History of Alameda County, California : including its geology, topography, soil, and productions, Part 121

Author: Munro-Fraser, J. P
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Oakland, Calif. : M.W. Wood
Number of Pages: 1206

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accompanied by his wife, and in this farm-house, Feb. 25, 1856, their first child, a daughter, was born. Her name was Frances. The doctor was exceedingly fond of this child, and after she attained the age of one year, she could be seen seated by his side during most of his rides about the neighborhood. In September, 1858, a second daugh- ter was born. About this time his mother, who had come to California two years previous, became an invalid, and died the following autumn. Her death was a great blow to the doctor, and his own health failed rapidly afterwards. Inherited consump- tion which for more than half his life he had been battling against, could no longer, be kept at bay, and he sank beneath its power, dying April 19, 1860. His wife and children remained upon the farm two years after his death. During the winter of 1862-63 they were in San Francisco, where the youngest child fell a victim to measles, which was at the time prevailing as an epidemic. The following autumn Mrs. Bucknell with her only child went to New England to visit her mother, and having always felt great interest in her husband's profession, determined to study the same her- self. The following winter she entered the Woman's Medical College in Boston, and three years after graduated. She intended to return immediately to California, but her aged mother was still living, and she could not make up her mind to go so far away as long as her mother lived, consequently she went to Portland, Maine, and practiced for three years in that city; her mother died about this time, and she returned to California, since when she has practiced her profession in San Francisco and Oakland. She is a member of the State Medical Society of California, also a member of the Alameda County Medical Society. Her present residence is No. 616 Eighth Street, Oakland, which is also the residence of her daughter, now the wife of I. W. Reed. From her daughter Mrs. Bucknell has never been separated at any time since her birth except for about four months, soon after her marriage.

.DIEDERICH BUHSEN .- The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears in this work, was born in Holstein, Germany, August 26, 1820, and is the son of Claus and Catharine (Rhoda) Buhsen. Having received his schooling, and had his home there until 1839, in which year he began a seafaring life, an occupation which brought him to the United States in the following year, where he was vicariously employed in coasting-vessels, and ocean-going steamers and ships until the year 1843, when, in company with his brother Nicholas Buhsen, he embarked in the grocery and liquor business in the city of New York. There he remained till 1858, when, taking passage on the Star of the West, he sailed to the Isthmus of Panama en route for California, arriving in San Francisco per Golden Age, March 22, 1858. Proceeding to Sierra County he there prospected for a short time, and, upon the breaking out of the Frazer River excitement, went to British Columbia. He subsequently returned to California and farmed for a short time near Mount Eden, but eventually transferred his habita- tion to San Francisco, where he embarked in a general freighting business, and con- tinued it until 1860. He now opened a bakery at the corner of Broadway and Battery Street, in that city, but shortly afterwards transferred it to the corner of Pacific and Davis Streets. In July, 1864, purchasing property in West Oakland, Mr. Buhsen erected a small dwelling thereupon on the site of his present store, which was destroyed by fire in 1876, when he erected his present place of business at the corner of Pine and Seventh Streets. Besides this establishment he owns considerable property in the vicinity. Married, August 26, 1848, Miss Anna Bockwaldt, by whom he has sur- viving two children, viz .: Eda, and A. Nicholas.

EDWIN E. BURDICK .- Was born in Stonington, New London County, Connecti- cut, March II, 1829, where he was employed on his father's farm, and a portion of the time at the blacksmith's trade until 1846, when he joined a wrecking-vessel, but she being lost off Cape Fear he was landed at Wilmington, North Carolina, where he commenced working at his trade, and stayed one winter. In March, 1853, he sailed from New York in the Crescent City to Aspinwall, and from Panama came to San Francisco in the Oregon, where he arrived on the 27th of the following month. After

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a few weeks he proceeded to Grass Valley, but soon after came to Alameda County and obtained employment with H. K. W. Clarke, on the place he now occupies. He then worked in different places and finally leased one hundred and thirty acres of land belonging to the South Pacific Coast Railroad, where he at present resides, being engaged in general farming. He is married and has five children, viz .: Abbie L., Edward F., Charles H., Henry H., Mary L.

JOHN F. BURDICK, M. D .- Son of the Rev. James R. and Mrs. Anna (Babcock) Burdick, was born in Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York, September 25, 1849. Having received his education in the Cornell University, in 1869 he entered upon the study of medicine at Ann Arbor, Michigan, whence he was graduated in 1872. He now returned to the county of his birth and commenced the practice of his profession, which he continued until 1876, when he came to Oakland, Alameda County, and practiced there until appointed by the Board of Supervisors Physician to the County Infirmary in December, 1878, a position he now holds. Married in March, 1882, Miss Carrie Hebbard.

