San Mateo-San Francisco County CA Archives Biographies.....Pearson, William H. 1864 - ************************************************ 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, 6:18 pm Author: S. J. Clarke (1928) WILLIAM H. PEARSON Probably no citizen of Burlingame has shown a more effective interest in the progress and improvement of his community than William H. Pearson, president of the Peninsula Rapid Transit Company, who during the years of his residence here has been a persistent and successful worker for the interests of the city. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on the 10th of November, 1864, and is a son of Henry and Cornelia Pearson. His father was born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, December 8, 1837, and was there reared and educated. He went to Memphis, Tennessee, where he became cashier of the Planters Bank, holding that position until 1876, when, because of an epidemic of yellow fever, he went to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and engaged in the wholesale furniture business. Subsequently he was in the same business in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he lived until 1883, when he moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where his death occurred in 1919. While living in Memphis, in 1860, Mr. Pearson was married to Cornelia Zane Arndt, who was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, in 1837, and was a member of one of the oldest families of that locality. To their union were born two children, Mrs. Bartha Brockmiller and William H. William H. Pearson secured his education in the public schools of Wheeling, West Virginia, and was first employed as a steamboat carpenter, aiding in building the old Sam Brown, one of the famous old towboats on the Ohio river. Later he engaged in house carpenter work in Cincinnati for three years, going then to St. Louis, where, as a contractor and builder, he erected about thirty engine houses. In October, 1907, he came to California, locating in San Francisco, where he remained about one and a half years, during which period he erected a number of large apartment houses, and then came to Burlingame, where he continued in the contracting business. In 1915 Mr. Pearson was made president and general manager of the Peninsula Rapid Transit Company, which position he still holds. The fact is generally recognized that this company has done more to build up the Peninsula than any other one factor, and at the same time has afforded transportation at the cheapest rate in the United States, for instance only one and a quarter cents a mile from Burlingame and San Mateo to San Francisco. In his management of the line he has shown sound judgment and discrimination that have won him the respect and good will of all the patrons of the company. On January 6, 1891, Mr. Pearson was united in marriage to Miss Lillie E. Blunt, who was born and reared in St. Louis, and they are the parents of a son, Floyd Blunt, who was born December 26, 1891. Fraternally Mr. Pearson is a Mason. He takes a deep interest in the welfare and progress of Burlingame and was honored by election to the office of mayor, serving for twelve consecutive years, the longest tenure of office of any mayor of a small city in the state of California. During his administration many public improvements were made, including the paving of most of the streets. He it was who proposed buying the site for the high school building in Burlingame, and for a time he was almost alone in the fight for it, securing the first option on the property. Public-spirited and proud of his city, he is a persistent booster for it and loses no opportunity to advertise its superior advantages. While living in St. Louis, Missouri, Mr. Pearson superintended the building of the first fourteen story office building in that city, which is located at Seventh and Olive streets. He was also superintendent of construction of the United States Government building, for its exhibits at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition at St. Louis. It was a steel structure and covered seven and one-half acres of ground. After the completion of the building he installed all the government exhibits, whereupon the treasury department appointed him custodian. After the close of that exposition he shipped one-half of the exhibits to Portland, Oregon, for the Lewis and Clark Exposition while the remaining one-half was shipped to the Smithsonian Institution at Washington, D. C. In every relation of life he has performed his full duty, and has been found capable and efficient in every position he has filled, so that he has well merited the high place which he holds in public confidence and esteem. 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/pearson990nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/ File size: 5.1 Kb