Contra Costa County CA Archives Biographies.....Smith, W. W. 
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Author: W. A. Slocum & Co., Publishers (1882)

REV. W. W. SMITH.—And the Rev. Joseph H. Smith, twin brothers, two of the
earliest pioneers of Contra Costa county—the latter of whom died in New York of
the Pacific, February 5, 1850—are two gentlemen inseparably connected with the
history of Township Number Five. Their father was Samuel Smith, who was the son
of Colonel Samuel Smith, of Lee, New Hampshire, celebrated as a bold soldier
during the war of the Revolution, the son having enlisted in the war of 1812, in
which he lost his life. The mother of the subjects of this sketch was the
daughter of William Wiggin, of Durham, in the same State, a quaint little town.
In the district of Packer's Falls the twin brothers attended school, and
received the ground-work of that education which made them, in after life, the
teachers of men. When twelve years of age the two brothers, with their mother
and the rest of the family, joined the Christian church, while he whose name
appears at the head of this narrative commenced to learn the trade of a
carpenter. When arrived at a sufficient age, William and Joseph Smith were
placed, by their mother, on farms, there to use their industry, but being
separated only acted as an incentive to strengthen the brotherly love which
already existed between them; at the age of seventeen the first-named was
regularly bound apprentice with Mr. Cram, of Meredith, a carpenter and
house-builder, which, in due course, with much application, he mastered, both in
its practical and theoretical phases. After working in Pittsfield and various
other places for some years, we find William Smith in business on his own
account in Lynn, Massachusetts. The two brothers married at New Market, the home
of their mother, at the same time and place; William W. Smith to Miss Lavina
Sanborn, and Joseph H. with Miss Sarah Lamper, the date being March, 1833.
Subsequently these two brothers were the means of organizing a Christian church
in Lynn, and two others in the township, while the benefit they worked in
religious instruction was great. Owing to stagnation in business during the
years 1836-37, William Smith resolved to return to New Hampshire, but Joseph
removed to New Bedford, Massachusetts, continuing his religious labors; he
became pastor of the Kemp-ton-street church. About the year 1840, when on a
visit to his brother, William entered the ministry, and commenced his
ministrations in Westport, Bristol county, Massachusetts. On July 22, 1841, he
was ordained and on that same day baptized fifteen converts. Having filled their
sacred calling in different places, William moved to New Hampshire, and married
his second wife, Miss Jane C. Crosswell, of Rehoboth, Massachusetts. The Smiths
were of those that think a man may not have too much education; therefore at the
age of thirty-three years we find them both studying the higher branches under
Mr. Richmond, a graduate of Dartmouth College; William W., since coming to
California, writing a scientific pamphlet, entitled "Celestial Dynamics: The
Mechanism of the Tides, the Science of the Magnetic Current and the Source of
Electricity," a paper replete with much interesting information and instruction
on the rather abstruse subject. In or about the years 1843-44, Rev. J. H. Smith
commenced the publication of the New Bedford Reporter, to which he contributed
many pieces of verse of more than average ability, while both worked together
with one accord in their religious and secular avocations. Joseph Smith remained
in New Bedford until the intelligence of the discovery of gold in California was
received, when he sold out his interest and returned to New Hampshire to visit
his mother and her family, and to gain her permission that he and his twin
brother should go to California. Her answer was in the affirmative, and thus
were matters put in train for the start. On January 11, 1849, the brig Forest
and ship Edward Everett sailed in company out of Boston harbor for the Golden
State, the former having on board the Revs. Joseph H. and W. W. Smith, J. C.
McMaster, now of Antioch, besides some fifty others. The weather was almost
arctic in its intensity, the rigging being frozen stiff, and the brig's sides
covered with a thick coating of ice, making the task of getting under way no
easy one. Once out of the port, however, a spanking breeze drove them onwards
into the Gulf Stream, where all traces of the rigid ice dropped off, and the
voyage actually commenced. The journey was uneventful up to the time of reaching
the coast of Brazil, when they entered the port of St. Catharine, sixty days
from Boston, where considerable repairs were undertaken. Of this break in the
monotony of the long voyage Mr. Smith tells us: "The change from the frosts and
snows of New Hampshire to the warm, dry, clear weather of the tropics was an
enchanting one; lemons and limes were just coming to maturity, while the supply
of other tropical fruits appeared to be inexhaustible." His remarks of the city
of St. Catharine show the town to have been as quaint as were the customs of the
people. Wharves there were none, therefore the landing from boats was effected
on the open beach; the place was innocent of drays or carts; goods were rolled
through the streets in barrels, or packed on mules, or on the heads of men and
women, while the children wandered about the streets in a blissful state of
nudity. All defects being made good, the brig sailed from St. Catharine on April
11, 1849, and in course of time arrived off the entrance to the Straits of
Magellan in a heavy gale. Off the Falkland Islands a terrific storm was
encountered, when two men were lost overboard; however, the famous Cape Horn was
rounded, the voyage up the Pacific Ocean was made, and on July 6,1849, the
Forest and her freight of eager souls sailed through the Golden Gate and cast
anchor in the beautiful harbor of San Francisco. Some three or four hours later
came the ship Edward Everett, which, it may be remembered, sailed from Boston on
the same date, and had not been sighted in mid-ocean at all. Rev. W. W. Smith
says: "As we gazed upon the shore from the ship, nothing but a city of tents
could be seen. Before leaving the vessel, the Captain called us on deck to have
a friendly chat before bidding each other farewell, and separating on our
various ways. Arriving on shore we found but five American families in the city,
the balance being Mexican and Indian." Finding that carpenters were in demand,
the two brothers agreed to go to work at a point at the mouth of the San Joaquin
river, some fifty miles from San Francisco, whither they took passage in the
schooner Rialto, and arrived at New York of the Pacific July 11, 1849, just six
months since sailing from Boston. About this time Colonel J. D. Stevenson and
Dr. William Parker had purchased a part of the Los Medanos Grant, from Jose
Antonio Mesa, the original locator, and had sent up the lumber, fixtures, etc.,
to commence the building of a city, to be called New York of the Pacific. W. W.
Smith, being a practical architect and builder, was engaged at fourteen dollars
per day to take charge of and superintend the building of a house for the two
families, who, for the present, had only a tent for protection. Mr. Beener lived
at New York, and Jose Antonio Mesa and family lived two miles further up the
river. Mr. Mesa's house was built of split redwood logs stood on end for the
sides, and was covered with tules in bundles for a roof, with a hole in the
center to allow the smoke to escape, and contained two rooms. The next morning
the news of their arrival had spread, and Dr. J. Marsh came down to these two
new families, and offered the hospitalities of his home, fifteen miles distant.
He supplied horses for the parties to ride, and they entered a well beaten trail
that led up the creek to the Doctor's house. They found the Doctor enjoying a
siesta, stretched at full length upon the hairy side of a dry hide, in the grove
at the back of the house, adjoining his vineyard. The Doctor gave them a hearty
welcome, and took them into his house, made of adobe, and containing four rooms.
He had not dishes enough to set the table for them. It was then the custom to
roast the meat upon sticks before the fire, and to bake bread in the ashes.