WILL. H. BURRALL .- Was born in Herkimer County, New York, May 4, 1835, and there resided until 1849, in which year he emigrated to Wisconsin and settled in Kenosha County, being engaged in farming there until 1854, when he removed to Winona, Minnesota, where he was engaged in the hardware trade; thence, at the end of three years, going to Illinois and teaching school near Chicago until 1859, when he emigrated to Nevada, and located in Virginia City, where he engaged in mining and the book and stationery business until April, 1874, at which date he removed with his family to Napa City, California, residing there until August, 1876, when he came to Alameda County, locating in Oakland, and embarking in the real estate business. He has been a notary public for fourteen years. Married in San Francisco in 1863, Miss Sarah A. Marsh, a native of the State of New York, then residing in Waukegan, Illinois, and has four daughters, viz .: Millie, Jessie, Lucia, and Belle; aged respect- ively, seventeen, fifteen, thirteen, and eleven; all born in Virginia City, Nevada. Their only son, Ralph, having died there in 1868.

FRED. L. BUTTON .- Born in Pontiac, Michigan, in March, 1856. In 1863 came to California with his parents, who, in the autumn of that year, settled in Oakland. Attended the primary and grammar schools of that city; in 1868, awaiting the estab- lishment of a high school, was for a few months in the office of the Daily Transcript, learning the printer's trade, and also attended the Brayton College School. Com- pleted the course of study at the High School and State University at Berkeley, graduated from this last institution in 1876, receiving the University gold medal for general excellence in scholarship and also the prize for the most meritorious scientific essay. Having at that time served a year as assistant instructor in mathematics under appointment by the Regents of the University, he continued in that position during the succeeding year. At the end of this time he commenced the study of law in the office of Messrs. Vrooman and Davis; Mr. Vrooman then being District Attorney of Alameda County. Here he availed himself of the ample opportunities offered for acquiring extended practical experience in all branches of his profession, and in 1879 was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court. Soon after established a law office in Oakland, where, by his studious habits, careful attention to professional duties, and known personal integrity, he has built up a lucrative practice and taken a prominent position among the younger members of the Bar.

N. B. BYRNE .-- Was born in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, November 2, 1817, where he resided until he attained the age of fourteen years, at which time he accom- panied his parents to New Madrid County, in the same State; there making his home until leaving for the Pacific Slope. In March, 1859, accompanied by his wife and four children, he started with ox-teams, and a drove of cattle, to cross the plains to California, finally arriving in Oakland, Alameda County, in the month of September of that year. A month afterwards he moved to North Berkeley and farmed

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until 1873, when land there becoming too valuable for farming he removed to the San Joaquin Valley and engaged in a similar pursuit, and finding that unprofitable he, in 1880, returned to Berkeley and embarked in his present business of wood and coal dealer, on University Avenue. Married July 19, 1849, Miss Mary Tanner, a native of New Madrid, and has six children.

