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 61

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 61

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In April, 1896, Mr. Adams went to Stockton, where he was fireman in the yards of the Santa Fe for three years. He also fired between Stock- ton and Bakersfield, and between Stockton and Richmond. In 1900 he · was promoted to be an engineer, and from 1901 to date he has piloted his train out of Richmond on a passenger run. When he began working

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here, there was but one passenger train; now there are eleven. In 1901 he came to Richmond and worked on the work train on the fill to connect with the Southern Pacific Railroad. He was the first man to settle his family at East Yard, as it was then called, and in 1902 he erected his present home at 122 Martina Street, where there was then a hay field. While running into Bakersfield he saw the first bottle of oil that was taken from the Kern River fields. In 1918 he joined Mckinley Lodge, F. & A. M., and he has been a member of Riverbank Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers No. 839 for twenty-four years. He finds diversion in attend- ing a baseball game and in fishing, and in working in his flower plot ad- jacent to his house, where he has converted a blind street into a beautiful flower garden.

Mrs. Adams has taken an active interest in all civic affairs in West Richmond. She worked to establish the first religious services held in East Yard, when an old passenger car was used for a meeting house. The first church of the Methodist denomination was built up through the min- istrations of W. N. Younglove, although it was really a community church. Rev. D. W. Calfee, who was the means of building fourteen churches dur- ing his lifetime as a preacher, erected the present Methodist Church at West Richmond. Mrs. Adams is active in the Ladies' Aid Society and one of the outstanding accomplishments of this body of energetic women, not only through the church membership, but in cooperation with the en- tire community, was the raising of the necessary money for the church by running a lunch counter near the Standard Oil works. The stand was built with lumber furnished by the Standard Oil Company and was erected by the husbands of the women of the community; and during the few years the women operated it they took in $36,000, the net profits of which went towards furnishing the parsonage and into the church fund. Mrs. Adams is a member of Mira Mar Chapter, O. E. S.

JOHN J. BRENNAN .- For many years connected with the South- ern Pacific Railroad Company in the capacity of section foreman, John J. Brennan has seen much of the development of the San Joaquin Valley and is now a highly esteemed resident of Antioch, where he is serving the city as recorder and at the same time dealing in real estate and writing fire insurance. Mr. Brennan was born in Limerick, Ireland, on July 19, 1864, and grew up there until he was eighteen, when he came to America to try his fortunes. He stopped in New York State and held down a job as a shoe clerk until February, 1887, and then came to California, the "State of Opportunity" for industrious and energetic young men. He entered the employ of the Southern Pacific Railroad at Merced and later served as section foreman of an extra gang in Merced and Fresno, and in other places as far south as Bakersfield, meanwhile witnessing the won- derful changes in that great section of country. In 1898 he was trans- ferred to Antioch as section foreman, continuing in this capacity until 1920, when he quit railroading to enter the real estate and insurance busi-

Stanley Is myrick

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ness in Antioch, where he had made many good friends. He had always been saving and was able to purchase a comfortable home for his family at the corner of Third and I Streets. He carries on a profitable business and takes an active interest in all movements for the upbuilding of An- tioch. In 1922 he was appointed city recorder, and he is capably filling the office, by virtue of which he has jurisdiction of all misdemeanors com- mitted in the city.

When Mr. Brennan came to marry he chose Miss Rosetta Spagnola, a native of Mariposa County, to be his wife. She represents a pioneer family of the Mother Lode country. They have three children : Helen, Madeline and Imelda. The family move in the best circles in Antioch and vicinity.

· STANLEY G. MYRICK .- One of the important problems which the pioneer settlers of Contra Costa County had to solve was the question of water distribution. Under the spur of necessity they became skilled in drainage and the reclamation of waste lands. One of the well-known native sons of the county, born during this pioneer period, is Stanley G. Myrick, the larger part of whose life's labors have been devoted to this work. He is the oldest son of the late Christopher Mitchell Myrick, an early settler of the State. Christopher Myrick came to California in 1849 and mined for a time, before settling in San Francisco, where he worked at the carpenter trade until he decided to return East to marry Lydia Joy, the girl of his choice. After his marriage he came back to California and located in San Francisco, and was there engaged for seven years in the water business, selling by the bucket, from door to door. His wife died in San Francisco, and later he was united in marriage with Mrs. Jane G. (Barstow) Loring, who had a daughter by her union with Mr. Loring. She is now Mrs. Frank Matheron, of Martinez. Of this second union there were four children : Stanley G., Fred N., Mrs. Lydia Clayton, and Mrs. Imogene Benson, the latter now deceased.

