Faxon D. ATHERTON

Faxon D. ATHERTON was a California pioneer whose character and large and beneficent influence were such as to make specially consistent a tribute to his memory, and this publication is a proper vehicle for such a memoir, for it was in San Francisco that he lived for many years, a substantial capitalist, who used his resources wisely and well for the general good of the community.  He was about fifty-nine years of age at the time of his death, and his wife passed away in 1890.

Mr. ATHERTON was born in Massachusetts, January 2, 1818, and was a representative of a family that was founded in New England in the early Colonial period of our national history.  He acquired his early education in the schools of his native state, and at the age of eighteen years entered the shipping and mercantile business, and as supercargo had charge of the operation of vessels plying between Boston, Valparaiso, Chile, and Monterey, California.  He gained wide and varied  experience.  His first visit was made to San Francisco, California, in 1836, when the future metropolis was a small town but already an entrepot of no little importance.  He was established in business in South America at the inception of the great gold excitement in California in 1849.  He amassed a substantial fortune through his connection with the exporting and importing trade and the shipping business.  His marriage was solemnized in Valparaiso to Senorita Dominiga DE GONI, a member of one of the patrician old families of that country.  In the early ‘60’s, Mr. and Mrs.  ATHERTON established their home in California, where he purchased land and built a fine residence in what is now the exclusive residential district known as Menlo Park.  Retiring from the shipping business, he became prominent as a very large land holder in different parts of the state, owning large tracts of land in Haywards, Watsonville and other places.  His financial resources and his influence were given freely and loyally in advancing measures and enterprises for the general good of the community.  Mr. and Mrs. ATHERTON became the parents of seven children, of whom only the youngest is now living.  The names of the children are here given in respective order of birth: Alexandra, who married J. L.  RATHBONE; Elena, who married Frederick W. MACONDRAY; Francisco; George, who married Gertrude HORN; Isabel, who married Enrique EDWARDS, of Valparaiso, Chile, South America; Faxon D., Jr., who married Jeannie SELBY; and Florence.

The marriage of Miss Florence ATHERTON to Edward L. EYRE was solemnized in San Francisco, and in this city Mrs. EYRE still maintains her home, at 2112 Pacific Avenue, and also in Menlo Park, she having long been a prominent and popular figure in the representative social life of the community.

Edward L. EYRE is a son of Col. Edward Engle EYRE and Mary (TUTT) EYRE.  His parents crossed the plains to California in 1849, and Colonel EYRE was engaged in mining for a time, afterwards entering the stock brokerage business in San Francisco.  They were always prominent and highly respected citizens of the community.  Mr. and Mrs. EYRE are the parents of two children, Edward E. and D. Atherton.

Clarence S. CRARY

Clarence S. CRARY.   One of the progressive cities of the San Francisco Bay district is Burlingame, San Mateo County, and one of the progressive and representative business men of this city is Clarence S.  CRARY, who is here president of the Bank of Burlingame.

Mr. CRARY was born in the State of  Iowa, March 30, 1879, and is a son of  M. S. and Martha (LEONARD) CRARY, the other surviving children of the family being Charles J., vice president of Mercantile Trust Company in the City of  San Francisco, and F.W. and A.R. still residents of Iowa.  The early education of Mr. CRARY was gained in the public schools of his native state, which was supplemented by a course at Grinnell College, Iowa, and after  coming to California he entered Leland STANDFORD Jr., University, in which institution he was graduated as a member of the class of 1903 and with the degree of Bachelor of Arts.  Soon after his graduation he initiated his connection with the banking business, and in 1906 he became associated with the bank of which he is now the president.  Prior to this he had  held the position of cashier of the Mayfield Bank and Trust Company, later in the Merchants National bank of  San Francisco and still later  had been for a time identified with banking business in the oil fields of the Bakersfield district.  Mr. CRARY gave ten years of effective service as a cashier of the Bank of Burlingame, and at the annual January meeting of the Board of Directors of this institution in the year 1923 he was elected its president, a preferment which he had worthily won.  Mr. CRARY takes deep interest in all things tending to advance the general prosperity of his home city and county, is a republican in politics and is affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.  In 1924, he served as secretary of the Burlingame Chamber of Commerce.  Mr. CRARY has always taken an active interest in community affairs, and during the war had charge of the Liberty, Loan drives, and was one of the men who succeeded in more than doubling the quota assigned to this district.  He is one of the most popular men in the community.

