Solano-Nevada County CA Archives Biographies.....Topley, James 1845 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 31, 2007, 8:13 pm

Author: Lewis Publishing Co. (1891)

JAMES TOPLEY, proprietor of the Pioneer drugstore, Vallejo, has been a resident
of California since 1852, and in the drug business in this town most of this
time. He was born in Dublin, Ireland. While yet a boy he went to Canada, and
lived with relatives in Kingston. He spent a short time learning to be a farmer,
but gave that up and entered a store in Kingston, and began learning the
principles of commerce. Later he moved into the United States, and lived most of
the time in the State of New York until the breaking out of the Mexican war,
when he joined the First New York Regiment of Volunteers, commanded by Colonel
Ward B. Burnett and afterward called the Second Regiment. He served during the
remainder of that struggle, being in the command of General Scott at Vera Cruz,
Cerro Gordo, Contreras, storming of the Castle Chapultepec, Garepa de Belen and
in the street fights in the city of Mexico.

  Returning from the war with the regiment to Fort Hamilton, New York, in 1848,
he was mustered out. Then, through the influence of Colonel Ward B. Burnett,
civil engineer of the Philadelphia Navy Yard, he obtained employment of the
United States Dry Dock Building Company, and remained with them until 1852, when
he was sent to California, in company with others, to aid in building a dry dock
at the Mare Island Navy Yard, arriving in September. After concluding his
engagement there, he went to the mountains of Nevada County, and there engaged
in mining. He soon returned to Vallejo, worked for a time for the United States
Government, and later entered the employ of W. W. Chapman, who was the pioneer
druggist of this village. Within two years he succeeded Mr. Chapman in the
store, and has continued in that situation to the present time,—a long period
for one position. He has been Coroner one term and half another, when he
resigned on account of constant pressure of his business, and he has been School
Trustee two terms. He is a member of Naval Lodge, No. 87, F. & A. M., of
Vallejo, and of Naval Chapter, No. 35; also of Golden State Lodge, I. O. O. F.,
of Vallejo. He has been treasurer, and one of the trustees of the Presbyterian
Church of Vallejo ever since its corporation.

  He was married in 1860, to Miss Anna Igell, and has three children. His two
sons, James Henry and Willie H., are engaged in the drug business with their
father; they are both graduates of the Pharmaceutical Department of the State
University. The daughter, Anna D., is now a pupil of the Irma Ladies' Seminary
at Vallejo.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California.

Illustrated, Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast
from the Earliest Period of its Occupancy to the Present Time, together with
Glimpses of its Prospective Future; Full-Page Steel Portraits of its most
Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers and also of
Prominent Citizens of To-day.

"A people that takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will
never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote
descendents." – Macauley.

CHICAGO
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
1891.


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