Stanley G. Myrick was born in San Francisco on July 17, 1860, and when he was a year old the family came to Contra Costa County and lo- cated upon the ranch of 160 acres that the father had bought in Clayton Precinct, together with about 100 head of stock, from a Mr. King. Here the family settled and the father began raising stock, hay and grain. Dur- ing this period of hard work for everybody, young Stanley's services were greatly needed at home, especially as he was the oldest child in the family. Owing to that fact, and the primitive methods of schooling available, the book learning he obtained was very limited. He was hardly more than a child when he was put to work at farming and stock raising, and learned to ride the range and to do skilfully many things which books cannot teach. Among other things, he became expert in building levees and reclaiming tule lands. For nineteen years he was a trusted and highly valued em- ployee of Charles Gordon on Jersey Island, where his thorough knowledge of farming and drainage were of great service.

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Mr. Myrick is a most trustworthy and capable citizen, and has a repu- tation for sterling honesty and dependability. In politics he is consistently Republican. Coming, as he does, from one of the pioneer families, he knew all the early settlers of the county and takes a keen interest in every- thing pertaining to local history. Although he is now sixty-six years old, he is active physically; and despite the strenuous existence which he has led, he looks much younger than his years. He is now practically retired, making his home on the Parker ranch. He recalls the time when wild geese came to this valley in thousands and covered acres of ground; deer abounded also, and elk horns were still numerous, showing that there were many elk here in early days.

HON. A. B. MCKENZIE .- As judge of Department Two, superior court of Contra Costa County, Hon. A. B. Mckenzie has shown his ability as a lawyer and jurist by his impartial and just interpretation of the law. A native of Canada, he was born at Goderich, in the Province of Ontario, on March 21, 1861. His parents, George and Mary (Bailey) Mckenzie, were also Canadians. The father, who was born near To- ronto, was a storekeeper at Goderich and held minor offices in his locality such as town and school trustee. The mother was also born near To- ronto. There were six children in the Mckenzie family, A. B. Mckenzie being the second in order of birth. He attended the schools of his local- ity and assisted his father in his store until he was eighteen, and then worked as a clerk in a mercantile establishment in Toronto. In 1881 he went to New York City, as he believed better opportunities were await- ing him in the United States than he could find in Canada, and while there he was employed in the mercantile store of Lord & Taylor, and at the same time attended night school. Ambitious to make a name and place for himself in the world, he remained with the firm of Lord & Taylor for some years, saving his money, and pursued his studies at every oppor- tunity, for he had determined to become a lawyer and his own boss.

In 1891 young Mckenzie came to California and soon thereafter matriculated at the Hastings College of Law in San Francisco, this col- lege being affiliated with the University of California. He pursued the regular law course for three years and was graduated with the Class of 1895. He was admitted to the California Bar that same year and com- ing to Martinez began the practice of his profession. His ability was soon demonstrated, and he built up a large clientele and made a large circle of friends. Such was his success that his friends prevailed upon him to be- come a candidate for the office of district attorney of Contra Costa Coun- ty, and at the general election in 1910 he was elected, and thereafter served for four years with marked ability. In 1914 he became a candidate for judge of the superior bench, was elected, and took his office on Janu- ary 1, 1915; and ever since he has served in that high office with great credit to his county and to himself. Ever since coming to Martinez to

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make his home, Judge Mckenzie has shown his public spirit in many ways and has taken an active part in all movements for the betterment of the city and county.

