Alameda County
Biographies
LOUIS SCHAFFERS
LOUIS SCHAFFERS, the proprietor of the Fashion Stables and a prominent citizen at Livermore, was born in the city of New York, October 30, 1854. In 1875 he came to San Francisco by rail, and was for a while employed in Oakland as a butcher for other parties, and then until the fall of 1882 he carried on the business there for himself. Then selling out he went to Livermore and continued in the same business for a year, and finally purchased the well-known Fashion Stables of Jones & Wilkinson, which he now conducts with a fine patronage, as he is able to furnish a goodly number of handsome “turn-outs,” etc. He is Republican in his political views, and has been of considerable service to his party, taking a prominent part in politics for fifteen years. In 1885 he was elected Town Marshall; in 1886 Town Trustee, and in 1888 re-elected; in 1889 he was appointed Chief Engineer of the Fire Department, which position he now holds.
He was married in Oakland, October 24, 1889, to Miss Caroline Fougure, and their two children are named Arthur L. and William.
Memorial & Biographical History of Northern California, The Lewis Publishing Co., 1891
Transcribed by: Betty Wilson
WILLIAM M. MENDENHALL
WILLIAM M. MENDENHALL, one of the most prominent citizens of Livermore and a pioneer of California, was born April 22, 1823, in Greene County, Ohio, the son of William and Sarah (Peterson) Mendenhall, who removed to the Territory of Michigan in 1831 and followed farming amidst the dense forest. In 1845 the subject of this sketch, in company with twelve other adventurers, purchased pack-mules and an outfit, and on the 17th of August started on their perilous journey across the plains, by way of Forts Laramie, Bridger and Hall to the then almost unknown country of California, before it was brought into notoriety by Marshall’s gold discovery. They encountered on their journey, of course, many privations and difficulties; were attacked by Indians many times; delayed by deep snows and snow-storms in the Sierra Nevada Mountains; were scantily provisioned at times, and suffered on account of hunger, thirst, etc.
They arrived at Sutter’s Fort on Christmas day, and after resting a short period there Mr. Mendenhall enlisted in a volunteer company of rangers for the purpose of fighting the Indians who were becoming very troublesome to the whites, and after killing several of them the troubles were temporarily suspended. Providing himself with a passport, he went to San Francisco, and then crossed the bay eastward to the locality where Oakland is now situated, and there engaged in getting out shingles, at the rate of $5 per 1,000; but in a short time, after war had been declared between the United States and Mexico, he joined the Federal forces under Fremont and served with him during the early part of the war, being discharged at Santa Clara in 1847. About this time he purchased property in San José and followed ranching a year. This proving unsatisfactory, he sold out and moved to Oregon, but in a short time returned to California, locating in Contra Costa County, where he engaged in stock-raising for a number of years; and finally he moved into Alameda County and purchased 650 acres of land in the beautiful Livermore Valley,—where a large portion of the city of Livermore now stands,—and carried on farming until 1869, when he laid out the town of Livermore by converting 100 acres of his place into town lots. He gave twenty acres of land and the right of way to the Central Pacific Railroad Company. He has also been very generous in his donations to other business enterprises and to the religious denominations. To the Methodists, for example, he gave two lots and $100 cash for the erection of a church; to the Presbyterians, twelve lots, or two and one-eighth acres; for a grist-mill site, five acres; to John Aylward, a half block of land as an inducement to bring water to the town, in 1871; for a college, land and the loan of money for a fine building, now owned and managed by Professor J.D. Smith, etc., etc. The grist-mill referred to was destroyed by fire in 1885. Mr. Mendenhall has also been one of the chief promoters of the Livermore Gas Company’s works, and is now president of that corporation. He has been in many ways identified with the local interests of the community. He is a member of the American Legion of Honor, Livermore Council, No. 1,070.
He was married in Santa Clara, April 18, 1847, to Miss Mary A. Allen. This was the first marriage of “Americans” south of the Sacramento River in the State of California. They have had ten children, of whom nine are living, namely: James M., Elizabeth, Emma, Ella D., David, Archer, William, Aswold, Ascuy and Etta.
