San Francisco County
Biographies
SAMUEL
HENRY KENT
S. H. KENT, a
contractor and builder of San
Francisco, was born
in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1832, a son of Samuel Kent, also a native of Boston, and a ship carpenter by trade. Our subject was
reared and educated in his native city, and also served an apprenticeship with
his uncle, Barker Kent, a prominent ship-builder of that city. When only
nineteen years of age, young Kent determined to come to the Pacific coast,
during the early days of the gold excitement, and accordingly sailed on the
Cherokee to Havana and then to Chagres, and on this
side of Panama on the old California, arriving in San Francisco in June,
1851. He did not follow the throng to the mines but engaged in steamboat
work for one year, next engaged in mining about one year, and then returned to
this city and worked at his trade. For ten years he was in the employ of
the Pacific Mail Company, after which he engaged in business for himself, and
also did a great deal of Government work during the war. Mr. Kent was
elected Superintendent of Streets, and held that office two years, and was then
appointed Superintendent of Erection of the State Normal School at San Jose,
which cost $150,000. He next went to Los Angeles to supervise the building of the branch State
Normal School there, after which he engaged in mining a short
time. Upon his return Mr. Kent again commenced contracting and building, and since that
time has done an extensive and successful business. He was elected
president of the Builders’ Exchange in 1889, was re-elected in 1890, and again
in 1891, thus serving his third term as the head of this large organization,
and has been again re-elected, making the fourth term. He is also at the
present time one of the Trustees of Calvary Presbyterian church, the leading
church of this denomination on this coast.
Transcribed
by 11-17-06 Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source: "The Bay of San Francisco," Vol. 2, Pages 170-171, Lewis Publishing Co, 1892.
©
2006 Marilyn R. Pankey.
California Biography Project
San Francisco County
California Statewide
Golden Nugget Library