San Mateo-Santa Cruz-Santa Clara County CA Archives Biographies.....Doolittle, James H. 1860 - 1923 ************************************************ 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 July 24, 2006, 5:56 pm 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 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/sanmateo/bios/doolittl986nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/ File size: 3.2 Kb