History of Alameda County, California : including its geology, topography, soil, and productions, Part 138

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

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in the Golden State until November, 1853, at that time we find our subject once more returning to 'Missouri, where, in the following spring, he fitted out another train for Salt Lake and California. The journey from the first-named place was undertaken by way of the Sink of the Humboldt, and here commenced a series of misadventures that culminated in their being obliged to leave thirty new wagons on the desert between the Humboldt and Carson Rivers, on account of the live-stock being taken sick. Leaving a brother in charge of the train, Mr. Patterson pushed on to the Liv- ermore Valley in a wagon; there he settled and commenced operations on his present place in October, 1854, since when he has been engaged in pastoral and agricultural pursuits. Married in Independence, Missouri, April 12, 1852, Miss Kate Simpson, a native of Tennessee, and has had seven children, only two of whom survive, viz .: Charles T. and Susie (now Mrs. Davis). Those deceased are: Nellie, Lee, Frank, Andrew, and Willie.

CIPRIANO PEDRINI .- Was born in Switzerland, February 18, 1832, and there resided until the year 1851, when he emigrated to the United States, and lived in the city of New York until the 7th of September, on which date he sailed for California by way of Panama, landing in San Francisco on October 7, 1851. At the end of three weeks he went to the mines in Yuba County, but in 1853 returned to the Bay City. In the spring of 1854 he proceeded to Garden Valley, El Dorado County, opened a store, and conducted it for twenty years, when, selling out in 1877, he came to Alameda County, located at Temescal, and built the block in which he carries on his grocery business. Married in San Francisco, December 27, 1861, Miss Mary Broner, a native of Switzerland, and has three children, viz .: Joseph M., Louisa J., and William C.

THOMAS HAMEL PINKERTON, M. D .- Was born in Middlesex County, Massa- chusetts, June 20, 1817, and is the son of Archibald and Frances (Walker) Pinkerton. At the age of nine years he was taken by his parents to Andover, Essex County, in the same State. At the end of three years they moved to Lynn, in the same county, where he resided three years more, and then moved to West Cambridge. In 1838 the subject of this sketch moved to Watertown, Massachusetts, whence, in 1841, he went to Boston and resided until 1855, in which year he entered the Harvard Medical Col- lege, from which he graduated in 1859. He now practiced in Boston until Septem- ber, 1860, when he came to California by way of Cape Horn, arriving in San Fran- cisco January 5, 1861. After a sojourn of two weeks there, he proceeded to Virginia City, Nevada, and after practicing for awhile, was elected City and County Physician, a position he held for five consecutive years. Under his régime the County Hospital there was erected, while, about the same time, he was appointed by the Government United States Contract Surgeon for the State of Nevada, the functions of which he performed during the years 1864 and 1865. In November, 1866, he married Miss Mary Josephine Atwill, and moved to Oakland, where he commenced the practice of his profession, and where he still resides.

Dr. Pinkerton was elected Physician to the city of Oakland in 1869, and in the following year was called upon by the suffrages of the people to fill the position of Health Officer, an office he successfully filled for four years. He has been also President of the State Medical Society; was one of the incorporators of the Alameda County Medical Association, and was its first President ; and, indeed, has held many high positions in medical circles. An excellent portrait of the Doctor will be found in this volume.

CHAS. A. PLUMMER .- Was born in Boston, Massachusetts, October 16, 1841, and there resided until December 23, 1852, when, with his mother and brother, he sailed on the ship Golden West, Captain Curwin, via Cape Horn, to join his father, who had preceded him three years, in California; and after a tedious voyage of four months, landed in San Francisco April 13, 1853. Mr. Plummer now went to the Happy Valley School two years, a low, tumble-down building on Minna, near Second Street, James Denman principal, and surrounded by sand-hills, and at the age of fourteen years commenced the battle of life. In September, 1858, he proceeded, in

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the salmon-fishing trade, to Eel River, Humboldt County, where he remained until January, 1861. Returning to San Francisco, he entered the service of E. D. Heatley, with whom he remained two years in the grain-shipping business, after which he went into the coal and wood trade until March, 1865, when he came with his father to Washington Township, Alameda County, where the latter had established himself the year preceding, in the Crystal Salt-works, near Newark, and now superintended by J. A. Plummer, Jr. Our subject remained on the above works until September, 1872, in which year he established himself where he at present resides. In November, 1870, accompanied by his father, he returned to the Eastern States, by way of Panama, and after a stay of two months came back overland to his former home near Newark. In 1872 he established himself on his extensive salt-works, located a mile south from Alvarado, where, in partnership with his brother, John A. Plummer, Jr., he is engaged in the manufacture of salt, owning two salt-works-one near Alvarado, the "Turk Island " Salt-works, and the other the Crystal Salt-works, near Newark- the firm name being Plummer Brothers. Mr. Plummer is a member of the Washing- ton Township Pioneer Association, and Noble Grand of the Alvarado Lodge, I. O. O. F. Married September 24, 1874, Miss Annie M. Miller, a native of New York, and has no issue.

JOHN ALLEN PLUMMER, Jr .- Was born in Boston, Massachusetts, June 3, 1839, and is the son of John A. and Elizabeth E. Plummer. He received his education at the Lexington Academy, and on December 14, 1852, set sail from Boston in the clipper ship, Golden West, around Cape Horn to San Francisco, where he arrived on the 20th of April, being one hundred and twenty-six days on the voyage. Here, joining his father, with his mother and brother, they took up their residence in San Francisco until 1858, when our subject moved to Eel River, Humboldt County, and engaged in salmon-fishing. In December, 1860, he returned to the Bay City, where he became grain inspector and shipper for E. D. Headley until July, 1864. Mr. Plummer afterwards went to Santa Clara, and for several months was in charge of a flouring-mill there. In 1866 he returned to San Francisco, at the request of I. Friedlander, who took him in his employ as grain inspector, shipper, and clerk, there remaining until March, 1870, when, resigning his position, he came to reside at his present home and carry on the Crystal Salt-works, which had been established by his father in 1864. A full history of this enterprise will be found in its proper place. Mr. Plummer married May 3, 1868, Miss Gertrude Blaney, and has two children: Crystal and Walter.

HERMANN POHLMANN .- Was born in Germany, April 10, 1855, and there resided on a farm until 1871, in which year he emigrated to the United States, and settled in the State of Nebraska. In 1875 he came to California, located in San José, and resided there six years; was in business there three years. In March, 1882, he took possession of the Twelve-mile House, on the San José Road, where he has four acres of ground, and at present resides.

WILLIAM POINSETT .- This old settler, whose portrait appears in this work, was born in Burlington County, New Jersey, February 1, 1830; there received his educa- tion, and resided on a farm until he attained the age of twenty-two years, at which period he came to California, sailing from the city of New York on July 6, 1852, by way of the Nicaragua Route, and arriving in San Francisco on the 2d of August of the same year, the trip being made in the remarkably short space of twenty-seven days. A short time after landing he crossed the bay to what is now Alameda County, and found employment at Alvarado, but at the end of sixteen months he rented land and embarked in farming operations on his own account, where he con- tinued until the fall of 1856, when he removed to San Pablo, Contra Costa County, and until 1858 followed the like occupation there. He then moved his family to Berkeley, where he has since made his home. Mr. Poinsett has under cultivation about six hundred acres of land, which is leased, and the thriftiness of his surround-

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ings shows the good practical farmer that he is. He has paid out sixty thousand dollars as rent for land leased in fifteen years past. He has held the position of Town Councillor of Berkeley, but has never aspired to other public functions, being contented with his lot as a tiller of the soil; indeed, he has never had any other ambi- tion; and, strange to say, he is one of the very few that, on first arrival in the country, did not tempt fortune in the gold-producing regions. It is such men as he that help to make a country like the United States what she is. By an honest and upright course of action through life, he has earned the well-deserved respect of his fellow-citizens, and his own honesty has brought, not only a fair share of this world's goods, but the con- tentment only to be gained by a knowledge that he has won the praise of "Well done, thou good and faithful servant!" He married in Oakland, October 28, 1858, Mrs. Horner, adopted daughter of Joseph H. Coombs, formerly District Attorney of Ala- meda County, and has a family of five children, viz .: Harvey, Elwood, Alice, William, and Anna May.

