USA > California > Contra Costa County > The history of Contra Costa County, California > Part 61
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world has come to Mr. Bennett after a long and distinguished service both in the East and in the West. Norman H. Bennett acquired his education in the public schools of San Diego. He afterward became connected with the Trans-Pacific Steamship Line, after coming to San Francisco. He later went with the Bank of California, where he worked for many years, filling vari- ous positions of importance and trust. In 1912 he organized the Farmers and Merchants National Bank of Merced, California, with a capital stock of one hundred thousand dollars. Remaining with this institution for some time, he then accepted a position with the San Ramon Valley Bank. Mr. Bennett was united in marriage to Miss Harriet L. Blackburn, a native of Paso Robles, California, June 1, 1905. Their one daughter, Peggy, was born November 8, 1907. Mrs. Bennett's father was one of the representative pio- neers of that locality, and founded the town of Paso Robles. He erected the magnificent hotel in that place, which is connected with the baths known all over the country for their curative properties. He was an extensive land- owner, and was largely connected with the stock business. He run at one time over twenty-two thousand sheep. Mrs. Bennett takes an active part in the social life of Walnut Creek, while her husband exercises a marked in- fluence toward the advancement of the best interests of his town. Politi- cally, he is affiliated with the Republican party.
M. EMANUEL .- Richmond is indebted to M. Emanuel, the founder and the president of the Ellis Landing & Dock Company, for the development of Ellis Landing and the Ellis Canal, which adjoin the great inner harbor. It was from that point the produce and freight of Contra Costa County were shipped in pioneer days by Captain George Ellis, who operated the schooners "Sierra" and "Mystery" until the Santa Fe Railroad established its terminal at Richmond. Mr. Emanuel is one of San Francisco's most esteemed business men. His past success and unquestionable integrity are a matter of record. He was prominently associated with the wholesale and importing business of California for twenty-five years. This practical ex- perience combined with his personal knowledge of the principal American and European harbors caused Mr. Emanuel to appreciate the commercial advantages of the geographical location of Ellis Landing and to foresee the great values there when Richmond's destiny as a shipping and manufac- turing center is fulfilled. Mr. Emanuel is a native of California; born in San Francisco in December, 1866; educated in London, England, Goettingen, Germany, and other European schools. His father came to California from Bavaria in 1850; his mother was born in Brooklyn, New York. Mr. Emanuel is married and has one daughter, Josephine E. Emanuel.
NUMA S. BOONE .- No one perhaps has done more to advance the agri- cultural and banking interests in Contra Costa County than the subject of this review. Mr. Boone is a man of marked ability, of enterprise and pro-
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gression, and he is numbered among the Native Sons of Contra Costa County. His birth occurred in Danville, May 14, 1867, a son of James O. Boone, a native of Kentucky, who crossed the plains in 1852, in company with his wife, two children, and his brother Wellington. It took the party six months to make the trip with ox-teams. James O. Boone was a repre- sentative pioneer of California, and a true type of the brave, hardy, and energetic men who contributed largely toward California's advancement. Instead of going to the mines, like the majority of men who came to Cali- fornia at that period, Mr. Boone saw the advantages and necessity of en- gaging in the freighting business. He hauled supplies from Sacramento to Dutch Flat with a pair of oxen, receiving twenty dollars a day for his services. It required a week to make this trip. His brother Wellington was associated with him in his business venture. They freighted the first lumber into Dutch Flat, assisted in erecting the first shanty at that place, and took an active