USA > California > Alameda County > Past and present of Alameda County, California, Volume II > Part 37
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Mr. Bilger is prominent in Masonic circles in California and was the organizer of the Alameda County Shriners Club. He was instru- mental in having the Imperial Council grant a charter for Aahmes Temple, Oakland's new shrine, and in 1910 was elected first illus- trious potentate of this temple. He is a member of the Yuerba Buena Lodge, A. F. & A. M .; Oakland Chapter, No. 36, R. A. M .; Oakland Commandery, K. T., and Oakland Consistory, A. & A. S. R. He is connected with St. Philip Conclave, Red Cross of Constantine, M. P. Sovereign.
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Mr. Bilger is also well known in local republican politics and stands high in the councils of his party, his public service having been always of the most intelligent and discriminating kind. For a period of six years he was chairman of the city central committee and in 1905 he managed Mayor Mott's campaign. He was also state campaign manager for Alden Anderson, candidate for governor in 1910, and he has done important political work along this line. Besides the Oak- land Chamber of Commerce he is a member of the Merchants Ex- change, the Oakland Commercial, the University of California, Athenian, Nile and Deutscher Clubs, the Woodmen of the World, the Loyal Order of Moose, the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks the Union League and the Royal Rosarians of Portland. He is the tenth member of the Society of American Magicians and also a mem- ber of the Pacific Coast Society of Magicians and was one of the organizers and the first secretary of the Vernon Heights and Lake Shore Improvement Club. He also belongs to the Claremont Coun- try Club and is fond of outdoor sports, especially hunting and fishing. He is a member of the San Francisco Fly Casting Club, going to the Sierra Nevada mountains and to Lodge on the Truckee river. He is a man of varied interests, practically all of which he has made forces in progress, and for many years the influence of his ability and per- sonality have been a constructive element in the advancement of the community.
GEORGE T. POMEROY, M. D.
Dr. George T. Pomeroy, who has been actively engaged in prac- tice as a physician and surgeon of Oakland for the past seven years, is an able and representative member of the medical profession here. He was born in Whiteside county, Illinois, on the 8th of February, 1877. the son of a Methodist minister. At the early age of thirteen years he began providing for his own support, going to Chicago and there working for a time in the office of Dr. A. B. Strong. There it was that his ambition to one day become a physician took root. In 1892 he made his way to Arizona and in that state worked with a surveying crew. Always an omnivorous reader and deep student and anxious to augment his knowledge, he next attended both night school and business college in Los Angeles, California. Subsequently he went to Valparaiso, Indiana, and there began preparatory work in the study of medicine. On returning to Arizona he became pay-
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DR. GEORGE T. POMEROY
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master at the Commonwealth mine at Pearce. At the time of the outbreak of the Spanish-American war he entered the government employ, serving as quartermaster's agent for Fort Grant, Arizona, stationed at Wilcox, that state, and also as special revenue collector in Arizona. Subsequently he took up the study of mining and chem- istry, mastering a correspondence course at night.
In 1902 Dr. Pomeroy came to Oakland, California, and here entered the Oakland College of Medicine and Surgery, being the very first student enrolled in the institution and a member of the first graduating class in 1906. The city of Oakland his since remained the scene of his professional labors, and the large practice accorded him is proof of his skill and ability in the line of his chosen voca- tion. For a year he acted as resident physician at Providence Hos- pital. In the summer of 1913 he took a post-graduate course at Rush Medical College of Chicago, and he has also kept in close touch with the progress which is being continually made by the profession through his membership in the Alameda County Medical Society, the California State Medical Society and the American Medical Association.
In 1906 Dr. Pomeroy was united in marriage to Miss Grace Creasinger, of Los Angeles, California. He has taken an active part in church and Sunday school work, being one of the officials in the Methodist church of Oakland and an officer in the California State Association of Sunday Schools. He is likewise the youngest member of the board of trustees of the Young Men's Christian Association in Oakland. His record is that of a self-made man who has won recognition and success entirely by his own efforts and wisely directed energy and may well serve as a source of inspiration and encourage- ment to others.
THEODORE GIER.
