USA > California > Contra Costa County > History of Contra Costa County, California, including its geography, geology, topography, climatography and description; together with a record of the Mexican grants also, incidents of pioneer life; and biographical sketches of early and prominent settlers and representative men > Part 62
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J. CHRISTENSON .- A native of Denmark, born December 10, 1834. At the age of eighteen years he immigrated to the United States. Arriving in New Orleans January, 1853, a short time after he proceeded to St. Louis, and resided in that vicinity until 1858, when he crossed the plains with ox-teams, and came direct to San Francisco. Mr. Christenson first found employment in the coffee and spice house of Charles Bernard, and after a short time, through industry and perseverence, was made manager of and conducted the business for the above firm for some eight years. Mr. Christenson then concluded to become a ranchero, and in 1867 settled on his present beautiful homestead of two hundred and fifty acres, on which he has made many and valuable improvements. Mr. Christenson has also a lease of some seven hundred acres of the Marsh Grant. The subject of this sketch was united in marriage to Miss Hannah Wallace, a native of England. Their children are-Caroline, Thomas, Hannah, Christopher, Charles, Rosie, Henry and Florence.
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DANIEL CLANCY .- The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears in this work, was born in County Limerick, Ireland, in the year 1822, where he was educated and resided until 1837. He then immigrated to the United States, first settling in Boston, where he was employed as clerk in the Custom House for nearly three years. He next moved to the State of New York, and being a mechanic worked at the trades of carpenter and joiner and ship-builder, also farming for a term. In 1859, he came to California by way of the Isthmus of Panama, and arrived in San Francisco in December, after having suffered shipwreck in the North Star. The ship struck on a coral reef, where she remained ten days, but all on board were landed on a desert island, where there was nothing but rocks and sage brush. In the meantime four hundred and fifty tons of coal were jetsoned. Captain Wright, of San Francisco, with fourteen sailors risked a voyage to Fortune Island, a distance of two hundred and fifty miles, to procure wreckers. On the island, which belongs to the British, are Africans employed in the manufacture of salt. On arrival at San Francisco, he started for the mines in Sierra county, California, and worked in that lucky spot called the City of Six. He then returned, and after locating in Alameda county, Mr. Clancy moved in 1860 to Contra Costa county, and purchased a farm where he now resides. It comprises two hundred and eighty-five acres. Of this gentleman, we can safely say that here we have another of those living examples of what steadiness may do. Not only is Mr. Clancy a credit to himself and family, but by his good example he is sure to work good in the community in which he resides. He married, in 1851, Mary A. Falvey, a native of New Brunswick. The names of his children living are: John H., May A., Hannah F., Thomas A., Ellen E., William A., Emma L., Norbot D., Alma E., and James M.
JOEL CLAYTON, (deceased) .- This well-known gentleman was the son of John and Mary (Bater) Clayton, and was born in Bugsworth, Derby- shire, England. He there received his education, and resided until 1837, having learned the trade of a block cutter and wood carver, which he followed there. In that year he immigrated to the United States, first settling in Lowell, Massachusetts, afterwards moving to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where he joined his uncle, who resided in that city. Here Mr. Clayton engaged in the manufacture of oil-cloth, until 1839, when he went to St. Louis, Missouri. He was soon after joined by his father's family, and upon their arrival, moved to New Diggings, Jo Davies county, Illinois, where he embarked in lead mining. Early in 1842 he proceeded to the head-waters of the Platte river, Wisconsin, and there commenced the extracting of zinc from ore, a difficult task he prosecuted with much vigor, but owing to the want of proper appliances for the manufacture of retorts, he was ultimately compelled to abandon the industry. In 1845
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he removed to Mifflin, Iowa county, Wisconsin, and was, as a matter of fact, the founder of that town. Here he resided until 1850, in which year he came to California, bringing with him a number of practical miners to work in the gold mines, as also a considerable drove of stock. He first settled in Santa Clara county, and permitted the miners who had accompanied him to start whithersoever they listed-the only recom- pense he asked being the return of the amount expended on their outfit. At the end of one year he moved to Stockton, and established a butcher- ing business, which he continued until the Fall of 1853, when he located in San Francisco, took up the twenty-five acre tract now comprised within the boundaries of Broadway, Webster, Clay and Pierce streets, and started a milk ranch. At the end of a twelve-month he disposed of this business, proceeded to Bellingham Bay, Puget Sound, and became connected with the coal mines there. In 1856 he was joined by his family in this State, and with them settled at San Francisco Pass, thirty miles from Los Angeles. In 1859 or 1860, with some others, Mr. Clayton located land near the now famous Black Diamond coal mines, in Contra Costa county, and finally established his domicile at Clayton, a pretty little village to which he gave his name. He died there, March 9, 1872, justly regretted. An excellent portrait of Mr. Clayton will be found in this volume.
CHARLES J. CLAYTON .- The subject of this sketch is the son of the above Joel and Margaret (Maclay) Clayton, and was born in Wisconsin, June 10, 1850. In the Winter of 1857 his mother, one brother and sister, started, via New York and Panama, for this coast, his father having preceded them to the Golden State. On arriving at San Francisco, they resided there a short time, when his parents moved to Stockton, where he remained about six months. He then moved to Kern river, where he sojourned for one year, from whence he went to San Francisco, where he resided until coming to Contra Costa county. While in San Francisco, our subject attended the common schools, and at the age of eighteen took a course in the Washington grammar school of that city. On arriving in this county, Mr. Clayton first located on the land on which that thriving little village which now bears his name is situated. On the death of his father, our subject took charge of the homestead, consisting of twelve hundred acres of valuable land, adjoining the town of Clayton, and is now one of the prosperous farmers of Contra Costa. Was married, in Clayton, April 2, 1878, to Miss Lizzie Alison, a native of Benicia, California. They have two living children, and one deceased-Jeannett A. (Charles W. deceased) and Charles E.
WILSON COATS .- This old and respected pioneer of Tassajara valley, now reached the venerable age of four score years, is a native of Smith county,
.
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Tennessee, and was born August 10, 1802. When fifteen years of age he moved with his parents to Callaway county, Missouri, and resided in that State until his coming to California. May 1, 1849, our subject started with ox-teams to cross the plains to the Golden State, arriving in Placer county September 7th of the same year, and there engaged in mining until 1851, when he paid a visit to his old home in Missouri, proceeding via the Isthmus of Panama. Remaining but a short time he again returned with his family to this coast, this time, as before, crossing the plains with ox-teams, and, coming direct to Contra Costa county, located on his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres, at that time being the only family resident in the now well-populated and highly cultivated Tassajara valley- Was married in Callaway county, Missouri, December 25, 1823, to Miss Mary Philipp, a native of Tennessee. She died November 27, 1875. By this union they had ten children, of which he has four sons living: Felix G., William L., John R. and Lemuel A.
FELIX G. COATS .- The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears in the body of this history, is a native of Callaway county, Missouri ; was born August 9, 1828, and resided in his birth-place until seven years of age. His parents then moved to Miller county, same State, and there abode for ten years, at the end of which time he moved to Johnson county, where our subject dwelt and attended the common schools until his removal to California. May, 1849, he, with his father, (now a resi- dent of this county) equipped and provisioned a " Prairie Schooner," and, with ox-teams, joined a train that was then making up at Independ- ence to cross the plains to seek their fortunes in the gold fields of this State, arriving in Grass Valley, Nevada county, after a pleasant trip of six months, in September, 1849. He immediately embarked in mining on the American river, which he followed for a short time. Mr. Coats then purchased some mules and started a pack-train from Sacramento to Stony Bar. This he continued for about three months, when he again engaged in mining, which he followed until the Fall of 1852, when he came to Contra Costa county, sojourned for a short time, then returned to the mines, and in the Spring of 1853 again came to this county and purchased his present farm of three hundred and ninety acres, where he now resides, in the Tassajara valley. Mr. Coats also owns six hundred and forty acres, three miles east of his residence. Was united in mar- riage, in Tassajara, February 23, 1860, to Miss Levina Doggett, a native of Arkansas. By this union they have six children-Nolen, James L., Bethel S., Ella, May, and Jennie.
