Alameda County
Biographies
JEREMIAH JOSEPH HANIFIN.
For many years Jeremiah Joseph Hanifin has been connected with business interests of Alameda county, having come to the coast over sixty years ago. He now owns a liquor store at No. 471 Fourteenth street, Oakland, and enjoys a profitable trade. He was born in County Kerry, Ireland, May 15, 1834, and is a son of James and Alice Hanifin. In 1838 the parents emigrated to the United States and settled in Boston, Massachusetts, where the father for several years was engaged in the mineral water business. His son Jeremiah attended the parochial schools in Boston until thirteen years of age, when his parents removed to New York, where he continued in the parochial schools until fifteen years of age.
Laying aside his textbooks, he learned the boat builder's trade, continuing along that line for about two years, and then came to California by way of Cape Horn, being a cabin boy on the Michael Angelo, which arrived in San Francisco, August 5, 1852. His first position at the Golden Gate was as clerk in a hotel owned by C. L. Longley, with whom he remained for ten months. At the end of that time, however, he returned to New York city by way of the Isthmus of Panama, walking across the isthmus from Panama to Gargona in order to save the twenty dollars which was charged for the mule ride from one coast to the other. He arrived several hours before those who rode, thereby establishing a fair claim as a champion pedestrian. After arriving in New York city, his father being dead, he assisted his mother in her business affairs, which largely consisted of looking after her investments, collecting rents, and other interests, etc. In 1858 Mr. Hanifin returned to San Francisco by way of Panama, establishing in that city the Great Western Hotel, which he conducted until 1865, when he sold out and turned his attention to the shipping and brokerage business, so continuing for three years. Upon disposing of these interests he moved to Oakland, where he established the Cosmopolitan Hotel at Seventh street and Broadway, but after four years disposed of the hotel in order to give his whole attention to his retail liquor stores, which were located at Seventh street and Broadway, Seventh street and Washington street and 471 Fourteenth street and Broadway. In 1905 he sold the Washington and Broadway stores and now gives his undivided attention to his establishment on Fourteenth street. He is a man of honorable business principles and well liked by his many friends. He is courteous, affable and kindly to those who are in less fortunate circumstances and is ever ready to support enterprises as long as their value can be proven to him, being always among the foremost to do something which may prove of advantage to his city.
In New York city, on May 16, 1856, Mr. Hanifin married Eliza J. Farley, and to them were born the following children: Mrs. V. S. McClatchy, of Sacramento; Lyda, a Sister in the Convent of the Holy Family, who has taken the name of Sister Mary Agatha; J. J., Jr., under-sheriff of Alameda county; Herbert L., who is a member of the office force of the Pacific Gas Company of San Francisco; Mrs. Alice Casey, widow of Dr. P. F. Casey, of Oakland; Irene, deceased; Edward Everett, who holds a position in the recorder's office in San Francisco; Ada, a graduate of high school, and Frank C., in school.
Politically Mr. Hanifin is a republican and has ever been interested in the progress of his party. He has participated in many ways in public affairs in Alameda county and from 1873 to 1876 served as fire commissioner of Oakland. From 1881 to 1890 he was supervisor and chairman of the board of supervisors, being elected from the fourth district, and in that connection did much valuable work, promoting many public measures which were of vast benefit to the general public. Although he is eighty years of age he is hale and hearty, walking eight or ten miles a day, and has the strength as well as the appearance of a much younger man. In all the relations of life Mr. Hanifin has proven himself a useful, conscientious citizen of sound ideas and sound principles and one who considers an untarnished name of greater value than the mere acquirement of wealth.
Past & Present of Alameda County, California – Vol II, S. J. Clarke Publ. Co., 1914
p. 288
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
WILLIAM AMBROSE BISSELL.
William Ambrose Bissell, assistant traffic manager for the Santa Fe system at San Francisco, in which connection he manifests notable executive power, was born in Lyons, Wayne county, New York, in 1848, a son of the Rt. Rev. W. H. A. and Martha Colton (Moulton) Bissell. The former was an Episcopal bishop of Vermont from 1868 until his death in 1893. Reared in the atmosphere of a scholarly home, his early training left a strong influence on the life of William A. Bissell who, directing his energies in the broad field of business rather than along professional lines, has gained a place of responsibility and prominence in connection with railway management. He was educated in the Geneva (New York) Academy and throughout his entire career has been interested in railway activity. At the age of sixteen years he entered the employ of the Michigan Central Railroad at Detroit, Michigan, where he remained for about four years or until March, 1868, when he left the Mississippi valley and came to California by way of the Isthmus route. At that time the Central Pacific Railway Company was operating ninety miles of railway in this state, and he became associated with that corporation in a clerical position at Sacramento. He was later advanced to the position of freight auditor and continued with that corporation until 1883, when he became coast agent for the Texas Pacific Railway with offices in San Francisco. In December, 1884, he accepted the office of coast agent for the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad, which later became a part of the Atchison Railroad system. In 1894 he was promoted to the position of assistant freight traffic manager of the Santa Fe system, which called him to Chicago, and he remained there until 1899, when the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe as reorganized purchased the Santa Fe & San Joaquin Valley Railway, when he returned to the Pacific coast as assistant traffic manager of the Santa Fe system. Here he has since remained, continuously occupying the position which calls for rare executive ability, keen discrimination and thorough understanding of every phase of traffic control. He also has large private financial interests, having made judicious investment in corporations and business enterprises which have constituted important elements in the promotion of public progress and prosperity as well as in the attainment of individual success. He is president of the Livermore Water & Power Company which supplies light and power to the Livermore valley; is vice president of the Richmond Light & Power Company; vice president of the McNamara Mining Company and a director of the Holland Sandstone Company, Lake Tahoe Railway & Transportation Company, Northwestern Pacific Railway Company, Oakland & East Side Railroad Company, Richmond Land Company, Union Savings Bank of Oakland and Santa Fe Terminal Company of California. In May, 1913, when the affairs of the United Properties Company of California became involved, he was appointed one of the trustees of that corporation and as such trustee was elected a director of the San Francisco-Oakland Terminals Railways. On May 20, 1913, he was elected president of that company and still continues in that capacity.
On the 7th day of January, 1870, Mr. Bissell was married to Miss Cora A. Messick and their children are William H. and Daniel R. Mr. Bissell makes his home in Alameda and has a beautiful summer residence on a delightful location at Lake Tahoe, beside owning ranch property near Livermore, California. He is very prominent in club circles of San Francisco, being one of the founders and members of the Transportation Club and a member of the Pacific Union. He also belongs to the Athenian and Claremont Clubs of Oakland and the California Club of Los Angeles. He is likewise a member of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce and is in hearty sympathy with its many projects and movements for the upbuilding of the city. In fact he is a very public-spirited man, active in matters pertaining to the growth, development and general welfare of San Francisco and of the state at large. He recognizes the wonderful possibilities of California and is doing everything in his power to promote their utilization, thus aiding in the material growth of the state, while at all' times he is actively and helpfully concerned as well in those things which are a matter of civic virtue and civic pride.
Past & Present of Alameda County, California – Vol II, S. J. Clarke Publ. Co., 1914
p. 290
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler