Alameda County CA Archives History - Books .....Alameda County 1891
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Book Title: Memorial And Biographical History Of Northern California

ALAMEDA COUNTY.

  Alameda derives its name from the Spanish term "alameda," signifying a "grove
of poplars," many trees of that kind having by the original settlers been found
growing along the streams.

  Although doubtless visited at occasional intervals previously by emissaries of
the missions or the military posts in California, there seems to have been no
settlement within the limits of what afterward became Alameda County until on
Sunday, June 11, 1797, was founded the mission San Jose, with Fathers Barcevilla
and Merino at its head. In the early gold-mining days this mission was an
important point. The first man to receive a grant of land within the county was
Don Luis Maria Peralta, to whom was granted the Rancho San Antonio, of five
leagues, being the whole of the country west of the Contra Costa Hills between
San Leandro Creek and the northern county line. On this are situated now the
cities of Oakland, with its suburbs, Alameda and Berkeley. Don Luis never
resided here, his home being at San Jose, but divided his princely domain up
among his four sons. Jose Domingo received the northerly portion where Berkeley
now is. To Vicente was given Encinal de Temescal, now the city of Oakland. To
Antonio Maria, he gave the portion next southerly, now East Oakland and Alameda;
while Ygnacio took the most southerly part. This division was made in 1842, the
brothers having previously held the rancho in common. From this time on at
intervals grants were made to the heads of the following families, some few of
which have representatives still residing in the county, —Higuera, Sunol,
Vallejo, Alviso, Amador, Pacheco, Pico, Estudillo, Castro, Bernal, and Soto.

  The complete list of Mexican land grants for Alameda County is: 

Mission San Jose, twenty-nine acres, patented to Bishop J. S. Alemany in 1858;
Las Positas, 8,880 acres, patented to Livermore and Noriega in 1872; Potrero de
los Cerritos, 10,610 acres, patented to Pacheco and Alviso in 1866; San Antonio,
9,416 acres to Ygnacio Peralta in 1858; 15,206 acres to A. N. M. Peralta in
1874, and 18,849 acres to V. and D. Peralta in 1877; Santa Rita, 8,894 acres to
Yountz, administrator, in 1865; San Leandro, 6,829 acres to J. J. Estudillo in
1863; San Lorenzo, 6,686 acres to Barbara Soto and others, in 1877; and 26,722
acres to Guillermo Castro in 1865; Valle de San Jose, 48,436 acres to Sunol and
Bernal in 1865. In Alameda and Contra Costa counties together: Canada de los
Baqueros, 17,760 acres, to Livermore and Noriega. In Alameda and San Joaquin
counties: El Pescadero, 35,546 acres, to Pico and Nagle in 1865.

  The first settler of English-speaking parentage was Robert Livermore, who in
partnership with Jose Noriega, purchased the Rancho Las Positas from Don S.
Pacheco and settled there in 1835. After him the town and valley of Livermore
receive their name. Livermore was probably the first, after the mission fathers,
to engage in grape, fruit and grain culture. In 1844 he set out a vineyard and
planted orchards of pear and olive trees, also beginning to grow wheat.
Livermore was a native of London, England, born 1799. He died on his home ranch
in 1858.

  From this time on till 1846, nothing of importance occurred within our limits.
In that year, however, came the ship Brooklyn to San Francisco. One of her
passengers, John M. Horner, pitched his tent on the fertile land where
Washington Corners now is, there being at that time no other American within the
county. In 1847 Perry Morrison and Earl Marshall, also Brooklyn passengers, came
across the bay and both went to the Mission San Jose and engaged in dairying. In
this same year, also, the redwood forests on the hillsides back of Oakland began
to attract attention, and some enterprising Yankees, among them Elam Brown, of
Contra Costa County, were there whipsawing out lumber for the San Francisco
market. In 1848 came the discovery of gold, with its rush of people and
excitements. For the first year or so, the road to the mines was via the Mission
San Jose and thence over the mountains. At this time old mission was an
important place, and had many lively business houses. The discovery of the
advantages of the Sacramento River route soon put an end to this prosperity, and
for a little time nothing seems to have occurred more exciting than
duck-shooting expeditions to the marshes to supply the San Francisco market. It
was thus that, in 1849, Thomas W. Mulford and other now well-known residents
visited the county and discovered its richness. In 1850 the three Patten
brothers, in partnership with Moses Chase, leased 160 acres of land from A. M.
Peralta where East Oakland is now and went to farming, increasing their holding
by 300 acres the following year, when they planted all in grain. In 1850, Henry
C. Smith, who was afterward prominent in the formation of the county, went to
Mission San Jose, where there were already E. L. Beard, Jeremiah Fallon, Michael
Murray, William Norris, William Tyson and many others.

  The first actual settler in the city of Oakland was Moses Chase, already
referred to, who pitched his tent at what is now the foot of Broadway, in the
winter of 1849-'50, and commenced hunting. Next came Colonel Henry S. Fitch and
Colonel Whitney, and attempted, unsuccessfully, to purchase the tract of land.
In the summer of 1850 appeared Edson Adams, H. W. Carpenter and A. J. Moon, a
trio well known and much abused in the history of Oakland. They squatted on the
land. An attempt was made to oust them legally, but the upshot of the matter was
that they were given a lease of a certain number of acres, laid out a city, sold
lots and erected the first buildings, and are thus the actual founders of
Oakland. In 1852 the "Town of Oakland" was formally incorporated, and it has
enjoyed almost constant growth and prosperity since that date.

  The first ferry across the Bay of San Francisco was established in 1851, by
Adams and Carpenter, the fare for single trip being one dollar.

  Alameda County was organized in 1853, under act of March 25, that year, by
being set off from Contra Costa, of which it had previously formed a part.
Alvarado became the first seat of government, as it was the most central among
the available settlements, and with a good shipping place, to which Mission San
Jose and other points were tributary. But political influence gained the
privilege soon afterward for San Leandro, a town with similar advantages but
more attractive in site and appearance, which had to surrender it twenty years
later to its more powerful neighbor, Oakland. The change to San Leandro was made
by popular vote in the latter part of 1854, and the erection of county buildings
immediately begun. These were completed in 1855 at a cost of about $1,200.
Alvarado did not submit quietly to being deprived of its honors, and litigation
was the result, and for a little while the county seat was ambulatory between
the two points, being fixed in San Leandro only in 1856. In this and the
following year new county buildings were erected, at a cost of $30,000. The
erection of a county hospital at San Leandro was begun in 1869 and completed in
1870, but, proving unsatisfactory, another building was erected later which,
with additions, will accommodate about 200 patients. In 1873 the county-seat was
removed to Oakland, by popular vote, and the construction of a court house and
jail, and building for hall of records, county clerk and treasurer's offices, on
opposite sides of Broadway, was undertaken, at a cost of about $200,000.

OAKLAND,

a mention of whose earlier history has already been made, was incorporated as a
town in 1852. In 1854 Oakland was made a city. Her progress, notwithstanding
long and serious litigation over water front and other rights, has been one of
uniform and rapid advancement. A description of the city as it is to-day would
fill a volume.

  In many respects she occupiesla position with reference to the city of San
Francisco analogous to that between Brooklyn and New York, only hers is
superior, in that she is the terminus of an important transcontinental railroad,
which has expended vast sums of money in the construction of repair and other
works, in the construction of a mole and terminal facilities of a very complete
order, and have afforded her a system of ferriage that has no counterpart in
America. This ferry system, one of Oakland's most valuable possessions, was
founded in 1869. The city is also an important manufacturing center, many of the
largest establishments of the coast being located here. Among these we may
mention, iron works, nail mills, cotton, woolen and flouring mills, bridge
works, soap works, potteries, canneries, jute factories, tanneries, and many
score of others, some of them of large dimensions. Her public buildings are many
and handsome, among which may be noted a fine new Young Men's Christian
Association building just completed at a cost of $150,000. She is called,
sometimes, the "City of Churches," at others, the "Athens" of the Pacific coast
on account of her many and fine public and private schools and colleges. She has
hospitals, parks, recreation grounds, etc.,—in fact, everything that a city of
metropolitan importance may be expected to possess, her system of cable roads
and street cars being unexcelled.

  A work of vast importance to Oakland now in course of progress, is the
improvement of its harbor by the United States Government. This work, was begun
in 1874, has already cost many millions, and before completion must cost many
milions more. No city in California has before it a brighter future than Oakland.