DUNCAN CAMERON .- The subject of this sketch is a descendant of a long line of Scottish chivalry, and belongs to that clan which claims Lochiel for its chieftain. He is the son of Samuel and Sarah (Pullen) Cameron, and was born in Canada June 22, 1820. Receiving his early training in his native place and there residing until 1838, in that year he went to Clintonville, Essex County, New York, and after a residence of ten months there, returned home, and subsequently removed to the State of Vermont. Our subject after a short time proceeded to the State of New York, and dwelt until the year 1845 at Ticonderoga, Essex County, at which time he took up his quarters in New York City and commenced boating on the Hudson River. Mr. Cameron next "went to sea" and while in the capacity of a sailor heard of the won- derful gold discoveries in California, upon which he determined to tempt that fickle jade, Fortune, at the mines. To this end he rounded the " Horn," and cast anchor in the bay of San Francisco, September 24, 1850, having twice suffered shipwreck on the voyage. The motto of this enterprising gentleman has ever been "to be up and doing;" losing no time, therefore, he shipped as a fireman for service on the Sacramento River, but making only two trips, he betook himself to terra firma and embarked in the grocery trade. In January, 1851, he moved to the Pacheco Valley (now Contra Costa County) and embarked in farming operations, but only remaining there a few months, returned to San Francisco and opened a saloon, which abandoning, he worked as fireman on a steamer plying between San Francisco and Sacramento. In that year (1851) Sacramento was visited by a great flood, a disaster to others which Mr. Cameron quickly turned to his own advantage. As long as the waters covered the face of the district our subject plied a boat along its inundated streets and on their subsidence he embarked in a draying business. Disliking the place on account of its unhealthfulness, he sought another location and pitched upon the little village of San Antonio, which now forms a portion of Brooklyn, or East Oakland, which place he reached by way of Martinez, on horseback. Here he started the first livery-stable in the place, with three horses, which he kept in a yard. The livery business prospered, and in 1853 he built a large 'stable and had eight or ten horses. In about a year, however, he sold out, and in 1854, purchased a piece of property. and building upon it a residence, prepared to make that place his permanent home. About this time he bought the valuable block on which the post-office in Oakland now stands, and in 1854 espoused Miss Anne Lydia Maddox of Castro Valley, a native of the State of Illinois. In 1856 Mr. Cameron started in the stage business in opposition to that run by Mclaughlin, then a famous local line. In 1858 he bought a quantity of land for farming purposes, which, however, he partly disposed of in 1861. Previous to the real estate excitement of 1868, he purchased a tract of land north of the town of Brooklyn, or East Oakland, known as the Cameron Tract, for eighteen thousand dollars, which he disposed of within a year for fifty thousand dollars. Mr. Cameron has filled various public posi- tions from constable upwards. He has been twice elected to the Board of Supervisors of Alameda County, and has filled with credit the position of Public Administrator of the county for two terms. He has always taken an active part in politics, and was in succession a Whig and a Republican. His family consists of a daughter and son named, Nellie E., and Ashley D. An excellent portrait of this gentleman will be found in this volume.

EDWIN H. CAMPBELL .- Is the son of S. G. and Elmira (Cook) Campbell, and was born in Westfield, Massachusetts, April 10, 1850, but when five or six years old was taken by his parents to Dixon, Illinois, where he resided until he attained the age of fifteen years. At that period of his existence he launched out to face the buffet-

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ings of the world. He followed different occupations up till 1870, when he came to California, located in Sacramento, and in 1874 removed to Oakland, where he has since been engaged in the wine and liquor business, and is at present the popular proprietor of the Galindo Billiard Parlors on Eighth Street. Married in 1879, Miss Annie Bain, a native of Minnesota, and has no issue.

TALLCUT P. CAREY .- This gentleman is the son of L. H. and Lucy (Doolittle) Carey, and was born in Boston, Erie County, New York, April 11, 1828. His grand- father, Richard Carey, fought for seven years in the ranks of the Revolutionary Army, . and had a son who fell fighting for the liberty of his country in the year 1813, in a hand- to-hand combat with four Indians at the burning of Buffalo, New York. Our sub- ject resided with his parents until he reached the age of twenty-three years, and there, in his native town, received his education. On January 7, 1852, he sailed from New York in the steamer Cherokee to Chagres, whence he found his way to Panama and thence took passage in a sailing-vessel, the brig Christiania, arriving in San Francisco on the 7th April of that year. Proceeding immediately to Chinese Camp, Tuolumne County, he there commenced mining, which, however, he abandoned a few weeks later for stock-raising in what is now a portion of Stanislaus County. Here he remained until the year 1878, when, owing to failing health, he leased his range and came to Alameda County, locating at San Leandro. Mr. Carey's possessions in the two counties, Merced and Stanislaus, amount to three thousand acres of land. Mar- ried, December 23, 1856, Miss Elizabeth J. McGee, a native of Missouri, and has three surviving children, viz .: Lucy, Maggie, and A. B.

DANIEL S. CARPENTER .- The present efficient and popular Tax Collector of Contra Costa County, was born in Newport, Herkimer County, New York, November 18, 1831. He resided on a farm and was educated at the common schools until 1852. March 5th of that year our subject with one cousin started for California, sailing from New York via Central America, arriving in San Francisco April Ioth of the same year. Mr. Carpenter immediately proceeded to Sacramento to join a brother who had preceded him to this coast, and remained in the latter place until fall, when he pro- ceeded to Trinity County, where he engaged in mining for two years, meeting with good success. Mr. Carpenter next moved to Auburn, Placer County, and followed several occupations, at one time being Deputy Sheriff of said county, and afterwards engaged in tunnel-mining at Iowa Hill, where he met with financial reverses, and concluded to try agricultural pursuits and selected Contra Costa as his base of future operations. He first located in New York Valley, where he resided until dispossessed by the owners of the New York grant. We next find Mr. Carpenter located on the San Joaquin on the place now occupied by the Empire Mine, and engaged in the mining business for two summers. He then moved to a ranch six miles from Martinez, where he resided but a short time, and in the fall of 1860 moved to where he now resides, at Clayton. Mr. Carpenter was Justice of the Peace of Clayton for a term of ten years, and October 3, 1881, was appointed by the Board of Supervisors to the office of Tax Collector to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr. Shuey. The subject of our sketch was united in marriage in Clayton, November 19, 1863, to Miss Sarah F. Curry, a native of Missouri. They have eight children, viz .: William L., Charles B., Alice M., Nellie E., Daniel S., Myron E., Clarence M., and Annie F.

