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 75
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Edward P. Jackson was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on January 12, 1871, the son of Charles and Mary Elizabeth (Parris) Jackson. The Jackson family was of Welsh and Scotch ancestry; the Parris family was of French origin. The father, Charles Jackson, a native of Cincinnati, was a success- ful farmer and florist, and lived to be eighty-seven years old. He was the son of Thomas M. Jackson, who came from Pennsylvania and established the Hamilton County Bank, of which institution he was cashier for many years. His wife lived to be ninety-seven years old.
The family of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Jackson consisted of seven chil- dren, five boys and two girls. Edward P. Jackson was the fourth child, and when he was but eight years old the mother died. Two years later the family removed to Newton, Kans., where he received his schooling. After leaving school he became a messenger for the Wells-Fargo Express Com- pany on the road and doing office work. In January, 1895, he came to Concord and opened an upholstery shop, remaining for a year, after which he went to San Francisco and there pursued the same occupation. Some time later he returned to Concord and was constable for three years, resigning in 1901. He then went to Livermore, where he resided for six years while engaging in business as a purchasing agent. After the San Francisco fire he returned to Concord, founding his present furniture busi- ness in February, 1907; and here he has since resided.
Mr. Jackson was married August 4, 1902, to Jettie Jaquith, a native of Canada. They have one child, Lloyd, aged twenty-one years, a gradu-
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ate of the Mount Diablo Union High School. In politics Mr. Jackson is a Republican. Outside of his business his keenest interest, perhaps, is in the various fraternal orders in which he has been an active worker. He re- cently was made a life member of the Pittsburg Lodge of Elks of which he is a former Exalted Ruler. He was elected delegate to the National Convention, B. P. O. E., which convened in Chicago on July 12, 1926, and was accompanied to the gathering by Mrs. Jackson. Mr. Jackson is also a member of the Red Men, Odd Fellows, I. D. E. S., U. P. E. C., and Rebekahs, and has been treasurer of the Red Men's Lodge of Concord for fourteen years, and also served as secretary of the Odd Fellows. Mrs. Jackson is a member of the Rebekahs and the Eastern Star, and is greatly interested in fraternal work.
MRS. MARY E. LACASSIE. - The family represented by Mrs. Mary Lacassie has been identified with the history of California for a long period of time, and she herself is a native of this State, born at San Francisco. Her parents, John and Mary (Dwyer) Roche, were natives of New York and Wisconsin, respectively, and crossed the plains together in 1861 with ox-teams. During the greater part of his life, John Roche was engaged in the wholesale butcher business in San Francisco. Seven children were born in the Roche family: James, deceased; Mrs. Katherine Barreilles, of San Francisco; Mary E., our subject; Mrs. Margaret Mar- illo, of Oakland; and John, George and Frances, who are deceased. The father was seventy-one years old when he passed away, and the mother was sixty-three years old when she died.
The education of Mary E. Roche was obtained in the San Francisco schools. In September, 1879, she was first married to Frank Casaurang, a native of France, who was seventeen years old when he came to San Fran- cisco. In 1883 Mr. and Mrs. Casaurang removed to Oakland, where Mr. Casaurang was engaged in the wholesale butcher business; and later he was in the dairy business. They were the parents of ten children : Marie, now Mrs. Joseph Coigdarripe, of Los Angeles; Rosella, Mrs. Charles Irwin, of Oakland; Lillian, Mrs. William Miller, of New York; William, of Monterey; Agnes, now Mrs. Guy Nottingham, of Walnut Creek, Charles, of Oakland; Dewey; Louis; Victorine, Mrs. James Speros, of Walnut Creek ; and John, of Modesto. There are fourteen grandchildren.
Mrs. Casaurang was married the second time in 1902, to Samuel Lacassie, a native of France. For a number of years Mr. Lacassie was in the dairy business. In 1907 the family settled in Walnut Creek and purchased 250 acres of general farming land from James Stow. In 1922 Mrs. Lacassie purchased the Walnut Creek garage, which is operated by her sons. Mrs. Lacassie owns five lots within the town limits and she also owns the city water works, the tanks built in 1907 being filled from springs on her home place, and the water delivered by gravity to the con- sumers from the tanks on the hill. In politics Mrs. Lacassie adheres to the principles of the Republican party.
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HENRY G. KRUMLAND .- A leader in fraternal circles, and for the past sixteen years justice of the peace of Byron Township, Contra Costa County, Henry G. Krumland is recognized as a man of affairs in Byron. In the judicial offices in the Byron Postoffice building, where Jus- tice Krumland holds court, numerous local cases are tried, often with well-known lawyers caring for the interests of the clients. Henry G. Krumland is a valued assistant to L. G. Plumley, the well-known merch- ant of Byron, having been an employee of this store for twenty years. He is one of the general lodgemen of his home town; is a past officer and active member of Byron Lodge, No. 335, I. O. O. F .; is a member of Byron Parlor No. 170, N. S. G. W., and has served many times as dele- gate to State conventions, in which he takes active part; is a member of Brentwood Masons, and a recognized figure in his home community.
Judge Krumland comes from one of the pioneer families of the Byron section, and resides on his five-acre ranch on the State Highway, where, with his beloved mother, now seventy-six years of age, he enjoys the com- forts of home. His birth occurred at Byron, on February 9, 1880, a son of George and Johanna (Dohrs) Krumland, the former a native of Ger- many and the latter of Maryland. George Krumland left his native country for America in 1848, and in 1850 came via Cape Horn to Cali- fornia, and engaged in mining for about ten years. He then removed to Contra Costa County where he found employment on ranches; later he leased land and engaged in farming and stock raising. He passed away on July 17, 1904.
Henry G. Krumland began his education in the grammar school in Byron, then went through high school and afterwards took a business course ; upon his return to Byron he entered the employ of L. G. Plumley, where he has been ever since. In politics Judge Krumland is a Democrat.
MILLARD F. CHRISTOPHER .- For nearly a third of a century two well-known and popular figures of the church and social life of Con- cord have been Millard F. Christopher and his estimable wife. Both have been residents of California since the pioneer days and within the space of their lifetimes have witnessed many of the marvelous changes which have been a part of the development of this great commonwealth.
Mr. Christopher was born in Louisville, Ky., on August 7, 1856, the son of Henry and Mary ( Henry) Christopher, both now deceased. There were six children in the family, and when Millard was a lad of ten his father, who was a farmer, died. The mother removed with her children to Washington in 1870, when that state was still a territory. Three years afterwards she died, leaving six children. Young Millard's education was received in the grammar school, and in 1877 he came to California and secured work on a farm. Farming has been his only occupation. His first residence in California was at Salinas in Monterey County, where he made his home for nine years; from there he removed to San Miguel, where he resided for about the same length of time. At this location he
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leased land and grew wheat. From there he removed to Lafayette in 1895, and here he made his home for a year, finally locating between Wal- nut Creek and Concord in 1896. He later became the owner of a farm near Pacheco which he sold and bought the Downing ranch. In 1918 he sold to the Port Costa Water Company and became the owner of a home and other city property in Concord.
On November 1, 1883, Mr. Christopher married Miss Emily Porter- field, daughter of one of the early California pioneers, James Harvey Por- terfield. The father was born in Tennessee and came to California from Missouri in 1845. He was a soldier in the Mexican War and was one of the courageous band that raised the Bear Flag in Sonoma before Mex- ico relinquished her claims to California. He married Martha Elizabeth Alexander, also a native of Tennessee, and they became the parents of four children. Mr. and Mrs. Christopher have one daughter, Mary Martha, now Mrs. William Bucholz of Bay Point, and the mother of a daughter, Beverly Thissell, by her marriage to Charles Thissell. Both Mr. and Mrs. Christopher are active in the Christian Church of Con- cord, of which they are prominent members. Mr. Christopher is a dea- con of this church, and Mrs. Christopher served for five years as treasurer of the Missionary Society. Mr. Christopher is a member of the Wood- men of the World. He is fond of fishing and motoring.