part in the development of that mining camp. Numa S. Boone acquired his education in the public schools of Danville, after which he attended high school in Oakland. His father, after residing at Winters, California, removed to Contra Costa County, and was one of the first settlers to locate near Danville. Here Mr. Boone purchased a ranch, and with characteristic energy began to improve his place. After finishing his education, Numa S. Boone returned to the home place, and assisted his father. At the age of twenty-one he rented the Love estate, where Danville is now situated. The first year Mr. Boone planted wheat, and his first busi- ness venture was a success. He cleared about nine hundred dollars that season. He was happily married to Miss Minnie T. Thorne, a native of Santa Clara County, on August 31, 1899. Their two children are Travis M., born August 10, 1901, and Eleanor Sims, born August 17, 1905. Mrs. Boone's father was Captain Charles Thorne, a native of New York State, and her mother was Mary J. (Travis) Thorne. Her parents were married in New York State in 1841. Her father followed the seas from the age of eighteen until a few years previous to his death, which occurred January 16, 1897. He served as port warden at San Francisco for two terms. Captain Thorne came to California via the Panama route in the spring of 1850. Previous to this he operated on the Atlantic Coast. He opened the steamboat route be- tween San Francisco and Alviso, and the fare at that time was eighteen dollars. Captain Thorne's wife came to California in 1852 with their three children via the Panama route. They were the parents of eight children- seven sons and one daughter. Those living are Mrs. Numa S. Boone, John P., of Alameda, and Frank B., of Portland. Mrs. Boone's mother passed away October 27, 1909, at Forest Home, the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Boone. Fraternally, Numa S. Boone is a member of the Woodmen of the World. He is also a member of San Ramon Parlor, N. S. G. W., and takes an active part and is a member of the Danville Grange. Politically, he casts his ballot with the Democratic party. While he is active locally he has never
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aspired to office. With the exception of one year, Mr. Boone has served on the Democratic Central Committee since he cast his first vote. For many years he has served on the San Ramon school board. Besides being an ex- tensive landowner, to the extent of owning two hundred and fifty acres, he works about seven hundred acres. He is president of the San Ramon Valley Bank, which also operates a branch bank at Danville. He is a man of unusual business ability, has a large circle of friends, and is respected and esteemed wherever known. He is a stockholder in the California Invest- ment Company, and the R. N. Burgess Company, who have large realty holdings in Contra Costa County, and have recently promoted Mount Diablo Park, one of the most beautiful residence property sections in the Bay region.
RALPH H. WIGHT is numbered among the representative attorneys of Contra Costa County. He was born on November 29, 1887, on a ranch four miles from Pittsburg. His father was one of the large landowners of this section. Ralph H. Wight acquired his education in the Ambrose public school, after which he graduated from the Mount Diablo high school. He entered the University of California and graduated with the class of 1909, receiving the degree of B. L. He completed his law course and received the degree of Juris Doctor in 1911. He at once returned to Martinez, where he engaged in the general practice of law with gratifying success. Mr. Wight was united in marriage to Miss Marguerite F. Haskins on May 14, 1913. Politically, he is a Republican and served as city attorney in Concord for a period of four years. Mr. Wight has been further honored by being chosen president of the Martinez Chamber of Commerce in 1917. He was a member of the county and State Republican conventions in 1910. In 1914 he served as a member of the Republican State Convention, representing the senatorial district of Contra Costa and Marin counties. Mr. Wight is a man of unusual professional ability and has a wide circle of friends.
