Alameda
County
Biographies
ANDREW
OLIVER
ANDREW OLIVER. The name which heads this review is that of a
citizen of Alameda county who left behind him the
record of a well-spent life and the successful accomplishment of his aims
toward a competency. He was one of the earliest
salt manufacturers in this county, beginning on a small scale, and at his death
having successfully laid the foundation for the splendid business which his
widow and sons have since built up. They
now own about one thousand acres of reclaimed land and salt marsh at Mount Eden
Landing, where they have large warehouses, a lumber yard, a grist mill, and a
large salt refinery which they have remodeled, putting in new and modern
machinery, and making one of the finest plants in this section. They also carry on dairying and poultry raising quite extensively, and meet with the same success in
this line. The eldest son, Otto Edward,
is an expert draftsman, machinist and salt manufacturer; Adolph A. is
general manager of the interests of the firm and accounted one of the brightest
young business men of this section; Henry A. manages the general store at
Mount Eden; and Andrew W. is superintendent of the salt refinery. With the exception of Henry, who lives with
his mother, the sons are all married and have pleasant and comfortable homes in
Mount Eden. Mrs. Oliver is a
business woman of rare ability, and since her husband’s death has managed
affairs with the help of her sons in an able and successful manner. She has a beautiful home in Mount Eden,
located two miles from their farm and landing.
A native of Sweden, Mr. Oliver was
born December 28, 1834, and was reared in his native land until attaining
the age of fifteen years. He then went
to sea, which occupation he followed for some time, finally seeking an interest
in the mines of Australia. About 1854 he
came to California and engaged in the mines for a time, and later farmed in
Santa Cruz county several years.
Locating in San Francisco he engaged in house-moving until 1869, in
which year he returned to Sweden and married.
Locating again in San Francisco he followed the work of a house-mover
until 1871, when he purchased a salt claim in the tide lands near Mount Eden
Landing. In the spring of the following
year he located his family there and began the manufacture of salt. His first claim consisted of one hundred and
twenty acres, and to this he constantly added until the property now numbers a
thousand acres. Three different plants
have been built, the one now in operation having a capacity of fifteen thousand
tons of salt per year.
September 18, 1869, Mr. Oliver
married Elsa Pearson, who was also a native of Sweden, and born of this union
were the following children:
Otto E.; Carrie A., who died at the age of twenty-five years;
Adolph A.; Henry A.; Pamelia, wife of
J. C. Penke, of Mount Eden; Andrew W.;
Elsie E.; and Eleanor A., the two last named, with Henry A.,
being at home with their mother.
March 11, 1890, Mr. Oliver passed away, his death removing
from the community a worthy and esteemed citizen, and from the home a husband
and father loved for his many estimable qualities. He was a Republican in his political faith,
as are all his sons. In religion the
entire family are members of the Congregational
Church.
Transcribed by Donna Toole.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages 484-487. The Chapman
Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2015 Donna Toole.
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