History of Contra Costa County, California; with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 43

Author: Munro-Fraser, J. P
Publication date: 1926
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1118

USA > California > Contra Costa County > History of Contra Costa County, California; with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 43

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Polly Holcomb. The family reside at "The Homestead," near Walnut Creek.

Lafayette Irving Fish died in October, 1900, and his death marked · the passing of an eminently worthy man, one who had done his full share in the building up and developing of the State in which he had pioneered in the early fifties, and in whose growth he had remained to share a part. His widow survived him until August 25, 1923. Her last days were spent at her Berkeley home. A truly wonderful woman, mentally alert and of cultured mind, Mrs. Fish will long be remembered for her thorough understanding of human nature, her helpful charity, and her many un- ostentatious benefactions. She was interested in music and art, and withal was a very good business woman, being of great aid to her husband during his life, and ably managing the affairs of the estate after his passing. Her worth was deeply appreciated by all who came in contact with her, and many lives were made brighter through her gracious ministrations. She was a devout member of the First Congregational Church.

CHARLES MORTIMER BELSHAW .- One of the most popular native sons of California and a man held in highest esteem by all who knew him was the late Charles M. Belshaw. He was born at Fiddletown, Amador County, on March 11, 1861, a son of Mortimer W. and Jane E. (Oxner) Belshaw, both natives of Herkimer County, N. Y. The former died on April 28, 1898; and the latter in 1900, after having rounded out lives filled with great usefulness to their fellow citizens and to their adopt- ed State, where M. W. Belshaw was a prominent figure in mining and business circles for many years.

Charles M. was a student at the City College and University Mound College in San Francisco, and in 1879 took a preparatory course under the late Prof. George Bates of San Francisco, after which he entered Harvard University at Cambridge, Mass., and was graduated with the Class of 1883. His college course completed, Mr. Belshaw came back to California and became timekeeper, paymaster and wharf clerk to the Empire Coal mines, in which his father was heavily interested, and thus relieved his father from a great deal of responsibility. He also became owner of the Antioch Water Works, formerly established by his father. The first water was sold from house to house and was carted about in barrels. Upon the death of M. W. Belshaw he succeeded to his mining interests and served as president of the California Miners' Association. In 1894 he was elected to the State assembly on the Republican ticket and served three full terms. He was then elected State senator in 1900 and served his constituents with distinction. He took a very active interest in every movement for the upbuilding of the best interests of his native state and was looked upon as one of its Republican leaders.

Mr. Belshaw was twice married. His first wife was Miss Miriam E. Waite, daughter of Tyler K. and Marietta Waite, and was born in De Kalb County, Ill. . In 1915 he was married a second time, Maude Spencer,

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a native of California, becoming his wife. Both he and his wife met accidental deaths in an automobile accident on November 23, 1919, while motoring south of San Francisco on the Ocean Shore road. He was a Past Master of the Masonic Lodge; Past High Priest of the Royal Arch Masons ; a Knight Templar and a Shriner; and Past Patron of the East- ern Star Chapter. He belonged to the Elks, and was a Past President of Antioch Parlor, N. S. G. W., and a trustee of the Grand Parlor of the State. Charles M. Belshaw had many friends and was a friend of nearly everybody.

HON. HENRY V. ALVARADO .- Perhaps no man now living in Contra Costa County is better known than Hon. Henry V. Alvarado, judge of Department One of the superior court of the county. He is a native of the State, born in Oakland, on July 15, 1857, the son of a former Governor of California, Juan B. Alvarado, mentioned in another sketch in this history. Our subject received his education in the schools of San Francisco and after his school days were over entered the law office of his brother, John C. Alvarado, and read law under him for a time. In 1896 he was admitted to the California Bar and at once opened an office in Martinez, where he began to build up a clientele. In 1902 he was elected district attorney of Contra Costa County, was reelected in 1906 and served until 1910, a period of eight years. In 1911 Mr. Alvarado went to Richmond and opened an office there with B. H. Griffins as a partner, the firm being Alvarado and Griffins. Perhaps the most important litigation with which Mr. Alvarado was connected was the case of Joseph Emeric vs. Juan B. Alvarado et al. This case oc- cupied the courts in California for thirty years. During the run of the suit the original plaintiff and defendant both died, Joseph Emeric's son, Henry F. Emeric, being substituted as plaintiff, and Henry V. Alvarado substituted for his father as chief defendant. The final decree in the case was rendered by Judge J. C. B. Hubbard in 1894. This litigation proved ruincus on account of the long time and tremendous expense in trying it. It settled, however, many points of law pertaining to the partition of estates and to this day remains California's greatest partition suit. Henry V. Alvarado was appointed to the superior bench by Governor Richardson, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Judge R. H. Lati- mer, on June 15, 1923, and now presides over Department One in Contra Costa County.

