San Mateo-Santa Cruz-Santa Clara County CA Archives Biographies.....Doolittle, James H. 1860 - 1923
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Author: S. J. Clarke (1928)

JAMES H. DOOLITTLE

   The late James H. Doolittle, who passed from the scenes of earthly activities
October 11, 1923, was a man of unusual character and outstanding business
ability, and in his particular line of effort was regarded as a man of more than
ordinary efficiency and attainments. He was born in Waterville, Maine, in 1860,
and in 1868 was brought by his parents to the Pacific coast, the journey being
made by way of the Isthmus of Panama. His father ran a hotel at Watsonville,
Santa Cruz county, known as the old Mansion House, and the son literally grew up
in the hotel business. Subsequently the father conducted the Union Hotel at
Gilroy, Santa Clara county, then the Union Hotel at Chico, Butte county, and
later the Park Hotel, Alameda county, California.

   James H. Doolittle secured his education in the public schools and on
starting out in business as a partner of his father, he acquired the Union Hotel
in Chico, Butte county, and later the Park Hotel at Alameda. For ten years he
conducted the famous Byrns Hotel at Woodland, Yolo county, which he opened in
1884 and ran until 1894. He then took over the St. Nicholas Hotel, at Market,
Ninth and Hayes streets, to which he devoted his attention until 1908, when he
came to San Mateo and built the Peninsula Hotel, the largest and best hotel in
San Mateo county, which he operated for about six years. He was peculiarly
fitted for that line of business, being a good manager, painstaking in his
attention to the wants and comfort of his guests and cordial and friendly in his
greeting, and among the patrons of the hotels which he managed he had a host of
warm and loyal friends, who admired him for his splendid personality and his
progressive and up-to-date methods in business.

   Mr. Doolittle was united in marriage to Miss Susie Kelley, who is a native of
Woodland, Yolo county, California, and whose parents were pioneers of
California, having come to this state from Missouri in 1849. Her father, John
Marshall Kelley, became a large land owner in Yolo and Glenn counties and part
of the land which he owned is still in possession of the family. To Mr. and Mrs.
Doolittle was born a son, Carroll. Mr. Doolittle was a member of San Mateo
Lodge, No. 1112, B. P. O. E., and was extremely popular among his associates,
his death being deeply regretted by all. Mrs. Doolittle, who is now living in
Redwood City, is a lady of charming qualities and is greatly esteemed by all who
know her.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY
OF
SAN MATEO
COUNTY
CALIFORNIA
VOLUME II ILLUSTRATED

CHICAGO, ILL. 
THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY
1928


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