SEBASTIAN LOMBARDI

 

             Successful dairyman, farmer and cattleman.  Thus in a few words we can outline the interesting career in San Mateo county of Sebastian Lombardi.

             Nevertheless success did not come without effort and a hard struggle.  When Mr. Lombardi first came to San Francisco to go into the dairying business he was without money, but he soon had established a paying business.  With the capital he realized in his San Francisco venture he again entered the dairying business in San Bruno upon a larger scale in 1900.  He rented a place here in the beginning.  Today he owns this place together with other property in San Bruno, San Francisco and Stanislaus County.

             Mr. Lombardi was born on Dec. 8, 1866 in Switzerland.  He has been living in California since 1890 and has been a resident of San Mateo County for the last fifteen years.  He was married in San Francisco on February 15, 1902.

             Before leaving San Francisco for San Mateo county, Mr. Lombardi took a thorough course education in the night schools of that city to fit himself for the responsibilities he knew would in time be thrown upon his shoulders, as well as to prepare himself to earn more money.

             In recognition of his ability and of his sterling integrity he was appointed postmaster of San Bruno, which term he served for two years.  He is also prominent in fraternal circles being a member of the W.O.W., and of the Y.M. Institute.

             Mr. Lombardi is the father of four children, Steve, aged twelve, August ten, Rose, eight and Loretta, six.

 

Transcribed by Betty Wilson

George W. Lovie

 

George W. Lovie. – The life of this gentleman illustrates, in a marked degree, that high type of American character that this country has developed.

 

Mr. Lovie was born in Maumee City, Ohio, March 4, 1848, and with his heroic mother came to California in 1850, to join his father, who had crossed the plains in 1849.  His boyhood was spent in the mining districts of Placer, El Dorado and Nevada counties, where the self-reliance and hopefulness so characteristic of the time were strongly engrafted in his disposition.

 

In 1868 he married an accomplished woman, Maria F., daughter of Mr. O. S. Holbrook, a prominent mining man of Nevada county, and the union has proved an exceptionally happy one, his parents died soon after his marriage, and he then assumed the responsibility of educating and supporting his brother and sisters (five in number).  He engaged in the draying business in San Francisco, but, not taking kindly to city life, he in 1871 removed to San Mateo county and engaged in farming.  His ability as an enterprising citizen was at once recognized, and he soon became prominent in county affairs.  In 1884 he was elected Tax Collector of the county and moved to Redwood City, the county-seat.  Having served with great success in that office, he was elected in 1886 County Assessor, re-elected in 1890, and is at present discharging the duties of that office with signal ability.

 

While the subject of this sketch excels as a public officer, he is eminent in his private capacity in what is known as a “society man.”  He was Chief Engineer of the Redwood City fire department; P. G. of Ocean View Lodge.  No. 143, I. O. O. F.; P. O. P. Hope Encampment, No. 60; F. S. Rebekah Degree Lodge, No. 48; and Grand Sentinel of the Grand  Encampment, I. O. O. F.; Chairman of the Committee on Credentials and Returns, Grand Lodge Knights of Pythias; and holds important official position in the Great Council of Improved Order of Red Men.  He has served on several important committees in the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and during the past year he was the Noble Grand Arch of the United Ancient of Druids, visiting every grove of that order in the State and organizing two new groves.  At the close of his term in recognition two new groves.  At the close of his term, in recognition of his valuable services in behalf of the order, he was presented by the Grand Grove with a handsome gold watch.  He was Captain of the successful team in the K. of P. competition in rendering the work, which took place during the recent session of the Grand lodge in this city.

 

Mr. Lovie is now in the prime of life, and is a man of pleasing address.  The keystone of his character is strict integrity, personal honesty and geniality.  He is a representative specimen of that class to whom the people must look forward to give credit and tone to American politics.  He is a man of much magnetic influence, and is well calculated to be a leader.

JOHN MacBAIN

 

             The development of a few graveled lanes to eighty miles of paved and macadam boulevards is part of the story of “honest” John MacBain’s seven years as supervisor of the Third Township.

             When John MacBain took office, in 1904, his dream was to give his constituents a system of perfect roads.  With not a foot of macadam or paved road in his township, he started out on this gigantic undertaking, on which he has worked tirelessly ever since, with the exception of the four years that he was not in office.

             The roads of the Third Township now have no superiors in the State.  The two main arteries are the State Highway and the Middlefield road, both of which are paved.  From them branch off Atherton avenue, Fair Oaks avenue and Oak Grove avenue, all of which are paved, and Ringwood road, Glenwood avenue and Valparaiso avenue which are macadamized.  The Woodside road is a perfectly paved stretch running from Five Points, six miles back in the hills, to Woodside.  A beautiful macadam and paved road connects Woodside, Portola and Menlo Park.  Plans are in preparation for the improvement of the Alpine road and the macadamized boulevard into La Honda considered to have few rivals in California.

             Supervisor MacBain has administered his other official duties as competently as he has built his roads.  He was one of the leading spirits in the building of the new county court house, and he has been active on all the leading committees of the board.  The careful and thorough manner with which he has deliberated on the claims against the county has caused him to be popularly called the “watch dog” of the San Mateo County Treasury.

             In private life Supervisor MacBain is one of the leading contractors of the peninsula.  He was a carpenter by trade.  In 1880 he branched out into contracting and since then he has been identified with the largest building projects in San Francisco and San Mateo County.  He has constructed many large business blocks and public buildings in San Francisco.  At present he is engaged in reconstructing the American Theater there, which was one of his first large contracts in San Francisco.

             No contractor has built more of the magnificent country mansions for which San Mateo county is noted than John MacBain.  He just completed the beautifully country home of C. Frederick Kohl at Easton.  Others that he erected are the homes of David F. Walker, at San Mateo; Samuel Knight in Hillsborough; John Henry Meyer at Atherton; E. W. Hopkins, Gus Taylor and William H. Taylor at Menlo Park.  Many of the public buildings, schoolhouses and large industrial plants of the county were built by MacBain.

             John MacBain was born in Picto County, Novo Scotia, on October 3, 1849.  His parents were farmers.  After he had learned his trade he worked in several large eastern cities and in 1874 he came to California.  He moved to Menlo Park in June, 1878, where he has since resided and where he now lives with his family.

 

Transcribed by Betty Wilson

JAMES McCORMICK

 

             The business enterprises of the little city of Pescadero are largely represented by the interests of James McCormick, who though not a native California, has thrown himself heartily into the upbuilding of his adopted land, which owes much to his earnest efforts.

             He was born in Ireland in 1841m the son of Peter and Catherine (Gibeny) McCormick.  His parents emigrated when he was seven years of age, settling in Cathage, Jefferson County, N.Y.

             In 1863, James McCormick left home, for San Francisco, and arrived in that city January 15, 1864.  After about nine months in Santa Cruz, he came to Pescadero where he has resided since.  In 1873 he started his mercantile business which is now the leading store in his district.

             In the3 milling business he also has timber interests and owns valuable timber lands.

             James McCormick is one of the most prominent figures in the public life of the county.  He has served as road supervisor, deputy assessor, and later was a member of the San Mateo County Exposition Commission.  In politics Mr. McCormick is a Democrat.

             Mr. McCormick was married in 1866 to Miss Julia S. Shaffrey, and the children born to them are Alice A., Francis, Ella M., Florence, James, Lillian E., and Julia.

 

Transcribed by Betty Wilson