On March 22, 1897, at Antioch, A. B. Mckenzie was united in mar- riage with Melvina Durham, born in California, the daughter of the late Capt. Joshua E. Durham, owner of a fine ranch and also captain of a ferry boat. He was born in Tennessee; and in California he was married to Miss Sherman, a native of this State and the descendant of an old pioneer family. Of this union of Mr. and Mrs. Mckenzie nine children have been born : Malcomb D., a graduate of the University of California, Class 1924, with the degree of B. A .; Norma, who graduated from the Alhambra Union High School in Martinez, and is now with the Associ- ated Oil Company in San Francisco; Lorilee, employed in the Bank of Martinez; Maitland, a law student at Columbia University, New York; Roma, a student in the University of California; George, attending the University of California ; Ross and Marian, pupils in the Alhambra High School; and Kathleen, in the grammar school. Judge Mckenzie is essenti- ally a home man and gives strict attention to his business. He was reared in the Presbyterian faith, is highly esteemed by all who know him, and with his wife enjoys a wide circle of friends and acquaintances. Fraternally, he is a member of Richmond Lodge No. 1251, B. P. O. E. In political belief he is a stanch Republican.

THOMAS R. BALL .- A prosperous rancher of Contra Costa County, where he has been engaged in fruit-raising for the past thirty- five years, Thomas R. Ball is an excellent example of the self-made Scotch-American. His success in life has come to him through hard work and through business acumen and foresight in choosing the fertile soil of Contra Costa County for his agricultural development work. Born at Paisley, Scotland, on September 9, 1869, he is the son of John and Martha (Harris) Ball, both natives of that country and the parents of eight chil- dren, of whom Thomas R. was the third in order of birth. He had three sisters and four brothers, most of whom came to the United States, though the parents lived and died in Scotland. One brother, George, is a retired railway conductor living at Hayward; John, a rancher of Contra Costa County, is deceased; David, who went to Australia, fell in the World War; and the others are James; Mary Ann Hunter, residing in Pittsburgh, Pa .; Mrs. J. C. McGill; and Sarah Elizabeth, who died at the age of two years.

Thomas R. Ball had but limited schooling, as he started out to make his own way in the world while still young, working at various occupa- tions. After putting in some time as clerk in a dry-goods store in Scot- land, he came to America in 1887, when eighteen years old, and spent the first year in the new country in Massachusetts. Next he went to Jersey City, and then to Yonkers, N. Y., where he worked in a shoe factory.

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In 1889 he came to California, and for three years ran a milk wagon in San Jose. Then, after a year spent in Portland, Ore., he came to Contra Costa County; and here, renting a ranch at Pleasant Hill, for ten years he operated the land. In 1906 he bought his home ranch of fifty acres, upon which he has made all improvements, building a fine country home and planting the acreage to Bartlett pears, peaches and grapes. Five years later he bought twenty acres near Muir Station, now in grapes, almonds, and table grapes; this ranch was later sold to his brother John, but on his death in 1924, Mr. Ball re-purchased the land from his heirs. His third ranch, purchased in 1919, consists of twenty-five acres at Pleasant Hill, and is devoted to grapes and prunes. Mr. Ball operates all three ranches. He is an up-to-date horticulturist and viticulturist, using a Cle-Trax tractor and other modern implements in carrying on the ranch work. A man of mental poise and sturdy character, he continues to work early and late and is known as one of the most successful fruit-raisers in the county.

Mr. Ball found a true helpmate in his wife, to whom he was married on October 27, 1895, at Pleasant Hill. Mrs. Ball was Miss Jane Rodgers before her marriage. She is a daughter of the late Edward Rodgers of Pleasant Hill, and a cousin of Attorney James E. Rodgers of Martinez, and also of Mrs. Thomas S. Duane. Two children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Ball : Edward John, who married Mildred Lockard and is the father of one child, Jane; and Letitia, attending the Martinez Union High School.

Besides his ranch interests, Mr. Ball was for some time the local agent for the Pioneer Fruit Company. This agency is now being carried on by his son, Edward John. Mr. Ball is a stockholder in the Martinez National Bank. He is a highly respected man in the community, noted for his Scotch characteristic of good, hard common sense. He is a prac- tical progressive in all matters, and a man whose opinion is given con- sideration. He was naturalized in San Francisco in 1895, and in politics is a Republican, while in all civic and community affairs he favors the men and measures best calculated to advance the county's best interests.