BENJAMIN BRIGNONE .- A pioneer of Richmond since 1902, Benjamin Brignone has carried on a hotel business with increasing suc- cess since that date, in what is now known as West Richmond. He has seen all of the development of Richmond, the building of the Standard Oil refinery, the development of the Santa Fe Railroad, and all of the other industrial and business places that have risen where once were hunt- ing preserves and marsh and farming lands. He was born in Italy on July 8, 1874, attended the schools of his own community, and at the age of eighteen landed in America to make his fortune. He went to Tulare County and worked as a ranch hand for two years, and then tried his hand in a sawmill near Truckee for a couple of years, after which he was engaged as a miner near Nevada City for a year. All this time he was picking up the English language and learning the methods of the American business man. Having saved some money, Mr. Brignone then went to Rocklin, Placer County, and for eighteen months conducted an eating house ; then he spent two years in the liquor business in Sacramento. This brings us to 1902 when he arrived in Point Richmond, opened a hotel, which he named The Standard Hotel, and catered to the men who were doing the development work for the Santa Fe and Standard Oil Com- panies. Mr. Brignone sold out in 1906, and in the fall of 1907 made a trip back to Italy to visit his family and friends. Returning to Richmond, he built his present hotel, The Columbo, on land he had purchased for the purpose. Ever since that time he has been "Mine Host" at this place. He has always shown his public spirit and cooperated with various com-
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mittees and civic bodies for the betterment of conditions and the advancing of the best interests of Richmond. He took out his citizenship papers in 1898, and ever since that time has been loyal to the land of his adoption.
In December, 1898, Benjamin Brignone was married to Miss Theresa Matroni, also a native of Italy. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Matroni, are deceased, as are the parents of Mr. Brignone, Giacamo and Madalena Brignone. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Brignone. Mildred married John Patrick and lives at Giant; George E., now deceased, served over seas in the World War, was gassed, and died soon after he came home. He enlisted and was a member of the Ambulance Corps, Company 57. Albert, aged thirteen, is now attend- ing the public school. Mr. Brignone belongs to the Odd Fellows and the Druids, having passed all the chairs in the latter order and served as treasurer for fourteen years; and he also belongs to the Fratellanza, an Italian lodge, in which he has also held office. He has been an ardent baseball fan and still enjoys a spirited game.
FRANK W. HUTCHINSON .- As president of the First National Bank of Crockett Frank W. Hutchinson holds a secure position in finan- cial circles of the Bay district. A native son, he was born and reared in California and attended the public schools. During the Spanish-American War he was in the government service, in all spending ten years in the paymaster's department in the United States Army. Leaving the army he engaged in business and continued till the organization of the First National Bank of Crockett in 1919, in which Mr. Hutchinson took an active part. He is a conservative banker and a public spirited citizen, doing all he can in his position to assist in building up California. He is an active member of the State Bankers' Association; is Past Exalted Ruler of the Elks and attended their convention in Boston in 1924; he belongs to the Native Sons, and is an influential member of the Crockett-Valona Business Men's Association, always on the alert to take advantage of every movement for the best interests of his community. He is married and has a son, Francis Hutchinson.
The First National Bank of Crockett was granted its charter March 29, 1919, and opened its doors in its own modern concrete building at the corner of Loring Avenue and West Street on June 4. Its first president was T. J. O'Leary, and the cashier was J. B. Ledbetter. The original capital stock was $25,000, later this was doubled. The organizers of the bank were: F. W. Hutchinson, now its president; M. D. Parker, now cashier; and Albert Aljets, P. Murphy, P. Lucey, B. H. Zuppan, C. P. Thomas, August Berger, A. Boehm, B. Ferrario and C. Giumini were the officers and directors.
The furnishings and fixtures of the bank are of most modern con- struction, and the vault, with its safety-deposit boxes, is burglar and fire- proof. Every consideration is shown the customers to make them feel at home and to guide them wisely in making investments. The growth
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has been phenomenal from the beginning and today it stands with the best banks in the county. It is a member of the Federal Reserve System and a depository for Postal Savings. Through the president and board of directors every encouragement is given to home builders and business extension of a safe and sane character. At the close of 1925 the resources were $703,531.76; surplus $10,000, deposits, $580,062.23. This shows a remarkable increase since the beginning and gives the bank an assured position in financial circles in California.
TOWNSEND T. CRAMER .- The history of Mr. Cramer's life is a good illustration of what one may accomplish if he but possess the de- termination to succeed. In young manhood he had no special advantages, but as a result of his industry and perseverance he is today a worthy and respected citizen of Richmond, Cal., where he has lived for the past twenty-five years. He is a native of Edenton, Ohio, born October 4, 1876, a son of Samuel and Matilda A. (Thompson) Cramer, also natives of Ohio. Samuel Cramer was a carpenter and a farmer ; he passed his last days in Oklahoma, where his widow and three daughters now make their home. There were five children in this family, two sons and three daugh- ters : Townsend T., of this review; another son passed away in boyhood; and Cora, Mrs. Charles Andrews; Lillie, Mrs. William Sackett; and Neoma, Mrs. Joe Sackett.