H. K. CARTER .- Was born in the town of Tully, Onondaga County, New York, March 22, 1826. In the spring of 1840 his father, Philip Carter, with his family moved to Fort Brewerton, town of Cicero, in the same county, and engaged in the business of tanning and farming, which he had previously carried on from the spring of 1849 until 1856. Mr. Carter engaged in tanning and the wood and lumber trade, but in the fall of the latter year his tannery was burnt, and meeting with heavy losses during the following year in the great financial crash in the State of New York, he determined to try his luck on the Pacific Coast. Coming to California in the spring of 1858, he went to Olympia, Washington Territory, and there associating himself

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with James Biles, built a tannery and was the first to introduce steam and machinery in that industry on the coast. In the fall of 1860, he returned to San Francisco and opened a finishing and leather store which he continued until 1862, when he went into the stock and money brokers' business until 1864. A portion of this and the year 1865, he passed in Oregon, and Washington Territory, buying wheat, potatoes, etc., for the San Francisco market. In the fall of 1865 he once more embarked in the tanning trade in San Francisco, which he abandoned in the fall of 1867, since when he has been engaged in the fruit and agriculture business, chiefly in Contra Costa and Ala- meda Counties. Married in Fort Brewerton, Onondaga County, New York, October 21, 1852, Miss Hester A. R., daughter of Rev. E. D. Trakey, and has had two children: LeRoy T., and a daughter, deceased.

Z. D. CHENEY .- Was born in Cortland County, New York, July 20, 1850. In the month of November, 1853, his parents sailing for the Pacific Coast, along with three sisters and two brothers, our subject was brought to California, via Panama, arriving in San Francisco, January 12, 1854. Coming direct to Alameda County Mr. Cheney, Senior, located on the land now owned by A. E. Rankin of Alvarado, while the subject of this sketch commenced his scholastic training, subsequently finishing at McClure's Military College in Oakland. In 1869 he proceeded to Carson City, Nevada, and found employment in a wholesale store, at the end of three years, how- ever, he returned to Alameda County and embarked in agricultural pursuits near Centreville, where he resided until March, 1880. At that time he transferred his resi- dence to Livermore, engaged in stock-raising, and thus continued until February 1882, when he opened his present store for groceries, provisions and gents' furnishing goods at the corner of K and First Streets. Mr. Cheney married in Centreville, Ala- meda County, California, Miss Annie E. Caffall, a native of England, and has three sons, viz .: Charles, Lewis, and William.

ANTHONY CHABOT .- This gentleman, among the most enterprising of Califor- nia's citizens, whose portrait will be found in this work, was born and reared on a farm near St. Hyacinth, Canada, his father being a farmer. At the age of sixteen years he left home to face the world and engaged in various kinds of businesses with fair results until 1849, when he came to California and embarked in mining for about ten years in Nevada City with good success, being at the same time interested in build- ing ditches to supply the mines with water. In 1854 he built and was owner as well, of two saw-mills in Sierra County. In the year 1856 Mr. Chabot determined to abandon the mines for some other kind of life; he therefore proceeded to San Fran- cisco and commenced investigating into the possibility of supplying that city with water. Finding the scheme in every way most feasible, he at once entered into arrangements with John Bensley and A. W. Van Schmidt, to bring the waters of Lobos Creek into San Francisco. After much litigation about property and water rights, difficulties were eventually surmounted, and in 1858 the supply of water was commenced, and has since been continued. At the same time his mining and other business affairs progressed in a most satisfactory manner. In 1866 Mr. Chabot began to build the water-works to supply the city of Oakland, the liquid for which was first obtained from the Temescal Creek; in 1875, however, the waters of the San Leandro Creek were condemned, and from the lake that has been built there comes the main sup- ply, it being distributed through one hundred and twenty-five miles of pipe, and when finished will have a capacity of fifteen thousand million gallons, while should the neces- sity arise, it is in contemplation to increase the supply from the water-shed in the vicinity of Pleasanton. Until 1875 Mr. Chabot was the sole owner of the water supply of Oak- land, but in that year he disposed of a portion of his stock, still retaining, however, upwards of one-half of the interest. In or about 1869, in company with Mr. Mckenzie, Mr. Chabot built water-works for the city of San José; and about the same time con- structed those for the supply of Vallejo, which latter he still owns. Besides these he was engaged in many and various affairs; indeed, his life from his arrival in California

