Collection: Books and Periodicals

About This Item:

Title: A Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California (1891) Collection Type: Books and Periodicals Publisher: Lewis Publishing Company Published: 1891 Copyright: In the public domain or published before 1925 Source(s): Google Books # of Pages: 713 Download PDF: User Login Required Download OCR Text: User Login Required

Date Scanned: 2024-07-22 00:25:09 Item Sourced From: PDF First Created: 2025-03-17 03:11:29 Last Updated: 2025-03-17 06:30:36

Original Held At: Searls Historical Library Location: 161 Nevada City Hwy, Nevada City, CA 95959

Page: of 713  

HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. 489 Departmnent of Dalhousie College, but his health becoming feeble he spent a year in Boston; he then came to California. His health immediately improved here, and he began work in a tannery of his brother in Napa. Several years afterward he purchased an interest in the establishment, bnt two years later sold it, went to Benicia and became a member of the firm of Stewart & McBain, but in the summer of 1890 sold out to his partner. (See sketch of Charles Stewart.) The firm purchased the property known as Brown’s tannery, improved it and made additions until they were abreast with all modern methods of tanning and han‘dling leather. June 19, 1879, is the date of Mr. McBain’s marriage to Miss Martha Stewart, a native of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and of Scotch an. cestry. Her parents were Robert and Catherine (McNulty) Stewart, natives of Pictou, Nova Scotia. Mr. and Mrs. McBain have three children: Alva, born January 22, 1880; Stewart Irving, June 24, 1888, and one born October 20, 1889. Mr. McBain’s parents were Alexander and Grace (McKenzie) McBain, also natives of Pictou, and of Scotch parentage. Mrs. McBain was brought to California while an infant by her parents in 1864, since which time they have resided in Benicia and Napa. Her father for a number of years operated a tannery in Benicia. A sister married Thomas McBain, proprietor of a tannery in Napa City. nn ett ttn Bre ce —~ A i STEWART, tanner at Benicia (has been a resident of this place since 1871, except five years in Napa, as a member of the firm of McBain & Co., and sixteen months’ ranching near Suisun. He was born at Rogers’ Hill, Picton County, Nova Scotia, in 1850, where he learned his trade uf an uncle. At the age of nineteen years he came to California, after the opening of the overland railroad, and located in Solano County. For the first sixteen months he worked on a ranch near Suisun, and then returned to his trade at Benicia. Four years afterward he went to Napa and purchased an interest in the tannery of McBain & Co., where he continued about five years. In 1880 he sold out there and returned to Benicia, and here he worked for eight years as head tanner for McKay & Chisholm, and in March, 1888, in partnership with James W. McBain, he pnrchased the establishment known ae Brown’s tannery. In the summer of 1890 he purchased McBain’s interest, and now enjoys a succeseful and increasing trade. On two additional lots he has put up new buildings and introduced new appliances, enabling himself to do first-class work. His specialty is sole leather, and his market is San Francisco. Mr. Stewart has — by his own exertions, good management and economy built up a position for himself among the manufactured interests of California which is permanent. He is a member of Benicia Lodge, No. 94, A. O. U. W., and of the Congregational Church since 1887, and totally abstains from the use of tobacco and intoxicating liquors. He was married January 10, 1877, to Miss Mary McPhail, a native of Ontario, Canada, and they have five children: Margaret J., William, Janet A., John and Charles A. Margaret was born February 3, 1878; William, December 7, 1879; Janet Ann, March 8, 1882; John Logan, September 8, 1884; and Charles A., March 5, 1887. Mr. Stewart’s parents, William and Jane (Logan) Stewart, are natives of Nova Scotia, of Scotch parentage, and came to California, where they spent the remainder of their days; his father was a farmer. Mrs. Stewart’s parents, John and Margaret (McDonald) McPhail, were natives of Canada, whose parents came there from the Highlands of Scotland. —_ a Oe ne =. 3S AMES F. TOBIN, deceased, was for many J years one of the prominent business men of Vallejo and a large contractor with the United States Government in the supply of the