Marin County
Biographies
WILLIAM N. ANDERSON
WILLIAM N. ANDERESON. Was born in New York City, November 2, 1828, and is the son of Robert and Jane Calhoun Anderson. He remained in that city until January 1, 1849, when he sailed in the ship “Sutton,” bound for California via Cape Horn, arriving in San Francisco July 22d of that year. In company with William Dunham and Amos Roberts he proceeded to Mormon Island and opened a store, engaging also in mining. In the Spring of 1850 he proceeded to Sacramento and began business in that place. During the year Dunham died of cholera, and Anderson had a severe attack of the same complaint. In the Fall of 1850 the subject of this sketch went to Santa Cruz county, and engaged in farming for two years; he moved to Pajaro valley and followed the same business until 1856; when he opened a meat market in Watsonville, and remained there until 1861. He then transferred his business to San Francisco, and there, in 1861, married Sarah J. Strong, formerly of Galena, Jo Davies county, Illinois. In 1867, being ordered to San Rafael, Marin county, for the benefit of his health, he established himself in business there, adding to his meat market that of groceries, etc. Has had six adopted children, two died in San Francisco and the remainder live in San Rafael.
History of Marin County, California; Including Its Geography, Geology, Topography and Climatology; by J. P. Munro-Fraser, Historian; Alley, Bowen & Co., Publishers, San Francisco, California, 1880
Transcribed by Betty Wilson
HIRAM AUSTIN
HIRAM AUSTIN. Was born in Portage county, Ohio, November 27, 1820, and there resided, attended school and worked on his father’s farm for the first few years of his life; teaching school for a time when but seventeen. His taste running in the direction of mechanical studies, at the age of twenty he commenced surveying. In 1852 he left Portage for Park county, Indiana, and here began the dairying and cheese-making business, combining therewith some engineering and surveying. He resided there for our years, when he moved to Columbia county, Wisconsin, where he opened a prairie farm and resided until 1859, when he moved to Macoupin county, Illinois, and there embarked in farming and surveying. In December, 1861, he came to California via Panama, and at once took up a residence in Marin county. He engaged in farming in Bolinas for three years, when, in 1864, he was elected to be County Surveyor on the Republican ticket. In 1865 he moved his residence to San Rafael. Mr. Austin has been County Surveyor until the election of 1879, and during his terms of office has done much valuable service, among others the completion of a very correct and handsome county map.
History of Marin County, California; Including Its Geography, Geology, Topography and Climatology; by J. P. Munro-Fraser, Historian; Alley, Bowen & Co., Publishers, San Francisco, California, 1880
Transcribed by Betty Wilson