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has been one of unvarying business activity. He, at present, has large interests in the paper-mill at Stockton, San Joaquin County; the Judson Manufacturing Company in Oakland; the Pioncer Pulp Mill Company near Alta, Placer County, where machin- ery is now being erected for the manufacture of box or card board made from wood and used for lining and roofing houses, book-covers, etc .; the Puget Sound Iron Com- pany, which is in successful operation about six miles from Port Townsend; and he is now preparing a large tract of land in Washington Territory for the cultivation of cranberries; while he is still interested in mining, all of which have proved satisfactory investments. Mr. Chabot also took a prominent part in the founding of the Old Ladies' Home in Oakland, while his last gift to the city is the observatory now building on Lafayette Square, the telescope for which is being manufactured by Alvin Clark & Son, of Cambridgeport, Massachusetts, and which will be completed in or about the month of August, 1883. Through his life of ceaseless vigor Mr. Chabot has found time to exercise an unstinting charity; many are those whom he has helped with the " sinews of war" to aid them upwards. He, perhaps, has done more than any of Oakland's wealthy citizens, to bring business enterprises to her; his energy has ever been devoted on the side of progress, and it is to him in no small degree that she now boasts the possession of two of the greatest industries on the Pacific Coast. His deeds will live in the future; on his works should be inscribed the motto Monumentum ære perennius-A monument more lasting than bronze.

AUGUSTUS M. CHURCH .- This much respected pioneer of Alameda County, whose portrait appears in this work, was born in Allen's Hill, town of Richmond, Ontario County, New York, June 19, 1816, and is the eldest surviving son of Lovett and Sally (Boyd) Church. Having resided in his birthplace until 1831, in that year our subject launched forth to face the world, and first found employment in a hard- ware store in Canandaigua. A twelvemonth later he entered the post-office as clerk, and the year after took charge of that office in Lockport, Niagara County, New York. In 1834 he entered the bank of L. A. Spaulding in that place, where he remained two years. We next find him in the Canal Collector's office of Judge McKane, and in the winter of 1837-38 he proceeded to Chicago to take charge of and sell out a stock of goods for the Bank of Washtenaw, Ann Arbor, which completing, he proceeded to Ottawa, and was there interested in the construction of the Illinois and Michigan Canal, as well as in mercantile operations. In 1839 he moved to Berrien County, Michigan, where in May, he was joined in matrimony to Miss Ellen Cronkhite, a native of the State of New York, and that fall proceeded to Dubuque, Iowa, and embarked in a mercantile business in Bellevue, on the Mississippi, twenty-five miles below the first-named city. At this period the district was infested by a gang of horse-thieves and counterfeiters with a man named Brown as their leader, who were perpetrating their rascally actions and apparently without opposition. This defiance of law and order, however, the well-disposed citizens could not brook, therefore, on the morning of April 1, 1840, a meeting of the inhabitants of the town and county was convened, when it was determined to resort to extreme measures to deliver them from the depredations of this pestiferous crew. Brown and his gang fortified them- selves, but were captured after considerable resistance by about a hundred citizens, who. forthwith sent them out of the district down the mighty Father of Waters on a raft. In these events Mr. Church took a prominent part, and afterwards, returning to Ber- rien County, opened a hotel in Whitmanville, Cass County, which he conducted for two years. In 1842 he transferred his habitation to St. Joseph, where, he combined trading with hotel-keeping until 1844-45, when he removed to Saint Mary's Rapids, and managed a hotel there for eighteen months. In 1847 he returned to St. Joseph and resumed his former business and there resided until the ever-memorable year of 1849. Now, the slogan of gold was making itself heard from the shores of the Pacific to those of the Atlantic Ocean. Every one's eyes were turned to the metal-producing rivers and gorges of the Sierra Nevada. Parties, both large and small, were being

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History of Alameda County, California : including its geology, topography, soil, and productions, Part 121

Author: Munro-Fraser, J. P Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Oakland, Calif. : M.W. Wood Number of Pages: 1206

Author: Munro-Fraser, J. P
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Oakland, Calif. : M.W. Wood
Number of Pages: 1206