Bradford Hervey Upham, deceased, was numbered among the most
progressive, able, and successful men in Contra Costa County. He was born in
Windham, Vermont, March 25, 1843, and was the son of Zenas Upham. Mr. Upham
engaged in the wine business in Chicago in the early days. He came west and
located in San Francisco, where he engaged in the same business in 1871. He
was also identified with Cunningham, Curtiss & Welch, of San Francisco for
many years. He enlisted in the Civil War, and for three and a half years
served as Government telegraph operator at Mobile, Alabama. He operated the
cable which crossed the river at that point. The splice which Mr. Upham took
out of the cable is on exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution at
Washington D. C. He enlisted from Vermont, in the Eighth Vermont Infantry.
Mr. Upham came to Contra Costa County in November, 1889, and engaged in the
wine business, and had four hundred acres of the best land in the Alhambra
Valley. He was engaged in business in 1890 and continued until his death,
which occurred July 29, 1898. He was married to Gertrude Ryer, a native of
New York City. To this union were born Fred H., George P., and Elsa Louise,
wife of J. C. Arnold, a civil engineer and surveyor, whose death occurred
April 20, 1913. There were born to Mr. and Mrs. Arnold three daughters -
Gertrude S., Elsa L., and Marion. Fred Upham, the eldest son of Bradford
Hervey Upham, was educated in the public schools and later attended business
college in San Francisco. Finishing his education, he returned to the home
place and managed the ranch until 1902. He then followed the carpenter trade
for seven years, and in 1909 he returned to the ranch and erected the
present large and modern cider-mill and packing-house, which is located in
the heart of the best apple section of the county. Fred Upham is a member of
the Native Sons and holds membership in Mount Diablo Parlor No. 101. He is a
Republican and has served as school trustee on the Alhambra school board. On
September 5, 1915, Fred Upham was united in marriage to Frances H. Wardle, a
native of Nevada, a daughter of Philip Wardle, one of the pioneer miners and
business men of Virginia City. George P. Upham was born July 15, 1881. He
received his education in the grammar schools of Contra Costa County and in
a business college of San Francisco. He has the management of the ranch and
the business. George was united in marriage to Lulu Pieratt, a native of
Napa County, June 17, 1908. To this union have been born five children, two
of whom died in infancy. Those living are Georgeane Holley, Oliver Putnam,
and Genevieve. George P. Upham is a progressive man in his political views,
and is now serving as school trustee. He is a member of Mount Diablo Parlor,
Native Sons, and the Past Presidents' Association of Oakland . Upham
Brothers' Cider Mill is an incorporation, and owns lands and plants and has
operated since 1905, with the following officers: Geo. P. Upham, president
and manager; Fred H. Upham, vice-president and treasurer; Elsa L. Arnold,
secretary. The firm is incorporated for $25,000. The firm makes a specialty
of cider and vinegar, and nothing but the pure juice of the apple enters
into their products. The average annual output of vinegar is twenty-six
thousand gallons, and four thousand gallons of pure cider is shipped
annually.
Source: "The History of Contra Costa County, California,"
Elms Publ. Co., 1917, pp. 546-547.
Transcribed and submitted by Sally Kaleta, September, 2006.
To one of the representative and successful ranchers of
Contra Costa County, Jacob Buttner, belongs the title of self-made man, for
starting out in life without experiences or resources he has through his own
energy risen to be one of the leading men in his locality. Mr. Buttner was
born on August 14, 1856, in San Francisco, a son of George and Elizabeth
Buttner, both natives of Germany. In the parents' family eleven children
were born, seven of whom are living. Mr. Buttner's father died in 1911, and
his mother passed away in 1905. Jacob acquired his education in Alameda
County, where his parents removed when Jacob was very young. He attended the
public schools in Sunol and Pleasanton. Laying aside his books, he assisted
on the home ranch, and in 1872 started to learn blacksmithing in San
Francisco, finishing his trade in Pleasanton. For four years he remained
with the man from whom he learned his trade, then for another year he was
connected with a shop at Mission San Jose, after which, in May, 1881, he
embarked in business for himself at San Ramon, where he bought a
black-smith-shop including the property. Here he remained over nine years.
In 1891 Mr. Buttner purchased fifty-five acres of the Boss estate, and for
eleven years, up to 1907, he rented the land, when he moved on his place,
and here he has remained continuously since, improving his land and bringing
it up to a high state of cultivation. His record since he has been on the
place speaks for itself. He now has one hundred and thirteen acres. He makes
a specialty of grapes and fruit. Mr. Buttner was twice married, the first
union being to Miss Eugenie Souc, October 2, 1881, and her death occurred on
May 20, 1896. The second marriage occurred on October 31, 1906, to Elizabeth
Atherton, of San Francisco. Four children blessed the first union, two of
whom died when young; those living are Emily, wife of James O'Neil, of San
Jose, and John J., of San Francisco. Politically, Mr. Buttner is a Democrat.
He served one term on the Concord high-school board, and is a member of the
Woodmen of the World.
Source: "The History of Contra Costa County, California,"
Elms Publ. Co., 1917, pp. 547-548.
Transcribed and submitted by Sally Kaleta, September, 2006.