Contra Costa County Biography

ANDREW WALKER

Transcribed by Sally Kaleta, December, 2006.

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

 
Andrew Walker, deceased, was numbered throughout the eastern part of Contra 
Costa County as a pioneer of staunch and enterprising spirit, and one who gave 
no little of a useful life to the upbuilding of the best interests of his 
adopted locality. He was born in Scotland, December 29, 1832, the second son, 
and at an early age went to sea, which vocation he followed some years and made 
several trips around the world. He was comparatively young when he decided to 
cast his lot with the Golden State and located in San Francisco He worked for 
Moose & Folger, wholesale merchants, for some time, after which he engaged with 
the Russian Consul in the wholesale and retail grocery business. Previous to 
this time opened a hay and grain business for a time. While engaged in the 
grocery trade Mr. Walker made two trips to St. Petersburg. He sailed from San 
Francisco, stopped at the Sandwich Islands, went to Japan, crossed the Ural 
Mountains, and thence via Siberia into St. Petersburg. In 1868 Mr. Walker 
disposed of his business in San Francisco. Previous to selling out his business 
in San Francisco he purchased a ranch four miles from Berkeley, known as the San 
Pablo Creek ranch, and in 1873 he purchased four hundred acres in the swamp 
where Oakley is located. This place was very difficult to clear, as it was all 
chaparral. He was successful beyond the expectations of all his friends, and 
cleared the land and raised large crops of grain, alfalfa, and hay. He increased 
his holdings, and in 1887 he purchased the Babbe ranch of two hundred acres. In 
January, 1893, he disposed of the latter place. He purchased the Foreman place 
of seven hundred acres, and in 1887 sold to B. F. Porter, of San Francisco. Mr. 
Walker continued to run the four-hundred-acre-ranch until November, 1905, when 
he disposed of his holdings to the California Canners' Association. Mr. Walker 
was married to Rhobe Anna Andrews, a native of Clinton, Louisiana, a daughter of 
Judge Thomas L. Andrews. To this union were born four children - Harriet M., 
wife of Henry Farnum (deceased), whose son, Lancelot, is station agent at 
Fellows, California; Robert Richmond Walker, who died in 1864; Arthur Merrill 
Walker, who was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and died in 1869; Andrew Lathrop 
Walker, an orchardist of Oakley. Andrew Walker gave his political support to the 
Republican party. His death occurred on January 15, 1906. 
 
Source: "The History of Contra Costa County, California," Elms Publ. Co., 1917, 
p. 542.