Townsend T. Cramer was only seventeen years old when he started out for himself ; what education he had received was acquired in the public schools. He first went to Douglas, Kans., and from there to Florence, the same State, where he found work with the Santa Fe Railroad Company and remained until 1898, when he entered the Spanish-American War. The following year, in December, he returned from the war and came West to Winslow, Ariz. There he remained seven months, and then was transferred to Stockton, Cal. In February, 1901, he settled at Point Richmond, where he has been ever since. In 1904 he was promoted to the position of engineer. He has made an enviable record, in that he has had but one serious accident during his many years of piloting a train from place to place.
On January 19, 1900, Mr. Cramer was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Conry of Florence, Kans. Her father, Thomas J. Conry, was a surgeon for the Santa Fe system for thirty-three years; he married Miss Margaret Nivin, a native of Ohio, and to them were born seven children, four of whom are now deceased. The surviving brother of Mrs. Cramer, William H. Conry, lives in Emporia, Kans .; and a sister, Daisy, now Mrs. J. M. Bell, is living with Mrs. Cramer. The Conry family are of Scotch lineage, but for many generations have been in America; represen- tatives of this family have been in all the wars fought on American soil. To Mr. and Mrs. Cramer has been born one son, Arthur Conry, now a student in California School of Arts and Crafts. Mrs. Cramer is a prom- inent club woman, being a member of the Westside Improvement Club.
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She is Past Matron of the Eastern Star and Past President of the Ladies' Auxiliary to the Spanish-American War Veterans; and she has represented these lodges in various conventions. She has also been a trustee of the City Library for the past ten years; the board of trustees is made up of one trustee from each of five districts represented in the territory served by this circulating school library. Mr. Cramer is a member of the Broth- erhood of Locomotive Engineers and the Spanish-American War Veterans.
SEWARD BRYAN MERRY .- The president of the Republic Steel Package Company of California at Richmond is Seward Bryan Merry, who has taken an active and intelligent interest in the industrial affairs of the East Bay region since he came here in 1921. He was born in Hays City, Kan., on January 12, 1889, the son of Theron T. and Rowena A. (Moore) Merry, natives of Burghill and Lorain, Ohio, respectively, whose family consisted of four sons. The youngest of the four children was Seward Bryan Merry, who attended the public schools of Cleveland, whither the family removed in 1894 and lived till 1921. While going to school he delivered newspapers, took care of a lamp route, worked in a baseball park, and also worked for a butcher, to earn money that he needed for his personal use. He secured his first important position with the American Steel and Wire Company, subsidiary to the United Steel Corporation, and was with them eight years. He then went to the Cleve- land branch of the Republic Steel Package Company and remained there nine years, after which he was transferred to the Richmond branch of the company in 1921, and for two years had the management of the concern, or until the present corporation was organized under the State laws of California, since which time Mr. Merry has been the president of the com- pany at Richmond.
The Republic Steel Package Company first began business in 1921, as a branch of the Eastern company in Ohio. On May 15, 1923, it was in- corporated as mentioned above with S. B. Merry, president; H. H. My- lander, secretary and treasurer; and L. W. Evans, superintendent. It manufactures all kinds of steel containers for gasoline, oil, paint, chemi- cals, and insecticides, and also manufactuers underground storage tanks, lubricating oil tank outfits, etc. The employees work the usual eight-hour day, with over-time when needed. The daily capacity is 1000 steel oil barrels and 2000 light-gage packages, and from fifty to eighty-five men are regularly employed. The territory covered takes in the entire Pacific Coast, with branches at Portland, Seattle and Los Angeles. Four to six traveling salesmen are kept busy the year round, and an equal number of men are in their offices in San Francisco. Some of the articles manu- factured are patented, but all are of standard make. Mr. Merry believes in paying a man what he is worth, and with their bonus system the pro- duction of some articles has been raised 400 per cent.
