History of Alameda County, California : including its geology, topography, soil, and productions, Part 123

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

USA > California > Alameda County > History of Alameda County, California : including its geology, topography, soil, and productions > Part 123

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

869

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

material wealth, in whatever shape it may exist, over the whole of this rebellious territory, should be swept away as with the besom of destruction, than that this great Government, this last hope of freedom, should perish. No, sir, perish first all its foes, and let desolation blight their fairest possession; and if at last, and when all other means have been exhausted, it shall appear that this "chief corner-stone, African slavery," presents the final obstacle, why then, sir, in the name of my country, of freedom, of humanity, and of God, I would say let slavery go down, if so be that by this means, and no other, the emblem of our nation's greatness can again be elevated over all the land, with every star yet bright and unclouded, and all the stripes of freedom still there. And, sir, while it is true that this war has no such object in view as the abolition of slavery, it is not and never can be tortured into a a war for the protection of that institution. Like all other property and material things, negroes must take the chance of the contest. Before the grand army of the Union all obstacles to the end sought to be attained must give way, and we shall not stop to inquire whether such obstacle be a negro, a traitor, or a jackass. If the rebellion can be subdued, and union, and peace, and a hearty and honest submission to the laws be restored, we will extend to and over all the same ægis of constitutional protection which they before enjoyed, and will trust that by the silent, slow, but sure operation of the advancing enlightenment of the age those States, by their own volun- tary action, will hasten to be rid of an institution which has always carried with it the curse which follows wrong. Again, sir, while we wage no war for abolition, there are hundreds of thousands, in and out of the army in the South, as well as the North, who would rejoice to see a peaceful solution, by which this great curse should be so effectually disposed of as never again to cast its hateful black shadow across the path- way of our future greatness, and who would not regret the event, should it, as one of the incidents of the war, receive forever its quietus, and be blotted from existence." I spent the winter of 1864-65 in Washington, D. C. While there I procured the passage of the Act to settle the title to the lands of the ex-Mission of San José, by which about thirty thousand acres of the land of this rejected Mexican grant claim was confirmed to the occupants of the land, embracing the largest portion of Washing- ton Township. While in Washington I was admitted to the Supreme Court of the United States, and argued an important land case. At the general election in 1879 I was elected to the office which I now hold. I know of nothing further to add to this brief sketch that would be of public interest. The work done by me in my official capacity must speak for itself. I am conscious of integrity of purpose and motive. I have not the vanity to suppose that this brief memoir will immortalize my name or acts. In a few more years, at most, my mortal career must end, and should the children of some future age stumble upon this book amongst the rubbish of their grandfather's garret, it may excite their interest for a passing moment-perhaps only their amusement.

JUDGE E. O. CROSBY .- The subject of this biographical sketch, Judge Elisha Oscar Crosby, was born July 18, 1818, in the town of Groton, Tompkins County, New York. At Cortland Academy he received a fair English and Classical education. With James Leach, a leading lawyer of Central New York, he pursued the study of law, and in 184I was admitted to the Bar of the County Court of Tompkins and Cort- land Counties. With Hon. E. G. Spalding, of Buffalo, he pursued his legal studies still further, and 1843 was admitted to the Supreme Court of the State of New York. July 18, 1843, his twenty-fifth birthday, he was examined by the eminent Chancellor, R. H. Walworth, who signed his diploma as a solicitor in the Court of Chancery of the State of New York. In 1844 he went to New York City and formed a partner- ship with Hon. Abner Benedict, an eminent member of the New York Bar. Here he formed the friendship of the most distinguished lawyers of New York-Ambrose L. Jordan, James T. Brady, David Graham, Daniel Lord, and others. Through Chan- cellor Walworth he received his first official commission, Examiner in Chancery for