One of the most prominent and widely known men in California is Theodore Gier, founder and president of the Theodore Gier Wine Company of Oakland. He has displayed both initiative spirit and a genius for organization and never fearing to venture where favoring opportunity has led the way, he has reached a commanding position in connection with one of the most extensive and important produc- tive industries on the Pacific coast. One interest alone, however, does not indicate the scope of his activities, for his efforts have cx- Vol. II 24
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tended to many fields touching closely commercial, industrial and financial interests and aside from all of these lines of endeavor in which his labors have brought him profit, he has put forth effective efforts for the benefit and upbuilding of his city, county and state, cooperating largely and generously where the welfare of the com- munity has been involved.
Mr. Gier is a native of Peine, Hanover, Germany, and acquired his education in the public schools of that locality. He learned wine making in Peine and was afterward a wine salesman in various parts of Germany. In 1881 he came to America and after spending one year in Chicago traveled through various eastern states. In 1882 he came to California and bought a small ranch at Anaheim, which he later sold, moving to Oakland, where he established himself in the grocery business. In 1890 he became identified with the wine mak- ing industry and in this field has since made rapid advancement to a position of distinction and importance. In 1893 he bought a vine- yard in Livermore, in 1898 another at Napa and in 1901 the second vineyard at Livermore. He owns also a vineyard at St. Helena, pur- chased in 1903. His extensive wine making interests are conducted under the name of the Theodore Gier Wine Company which was in- corporated a few years ago for one million dollars. This company operates vineyards aggregating over one thousand acres and has wine cellars capable of storing more than a million gallons at the different vineyards. The general offices, salesroom and wine cellar at Nos. 581-593 Eighteenth street in Oakland occupy a floor space of twenty- six thousand four hundred square feet. The local wine cellar is one of the most sanitary and best equipped in California. The company makes a most complete variety of wines and disposes of about three hundred thousand gallons every year, the Giersberger brands having become a standard article all over the United States.
Some years ago Theodore Gier contributed a very interesting essay on wine culture for "Facts and Figures." of which the follow- ing paragraphs are extracts :
"The numerous medals that have been awarded the wines of Ala- meda county in competition with American as well as foreign wines, both in America and Europe, and the flattering commendations of connoisseurs, have established beyond a doubt the natural fitness of both soil and climate to the production of the highest grades of wines, especially of the Sauterne and Cabernet types. It is with pride that we speak of the numerous medals that were awarded our wines at the Paris Exposition in 1889, and latterly at our own Columbian Exposition in 1893. The encouragement of our achievements has
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given the industry renewed impetus and shown possibilities of greater success than was conceived of.
"It is a sad commentary upon the American wine drinkers that dealers at times, in order to get the higher grades upon the market, have been compelled to sell them under foreign labels. I have known of higher grades of Alameda county wines being sold in the New York markets at enormous prices under foreign labels. In my opin- ion the time is not far distant when California will supersede the world in wines and Alameda county will be in the foreground. I have been associated with the production of wines the greater portion of my life and have had experience in other parts of the state, but believe Alameda county to have superior advantages, both in soil and climate, to most any other locality, especially in the production of the French varieties of Sauterne and Cabernet types.
"In 1892, in company with two gentlemen from Rhode Island by the names of Barker and Chesbro, I traveled through Germany and Austria, visiting the leading wineries, inspecting their methods and studying their wines with a view of acquiring such information as might be of service in this country, and brought back much valuable knowledge, some of which I have been able to put to practical use; but, on account of the difference of our soil and climate, everything must be modified to suit our conditions. In my vineyard at Liver- more I have in bearing about two hundred twenty-five acres and am now adding about thirty acres more.
"I have one hundred and twenty-five different varieties of grapes in all, many of which are for experimental purposes. Among the above varieties, from which my finer grades of wine are produced, are Cabernet, Sauvignon, Carbernet Franc, Verdot, Petit Sirrah, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Petite Pinot, Petite Bouchet, Folle Blanche, Muscatel du Bordelaise, Green Hungarian, Grand Noir and Zinfandel. With two or three exceptions these grapes have been imported from France with a view of producing the Sauterne and Cabernet types, so popular among wine drinkers, and our success has far exceeded our expectations. There are in Livermore Valley about four thousand acres of producing vines, and the output in 1911 in round numbers was three and one-fourth of a million gallons."
