Oakland Archives - California Genealogy

Biography of Thomas B. Hall

Thomas B. Hall, born January 5, 1853, in Illinois, was the senior member of Hall, Luhrs and Company, Sacramento’s largest wholesale grocery firm. Hall’s career progressed from a porter in 1869 to establishing his own firm in 1876. Known for its financial integrity, the firm moved to a larger location on Second Street in 1883. Hall also contributed to various civic projects, including the Mount Shasta Mineral Springs Company and the Orangevale colonization project. A military veteran and active Mason, Hall married Selina A. Govan in 1876, with whom he had two children, Ward E. and Ethel B.

Biography of Newel K. Foster of Oakland

Dr. Newel K. Foster, born in Canterbury, New Hampshire, in 1849, was a prominent physician and legislator. The son of David M. and Sarah (Robertson) Foster, he hailed from a family with deep roots in New England history, including military service in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. Foster earned a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University in 1873 and a Doctor of Medicine from Long Island College Hospital in 1878. He practiced in New York and Wyoming before settling in Oakland, California. Foster served as a state legislator and secretary of the state board of health, significantly contributing to public health and politics.

Biography of Nathaniel Ellery of Sacramento

Nathaniel Ellery, born in Eureka, California, on July 18, 1872, served as the state highway commissioner of California by 1904. A Stanford University graduate, Ellery earned degrees in Bachelor of Arts and Civil Engineering in 1895. He initially served as Humboldt County surveyor in 1899 before his appointment as commissioner. His effective work in improving California’s road system showcased his civil engineering expertise. Ellery married Lulu I. Fraser in 1899, and they resided in Sacramento. He was active in fraternal organizations and supported the Republican party. His parents, Franklin and Elizabeth Ellery, had New England Puritan roots.

Biography of Albert Elkus of Sacramento

Albert Elkus, born August 17, 1857, in Sacramento, California, was a prominent clothing merchant and influential Republican in the county. His father, Louis Elkus, an immigrant from Germany, was a successful businessman and community leader. Albert joined his father in business in 1873 and later established his own successful retail clothing stores in Sacramento and Folsom. He held significant political roles, including city trustee and president of the Central Republican Club. In 1882, he married Bertha Kahn, a talented pianist. Albert Elkus was highly regarded for his business acumen, political influence, and community involvement.

Biography of C. J. Giacomazzi of Soledad California

History of Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties, California Volume 2 Title Page

Few men only thirty-four years of age can look back upon a more varied career than can C. J. Giacomazzi, editor and publisher of the Soledad Bee. He was born in Soledad, November 20, 1890, and is the third in order of birth in the family of four children born to Con and Sarah ( Serafina) Giacomazzi, both of whom were born in Switzerland and came to America in 1870. They first located at Watsonville, California, and in 1885 came to Soledad. For many years the father was a rancher on a rather extensive scale but retired in 1910 and … Read more

Biography of Joseph E. Bentley of Seaside California

Few, if any, business establishments of Monterey county have rendered a greater service to the community in which they have operated than that of Bentley & Son, so ably represented by the senior partner, Joseph E. Bentley, of Seaside. A native of the metropolis, New York city, he was born on the 4th of January, in the centennial year of the Republic, and his parents were Michael O. and Jennie A. (Osborne) Bentley. The mother’s ancestors landed at Plymouth Rock, and one of her forbears bought and fitted out the Mayflower. The father was a physician. He retired early enough … Read more

Biography of O. G. Lannon, D. C. of Monterey California

More to be prized than the lucrative practice with which he has from the start been favored, is the enviable status scientifically of Dr. O. G. Lannon, one of the most progressive representatives of Twentieth Century healing, and in this respect he reflects credit on both the state of his adoption and the city of his birth, Pueblo, Colorado, where he first saw the light on January 9, 1891. He is a son of F. P. and Lucy (Gingell) Lannon, the former a member of the state utility commission of Colorado. Both parents are still living, in the enjoyment of … Read more

Biography of James M. Mitchell of Monterey California

James M. Mitchell, of Monterey, is an enterprising automobile painter who has established a reputation for expertness and artistic taste that is a valuable asset in his business. He was born in Scotland, September 16, 1887, the son of John and Mary (Munroe) Mitchell, good old-fashioned folk who kept up the cheerful tradition of their native land. The father, who was a contractor and builder, died in October, 1924, but the mother is still living. James M. Mitchell attended the schools of Scotland, and afterward was apprenticed for five years to learn the coach painters’ trade. In 1907, he left … Read more

Biography of James William Ives of Los Banos

1925 History of Merced County - title page

We may respect the reticence of a modest man with regard to his good deeds, but it is right for the public to know something of them as it is a great stimulus to others to emulate his example. When any one begins at the bottom and builds up a successful business, triumphing over adverse conditions and becomes a public benefactor, it is of general interest and benefit to know how it was accomplished. James William Ives was born on June 3, 1874, in Alameda County, California, a son of James H. and Emma J. (Adamson) Ives. Up to twelve … Read more

Biography of Thomas Blackstone Rector of Atwater

A successful rancher and business man of Merced County is Thomas Blackstone Rector, a native son of the State, born in Merced County near Hopeton, on February 10, 1863, the second son and child of Elbridge Gerry and Amanda (McFarlane) Rector, pioneers of California, the former now deceased but the latter is a resident of Berkeley and at the age of ninety-four is in possession of all her faculties and enjoys life to its full. After finishing his school work, Thomas B. Rector was employed on his father’s ranch until he accepted a position as clerk at Snelling with Simon-Jacobs … Read more