RICHARD T. POPE .- Was born in Plymouth, Massachusetts, May 25, 1824, learned the trade of carpenter, and resided there until he made up his mind to face the trials of a journey to the newly discovered gold-mines of California. On March 10, 1849, Mr. Pope sailed out of New York Harbor, on board the bark Mallory, via Cape Horn for San Francisco, where he arrived on the 13th September. He at once proceeded to the Mariposa Mines, and there was engaged with pans and pick until 1854, in the fall of which year he came to Alameda County, and located on the farm now owned by J. P. Smith, in Livermore Val- ley, where he followed stock-raising as an occupation, and resided for eleven years. Selling out in 1865 to Sanders Simpson, he moved farther up the valley and purchased his present property of one hundred and sixty acres, to which, however, he has since added, until his possessions now comprise fully three thousand acres. Mr. Pope is principally engaged in sheep-farming, his stock on hand numbering twenty- five hundred head. He was once elected to the office of Justice of the Peace, but declined to serve; while he lives, it may be said, a happy and contented life, although it is one of single blessedness.

JOHN PROCTOR .- Was born in Lancashire, England, May 1, 1812, and there resided until he attained the age of eighteen years. Then taking passage at Liver- pool, he sailed for the United States, and arrived in New Orleans in April, 1830. He at once proceeded up the Mississippi in the first steamer that ever plied on the mighty "Father of Waters," and settling in Monroe City, Illinois, there followed farming until making up his mind to come to California. Accompanied by his wife and three children, he sailed from New York, and making the journey via the Nicaragua Route, arrived in San Francisco December 18, 1853. Coming direct to Alameda County, Mr. Proctor located on the eighty-acre tract on which he now resides, situated about two miles from Centreville, where he is engaged in general farming and fruit-raising. Married to Nancy Monks, a native of Lancashire, England, and has three surviving children, viz .: John T. Monks, Eliza Ann, and Alice E.

JOHN HARVEY PROWSE .- Was born near Galena, Jo. Daviess County, Illinois, October 12, 1843, and is the son of Thomas and Elvina (Bradshaw) Prowse. Having resided with his father and mother until he reached the age of twenty years, in the year 1864 he emigrated to Montana Territory, and embarked in mining operations, stock-raising, and finally, after four years, came to California, settled on his present ranch of two hundred and sixty-five acres, and is now engaged in general farming and cattle-rearing. An excellent portrait of Mr. Prowse will be found in this work. Married, December 24, 1873, Miss Sophonia Jackson, and has: Ellary E., Thomas H., and Winnie.

C. J. PULLEN .- Was born in Monmouth County, New Jersey, August 12, 1848, and there learned the trade of machinist and engineer. He left the Eastern States November 10, 1871, for California, and on arrival first located in San Francisco,

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where he remained working at his calling for ten years, during a portion of which time (six years and a half) he was chief engineer of the cable road of the Clay-street Railroad Company. On October 1, 1881, he came to Alameda County, located in Livermore, leased the Livermore Hotel, added considerably to it, and has made it one of the best hostelries in the county. It is situated at the corner of Main and Lizzie Streets, opposite Mill Square. He married in San Francisco October 13, 1875, Miss Julia A. Barss, a native of Placerville, El Dorado County, California.

PETER PUMYEA .- The subject of this sketch was born in Fulton County, Illinois, May 17, 1844, and there resided on his father's farm until coming to Califor- nia, in the spring of 1854, being accompanied thither by his father, mother, three brothers, and four sisters. A month's voyage by the Panama Route, from New York, landed them in San Francisco, on June 16, 1854, whence the family proceeded to Marysville, Yuba County, where our subject was engaged in farming until 1865. He then came to Oakland and entered the Brighton College for two years, when he returned to Marysville and became the proprietor of the New York Livery Stables, and there continued in that business until the year 1873. At that time he came to Oakland, and, purchasing an interest in the Newlands Stables, has ever since been one of its proprietors. In 1876 Mr. Pumyea was elected to the distinction of one of the Board of Supervisors of Alameda County, and served with credit alike to himself and his constituents until 1879, being for two years chairman of that body. Thence- forward he gave his attention to the livery business; but knowing his capabilities so well, he was, on October 3, 1881, selected by his fellow-citizens to fill the responsible office of Chief of Police, the functions of which he continues to carry out with a marked degree of efficiency, making for the city of Oakland the most efficient, ener- getic, and in every way capable Chief she has ever had. To know Mr. Pumyea is to appreciate his sterling merits, while to have official and private dealings with him is to learn his manly worth, and recognize his unimpeachable character. He married in Jackson, Amador County, January 23, 1877, Miss Lovine Turner, a native of Ohio, by whom he had a child, now deceased.

