Alameda County
Biographies
JAMES A. SMILIE
JAMES A. SMILIE. Among the more prominent and highly
esteemed residents of Alameda County is James A. Smilie,
of Oakland. One of the leading contractors and builders of the Pacific coast,
he was for many years in partnership with his brother Robert, the firm name
being Smilie Brothers. They obtained an
excellent reputation for superiority and durability of workmanship, their fame
extending throughout many counties. These brothers were born on a Canadian
farm, not far from Montreal, the birth of Robert Smilie
occurring in 1849, and that of James A. Smilie
in 1851.
Having learned the carpenter’s trade in Canada, Robert Smilie came to California in 1875, with limited means, but
the master of a trade that is in especial demand in a new and enterprising
country. Soon after his arrival, he located in Oakland, becoming a member of
the firm of Haskell & Smilie, which
existed for four years, during which time the firm was busily employed,
contracting, building, operating a planing
mill and manufacturing doors and sashes. They erected many of the prominent
buildings of that time, including the Hall of Records, in Oakland, the Jewish
Synagogue, the Dunn block on Washington street, the
residence of Mr. Thompson in Alameda, at a cost of $50,000, a mill at East
Oakland, and many handsome residences in Alameda, Berkeley and Oakland. In 1879
the partnership was dissolved, and Robert Smilie
carried on business alone for a while, making a specialty of large structures.
Aside from building many prominent residences in Oakland, he erected the Linning block, and then spent two years in Seattle, Wash.,
where he built the court house at a cost of $200,000. He afterward built
several churches of note in San Francisco. In 1886 he formed a partnership with
his brother, James A. Smilie, the subject
of this sketch, and was associated with him until his death in 1899. He was
accidentally killed by the fall of timbers that were being hoisted by ropes and
tackle while he was filling a contract for a large sugar refinery. A man of
great enterprise, Robert Smilie made many wise
investments, among other things building, in Oakland, the Metropole
hotel, which he furnished and rented, and which is now owned by his estate; and
buying, on Webster street, Berkeley, seven acres of land, on which he erected
his beautiful residence, costing $30,000, constructed walks and drives,
afterward having his grounds beautified by distinctive landscape features, his
house and its environments being among the most attractive in the county. At
his death Mr. Smilie left a widow and two
children.
Coming to Oakland with his brother Robert in 1875, James
A. Smilie worked with him for a while, as his stay on
the coast was not then to be permanent. Having interests at home that needed
looking after, he returned to Canada in 1881, and spent some time there in
settling up an estate. Coming back to Oakland, he became a member of the firm
of Smilie Brothers in 1886, and from that date
was numbered among the most active and prominent builders and contractors of
this section of the state. With his brother, he built the Capen Bakery
block, the Macdonough block, the Central Bank building, and other business
blocks in Oakland; many of the best modern residences of Oakland, Alameda and
Berkeley; the Union Savings Bank in San Francisco, six store buildings in that
city and four business blocks for the Fair estate; the Fresno court house; the Palamaras hotel at Pomona; and the Wilcox block in Los
Angeles. During all the time this firm was in existence it had a lumber yard in
Oakland, and was interested in the culture of fruit. Purchasing the Del Riorey vineyard, in Fresno, of six hundred and fifty-five
acres, they devoted five hundred acres of the land to the raising of raisins,
figs and peaches, and since the death of his brother Mr. Smilie has served as president of the company owning it.
Continuing the business established by Smilie Brothers,
James A. Smilie, in 1901, completed the Dalziel & Moller block,
and has erected several beautiful residences, five of which he owns, four of
them being on Eighth street. The residence which he
occupies, located at No. 58 Eighth street, was formerly owned by
General Kirkland, and was one of the most costly and spacious dwellings of
its day. He has recently returned from a four months’ trip through Great
Britain and the continent.
Mr. Smilie is a Republican
in politics. He is a member of St. Andrew’s Lodge,
F. & A. M. His brother Robert was also a member of this lodge,
which he served officially, and was also a member and past officer in all the
Masonic bodies of this locality.
Transcribed by Marie Hassard 17 April 2016.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages
1075-1076. The Chapman Publishing Co.,
Chicago, 1904.
© 2016 Marie Hassard.
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