JACKSON H. MISNER .- A self-made man in every sense of the word, Jackson H. Misner, harbor manager for the City of Richmond, was born in Dayton, Ohio, and from there went to Oregon and Washington, where he attended school, graduating from the high school in Tacoma, after which he attended the Willamette University, a Methodist institu- tion, for four years, taking the arts and science course. In 1894 he left Tacoma and went to Arizona, where he was employed by the Copper Queen Mining Company in various capacities until the breaking-out of the Spanish-American War. He enlisted and joined Roosevelt's Rough Riders, and after a time in training in Texas went with his command and took an active part in the campaigns. After the war he returned to the

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United States and for several months was sick in a hospital in the East. When he received his discharge from the service, Theodore Roosevelt made an indorsement on the back of the document as follows : "A gallant and trustworthy soldier, one of the men whose courage and zealous per- formance of every duty made him an honor to the regiment." Returning to his home in Tacoma he remained there until called by Capt. Z. J. Hatch of the Monticello Steamship lines to come to California, and he remained in the employ of that company until 1911.

In 1914 Mr. Misner was called to Richmond to take charge of the building up of the harbor, as manager. He accepted the position, and by dint of hard work and taking advantage of his wide acquaintance with the shipping trade, he has created something the city is proud of. There was no deep water when he came to take control, but with the appropriation from the city and from the Federal Government a channel was dredged and the first boat came to dock in 1918. Now Richmond is a regular port of call for many lines of steamships, and the housing and docking facilities are inadequate for the volume of business. The tonnage passing through in 1925 was 278,671 tons, ninety-five per cent of which was for export; and it is estimated the tonnage for 1926 will exceed this amount, for the present docking facilities are being worked over capacity. During the time he has been in charge of this post, Mr. Misner has built the levees of the inner harbor.

When Mr. Misner married he chose Miss Florence Winton, of Vallejo, for his wife, and this union resulted in the birth of twin girls, Doris de Camp and Jeanne de Winton, graduates from the Richmond High School now attending the University of California at Berkeley. A Mason, Mr. Misner belongs to Alpha Lodge No. 431, F. & A. M .; Richmond Chapter No. 113, R. A. M .; Richmond Commandery No. 59, K. T .; and Aahmes Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Oakland. He is also a member of the Sciots. His recreation is found in the mountains, away from the noise and bustle of work. His influence is helpful for every progressive movement, and he enjoys the confidence of many friends in the bay region.

EDWIN T. BLAKE .- The vice-president of Blake Brothers Com- pany of San Francisco and Contra Costa County, Edwin T. Blake, is a native son of the Golden State, born in San Francisco on June 25, 1875, the son of a Forty-niner, Charles Thompson Blake, who came via Nica- ragua to California in search of gold. Charles Thompson Blake was mar- ried in California to Miss Harriet W. Stiles, and they had four children. The father died in 1897; the mother is now living with her son, Edwin T. Blake, at his home in Kensington precinct.

Edwin T. Blake received his education in the public schools in San Francisco, and at the University of California, where he was graduated with his engineering degree. He was associated with the Oakland Paving Company, which his father had helped to organize in the early days; but in 1904, with his brother and Mr. Bilger, under the name of Blake &

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Bilger Co., he began prospecting for rock deposits in Contra Costa County at Castro Point. Finding the desired quality of rock, they bought from Luke and John Fay the property embraced by the frontage on San Francisco Bay and began operations, developing with the passing of the years a very valuable property. In 1917 the corporation became Blake Brothers Company. The operation of the plant is under the direction of our subject, and some seventy men are kept busy the year round. The company's products are shipped to places within a radius of 100 miles of the bay cities. The plant is located near deep water and much of their output is shipped to points on the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, as well as to bay points. In the early days of development work there were no paved roads, and during the stormy season, when Mr. Blake drove his automobile, he had to leave it at the county line where he could get it out of the mud, and take the street cars to their plant. Mr. Blake tells of coming through this district as a lad, hunting ducks, when there was nothing here but a place known as Castro Point.

Mr. Blake was united in marriage in San Francisco on January 12, 1904, to Miss Harriet W. Carson, a native of California. They reside in their home, erected in 1922, in Kensington precinct, overlooking the bay and the cities lying along its shores. Mr: Blake is a member of the American Institute of Mining Engineers. Politically he is a Republican.