JOSEPH RALPH (deceased) .- Was born in New Jersey, in the year 1819, and there resided with his parents until he attained the age of twenty-three years, at which time he went into the hotel business in New Egypt, Ocean County, in the same State. There he remained until 1852, when he left for California, by way of the Nicaragua Route, arriving in San Francisco in August of that year. He immediately crossed the bay to what is now Alameda County, and settling in Washington Township, opened a hotel in Union City, which he conducted until 1854, when he acquired the ranch of one hundred acres, near Alvarado, where he resided until his death, on May 20, 1876. Married in New Jersey, in 1842, Miss Fanetta Horner, by whom there are four surviving children, viz .: William T., Ivens, George C., and Francis.

HON. R. A. REDMAN .- Flavius Josephus, the ancient Jewish Historian, says, in speaking of the creation of man (Book I., chap. I), that "Adam, in the Hebrew tongue, signifies one that is red, and 'the first man being made of red earth was there- fore called Adam." Messrs. Nott & Glydon, in their "Types of Mankind" (page 573), admit that the word, AD aM, consists of two words, which, when applied to man, signify red man. The subject of this sketch, therefore, may justly claim to be a direct lineal descendant of the " first family" of Eden. His American ancestry, how- ever, dates back to the times of Lord Baltimore, in the early settlement of Maryland. Dr. Joshua Winn Redman, the father, was born near the City of Baltimore, and was graduated in medicine, at Transylvania University, Lexington, Kentucky, in 1821, when he married Miss Jane Redman, a distant relative, and connected with the Breckenridges of Kentucky. About this time that portion of Missouri which had been ceded to the United States from Spain, as part of the Louisiana purchase, was attracting much attention, and Dr. Redman, with his young bride, removed to St. Louis, and thence to the border town of Franklin, in the county of Howard, on the

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Missouri River, where he afterwards became distinguished as a physician, a man of fine military attainments, and for many years a leading Democrat, representing his county in the State Legislature, he was regarded as a man of unusual ability, an able debater, and of great personal courage. After abandoning the practice of medi- cine, which he had followed for twenty years, he took up that of the law, having also studied that profession in his younger days. It was said of him not long since, in a Missouri paper, that he was at one and the same time, a Colonel, a Doctor, a Lawyer, a Notary Public, a Justice of the Peace, and a Postmaster. He was afterwards a Brigadier-General, and commanded a brigade on the field at the time of the "Mormon difficulties" in Missouri. He was likewise the first County Judge of Santa Clara, in this State, having been elected to that office in 1850, for the term of four years, and died in Santa Clara in 1857, having amassed a considerable fortune. The town of "Old Franklin" was located on the north bank of the raging and ever-changing Missouri River, surrounded by dense forests, filled with wild and savage Indians, and was the semi-annual rendezvous for Santa Fé traders, mountain trappers, speculators, etc. It was at this place that Rezin Augustus Redman was born, January 8, 1829, and where he spent his early boyhood, much of the time being wasted in fishing, hunting, etc., having lost his mother at the age of eight years. He then became an inmate of the family of his uncle, the Rev. Wm. W. Redman, then residing in St. Louis, for the purpose of receiving an education. After a residence of two years in St. Louis, he went to the Academy of Clinton, Missouri, the princi- pal being his cousin, A. C. Redman. Whilst here at school the discovery of gold in California became a fixed fact, and Dr. Redman sent immediately for his son to go with him to the golden shores of the Pacific, and together they set out for the journey across the plains, in May, 1849, reaching the headwaters of the North Fork of the American River, in the Sierra Nevada, on pack-mules, having left the teams to follow, on the Ist of August, 1849, when they went to work mining, with wash- bowl, knife, and spoon, and continued this quite successfully for three months; thence they went to Sacramento, and remaining a few weeks there, proceeded to San Fran- cisco. About this time the first Legislature met at San José, to which place they made up their minds to go and spend the winter. As they sailed out from San Francisco, in a small whale-boat, for San José, and looking towards the east across the bay, towards where Oakland and her suburbs now stand, with their fifty thousand inhabitants, there was not a single hut nor a sign of human habitation to be seen, so far as the eye could reach. Dr. Redman immediately entered upon the practice of the Spanish law at San José-the son doing at the time clerical services in the office, at the same time studying Spanish law, and trying to fathom the mysteries of old Spanish docu- ments-until, as has been seen, Dr. Redman was elected County Judge; R. A. Red- man was then appointed Deputy County Treasurer under the "old pioneer," John M. Murphy, Esquire. In December of 1850, our subject concluded to return East to complete his education, and then come back to San José. Taking leave of his father, he proceeded to Mexico; thence to New Granada; thence to Havana, Cuba, where he spent the winter; returning to Franklin, via New Orleans, in 1851, where he entered into the mercantile business as copartner in the firm of Powell & Redman, and afterwards as copartner in the mercantile house of A. Lory & Co. In 1852 this firm sold out, two of the partners coming to California, viz .: A. Lory, now of El Dorado County; and C. E. Wilcoxon of Sutter, now a member of the State Board of Equalization ; and Mr. Redman going to the University of Louisville, Kentucky, where he attended the sessions of 1852 and 1853. At the close of the session of 1853, in March, Mr. Redman made a tour of the Atlantic States as far west as Council Bluffs, and east again into Canada; thence from New York to the West India Islands; and thence, via Panama, to San Francisco, at which place he arrived in July of that year. A few months afterwards he entered the law office of Hoge & Wilson for the purpose of familiarizing himself with local practice. In 1854 Mr.

