Sacramento County
Biographies
JOHN E.
WESTOBY
JOHN E. WESTOBY.--The life of John E. Westoby has been largely associated with the West, which has benefited by contact with his broad and progressive ideas and unfailing devotion to the best good of the community. He was born in Leeds, England, July 6, 1879, a son of Thomas and Martha Westoby, who were also natives of England. Uncle Richard W. Westoby left England for California via Cape Horn and arrived at Benicia, Cal., in 1849, and became the owner of much of the land where the townsite of Benicia is now located. Thomas Westoby was a carpenter and contractor by trade and spent five years in Benicia working in his trade; then he removed to Sydney, Australia, where the family spent eleven years.
John E. Westoby is the third of five children and he received his education in the public schools of Sydney. In 1897 the family returned to San Francisco and Thomas Westoby became superintendent of construction of the dry docks in San Francisco. He passed away in Oakland at an advanced age. The mother of our subject now resides in Napa Valley, Cal. In December, 1899, John E. Westoby enlisted in the 2nd Mounted Volunteer Infantry, New South Wales, and in March, 1900, was sent to South Africa and saw active service in the Boer War. After his honorable discharge, he returned to the United States and located in San Francisco in 1902; after the fire of 1906, in which he lost everything, he removed to Oakland, where he followed his trade until 1909. In the fall of 1909 he located in Sacramento and has since devoted his time and attention to contracting and building, in Sacramento and throughout the county. He superintended the building of the Physicians Building, and Hotel Land, the warehouse at Twenty-first and R Streets, and many garages and residences throughout the city and county.
The marriage of Mr. Westoby united him with Mrs. Abbie McClendon and they are the parents of two children, John E., Jr., and Verna. Mr. Westoby located on his five-acre orchard home in 1914 and has spent much time in the development of the community; he is a member of the Del Paso and Robla Center farm bureau. Fraternally, he is associated with the Knights of Pythias. Mrs. Westoby is active in school and club work in Del Paso.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Source: Reed, G. Walter, History of Sacramento County, California With
Biographical Sketches, Page 942.
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA. 1923.
© 2007 Jeanne Taylor.