WILLIAM P. DWYER

Sacramento County

Biographies

WILLIAM P. DWYER

WILLIAM P. DWYER--A well-known citizen of Sacramento, and the representative of a pioneer family, is William P. Dwyer, president of the Sacramento Transportation Company, which has grown and flourished under his management. Sacramento is his birthplace, where he was born on October 30, 1876, a son of Captain Thomas and Ellen (Flanagan) Dwyer, both natives of Ireland. Thomas Dwyer was born in 1831, and was endowed with a spirit of enterprise; and when, in 1848, some acquaintances tried to persuade him to go with them to the New World, he readily consented. He came to Toronto, Canada, in all the vigor of his young manhood, and there commenced the battle of life. He engaged in the lumber trade, working at that during the winter, and on a farm during the summer. In 1852, he came to the United States, going to Ohio; and there he obtained his first contract work, the getting out of a certain number of railroad ties. After this he went to Lake County, Ill., and again worked on farms in the summer, going to the pine woods of Wisconsin in the winter, where sometimes for six weeks continuously the sun never melted the snow from the sides of the trees nor from the roof of his shanty.

In 1859, during Pike's Peak excitement, in company with a party of friends, Thomas Dwyer started for the gold diggings; on reaching the Missouri River at Council Bluffs, they learned that the Pike's Peak gold excitement was a humbug, and some of the party turned back; but Thomas Dwyer and his partner struck out boldly for California, the land of gold and sunshine. They came with ox teams, and after a journey of five months arrived in Susanville on September 3, 1859. He spent a year in the mines of Shasta County, and went to Chico during the following summer and ran a thrashing-machine in Butte and Colusa Counties. When the season's farm work was over, he bought some timber-land on the Sacramento River in Colusa County, and commenced cutting the wood; he got together about 2,500 cords, taking in a partner to share the expense, bought a wood barge, and brought the wood down the Sacramento, where he could dispose of it to the schooners in the river. This was the origin of what is today known as the Sacramento Transportation Company. He afterward bought a small steamer to tow his barges. About this time, in 1866, J. H. Roberts, H. L. Miller, Michael Rigney, N. McNear and C. Clots were added to the firm, which was then known as the Sacramento Wood Company. In 1879, the name was changed to the Sacramento Transportation Company, and the firm was incorporated under the laws of the state.

Nowithstanding the California Steam Navigation Company was running in opposition to them, their business steadily grew from year to year. Increased towing facilities being required, the "Berona" was added to their fleet in 1873; the "San Joaquin No. 2," in 1877; the San Joaquin No. 4," in 1882; the "Governor Dana," "Dover," and "Flora," in 1883; and in 1889 another steamer was added. At that time the company operated a fleet of twenty barges, which have been added to from time to time to accommodate their fast-growing trade.

In 1881 the company engaged in the manufacture of brick, erecting kilns on the Riverside road, five miles below Sacramento, where they used the most-approved appliances. In 1888 a new patent system was introduced, called the continuous kiln, with a capacity of 60,000 brick per diem; they also had in operation four Quaker brick machines, with a capacity of 140,000 daily.

In 1868 Thomas Dwyer was married to Ellen Flanagan; and they had five children: Francis Thomas, Mary Ellen (Mrs. Robert T. Devlin), John Jeffery, William Patrick, of this sketch, and Thomas Edward. Mr. Dwyer died in 1890 and Mrs. Dwyer in 1896.

William P. Dwyer obtained his education in Brothers' College and at St. Mary's in Oakland, graduating with the class of 1891. When he reached young manhood he was taught the transportation business, so that when his father passed away it was an easy matter for him to continue the business along the lines inaugurated by his father. In 1923 the plant was remodeled and the most modern equipment was installed to replace the old, the capacity being increased to 30,000,000 brick annually. All hand work is eliminated and a superior product is manufactured; the plant runs continuously, the year round.

William P. Dwyer was united in marriage in San Francisco with Miss Ethel Clare, a native of that city; and they are the parents of four sons; William Patrick, Jr., Thomas Robert, Richard Collins and Peter Guilford. Mr. Dwyer is a Republican in politics; and fraternally he is a member of the Elks, the Sutter and Del Paso Country Clubs of Sacramento, and the Family Club of San Francisco. He has contributed in a large measure to the upbuilding and improvement of the part of the county in which he makes his home, for he belongs to that class of representative American men who, while promoting their individual progress and success, also contribute substantially to the general prosperity.

Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.

Source: Reed, G. Walter, History of Sacramento County, California With Biographical Sketches, Page 603. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA. 1923.