San Francisco County
Biographies
WILLIAM ADOLPH GRADE
WILLIAM ADOLPH GRADE has been a
citizen of California since 1853.
He was born in Brunswick in 1833, and came to the United
States in 1849. In order to acquire an
English education, he attended the night school, and during the day he worked
at the confectioner` s trade in New York City. When he came to California
he opened a general mercantile establishment at Stockton,
and in 1855 he removed to Mariposa county, where he
was the Pioneer merchant. For twenty-one years he carried on a prosperous trade
there, and in 1872 he sold out and removed to Merced
county. He was a prominent business man of that place
until 1884, when he came to San Francisco
and engaged in the manufacture of confectionery. He does a large wholesale
business, his patronage extending through out the Pacific coast. His place of
business is at no. 533 Washington street,
in San Francisco. During his long
residence in California he has interested himself in
agricultural pursuits, and since 1872 he has been the owner of 10,000 acres of
land in Merced county,
where he raises cattle, hogs and sheep. At one time he devoted his time to the
culture of cotton, planting 200 acres to this product; he realized 400 pounds
to the acre, for which he received thirteen cents a
pound. He is a stockholder and director of the Pacific Bank. One
of the most substantial institutions on the coast. Mr. Grade has not
escaped some of the losses which are likely to befall a man during a long
business career, but depression has not been permanent, and he has soon arisen
above any adverse effects.
Mr.
Grade has connected himself with a few of the most prominent fraternities,
having become a mason at Mariposa as early as 1856, and later on joining the
chapter. He has passed all the chairs of the I.O.O.F., of which he has been a
member for many years.
He
has not given much attention to politics, but has been a consistent Democrat
ever since he became a voter.
In
1863 he was married to Miss Mary Feist, a native of Germany,
and they are the parents of two children, Louis and Dora: the son now renders
his father valuable assistance in management of the San
Francisco business.
Transcribed by Kim Buck.
Source: "The Bay of San
Francisco," Vol. 2, Pages
504, Lewis Publishing Co,
1892.
© 2006 Kim Buck.
California
Biography Project
San
Francisco County
California
Statewide
Golden
Nugget Library