JOHN CONDIE .- Born in Kirkaldy, Fifeshire, Scotland, January 1, 1827, and there resided until his coming to the United States in 1850. On , arriving in New York he at once commenced working at his trade of
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blacksmith, and followed it for four years, at the end of which time he proceeded to Australia, in which country he followed mining, and worked at his trade for four years more. He now took passage in the ship What Cheer for California, and arrived in San Francisco in September, 1858. Mr. Condie almost immediately went to the mines in Tuolumne county ; afterwards he embarked in quartz mining for four years. He then pro- ceeded to Mexico in the capacity of foreman to a mine, and there resided until 1868, when he returned to San Francisco, and finally coming to Contra Costa county, engaged for seven years in coal mining at Norton- ville. In the year 1875 he purchased his present hotel property in the village of Clayton, where he has since resided. Mr. Condie also owns eighty acres of land in the vicinity of Clayton, fourteen of which are planted with vines. Married in Nortonville, to Miss Elizabeth Scolley, a native of Scotland, and has: George, Jean, John and Catharine L.
JOHN CONWAY .- The subject of this sketch was born in the south of Ireland, December 25, 1830. When but an infant his parents immigrated to America, and located on a farm in the State of New York, where Mr. Conway resided until his coming to California. February 20, 1860, our subject left his New York home and took passage on board a steamer bound for San Francisco via Panama, arriving in the metropolis of this coast March 11th of the same year, and immediately proceeded to the northern mines. He followed mining for one year, and then proceeded to Sacramento, where he sojourned a short time, when he moved to Contra Costa county, locating at Danville, and engaged in farming, in which he continued six years. Our subject then purchased the general merchan- dise store of Peter E. Peel, of San Ramon, and there carried on business for one year. In 1869 Mr. Conway bought his present store building in Danville, and moved his stock of goods from San Ramon to his present store, where he is now engaged in the general merchandise trade, and has the leading store of that town. Mr. Conway was united in mar- riage in New York, March 7, 1858, to Miss Nora O'Brian, a native of that State, by which union they have two children : John, Jr. and Mary Teresa.
WILLIAM W. COX .- The subject of this sketch, an old resident of Contra Costa, is a native of Rush county, Indiana, and was born August 19, 1833. When but an infant his parents moved to an adjoining county, where he spent his earliest years until 1852, when they, himself, five sisters and one brother immigrated with ox-teams to Daviess county, Missouri. Sojourning there one Winter, they continued their westward journey, leaving the above district May 2, 1853. After an uneventful trip of five months they arrived in Amador county. Staying but a few days there they proceeded on to Stockton, where they remained a short time, and after
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came direct to Contra Costa county, locating on the place now owned by Mr. Cox, consisting of two hundred acres half mile north of San Ramon, where he is now engaged in general farming. Was united in marriage in San Ramon, November 20, 1865, to Miss Mary E. Grist, a native of Illinois. They have six children ; there names are : Livia M., Elmer G., ' Jessie, Mary R., Delia and Mabel F.
JAMES CURRY .- Born in Tennessee, March 30, 1835 ; when but a child his parents moved to Jackson county, Missouri, where he resided for about two years. He then located in Atchison county, same State, and remained there until April 26, 1854, when he, in company with his father and mother, started with ox-teams across the plains for California. The trip occupied five months, arriving in Sacramento August 26th. He fol- lowed mining for one year, and then came to Contra Costa county, and located on land in Moraga valley, now owned by H. W. Carpentier. He resided there until the Fall of 1858, when he moved to a place in Mor- gan Territory, where he engaged in stock business. In 1860 he removed to Clayton, where he engaged in the butcher business for about two years, then drove stage until 1870, and purchased his present livery stable, where he now resides. Mr. Curry married in Clayton Ellen Callan, a native of London, England. By this union there are seven sons: Charles E., Henry, Samuel, Reuben, George W., James, (an infant), and daughter, Jennie.
