Alameda County
Biographies
DENNIS F. BERNAL
The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears in this work, as a proper representative of one of the earliest families to settle in Alameda County, was born in Pleasanton, in that county, April 8, 1856, and is the son of Francisco and Maria (Thompson) Bernal. When he was fourteen years of age he left California for South America, and having visited all of the principal ports on its Pacific Coast, at the end of five years returned to his birthplace on December 8, 1875. In the following month he entered the Golden Gate Academy where he remained until November 18, 1878, and in January, 1879, commenced a course in a business college in San Francisco, from which he graduated on Christmas-day of the same year. Mr. Bernal then took up his residence in Livermore, but in August 1881 took a trip to Arizona and Mexico, where he visited the mining districts of those States, and shortly after came back to California. On his return home he won the heart of a dark-eyed daughter of one of Alameda County’s Supervisors, but a native of New York, to whom he was united in marriage in 1883. He has since taken up his abode in his beautiful residence in the town of Livermore, near which he has a large farm of very valuable land, on which there is a comfortable farm-house, with mill, barn, etc. Mr. Bernal also possesses some property in the vicinity of Pleasanton.
History of Alameda County, California…, Oakland, M.W. Wood Publ., 1883
p. 849
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
JOSE BERNAL
This scion of one of California’s most ancient and well-known Spanish families, was born in what was then known as the Contra Costa section of the District of San Jose, October 20, 1823. Save during the time of attending the schools at Monterey, the former capital of California, Mr. Bernal has been always a resident of what is now called Murray Township, Alameda County – the place of his birth. Fuller remarks about the Bernal family will be found elsewhere. Our subject married, November 10, 1855, Alta Garcia Higuerra, a native of California, by whom there are: Ezequiel, Ezequies, Peryguino, Gonzaguia, Francisco, Emil, Manuel, Candido, Sedonia, Madronia.
History of Alameda County, California…, Oakland, M.W. Wood Publ., 1883
p. 849
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
ELIJAH BIGELOW
Is the son of Elijah and Rebecca (Fisk) Bigelow, and was born in Newton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, September 9, 1810. Here he resided until the year 1852, when joining in the human stream then turned towards California, he sailed from the city of New York, March 20th, and arrived per steamer California in the harbor of San Francisco, May 14, 1852. He at once embarked in the grocery and provision business on Front Street, and there continued three years, afterwards being thus engaged in other parts of the city in the same line of trade until 1863, when he crossed the bay to Oakland, and started in real-estate transactions, acquiring the first homestead in Oakland, it being situated at the corner of Market and Fourteenth Streets of the present day. Married, firstly, July 13, 1834, Emma McLachlan who died January 6, 1880; and secondly, May 15, 1882, Mrs. C. F. Bartlett.
History of Alameda County, California…, Oakland, M.W. Wood Publ., 1883
p. 849
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
J. A. BILZ
Was born in Baden, Germany, January 7, 1837. When about twenty years of age, he emigrated to the United States, sailing from Havre, and arriving in New York July 3, 1857. After working at his trade for five years in the State of New York, and about nine months in Connecticut, he sailed from New York in April, 1863, via Panama, to San Francisco, landing May 10the of the same year. For the first three months he worked in Benicia; afterwards he moved to San Jose; then to Mission San Jose, and subsequently in different places until the fall of 1865, when he came to Pleasanton, there being but five houses in the town at that time. Here he commenced working at his trade, which was steadily increased, until at the present writing he is the proprietor of a large wagon factory. To Mr. Bilz is the honor of building the first wagon in the Livermore Valley. He married in Centreville, March 28, 1869, Miss Catharine Ishinger, a native of Wurtemberg, Germany, and has three surviving children, viz.: Helene, Selma, and Minnie; and one deceased named Charles.
History of Alameda County, California…, Oakland, M.W. Wood Publ., 1883
p. 849
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler