Alameda County
Biographies
James D. Austin
James D. Austin, one of the old and highly respected citizens of Haywards, was born in Anderson County, South Carolina, May 11, 1831. His parents, James and Margaret (McCurdy) Austin, were both natives of the same State and died when he was a boy, in 1839. He was then taken in charge by relatives near Marietta, Georgia. In 1852 he went to Franklin County, and the next year to Texas, where, however, he stopped but a few months. He came on to California by way of El Paso, Tucson, Fort Yuma, San Diego, and thence by water to San Francisco. He followed mining among the Mariposa mines and in that vicinity until 1859, when he settled in Haywards. For the first four years there he had the care of livestock, and afterward he dealt in livestock for several years. Selling out his business in this interest, he went to Denver, Colorado, and kept hotel for four years. In 1875 he returned to Haywards, where he built the American Hotel, and has conducted it in a thorough manner to the present time, gaining for it a good reputation. He has been a member of the Board of Town Trustees, and was elected Justice of the Peace in 1880, which office he still holds. He is Master Mason of Haywards and a member of Oakland Chapter, NO. 36, R. A. M. ; and he also affiliates with the A.O.U.W. at Haywards.
He was first married in 1870, at Haywards, to Susan Brumhiller, who died in 1882; and he was married again, at Oakland, to Mrs. Matilda Baker, and by this marriage there is one child, named Emma J.
Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California, Lewis Publishing Co., 1891
Page 746
Transcribed by Pat Houser
ADAM FATH
Adam Fath, a general farmer near Livermore, was born in Bavaria, Germany, November 20, 1821, and when twenty-one years of age he emigrated to America, the land of golden opportunities, and first found employment in Buffalo, on board of a steamboat plying between that city and Chicago. At the end of two years he went to West Troy and enlisted in the United States army, serving five years in the Ordnance Department, being discharged after he came to Benicia, this State, in 1852. After spending two years in the vicinity of that place, he was employed three years in the quarter-master’s department, taking charge of stock by contract and not as an enlisted man. Then for two years he was engaged in the dairy business in Solano County, and then, in 1857, he came into Alameda County and was employed in stock-raising until 1864, when he unfortunately lost all his animals by starvation in consequence of the excessive drouth. In 1865 he went to Livermore and located 160 acres of land on a land warrant granted to him for services rendered to the United States during the Mexican war; and here he has since remained engaged in general farming. In his political views he is a Democrat, and has been active in local politics. He was sent as a delegate to the State Convention, and has been county delegate a number of times; but he has never held office.
He was married in 1855, at Vallejo, to Miss Mary Fehily, and they have had eight children, five of whom are living, named, John A., Valentine, Mary M., Annie M., and Louisa L.
Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California, Lewis Publishing Co., 1891
page 363
Transcribed by: Kathy Sedler, September 2004
VALENTIN ALVISO
Valentin Alviso, a prominent Californian of Livermore, was born in the town of San Jose, February 14, 1841, son of Agustin Alviso and Maria Antonia Alviso, nee Pacheco. His father, Agustin, was the son of Ygnacio, who figured conspicuously in the early history of California, under the Spanish government.
To the brothers-in-law jointly, Agustin and Tomas Pacheco, in consideration of services rendered the Mexican government, was given the Rancho Potrero de los Cerritos, now in Alameda County, and consisting of 13,000 acres, where our subject, Valentin, spent the greater portion of his time. On October 16, 1871, he removed to Livermore, near which place he has since been engaged in farming and stock-raising. He received his education in Kingston (Massachusetts) College, and has since filled many offices of importance in Alameda County. In 1875 he was elected County Supervisor and served two years; in 1881 he was elected to the State Legislature and served two terms at the regular and extra sessions. He was also an employee of the Federal Government in connection with the naval office in the port of San Francisco, which place he, being a Republican, resigned in 1885.
Mr. Alviso is a prominent Republican, and at times has rendered considerable service to his party. By invitation of the State Central Committee, he delivered addresses throughout the southern part of the State in favor of the election of Grant and Colfax in 1868.
When a young man he was of an adventurous disposition; was one of the Fraser River victims in 1858; in 1860 he associated himself with Judge Noble Hamilton in connection with the Potosi mines in Virginia City, Nevada, purchasing and owning stock in that mine for two years, but sunk several thousand dollars without return. He also has been associated with several local enterprises, as the Livermore Water Company, of which he was Vice-President two years. He is a member of Vesper Lodge, No. 62, A.O.U.W., of Livermore.
He was married at Mission San Jose, March 25, 1868, to Miss Josephine, daughter of the later Robert Livermore, the first settler of Livermore Valley, and they have three children, Christine M., Maria A. and Rosa E.
Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California, Lewis Publishing Co., 1891
pages 368-369
Transcribed by: Kathy Sedler, September 2004