Mr. Gier married in 1886 Miss Ferdinande Hornung, a native of Marysville, California, and they have three daughters-Grace, Elsa and Amalie. Mr. Gier is connected fraternally with the Elks, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the various Masonic organ- izations, and he gives his political allegiance to the republican party. As a public-spirited and progressive citizen he takes an intelligent
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and active interest in public affairs and to his influence and energy is due the promotion of some of the most important public and semi- public enterprises in this part of California. He was one of the founders and is a director of the Security Bank & Trust Company of Oakland, aided in the establishment of the Merchants' Exchange, of which he served as president for several years and of which he is now director, and was one of the founders and still is a director in the Oakland Chamber of Commerce. He was one of the promoters of the Oakland Exposition in 1897 and served as vice president of the association and was president of the board of commissioners for Alameda county to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, at St. Louis. In addition to this he promoted the tunnel between Alameda and Contra Costa counties. In 1903 he was honored by Emperor Wil- helm of Germany, being presented by an order of the crown in recog- nition of services rendered during the Boxer war in China. Mr. Gier is easily the leader in the wine industry in California and is a splendid representative of the prominent manufacturer and capitalist to whom business is but one phase of life and who does not allow it to exclude him from active participation in the other vital interests which make up the sum of human existence.
PHILIP E. BOWLES.
Mr. Bowles, residing in Claremont, was born at Arcata, Hum- boldt county, California, in October, 1859, and is a son of Joseph and Sarah ( Harding) Bowles, who came to this state from New Orleans and were among the early settlers of Humboldt county. In 1867 the family moved to Santa Clara.
At the age of nineteen Philip E. Bowles entered the University of California, from which he graduated with the scientific degree in 1882. He soon became associated in business with the late George W. McNear in the grain and shipping business, and his experiences in that enterprise covered a period of ten years. In 1893 he became interested in the First National Bank of Oakland and not long after was elected its president. In 1903 he organized the American National Bank of San Francisco, of which he is still president. Mr. Bowles is also president of the First Trust and Savings Bank of Oak- land and the First National Bank of Vallejo.
In 1884 Mr. Bowles was united in marriage with Miss Mary A. MeNear, a daughter of George W. McNear, his former partner in
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business. They are the parents of four children. For more than twenty years Mr. Bowles' business activity has been confined to the field of banking, which has precluded his indulgence in other enter- prises. He is shrewd, diplomatic and known through the Bay Cities as one of the foremost men of his profession.
Mr. Bowles is a man of strong physique, particularly fond of outdoor sports of all kinds, being especially interested in the manly sports of the Claremont Club, to which he belongs. He is also a member of the Pacific Union and University Clubs of San Francisco and for some time has been a member of the board of regents of the University of California. He is a courteous, genial gentleman and a man of sound business judgment, public-spirited and progressive, taking an active interest in works of charity and public beneficence. His business acumen leads him to a thorough investigation of every proposition to which he lends his support. His work is in San Fran- cisco as well as in Oakland and the demands of both cities receive his attention.
JOHN RICHARD NYSTROM.
The late John Richard Nystrom was for many years numbered among the prominent and valued citizens of Richmond, where he was regarded as a pioneer settler, his residence there dating from the year 1871. From that time on he was active in the real-estate busi- ness as the developer of several subdivisions and tracts and took a leading part in public affairs, lending the weight of his influence to all projects for the advancement and growth of the community. .
He was a native of Finland, his birth having occurred August 24, 1848. His parents, John and Johanna ( Kallis) Nystrom, died in their native country. In their family were eight children, of whom the subject of this review was the eldest.