  Having taken a look at the land while on their visit to the Doctor, W. W. and
Joseph H. Smith, on the 19th of July, 1849, took up jointly two quarter-sections
of land, one upon which Antioch is now situated, the other upon which W. W.
Smith now lives, working upon them sufficiently to hold them, and continuing
their labors at New York of the Pacific. New York of the Pacific was fast
becoming an inland city, and the harbor was full of vessels, with men and
cargoes for the mines. At the first election under the new Constitution, in
1850, they found, on shore and on ship-board, that they had from five to eight
hundred voters, when all were at home. Business continued to increase, and the
New York House, conducted by the Smiths, became a popular temperance eating
house, while all the others sold liquor. When coin was scarce, a pinch of gold
dust paid for a drink. The proclamation of Governor Riley had been issued to
have all needed officers elected, and, if any precinct failed to elect them, the
Prefects had power to appoint magistrates or alcaldes, so that an election could
be held. This proclamation divided the districts somewhat, making all east of
the Mount Diablo range of mountains in the San Joaquin district. W. W. Smith was
the first appointed Alcalde of New York of the Pacific, and of this newly formed
district. The Alcalde had charge of all sanitary, civil, criminal and judicial
affairs of his district, with full power to appoint his officers, levy taxes and
collect fees. The Alcalde spent some two thousand dollars in time, money and
medicines, in caring for the sick and dead, none of which was ever reimbursed,
and he found the position honorary and very expensive. In September, 1850, W. W.
Smith, hearing of the arrival of a ship-load of settlers from Maine, in San
Francisco, hastened down and found a number of families who wished to obtain
land and settle in California. Captain Geo. W. Kimball and brother, one
Douglass, four or five Hathaways, a Mr. Marshall and son Benjamin, now a
resident of Antioch, and a Mr. Dennison, came to Antioch, which, at that time,
was called Smith's Landing. A street was laid out, running east by compass, and
each family that wished to settle upon land was presented by W. W. Smith, with a
lot to build on. The Pulsifer brothers then established a garden on the flat
above the point, watering the same by a simple wooden pump, fixed in the slough
between the point and the main land. By the united work of all, a fence and
ditch were completed from the tules on the west of the town to the tules on the
east, in the Spring of 1851, to keep the animals from entering the town. On the
Fourth of July, 1851, a basket picnic was held at the residence of W. W. Smith,
then standing on the high ground, near where the Antioch Ledger office now is;
the all-absorbing topic of the day was, "What shall we name our town?" Between
thirty and forty men, women and children had gathered from far and near. A
Chairman was chosen, and several names proposed; among them, Minton, after a
steamer which plyed on the river, that she might be induced to stop at the town.
  Another proposed that it be Paradise, but Deacon Pulsifer arose and remarked,
that there were many claimants to the lands in California, and they might lose
their lands, and then it would be "Paradise Lost." W. W. Smith proposed that,
inasmuch as the first settlers were disciples of Christ, and one of them had
died and was buried on the land, that it be given a Bible name in his honor, and
suggested Antioch, and by united acclamation it was so christened. In July,
1862, W. W. Smith entered the navy and was assigned to the U. S. Flagship
Lancaster, Commodore Bell commanding. He remained in the service six months, and
was honorably discharged for the purpose of perfecting some improvements in both
land and naval batteries. Before these plans were completed the war closed.
While in the navy he was studying-the tides for the purpose of obtaining
information, which was subsequently made use of in his work on that subject. The
Rev. Joseph H. Smith married Sarah Lamper, in March, 1833, a native of New
Hampshire, and had no children. The Rev. W. W. Smith, whose portrait appears in
this work, married, firstly, March, 1833, Lavina Sanborn, a native of
Pittsfield, New Hampshire, and secondly, September 12, 1847, Jane Crosswell, a
native of Rehoboth, Massachusetts. His family consists of William M., of
Biddeford, Maine; Sarah L. Parkison, of Antioch; Joseph L., of Red Bluff, and
Chas. H., of Antioch.


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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