Alameda County Biographies

JAMES EMERSON

Transcribed by Kathy Sedler

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

 

	Was born in Swinton, Yorkshire, England, October 25, 1821, where he resided and 
followed farming until April, 1851, in which month he sailed from Liverpool for the United 
States.  Landing in New Orleans in May of that year, he soon proceeded up the Mississippi to 
St. Louis, but afterwards located in St. Clair County, Illinois, where he farmed until April 
5, 1853, when, joining a train (among which were Robert and John Blacow and Herman Eggers and 
their families), he crossed the plains to California with ox-teams.  Arriving at Mr. Blacow�s 
ranch October 20, 1853, Mr. Emerson started out to find work.  After a year�s service with Mr. 
Blacow, he leased land of Lyman Beard, and farmed until the fall of 1857, when he purchased the 
place opposite that now owned by Mr. Gallegos, where he remained until 1868, then selling out, 
he bought his present property, consisting of seventy acres, situated about a mile and a half 
from Centreville, where he is engaged in general farming and fruit-raising.  Married in April, 
1862, Miss Anna Eggers, a native of Germany; and has seven surviving children, viz.:  Nellie, 
Annie, Louisa, Alice, Ralph W., George I.

History of Alameda County, California�, Oakland, M.W. Wood Publ., 1883, p. 883-884