John Richard Nystrom acquired his very early education under the instruction of his mother and later entirely by his own efforts in private study, and when he was twenty-three years of age emigrated to America, making a permanent location in California. Previous to this, however, he traveled over a large part of the world, visiting the land of the Midnight Sun and then journeying far enough south to see the Southern Cross. Having heard a great deal of the wonderful resources and matchless climate of California, he finally decided to locate in this state and after his arrival was first employed in boating
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on the bay. He had been a sailor before the mast and in his new work took charge of the vessel of his late captain, for whom he car- ried on a general freighting business for a period of nine years. In the meantime he had purchased seventy acres of land in Richmond and after retiring from boating he operated this until 1903, when he subdivided the property and sold it for building lots, retaining a part for his own home. All of the land is within the corporate limits of Richmond and is now fully developed and on it many houses are built. In addition to this Mr. Nystrom had an interest in seven other subdivisions in Richmond and did some important work in the line of land development. He was a member of the Richmond Industrial Commission and a director in the Mechanics Bank of Richmond.
In 1881 Mr. Nystrom married Miss Mary Griffins, a daughter of Owen and Kate (Evans) Griffins, both of whom have passed away. Mr. and Mrs. Nystrom became the parents of eleven children- Alfred John, Edwin, Mary E., Mabel, Alice, William, Louise, Hazel, Edna, Raymond and Richard. The last named has passed away.
Mr. Nystrom was a member of the Masonic fraternity, having be- come a Royal Arch Mason at Berkeley and a Knight Templar at Oak- land. He was a trustee in the Presbyterian church of Richmond and gave his political allegiance to the republican party, having served for fifteen years as school director and for a long period as a member of the city council. He was an intelligent, active and progressive citizen and in all official or personal relations held the esteem and confidence of those who were associated with him. On December 24, 1913, Mr. Nystrom passed away, after many years of usefulness in a community where he will long be remembered as an able, honest and kindly gentleman.
HON. WILLIAM H. DONAHUE.
One of the leading members of the Alameda County bar and a man who has demonstrated his knowledge, understanding and ability in various public positions along lines of his profession is Hon. Wil- liam H. Donahue, who, following a period of able service as district attorney, was in January, 1913, elected judge of the superior court. Hle is a native son of California, born in Mission San Jose, February 13. 1870. In the acquirement of an education he attended various public schools in Alameda county and afterward entered Washing-
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on College, graduating with the class of 1891. Following this he turned his attention to teaching, becoming identified with the faculty of Hopkins Academy, in Oakland, and later serving as principal of the Pleasanton schools. He resigned the latter position in order to take up the study of law under private tuition, he and Superior Judge Harris pursuing their studies together. In 1900 the well-remem- bered law firm of Harris & Donahue was established and the partner- ship proved a success in every particular, the firm becoming con- nected with a great deal of important litigation.
Judge Donahue began his public career September 29, 1908, when he was appointed by the board of supervisors district attorney of Alameda county. His work in office for the first two years was of such a satisfactory sort that in the election of 1910 he had no opponent and was nominated by the democrats and republicans together, win- ning election without opposition and having over twenty-five thou- sand votes clear majority. He made an enviable record in the office of district attorney, handling a great many important criminal and civil cases with exceptional skill and ability. Prominent among these was the Delancy case, which won for him a state-wide reputation. The crime with which he connected Delancy was committed while the latter was acting as attorney for Public Administrator Gray. It consisted of the embezzlement of ten thousand dollars from the Hite Cook estate, which, together with other irregularities, was unearthed by Mr. Donahue after the discovery of the forgery of the name of undertaker, E. J. Finney, to a claim against the estate of the late A. L. Pounstone, a Grand Army veteran who died in the county infirmary and whose body was interred in the potter's field. There were eight indictments against Delancy for alleged crimes committed as attorney for the public administrator. This case was fought in the courts for weeks, and Mr. Donahue, after a skillful examination of all wit- nesses, bringing out the most damaging evidence, finished the case with a masterly address to the jury which, though convincing to the last degree, was free from malice or vindictiveness and he secured a conviction for the people. Another case in which Mr. Donahue did able and intelligent work was the recent Dalton bribery case, well known to everyone in this part of the country. Upon its completion Judge Brown established a precedent in Alameda county by com- mending the district attorney from the bench, as well as Assistant Dis- trict Attorney Hynes and the members of the grand jury. Judge Don- ahue's record in office may well set a new standard of efficiency for all future district attorneys to follow. His administration came to a close in January, 1913, when, on the retirement of Superior Judge
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John Ellsworth, he was elected as his successor for a term of six years. His work on the bench has been distinguished by his unusual disin- terested, capable and intelligent work and his decisions have been at all times impartial and based upon the principles of equity.