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. Redman was admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court, and in a short time opened an office in San José. In 1858 he was elected to the State Senate for the Fourth District, which then comprised Alameda and Santa Clara Counties, his term of office expiring December 31, 1860, at which time he removed to San Francisco, and entered again upon the practice of the law. Mr. Redman came to Oakland to reside in 1872, but kept his office "over in the city" until 1874, when he was appointed Court Com- missioner by Judge S. B. McKee; which office he resigned in 1878, to accept that of County Judge of Alameda, to which he had been appointed by Governor Irwin, on the resignation of S. G. Nye. This office he held until by the New Constitution County Courts gave place to the Superior Courts, since which time Judge Redman has been engaged and still is in the practice of law. He has not been out of the State for thirty years, except to the Pacific Coast States and Territories; and having made and spent a large amount of money in that time he may be truly said to have "seen the elephant," and being blessed with a good memory and some literary attainments, doubtless could furnish interesting accounts of the changes which time has wrought. Judge Redman ranks amongst lawyers of the first class, and stands well with his brethren of the bar. This sketch would be very incomplete if the following were left out, viz .: that he has known his wife ever since she was a child seven years old, and all that time in California, she also being a " forty-niner." They have eleven

children He was married on the 2d day of January, 1860, in Santa Clara County, to Miss Bettie Bascom, daughter of the late Dr. Louis H. Bascom of San José, and niece of the distinguished American orator and divine, Bishop Henry B. Bascom of Kentucky. Mrs. Redman is a native of that State, coming across the plains in 1849, with her father, at the age of seven years. She was educated at the old " Bascom Institute," in San José-a lady of superior natural talents, highly cultivated, and a devoted wife and mother. In religious belief Judge Redman and wife are con- verts to the Roman Catholic Church. An excellent and characteristic portrait of the Judge will be found in this volume.

WILLIAM W. REID .- Was born in Dundee, Forfarshire, Scotland, February 13, 1832, and there was educated in the famous parochial schools of that country. In the year 1852 he sailed from Liverpool to the United States, and arriving in San Fran- cisco in December, there remained until the following February, when he went to the mines in Tuolumne County and toiled in the neighborhood of Sonora and Columbia, as well as on Brown's Flat. Proceeding to Santa Cruz in July, 1853, he there invested in a crop of potatoes, but the venture proving a failure he entered the employ of Davis & Jordan, who were about to start a limekiln, and while with them broke the first ground for kiln purposes in that county. In June, 1854, he came to San Leandro on a visit, and in the fall of that year returned to the mines in Tuolumne County, where he remained until June, 1855, when he went back to San Leandro and was variously employed until the fall of the year, when he once more hied himself unto the mines. Mr. Reid thus continued working in the mines during the winter months and in summer at farming in the vicinity of San Leandro, until the fall of 1857, when he bought out the harness business of Edward Morgan there, where he has since con- tinued. He has served as Town Trustee for three years, and is the President of Union Hose Company No. I, of San Leandro. Married, December 6, 1857, Miss Hannah McKenn, and has: Celestine, William J., Emily, Charles, Clara, and Jessie, the two last named being deceased.

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History of Alameda County, California : including its geology, topography, soil, and productions, Part 138

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