Alva Sherman Sherlock, a practicing attorney of Concord, has
won success at the bar and is numbered among the able representatives of the
legal fraternity in Contra Costa County. His birth occurred in Zanesville,
Ohio, September 26, 1869; his parents being Abraham and Adeline (Sandel)
Sherlock. Alva S. attended grammar school in Poneshiek County, Iowa, where
his parents removed in 1875. His father was a farmer and died in 1882. The
mother is now residing in Chicago. There were seven children born in the
parents' family, and all are still living. Hugh, a rancher, at Madrone;
Lewis F., a rancher, residing near San Jose; and Roy W., a resident of San
Francisco, identified with the S. P. R. R., are the only ones residing in
California. The subject of this review studied law under H. A. Haines, of
Chicago, and was admitted to the bar in Chicago and admitted to practice
before the Supreme Court of Illinois in 1897. He was united in marriage to
Miss May B. McLeod in Chicago, September 26, 1901. Mr. Sherlock practiced
his profession in Chicago for a period of nine years. In 1906 he removed to
Newport, Washington, and represented many large mining interests of that
state. He was admitted to practice in that State on motion or license from
Illinois. He served in the Spanish-American War and was a member of Troop F.
of the First Illinois Cavalry. He served from April 26, 1898, to October 11,
1898. He went to Chickamauga Park, Georgia, a training camp, and was
honorably discharged at Fort Sheridan October 11, 1898. He served as city
attorney at Newport, Washington, from January, 1908, to January, 1910. He
also served as city attorney at Deer Park, Washington, from February 5,
1910, to February 7, 1911. He incorporated the town of Ione, Washington, and
rendered legal services to many towns and corporations during his stay in
Washington. Mr. Sherlock gives his political allegiance to the Democratic
party. He was a candidate for the House of Representatives from the sixtieth
district, Washington, in 1912. He removed to Spokane in June, 1913, and
remained in that city until May, 1915, when he came to California. Mr.
Sherlock was admitted to the bar of this State on June 11, 1915, and
admitted on motion August 1, 1915. He opened an office in Concord, in the
Bank of Concord building, where he has done a general law business with
gratifying success, and on April 10th he was appointed city attorney.
Fraternally, Mr. Sherlock is affiliated with the Royal Arcanum No. 1622, of
San Francisco. Mr. and Mrs. Sherlock have one daughter, May Ruth, born in
Chicago, August 15, 1902. Mrs. Sherlock's father, Frederick Kent, was a
native of New York State and died there. Her mother was Jennie (McLeod)
Kent-Tresham, a native of Ohio, who died in 1913. Both parents of Mrs.
Sherlock were well-known theatrical people of the early days and made a
success all over the United States. They had the respect and esteem of all
who knew them, and they used to tell of their many reminiscences of the
early days.
Source: "The History of Contra Costa County, California",
Elms Publ. Co., 1917, pp. 505-506.
Transcribed and submitted by Sally Kaleta, August, 2006.
Eugene Blythe Anderson has for a number of years been
connected with educational work in Contra Costa County. He was born on
January 25, 1857, at Petaluma, California. His parents were William L. and
Emma R. (Ferguson) Anderson, the former a native of Tennessee, and the later
of Kentucky. After pursuing his studies in the public schools Mr. Anderson
attended and graduated from Christian's College of Santa Rosa. At an early
age he began to teach school, and followed this vocation for over seventeen
years in Sacramento, Contra Costa, and Lake Counties. He became one of the
eminent educational authorities in this county, and for many years served in
the county educational board. In 1898 Mr. Anderson engaged in fruit-growing
extensively and owns ninety acres of fruit adjoining the town of Walnut
Creek, which he has brought up to a high state of cultivation. He
specializes in prunes and pears, and handles five hundred tons of dried
fruits annually. He has two drying plants and uses ten thousand drying trays
in order to dry his fruit. He is a large realty dealer in Richmond, having
$50,000 invested in real estate. He is proprietor of the Anderson Hotel,
located at Point Richmond, and is recognized in business circles as a
resourceful and discriminating man, whose integrity is beyond question.
Politically, Mr. Anderson is a Democrat, but he has never been active along
party lines, and has never aspired to any political office. He represented
Contra Costa County for fifteen years on the California Development Board,
which was an honorary position. On June 14, 1888, he was united in marriage
to Lena C. Jones, a native of Contra Costa County, and daughter of John M.
Jones of Alamo. Their one adopted daughter, Rosalie, was born in 1900. Mrs.
Anderson, previous to her marriage, was connected with educational work in
this county. She taught school in Walnut Creek district for twenty years;
she served on the board of education for some years after her resignation.
Mr. Anderson is identified with the Masonic fraternity, being a member of
Alamo Lodge No. 122. Mrs. Anderson is a member of the Eastern Star, and has
held the office of worthy matron of her lodge. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson are
held in high esteem in the community by all who know them.
Source: "The History of Contra Costa County, California",
Elms Publ. Co., 1917, pp. 506-507.
Transcribed and submitted by Sally Kaleta, August, 2006.