Arthur Mercein EBBETS

 

Arthur Mercein EBBETS, who died May 5, 1903, was prominent in the early struggles for law and order in San Francisco, and lived many years in the era of peace and progress that followed and achieved success as a business man.

 

He was born in New York State, January 18, 1830, was educated there, and at the age of nineteen left for California.  He embarked on the sailing vessel Pacific August 5, 1849, sailed around the Horn and on reaching San Francisco at once engaged in business as a general merchant on Broadway, near Sansome.  In 1850 LOWE and BROWN became associated with him as partners, and they moved to California Street, near Sansome.  In 1852, Mr. EBBETS erected the first granite building in San Francisco, its site being thirty feet west of Front Street.  It contained three stores.  Mr. EBBETS remained in that location until 1856, when like many others, he went down in bankruptcy.  Having to start over again, Mr.  EBBETS then joined in the gold rush to the Frazier River mines in British Columbia, and soon established himself in business on Bellingham Bay, the agent for the Pacific Mail Company and the Wells-Fargo Express Company, and also conducted a store there until the gold mines panned out.

 

In 1859 he went to San Francisco and established a wholesale and retail coal yard on Sacramento Street, between Drum and Davis streets.  He was in business there actively for over forty years, until he retired in 1901, and then erected a building on the site of his coal yard, renting this property.

 

Mr. EBBETS was twice married.  He married Miss Charlotte PENNIMAN, January 31, 1854.  In 1864 Miss Elizabeth STEVENSON became his wife.  Of the four children by the first marriage only one survived, Charlotte.  There were also four children by the second union:  Caroline, Ann, Robert C. and Arthur S., but the last named died January 30, 1922.

 

The late Mr. EBBETS was a member of the famous Vigilance Committee of 1851 and 1856, and served on the executive committee of both these organizations.  In March 1902, about a year before his death, he witnessed the placing of the bronze tablet marking the spot of Fort Gunnybags,  which figured so conspicuously in the history of the Vigilantes.  Mr.  EBBETS was prominent in politics and public affairs.  He served as county recorder in 1861, as chairman of the finance committee in 1874-75 and supervisor of the Fourth Ward, was president of the Mercantile Library, vice president of the Sportsman’s Club, was a director and at one time president of the Society Of California Pioneers, and was one of the organizers of the Fireman’s Fund and Insurance companies, and held the first policy issued by that company in 1863-63.  He was a member of Grace Episcopal Church.  Mr. EBBETS bought a lot on the northwest corner of Jones and Washington streets, and upon it erected a large two-story mansion in 1852.  All the lumber for the building was brought around Cape Horn.  This was the first fine residence in San Francisco.  Mr. EBBETS sold the old home in 1901.  Among other things he was also well known in San Francisco as a remarkable weather prophet, basing his judgment of the weather on the fogs.