  At Berkeley, a charming town that lies adjoining Oakland, and really a portion
of it, is the University of California, a State institution that has attained a
high reputation for scholarship. The buildings are handsome and appropriate,
some five in number and erected at a large expense. Its teaching staff,
professors, assistants, tutors, etc., number about 200, although it should be
stated that this total includes the faculties of the Medical, Legal, Dental and
Pharmaceutical departments which are located in San Francisco. The University
was founded in 1868, when Berkeley may be said to have taken its rise. The first
class to graduate was in 1873.

ALAMEDA (CITY)

was incorporated in 1872. It is situated on a long peninsula, soon to become an
island, with the completion of the canal now in course of construction between
Oakland Harbor and San Leandro Bay. Its first settlers were two Frenchmen,
Depachier and Le Maitre, who went there in 1850 to cut fire-wood, others going
thither soon afterward. The city is, especially of late years, much favored as a
place of residence by business men of San Francisco. It has equal rail and ferry
privileges with Oakland. Alameda has excellent swimming baths, and several
important manufacturing establishments.

SAN LEANDRO

saw its beginning in the homestead of Don Jose Joaquin Estudillo, who received
the region as a grant in 1842, and some of whose descendants reside there still.
It made but little progress till chosen the county-seat, when its advance was
rapid, containing in 1850 only Estudillo's residence and a school. Agricultural
and river traffic, however, gave it impulse, and it is to-day a thriving and
beautiful town, with large and valuable orchards and gardens around about it. It
assumed incorporation honors in 1872, partly to strengthen itself against
Oakland's struggle for the county-seat. This dignity was lost, yet the town
continues to prosper. It contains several very extensive agricultural implement
manufactories, plow works, etc. In 1852-'53 a number of squatters gathered on
Estudillo's rancho at a point called San Lorenzo, forming the so-called
"Squatterville" of the Census report of 1852. The manufacture of farming
implements was started with a few adjuncts in the shape of hotels and shops, but
the town has not prospered.

OTHER TOWNS.

  In 1851 W. Haywards settled at the place of that name and soon engaged in
store and hotel-keeping. G. Castro, owner of the San Lorenzo grant, laid out the
town in 1854, applying the name of his tract, which did not long prevail. The
railroad gave it new life, and in 1876 it received a charter. It has two
breweries, and is surrounded by a rich horticultural district. Many fine country
houses are situated here.

  Alvarado was laid out in 1851, as New Haven, by Hon. H. C. Smith, who, as
Assemblyman, maneuvered the creation of the county and the seat, allowing the
Lieutenant Governor to rename the place in honor of the Mexican ex-Governor. It
grew, embraced Union City, and became the chief town of the southern section,
with several factories. Here is located an extensive beet-sugar factory, but the
town has not kept pace with the balance of the county.

  Newark is the creation of the South Pacific Coast Railroad, the shops of the
line being situated there.

  Niles, which is but a few miles distant, is the point of junction of the San
Jose branch of the Central Pacific Railroad with that from Livermore and
Stockton. Large seed farms and nurseries are situated here. It was famous in the
early days for the great flouring mills constructed by Don J. J. Vallejo in
1853. Between the towns of Newark and Niles lies the town of Centreville, a good
agricultural and fruit country, which has felt the opposition of its rivals
injuriously. Washington Corners, the supply place of Mission San Jose, Sunol,
Pleasanton (first called Alisal), Dublin, Altamont, etc., are growing points on
the line of railway. Pleasanton will be the point of junction of the branch road
to Martinez, now being built. It lies at the head of San Ramon Valley, Contra
Costa County, and is a good fruit region.

  In the eastern end of the county Livermore owns the advantage. Alphonso Ladd
settled there in 1865 and built a hotel which became the nucleus of Laddville;
but the approach of the railroad caused W. Mendenhall to lay out Livermore at a
half mile to the west. Livermore gained the ascendency, being incorporated in
1876. Robert Livermore's old adobe stood a mile and a half north of it.
Livermore is a most prosperous town, being surrounded by vineyards and orchards.
Not far away are valuable deposits of coal and other minerals.

IN GENERAL.

