Contra Costa-Sacramento-Alameda County CA Archives Biographies.....Ford, Erastus 1830 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com November 27, 2005, 12:29 am

Author: W. A. Slocum & Co., Publishers (1882)

ERASTUS FORD.—The subject of this sketch, an old '49-er and a pioneer of Contra
Costa county, whose portrait appears in our work, was born in Berrien Centre,
Berrien county, Michigan, June 10, 1830, where he resided, and at an early age
started to learn the blacksmith's trade, until nineteen years of age. In the
Spring of 1849, our subject proceeded to St. Joseph, Missouri, where he joined a
train to cross the plains to California, to take his chances among the many that
were at that time seeking their fortunes in the Golden West. He first located on
Bear river, where he embarked in mining for one month. He then came to
Sacramento, and there remained until 1850. In the Spring of that year he came to
Martinez, Contra Costa county, and engaged at his trade of blacksmith; in July,
he leased his shop, and returned to the mines, where he followed mining until
the following Fall, when he came back to this county, and spent the first Winter
in a camp where now is the town of Clayton. One year later he located in San
Ramon valley, on one of the finest farms in the county, now the property of
August Hemme, where our subject followed agricultural pursuits until 1876, when
he sold out and two years later moved to Walnut Creek, purchasing his present
beautiful home, situated on a nice elevation in the western part of that rising
town, and is now enjoying the comforts of a well-spent and prosperous life. Mr.
Ford is one of the few who have succeeded, by industry, foresight and judicious
management, in acquiring a competency. He has always been a consistent
Republican, and is one of the leading men of the Republican party in Contra
Costa county. His present residence is one of the handsomest in the district,
and the dwelling and grounds are becoming each year more beautiful by attractive
improvements. Mr. Ford's influence has always been on the side of morality, and
he belongs to that class, which it can happily be stated, of late years, is
rapidly increasing in numbers, through whose exertions and by whose example our
State is being filled with pleasant homes, and her society permeated with a
healthful and invigorating moral tone. Mr. Ford was twice married: first in
Berrien Centre, Michigan, October 7, 1859, to Miss Helen M. Gilson, a native of
Michigan, by which union he has one living child, Jesse C. Married, secondly, in
Oakland, October 13, 1807, Miss Ellen F. Nash, a native of Canada. By this union
they have six living children. Their names are: Valentine, Thomas, May, Andrew,
Ada and Ella.

Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY,
CALIFORNIA,
INCLUDING ITS GEOGRAPHY, GEOLOGY, TOPOGRAPHY, CLIMATOGRAPHY AND DESCRIPTION;
TOGETHER WITH A RECORD OF THE MEXICAN GRANTS; THE BEAR FLAG WAR; THE MOUNT
DIABLO COAL FIELDS; THE EARLY HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT, COMPILED FROM THE MOST
AUTHENTIC SOURCES; THE NAMES OF ORIGINAL SPANISH AND MEXICAN PIONEERS; FULL
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY OF THE COUNTY; SEPARATE HISTORY OF EACH TOWNSHIP, SHOWING
THE ADVANCE IN POPULATION AND AGRICULTURE;
ALSO,
Incidents of Pioneer Life; and Biographical Sketches
OF EARLY AND PROMINENT SETTLERS AND REPRESENTATIVE MEN;
AMD OF ITS TOWNS, VILLAGES, CHURCHES, SECRET SOCIETIES, ETC.
ILLUSTRATED.
SAN FRANCISCO: W. A. SLOCUM & CO., PUBLISHERS
1882.

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