CHARLES N. WIGHT (deecased) .- The opportunities that California offered to men of enterprise and sterling worth are nowhere better ex- emplified than in the successful career of Charles N. Wight, a pioneer of Contra Costa County. He was a native of Johnsonburg, Wyoming County, New York, and his birth occurred on August 5, 1833. He acquired a com- mon-school education and at the age of thirteen he went with his brother Randolph H. to Delaware County, Iowa. In 1849 he returned to his birth- place, and after attending school for a short period he gave his attention to farming and dairying for eight months. In January, 1852, Charles N. and Randolph came to the Pacific Coast via Panama, arriving in San Francisco on February 26, of the same year. Mr. Wight at once took up mining on the Trinity River, remaining there for a short time. He then went to El Dorado County, where he followed the same vocation until the spring of 1853,
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when he removed to Contra Costa County, where he took up seven hun- dred acres of Government land four miles from New York Landing (now Pittsburg). He was united in marriage to Miss Sarah E. Huntington, a native of Maine, January 13, 1870. To this union there have been six chil- dren-Nellie, wife of Frank H. Turner, of Sierra County, and their one daughter, Sarah Gilberta, was born December 19, 1906; Martha Louisa, residing at home, was born April 19, 1875; Charles Huntington, born No- vember 13, 1874, was united in marriage to May Violet Thomas, and their two daughters are Minnie E. and Carol Marjorie; Walter Wallace, born February 6, 1879, and was married to Arline L. Brooks, and their children are Theron Brooks, Charles Randolph, and Walter Wallace; Albert R. was born July 26, 1881, and was married to Maud E. Pettitt; their children are Verna Louise and Albert Charles; Ralph H., born November 29, 1887. Charles N. Wight, the subject of this review, died on April 17, 1913. His name will always be held in loving remembrance by all who knew him. The present generation can learn much from the lives of such men as Charles N. and Randolph Wight. In politics Charles N. Wight was affiliated with the Republican party. He served as trustee of the Ambrose (then Bay Point) school for many years. He also served as roadmaster for a long period. He was a practical stockman and engaged in general farming. Ran- dolph H. Wight was born August 18, 1827. Early in life he worked at farm- ing. In 1847 he joined a train and came to this coast, locating in Oregon, taking eight months to make the trip. Randolph located in Corvallis, Ore- gon. In February, 1848, he started for San Francisco, and finally located at Sutter's Fort, two miles from Sacramento. The latter place was then called Embarcadero. Mr. Wight was one of the first to go to the mines after the discovery of gold was announced. He proceeded to Hangtown (Placer- ville), where he remained for nine months. New Year's day, 1849, he went to San Francisco, where he took passage for home. He remained in the East until 1852, when the two brothers started for the Golden West. The Wight brothers' ranch originally consisted of six hundred and ninety acres. Ran- dolph married Miss Orfa Durfee, of New York, January 28, 1858. To this union were born, Sarah E. (deceased), wife of L. M. La Selle, and Mary L., wife of S. A. Sellers. Randolph Wight is now living with his daughter, Mrs. Sellers, at their Berkeley home.
ABSALOM FRANCIS BRAY .- One of the most able, progressive, and enterprising young attorneys of Contra Costa County is Absalom Francis Bray. He was born January 21, 1889, in Butte, Montana. His education was acquired in the public schools of that city. He afterward entered the Mili- tary Academy at San Rafael, graduating with the class of 1906. He entered the law department at the University of California, graduating from that department in 1910. He began the practice of law in San Francisco and re- mained in that city until 1912, when he removed to Martinez. Politically,
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Mr. Bray is a Republican and stands high in the councils of his party. He is president of the Martinez Republican Club, secretary of the Contra Costa County Republican Club, and a member of the County Republican Central Committee. On March I, 1917, he was appointed city attorney of Martinez. Mr. Bray has always used his power and influence toward promoting the good of the city of Martinez and Contra Costa County. He was united in marriage on September 17, 1913, to Miss Leila Elizabeth Veale, a daughter of Sheriff R. R. Veale, one of Contra Costa's most prominent and dis- tinguished citizens. Fraternally, he is affiliated with the Masonic lodge of Martinez. He is a member of the Sigma Chi, the Phi Delta Phi, and the Theta Nu Epsilon fraternities of the University of California. Mr. Bray's father, Absalom Francis, was a native of England. He came to America, settling first in Texas and later in Montana, where he was identified with the mercantile and wholesale interests of both States. He died in 1906. Mr. Bray's mother, Nelia (Copenharve) Bray, was a native of Indiana. The subject of this sketch deserves great credit for what he has accomplished along professional lines, and through his own energy and perseverance has worked his way upward to success, and is now numbered among the rep- resentative men of the legal profession of the Bay counties.