GEORGE F. BLACK .- As city councilman of Richmond, Contra Costa County, and also one of the city's successful business men, George F. Black is well known throughout the bay section. A native Californian he was born in Sierra City, Sierra County, on November 17, 1870, the son of F. J. and Anna (Curley) Black, the former a native of Denmark, and the latter of Ireland. F. J. Black was an early California pioneer miner, who came West to try out his fortune on the new frontier.

George F. Black attended the schools of Sierra County, and at the age of twenty-one left home and started in life for himself. His first venture took him to Orange County, where he located in Santa Ana and engaged in the orange-growing industry, securing employment with Bishop & Company, and the Glassell Company, in the growing, packing and ship- ping of oranges. After a number of years in that work he became asso- ciated with the Copper Queen Consolidated Mining Company, in Arizona.

Coming to Richmond in 1912, Mr. Black became associated with his brother-in-law, Arno Fisher, in the grocery business. This company has grown and expanded, and now maintains three stores in Richmond, oper- ated on the cash-and-carry plan, which has proven very successful and popular in the community, for their patrons know that they are getting an absolutely square deal and the choice of a fresh and large stock, made possible by the amount purchased in stocking the three stores.

The marriage of Mr. Black, occurring November 17, 1897, at Orange, Cal., united him with Carrie Bennett, a native of Humansville, Mo., and

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four sons have been born to them: Walter and Carl, both students at the University of Oregon; Leroy, a student at the University of California; and Neal, attending the Richmond High School. The three eldest boys are showing their mettle by working their way through college.

Fully alive to the possibilities of Richmond, and recognized as a loyal and progressive citizen, Mr. Black was elected a member of the Rich- mond city council in May, 1923, taking office in July of that year. An active worker for the further advancement of his home city, he is in favor of all practicable projects which have that end in view. He is a member of the Lighting, Ordinance, Building and Fence Committees. Fraternally, Mr. Black is a member of Twilight Lodge No. 119, I. O. O. F., and of the Woodmen of the World. In politics he is a Republican.

CHARLES B. DOUGLASS .- One of the prominent ranchers and fruit growers of Eastern Contra Costa County is Charles B. Douglass, who is located near Antioch and the Sherman Island bridge. He has worked intelligently and with a persistency of purpose to demonstrate that this section is adapted to almost any kind of vine, tree or seed put into the ground, and that when given proper care they will produce many fold. He has demonstrated that the Tokay grape ripens for market about three weeks earlier here than in any other part of the State, and therefore brings higher prices. It has a high sugar content and the proper coloring for early marketing. Mr. Douglass owns three ranches: the home ranch near the Sherman Island bridge, of thirty-five acres, which is devoted to Tokay grapes and to Walnuts; the Lone Tree ranch of eighty acres, where he has forty acres of cling peaches, twenty acres of Bartlett pears, and twenty acres of Tokay grapes; and the Knightsen ranch, in which Mrs. Douglass is also interested, of forty acres, devoted to Bart- lett pears now three years old. In this orchard he is proving out the Caldwell process, which brings the trees into bearing at three years.

Charles B. Douglass was born at Westport, N. Y., on May 2, 1862, a son of William and Marian (Havens) Douglass. The father was born in Clinton County, and served with distinction throughout the entire Civil War in the 77th New York Volunteer Infantry, rising to be a first lieutenant. For many years he conducted a blacksmith shop at Westport. He served as a justice of the peace for twenty-five years, and was also postmaster. He died at the age of eighty-four years, and his wife passed away at the age of sixty-seven. Of their ten children Charles B. Douglass is the only survivor. On the paternal side the family is of Scotch ancestry, and emigrants of the family early settled in Massa- chusetts. Charles B. Douglass attended the public schools and learned the machinist's trade. On account of his health he was compelled to come to California, and here he began growing fruit and experimenting with soil production. He has worked in several fruit-growing counties and finally decided that here in Contra Costa County he had found ideal conditions,

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and his prophecy has proved to be correct. He is always ready to give aid and suggestions to those wishing to engage in fruit culture, and believes this section has just begun to be appreciated.

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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 61

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