Judge Henry V. Alvarado was united in marriage in August, 1879, at San Pablo, with Miss Annie V. Chevesich, a daughter of Don Carlos Chevesich, and born in California. They have two children: Lucile, who married Frank W. Skinner, of Whittier, an employe of the Standard Oil Company, and has a son Francis; Grace, married W. M. Sahl- berg, of Sacramento, a construction engineer. Judge Alvarado is a mem- ber and a Past Master of Martinez Lodge No. 41, F. & A. M .; is a Scot- tish Rite Mason, and belongs to Aahmes Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. of

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Oakland. An excellent lawyer, well versed in the law, Judge Alvarado is making good on the bench by his wise and learned decisions and his keen sense of justice and interpretation of the law. He is intensely in- terested in California history, as well as the history of Contra Costa County, and contributes to newspapers and magazines articles on early- day history of the State.

WILLIAM ALEXANDER FRAZER .- One of the well-known and highly honored pioneers now living in the county is William Alexander Frazer, the second son and fourth child of the late pioneer, William Beverley Frazer, who was born in North Carolina in 1824 and came across the plains in 1843 to Oregon, where he stopped a short time, and then came down into California and built one of the first sawmills in Santa Cruz County. He next went to Sonoma County, and while there was taken prisoner by the Mexicans and held a short time. Return- ing to Oregon as captain of a train of homeseekers, he settled near Turner, in Marion County, until he came again to California and settled in Contra Costa County in the fall of 1859. In the month of Feb- ruary, 1860, he moved to Martinez and bought about a half section of land, situated where the Shell Oil Company refinery is now located. Here he became a general rancher, also raising horses and cattle, until his death in September, 1868, which occurred at the early age of forty- four years at his ranch home, one mile east of Martinez. He was sur- vived by his widow and nine children : George M., Jennie, William Alex- ander, Ellen, Sarah, Frank M., Thomas J., Isaac, and Louise. Jennie Frazer became the wife of the late Judge J. P. Jones, for sixteen years superior judge of Contra Costa County; she lived to be seventy-one years old, and died in Oakland, in September, 1921. M. R. Jones, the well-known attorney of Martinez and Oakland, is her son. Ellen Frazer resides in San Jose. Sarah married Dr. W. P. Mauzy of Oakland, and is deceased. Frank M. Frazer is a retired rancher and stockraiser, resid- ing in Oakland. Dr. Thomas J. Frazer resides in Oakland and practices in San Francisco. Dr. Isaac Frazer is a retired dental surgeon, re- siding in San Jose. Louise is the wife of H. M. Bush, realtor of Mar- tinez. Mrs. Frazer died in San Jose, on April 24, 1916.

William Alexander Frazer was born in Marion County, Ore., on January 21, 1854, and from six years of age, when he came with his parents to Martinez, his early life was passed on the home ranch. He at- tended the common schools and later studied at Heald's Business College in San Francisco. With the exception of five years spent in Kings County and six months spent in traveling and sightseeing in the Eastern and Southern States, he has passed his entire life in Contra Costa County, engaged in ranching. In 1910 he purchased his present home place of twenty acres, and here he raises fruits and almonds successfully.

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Mr. Frazer's first marriage, occurring in Martinez on March 3, 1880, united him with Miss Lizzie Hardy, a native of Martinez and daughter of the late P. Hardy, early Martinez pioneer. Three children were the result of this union: Hiram H., residing in Berkeley; Elam B., who died at the age of ten years; and William B., who married Beulah Lea, and is the father of two children, Ruth and Donald. He is a marine engineer and machinist, and enlisted in the navy during the World War.

The second marriage of Mr. Frazer, occurring on December 19, 1916, united him with Mrs. Emma (Parrish) Trisket, a native of Har- ford, Pa., who came to California in 1916. Both being of literary tastes, Mr. and Mrs. Frazer have a large and well-selected private library, one of the best in the county, and they are an unusually well-read and well- informed couple. Mr. Frazer became a member of the Christian Church when twenty-one years old, and he and his wife attend that church at Concord. He is a Republican in politics.