870

HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

the State of New York, which office he held for several years, and satisfactorily did he discharge the duties of the office, though it required a thorough knowledge of chancery practice and the rules governing the taking of testimony in equity cases. Sharing in the excitement caused by the discovery of gold in California, he sailed, on Christmas-day, 1848, for the new Dorado, bearing letters from Messrs. Howland & Aspinwall, directing their agents to give Mr. Crosby every facility to reach California. On the 28th of February, 1849, he arrived in San Francisco. So soon, widely, and favorably did he become known, that he was selected as one of the forty-eight dele- gates (of whom but six or eight still survive) who were sent to Monterey September I, 1849, to form a State Constitution, to bring order out of chaos, and found a new empire of civilization, the first upon the Pacific Coast. In this convention Mr. Crosby took an active and prominent part. 'As Chairman of the Finance Committee, and in organizing the judiciary of the new State, Judge Crosby did most efficient, commend- able work. By hard, earnest, faithful work, the Constitution was soon ready to submit to the people for their ratification. At the request of the Sacramento delegation, Judge Crosby was appointed, by Governor Riley, Prefect of that large district. As such officer he was obliged to establish precincts, return the votes for two Congressmen, Governor, and all other State officers. So faithfully and promptly did he discharge his responsible duty that he established fifty-two precincts, had all the votes collected and expressed to Monterey to be counted December 1, 1849. He did this at a per- sonal expense of $1,400, which the State has never returned to him. During the first and second sessions of the Legislature Judge Crosby was a member of the Senate. He held the important, onerous position of Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, and largely assisted in organizing the judiciary system of the State. Though he often worked till two and three o'clock in the morning, he was always in his seat in the Senate promptly at 9 o'clock. The Senate journal, especially of the first session of the Leg- islature, shows, through his able reports, his faithful, important, successful labors in organizing the Supreme Court, District Courts, the adoption of the common law, etc. Removing to San Francisco in 1853, he successfully engaged in prosecuting Mexican and Spanish grants to lands before the United States Land Commission and the United States District and Supreme Court, on appeal. The archives of the United States Land Commission and the United States Courts show the extent and success of his labors. To prosecute appeals in the Supreme Court, he was admitted an Attorney and Counsellor of the Supreme Court of the United States. By President Lincoln he was appointed Minister to Guatemala. From the President he received repeated thanks for the faithfulness and efficiency with which he discharged his duty, but especially for his important services as umpire to the Joint Commission, appointed by Great Britain and Honduras, to settle treaty stipulations for adjustment of claims growing out of the Protectorate of the Bay Islands of Honduras and the Mosquito coast and territory. From Great Britain and Honduras he received thanks for the able and impartial manner in which he discharged the delicate, responsible duties of that position. His health failing, he tendered his resignation to Secretary Seward, and went to Philadelphia for medical treatment. After three years he went to Europe to study the world's older civilization in contrast with that of the new State, to found which, on the shores of the Pacific, he had given the energies and labors of the best years of his life. From Europe he returned to his beloved California, the best, most favored land, in his opinion, that the sun shines on. Some five years since, by a vio- lent cold settling in his eyes, and the subsequent maltreatment of a professed oculist, he suffered the loss of the sight of the right eye, with the impairment of the other. By this terrible blow he has been obliged to discontinue his professional labors. With resignation and cheerfulness he discharges the duties of his present station in life, that of Justice of the Peace, with kindness and justice-a credit to his past life and the community where he lives. For years he has been a member of the Ethno- logical Society of New York, and has, from time to time, made contributions to its

871

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

literature, which have been published in the journal of that learned society. In the Masonic Order he is a Knight Templar. He is also a member of the Society of Cal- ifornia Pioneers, the Legion of Honor, and other benevolent associations. May his long, varied, useful life be continued many years among a people who can appreciate the fact that very few men now living in California have by hard, unselfish labor, the truest patriotism and zealous, intelligent devotion to duty, done more than Judge Crosby to make the Golden State the most happy, the most prosperous, the most to be envied in the sisterhood of States.