Memorial & Biographical History of Northern California, The Lewis Publishing Co., 1891
Transcribed by: Betty Wilson
HON. HIRAM BAILEY
HON. HIRAM BAILEY, of Livermore, is a native of Ontario County, New York, born January 10, 1832, and was there reared and educated. In 1852 he came to California, leaving New York on the steamer United States, making the trip via Panama, and landing at San Francisco from the steamer Isthmus, March 24, 1852. He first went to Marysville, where, however, he did not remain long, but soon went to Contra Costa County, near the Alameda line, where he remained six months. He then went to the Moraga redwoods, where he was engaged in making shingles, posts and rails, and hauling the lumber by oxen into the valley. He came to this county on the 29th of August, 1855, and having learned the carpenter’s trade in his New York home he undertook and carried to completion the building of a house for José, son of Robert Livermore. That house was located on what is now known as the Robertson ranch, some three miles or more east of Livermore. After a couple of years in this vicinity as a carpenter, he gave up that trade and embarked in cattle dealing, which engaged his attention until 1860. He then commenced farming about four miles and a half northeast of Livermore, and so continued until 1874, when he moved into Livermore. In the spring of 1874 he was elected Assessor of Murray Township, being the first one elected in that capacity for the township under the new law. Retiring from that position two years later, he was for the next year in the butchering business. Later, he held the position of Deputy Assessor for two years. In the fall of 1882 he was elected Supervisor of this district, and served a term of two years with credit in the board, in which he was chairman of the Franchise Committee. In 1886 he was elected to the General Assembly of California, and in that body was chairman of the Committee on Agriculture, and a member of the Enrollment Committee. In the fall of 1888 he was again chosen by the electors of the district to a membership in the Board of Supervisors of Alameda County, in which he is an influential and active working member. He is chairman of the Hospital Committee, and a member of those on Roads and Bridges, Franchises, and Auditing.
Mr. Bailey was married in this county, on the 24th of June, 1860, to Miss Cassimira Funtes, step-daughter of Robert Livermore. They have had five children, four living, viz.: Josie Albert (who died at the age of twenty-two years and five months), Rebecca, Willie and Mamie.
Mr. Bailey is a member of Mosaic Lodge, No. 218, F. & A.M., and of Doric Chapter, R.A.M., of Livermore; of Oakland Commandery, K. T.; of Livermore Lodge, No. 219, I.O.O.F., and of the local lodge, A.O.U.W.
Mr. Bailey has always taken an active part in public affairs, and has lent his best efforts in behalf of the people’s interests; hence he has always been popular, and the interests of the county are considered thoroughly safe in such hands as his.
Memorial & Biographical History of Northern California, The Lewis Publishing Co., 1891
Transcribed by: Betty Wilson
JACOB HANNA
JACOB HANNA, proprietor of the Livermore Roller Mills, is a native of Illinois, born in Warren County, near Monmouth, August 18, 1853, his parents being William and Rebecca (Cresswell) Hanna, the former a native of Indiana, and the latter of Ohio. The father removed to Illinois in an early day, and opened up one among the first farms near Center Grove, in that State. In 1860 the family came to California by water, landing at San Francisco from the steamer Golden Gate. The steamer was destroyed by fire on her next trip. After one year without permanent settlement in the State, the family located at Gilroy, Santa Clara County, where Mr. Hanna, Sr., embarked in the lumber trade, and was so engaged until his retirement from business a few years ago.
Our subject grew up in Gilroy, and there received his education, with the exception of a commercial course taken at the Pacific Business College, San Francisco, in 1875. He then returned to Gilroy and was connected with the lumber business there until the summer of 1879, when he went to Texas. He engaged in the cattle business, not far from Austin, which employed his attention until the summer of 1886, when he returned to California. In the spring of 1887 he came to Livermore, for the purpose of buying an interest in the roller mills, and has resided here ever since, being known as one of the most enterprising citizens.
Mr. Hanna was married at Gilroy, April 30, 1879, to Miss Clara R. Rea, daughter of Hon. Thomas Rea, one of the leading citizens of Santa Clara County, and sister of State Railroad Commissioner Rea. They have three children, all boys, viz.: Thomas R., Walter J., and Samuel C.
The Livermore Roller Mills, which Mr. Hanna has conducted successfully, were built about the fall of 1884, by W.F. and Antone Laumeister. They carried on the business until the summer of 1887, when Jacob Hanna purchased the interest of Antone Laumeister. In the spring of 1889 he also bought out W.F. Lanmeister, and carried on the milling business alone until May, 1890, when he took into partnership Mr. George Orbell, a practical miller. The mill building has a frontage of sixty feet by a depth of seventy, and is two stories in height. The plant is equipped with three stand of rolls, and has a capacity for turning out fifty barrels per day. The mill runs mainly on custom work for the local market, the principal output being wheat flour, though considerable barley is also ground. Recent improvements have been made in the way of refitting and remodeling, and the mill is now considered to be excellently equipped for the work before it.
The mill is equipped with a forty-horse-power engine, which Mr. Hanna uses in operating his electric light system for Livermore. The Waterhouse are system is in use here, and the plant was put in by Messrs. Hanna and Laumeister in 1888, the latter’s interest being subsequently purchased by Mr. Hanna. He uses a twelve-light machine, though but eleven lights are used in illuminating Livermore, which is done under a contract with the city.
Mr. Hanna is certainly deserving of credit for his enterprise, which has redounded to the benefit of Livermore. Though but a young man, there is no one who has been more active in the matter of improvements and advancement.
Memorial & Biographical History of Northern California, The Lewis Publishing Co., 1891
Transcribed by: Betty Wilson