The entire Frazer family have always been looked up to as among the leading people in Contra Costa County, especially in point of char- acter and unquestioned integrity. Thorough Americans, they are of Scotch-Irish blood. Mr. Frazer's father, William Beverley Frazer, was born in North Carolina and came across the plains from Missouri to Oregon in 1843, in a covered wagon; while his mother, Delilah (Cook) Frazer, was born in Tennessee in 1832 and with her parents came across the plains in 1845 from Missouri to Oregon, where the two brave young pioneers met and were married.

R. H. WALL .- The pioneer shoe merchant of Antioch is R. H. Wall, proprietor of the Antioch Shoe Store in that city. Mr. Wall is a native of Contra Costa County, born in Somersville on February 14, 1865, the son of R. J. and Jane (Macartney) Wall, honored pioneer settlers of this county. They were natives of England and Scotland, respectively, and the father was a coal miner after settling in Somersville.

R. H. Wall grew up in Antioch and attended the public schools of the county. He began clerking in a shoe store in Antioch when a mere boy, and when he was old enough he started a store for himself, beginning on a modest scale and continually increasing his patronage until he now does the leading business in his line in the city, where his honest dealings and straightforward methods have gained for him the respect of all who know him. He has taken an active part in the official life of Antioch, serv- ing as a member of the board of trustees, and for ten years as city clerk, and that at a time when the salary of the clerk was but ten dollars a month. In 1923 he received the appointment as a trustee to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of G. B. LaMontagne, and was elected to the same position in 1924.

On March 13, 1897, in San Francisco, R. H. Wall and Miss Eliza Gambs, a native of the State and a lady of fine attainments, were united in marriage. They have two children : Mrs. Fred W. Swain, of Berkeley;

John Muir

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and R. H. Wall, Jr., a graduate of the Antioch High School, class of 1926. Mrs. Wall is a member of the Eastern Star and the Rebekahs, while Mr. Wall is a member of the Native Sons. Whatever is good for Antioch is sure to have his stanch support, whether it concerns the water supply, good streets, parks, industrial concerns, schools or churches. He backs the best men and measures regardless of party lines. Mr. Wall was brought up in the Congregational Church.

JOHN MUIR .- The American naturalist and explorer, John Muir, late of Contra Costa County, was born in Dunbar, Scotland, on April 21, 1838, and in 1849 accompanied his parents, Daniel and Ann (Gilrye) Muir, to America. They settled on Fox River, Wisconsin, where his father cleared a farm and taught his son to work amidst pioneer surroundings for twelve years. The lad had very little opportunity to get an education after coming to Wisconsin; consequently he educated himself, following in the footsteps of the Great Emancipator. Every book that he could get hold of he read with avidity, storing up knowledge of all kinds, and he was thus able to pass the examinations necessary for entrance into the Univer- sity of Wisconsin in 1861. His pioneering experience led him to be a student of nature and after two and one-half years in the university he left to pursue his chosen life study and for several years he roamed the woods of Wisconsin and Canada. With this initial experience he resolved to go to Florida and he walked from Indiana, through a thousand miles of the forests of the South. While in Florida he had an attack of malarial fever which almost proved fatal and he then resolved to come to California.

John Muir arrived in the Golden State, coming by way of Panama, early in 1868. San Francisco had no charms to induce him to stop there long. He immediately set out on foot for the Yosemite Valley and for the next five years made that locality his home, summer and winter, work- ing part of the time herding sheep and in a sawmill to give him funds with which to pursue his explorations and investigations of that region. He proved that the Yosemite was actually chiseled out of the granite mountain by glacial action instead of by having been split by an earth- quake shock, as had been generally believed. His wonderful literary gift for the portrayal of nature soon made him famous. During the years he spent exploring the Sierras he discovered sixty-five residual glaciers.