  Alameda County has made a marvelous growth, being helped in that by the
fertility of her soil not less than by her proximity to San Francisco and her
position on the bay. She ranks as one of the most productive agricultural
counties on the coast, more of her surface, proportionately to area, being
cultivated than that of any other. The produce of her grain and hay fields is
very large, but larger yet are the returns from the gardens, orchards and
vineyards with which she is covered. Certain parts are noted for their cherries,
apricots peaches, etc., as about San Fernando and Haywards and the bay side of
the county generally. About the Mission San Jose are immense vineyards and
wineries, and the vegetable and small fruit gardens of the same parts, and
especially of the lower lands, are noted far and wide. At the Mission San Jose
is the winery of Juan Gollegos, one of the largest in the State. Of late, the
Livermore Valley has become noted also for its wines, being reckoned hardly
second to the Sonoma Valley or to Napa County. Its orchards of almost every
variety of fruit are also now become very prominent. On the margin of the bay
are extensive salt works, the salt being obtained entirely by evaporation. This
is one of the leading industries of the county. In and about the city of Oakland
manufacturing is largely engaged in, as has been already noticed.

  Alameda County is well served by railroads. Oakland City is the terminus of
all main branches of the Southern Pacific Railroad, one of the largest and
wealthiest corporations of the continent. She is also the terminus of the
California & Nevada Railroad, a narrow gauge now building eastward, which owns
valuable water privileges. From Fruitvale, a suburb of Oakland, extends another
narrow gauge, also slowly building east, the chief benefit of which at present
is to connect the city with Mills College, one of the largest schools for ladies
on the Coast, and the stone quarries of that neighborhood, but that may some day
connect with a transcontinental line. A considerable traffic is also carried on
by schooners and scows on the bay, chiefly carrying salt, hay and other bulky
articles.

  Alameda County has had a somewhat lively and interesting criminal history.
During the '60s, especially, she was haunted by a crew of desperate and fearless
law-breakers, who found a comparatively safe refuge among the rugged hills of
the east and central parts. Most of these were of Mexican or Spanish descent.
They became noted, many of them, and for many years formed a great source of
annoyance and trouble by their depredations. The celebrated Vasquez, Soto,
Bernal and others, were among their number.

  The press of Oakland is thoroughly metropolitan and representative. There are
thr dailies, the Times, morning, and the Tribune and Enquirer, evening. There
are also a goodly number of society and other weeklies, class and trade papers,
etc. In Alameda are two weeklies, the Encinal and Argus. In Berkeley are two
weeklies, the Advocate and Herald, besides two college papers, the Occident and
the Berkeleyan, one a weekly and the other a monthly. In Irvington is the
Reporter (weekly), founded in 1875, and the O Amigo dos Catholicos (1877), a
Spanish paper. In Haywards is the Journal (1877), weekly; in Livermore the Echo
and Herald, both founded in 1887, and both weeklies.

  The Assemblymen from Alameda County have been: C. C. Alexander, 1887; Valentin
Alviso, 1881; I. A. Amerman, 1873-'74; T. F. Bagge, 1875-'76; Hiram Bailey,
1887; Samuel B. Bell, 1862; Joseph F. Black, 1885; R. L. H. Brown, 1883; W. W.
Camron, 1880-'81; L. H. Carey, 1883; A. M. Church, 1867-'68; W. B. Clement,
1883; F. M. Cooley, 1887; Thomas M. Coombs, 1856; E. T. Crane, 1871-'72; M. W.
Dixon, 1875-'78; John W. Dwinelle, 1867-'68; Thomas Eager, 1862, 1865-'66; L. B.
Edwards, 1881; John Ellsworth, 1887; Frank F. Fargo, 1861; John E. Farnum,
1877-'78; Charles N. Fox, 1880; D. W. Gelwicks, 1875-'76; J. W. Gurnett,
1873-'74; Walter M. Heywood, 1885; J. A. Hobart, 1858; M. D. Hyde, 1887; Daniel
Inman, 1869-'70; William H. Jordan. 1885-'87; James B. Larue, 1857; E. D.
Lewelling, 1869-'70; R. A. McClure, 1877-'78; Frank J. Moffitt, 1885; J. M.
Moore, 1862; E. H. Pardee, 1871-'72; Henry Robinson, 1863; William P. Rodgers,
1859; Thomas Scott, 1863-'64; F. K. Shattuck, 1860; George W. Tyler, 1880; Asa
Walker, 1863-'64; Joseph S. Watkins, 1854-'55; George W. Watson, 1885; J. L.
Wilson, 1865-'66.

  For the State Senators, see pages 81-84.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California.

Illustrated, Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast
from the Earliest Period of its Occupancy to the Present Time, together with
Glimpses of its Prospective Future; Full-Page Steel Portraits of its most
Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers and also of
Prominent Citizens of To-day.

"A people that takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will
never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote
descendents." – Macauley.

CHICAGO
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
1891.

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