Alameda County Biographies

JOHN YULE

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 Yorkshire, England, November 30, 1845.  At a very early age his parents removed to 
Jo Daviess County, in the northern part of Illinois, where our subject grew up, attending the 
common schools of the district for two or three months each winter.  In the spring of 1862, in 
company with several of his early acquaintances, Mr. Yule left his father�s house, intending to 
try his fortune in gold mining in Cariboo in British America.  Arriving in San Francisco, 
however, the news from Cariboo was so discouraging that the party separated, some returning 
home, some going to Washoe, Nevada, and others to Nevada County, in this State.  Mr. Yule 
joined the party gong to Nevada County, where a few days after his arrival he obtained work 
with Messrs. Gregory & Borines, who then owned a large saw-mill among the timber lands, between 
Nevada City and Red Dog, in Nevada County, where he continued to work until the mill was shut 
down for the season.  The following winter he obtained employment in the mines at Red Dog, 
working for the Mallery Brothers at that place, where he continued to work until the following 
spring, when he transferred the scene of his operations to Plumas County; there he followed 
mining for several years, meeting with the ups and downs, but principally the downs, and the 
kindred experiences of a miner�s life.  Having saved some money, however, and feeling the need 
of a better education that he then possessed, in the year 1864 he entered the University of the 
Pacific, at Santa Clara.  After spending some eighteen months in the University he again 
returned to Plumas County, and engaged in mining.  In the fall of 1867 he came to Alameda 
County, where he engaged in teaching.  In the following year he was elected Principal of the 
Grammar School at Haywards, which position he held four years, resigning the same to accept 
the position of Deputy County Clerk, under J. V. B. Goodrich, which position he likewise held 
under Charles G. Reed.  While acting as Deputy County Clerk he began reading law, and was 
admitted to the bar in 1877.  In the fall of that year he was elected to the office of Justice 
of the Peace of Oakland Township, for a term of two years.  In 1880 he was elected Police Judge 
of the city of Oakland; and in the spring of 1882 Mr. Yule was elected City Attorney of Oakland, 
which office he now holds.  Married Miss Sarah S. Beach, a sister of Capt. C. W. Beach, of San 
Francisco, in 1882.
 
History of Alameda County, California�, Oakland, M.W. Wood Publ., 1883, p. 999