JOHN CUSHING .- The subject of this sketch whose portrait appears in this work was born on the east side of the Green Mountains, Bethel, Orange County, Vermont, September 28, 1832, and is the eldest child of Daniel and Hannah (Townsend) Cushing. When but one year old he was taken by his parents to Delaware County, Ohio, and seven years later to Kane County, Illinois, where his father was engaged in the manu- facture of fanning-mills and reapers. In 1846 death deprived him of his mother, and the home associations being thus broken, his father and our subject in March, 1849, com- menced the arduous undertaking of crossing the plains to California. On the journey, Mr. Cushing, Senior, sickened and died, and with a heavy heart our subject continued his lonely way, arriving with his party at Sacramento, October 1, 1849. On arrival he laid in a stock of provisions and took them to Bidwell's Bar on the Feather River, where he passed the winter of 1849-50, varying the monotony of the days by occa- sional prospecting. In the succeeding spring he moved his worldly possessions to Redding Springs, Shasta County, thence to Weaverville, Trinity County, where hc lived until the fall of 1851, established himself, and brought goods from Marysville. He afterwards for a time engaged in mining at Weaverville and for the winter of 1851 returned to Shasta, but soon moved to Whetstone Bar, Trinity River. Mr. Cushing and his companions built the first cabin in that quarter. He then returned to Shasta County, and engaged in ranching on the Stillwater, until the spring of 1853, when he engaged with the firm of Tomlinson & Wood, wholesale grocers, at Shasta. In 1855 he entered into partnership with G. I. Taggart in the retail grocery business in Shasta City, which continued two years, at the end of which he associated himself with O. P. Fuller and erected a brick building, twenty by eighty feet, wherein he carried on the same business. The partnership with Fuller lasted one year, when he then joined C. C. Bush. In 1866 he disposed of his business to Bush & Carlson, removed to Roaring River, or Cottonwood, and conducted a mercantile business for three years and a half, when, selling out, he came to Oakland in 1870, having first taken a trip through the State. In the spring of 1870 he purchased a half-interest in the business of R. McCrum, general grocers, where he remained five years, consolidat- ing, however, at the expiration of three years, with the firm of L. Bradley. In the following year Mr. Cushing sold out to J. J. Cadogan and retired from business for a twelvemonth. In 1876, in partnership with Andrew Ryder, the present County Clerk, Mr. Cushing once more engaged in business, and at the end of eighteeen months, pur- chasing the interest of that gentleman, he has since conducted its affairs alone. Mar- ried, March 22, 1862, Annette, daughter of N C. Farrington, of Orino, Maine, and has: Henry, Rosie, Charles, and George.

L. H. CUTLER, M. D .- Was born in Ballston, Saratoga County, New York, April 9, 1822, and there remained during the first six years of his life, at which time he was sent to Sharon, Litchfield County, Connecticut, for a further period of five years. He then joined his parents, who had taken up their residence in Rochester, and subsequently removed with them to Cleveland, Ohio, where our subject resided and received his early. education. He next attended and graduated from the West- ern Reserve Medical College in 1846, and in the spring of the following year emigra- ted to Stephenson County, Illinois, where he commenced the practice of his profession. Leaving that State in March, 1850, for the Golden State, he arrived at Johnson's Ranch on the national holiday of that year, and proceeding to Nevada City,

872

HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

there dwelt and engaged in business in partnership with P. B. Fagan for two years. In the fall of 1852 he returned to Illinois, and afterwards took up his residence in Wright County, Iowa, with his family, and there made his domicile until 1872. Doc- tor Cutler's has been no ordinary life; indeed, it may be said it has been one of extraordinary activity. In the year 1860 he was elected to the State Legislature of Iowa for one term; in January, 1862, he assisted in the organization of the Thirty- second Regiment, Iowa Infantry, and with this corps proceeded to the front as Cap- tain of Company A. He was subsequently transferred to the Ninth Regiment, as surgeon, and with it remained until mustered out of the service after the siege of Vicksburg. He then returned to his home in Iowa, and, in the bosom of his family, dwelt continuously there until he once more turned westward toward the Pacific shores. On arrival, he looked around for a spot on which to " pitch his tent," but where all places are so captivating he found difficulty in making a choice. At length his selection was made in Alameda County, in February, 1872, and in the following year his family joined him at Livermore, where he has since resided, practiced his profession, and conducted a drug-store. He married his present wife October 9, 1875, Miss F. A. Keeler, a native of Medina, New York, and has three children, viz .: Charles C., George L., and Cora A.

ROBERT DALZIEL .- Was born in Scotland in the year 1836, and there resided until he attained the age of fifteen years, at which period he came to the United States, settled in Brooklyn, New York, and embarked in the gas-fitting business, which he continued until 1858, in which year he sailed round Cape Horn, arriving in California in March, 1859. Having worked for three months at his trade in San Francisco, he then moved to Sacramento, where he followed his calling for five years. At the expiration of that time he established himself in his present plumbing busi- ness in Oakland. Mr. Dalziel has now bought a one-third interest in the San Fran- cisco Brass Works, at Nos. 413-415 Mission Street, San Francisco, where all kinds of brass goods as well of every manner of plumbing materials are manufactured. Married in 1863 Miss Agnes Smith, and has seven children, viz .: Andrew, Robert, Alexander, William, James, Margaret, and Anstruther.