Judge Donahue for a number of years before going on the bench was vice president of the California Bar Association and in 1913 and 1914 was elected by the bar of California as its representa- tive to the American Bar Association meetings.
W. K. COLE.
W. K. Cole is one of the leading bankers of Alameda county, con- trolling the Berkeley National Bank, its affiliated institution, the University Savings Bank, and a number of banks through northern California. He is a native of Indiana, but he spent his early manhood in New York city, where he engaged in business until 1889, when he came to California, locating in Martinez, Contra Costa county. There in 1892 he married the daughter of B. Fernandez, a repre- sentative of one of the old pioneer familes of California. In 1899 Mr. Cole removed to San Francisco, where for eight years he held the position of cashier of the United States mint. This responsible office he resigned in 1906 in order to turn his attention to banking, becoming associated with the Anglo-California Bank, Limited, of San Francisco, as manager of the Mission branch of that bank. He later organized the Anglo-California Trust Company and held the position of vice president and manager until 1912, when he sold his interest in that bank to the Fleishhackers in order to give his entire attention to his banks throughout California. The institutions which are now under his control are the Berkeley National Bank and the University Savings Bank, both of Berkeley, with a combined capital and surplus of four hundred and fifty thousand dollars; the Vallejo Commercial Bank, with capital, surplus and undivided profits of one hundred and seventy thousand dollars; the Bank of Richmond, with capital, surplus and undivided profits of sixty-five thousand dollars, and the San Ramon Valley Bank, at Walnut Creek, whose capital, surplus and undivided profits amount to ninety-three thousand dol- lars. Mr. Cole has also control of the branch of this latter organiza- tion at Danville, and also owns the controlling interest in the Bank of Concord. He is a director of the First National Bank of Martinez,
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an institution which he founded, and he also holds a place on the directorate of the Bank of Pinole, with its branch at Crockett.
To the two institutions at Berkeley Mr. Cole is devoting most of his energies, but in doing so he is not neglecting the interests of the other banks. The Berkeley banks in his list have been growing stead- ily, but, with the direct management of a man so energetic as their president, they are expected to expand still more rapidly. The most recent statement of these institutions shows that with a combined capital of three hundred and fifty thousand dollars the two Berkeley banks have surplus and undivided profits amounting to one hundred and twenty-six thousand five hundred dollars and deposits totaling one million two hundred and eighty-five thousand dollars. The statement shown on this page shows a splendid year of progress in these two banks, the combined assets having increased one hundred and twenty-six thousand nine hundred dollars in one year. The total resources of the two banks have now reached the two million dollar mark. The Vallejo Commercial Bank, at Vallejo, California, in its statement shows a capital, surplus and undivided profits amounting to one hundred and seventy thousand dollars, which is also a good increase over the same time of last year. At Walnut Creek the San Ramon Valley Bank is known as one of the most prosperous of the interior banks of California. It was started as a private bank in 1906, and in June, 1907, through the efforts of its organizer, Joseph L. Silveira, and W. K. Cole, it was incorporated with a capital of twenty-five thousand dollars. This capital has since been trebled and strong gains in business have been made. The opening of the valley by the new electric line through the tunnel from Oakland has brought greatly increased business, and the future of this bank and its two lusty branches is of the brightest. Ten years ago, when Richmond was in its infancy and only the far- seeing business man was impressed with its possibilities as a manu- facturing center, the Bank of Richmond was started by W. R. Star- ley, and even though his friends tried to dissuade him with the state- ment that he could never make a prosperous bank there, he felt that his judgment was correct. He started the bank with a capital of thirty thousand dollars, and now the bank has grown to such an extent that its capital has been increased to one hundred thousand dollars and is doing a business that is surprising even to the most optimistic. It has done a business that has enabled it to pay dividends to its stock- holders amounting to more than its capital. That the bank has at- tracted attention is evidenced by the fact that it has taken on new life through new blood, and the business methods that are strictly up-to-
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