The opportunities offered
by California to men of enterprise and sterling worth are nowhere better
exemplified than in the successful career of Nathan I. Baldwin. He was born
in Ogdensburg, New York, March 15, 1861, son of Frank B. and Elizabeth
(Tallman) Baldwin. In the parents' family there were born four children.
Nathan, the subject of this review, acquired a grammar-school education. In
early life he started out for himself and followed various vocations,
filling positions of importance and trust. In 1888 he decided to cast his
lot with the Golden West and located in Fresno. He took the management of
the fair grounds at Fresno, and held this position for three years. He then
became identified with the California & Hawaiian Sugar Company as farm
superintendent. Here he remained for eight years. Coming to Contra Costa
County, he became associated with the Cowell Portland Cement Company as
lessee of the commissary department, which he has held for eleven years. Mr.
Baldwin was twice married. The first marriage occurred in Morristown, New
York to Ada Bolton, in 1883. To this union was born one daughter, Helen, now
the wife of W. E. McMullen, of Canton, New York. The second marriage
occurred on July 23, 1909, to Ida Hudson, of Oakland, California. Two
children have blessed this union - Margaret, born April 4, 1911, and
Barbara, born January 8, 1913. In politics Mr. Baldwin supports the
Republican party. Fraternally, he is a Mason, holding membership in Vallejo
Naval Commandery. He is also a member of the B.P.O.E. of Vallejo. Mr.
Baldwin is a member of the Cowell school board. He has one of the palatial
homes of central Contra Costa County, and has about eleven acres devoted to
the finest varieties of walnuts, almonds and grapes.
Source: "The History of Contra Costa County, California,"
Elms Publ. Co., 1917, pp. 607-608.
Transcribed and submitted by Sally Kaleta, December, 2006.
ROBERT
HARROWER
(Deceased)
One of the representative
pioneers of Contra Costa County, and one of the highly esteemed citizens of
the county, was Robert Harrower, whose death occurred on December 12, 1916,
at his home in Antioch. He was born in Dufferline, Scotland, in 1838. Here
he received his education and grew to manhood. He worked in the mines, later
becoming a seafaring man, and for seven years he visited many ports. Hearing
about America in his travels, he came to San Francisco on July 4, 1868. This
ended his life as a sailor. He found employment in the quarries near San
Francisco and Santa Cruz. In September following his arrival in San
Francisco he was married to Christina Athie, a native of Scotland. He came
to Black Diamond (now Pittsburg), where he found work in the mines. In 1871
he purchased what is known as the Harrower ranch south of Antioch, and owned
four hundred and eighty acres of land. Into the family were born three
children - Robert Jr., Lizzie (married to Charles Richey, of Antioch, and to
this union were born May, Stella, and John), Maggie (married to William
Leishman, of San Francisco, and has three children, Hazel, Grace and
Elizabeth). Robert Harrower Jr. was born was born on May 25, 1871, and
resides on the home place and carries on general farming. He was educated in
the Deer Valley and Empire schools, after which he attended business college
in Stockton. Returning home he took an active part in the ranch management.
He is a member of General Winn Parlor, N.S.G.W., the Masonic Lodge of
Brentwood, and the I.O.O.F. lodge of Antioch. In politics Mr. Harrower, like
his father, has always been identified with the Republican party.
Source: "The History of Contra Costa, County,
California," Elms Publ. Co., 1917, p.608.
Transcribed and submitted by Sally Kaleta, December, 2006.