundred emigrants died of cholera when en route. Landing at New York, he thence made his way to the state of Virginia, where he worked on a railroad at a time when hickory rails were used in place of the steel rail of the present day. From Virginia he pursued his way southward to New Orleans and from that point to St. Louis, where he became ill of smallpox. On his recovery he continued his northward journey and in the spring of 1856 reached St. Paul, Minnesota, where he engaged in business, furnishing supplies to the many steamers then operating on the Mississippi river. In April, 1864, with others, he treked west to the gold fields of Montana and when on the way was halted at Fort Laramie until a sufficient number of wagons and teams had arrived to form a train that would insure their safety through the Indian country. Finally a train of two hundred and fifty wagons was assembled and started for the gold mines. crossing Wyoming through the Wind River, Big Horn and Jackson Hole country and thence proceeding down the Yellowstone to Alder Gulch
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
at Virginia City, Montana. The Crow and Sioux Indians were very hostile as the party traveled westward. At that time Virginia City was Montana's capital and so continued until the removal of the seat of government to Helena. Pioneer conditions existed and Mr. Stoer became a member of the vigilantes committee which hung Slade and his outlaw followers, the former being the man to whom Mark Twain referred as the "most notorious and cruel outlaw of the west." Mr. Stoer was elected alderman of Virginia City and sat on the first municipal board that ruled that section. In 1877 he migrated to San Francisco and in the fall of 1878 came to Oakland, where he engaged in business until 1895, when he retired, turning over the business to his son, Fred J. Stoer. He was one of a committee, with Joseph S. Emery, Smythe and G. P. Clapp, that formed the present Emery school district in 1883, purchasing the lot and erecting the first school building on Forty-first street. Mr. Stoer built a pretentious residence on Adeline street near San Pablo avenue and passed away March 17, 1914, at the age of eighty-four years.
FRED J. STOER
Fred J. Stoer, who after a long and active business career is now retired, is numbered among the pioneers of Alameda county, having been one of the first settlers of Emeryville, he and his family having practically been the builders of the town, in the progress and welfare of which he has always taken a deep and helpful interest. Mr. Stoer was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, January 16, 1864, and is a son of John F. and Caroline (Heimerdinger) Stoer. He left St. Paul in April, 1864, and with his father treked overland through Nebraska and Wyom- ing to Virginia City, Montana, and to Adler Gulch, the richest gulch ever. dis- covered, eighty million dollars worth of placer gold being recovered there, although the gulch is only fifteen miles in length. After leaving St. Paul his father's wagon train of six mules and two wagons was detained at Fort Laramie and not allowed to proceed until a sufficient number of wagons had reached that point to make a train that would insure safety to the people as they traveled westward. When about two hundred and fifty wagons had been assembled they proceeded west through the Big Hole and Wind River country in Wyoming, this being the second largest wagon train that passed through that section following Captain Bridger, who conducted the first train through that district. Those were truly pioneer times, as there were no railroads and in fact only poorly marked wagon tracks. The country was over-run by hostile Indians, including the Crow, Bannock, Nez Perce and Sioux tribes. At one point on the trip the wild buffaloes crossing the trail going south were so numerous that the train was held up for two days, unable to get by.
In the spring of 1877 the family came to California and for a short time resided in San Francisco, where Mr. Stoer attended school, but in the fall of 1878 they came to Oakland, settling at Thirty-eighth street and San Pablo avenue, now. Emeryville. Mr. Stoer attended the Oakland Business College under D. C. Taylor, principal, and after his graduation returned to Minnesota to learn the flour milling business under his grandfather, who conducted a large flour mill there, known as
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the Golden Gold flour mill, situated near New Ulm. After thoroughly acquainting himself with the methods of flour manufacture Mr. Stoer returned to California and entered business with his father, opening a general merchandise, hay and grain business at Thirty-eighth street and San Pablo avenue, Emeryville. In this enter- prise he met with substantial success, so that in 1918 he practically retired from business. In 1901 the mercantile business was leased to Bernhardt & Erickson and the hay and grain business was removed to Fortieth street and San Pablo avenue, where a large warehouse was built and an extensive business was carried on in hay, grain and storage. Branches were established in Tanforan, San Mateo county, and also at Ingleside, near San Francisco, under the name of the Stoer Warehouse Company and much of the better quality of hay was shipped to eastern markets-New York, Chicago and New Orleans. In 1918 the business was sold to George G. Prytz, to whom the property was leased and who is still carrying on the business.
After accumulating a comfortable competence Mr. Stoer retired from active business and devoted his time and attention to the development and management of his properties here and elsewhere. Having firm faith in his section of the city, he erected a three-story brick building at Peralta street and San Pablo avenue, the lower floors being designed for stores and the third floor for modern apartments. He also erected two large fireproof garages and this section has become the heart of the business district of Emeryville. In 1915 Mr. Stoer bought the controlling interest in the First National Bank, formerly the Syndicate Bank, and was its presi- dent until 1922, when the institution was sold to the American Trust Company. He is also the owner of large ranch and mining interests, and in overseeing these he finds his chief source of recreation.
In his political views Mr. Stoer is a republican and has always been interested in affairs pertaining to the general good. In 1896 he became one of the incorpo- rators of the town of Emeryville and has served continuously as a member of its board of councilmen for thirty-two years. This town is one of the largest manufacturing districts of the East bay and is unique in that it has no bonded indebtedness and the lowest tax rate of any city in California, the tax being only sixty-five cents on one hundred dollars valuation. Mr. Stoer's hope is to keep the town out of debt and keep down the taxes and the above rate shows the effective- ness of his efforts. On the 9th of April, 1928, he was reelected for the ninth time as a member of the board of councilmen by a three to one majority, his tenure of office to continue until April, 1932. The fact that he has again and again been called to this position is unmistakable proof of the confidence entertained for him by. his fellow townsmen and his unfaltering fidelity to duty.
Mr. Stoer is identified with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and the Athens Athletic Club. Throughout his life he has followed the motto "Honesty is the best policy" and has found that it pays to be straightforward and reliable in all of his dealings, whether of a public or private nature. No history of Emery- ville and this section of the state would be complete without reference to Fred J. Stoer and his father, John F. Stoer. Upon the splendid foundation of business and civic activity which the father laid, the son has builded, his efforts ably second- ing and rounding out the labors of his sire. The results achieved have been notable,
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not only from the standpoint of success, but in their far-reaching effect and in- fluence, particularly as forces in the development and improvement of the East Bay district, and public opinion in many ways attests the worth and value of Fred J. Stoer as a representative citizen of Emeryville.
PROFESSOR WILLIS ERVIN GIBSON
One of the leading technical educational institutions of the Bay district is the Polytechnic College at Oakland, of which Professor Willis Ervin Gibson is the owner and president. During the period of this school's existence it has done splendid work in preparing men for useful careers and has grown steadily in popularity because of the thoroughness of its work and the high standing which many of its graduates have attained in the world's affairs.
Professor Gibson was born in Linn county, Missouri, on the 29th of January, 1870, and is a son of Daniel R. and Sarah Frances (Jacobs) Gibson. In his native county he spent his boyhood and received his early education, later attending the Teachers Normal School at Houston, Missouri. In September, 1894, he entered Gem City College at Quincy, Illinois, from which he was graduated in 1896, after which he taught school in Missouri and Cleveland, Ohio. In 1893 he came to Oakland, California, where he taught four years in the public schools, and in 1898 he established the Polytechnic College. His first location was in the old Y. M. C. A. building at Twelfth and Clay streets, but the growth of the college requiring more room and better facilities for its works, Mr. Gibson bought a lot at Thirteenth and Madison streets and erected the present college building, which is in every respect admirably adapted to the purpose for which it is used. The courses taught include aeronautical, architectural, civil, electric, mechanical and mining engineering, architectural, mechanical and structural drafting, automobile mechanics, battery ignition, aviation ground work, machine shop work, surveying, estimating and construction foremen, and practical work in electricity and building. Able and competent instructors are employed and painstaking attention is given to every student, so that he receives the largest possible opportunity to become proficient and capable in his particular line. Professor Gibson has been very successful in his business affairs and has wisely invested in real estate, being the owner of a fine fruit ranch of one hundred and sixty acres in the Sacramento valley, on which he raises abundant crops of peaches, prunes, pears and cherries.
In 1894 Mr. Gibson was united in marriage to Miss Rena Stanley, of Michigan, and they are the parents of four children: Gladys is now the wife of Robert T. Hartford, instructor in electrical engineering in the Polytechnic College, and they reside in Oakland. Howard D. Gibson, who is assistant in the electrical engineering department of the college, married Frances Pennington and they also make their home in Oakland. Deane is a graduate of the University of California, from the College of Commerce and is now with the American Factors Corporation of San Francisco. Donald is attending the Oakland Technical high school.
Professor Gibson is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and is a past president of the Oakland
WE Tilson
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Chamber of Commerce. Because of his learning and attainments, his business ability and the fine work which he is doing in the educational field, he commands to a marked degree the respect and esteem of his fellowmen and is regarded as one of Oakland's representative citizens.
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