William Boericke, M.D.

William Boericke, M.D., homeopathist, has been for the past twenty years a resident of California, most of which time has been passed in San Francisco.  He was born in Austria, in 1849, and received his primary education in the public schools of Cincinnati, Ohio, where he graduated in 1863.  He then engaged in the homeopathic pharmaceutic business with the celebrated firm of Boericke & Tafel, in Philadelphia.  In 1870 he came to San Francisco and opened for them a branch pharmacy in this city.  In 1876 he returned to Philadelphia, and entered the Hahnemann Medical College, where he was graduated in 1880.  After two years' study in Europe, he engaged in the practice of his profession, which he has continued since that time.  Dr. Boericke was one of the incorporators of the Hahnemann College, of San Francisco, and for four years was professor of Materia Medica and Therapeutics.  He is a member of the California State Homeopathic Society, and of the American Institute of Homeopathy.  He was also the founder of the California Homeopath , which he established in 1882, and has been its editor since its incorporation.  Dr. Boericke is, and has been from its organization, one of the board of trustees of Hahnemann Hospital College.

     He was married in San Francisco, in 1883, to Miss Kate W. Fay, daughter of the late Caleb T. Fay, an old pioneer, and at one time a prominent commission merchant of San Francisco.  They have four children.

Transcribed 9-4-04  Marilyn R. Pankey  ©

JOSEPH F. COFFEY

Joseph F. Coffey, a prominent lawyer of San Francisco, was born in this city in 1857. His father came to California in 1850, soon after the gold discoveries, but soon afterward returned to New York, and in 1853 came again to this State with his family.  Our subject was born and reared in California, and was educated at St. Mary's College, from which institution he received the degree of A. B. in 1875.  He was appointed clerk to the Prosecuting Attorney in 1876, and held that position six years, and during the same time studied law.  He was admitted to the bar in 1879, and in 1883 was elected Prosecuting Attorney, which position he held two years.  During the next two years he was engaged in the practice of his profession, after which he was again elected to the same office, also for two years.  Since that time he has been engaged in the practice of his profession.

Transcribed 9-1-04   Marilyn R. Pankey  ©

Angus A. Gilmour, M.D.

Angus A. Gilmour, M.D., proprietor of Gilmour's Golden Gate Pharmacy, at No. 410 McAllister street, San Francisco, has been a resident of California since 1868, and has been engaged in the practice of medicine for the past eighteen years.  He was born in Three Rivers, Province of Quebec, Canada, in 1848, and received his early education in the public school of that place.  At the age of twelve years he was sent to Nicolet College, where he remained for five years.  He then entered the medical department of McGill University, Montreal, Canada, where he graduated in 1868, receiving his degree of Doctor of Medicine and Surgery.  He at once engaged in the practice of his profession, and was appointed surgeon of the Canada Active Militia, and in 1872, to the medical charge of the Shefford Field Battery or Artillery, Col. T. Amyreault commanding.  After ten years he retired from active service, with the rank of Surgeon-Major.  Meanwhile Dr. Gilmour had been engaged in private practice at Montreal and later at Waterloo, Province of Quebec, where his battery was stationed.  He came to California in 1878, on a leave of absence, and remained six months.  He returned to Canada, leaving his wife, whose health required a milder climate, and after nine months spent in Canada he again came to California, where he has since remained, and engaged in the practice of medicine.  The first ten years were spent in Modesto, Stanislaus county, where he practiced medicine ten years and owned a drug-store for five years.  In 1888 he sold out, and came to San Francisco, where he purchased a drug-store, which he now owns, in addition to his medical practice.  Considering the time he has been in San Francisco he has done well.  He is a member of several Scotch societies.  He has been fortunate enough to receive the appointment of surgeon of Clan Fraser, numbering nearly 200 and growing very fast.  The order was instituted in 1890 by Hugh Fraser and Rev. Mr. Easton, of Calvary church:  John Elder as chief; Maxwell L. Crowe as Tanist; L. Drerer as treasurer; Wm. McCormack, secretary, F. L. Gilchrist as financial treasurer (some of the best Scotch blood in San Francisco).  The Doctor is also medical examiner for the order of Knights of Honor, and physician of the Thistle Club, making some 500 or 600.

     His parents were Dr. W. A. R. Gilmour, born in Glasgow, Scotland, and Helen Cresse, the latter the youngest daughter of Seigneur Cresse, of Nicolet.  Her ancestors were born in France, and were prominent among the early French settlers in that part of Canada, Seigneur Cresse being the representative of the French government until the British occupation.

     His father graduated in medicine and surgery at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, and obtained the degree of F. R. H. S., Glasgow.  Emigrating to Canada, he became a prominent physician at Three Rivers, Quebec, and was one of the medical examiners for the Province of Quebec.  He is now eighty-three years old and still practicing in Waterloo, Province of Quebec.

     Dr. Gilmour's eldest brother, Colonel A. H. Gilmour, is the colonel of the Sixtieth Regiment of Active Canadian Militia, and private banker at Stanbridge East, Quebec, Canada; another brother, James Gilmour, is a wholesale dry-goods merchant in Montreal, of the firm of Lindsey, Gilmour & Co.; two other brothers, George and Alfred, are prosperous merchants in Canada; George and Alfred are in Waterloo.  Dr. Gilmour's wife was a daughter of Duke Roberts, a capitalist of Waterloo, Canada. They have one boy, Angus Gilmour, who is now attending school in San Francisco.

Transcribed 9-4-04  Marilyn R. Pankey  ©

C. R. Splivalo & Co.

C. R. Splivalo & Co. is one of the representative and successful business firms of San Francisco.  The California Italian Paste Company was established in 1857, and Mr. Splivalo became owner of the same in 1872.  In 1876 he started the California Flour Mills, which were burned in 1881, and the next year, in company with S. W. Forman, they built the Yosemite Flour Mills at No. 1066 and 1068 Bryant street, on lots with a frontage of 162-1/2 feet.  Their mill is of brick, three stories and a basement, and the paste and box factories are located together, having their office at No. 321 Sacramento street.  Mr. Forman retired from the business in 1885, and Mr. Polastri took his place in the firm, which became C. R. Splivalo & Co.  They are provided with the best machinery, employ forty men, and produce large quantities of choice floor and Italian paste.  Large quantities of the flour is used by city bakers of San Francisco, and their products are shipped to all the States and Territories west of the Rocky Mountains, to the Sandwich Islands, Japan, China, Australia, British Columbia, Mexico and South America.  From the incorporation of the business it has had a steady increase, and each year shows increasing trade and larger sales.  The firm also own 500 acres of land at Belmont, which they are improving for a dairy ranch, and its product is to be sold in San Francisco.  They are engaged in various other enterprises, both as a firm and personally.  They are men of excellent business ability, and have a bright future before them.

     The gentlemen who compose the firm are young business men, and both came to San Francisco when children.  Mr. Splivalo was born in Lima, Peru, in 1849, and came to this city the same year.  He was educated in the Santa Clara College, and has been identified with this State and city all his life, and new resides with his family in a fine home of his own building at Belmont.

     R. S. Palastri was born in Panama while his parents were on their way to San Francisco, and he received his education in the public schools of this city.  Previous to the incorporation of his present business, he was engaged in the hardware trade.  He is also married, and resides in San Francisco, and is a Californian in every sense of the word.

Transcribed 9-4-04 Marilyn R. Pankey.  ©