San Bernardino
County
Biographies
EMMETT
LIVINGSTON SHAY
Emmett Livingston Shay, a popular young native
son of San Bernardino, is making a splendid record in the office of deputy sheriff
of San Bernardino county [sic]. He was
born August 31, 1898, a son of the former noted sheriff, Walter A, Shay. His paternal grandfather, Walter A. Shay,
Sr., a native of Nova Scotia and a cooper by trade, went to Boston,
Massachusetts, during the early ’40s and was living in that city when he heard
the news of the discovery of gold in California, in 1848. Seized at once with the fever that swept
across the country, he made some few hurried preparations and boarded a steamer
for a voyage around Cape Horn, but when the vessel put in at Aspinwall he left her and crossed the Isthmus. On the Pacific side he took the old steamer,
“Golden Gate,” and arrived at San Francisco in the early spring of 1849. From that city he made his way by stage to
Los Angeles, and, having found that the securing of gold was not as easy as had
been represented, sought work at his trade there, and later engaged in
ranching. It was at the ranch of Rowland
& Workman that he met the cook of the ranch, Mrs. Elisa Goshen, and they
were married in 1853. She had crossed
the plains by immigrant train, in an ox-team drawn prairie schooner, early in
1851, coming via Santa Fe, New Mexico, crossing the Colorado river [sic] at
Fort Yuma, then crossing the desert and passing through the Carriso
Creek country, through the mountains to Chino and on to Los Angeles. Her first husband had died en route, at
Tucson, Arizona, and she came on alone and secured the position before
noted. She and her second husband, Mr.
Shay, had five sons and one daughter: John; Henry, who died as a child; Thomas;
William; Walter A., Jr.; and Mary, who became the wife of Thomas B.
Hutchings. In 1857, when the Mormons
were recalled from this section of California by President Young, the
“faithful” sacrificed their San Bernardino lands and all possessions, and
Walter A. Shay was able to secure one hundred and sixty acres of land on Base
Line for nine hundred dollars, in addition to which he bought one hundred acres
of government land adjoining, at two dollars and a half per acre. There he spent the remainder of his life in
agricultural operations, and made a success of his vocation. His death occurred December 2, 1899, as the
result of injuries received when he was thrown from a horse. His wife, a native of Arkansas, passed away
in September, 1869.
Their son, Walter A. Shay, Jr., the
father of Emmett L. Shay of this review, was born in San Bernardino county [sic], June 29, 1866.
He attended the public schools of San Bernardino, after which he turned
his attention to ranching and freighting devoting more time to the latter, in
which occupation he continued for a number of years. He freighted between San Bernardino and
various desert points, and also hauled lumber for many purposes form the mountains
of San Bernardino. In 1898 he left this
somewhat strenuous line of work and a year later went into the sheriff’s office
as a deputy. He was there four years in
the same capacity. In 1903, after he left the sheriffs office, he was elected
city marshal of the city of San Bernardino, and he held that office for two
years. At that time he was appointed
chief of police by Mayor H. M. Barton, and served for two years, when he
decided to leave the employ of the city and did so, immediately connecting with
the office of special agent for the Pacific Electric Railroad in its east
branch. He kept this for two years, then took the office of chief of police of San Bernardino
again, appointed by Mayor S. W. McNabb.
He served another two years and then went back to railroad work, this
time as division special agent for the Arizona division of the Atchison, Topeka
& Santa Fe Railroad of the Coast Line.
He was there for four years, when he was again appointed chief of police
of San Bernardino, this time by Mayor George H. Wixom, and he served two
years. Three appointments as chief of
police by three different mayors is in itself some indication as to the
character of his work in the position.
Mr. Shay was then appointed chief special investigator to the district
attorney of San Bernardino county [sic] and was in
that position a year and six months. In
1918 he was elected sheriff of San Bernardino county [sic] and filled the
position most acceptably for thirteen years, or until August, 1931, when he was
succeeded by his nephew, Ernest T. Shay, a biography of whom may be found on another
page of this work. We quote from the
“History of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties,” published in 1922: “In both his official and private life Walter
A. Shay has made friends of people in all classes, and he deserves every one of
them. It is not only his wonderful gift
for making stanch friends which has won Mr. Shay his popularity – it is also
his devotion to duty, his entire trustworthiness in the administration of his
duties in the public offices he has held and to which he has given himself
without stint. Mr. Shay has a deep-seated
instinct for fair play and a strong and never-put-aside belief in justice and
right, yet when it is necessary to use the ‘mailed fist’ he is never found
stalling. He is as much feared by the
evil-doers as he is loved by the well-doers, and yet, while he is intolerant of
any breaking of the laws, he still is full of the spirit of brotherly kindness
and concord. In fact Mr. Shay is getting
out of life and its duties just what he puts into it, and his fellow citizens
know he is a man to be depended upon, as officer, citizen and friend.”
In March, 1892, Walter A. Shay
married Matilda McCoy, a native of San Bernardino county
[sic], California, and a daughter of W. W. and Elizabeth McCoy. Four of their five children survive,
namely: Weston W., a dentist living in
Los Angeles; Emmett L., of this review; George W., of San Bernardino; and
Nellie, also a resident of San Bernardino.
Weston W. Shay was a lieutenant in the dental corps of the United States
Army during the World war [sic]. He
married Helen Mewhart and has a son, Robert.
Emmett L. Shay, whose name
introduces this article, acquired his education in the grammar and high schools
of San Bernardino. When this country
became involved in the World war [sic] he enlisted in the navy and was assigned
to the naval base at San Pedro.
Subsequently he became identified with the old Mountain Auto Line, one
of the first transportation lines in this part of California, which operated
prior to the era of modern road building.
It was in 1921 that he entered upon the duties of deputy sheriff of San
Bernardino county [sic], which he has discharged most
faithfully and efficiently to the present time.
On the 11th of March,
1920, Mr. Shay was united in marriage to Miss Violet T. Wixon,
daughter of William Riley and Ida Maria (Quick) Wixon
and member of a pioneer family of San Bernardino. Mr. and Mrs. Shay are the parents of two
sons, William and Jack, who are twelve and six years of age, respectively.
Mr. Shay gives his political
allegiance to the republican [sic] party [sic], believing its principles most conducive
to good government. He is a member of
the American Legion and the Native Sons of the Golden West and fraternally is
affiliated with Lodge No. 836 of the Benevolent and Protective Order of
Elks. Hunting and fishing and other
forms of outdoor life constitute his recreation.
Transcribed by Jeanne Turner.
Source: California
of the South Vol. II, by John Steven McGroarty, Pages
391-394, Clarke Publ., Chicago, Los Angeles, Indianapolis. 1933.
© 2012 Jeanne Turner.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S SAN
BERNARDINO BIOGRAPHIES