HON. A. G. DARBY .- Was born May 8, 1808, and is a native of North Carolina; his mother died when he was four years old. In 1818, his father moved to the State of Tennessee, and died the next year. At the time of his decease he possessed moderate means, but the whole estate was absorbed in the payment of a debt for which he was security. Mr. Darby being thus left without a patrimony, had no means to obtain an education. He worked three months at three dollars per month. In 1820, he moved, with his brother-in-law, to Boone county, Missouri. Failing to find employment, in the then new country, he apprenticed him. self to the hatter's trade, and afterwards became a partner in the estab- lishment. In 1832, he was commissioned a Captain to raise a company of volunteers, to take part in the Black Hawk war. In 1838, he moved to Scotland county, Missouri, and in the difficulty with Iowa, in regard to the boundary line, he served as Quartermaster for Missouri militia, and afterwards was elected Colonel of the Seventy-Fourth Regiment of the Missouri militia. In 1852, he entered the Legislature of Missouri as a member of the House of Representatives, and was re-elected in 1854. In this body he was a vigilant and efficient member. His success as a representative was not attributed to genius, but to common sense and a tolerable knowledge of mankind. In politics he was Democratic, but in
yours Truly Your Mom R. Granna,
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recent years politics have rested lightly upon him. In 1856, he crossed the Plains to California, and settled in Vaca valley, Solano county. He engaged in general farming until 1869, when he moved to Contra Costa county, settling on a place of three hundred and twenty acres in Lone Tree valley, six miles south of Antioch. Here he is now engaged in general farming, making grain-raising the chief business, turning his attention also to fruit, nut and forest trees, all of which grow to the fullest per- fection, the almond especially taking very deep root; it matures well in the dryest seasons. Mr. Darby has found by experiment that in this locality, subject to occasional drouth, great advantage is gained by bud- ding the peach on the almond root; the fruit is especially benefitted in dry seasons. Married in 1829, Sarah Davis, daughter of Isaac Davis, who married a daughter of Colonel Clark, who was then famous for his skill in Indian warfare in the early settlement of Kentucky.
JOHN DAVIS .- Whose portrait finds a place in this volume, was born on the island of San Martina, on the coast of Dalmatia, September 20, 1825. There he resided for the first eleven years of his life, when he took up the labors of a sailor, proceeded to Trieste, and afterwards, with an uncle, to Constantinople. From the city of Constantine he found his way to Odessa, in the Black Sea, whence he sailed down the Mediterranean to Marseilles, in France, where, taking on board a cargo of wheat, a return to the Adriatic was made. The next cruise was along the ports on the northern coast of Africa, and, touching at the island of Cyprus, loaded with wine and sailed for Trieste, whence he once more found himself in Turkey's capital ; and finally loading wheat at Odessa for Liverpool. From this last port our subject visited the Cove of Cork, in the south of Ireland, whence he went to Ardrossan, Scotland ; then back to the Black Sea ; subsequently to Naples, Genoa, the Black Sea, Belfast, Ardrossan, and was wrecked on the Island of St. John's, when, though no one was lost, great privations were suffered for over a week. After trav- eling on foot to Belfast, he was sent by the Austrian Consul there to Liverpool, where Mr. Davis severed his connection with his comrades, and shipped on board a British ship bound for Rio de Janeiro. This was in 1837. He there left his ship, and, after a month, proceeded to China and Liverpool, returning to the Celestial Empire-in short, he made eight voyages in all between China and England. He then shipped in Liverpool for New Orleans, in 1838, returning to England in the Spring of 1840. He then engaged in the China trade until the discovery of gold in California, when he came to the Pacific Coast in the ship Antelope, arriving in San Francisco June 16, 1849. Mr. Davis almost immediately proceeded to the mines at Auburn, on the American river, Placer county, but at the end of three months forsook the pick and rocker, and established a pack-train
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between Sacramento and the mines for the purpose of supplying the gold-seekers with groceries. Ill-luck now commenced to make itself felt. Our subject was stricken with mountain fever ; during his illness his mules were stolen, and on final recovery, so disgusted was he, he gave a Mexican his packing fixtures, and started to the Mariposa mines, ulti- . mately returning to Stockton and San José, the Mission Dolores and San Francisco. Between the last two points nought prevailed but a wild wilderness, through which he passed on foot, his horse having been stolen. Here he met several wagons laden with victims of cholera, which was epidemic during the summer of 1850. After remaining three months in San Francisco, he erected a house on what is now Commercial street, and opened a restaurant and lodging house, where he remained until 1851; in that year he sold out and came to his present residence in Contra Costa county, where he owns four hundred and forty-two acres of land. Married in Oakland, this being the first wedding of Westerns to take place in that city, Anna Connor, a native of Scotland, and has six surviving children, viz .: Frank, John, Geovienia, Connor, Mary, and William. Mr. Davis, and his son John, are members of the Society of California Pioneers.
