Santa Clara County
Biographies
ALFRED WESTALL
ALFRED WESTALL. Although for more than half a century a
resident of California, it was not until 1891 that Alfred Westall
located permanently in Palo Alto where he has lived in retirement since 1900.
He is one of the well-to-do citizens of his community and all his fortune has
been made in mining pursuits. He was born in Liverpool, England, March 22,
1833. Mr. Westall is the fourth child in a
family of ten born to Samuel and Martha (Borrow) Westall.
His parents were both also natives of Liverpool and in 1840 they emigrated to
the United States, locating for a brief time in New York City and removing
later to Cincinnati, Ohio. The father was a painter, plumber and glazier by
occupation, and in 1843, with his family, he swelled the tide of population
sweeping toward the Mississippi valley, where new sections of amazing richness
were being opened up, and for a period of ten years he lived on a farm in Clark
county, Mo. In 1853 he turned his attention to the far
west and crossing the great plains behind ox teams, he
located at Walla Walla, proceeding the following year
to Sierra county, Cal. Here with his son he engaged in mining pursuits until
1858. He then purchased land in the vicinity of Bodega, Sonoma county, and engaged in farm pursuits. Later he moved to San
Francisco and followed painting, but the closing years of his life were spent
in Oakland, where his wife also died.
The primary education of Mr. Westall
was received in England, and after the removal of the family to this country he
continued his studies in Missouri. His schooling here, however, was necessarily
limited, as he was obliged to walk three miles to school and the term covered
but three months of the year. When not attending school he was engaged in
learning the painter’s trade and in assisting his father in farm work. In 1853
Mr. Westall pursued his way to California, going
by way of the Platte river and Beckwith valley and proceeded to Gibsonville, in
Sierra county, where he sold his team, and soon afterward having spent all his
money, he was obliged to do anything he could to retrieve his fallen fortunes.
He was soon occupied in hauling dirt for the town of Marysville, in Yuba county, to fill up the sloughs, and in 1854 he returned to
Sierra county and engaged in mining pursuits in Smith Flat near Downieville. He has followed mining ever since with fair
success and in 1891, in seeking a desirable location for a home, he was attracted
by the outlook at Palo Alto, whither he removed. For many seasons Mr. Westall returned to the mines but owing to failing health,
he has retired from active business pursuits. On account of his broad
experience he is considered an authority on mining operations, and often
inspects various mines for other parties, who value his services and opinions
highly. At Sierra City he retains an interest in the New York mines, which are
in charge of his sons, and he is also interested in the Union Hill Mine, which
is not, however, in operation at the present time.
By his marriage, in 1864, in Sierra county,
he was united with Miss Susan A. Dobben, a native of New
York. Ten children were born to this union and all are living except the
eldest, a daughter named Martha. The others are Marion, James Edward, Alice,
Lizzie, Samuel, Adel, Alfred, Edith and Etta. The sons all follow mining except
Alfred, who is attending school. The family unite in
worshiping at the Episcopal Church. Politically, Mr. Westall
is a stanch Republican, and is also a member of the
Citizens’ Alliance against unions. He owns in addition to his fine residence, a
prominent club house and other valuable city property, having purchased block
14 in partnership with S. N. Boyce, of Napa, Cal. His residence is
located at No. 339 Emerson street, in Palo Alto.
As a citizen he is a valuable acquisition to the community.
Transcribed by Marie Hassard 22 September 2015.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages
778-781. The Chapman Publishing Co.,
Chicago, 1904.
© 2015 Marie
Hassard.