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 77
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80
673
Biographical Sketches.
be " Paradise Lost." W. W. Smith proposed that, inasmuch as the first settlers were disciples of Christ, and one of them had died and was buried on the land, that it be given a Bible name in his honor, and suggested Antioch, and by united acclamation it was so christened. In July, 1862, W. W. Smith entered the navy and was assigned to the U. S. Flag-ship Lancaster, Commodore Bell commanding. He remained in the service six months, and was honorably discharged for the purpose of perfecting some improvements in both land and naval batteries. Before these plans were completed the war closed. While in the navy he was studying the tides for the purpose of obtaining information, which was subsequently made nse of in his work on that subject. The Rev. Joseph H. Smith married Sarah Lamper, in March, 1833, a native of New Hampshire, and had no children. The Rev. W. W. Smith, whose portrait appears in this work, married, firstly, March, 1833, Lavina Sanborn, a native of Pittsfield, New Hampshire, and secondly, September 12, 1847, Jane Crosswell, a native of Rehoboth, Massachusetts. His family consists of Willian M., of Biddeford, Maine; Sarah L. Parkison, of Antioch ; Joseph L., of Red Bluff, and Chas. H., of Antioch.
IGNACIO SOTO .- This scion of one of the old California families was born in Santa Clara county, July 31, 1826, and there followed farming until 1855. On December 7th of that year, he moved, with his family, to Contra Costa county, joined his brothers, who had preceded him, and engaged in stock raising in the Ygnacio valley. In the following year our subject commenced farming, the four brothers dwelling on the thou- sand acre tract belonging to the family. This property was afterwards divided into equal shares, the amount falling to Ignacio Soto being two hundred and thirty acres, on which he is now engaged in farming and stock raising. He married, firstly, in San José, Santa Clara county, November 11, 1851, Rosinda Higuerra, a native of San José, who died December 9, 1862. By this union he has four children, viz: Joseph, Ruphila, Pablo, and Marian. Married, secondly, at the Mission San José, Alameda county, November 12, 1864, Francesca Higuerra, a cousin of his first wife. By this union there are no children. Mr. Soto died June 15, 1882.
SILVERIO I. C. SOTO .- The subject of this sketch, whose portrait will be found in the pages of the History of Contra Costa county, is a descendant of two of the oldest Spanish families of California, his father being a Soto and his mother a Pacheco. The paternal ancestor of Mr. Soto was, for many years, Secretary to Governor Arguello, and was one of the prominent men of his time. He, whose name is at the head of this memoir, was born in the county of Santa Clara, May 16, 1831. There he was educated, and resided until he attained the age of twenty-four
674
History of Contra Costa County.
years, when he camne to Contra Costa county, and has maintained a con- tinuous domicile therein ever since. His residence is picturesquely situated in the midst of a grove of well-grown willows. Here he has made for himself a home, more beautiful than which there is none in the district. In January, 1852, he married Carmelita Higuerra, a native of California, by whom he has had eleven children. On coming to Contra Costa he settled in a house originally built by Asa Bowen and Frank Lighston, of San José, his brother-in-law, the building he now occupies. He was shortly after followed by his three brothers, who each took up their residences in the neighborhood, and on a portion of the Soto Tract of a thousand acres, a part of the San Miguel Rancho, the property of the grandmother of our subject. The original homestead is now divided among the four brothers, the subject of this sketch being engaged in general farming. He has two children deceased ; those living are as fol- lows : Ignacio L., Frank L., Margaret L., Alvarado J., Presentacion M., Silverio J., B. I., Emelina B., Abraham, Louisa and Florencia.
JOHN SPROLL .- Was born in the North of Ireland. On account of leaving his parents at an early age, he was unable to tell his exact age, but is about forty years old. When very young he, with his parents, emigrated to America, making his home at Jackson, Missouri. From there he visited many places until he came to California, via Panama, in the year 1858. After a few months spent in San Francisco, he came to Contra Costa county, and located in the San Joaquin valley, there being, at that time, but a few settlers in the valley. Mr. Sproll is engaged in farming about three miles from Byron, and is unmarried.
SYRANUS STANDISH .- Is the son of William H., and Harriet (Havens) Standish, and was born in Rhode Island, September 25, 1826. When our subject was ten years of age, his parents moved to Auburn, New York, where they resided a year, and then went to Delaware county, Ohio, where he received his schooling, In 1844 he accompanied his father to Columbus and there worked with him at inoulding for two years, when he entered a machine-shop in that city and remained until 1856. After two years passed on a farm he started for California, via New York and Panama, and arrived in San Francisco, June 1, 1858. Coming direct to this county he located in Pacheco, and after one year, concluded to make California his home; therefore, he returned to the Eastern States and came back to this coast, accompanied by his wife and family. He now engaged in his former business in Pacheco. In 1864 Mr. Standish pro- ceeded to Nevada, where he was employed most of the time till Decem- ber, 1867, when he returned to California and assisted his cousin, P. H. Standish, in building the famous steam-plow in Martinez. He next opened a machine-shop in Concord in company with Paul Lohse, but in
Wittenback
Henry Blume
675
Biographical Sketches.
1869 returned to Nevada, where he remained until 1873, when he once more visited the Atlantic States. Returning to California, he re-com- menced business in Pacheco on December 4, 1877, where he has now a machinist and blacksmith's shop. Married in Columbus, Ohio, October 25, 1847, Elizabeth Senter, a native of Maryland, and has six sur- viving children, viz : Clarice, (now Mrs. P. Loucks) ; Mary H., (now Mrs. H. Mills) ; Florence B., (now Mrs. A. L. Gartley) ; Charles S., William S. and George E.
RICHARD STEGE .- The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears in this work, is the son of Richard and Margaret Stege, and was born in Germany, August 10, 1832. He received his education in Bremerhaven, and at fourteen years of age commenced a sea-faring life, which he fol- lowed until 1848. In that year he emigrated to the United States, and first filled the position of clerk in a grocery store in New York City. In February, 1849, he sailed for Rio de Janeiro, where he joined his brother, and with him came to California, arriving in San Francisco in the month of October of that year. He immediately proceeded to Downieville, Sierra county, and prosecuted mining, an occupation he continued for three years. At this time he commenced a grocery. business, having two stores, one at Clement's Flat, and the other at New York Flat. These . he conducted until 1858, when he returned to Downieville and opened a bakery and restaurant. In 1859, this property was destroyed by fire, but was soon rebuilt, however. He abandoned it on the breaking out of the Frazer river excitement, whither he proceeded. He next carried on a restaurant at Port Wine Diggings until 1861, when he left for Carson City and embarked in a hotel business until 1862. Mr. Stege next proceeded to the Carriboo mines, in British Columbia, where he arrived in the Spring of 1863. In 1865, he opened a hotel in Victoria, British Next he transferred his Columbia, which he conducted one year.
operations to Big Bend in a like scheme for a twelve-month. Mr. Stege next found his way to Siberia, where he engaged in the fur trade ; after which he returned to Oakland, Alameda county, and opened a furniture store, which he continued one year, subsequently moving to his present ranch of six hundred acres, where he is engaged in farming, being as well the contractor for delivering powder to the railroad companies from the works, which are on his land. Married in 1870, Mrs. C. C. Quilfelt, now deceased. He has a step-daughter, residing with him.
JAMES STEWART .- The subject of this sketch, whose portrait will be found in this History, is a native of County Down, Ireland, born April 6, 1825. When twenty-two years of age he emigrated to America, where, on his arrival in New York, he immediately proceeded west to Bond
676
History of Contra Costa County.
county, Illinois, where he found employment for one year, when, in the Spring of 1849, he returned to his native land, and there sojourned until the Spring of 1851, when he once more crossed the Atlantic, this time arriving in New Orleans, where he sojourned a short time and then came to St. Louis, and there resided until March, 1853. He then joined a wagon-train, paying one hundred dollars as passage-money, and after many hardships incident to a trip across the mountains at that early time, he arrived in Volcano, in August of the same year. He then embarked in mining, which he continued until 1856, when he came to Contra Costa county, and first located in Rodeo valley, on land now part of the Tormey estate, and engaged in agricultural pursuits, until his more recent purchase of his present farm in that valley, consisting of three hundred acres of well-improved land, and to which he has since added some three hundred acres more. He prosecuted farming until 1879, when he turned his attention to mercantile pursuits, locating in Martinez, where he opened his present general grocery and fruit store, on the corner of Locust and Castro streets. Mr. Stewart was united in marriage, in Rodeo valley, to Mrs. Gertie McClelland, a native of Wisconsin, by which union he has one child, Lizzie, and two step-children, Mary Ann and James McClelland.
WILLIAM B. STEWART .- The subject of this sketch, was born in Jackson county, West Virginia, November 13, 1832, and is the son of William and Mary (Board) Stewart. There he was educated in the common schools, after which he followed farming until April 1, 1852, when he proceeded to New York, and sailed from there for California, via the Isthmus of Panama, arriving in San Francisco in the first part of May. After a few days he went to Stockton and found employment with Tom Marshall on a farm, where he remained until the Fall. He then went to Springfield, Tuolumne county, where he engaged in mining for two years and a half. Mr. Stewart was one of a company that found the Table Mountain mining district, and was afterwards one of the original owners of the Consolidated Virginia mines, which he continued until the year 1859. In the following year he came to Contra Costa county, and first located where the town of Somersville now stands. He was next engaged as an expert to examine the Pittsburg mine, located by Ezra C. Clark, Allen & Lander, and afterwards was super- intendent for about two years. In the meantime he crossed the hills and bought the Stewart mine, located at the present town of Stewarts- ville, and which is now known as the Central mine. Mr. Stewart worked the mine until 1876, when it remained idle until 1881, when, in February of that year, he disposed of it to the present owners. Since then our subject has not engaged in mining operations, although he is an owner of considerable mining property adjoining the town of Stewartsville.
677
Biographical Sketches.
ALBERT W. STONE .- The subject of our sketch, whose portrait it affords us pleasure to place before our readers, is a native of Erie county, Penn- sylvania, born September 18, 1821, where he spent his early boyhood until fourteen years of age. His parents then moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan, where he attended the common schools and resided until 1838. He then moved to Van Buren county, Iowa, with his parents, when our subject learned the trade of blacksmith, which he followed until 1852. In May, of that year, he started with ox-teams and a drove of stock to cross the plains to California, arriving in Sacramento, Sep- tember Ist, of the same year, where he disposed of his stock, and engaged in his former business of blacksmith for a short time. Then our subject engaged in several different occupations until February 13, 1853, when he sailed via Panama and New Orleans, for his home in Iowa, where he sojourned only long enough to fit out teams and wagons, and again started, accompanied by his wife and family, to cross the plains to make his home in the Golden State. Mr. Stone first settled in Colusa county on land now occupied by Dr. Glenn, and there engaged in stock-raising. In January, 1858, he selected Contra Costa as his future home, and pur- chased his now valuable farm of eight hundred acres, adjoining the town of Alamo, where he has made many and substantial improvements, and is engaged in general farming. Mr. Stone was twice married ; first, in Erie county, Pennsylvania, October, 1847, to Miss Alice J. Ward. She died in October, 1851, leaving one son, Edward A .; married, secondly, in Van Buren county, Iowa, Miss Martha Smith, a native of England, by which union they have seven children: Martha J., William J., Elwin L., Alonzo L., Flora M., Susanna G. and Annie A.
JAMES M. STOW .- The subject of this sketch is a native of Adams county, Illinois, and was born August 29, 1847. Here he resided with his father on a farm until March, 1856, when he, with his mother and uncle, John Shuey, started for California, his father having preceded him by some four years. Coming via New Orleans and Panama, they arrived in San Francisco May 22d of the above year. Our subject, with his mother, immediately proceeded to Oroville to join his father, and there resided in Butte and Nevada counties until 1858, when they removed to Sacramento, and thence to San Francisco. In 1859 Mr. Stow's father died in the latter city, and in September, 1860, his mother moved to Dan- ville, Contra Costa county. ] Here he received a common school education until 1865, when they moved to the vicinity of the present town of Walnut Creek, where he has since resided. Our subject's first labor was a clerkship of one year in the store of Mr. Pratt. He then entered the employ of Shuey Bros., where he remained for three years ; and in 1876 engaged in the general merchandise business for himself, in
678
History of Contra Costa County.
Walnut Creek. In August, 1877, was appointed Notary Public and postmaster of Walnut Creek, positions he still holds, while in the Fall of 1879, Mr. Stow was elected to the office of County Assessor, of which he is the present incumbent, and is considered one of Walnut Creek's most influential and respected citizens. Married in the town where he now resides, April 22, 1873, Miss Alice Glass, a native of California ; they have three children : Nellie May, Carrie L. and Garfield.
JOSIAH STURGES .- The subject of this narrative is one of the pioneers of California as he is one of the earliest settlers of Contra Costa county. He was born in Lee; Berkshire county, Massachusetts, April 23, 1817, and is now in his sixty-sixth year. Having been educated in his native place, he there resided until he attained his eighteenth year. In the year 1835, therefore, he left home to commence the battle of life, a com- bat which is not always to the strong. At this period he proceeded to Nantucket, where he resided fourteen years-up till the time of his coming to California. In December, 1849, Mr. Sturges started, via Panama, for the Golden State, and arrived in San Francisco, February 1, 1850. Being in ill-health, and upon the advice of his physician, he remained only a short time in that city, but moved to seek strength elsewhere. He came to Contra Costa county, and in Martinez, then a village of a few houses, found the healthful influences he desired, and here has he remained, while to keep himself active he opened a hotel, a business which he still follows. In 1852, Mr. Sturges commenced the erection of what is now the Alhambra hotel, and by periodical additions, he has made one of the most comfortable and complete hostelries in the county, while he is also the propietor of considerable property in the conterminous districts. It is a pleasure to state that by a life of honest rectitude, Mr. Sturges has earned the esteem and respect of all classes of the community in which he resides, while, that he reveres the scenes of his youth is evinced in his having crossed the Isthmus of Panama no less than nine times to revisit them. He married, Oct. 8, 1839, Eliza R. Smith, a native of Virginia, and has two children, both of whom also reside in this county.
JOHN MONROE TAGGART .- Was born in Dublin, Cheshire county, New Hampshire, December 15, 1826. His mother died when he was one and a half years of age, and his father when he was eight years of of age. When eleven years old he went to the State of Michigan with his brothers and sisters, and when seventeen went to Wis- consin and engaged in the lead mines, remaining there one year; from there went to the State of New York, stopping part of the year in New York, and then went to Cleveland, Ohio. He went from Cleveland to Michigan, there mnade it his home, and engaged in lumbering and
679
Biographical Sketches.
clearing land up to the time of starting for California in 1852. In March, 1852, in company with sixteen others, Mr. Taggart commenced the arduous task of crossing the plains, via Salt Lake and Fort Bridger, to the Golden State, first arriving at San Rafael. Here he found employ- ment for a month in a lath mill, after which he removed to Stockton, where he worked for a short time on two farms, and then proceeded to the mines at Placerville. In April, 1853, he transferred his habitation to Nevada county, where he contracted to cut and saw logs. Remaining there four months, we next find Mr. Taggart at the mines in Sierra county, and purchasing three mules he commenced trafficking in stock, hay, and water, going into the desert to meet the immigrants. How gladly the latter commodity was accepted, we leave to the reader's imagi- nation-they were happy to pay a dollar per gallon for the liquid. Aband- oning this style of trade in October, he bought a drove of cattle, and with them crossed to Bear valley. On the journey they passed the site of the sufferings and death of the ill-fated Donner party, and fearing a like experience, with but little provisions, Mr. Taggart and his companions pushed on across the summit, to Summit valley, with eighteen inches of snow, and finally arrived at their destination, foot-sore and weary, but undaunted. At the end of two weeks he returned to Sacramento, and started in the freighting business to the different mining camps ; we next find him employed in a saw-mill, and in the Spring of 1854, once more began mining-finally, disposing of his stock in that year. In September, 1855, Mr. Taggart started to re-visit his home in Michigan. He there remained a short time, when he moved to Wisconsin, where he bought a farm in company with his brother, but finding the climate too cold, after the genial temperature of the Pacific slope, he returned to Michigan, met his fate, married, and once more turned his face towards California, where he arrived, for the second time, in June, 1856. He now located in El Dorado county, purchased a claim, and commenced mining. In 1858 he proceeded to the Frazer river, but three months of that "fizzle" was enough for him ; he, therefore, returned and settled on a farm in Alameda county, which, selling in 1860, he went to Nevada, and prospected in the vicinity of Virginia City for a short time. He next returned to Nevada City, and mined until 1861, when he commenced teaming for a year, and continued a freighting business between Virginia and Nevada Cities until 1863. In that year he purchased five yoke of oxen, and with them freighted on the same route until 1864 ; the year following he moved his family to Contra Costa county, and engaged in various occupations until September, 1879, when he purchased his present place, located about half a mile from the town of Martinez. Married in Michigan, May 2, 1856, Margaret Kavanagh, and has seven children, viz: Mary A., Morris M., Elwyne A., Annie M., Frederick J., George B. and Joseph E.
680
History of Contra Costa County.
