California Biographies, Alameda County 
William Hayward Mack

History of Alameda County, California
Publisher: Oakland, Calif : M. W. Wood

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

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

 


William Hayward Mack.�The youngest son of Elisha Mack, Jr., who at
the time was engaged in the mercantile business in West Troy, New York. William
H. was born August 23, 1812. When about two years old his parents moved to
Albany, New York, where his mother died March 4, 1819. He was then sent to
Plainfield, Massachusetts, to his mother's parents to be educated. When he was ten
years old his father remarried, and the two sons returned to him at Albany. His
father at this time was very extensively engaged in the wholesale produce and pork packing
business. William, when about sixteen years old, was offered a fine situation
by Wm. Gay, a wholesale and retail dry goods merchant; this offer was made with the
understanding that he should be taken as a partner when he became familiar with the
business; but the father objected to the business, a great disappointment to the son,
who was of a very active business turn of mind. When he was just coming of age,
he one day asked his father what time of day he was born; upon receiving the answer,
" About two o'clock in the morning," he replied, " Then I will not sleep another night
in your house." He soon got a situation on a steamboat plying between Albany and
New York. When navigation closed for the season he got a situation in Stamoix
Hall, where there was a large dining-room adjoining the ball-room. When there was
a ball, he had the entire management of the dining-room, setting and decorating the
tables sometimes for three hundred at a sitting. Upon the reopening of navigation,
he resumed the steamboat business. He was married October 13, 1836, to Miss Anna
Shonts, a farmer's daughter, born near Saratoga Springs, New York. February 11,
1838, he bought out his brother, who was a grocer. This business he conducted until
the close of 1848. In 1845 and 1846 he draughted and superintended the erection of
a block of buildings for Mrs. Dudley, who donated the Dudley Observatory to the city
of Albany. During this time he made a mold for running cornice, of an entirely
new plan, by the use of which over two-thirds of the material was saved, as used by
the old style of mold. This new mold was in time adopted all over the United
States. Had he taken out a patent on it, he would probably have made a large fortune.
At the same time that he was engaged in this work, he had three large stores
in different parts of the city, employing six clerks during the busy season, yet doing
all the buying himself When he concluded to come to California, he spent an entire
year settling his large business. He sailed on the steamer Ohio, February 15, 1850,
taking a steerage passage, as he said, to harden him for the expected rough experience
of California. The passage was very severe, making the passengers extremely sick.
Fortunately he had taken the wise precaution to put his system in good condition
before embarking, so that he experienced little suffering. He therefore offered his
services to the physician in taking care of the steerage passengers. His offer was
gladly accepted, and he did good service, which was so well appreciated that the second
day out he got a state-room, and took his meals at the captain's table. Being of a
social disposition he soon won the good-will of the cabin passengers, and was treated
by the officers as one of their number. At Havana he was invited to go ashore
with them. At Chagres they engaged small boats to convey them to Gorgona, and
pack-mules from there to Panama. Detained there a month they reached San Francisco
April 29, 1850. He had shipped goods on the ship Solon, which ran afoul of a rock
in the Magellan Straits, and much of her cargo was thrown overboard^ and the
remainder taken from the sinking vessel to a French bark and brought to San Francisco.
He tried mining for two months, but was not successful. After this he engaged
on a steamboat plying between San Francisco and Sacramento. This seemed his
favorite and proper business. He received the income of the table and berths, making
a profit the first four months of one thousand dollars per month. This run of
good-fortune ceasing, he engaged in the same work at a salary. October 10, 1851,
he took passage for Albany, to bring his family to California. Six out of seven of
his children were dead, the surviving child, a daughter, was brought to California,
May 27, 1852. He again followed steamboating for a time, and then bought the
Rhode Island House, succeeding very well until the Corporation ordered a sewer to be
run through the street, requiring the building to be raised fifteen feet, when he sold out
January 3, 1857, he started with his family for a ranch near Mowry's Landing, Alameda
County. He had bought this ranch of a squatter, but it was inside a large inclosure
where wild cattle were pastured, and he soon grew tired of the place. He then
opened a store at the Landing, and soon established a fine business. As it was very
difficult to get out to the stage road and to church in the rainy season, he built a store
and dwelling at Washington Corners, where he now resides (June 1, 1883). The
second year after the San Jose Branch Railroad was completed, he took the agency
at Washington Corners, and also the Wells, Fargo & Co.'s Express, doing the work
for two years with entire satisfaction, relinquishing it to enable his only son to become
a machinist. March 17, 1873, he was appointed Postmaster, an office he yet holds,
administering its duties with the most .scrupulous fidelity. Of his thirteen sons and
daughters only three survive at this writing, children who are a pleasure to their
parents. His kind-hearted wife, a worthy partner, is still apparently in the best of
health, her motherly face, a familiar feature in the village post-office. Mr. Mack in
person is of medium height, slender, and still active as a boy. Age does not seem to
dim his eye or make his step less elastic, and at the age of seventy-one his cheery
voice and quick movements are the remark of his friends, and the best of arguments
in favor of a busy life with temperate habits. He is a kind father and husband, and
his house is a happy home. In all public affairs he is among the readiest to take up
his share of the burden. On public holidays he is the first to fling the banner of his
country to the breeze. He is a village social and business factor, thoroughly identified
with all the local interests. Just and exact in his dealings; genial and kindly in
his feelings; he is a good representative American, one of the thousands of whom our
country may be proud, and to whom we may look in confidence that her institutions
will be sustained. A portrait of this gentleman will be found in the following pages.