At the age of nineteen, on December 31, 1908, Mr. Merry was united in marriage with Miss Birdie E. Smith, born in Madison, Ohio, but living
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in Cleveland at the time of their marriage. They have one son, Theodore, aged fifteen and a student in the high school. Mr. Merry helped organize the present Chamber of Commerce in Richmond and served as director and vice-president for a time. He is a member of the Lodge and Chapter of Masonry in Cleveland, the Consistory of the Scottish Rite in Omaha, the Knights Templars in Richmond, and Aahmes Temple in Oakland. He belongs to the Berkeley Country Club and to the Richmond Rotary Club, is an enthusiastic golfer and a baseball fan, and enjoys all kinds of outdoor athletics.
JOSEPH B. WILLIS .- A highly esteemed citizen of the Richmond Annex who has always put forth his best efforts for the advancement of his community is Joseph B. Willis, who took up his residence here in 1923. He was born in Springfield, Ill., on August 31, 1883, of old Virginian ancestry. Grandfather Willis came from Virginia and home- steaded land near what is now Centralia, Ill., and this same property is still in possession of the Willis family. After graduating from the high school in Springfield, Joseph B. Willis was bound out by his father to learn the trade of the machinist in the railroad shops, and he served four years, from seventeen till he was twenty-one. Later he went to Milwaukee as a journeyman machinist and went to work with the Chalmers people, thus becoming familiar with automobile work. He came out to the Coast in 1905 and was employed at the Union Iron Works until the earthquake and fire; then he went to Fresno, and later to Bakersfield, where he was employed as an oil worker.
While working at his trade in the oil fields in Oklahoma, Mr. Willis was united in marriage with Miss Ida Hensley, on March 27, 1912. She was born in Texas. Some time after their marriage they began trav- eling from place to place in search of health for Mrs. Willis, and they have lived in many places since that time but never have found their ideal until settling in their present home. They traveled through the South- ern States and throughout California, living at Dinuba, Oakland, and other places. Coming to the Annex in search of a home, they bought lots and built their house. At that time there were only five homes in sight, the locality having been a pasture. There were no electric lights here then, but now electricity is used for every purpose for which it is supposed to be used. Mr. and Mrs. Willis helped organize the Annex Improvement Club. This club, starting with twelve members, has grown to about 100 and they all work in harmony for the advancement of their community. Mr. and Mrs. Willis have a son, Jack Price Willis, born in Oklahoma. Mr. Willis is a Scottish Rite Mason and a Shriner, holding his membership in Ardmore, Okla. He is employed as a machinist at Berkeley and belongs to Machinists' Union No. 1546, in Oakland. He is thoroughly alive to the possibilities of this community and favors every project for its advancement.
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Frank & Silva.
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FRANK J. SILVA .- The senior member of the firm of Silva & Hornback, proprietors of the Community Market at Antioch, is Frank J. Silva. Mr. Silva was born in Contra Costa County, on November 25, 1879, on the site where the present Contra Costa County span of the Antioch bridge is built. His father, the late Joseph Silva, was one of the early ranchers in this district; and his mother, Annie Silva, is still living, makng her home at Oakley.
Frank J. Silva grew up on the home ranch and went to the local school until he was fifteen, after which he went to work in the general merchandise store run by J. Ross, where he learned the ins and outs of the business. He has been connected with the retail business all of his life since leaving school, and has built up a fine reputation in his home community. For two years he worked for the Antioch Hardware Com- pany, and then was in the employ of the Paraffine Companies, Inc., in the administration department, for a time, after which he worked for L. Meyer and Company, pioneer merchants of Antioch, until he formed his present partnership. He was a member of the firm of Silva & O'Meara in Oakley from 1905 to 1911, and then was in the hardware trade, as already mentioned. In 1920, with C. W. Hornback, he began his present business at the corner of Third and G Streets. In time the business outgrew its quarters and they moved to their present location, which was remodeled to suit their needs, and under the name of Com- munity Market they are here doing a thriving business. They sell for cash, keep no books, give very prompt delivery, and can give their customers actual bargains in prices on all their stock. The store is kept in the most cleanly manner, its equipment is up-to-date, and everything is handled in the most sanitary manner. Their four modern refrigera- tors, counters, shelving, cooling plant, and display space were built to the order of the proprietors, who wanted to make their store one of the most attractive in town; and their stock consists of the choicest and best selected foodstuffs it is possible to get.
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