Alameda
County
Biographies
EDWARD C. DOZIER
Since
beginning his career in 1960 as a laborer on ranches, packing his own blanket
and enduring the loneliness and hardships incident to such a life, Edward C.
Dozier has become owner of valuable lands devoted to grain and vineyards; owns
an oil well and is a stockholder in various mines, and in his beautiful home in
Oakland is rounding out a well-spent life, not the least of whose success has
been the rearing of a family of children of whom any aren’t could well take
pride. His life is an exemplification of
Emerson’s truism: “What man has done man can do.”
A native
of South Carolina, Mr. Dozier was born in Williamsburg August 17, 1843, a son
of Anthony W. and Mary C. (Cuttino) Dozier.
His father, an attorney of note in his native state, reared a family of
nine sons and one daughter, and became owner of a large plantation. He brought his family to California in 1869
and located at old Rio Vista, Solano county, there living retired from active
duties until his death at the age of seventy-two years, his wife passing away
when sixty-five years old.
In his
home in South Carolina Edward C. Dozier was reared to manhood, remaining home
until the breaking out of the Civil war, when he enlisted in Company F, Sixth
South Carolina Cavalry, serving until the siege of Petersburg in 1864, when he
was so severely wounded that he was compelled to return home. Some time elapsed before his complete
recovery to health. With his parents he
came to California in 1869, easily finding employment on the various ranches. After spending two years thus he rented land
of Dr. Toland, and began stock-raising, in October, 1872, becoming manager of
the vast Toland ranch of twelve thousand acres and remained as such for many
years. In the meantime he reclaimed
eighteen hundred acres of the land by building levees, turning a great marsh
into the most fertile land of which the ranch could boast. During this work he often employed as many as
six hundred Chinese, the labor that is now done by means of dredges and pumps
being then performed entirely by hand.
In 1900 in company with W.B. Presley, he purchased one-third of the
Toland ranch, since which time they have devoted the land to grain and
stock-raising, keeping over one thousand sheep.
He established and built his home in Rio Vista, where he lived until
1895, becoming prominent in local affairs and a citizen upon whom the interests
of the community could safely rest. For
sixteen years he served a school trustee and town trustee, as well as taking a
lively interest in all matters pertaining to the general welfare. In 1895 he purchased the home built by Dr.
Ayala, and moved into the same in order that his children could have the
superior training from the schools of Oakland.
In 1888, in partnership with Mr. Presley, he purchased three hundred and
twenty-five acres of land near Windsor, Sonoma county,
of which are devoted to wine grapes and thirty acres to prunes. In the meantime he became associated
financially with the Tuolumne Mining & Development Company, now serving as
president of the same, and is also connected with the Saw Pit Mining Company of
Plumas county, as well as the quicksilver mines of
Sonoma county. Nine years ago he
purchased an oil well in the city of Los Angeles, which has brought him in
substantial returns for the investment.
His far-seeing judgment and business sagacity, as well as a decision of
character which enables him to profit by an opportunity as well as discern it,
have proven exceptional even among the many men who have attained a position of
prominence through successful business ventures, the returns from his labor
speaking more eloquently than words could do of his personal success. He is widely known and honored throughout the
county.
Mr. Dozier
married Jeannette Presley, a native of the same county and state as himself,
and a daughter of John and Sarah (Gotea) Presley, who
were farmers in South Carolina, the father dying at the age of fifty-three
years, while the mother lived to be sixty-two.
The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Dozier: Anthony W., a civil engineer, who married
Edna Gates and is the father of one son, Anthony W., Jr.; Sarah Gotea, a trained nurse, who has charge of the St. Thomas
Hospital of San Francisco; Mary Catherine; Presley, deceased; Lydia Lee, a
graduate of the Oakland high school and the University of California; Jeannette
D.; Edward C., Jr.; Linwood; George P.; and Wade H. Fraternally Mr. Dozier is identified with the
Masonic order, being a member and past master of Rio Vista Lodge No. 208, F.
& A.M. He was also active in the
Pomona Grange while in existence.
Transcribed by
Louise E. Shoemaker, MA.,RD March 21, 2015.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages
444-445. The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2015 Louise E.
Shoemaker.
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