Contra Costa-San Francisco County CA Archives Biographies.....James, Oliver F. 1821 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com November 27, 2005, 4:06 am

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

OLIVER F. JAMES.—This worthy subject and old pioneer of Contra Costa county was
born in Nantucket, Massachusetts, February 12, 1821, where he attended the
public schools until fourteen years old. At that age he went to sea, and
followed a seafaring life for ten years, most of the time on board of whaling
vessels, having made two voyages on one of those craft of three years and a half
each. On his return he engaged in the coasting trade until the Fall of 1849,
when he shipped on board a vessel bound for California via Cape Horn, and
arrived in San Francisco in April, 1850. After a short stay in the above city he
came to Martinez— which has proved to be his permanent home —and here first
found employment at the carpenter's trade. February 22,1861, Mr. James received
the appointment of postmaster of Martinez, an office he has ever since held with
credit to himself and satisfaction to the public, while beyond his connection
with the postoffice Mr. James was twice elected to the office of Justice of the
Peace. Married in Nantucket, August 17, 1845, Miss Abbie Cortwright, a native of
that place. She died April 27, 1862. By this union  they had four children:   
Eliza, Emma, Walter (deceased), and Mary.



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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