Contra Costa-Sacramento-Alameda County CA Archives Biographies.....Ford, Erastus 1830 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: 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. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/contracosta/bios/ford6nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/ File size: 3.9 Kb