The year 1912 recorded the marriage of Mr. CRARY and Edith SLIFER, a daughter of Lieut-Col Hiram J. SLIFER, who died in France as a member of the American Expeditionary Forces, having been connected with the American Railway Engineers.  He was formerly general manager of the Chicago and Great Western Railroad Company, and also at one time was superintendent of the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad Company and was associated with Col. George GOETHALS in the construction of the Panama Canal.  He was one of the twenty-nine upon whom General PERSHING conferred the Distinguished Service Medal.  SLIFER Post of the American Legion of Chicago is named in his honor.  Mrs. CRARY was born in the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and they have four children; Leonard, Mary, Margaret and Martha.

Clarence M. DOXSEE

Clarence M. DOXSEE has had a broad and varied experience that gives him authoritative status in connection with the abstract business, and at Redwood City, judicial center of San Mateo County, he is now successfully established in this important line of enterprise, as president of the George H. RICE Abstract Company.

Mr. DOXSEE was born in Medina County, Ohio, on the 30^th of July 1861, and is a son of Alfred R. and Mary J. (BENNETT) DOXSEE, both likewise natives of the old Buckeye State.  The public schools of Ohio and Iowa afforded Clarence M. DOXSEE his youthful education, his parents having become pioneer settlers in Iowa.  After leaving school Mr.  DOXSEE was for a number of years actively identified with the abstract business in Iowa, where he continued his residence until 1901, when he came to California and settled in Santa Clara County.  There he remained four years, at the expiration of which he established his residence at Redwood City and became associated with George H. RICE in the abstract business.  The business was finally incorporated under the title of the George H. RICE Abstract Company, and of this company as previously noted, MR. DOXSEE is the president.  The service of this concern is at all times exact and authoritative, and its offices have the best of facilities for giving reliable abstracts of all realty titles in San Mateo County.  The company figures as the medium of ultimate decision in connection with all important real estate transfers in this county and its service is of inestimable value.  In 1922 the company completed and established its offices in its present modern building and is now affiliated with the Western Title Insurance Company. 

Mr. DOXSEE is one of the wide-awake and progressive citizens of San Mateo County, is a republican in political adherency, and he and his wife hold membership in the Congregational Church, while in a fraternal way he is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias.

The year 1886 recorded the marriage of Mr. DOXSEE and Miss Mary H.  INGHAM, who was born and reared in Iowa and the children of this union are four in number: Margaret, Wilbur H. (associate with his father’s business), Caroline M. (Mrs. C.H. WOODHAMS) and Ruth.

Edward F. FITZPATRICK

Edward F. FITZPATRICK is recognized as a leading member of the bar of San Mateo County and as one of the representatives and public spirited citizens of Redwood City, the judicial center of the county.  He has been a resident of California since his childhood, and is a member of one of the sterling pioneer families of this state.

Mr. FITZPATRICK was born in the State of New Jersey, on the 28^th of November 1858 and is the firstborn of the three children of the late Patrick P. and Ann (CONLON) FITZPATRICK, both natives of Ireland.  Elizabeth, the second child, is the wife of Judge BUCK, of San Mateo County; and William F. is a resident of San Francisco.

Patrick P. FITZPATRICK came to California in the late ‘50s and after a period of association with gold mining operations he established the family home at Redwood City, where he became connected with the old Tremont House, one of the early and popular hotels of this section of the state, this hotel building being still in good preservation and constituting one of the historic landmarks of San Mateo County.  Mr. FITZPATRICK continued successfully in the hotel business here for a long period of years and he was one of the venerable and honored pioneer citizens of Redwood City at the time of his death, in 1921, his wife having passed away in 1916 and both having been zealous communicants of the Catholic Church.

Edward F. FITZPATRICK was reared at Redwood City and here received the major part of his early education.  He thereafter read law under effective private preceptorship, and in 1880 he was admitted to the bar of Sacramento.  He has long held prestige as one of the able and resourceful members of the California bar, has a large and representative practice, has given much attention to corporation law, and has in this connection been legal representative of various railroads and other corporations, including the Spring Valley Water Company.  He served one year on the bench of the Superior Court of San Mateo County, but has preferred to give his attention to active law practice rather than official service.  He erected the FITZPATRICK Building, one of the excellent business blocks of Redwood City, and in the same his offices are established.  He has shown lively interest in all things concerning the communal welfare and is known as one of the liberal and progressive citizens of Redwood City. His political allegiance is given to the republican party, and he and his family are communicants of the Catholic Church.

In the year 1886 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. FITZPATRICK and Miss Mary A. O’CONNELL, who was born and reared in San Mateo County.  Of the three children of his union the eldest is Frank, who is now in the employ of the Bank of Italy, one of the substantial financial institutions of Redwood City; Jessie is the wife of Omar. E. DOYLE, of Redwood City where he was born and reared; Joseph R. was a graduate member of the class of 1923 in the law department of the University of Santa Clara, and is now practicing attorney of San Francisco.