WILLIAM E. DARGIE .- The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears in this work, is the son of John and Eliza G. Dargie, and was born in San Francisco, March 13, 1854. He received his early education in the public schools of that city, graduat- ing from the Union Grammar School and subsequently attending the High School for a year. At thirteen years of age he secured the position of bill clerk to Armes & Dallam, wholesale dealers in wood and willow ware, with whom he remained a twelve- month. He now commenced an apprenticeship to the printer's trade in the office of the San Francisco Evening Bulletin, where he continued until 1875, during the time having gradually risen through the different grades of the composition-room and being finally transferred to the editorial-rooms as a reporter. At this time Mr. Dargie determined to secure a better education for himself, he therefore entered the State University in 1875, being at the same time engaged in special reportorial work for the Bulletin, with the emoluments from which he paid his expenses. During the vacation which followed the close of the Freshman's year, Mr. Dargie purchased a controlling interest in the Oakland Tribune, and assumed the management of that journal July 24, 1876. The changes made in the paper, and its progress to its present status among the leading dailies of the State have been noticed elsewhere, suffice it to say that Mr. Dargie's management has been eminently successful. On February 27, 1883, he was appointed Postmaster of Oakland for a term of four ycars, and his man- agerial experience has been brought to bear upon the routine of the new office which has already worked a decided benefit to the community at large. Mr. Dargie retains his interest in the Tribune, being still its manager. He married in San Leandro, December 15, 1881, Miss Erminia, eldest daughter of Miguel Peralta, a native of Alameda County, and has one son, William E., Jr.

873

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

HIRAM DAVIS .- The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears in this work, was born in Genesee County, New York, March 2, 1830. At the age of nine years he was taken by his parents to Michigan, and in the following year accompanied his uncle, Samuel Holmes, to Hancock County, Illinois, where he received his schooling and resided until 1847. In that year he emigrated with a company of Mormons to Council Bluffs, Iowa, and thence to Missouri, finally, in the spring of 1848, going to Salt Lake City, where he dwelt until 1849. Late in the fall of that year he started for California, and on arrival commenced mining in Mariposa County, which he con- tinued until 1850, when he came to Alameda County, and in 1854 purchased a farm near Alvarado, on which he resided until 1865, when he went to the Eastern States, but after a visit of eight months, returned and settled on Dry Creek, where he lived until the year 1870, at which time he moved to his present ranch. Mr. Davis owns one hundred and forty-three acres of land, and is engaged in general farming. He married in Michigan in 1856, Miss Martha Fairfield, a native of that State, and has nine surviving children, viz .: Martha A., born April 6, 1858; William Lee, born January 6, 1861; Mary L., born October 8, 1862; Sarah J., born June 18, 1864; Clara L., born November 7, 1871; Harriet R., born March 6, 1876; Edward R., born July 8, 1868; Joseph M., born July 18, 1872; Frederick H., born December 15, 1879.

EZRA DECOTO .- The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears in our work, was born in Lower Canada, September 2, 1833, and is the son of Charles and Mary (Gerbeto) Decoto. Having resided with his parents until fifteen years of age, he went to Hazardville, Connecticut, and worked there, afterwards becoming foreman in a cooper's shop for four years, at which time he started for California. Leaving New York, April 15, 1854, on board the Moses Taylor to the Isthmus of Panama, on the Pacific side per George Law, he arrived in San Francisco May 18th, and directly pro- ceeded to Alameda County, and commenced raising strawberries on the Encinal of Alameda, an occupation he continued two years, when he embarked in the business of raising potatoes in the same place. In 1858 he changed the field of his operations to San Leandro, and embarked in the cultivation of potatoes and the cereals, which he prosecuted for four years, at which time he removed to Haywards, and there farmed until 1867. Mr. Decoto then disposed of his property, and with his brother purchased three hundred and thirty-four acres from Jonah C. Clark, where he settled, and commenced farming. Here he farmed until 1871, when they sold two hundred and eighty-four acres to the Central Pacific Railroad, and reserved the balance, on a portion of which he now resides. In 1873 he purchased one hundred and ten acres near Washington Corners, and disposed of it in 1881. Has been School Trustee for ten years. Married, August 21, 1860, Miss Janet Lowrie, a native of Stirling, Scot- land, and has a family consisting of four girls and three boys, viz .: Charles, born June 6, 1861, died February 20, 1869; Lizzie, born April 4, 1863; Mary, born May 8, 1865; Peter, born January 4, 1869; Janet, born February 14, 1871; Alvena, born June 25, 1873; Ezra, born February 6, 1876; Lewis, born June 20, 1868.