Mr. Muir made his first trip to Alaska in 1879, discovered and named Glacier Bay and Muir Glacier, and explored some of the upper courses of the Yukon and Mackenzie Rivers. In 1880 he accompanied the De Long search expedition into the Arctic on the steamer Corwin; and in 1903 and 1904 traveled in the Caucasus, Siberia, Manchuria, Japan, India, Egypt, Australia and New Zealand. In 1874 he had settled in San Fran- cisco and there spent his winters in writing. He wrote considerably for newspapers and periodicals and urged the formation of national parks, and both the Sequoia and Yosemite are in part due to his efforts. He

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published his first book in 1894, The Mountains of California; and in 1901 issued Our National Parks. Various other editions were published by him to the number of ten, all of absorbing interest, and are to be found in almost every public library in California.

In 1880 John Muir was united in marriage with Miss Louise Wanda Strentzel, daughter of Dr. John Strentzel, pioneer fruit-grower of the Alhambra Valley, Contra Costa County. Wanda, Mrs. Thomas Rea Hanna; and Helen, Mrs. Buel A. Funk, of Daggett, Cal., were the two children born to John Muir and his wife. Mrs. Muir passed away in August, 1905.

Although he traveled widely after his marriage, he had made a per- manent settlement in this county, which remained his home until his death on December 24, 1914, at the age of seventy-six years. He was world- famous as an exponent of the beauties of nature. He was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters; member of Washington Academy of Sciences; fellow A. A. A. S .; Honorary A. M. of Harvard University, 1896; LL. D., University of Wisconsin, 1897; L.H.D., Yale University, 1911; president of the Sierra Club, and of the American Alpine Club. John Muir's life was full of adventure and rich in varied experiences. He was a most talented letter writer and it is through the medium of his letters that his life history has been written. His moun- taineer experiences were full of adventure and at times he suffered untold hardships. His influence was strong in winning public support for con- servation of National Parks and reservations. He was a warm friend of Theodore Roosevelt when he was president, and is spoken of frequently in Roosevelt's writings. The president often consulted Mr. Muir on the subject of forest preservation and the formation of new national parks for the American people.

Mr. and Mrs. Muir are buried in the private burial ground on the ranch that was located by Dr. Strentzel in 1853, and which he gave to Mrs. Muir at the time of her marriage. The Muirs lived on this ranch until the death of Dr. Strentzel, when they went to reside with Mrs. Strentzel, and it was there Mr. Muir passed away.

JULIA FRANCES FISH .- California as a State owes much to the women who have come here and helped build up a great common- wealth. To the agricultural and business progress of the different com- munities they have added educational and cultural advancement, founded art centers, made possible music studios, and above all, have founded li- braries and gathered together books for the education of the growing generation and the further advancement of the entire population. And Contra Costa County has been fortunate in the representative women who have aided in such work here.

Miss Julia Frances Fish has been a resident here for the past fifty years, and during that time has left a deep impress for good in the com- munity where she has made her home. Born in Batavia, N. Y., on

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January 3, 1835, a daughter of Libbeus and Rebecca Carter (Vaughn) Fish, she is of old Colonial stock, her great-grandfather, Josiah Fish, having served in the Revolutionary War. Her father, Libbeus Fish, was born in Vermont and came with his parents to Rochester, N. Y., and there his marriage to Polly Holcomb occurred on January 1, 1805. The young couple then removed to Batavia, N. Y., where he became a man of affairs and also served as justice of the peace. Polly Holcomb Fish passed away, and Mr. Fish married again, becoming united with Mrs. Rebecca Carter Vaughn, a native of Massachusetts. They made a visit to Michigan, and liked the country there so well that they decided to make it their home, locating at Jackson in the late thirties. In 1859 Mr. Fish went to Batavia, N. Y., on a visit, and there he passed away that same year. Rebecca Carter Vaughn Fish died in Jackson in 1872. Eleven children were born to Libbeus and Polly (Holcomb) Fish, of whom nine grew to mature years : John, Josiah, Eli, Charles, Lafayette, Caroline, Minerva, Mary and Cornelia, all now deceased. Of the second union with Rebecca Carter Vaughn, four children were born and two, Albert and Julia, grew up.

Julia Fish was reared in Jackson, Mich., where she pursued her studies in the public schools, afterwards finishing with a course at the Batavia Seminary at Batavia, N. Y. She then returned to her home in Jackson, and for the next two decades passed through many interesting phases of life there. Her father, Libbeus Fish, was one of the organizers of the Republican party, under the Oaks at Jackson, Mich. At the time of the organization, in 1854, Miss Fish, stirred by patriotic enthusiasm, made a large bouquet, or floral piece, in red, white and blue and presented it to the men at the meeting, and it was placed on the speaker's stand. She was an interested observer of the trying times during the Civil War, from the declaration of war until its close. She saw the first regiment of "Boys in Blue" leave Jackson for the front, and was among the noble band of women who cheered them on their way.