SOLOMON PAUL DAVIS .- The subject of our sketch was born near Independence, Jackson county, Missouri, September 6, 1842, and when ten years of age came with his parents with an ox-team to California, arriving at Mud Springs, El Dorado county, on September 28, 1853, after a trip of five months and ten days from Kansas City. Stopping but a short time, they resumed their journey to this county, and located in the Pacheco valley, near the town of Clayton, October 17th of the same year. Young Paul was shortly afterward employed, under Captain Steingrant, to take charge of the horses belonging to the Government post at Benicia, the horses having been brought into this county and cared for at the base of Mount Diablo. Following this vocation one year, he went with his father's family to Mariposa county, where they remained until the Fall of 1857, when they returned to Contra Costa county, and engaged in farming near the town of Pacheco, and afterwards in the San Ramon valley. Here Paul became an apprentice to the blacksmith's trade with his brother-in-law, Eli Browen, the first resident of the town of Limerick. Leaving there in 1861 for White Pine, we next find him doing a flourishing business in blacksmithing in Markleeville, Alpine county. The mines at length having gone down, which were the chief support of the town, Mr. Davis moved to Silver City; but, unfortunately, contracting a cold that settled on his lungs, he left there and located at Upper Lake, in Lake county, where he regained his health, and engaged in farming, blacksmithing and stock-raising until 1867, when he was
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married to Miss Louisa Jane Moore, January 14th; returned to this county, and engaged in blacksmithing near Point of Timber. But after the two successive dry seasons of 1870-71, Mr. Davis moved with his family to Mendocino county, where he purchased land in Round valley, near the Government post called Camp Wright or Round Valley Reser- vation, where he prospered until the restoration of part of the reser- vation to the public domain, when he became involved in litigation over the title of his land, which he lost through the mere technicalities of law. Abandoning his home that years of toil had built up, he came back to the county that so many times had been his refuge, and we now find him doing an extensive blacksmithing business in company with J. F. Carey, under the firm of Carey & Davis, at Brentwood. By their union, Mr. and Mrs. Davis have two children, Carrie May and William Turley.
WILLIAM A. DAVIS .- This young merchant of Somersville is a native of Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, born April 25, 1859. When but two years and six months old, Mr. Davis' parents immigrated to California, and first settled in Calaveras county, where they resided until 1868, when they came to Nortonville, Contra Costa county, where our subject attended the common schools and received his primary education. He afterward entered the Pacific Business College, of San Francisco, and graduated from that institution in 1877. Mr. Davis then entered the employ of W. W. Dodge, of Nortonville, as salesman, where he remained for four years. In July, 1881, he moved to Somersville, and engaged, in partnership with Mr. Hughes, in the general merchandise business, in which he still continues, under the firm name of Davis and Hughes. He is unmarried.
DAVID DEAN .- Born in Tompkins county, New York, February 16, 1829, where he received his schooling, and resided until the month of Novem- ber, 1852, when he started for California by way of Panama, and arrived in San Francisco, December 16th, of that year. After working on a farm for a short time, he proceeded to the mines at Green Home creek, and there remained until April, 1853. At this time he moved to the Suscol valley, Solano county, and there dwelt five years. We next find Mr. Dean in Redwood City, San Mateo county, but only remaining there about two years and a half, he visited his native place in the Empire State. Five months after, he came back to California, and went into the employ of Patrick Tormey, where he stayed two years, afterwards accom- panying that gentleman to Petaluma, Sonoma county, and there farmed three years, subsequently embarking in a dairying business in Petaluma in 1868. In the Spring of 1869 he returned to Mr. Tormey, in Contra Costa county, where he became foreman, a position he held until 1879. He now rents three hundred and fifty acres, on which he resides and
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farms. Married, May 8, 1867, Miss Winifred O'Neil, a native of Ireland, and has: John, Albert, David, Catharine, Mary, Winifred, William and Annie S.
JOHN DENKINGER .- The subject of this sketch is a native 'of Ulm, Germany, born February 2, 1830, where he attended the common schools and resided until October, 1853, when he left his home, accompanied by his sisters, for America. He first settled in Buffalo, New York, and followed different occupations for a few months. Then went west to Illinois, where he resided until his coming to this State in December, 1857, sailing from New York and coming via Panama, arriving in San Francisco January, 1858. In 1863 Mr. Denkinger came to Contra Costa county and purchased his present farm of three hundred and thirty acres, two and one-half miles east of Concord, it then being all wild land. Was united in marriage in San Francisco December 27, 1863, to Miss Emilie Balz, a native of Germany. By this union they have four children ; their names are : Marie, George, Emilie and Friedrich.
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