GEORGE S. WALL .- This history presents the record of no other citizen more thoroughly imbued with the spirit of public progress than George S. Wall. He has ever been a man of fair judgment, broad-minded and sagacious, and is constantly working for the public welfare of Richmond and Contra Costa County. The Bay cities number him among their most representative, useful, and worthy citizens, to whose initiative spirit the city of Richmond owes much. He established the first permanent city hall in Richmond and many of the important industries. Several of the finest subdivisions placed on the market in Richmond are due to Mr. Wall's resolute energy and public spirit. He was born in Sonoma County, California, and is a son of Henry C. Wall, a native of North Carolina, and Julia (Sallec) Wall, the latter being a native of Wisconsin. Mr. Wall's father was a California pioneer, coming to the coast in 1849. He drove an ox-team overland, taking six months to make the journey, and settled in Sonoma County, where he ac- quired large holdings in land, and for a time was identified with mining. The substantial progress and success made by Mr. Wall's father show what may be accomplished when determination and energy lead the way. He was largely identified with the stock-raising business of this State in the early days, and several land deeds that George S. Wall has in his posses- sion bear the signature of President Grant. In the parents' family there were three children-Henry, who died in 1898 at the age of twenty-six years; Ella, wife of Ira Krotser, a contractor and builder of Santa Rosa, California; and the subject of this review. George S. Wall acquired his edu- cation in the public schools of Santa Rosa, after which he attended private
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school. He took up mechanical engineering, which he followed until 1902. He has been associated with many large projects throughout the State, and his work and qualities have been widely recognized and have made him popular wherever he has gone. Mr. Wall's success in Richmond is only the natural result of earnest, persistent, and well-directed labor. He first served as manager of the Richmond Land Company, one of the first sub- divisions, consisting of four thousand seven hundred lots in the center of what is now Richmond. In 1909, he embarked in the real-estate business for himself, and organized the New Richmond Land Company, a million- dollar corporation. He has been one of the chief factors in making Rich- mond a manufacturing center. He was also largely instrumental in getting the Pullman Company to locate here. Other manufacturing concerns were induced to locate in Richmond through the efforts of Mr. Wall, among the most prominent of which are the General Roofing Manufacturing Com- pany and the Pacific Sanitary Manufacturing Company. Mr. Wall distin- guished himself with the people of Richmond when he presented to the city its first permanent city hall, the building and land being valued at sixty thousand dollars. Politically, Mr. Wall is affiliated with the Repub- ican party, but he has never aspired to office. He has served as president of the Richmond Industrial Commission for five terms. Fraternally, Mr. Wall holds membership in the Masonic lodge. In 1898 he was united in marriage to Lena Blanche Slack, daughter of Darwin D. and Sarah E. Slack. She passed away on December 3, 1916. To this union there were two children- Thelma Gertrude, born January 26, 1904, died September 26, 1916, and Harold Chelsley, born February 17, 1905. Mr. Wall belongs to the Transportation Club of San Francisco, and Mrs. Wall was an active member of the Eastern Star. Mr. Wall has placed on the market several valuable tracts of land in Rich- mond, and owing to their favorable position has had phenomenal success in disposing of his holdings. He promoted the City of Richmond tract, Wall's Addition to Richmond, Wall's Center Tract, and Wall's Second Ad- dition to Richmond. In all the above tracts nine thousand lots have been put on the market. All his properties are superbly located, and so situated that they cannot but increase in value to a remarkable extent. Mr. Wall is a man of sterling traits of character, progressive in citizenship, and has gained the confidence, good-will, and esteem of all who have been in any way associated with him.