In 1874, after the death of her mother, Miss Fish came to Martinez for a visit to her brothers, Lafayette, Charles and Josiah Fish, who were very early settlers and prominent business men in Contra Costa County, and a sister, Miss Caroline Fish, who was also here. This visit proved to Miss Fish that she would never again be content to live in the East, and in 1875 she settled her affairs there and came to California to live. She presided over her brother's home until his marriage, and then built her own residence on Willow Street, Martinez, and there she has since made her home. She has made successful investments, and devotes her time these latter years to looking after them, and to enjoying her books and her many friends in Martinez.

Miss Fish is frequently called the founder of the Martinez Library. Many years ago, sensing the lack of reading matter available in Mar- tinez for public use, she proposed a reading club for the young men of

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the city. They met each Wednesday evening at her home, and were so faithful in attendance and showed such marked interest that she sug- gested that they start a public library. An effort had been made some years before, but had not been successful. Miss Fish was sure, however, that there would be no failure this time, and so filled the workers with her enthusiasm that they all put their shoulders to the wheel and took the first step, which was a book social. Giving a musical and entertain- ment, they made a book the price of admission-old or new, paper or leather cover, but a book-and this first social was so successful that it netted them over 100 books as a nucleus for their library and the be- ginning of the present institution. Dr. Strentzel gave them a building which had been an old saloon. They had to clean it, and this proved quite a task; but nothing daunted, they set to work, and Rev. Mr. Tubbs gave his time and services to paint and paper the building and did much to improve the place. In the beginning, as was natural, they met with some opposition, but Miss Fish made the meetings at her house so in- teresting and attractive that the young people flocked to the work, and this time there was no failure, but an actual library was started, from which has sprung the splendid Martinez Public Library of today, an in- stitution of inestimable value to the people of Contra Costa County and one which is much appreciated. Because of her active part in its concep- tion and consummation, Miss Fish is today known as the Mother of the Martinez Library.

Her father had started a genealogy of the Fish family before his death, and after Miss Fish came to California she spent much time very pleasantly in tracing the family history and finally published a small book on the Fish family, which is traced back to 1644. Miss Fish is a true pioneer, and it would be hard to find a more thoroughly interesting and broadminded woman, always willing to give of her time and means for the advancement of the common good. She is a member of the Episcopal Church.

CHARLES E. CHAPMAN .- In the annals of Contra Costa County mention must be given to the Chapman family, members of which were among its pioneer settlers and, up to the present day, have had no small part in its up-building. The father of Charles E. was the proprietor of the Clayton Hotel, which stood on the site of the present store, during the wild days of the copper excitement of the early sixties. George O. Chapman, the father, was a native of New York, became a Mexican War soldier and came to California with the hordes of '49. In 1851 he joined Walker's Expedition into Central America, which resulted in disaster, most of the men being killed. Mr. Chapman, with a few others, escaped into Mexico and remained there until 1853, when he returned to Contra Costa County, after disposing of his Mexican holdings. He engaged in ranching on what is now known as the Dilwood ranch (it having been

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purchased by Dilwood at a later date.) In 1862 he married Miss Nancy Ione Larsen, a native of Kentucky, who came to Stockton in 1850 and attended the public school there. After their marriage the couple re- sided in Pacheco, where G. O. Chapman engaged in the lumber business with Walter K. Dill. In 1863 he built the Clayton Hotel, a three-story frame building, there being about 5000 people residing in Clayton at that time. It was in this structure that Charles E. Chapman was born on November 6, 1864, the eldest of a family of seven children. G. O. Chap- man lived to be eighty-nine years old, his death occurring in Clayton in 1914. Charles E. Chapman's maternal grandmother died at the venerable age of ninety-nine years in February, 1926. At one time there were five generations on both sides living of this remarkably long-lived family.

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History of Contra Costa County, California; with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 43

Author: Munro-Fraser, J. P Publication date: 1926 Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : Historic Record Co. Number of Pages: 1118

Author: Munro-Fraser, J. P
Publication date: 1926
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1118