CARLO DELMUE .- Was born in Switzerland in 1854, and there resided with his parents until he attained the age of fourteen years, when he emigrated to California, landing in San Francisco in September, 1869. He at once proceeded to Suñol, Ala- meda County, where he found employment on a farm. Four years thereafter he started a dairy on the ranch where he now resides in Suñol Valley, which he con- ducts in connection with several places in different parts of the county.

JOSEPH DIEVES-Whose portrait appears in this work-was born in Heimerz- heim, on the Rhine, Germany, August 24, 1816. where he received a common school education; served his apprenticeship to the cabinet-maker's trade, and resided until he attained the age of twenty-five years. He then was absent three years in Belgium, France, and Holland, during which he improved himself in the mechanical depart- ments of his trade, and on his return home worked at his calling till the year 1847, in which year he emigrated to the United States, settled in Boston, and resided there

874

HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

until 1848, when he located near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and followed his own occu- pation combined with farming. In 1853 he came to the Pacific Coast, arriving in San Francisco on the 15th of April, and proceeding directly to the mines at Sonora City, there remained three months, at the end of which time he came to Alameda County, settled in the city of Oakland, and engaged in carpentering until 1856. At that period he opened the Eagle House, then the principal hotel there, situated on Second Street and Broadway, and there remained until 1861. He then moved to the Three-mile House on the San Leandro Road, where he remained three years, after which taking charge of the Continental Hotel in San Francisco for three months. Mr. Dieves next took the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Oakland, and conducted it until 1868, when he returned on a visit to Germany. On coming back to California he built on Ninth Street, Oakland, and subsequently purchased an interest in the Oak- land Brewery, a history of which will be found in its proper place. Married in April, 1846, Miss Gertrude Gette, a native of Germany, and has two children, Joseph P., born January 2, 1847; and Mary, born September 29, 1849.

HUGH DIMOND .- Was born in County Derry, Ireland, March 27, 1830. In the year 1844 he emigrated to the United States, first settling in the city of New York, where he served an apprenticeship as a machinist. May 12, 1850, he sailed in the Cherokee to Chagres, whence proceeding to Panama, he there took passage to San Francisco, where he arrived on the 22d June. Mr. Dimond at once proceeded to try his luck at the mines, and continued that occupation in different localities until 1852. At this date he associated himself with C. D. O'Sullivan and W. F. Cashman in a mercantile business in Mariposa, and thus continued until 1862, when he came to San Francisco and embarked in the liquor trade. In 1867 he settled on his present prop- erty in Brooklyn Township. In 1872 married Miss Ellen Sullivan, who died 2Ist April, 1877. His family consists of a daughter and two sons, viz .: Nellie, born in Geneva, Switzerland, August 2, 1873; Hugh S., born in Pons, France, 8th June, 1875, and Dennis S., born in Oakland, Alameda County, California, 10th August, 1876.

HON. MATHEW W. DIXON .- The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears in this work, was born in Kanawha County, West Virginia, March 28, 1828. In 1840 he accompanied his parents to Jackson County, Missouri, and there resided until the year 1849, when, emigrating, he crossed the plains to California, starting on April 1st and arriving at Sacramento on the 28th September. Having mined at Hangtown (now Placerville) until November Ist, he then proceeded to Santa Clara County, where he settled near Mountain View, and purchased two claims, farming in that section until 1865. In that year he moved to the place on which he now resides, having pre- viously purchased it in 1861, and consisting of some three hundred acres. Besides having engaged in grain-raising, Mr. Dixon also owns an interest in certain ware- houses in Milpitas, Santa Clara County, which were erected in 1868. In 1869 he was elected to the Board of Supervisors, and served two years; was elected to the Assembly from Alameda County in 1874 on the Independent ticket, being re-elected in 1876 by the Democrats. In 1882 Mr. Dixon was nominated for the Senate by the Democratic Convention by acclamation, and only lost his seat by the paltry majority of forty votes. In Mr. Dixon we have one of those men, who, from small beginnings, has sprung into prominence by his own indomitable perseverance and unaided efforts. His motto through life has evidently been -- to conquer or to die. His name is asso- ciated with all that is good; his official career has ever been without blemish, while in private life he is deservedly honored by his fellow-citizens. Married, firstly, July 21, 1852, Miss Eliza Whisman, a native of Jackson County, Missouri, who died May IO, 1866. By that union there are two surviving children, viz .: James K. Polk, and Rachael Emily. Married, secondly, October 7, 1866, Mrs. Rhoda A. Emmons, and has Hattie, Jennie G., and Mathew W., Jr.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Alameda County, California : including its geology, topography, soil, and productions, Part 123

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