Alameda
County
Biographies
BERNARD McMANUS
An enterprise which stands among the
leaders of its kind in Oakland is the planing mill at
the corner of Clay and Fourth streets, owned and operated by B. McManus, a
practical mechanic and manufacturer. Mr. McManus has long been one of the
enterprising men of town, and his reputation has grown with his prospects and
ambitions, for all acknowledge his sincerity and ability. Beginning with 1875,
he entered upon his present business in partnership with Philip Hanavan, under the firm name of McManus & Hanavan, the mill at that time being located on the corner
opposite its present site. In time Mr. Hanavan was
succeeded by Fred Gartner, an association which continued until 1901, since
which time Mr. McManus has been sole owner and manager of the property. His
mill is one of the most complete in Alameda county,
having the latest in modern machinery, as well as the most expert of workmen.
Moldings, doors, window frames, brackets, sawing of all kinds, planing and
shaping, as well as everything in the line of building materials which come out
of a mill, are perfected according to modern ideas.
Mr. McManus was born in County
Roscommon, Ireland, in 1842, as was also his father, Charles McManus, who spent
his entire life on a farm. Mr. McManus was an earnest student in his youth,
entertaining partiality for mathematics, especially the higher branches. He
became proficient in geometry and trigonometry, and before his sixteenth year
had practically mastered the draftsman’s art. Thus equipped for the future, he
left Ireland for Australia at the age of seventeen, and in the English colony
found employment and good wages. Landing in San Francisco May 13, 1869, he was
equally fortunate in meeting a demand for his services, and spent two years as
a journeyman carpenter and builder. Thereafter he became a contracting
draftsman, and in 1875 arrived in Oakland, having investigated the prospects of
the then small town. His advancement has been steady, and has permitted of no
particular discouragements or elations. His mechanical and business ability
have been handed down to his sons, all of whom are pursuing a similar line of
occupation, and are experts in their line. Two of the sons, Charles, the
second, and Bernard, the fourth, are in the mill with him. Edward, the eldest,
is an architect under civil service in the government employ: Thomas, and
Frederick and Joseph, twins, are students. Bessie died at the age of eleven
years.
Transcribed By: Cecelia M. Setty.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages 1173-1174. The Chapman Publishing
Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2016 Cecelia M. Setty.
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