WILLIAM LINCOLN WHITE, of Alamo, one of the notable factors in the recent development of southern Contra Costa County, was born at East Aurora, New York, close to where Elbert Hubbard reared his famous Roycroft community. He took up the profession of chemistry, and is today the sole owner of one of the largest drug stores in Michigan. Being an en- thusiast in the National Guard of that State, Colonel White was com- missioned a regimental commander, and during the Spanish-American War
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held that rank in command of Michigan volunteers. He is also prominent in life-insurance circles, and was vice-president of the Federal Life Insur- ance Company of Chicago and director in the Niagara Life Insurance Com- pany of Buffalo. It was in the furtherance of his insurance interests that Colonel White visited California, and while touring the State passed through the San Ramon Valley. He was so impressed with its attractions that four years ago he decided to make it his permanent home. He purchased the Benson ranch at Alamo, consisting of eight hundred and twelve acres, which is now known and famed as White-Hall Acres, one of the most hos- pitable homes in Contra Costa, over which Colonel White's charming wife reigns as chatelaine. The subject of this sketch is vice-president of the First National Bank at Walnut Creek, president of the Tassajara Land & Live-Stock Company, a corporation that farms seven thousand two hundred acres in Contra Costa County. He is a director in the Berkeley Thousand Oaks Realty Company, a commissioner of the famed Mount Diablo Park Club, one of the notable organizations of its character in the United States. Colonel White is the owner of the Contra Costa Courier at Walnut Creek and the Danville Journal at Danville. Despite his multifarious business and pro- fessional interests, he always finds time to devote his energies to the pro- motion of Contra Costa County's interests.
H. W. BESSAC is the editor of the Brentwood News. The News was found- ed in 1914 by J. B. Dixon, who issued it for a period of one year. He was fol- lowed by J. J. McCulloch, who ran the paper eight months. McCulloch sold the News to Mr. Bessac on September I, 1915. It is an eight - page five- column paper, and independent in politics. Mr. Bessac has been identified with country papers on this coast since 1883. He was the first foreman on the Tacoma News, and he was also the first foreman on the Tacoma Ledger when it became a daily. He is public-spirited, and his paper gives its in- dorsement to every movement inaugurated that will advance the interests of eastern Contra Costa County and Brentwood.
SEELEY JAMES BENNETT (deceased) .- One of the representative and pioneer citizens of Contra Costa County that is worthy of recognition in this work is Seeley James Bennett. He was born in Delaware County, Ohio, October 9, 1833, son of Stephen R. and Susan (Gregory) Bennett. Mr. Ben- nett received a common-school education and assisted on his father's ranch until 1854. He then removed to Iowa and found employment with the West- ern Stage Company. Here he remained until February, 1859, when he de- cided to go to California. He went to New Orleans and sailed via the Gulf route, arriving in San Francisco the last day of March, 1859. He came di- rectly to Contra Costa County. Here he found employment at different things until March, 1860, when he engaged in the livery business in Pacheco, and there remained until 1862, when he removed to Martinez. In 1861 Mr.
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Bennett started and operated the first stage line from Pacheco to the Mount Diablo coal mines. Later he sold this line and established a stage line from Martinez to the summit of Mount Diablo. Mr. Bennett was united in mar- riage to Miss Jane E. Hough, a native of Ohio. To this union there has been one son, Stephen E., born July 13, 1864. He died in 1906. Seeley J. Bennett's death occurred on May 14, 1905.
LAFAYETTE IRVING FISH .- To a certain extent a record of the life of the late Lafayette Irving Fish is a history of the county of Contra Costa. From the time he made his first investment in land here, during the fall of 1852, until his career ended, October 9, 1900, he was inseparably associated with many of the leading interests of the locality. After enduring the hard- ships attendant upon both an ocean voyage and an overland journey to California, after having shared with the gold-seekers their scanty fare, their hard beds in the lap of Mother Earth, and their life of toil, and after having experienced the vicissitudes of pioneer farming, it was his good fortune to reap the reward of his labors and to enjoy in the twilight of his useful existence all the comforts his industry and executive ability had rendered possible. During the colonial history of New England the Fish family bore an honorable part in commercial and military affairs, and Josiah Fish served during the Revolutionary War as a lieutenant under Captain William Hutchins. Lafayette Irving Fish was a grandson of this Revolu- tionary officer, and a son of Libbeus and Polly (Holcomb) Fish. He was born in Batavia, New York, October 7, 1824, and received a common-school education in his native town, later becoming a student in a seminary for boys at Jackson, Michigan, where his parents had settled. After two years in the seminary, he earned his livelihood as a clerk in a mercantile store owned by C. W. Penny. For two and a half years he remained with Mr. Penny, resigning in order to accept a similar position with his brother Charles in Monticello, Mississippi. However, not liking the South, his so- journ there was short, and he returned to his former employer. When news reached him of the discovery of gold in California, Mr. Fish determined to seek his fortune in the West. With this purpose he left home and friends on August 8, 1849, and proceeded to Mississippi, where he visited his brother. From there he traveled via the Isthmus and the Pacific Ocean to San Fran- cisco, where he arrived on January 8, 1850. In February he proceeded to Marysville and the mines. To engage in mining, a company was formed consisting of E. S. Rockwell, J. W. Fish, J. G. Scott, Albertus Scott, G. W. Brown, B. T. Graves, and L. I. Fish. With an ox-team, provisions, and other supplies, they left Marysville on June 25th, bound for Slate Creek. Be- fore they had arrived at their destination they found that camp had been deserted for a new one on the Feather River. Leaving Josiah Fish to fol- low with the goods, the others joined the rush and located claims on Nelson Creek, a tributary of the South Fork of the Feather River. In addition to
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mining, the company opened a store, building a log cabin, which they were often forced to use as a hotel for the accommodation of passing miners. Their guests were glad to pay for the privilege of sleeping on the bare earth (for the floor of the cabin was of dirt). While much is written and said concerning the high civilization of the present century, Mr. Fish often re- marked that he never lived in any community where all men seemed as brothers, where each respected the other's rights, where robbery was un- known, and where all were governed by so high a code of honor as was displayed in this camp. Men were accustomed to leave their sacks of gold- dust in their cabins, and no one ever molested them. Mr. Fish and Mr. Lathrop soon purchased the interests of their partners, afterwards buying an interest in the mercantile business of William and Jerry Ford at Marys- ville. In the fall of 1852 the two purchased a part of the Welch Rancho in Contra Costa County. Soon after this they formed a company to go East and buy sheep for the California market. In 1853 Mr. Fish and others went East and spent a year buying sheep and preparing a wagon-train for cross- ing the plains. The sheep were wintered at Vermont, Cooper County, Mis- souri. The journey was begun on May 2, 1853, with five thousand sheep, about eight ox-teams, a herd of cattle, and several saddle horses and mules. They arrived in the Sacramento Valley, crossing the river about twenty miles below Shasta, in the latter part of October, 1854. At that time they had three thousand sheep, one hundred and forty cattle, twelve horses and mules, etc. The sheep had cost a dollar and a half apiece in the East and brought from seven to ten dollars each in California, so that the profits were large, notwithstanding the losses en route. In 1855 Mr. Fish and his part- ner divided their holdings, and the former then entered into partnership with his brother Charles, who had arrived here while he was in the East. In addition to engaging in farm pursuits, Mr. Fish engaged in warehousing, bought and sold grain, and had many other business interests. He was one of the first successful farmers of California, and was one of the first to practice summer-fallowing, so common now. Desiring modern equipments with which to conduct his work, he sent East for improved farm machinery, and kept himself and his foreman busy in harvesting his own grain and that of others. In early days his principal product was wheat, and one year's crop sold for fifty-two thousand dollars. He raised and shipped the first wheat ever sent from San Francisco to New York as a business ven- ture. While at times he met with reverses, such as will come to all, he was almost uniformly successful, his business sagacity enabling him to conduct his various interests in a profitable manner. Having considerable money to invest, and seeing an opening for a bank at Martinez, in 1873 Lafayette I. Fish, with the support of leading men of the county, estab- lished a financial institution, of which he was the first president, with Wil- liam Hale as cashier and Henry Hale as teller. The directors of the bank were L. I. Fish, W. W. Cameron, William Hale, Henry Hale, and Simon
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