FRANCIS JOSEPH GRACIER, JR. 
 

Although more than thirty years have passed since the death of Francis Joseph Gracier, Jr., he is still remembered by old-time residents of San Francisco and other points of the coast as a man of splendid qualities and sterling citizenship. During his long and honorable career he was identified with a number of interests, all of which benefited materially by his ability, and his name and reputation are being perpetuated in the lives of his children and children’s children, a number of whom are prominent in the affairs of the bay region. 

Mr. Gracier was born in 1830, a son of Francis Joseph Gracier, Sr., who was born at St. Michaels, in the Azores, of French descent, the maiden name of the latter’s mother being Annette Lake, who was also of French origin. Francis J. Gracier, Sr. married Mrs. Sabra Atherton (Williams) Hassack, the widow of Elijah Hassack, of Portland, Maine. He died in Cuba, of yellow fever, prior to the birth of his youngest child, Francis Joseph, Jr. The latter arrived at San Francisco, May 8, 1850, having journeyed around the Horn from Portland, Maine. Here, December 25, 1856, he married Caroline Elizabeth Hinckley Heal of Calais, Maine, a daughter of Seth Heal. On the maternal side, Mrs. Gracier was descended from Samuel Hinckley, whose father at one time was governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Samuel Hinckley was born at Barnstable Massachusetts, in February 1652, and died November 19, 1697, and several of his descendants fought as American soldiers during the Revolutionary war. Seth Heal arrived at San Francisco, September 18, 1849, after a passage of 215 days, starting by sailing vessel from New York by way of Cape Horn. His wife, his daughter, Caroline, and his son arrived later on a mail steamer, the John L. Stevens November 14, 1855, coming across the isthmus by rail. 

To Francis J. and Caroline Elizabeth Hinckley (Heal) Gracier there were born the following children: Adelaide Juliet, born October 19, 1857, who taught school at San Francisco for forty-one years; Emma Frances, who married Louis Philip Bolander at San Francisco, June 21, 1882; Carrie Josephine, born September 24, 1861, who married George Washington Sawyer, August 11, 1886; Frank Warren, born September 16, 1864; Leon Elijah, born February 11, 1867, who married Frances A. Wimble at Oakland, California, November 27, 1889; Charles Royal, born February 24, 1869, who married Mary L. Nolan at San Francisco. 1891; Jennie Ella, born May 23, 1871, who married Charles Arthur Trow at San Francisco, August 10, 1902; Seth Bertram, born June 18, 1899; Robert Searles, born February 28, 1878, who died February 18, 1879, and Ruby Estelle, born February 14, 1879, who married James Robb at San Francisco, June 28, 1919. Mrs. Gracier died at San Francisco, February 4, 1880, and her daughter, Adelaide, took her place in the rearing and education of her brother, Seth Bertram, and her sister, Ruby Estelle.  

After his arrival at San Francisco, Francis J. Gracier took up mining in Tuolumne County for a time, and then began freighting on scows up the Sacramento River, which proved a hard and dangerous but profitable enterprise until the coming of the railroads. Mr. Gracier then turned his attention to the business of sawmilling and woodturning on Beale and Mission streets, San Francisco, his operations in these lines covering a period of thirty years, from 1860 until 1890, in which latter year he retired from active affairs, following which his son-in-law, L.P. Bolander, continued the business. Mr. Gracier was a man of good business ability and of the strictest integrity, his word always being sufficient as a guaranty of good faith among his associates. A staunch supporter of law and order, during the early days he belonged to the Vigilantes, and throughout his life upheld the principles of good citizenship. Fraternally he was affiliated with the Blue Lodge of Masonry and the Independent Order of Odd Fellow. He belonged to the Congregational Church, in the faith of which he died April 26, 1892, aged sixty-two years. 

Seth Bertram Gracier, son of Francis J. Gracier, Jr., is president and manager of the S.B. Gracier Company, bullion brokers and refiners, gold, silver and platinum, with offices in the Gracier Building, 608 Commercial Street. He has two sons, Albert B. and Charles Warren. 

Louise E. Shoemaker, Transcriber March 15, 2004