A. T. TAYLOR .- The subject of this sketch is a native of Canada East, and was born in the township of Bolton, September 15, 1821. He resided in that vicinity until nineteen and a half years old, when he started to seek his own livelihood, his father supplying him with two suits of clothes and one dollar. For the next three years he worked as a farm-laborer in an adjoining county, and attended school during the Winter. In the Spring of 1844, Mr. Taylor engaged in farming on his own account, when he purchased one hundred and twenty-one and a half acres of land which he farmed for eleven years. He then returned and
settled on his birthplace farm (his old home), where he resided until he started for the Golden State. He, with his family, sailed from New York, November 6, 1866, for California via Panama, and arrived in San Fran- cisco December 2d. The first two years he spent in Vallejo, Solano county, and in September, 1868, came to this county and located on his present ranch of three hundred and twenty acres, in Point of Timber district, and engaged in general farming. Mr. Taylor married in Canada, June 17, 1845, Miss Louisa Bruce, a native of Vermont, U. S. A. Their family consists of : Valeria M., born July 14, 1846; Avyette, born October 27, 1848; Volney B., born June 20, 1851 ; Alexander V., born April 11, 1853.
VOLNEY TAYLOR .- Born in Canada East, June 20, 1851, where he resided and attended the common schools until 1866, when, in the Fall of that year, he, with his parents, emigrated, via New York and Panama, to thiscoast, first settling in Vallejo for two years. In 1868 he came with his parents to Contra Costa county, and located on the land now owned by the subject of this sketch. On arriving in this county Mr. Taylor was placed in the Pacific Business College in San Francisco, where he com- pleted his education and graduated from that institution in 1872. He immediately returned to his farm, and is now engaged in general farming. Was married in Point of Timber to Miss Agnes Andrews, a native of Illinois. They have now one son, Everett B.
S. J. TENNENT, M. D .- The subject of this brief sketch is one of the prominent, as he is one of the earliest settlers of Contra Costa county, and is eminently entitled to a position in our work. He was born in Liver- pool, England, January 5, 1818 ; removed to London, where he received his early education ; attended the Louth Grammar School in Lincolnshire, where he passed some time as a pupil with his uncle, Dr. John Johnson, finishing his medical education, as surgeon and general practioner, at the London University. He then shipped on board a whaling vessel, as surgeon, and in the course of time arrived at the Sandwich Islands, when, there being a disagreement between himself and the Captain, he left the vessel and took up his quarters on shore. There he practiced his profes- sion for some time, and subsequently became Collector of the port of
681
Biographical Sketches.
Lahoina Main, and received the appointment of Physician to the King of the Sandwich Islands, as well as being otherwise especially honored by the Government. During the excitement consequent upon the discovery of gold in California, our subject visited the Pacific Coast, then having the intention of returning, but in his journeyings through the country, he suffered the fate of man, became a Benedict-married September 8, 1849, Rafaela, daughter of Don Ignacio Martinez, a former Commandante of the Presidio of San Francisco, and who likewise filled the office of Alcalde there for a short time. By the above union there was a family of ten children, five of whom are now living. Mrs. Tennent died August 5, 1868. The Doctor has not practiced his profession since 1849, but has given his attention since to farming and stock-raising on the Pinole ranch. A portrait of this worthy gentleman will be found in this History.
H. N. THODE .- Born in Holstein, Germany, in April, 1845, and is the son of Claus and Katarina (Nagel) Thode. He received his education and resided in his native country until the year 1869, when he emigrated to California, first settling in San Francisco. Eighteen months after he moved to Contra Costa county, locating on his present place in October, 1880. Here Mr. Thode owns one hundred and fifty acres of the Sobrante Grant, which he farms. Married in 1873, Elsabe Rehder, a native of Holstein, and has: George F., Alvina, Adele, Clara and Emma.
PETER THOMSON .- Born in Lenark city or town, Canada, March 28, 1839. When eight years of age his parents moved to Waterloo, when after a short sojourn there they went to Bayfield, Huron county. In the latter part of 1851, our subject suffered the loss of his father, and young Thomson, at the early age of thirteen, started to learn the trade of black- smith, at which he served his term of three years, and afterwards worked as journeyman for four years more. He then, in 1859, with two com- panions, started for California, sailing from New York May 10th of the above year, and arrived in San Francisco the 24th of the following June. After a few months spent in Oakland, he came direct to Lafayette, Contra Costa county, which has since proved to be his home, and began to work at his trade as journeyman in the shop he now owns. In the Summer of 1863, Mr. Thomson bought his employers out, and has since carried on a general blacksmith business, in which he has been very suc- cessful, now owning some three hundred acres of land adjoining the town of Lafayette. Mr. Thomson was married in Lafayette, March 23, 1862, to Miss Angenett Maloney, a native of Connecticut, by which union they have five children living and two deceased. The names of those living are : Clara A., William B., Angenett, Franklin C. and Ethel.
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.